Chapter 5
“No. No, i-it’s because it’s interesting, really. It’s my first time in such a nice carriage. Thank you for the ride.”
Her voice trembled noticeably under his sharp observation. She could feel it herself, to her dismay. She could only hope he would attribute it to the carriage’s vibration.
“How pitiful. You seem nervous.”
Who made her nervous, and he’s calling it pitiful? Aniella wanted to retort, but she didn’t actually have the courage. She merely forced a stiff smile.
Paiki observed her silently for a moment, then opened a drawer in the door and pulled out a thin stick.
“It’s an incense I often use. It helps put the mind at ease.”
He deftly secured the stick in the gap of the window. Soon, the tip of the stick began to glow red and burn. It seemed he had used magic.
Marius always chants incantations when he uses magic. Did he just chant one? Was it too noisy from the carriage sounds to hear?
As Aniella wondered, the scent of jasmine spread through the carriage.
Paiki closed his eyes and took a deep breath. Whether it was true that it relaxed him, his face looked truly serene. With the sharpness gone from his gaze, only his beautiful features remained, making him look nothing like a villain with hidden motives.
“I won’t speak to you, so rest comfortably. I’ll let you know when we arrive.”
With those words, he firmly sealed his lips.
Now that he wasn’t looking at her and was staying quiet, she felt much more at ease. As she breathed in through her nose, the jasmine scent wrapping around her didn’t feel unpleasant.
It must be a proper, high-quality stick, not a cheap one. Did he really light this just because I was nervous?
He was a kinder man than she had heard. Thinking about it, as the Emperor’s right hand at such a young age, he must be the target of much envy. Especially for someone like Marius, who complained daily that the world didn’t recognize his abilities, Paiki would be the most enviable person.
Although forcing someone who refused into the carriage was a bit much, it wasn’t as if he had thrown his morals to the dogs. His method was just a bit forceful; he probably only wanted to help a lady in distress.
As her guard against him gradually eased, sleepiness began to wash over her again. She had been dozing off so much at the party too; it seemed she was still sleep-deprived.
The fatigue accumulated over time couldn’t possibly be resolved by just that. Aniella resisted her heavy eyelids for a while, but eventually closed her eyes.
In her drowsy state, she felt like she had slept for quite a long time this time. Her body felt heavy, but she had to wake up. If she was late, Marius would have something to say.
But the comfort of the bedding felt so good. Rubbing her cheek against the soft pillow felt so pleasant…
Aniella suddenly sensed something was wrong and bolted upright. There was no way her pillow was this nice.
Her intuition was correct. Luxurious furniture, rugs, even curtains. The light streaming in from the large window illuminated every corner of the spacious bedroom, and no matter how she looked at it, this was not her bedroom.
In the unfamiliar surroundings, one familiar figure caught her eye. It was Paiki, sitting at a small round table, reading a newspaper.
“You’re awake.”
He spoke to her, seemingly having sensed her movement even without looking up from the newspaper.
“I’m sorry.”
At her sudden apology, Paiki looked up from the newspaper and turned his gaze to her.
“What are you sorry for?”
Aniella couldn’t answer immediately and bit her lip. The words had sprung out reflexively without her realizing, making it difficult to pinpoint exactly what she was apologizing for.
Just then, the bright sunlight streaming through the large window caught her eye. It seemed a significant amount of time had passed.
“I think I slept too much.”
She thought it was a plausible reason, but as soon as she said it, something felt off. She remembered dozing off in the carriage she had hitched a ride in. But this place was, unmistakably, a bedroom, not a carriage.
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