Chapter 122

‘What the hell is this? Do I want to do something like that? But······.’

The himself in the dream didn’t kick her out because of emotional prepotency. He was the same even in the dream. Although, he was darker and more gloomy.

‘And Nina······.’

Just like the last dream, she had brown and short hair. There were burn scars on her face, and I felt sorry for her.

In the dream, we were at war, not knowing if we could win. It was a long and tedious fight against the constant influx of Bellac. As the Commander in charge, he was exhausted and was getting even more so, day by day.

But that day was a good day that ended in victory.

‘That’s why······.’

Adrian traced the contents of the dream.

────── •❆• ──────

“Ta-da.” 

Nina took out a bottle of whiskey from somewhere. 

“Let’s have a drink, Duke.” 

Nina grinned and said. He also smiled for the first time in a while. 

“Gladly. But I don’t have any snacks.” 

The two drank the hard liquor straight. It was burning inside, but even that felt good. He didn’t look drunk even though they emptied a whole big bottle. Or is he drunk and doesn’t feel that way? 

I don’t know how long it’s been since I even laughed out loud.

“Wow, it’s hot.”

Nina pulled her collar and fanned her hands.

“Isn’t the Duke hot?”

In such a uniform.

“Very.”

I answered briefly and she grinned. She moved quickly and sat next to him. The military bed, which I was using as a chair, creaked. Nina asked as she looked up at him, whose face had hardened in embarrassment. 

“Do you have a lover?”

“Isn’t it only crazy people that think like that in this kind of situation? Or do you have a fetish for relationships bordering death-like situations?”

“It is especially because of this situation.”

“I can’t keep up with that flower-like head.”

“That’s too much.” 

Nina laughed. She arranged her short hair behind her ears. 

“Why do you ask that?” 

Nina looked back at him and grinned. 

“Because I love you.” 

The shock of the moment. 

Even if he was struck by lightning, it wouldn’t be more shocking. 

One, two, three. 

Breathe out and breathe in. 

“That kind of joke is not funny.” 

Please, I’m begging you, call this a joke. Then I’ll accept it and finish the talk here. 

“I’m not kidding.”

Once again she looked him in the eye and replied. 

He jumped out of his seat because he couldn’t stand it. 

Why? Why? Why? Why? 

In this situation. In a place like this. Her brown eyes seemed to stab him. He spoke harshly and coldly. 

“It’s not even funny. Do you think you made a contribution or something? How dare you who is a commoner orphan and a maid from my family? Now that I’m Duke do I still look like a pushover?” 

“That’s-.” 

“Get lost!” 

It was such a harsh voice that it surprised even himself.

“I’ve heard of your ridiculous love story. Did you try to seduce me in bed like this so you could take advantage of me? Really? Even if I’m illegitimate, I’m still a Duke, so my children should-.” 

“Duke Luverne.”

Her voice was low and clear. He managed to stop spewing abusive language.

Nina looked at him straight and said.

“Even if you don’t bark in fear, I understood enough.”

“What?”

“Just say, ‘I love you too.”

At that moment, Adrian was blank in his head.

How?

How?

How did you find out? That I······.

Biting his teeth, he grabbed her shoulder and pushed her. Her light body rolled from the bed to the floor.

“Get lost now.”

He kicked the box he was using as a table substitute and the bottle of whiskey that fell shattered into pieces, then he flipped the bed over and made a loud noise.

“Get out.”

His voice became even chillier. Nina looked at him and left the barracks. As the tent hung, he breathed and wrapped his face in both hands.

What can he give her?

Blood, death and screaming.

That was all he had left.

I know I’m going to screw her up.

I know I’m going to destroy you.

I will break you.

Because I love you.

────── •❆• ──────

He woke up there.

Upon waking up in surprise, he found that he had fallen asleep for a moment while taking care of Nina. In the meantime, he had such a dream.

When I experienced it myself, I felt like a jerk.

What did I want to dream?

A dream where I hurt Nina?

A dream of getting a confession?

Or is it my unconscious desires?

Adrian shook his head violently. The more he thought about it, the more depressed he became.

Is that what he really thinks?

He knows he doesn’t suit Nina. But is he even hurting her now?

He?

Hurting Nina?

I don’t think I’m going do anything stupid like hurting her, but the last dream and this dream······.

He glanced at his wrist and gazed at The Darkness Crest.

There were no signs or evidence, but there was suspicion that dreams were associated with spirits.

‘Old friend, is there anything you want to say?’

Thinking about his dream, he sighed again.

The “dumb guy” in the dream was shaking in surprise when Nina had seen through him. But the words from Nina in the dream were right.

It was just me trying to pathetically hide something from her.

She had no intention of hiding it either. Not once did she try to hide that he was special to her. He couldn’t help but notice when he looks into her eyes, her words, her actions, all that.

Not once did Nina confuse him.

He is also trying to do so.

‘Do I think that’s not enough yet?’

As he agonized, the door burst open and Nina ran.

“Adrian!”

She hid behind him.

“Kyaa, Commander!”

“Viscountess Dell!”

“Miss Nina!”

The third was a new title. Adrian thought so and beckoned to the three maids, who had followed her with towels, to leave.

They looked at each other faces, quietly piled up the towels, and closed the door without making a sound.

Nina sat down on him and drooped.

“Why are you like that?”

“Oh, I was tickled to death.”

“Tickled?”

“Try taking a bath serviced my maids first. Uh… Wait, does Adrian get something like that?”

Nina looked down at him and asked.

Staring at the drops of water on her eyelashes, Adrian noticed that her clothes were all wet from the water dripping from her hair.

“What is that?”

He stretched out his hand while asking. The shadow spirit steadily carried the towel from one side to the other, through the shadow.

Adrian started drying her hair with a towel.

“Rubbing the body with a foamed sponge, massage with perfume, and things like that······.”

Adrian’s hand stopped for a moment, then started moving again.

“I never received anything like that. First of all, I don’t like to have anyone waiting on me.”

“Oh, that’s right.”

Nina rested her arms on his shoulders and leaned back. Adrian could smell the sweet perfume.

His heart was pounding

Nina began to murmur in his ear.

“At first it was good, but it was getting a little too much······.”

Pleasant compliments and massages were good, but somehow the excitement started creeping in, and they began to act like they were preparing me for a debutant ball set for tomorrow. I could have told them to stop and get out, but they looked like they were having so much fun and had happy faces.

Eventually, Nina chose to avoid the rest while saying repeatedly, “I’m fine now, you can stop.”

It would take months to dry her hair like they wanted to do, so Nina eventually jumped out of her seat. The explanation is that she was trying to escape to another place but eventually fled to the most powerful person.

Adrian replied with a smirk.

“I’ll tell the butler.”

“Yes.”

After answering, Nina exhaled. As Adrian was drying her hair, she began to get sleepy again. She felt refreshed when she washed up, but a hot bath made people drowsy.

I washed to wake up, but I’m feeling sleepy again. When I yawned quietly, Adrian said, “Go to sleep.” Nina’s body began to lose strength, and Adrian laughed quietly.

He dried enough of her hair with a towel and gently lifted her to bed.

‘Are you planning to keep growing your hair?’

The hair that has never been cut is now quite long. However, it was smooth until the tips without any cracks or splits.

I can see why the maids were excited.

If one slept without combing a long hair like this, it would get tangled, but Nina’s hair never got knotted. It always just falls softly back in place.

Covering her with a blanket, he lowered the curtains on the bedroom.

────── •❆• ──────