Chapter 152

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It wasn’t until late in the dawn that Nina got into the carriage. She opened the window wide.

The cool night air felt good on her drunken cheeks.

“Did you have fun?”

“Yes, it was a lot of fun. I’m not going to be able to play like this again, but it was mind-blowing.”

“Why can’t you play twice?”

“Just because?”

Nina answered, placing her arm on the windowsill and resting her cheek on it.

“Adrian.”

He looked at Nina, who had shining golden eyes, she said.

“Thank you for the dress, the accessories, everything. Thanks to you, I really had a lot of fun today.”

“It was nothing.”

Nina sighed and exhaled a hot breath.

She still seems to hear the orchestra playing in her head. As expected, it is fun to play with people, but she still liked the quiet side better.

The carriage arrived at the townhouse faster than ever. Even though it was late, all the servants were out to meet them.

As Adrian escorted Nina off, she asked.

“Wash, change clothes and see you in the attic?”

Adrian paused for a moment, then nodded his head.

Maybe there was a little expectation she was tired and forgot about it, Adrian was slightly hoping she would let it move on like that.

Nina went up to her room, and the butler, who took his coat, asked Adrian.

“Would you like to wash? Or should we prepare a snack? The bed is already ready.”

“I will wash up.”

“All right.”

After a while, Adrian entered the prepared bathroom. When he immersed himself in hot water, his spirit was restored.

It was an impulsive remark when he told Nina he had an important thing to tell.

There is something important.

Of course, there was.

Adrian washed his face a few times and got up. He was afraid that Nina might have climbed into the attic first.

One of the places he paid attention to when building the townhouse was the attic.

It is usually given to lower-ranking servants, but in his manor, the place with a better view of the city was chosen to create a hidden room.

Like the watchtower of the Black Shield Castle.

One could walk up to the attic through a secret passage. The ceiling was not very high, so they had to bend over, but the windowsill in front of the triangular window was spacious. The view of the city from there was great, and when lying down the sky could be seen very well.

Unsurprisingly, he quickly washed and roughly dressed up, and Adrian went up to the attic. No one had come, so he had to do the cleaning himself, but the effort was never inconvenient.

While Nina hadn’t come up yet, he cleaned the attic and sat down on the windowsill sofa.

It was late at night, but lights were lit up here and there perhaps due to the effect of the great ball.

He stared blankly at it as if he was in a trance and the secret door swung round and round.

“Huh? Adrian, are you here already? I thought it would take a lot longer.”

Knowing his usual bath time, Nina was puzzled when she saw him come out earlier than expected.

“I wanted to come first.”

At that, Nina came over with a smile. Her long hair was still wet, and she was in a shirt and pants. She plopped down next to him and looked out the window.

“There are a lot of lights.”

“Because the curfew is loose.”

Not only to the nobles but to the commoners who were also excited.

As all the nobles gathered in the capital, of course, the shopping mall was active, and the merchants also supplied goods until late at this time.

Even if the market was opened late at night, it did not matter, so everyone enjoyed the nightlife for a long time.

The great ball was a celebration for everyone.

“Later-.”

When Nina broke the silence, Adrian continued.

“Shall we go to the night market?”

“All right.”

A noisy night market was not suitable for the neat Adrian, but wouldn’t it be helpful to experience a lot of things?

“So.”

Nina took her luck and turned towards Adrian.

With one leg of hers folded up, resting on the windowsill sofa, and the other on the floor, Nina gave a look to focus on him.

Adrian saw it and laughed.

He looked at Nina for a moment. For just one word, he had to squeeze out all his energy.

Still, no words came out. The stakes he had to wager were too big for him.

If Nina doesn’t feel the same way or if she doesn’t even think about something like that. Can she still call him Adrian? Can she still smile and hug him?

No, I don’t think she will.

My special relationship with her.

A long friendship.

Long time spent together.

It’s also time to move forward.

He put up everything he could have kept if he hadn’t confessed.

“I love you, Nina.”

Adrian was surprised that his voice didn’t come out trembling. His heart was beating loudly.

All his nerves were focused on Nina.

She rolled her eyes in surprise, then slowly raised the corners of her lips and burst into laughter. Adrian was dazed at the unexpected situation, and she responded with a light touch.

“I love you too. Is this a sudden love confession?”

Adrian was speechless for a moment because it wasn’t the reaction he expected at all.

“So why did you say that? What’s going on?”

Nina asked, tilting her head. She looked at Adrian’s expression. It was a face mixed with shock, confusion, and even a bit of despair.

Her worries rushed over.

“Adrian? Are you okay? What is it? Is something wrong?”

As she reached out her hand, he quickly jerked back.

He was stunned for a moment. He also shocked Nina and she froze on the spot.

It was the first time Adrian had rejected her.

Seeing surprised Nina, Adrian thought he had to do something, but he couldn’t think of anything at the moment.

His energy was gone and he couldn’t do anything. He rubbed his face with both hands.

“Nina.”

“Yes…….”

An awkward reply came back. He took a deep breath.

“I asked Prince Faradiv to get a pass for the Telten Kingdom. It’s the first place you are going to.”

Nina tilted her head at the sudden story, but she listened.

“You’d better get ready.”

“Uh, that’s……”

Adrian got up.

“Then let’s go.”

“Is this the end?”

At Nina’s bewildered question, Adrian looked down at her.

“Yes, Nina. I told you everything.”

He spoke quietly and left first. Normally, they would push and pull in the narrow passage and play around, but she didn’t even think about it.

Nina sat absent-mindedly and then rose from her seat.

‘What was it?’

Was he upset?

No, not that.

“I love you, Nina.”

‘Huh?’

Nina pondered the word.

‘Eh?’

Come to think of it, not even once had Adrian ever said ‘I love you’ to her.

It was the same with her.

“I like you.”

This was the highest level of affection they exchanged.

‘Really?’

Embarrassment surged and Nina didn’t know what to do.

At this point, she couldn’t even ask, ‘Did you really confess your love? Do you like me rationally?.’

She sat blankly on the windowsill in a daze watching the sunrise, and then she fell asleep.

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‘Oh, it’s another dream.’

Nina in the dream made a big decision. She shared the hard-earned alcohol, the mood was moderate, and she confessed.

“Because I love you.”

‘Huh? Huh?’

There was a rush of embarrassment. The emotions of ‘Nina in the dream’ came flooding in.

But the Duke dismissed it as a joke.

A shocked face.

A frosty fear.

She wanted to hug it all and tell him it was okay.

He’s lovely.

Her emotions desperately rushed through her. Surprisingly, the feeling was familiar. But what came back was Adrian’s abusive language. She knew clearly what he was afraid of.

She knew that he loved her.

How can she not know?

She knew how he looked at her.

But even if she knew, she was hurt.

“Get lost!”

He pushed her away and Nina had no choice but to back down at his shouting words. Returning to her barracks, she lay on the cot and clenched her teeth.

Tears kept coming out.

‘Bad child, is it that hard to say that I love you too? Is it that scary? Why do you have to say that?’

Am I also not scared?

Can’t I have fear, too?

Do you think it’s okay if I get hurt?

‘You’ll see.’

I’ll be sure to listen later.

I’ll be sure to get my reply.

I’ll make you regret it.

Nina woke up with a tearful face.

“Uh… uh…?”

Her tears didn’t stop, so she covered her face with her hands.

Her sobs flowed from the inside of her throat.

It hurts so much even though it’s a dream.