Chapter 36
“A proposal… Ha. It seems I’m the only one nervous.”
“…….”
“Still, with you like this… I feel like we could accomplish anything.”
“Young master.”
“I’ll make it happen, somehow.”
“…….”
“The proposal—I’ll do it properly after all this.”
He pressed his lips to Luirene’s finger above the blanket. The ring finger—where people often placed a vow.
“…I don’t think it hurts as much anymore.”
“That can’t be. Don’t try to be cute—just lie down.”
Whether she meant it or not, Luirene was too dizzy to sit up properly. He placed a freshly dampened towel on her forehead and watched over her from close by. As the pain-relieving properties in the medicine took effect, sleep began to overtake her.
“I hope you’re still by my side when I open my eyes again.”
“That will be the future.”
“…….”
“I want to see you in my bedroom. Not stuck in some cramped room like this, enduring alone and lonely.”
That low, clear voice was again luring her into a sweet dream.
“I think I’ll have happy dreams tonight.”
“Goodnight.”
“Young master…”
“I’ll leave once you fall asleep.”
A soft kiss descended on her forehead. It reminded her of the blessing she’d received from the clergyman at the church she’d followed Hopper to as a child.
As if her body were being pulled under, Luirene sank into deep sleep. It was only a few days later, after she had barely managed to get back on her feet, that she learned what the “clever plan” he had mentioned along with his promise actually was.
* * *
A few days later, the Nanny came to her room. With the word that the Marchioness was summoning her. Her movements were still inconvenient, so she had to rely on the Nanny’s help to get there. Was this an extension of what had happened before? Unable to hide her fear, she arrived—but the atmosphere of the reception room was different from what she had expected.
“You’re here? Come, sit.”
The voice guiding her to the seat across was gentle. It didn’t seem like she had been called to scold her, but one never knew. The Marchioness had maintained that same picture-perfect, gentle demeanor last time, even as she had torn into her calf. Thanks to the medicine Hitaon had left behind, which she had applied whenever she could, her calf had improved considerably—but now it burned. The memory of that day reawakened the wound. It was a pain beyond mere physical hurt, a painful memory.
“It seems you haven’t eaten yet, so have some refreshments first. They’re from a high-end pastry shop in Horton Square, so the taste is excellent.”
“Thank you.”
Though an assortment of refreshments was laid out, Luirene didn’t touch them. She had no appetite, and there was no way she could blindly accept food from the Marchioness, who had harmed her. Especially since she still didn’t even know why she had been summoned. She couldn’t rule out the possibility that those cookies might be laced with some strange powder.
Still, she couldn’t openly disregard a noble elder’s goodwill, so she only sipped the tea that she had watched the Nanny pour herself.
“Your face has become quite haggard in just a few days.”
“…No, it hasn’t.”
“It has.”
Her voice was so composed it sent chills down Luirene’s spine. She was so nonchalant that anyone watching might think she hadn’t been the one to inflict the wounds.
For a moment, Luirene understood why Hitaon had steeled his resolve so firmly. Between them, countless obstacles lay across the line. And the thickest, hardest wall of all, she sensed, would be the Marchioness right before her eyes.
“It seems I had a terrible misunderstanding.”
“A misunderstanding?”
“I suspected a relationship between my son and you, Luirene. I thought the two of you might be sneaking around, amusing yourselves.”
As if speaking it aloud revealed how absurd it was, the Marchioness curled her lips away from her teacup. The proud arrogance toward her own son. And the elegant mockery toward Luirene, a commoner—both were visible at once.
Emotions aside, she was trying to discern the intention behind those words. Why was she acting as if she were about to apologize, now of all times? Could something have occurred in the meantime that might have cut the sprouts of her misunderstanding?
“Hita has decided to go study abroad.”
Discussion
0 CommentsNo comments yet.