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36. In the same bed
Why does Atalante identify with this man?
She had also grown up in poverty and lost countless people due to the war.
She’d witnessed scenes of people dying countless times, but for some reason, she wasn’t used to it.
Her nose started stinging at the scenes that suddenly appeared in her head.
It’s amusing. She had also taken many lives.
However, unconnected to her feelings of longing for the deceased, she didn’t memorise all of their names like Lionel.
‘If I memorised all of their names, I might go crazy.’
With her eyes tightly shut, Atalante inadvertently uttered the only name that she could still clearly remember.
“Athemas.”
Mister.
As soon as she realised how she called her adoptive father, Lionel felt distant.
Even if he was aware of the sorrow of parting, he still had parents. From the beginning, he was different from Atalante, who didn’t have anyone by her side.
“It must be great. You, who didn’t have to envy others for having parents, and have a lot of people that care about you.”
Atalante knew nothing would change even if she hated him. Hating another person wouldn’t change her situation, her wounds, her condition, or anything.
Even so, Atalante still hated, envied, and pitied Lionel.
It was amazing that she could hold such complex emotions for a single person.
“I’m not like you who grew up precious. I have to protect my own body. As well as my family members, I’ll protect them with these hands.”
She couldn’t understand why she was making such a declaration to a man that couldn’t even hear it.
But when she spoke her innermost thoughts, her anxious breathing calmed down slightly.
It was her true intention, and was completely achievable, but bitterness welled up in a corner of her heart.
‘Do I also want to be protected, without knowing my place.’
Atalante made a self-mocking smile, and the corners of her mouth trembled.
It was embarrassing to have been influenced by a man that talked nonsense while asleep, causing her to dampen his shirt.
Atalante held her breath to hold back the rising tears.
“Stay by my side.”
It’s not ‘don’t go’ this time.
Overshadowing the mocking smile was a shallow exhale, and the name that followed caused her to stiffen.
“Atalante.”
As that name wasn’t common, it probably wasn’t someone else with the same name.
How long have they known each other, for him to be finding her in his dream?
“…It seems that problems have appeared in not only his heart, but also his brain.”
Drug addict.
Forgetting that she was the one that fed him the drug, Atalante mouthed an insult.
The grand duke that fell in love with a commoner-born assassin due to a ridiculous love potion made by an amateur apothecary.
Atalante wanted to ridicule him to her heart’s content at the impasse his life has reached, but for some reason… her body weakened.
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The most extreme occupation in the world was, without a doubt, being a servant of the Grand Duke of Blanc.
“Your Highness.”
Paul, who was subjected to the servants’ torment the entire night, knocked on the grand duke’s bedroom door at the time he usually wakes up.
The bluish shadow under Paul’s eyes represented his suffering.
‘Oh no, I forgot to confirm that the villain was calmly in her room.’
She wouldn’t have run away, right?
While he was anxious for a moment, Paul shook his head immediately.
He was certain that she wouldn’t leave this mansion before achieving what she wanted.
‘Since I’m in a partnership with that woman for the time being, I’ll show my sincerity.’
Sadly, Paul has yet to realise that he had already started to trust the villain.
“Your Highness, Madame Delica had gotten in touch with us early in the morning. I’m not sure what’s going on with her, but she said that she’ll be making that woman… no, Atalante’s dress.”
Even though he had brought unexpected news, there was no response from the grand duke.
‘Well, the number of times he allowed me to enter normally can be counted on a single hand.’
With a sigh, Paul slowly pushed the large door open.
“Your Highness, stop doing this and…”
Paul entered the room in order to wake him up, but he hardened at his spot like stone before he could take more than a few steps.
The grand duke was clearly awake, with half of his body raised up by bracing on an arm, with his eyes wide open.
“Shh!”
Lionel placed his index finger on his lips without even giving the uninvited guest a glance.
“Your High…!”
Unable to make loud noises, Paul expressed his feelings with his facial expressions and gestures.
However, the grand duke still didn’t spare Paul a glance, so his efforts were for naught.
‘Why in the world is she here?’
The dishevelled crimson locks that were being held in the grand duke’s arms clearly belonged to Atalante.
Does she know whose chest is her head lying on right now?
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‘Even though you had clearly said that you weren’t interested in the position of the grand duchess……!’
As expected, it seems that her background doesn’t lie.
How could she spend the night in the same bed as an unmarried man!
The small villain’s sparse concept of chastity made Paul dizzy.
If the two didn’t just sleep, it’s obvious that the grand duke would have an even stronger reason to marry Atalante.
“Y–Your Highness… The two of you, couldn’t have… uh…”
Let alone speaking, even gesturing wouldn’t be enough to convey his question, and as such, Paul’s face reddened while he rambled.
“How is it that your sleeping appearance is so pretty?”
However, Lionel’s eyes were completely covered with bean pods, and couldn’t be bothered to pay the lord chamberlain that had been by his side for more than ten years any attention.
[T/N: ‘eyes covered with bean pods’ means to be blinded by love]
“When I saw Miss Atalante as soon as I opened my eyes, I thought that I was out of my mind at first.”
He thought that Lionel was already slightly out of his mind in various aspects, but he actually wasn’t crazy yet?
“Did you, perhaps, enter the wrong room?”
Lionel chuckled lightly, and stood up with a gaze filled with regret.
Contrary to his reaction, Atalante would definitely be appalled to find Lionel lying next to her. He couldn’t bear to let the woman he loves become shocking so early in the morning.
“Now then do I understand why people want to get married.”
Lionel stared at Atalante as if he was appreciating her sleeping appearance, before bending down and kissing the ends of her hair.
‘I’d thought that Your Highness would never know that feeling.’
Of course, Paul hoped that Lionel would take a wife as soon as possible, in order to be recognised as a complete adult after his marriage.
Of course! An elegant and dignified noble young lady that matched his standing.
Who would have thought that his half-mad master would start an unbelievable love of the century.
“Luckily, you came just in time. It almost became a terrible piece of trash.”
“Yes…?”
His astonishing words caused Paul’s internal monologue to still. Lionel, who had come to his side before he knew it, ordered in an uncharacteristically gentle voice.
“Paul, when Miss Atalante wakes up, explain it properly to her so that she isn’t shocked.”
“How am I supposed to explain…”
“Properly.”
Lionel lightly grasped his shoulder, and left the room after staring at Atalante’s sleeping appearance for one last time.
Yes, it’s quite obvious now.
The most extreme occupation in the world was being the grand duke’s lord chamberlain.
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‘I’m going crazy.’
When Atalante woke up in a bed with a different texture, she instantly recalled the previous night’s memories.
How could she fall asleep in such a situation?
She was definitely used to being active in the night rather than the day, but it’s obvious that after staying with the grand duke for a few days, her days and nights have been reversed.
As soon as she jumped up, she spotted Paul, who was standing with his hands behind his back.
His weariness was all over his face.
“The Grand Duke?”
Barely managing to conceal her obviously blushing face, Atlatne asked with a calm voice.
However, Paul’s following response was completely unexpected.
“Traitor.”
“I may have committed evil deeds, but I’ve never betrayed you.”
“You just did. You betrayed my trust.”
“What did I do?”
As Paul impudently muttered to himself, he gave her a sharp glare.
“Didn’t you say that you aren’t interested in His Highness? Didn’t you say to give it to the dog?”
“By the way.”
Atalante tilted her head like she was asking what’s the matter.
She did fall asleep next to Lionel last night. But there’s no problem with her body, and the grand duke wasn’t next to her right now.
How does quietly sleeping in the same bed prove her interest in him? At least that’s what Atalante thought.
‘If he doesn’t sleepwalk, then he must have left the room appropriately. In any case, he’s also an aristocrat, so could it be that he’s trying to save face?’
Without accurately guessing the reason he had left first, Atalante only thought that it’s fortunate Lionel wasn’t next to her.
“After the debutante, you’ll return back to the underground world. Like it or not, I’ll make it happen no matter what.”
Those words were only good news to Atalante, hence causing the grim threat to be overshadowed.
“Thank you.”
When she expressed her gratitude sincerely, it seemed to make Paul even more annoyed.
Paul fumed for a moment, before disobeying Lionel’s order to explain properly to Atalante by leaving the room.
‘Why is that person always angry?’
‘Well, it’s none of my business.’
Just as Atalante was about to get up in order to return to her room, familiar light brown hair appeared from the gap in the door.
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“The visitor from yesterday, Madam Delica, will be visiting again to make your clothes. Get ready and wait for her.”
Despite being angry, Paul was a very faithful servant.
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