The next day, I shouted loudly as soon as I woke up.
“I’m all better!”
“Don’t lie.”
Irina looked at me with doubtful eyes. I insisted.
“I really am!”
“You have no color at all. You’d better not leave the bedroom today.”
I was astonished.
“Irina, you’re starting to sound like Adele now!”
“Come on, lie down. I’ll sing you a lullaby.”
In the end, I have no choice but to comply. The only momentary freedom I had was when I have to go to the bathroom. I lived on the bed all day. I was bored to death, but no one came to visit me.
“What’s this? Is Adele not coming today?”
Tired of looking at the clock every five minutes, I finally took a nap. I slept, then I slept again. I thought I slept well for twelve hours.
And the next day I insisted again.
“Irina! I’m definitely all better now!”
“Yes yes, you look much better.”
Irina, who had dark circles under her eyes and was as pale as me, responded with empty eyes. I should tell Irina to have a break.
“Then I’ll go outside now.”
Irina got up from peeling fruit.
“I’ll change my clothes, please wait a moment.”
I tilted my head.
“You will come with me?”
“Of course. I can’t let you go alone. I’ll get the guards prepared.”
“I can go with the other maid, right? Irina gets some sleep.”
“I’ll feel more relieved if I go.”
There was no room for negotiation. I nibbled the fruit that Irina peeled in a pretty shape.
“Not going out with Adele makes the procedure difficult.”
I wore a cape and went out with Irina. The guards followed at a moderate distance.
We moved out of the private land and into the shops.
Looking hard around, Irina looked up at the sky full of floating clouds and muttered.
“There’s a lot of clouds. It may rain in the evening.”
I asked, keeping an eye on a completely different place from Irina.
“Irina, do you want me to buy you a parfait?”
“……you’re the one who actually wants to eat it, don’t you?”
“Yeah.”
Irina looked displeased.
“Milady, I’m just a maid. You don’t have to mind me.”
I shrugged my shoulders.
“But I probably won’t live long, so I want to be as nice to the people I like as possible.”
If my life was about 50 years away, I might have learned deeply about the etiquette and formality of a noble family, but now it’s nothing else to do anyway. I decided not to care.
Irina gritted her teeth.
“What are you talking about? You’ll be immortal!”
At that time, a small stone may fell on my foot.
“Huh?”
“……a stone? “
Irina and I turned our heads at the same time. A boy was staring at us.
“I’m sorry. I threw it by mistake while I was fooling around.”
I clenched my fist without realizing it. I remember that face. It was a boy whom I met on the day I went to see the sky lantern.
“I heard you helped Martin’s grandmother move home. My grandfather is having a hard time moving, could you help him as well?”
I remember him asking Adele for something ridiculous and that time when he talked back to him with a voice filled with sarcasm.
“And what if we don’t? You’re not going to threaten us, weak commoners with your powers right?”
I opened my mouth.
“You probably won’t listen to me, but not all the nobles are like Adele.”
The boy lowered his eyes.
“Please forgive me just once.”
He may look servile and sorry right now, but I knew he was laughing at me inside. I realized for sure. These people didn’t deserve Adele’s favor. And Adele shouldn’t get hurt because of these people.
I’m the only one who can bully Adele!
I called Irina.
“Let’s go.”
I lost my appetite, so I decided to just go back.
Then something came up to my mind.
“I have to go see Adele.”
This time, I didn’t have a chance to ask for Irina’s permission. Irina noticed it, too.
“I’ll have the carriage ready.”
“Please make it as quick as you can. Adele might run away if he finds out I’m going.”
It was good that I recovered my energy yesterday. At least it wasn’t likely that I’ll fall. For now.
As soon as I got on the carriage, I ordered the horseman to drive at the fastest speed. The horseman followed faithfully.
Duke Magnus’ Residence was within a stone’s throw*.
(t/n: it means it’s near.)
I poked my head out of the carriage when we stopped for a moment in front of the huge main gate. I was going to tell the gatekeeper I was a friend of Adele’s.
“Hello…. “
However, the gatekeepers opened the gate just by looking at the family crest on the carriage.
“It’s Count Sinclair’s carriage! Let them in now!”
What’s with this hospitality?
Although Anastasia had visited the Duke’s mansion along with the Count several times before, that was already a long time ago,
They didn’t even check who’s in the carriage. What? Is this proof that our parents are close to each other?
I thought of Duke Magnus and Anastacia’s father.
In the novel, those two men spoke informally, verbally, and without hesitation, or even violence.
I got off the carriage in bewilderment. As I was trying to enjoy the brilliant sunshine pouring over my head, I heard Adele’s voice as sweet as the blue weather.
“Anastasia? Why did you come all the way here when you were supposed to be at your bedroom?”
He’s fast. The carriage door hadn’t even closed yet. I stared at Adele, who seemed to have run down the window and not by the stairs.
“I’m here to see you.”
Adele, who I hadn’t met in two days, enchanted my eyes.
His fair face seemed to glow. His red pupils are peeking under his sparkling golden eyelashes.
Adele said in a determined tone.
“Go back. You have to take absolute rest.”
“No.”
I’ve put on a brazen face. Adele’s eyes shook.
“Please, Anastasia. I have no face to see you.”
“I missed you.”
I just brilliantly and successfully shut Adele’s mouth. I gave him a smile.
“You thought a lot about me, didn’t you?”
“I…..”
Adele was trying to say something but he stopped and chose silence instead. There was a shadow on his handsome face.
I poked Adele’s arm with my finger.
“I’m thirsty. “
Adele declared surrender.
“I’ll show you to the drawing-room.”
The mansion was like a castle. As expected of Duke Magnus, the most influential figure supporting the empire.
Count Sinclair was also famous for his wealth. But even to me, who was staying in such a place, I can’t help but feel anxious because of all the gold I could see on their wall. This place looks like it’ll be sparkly and bright even in the middle of the night without lights.
The ceiling painting, that seemed to be a scene from of a myth, created a grandeur, and the patterns embroidered on the pillars looks like it was made by the finest craftsman.
We ran into the maids in front of the reception room door.
It was quite amazing that they greeted us in such a polite manner when we passed by. The look from me was favorable. The gatekeepers and the dukes are kind.
Adele sat me down first and brought me water.
“Here’s the water.”
I tucked my hair back in my ear as I took the glass. I was ready to play a new trick to ease Adele’s mind.
“What about black tea?”
Adele started setting up a tea set in front of me, not just bringing teacups. He carefully placed the kettle, teacup, spoon, sugar, and jam container one by one.
I felt the traces of hard work on how he placed each one of them so that I could eat comfortably. Ah, I didn’t expect that he’ll do it himself.
I was a little surprised but I deliberately put on a haughty look.
“Can I please have some strawberries?”
Adele smiled faintly and complied with my request.
Adele moved busily again as I started drinking tea. This time he brought some chocolates along with the strawberries placed in a silver bowl, decorated in a shape of a rose.
“I brought ganache Chocolates, Anastasia’s favorite. In addition, I prepared milk chocolate, white chocolate, dark chocolate, and almond chocolate.”
…What’s wrong with him? I thought he was surprised to see me. Why is so prepared?
“I don’t really like almonds.”
As soon as I responded with a lukewarm voice, Adelle immediately took the bowl.
“I’ll clean it up right away.”
It feels like I’m never going to see Almond in front of me again. Am I mistaken?
I looked at Adele while eating strawberry dipped in chocolate one by one.
“What were you doing?”
“I was doing a little training.”
“Am I interrupting?”
“Of course not. “
Adele shook his head even before I could even finish my words. He glanced at me with eyes filled with complex feelings.
“Anastasia, this might be a little rude, but you’re too thin. Wouldn’t it be better to go back now?”
I put down my teacup and made up my sullen look.
“You don’t like being with me?”
Adele soothed me politely.
“That’s not what I meant. But when you’re with me and you face trouble once again, I might do the same mistake once again.”
Things seemed to have come as a great shock to Adele at that time. I stubbornly stood my place.
“Then I’m tired, so I’ll take a little rest. Just do what you have to do.”
Even if I go back now, it was obvious that Adele would still be blaming himself.
I focused on eating and ignored Adele on purpose, pretending not to care.
Adele looked at me for a moment as if he couldn’t shake off his guilt.
We did not talk for a while. We just let time pass in silence. Surprisingly, it didn’t feel weird or uncomfortable.
I leaned back on the sofa, and Adele constantly tried not to look at me. After a while, Adele started reading a book.
It was once a peaceful afternoon. I have to yawn so I lowered my head slightly.
I don’t know how many minutes have passed since then.
“Uhh.”
While I was daydreaming, it suddenly came to my mind that I’m currently not home, making me jump to my feet.
“Ugh, did I doze off?”
I hurriedly scrubbed the mouth. Thankfully, I didn’t drool.
Adele, who was sitting opposite, smiled.
“I was thinking of moving you to a bed but I decided not to because you might wake up.”
“You should have woken me up.”
“You slept so hard.”
I wiped my mouth once again for no reason.
Adele was writing something on a paper while he was talking to me. No, it was more like drawing than writing.
Feeling curious, I went to the seat next to Adele. After seeing what he was doing, I can’t help but admire Adele’s work.
“You knew how to draw.”
“This… “
Adele looked down at the paper with a bitter smile. I blinked my eyes.
Adele was sketching the face of a woman with wavy long hair. I was a little embarrassed because it was obvious that he really put in a lot of effort in drawing it.
“Is this me?”
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean it.”
Adele blocked the paper to cover it with his hand. Then I spoke in a strict manner.
“Raise my nose.”
“Yes? “
“My nose isn’t that low.”
Adele corrected the sketch as I spoke harshly with a blow.
“Like this? “
Only then did I smile.
“Perfect. As expected, my beauty shines even in sketches.”
Adele burst into laughter.
“Yes. Anastasia is beautiful.”
He smiled broadly for the first time.
My eyes!