Chapter 153

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Jean knew that Nina didn’t show her face all morning.

‘She must have been tired.’

Even after drinking a full bottle of whiskey, Jean did not have a hangover or fatigue. But when Nina didn’t show up until evening after lunch, he knocked on the door himself.

“Nina? what are you doing? Are you still sleeping?”

Bang. Bang.

“Nina? Are you inside?”

He was about to knock on the door once more, but Jean lowered his hand at the small movements on the other side. There was the sound of a locked door opening, and Nina poked her head out.

“Jean?”

“Why are you in your room all day?”

Jean asked because her face was swollen with obvious traces of crying.

Nina shook her head and stepped back behind. Come to think of it, didn’t Jean say that he had an important story to tell.

She had completely forgotten.

“Come in.”

“What’s up? Are you okay?”

“Oh, it’s okay.”

After saying that, Nina pointed to the sofa. There were plates of sweets all over the place.

‘She did eat.’

Thanks to this, the room was filled with the smell of butter and sweets.

“You should eat meat, not just sweets.”

Jean nagged.

“Are you going to nag me as soon as you see me?”

When Nina answered with a sour note, Jean was relieved.

‘Okay, I guess she’s not that bad.’

When he saw the sofa covered in crumbs of cookies, he was afraid to nag once more so he just brushed it off with his hand and sat down.

Nina picked up the large single-seat sofa across the room, moved it this way, and sat down.

“Didn’t you say there was an important story to tell me?”

Jean nodded his head at Nina’s question.

“I was going to do it today, but you are not in a good condition”

“It’s just that I can’t sleep.”

Nina shook her head.

“Is it something you can’t tell me?”

At Jean’s question, Nina furrowed her eyebrows.

And then she spat it out.

“I had a strange dream.”

Jean frowned. He seriously asked because he had heard about Nina’s nightmare last time.

“What dream? Did you dream about your family again?”

“No. It’s…….”

Nina pulled her legs up onto the sofa and wrapped her arms around them, placing her forehead on her knees.

Seeing her bent like a shrimp, Jean waited for her answer.

“It was a dream where I confess to Adrian.”

Jean pressed hard on his mouth when he almost said “What?” by reflex. His shoulders flinched, but it was out of sight for Nina.

“Is that all?”

Instead, he asked calmly, and Nina answered with a sigh.

“In my dream, Adrian said… I’m a maid. He asked me if he was a pushover or if I think that he wants to have an illegitimate child because he’s also one.”

Jean’s face darkened.

“And he told me to get lost.”

Jean jumped up from his seat and hugged Nina, who was coiled in a round shape.

“Jean!”

Seeing the tears glisten in her eyes, he got angry. He took Nina’s seat and sat her down on his lap.

“You really….”

He took a deep breath as he wiped the corners of Nina’s eyes.

“It is a complete nonsense dream. Why are you crying over a dream?”

“But…….”

“Do you think his Grace would say something like that to you? Hold on, do you even call it a conversation? He would never do it. He would cut off his own tongue rather than utter anything similar to that.”

“Jean!”

Nina spoke in a reproachful tone, but he didn’t budge.

“You know it’s real.”

At his words, Nina kept her mouth shut. His large hand gently stroked Nina’s back.

“It was a very real dream……”

Nina murmured, and Jean nodded his head.

“Yes, that’s why you are very surprised. It’s okay, it’s all a dream.”

Nina smiled a little at the soothing voice targeted at a young child. Jean swallowed a sigh of relief and said.

“That’s why you were like this all along?”

“No, that’s……”

At the sound of her hoarse and mumbling voice, his green eyes quietly looked at Nina.

“I must have made a mistake with Adrian.”

“Mistake?”

“Yes.”

“Humans make mistakes. What’s wrong with that? He’s not going to be mad at your mistakes.”

“Is that so?”

“Sure.”

Nina responded to his confidence with a strange face.

“Adrian said he loved me.”

Jean looked at her for a moment at a loss for words, but Nina went on.

“That’s why I said I love him too.”

Jean tilted his head.

So far, the conversation doesn’t seem so problematic, right?

“And after making such a confession, I asked what happened.”

“Ah.”

Swallowing the rest of the words, Jean turned his gaze to the ceiling. He can roughly guess what kind of conversation went around.

“Which one do you think is it, Jean?”

“What?”

When he looked down, Nina had a childlike face that didn’t know what to do.

“Really, that, Adrian did…?” (Nina)

Jean picked his words out of his mouth.

It’s clear as a day, you idiot.

He managed to prevent such words from coming out. Jean grunted and whispered.

“It doesn’t matter what he said. It’s a matter of how you feel.”

“Wow… that’s plausible…”

“This.”

Jean bowed his head and lightly smashed a flick into Nina’s forehead.

“Ah, stone head……”

“Well, if his Grace was sincere, he’ll show it, or he’d just pass by. Don’t take it too seriously.”

Jean said lightly, in case Nina, who was frightened, came out defensively.

If she had a dream like that, wouldn’t she be under a lot of stress already?

‘Just take a look at the contents of the dream.’

When Nina said what she thought of herself, he was deeply moved and saddened.

‘If you cry because of a dream like that, it was his Grace who failed in giving you faith.’

Jean himself could tell a hundred things, but it wouldn’t work for Nina if she was anxious.

“Is that so?”

“Sure.”

He nodded his head and Nina smiled slightly.

“All right.”

If the confession was sincere, it was Adrian’s responsibility to persuade.

‘And my heart…’

A ripple arose as if a stone had been thrown in her mind. All the pictures reflected in the water were blurred and shaken. It is unknown whether the same picture from before will be reflected when the calm surface is restored again.

In the dream, Nina’s heart was very similar to her own heart right now.

‘For now, this is enough.’

Nina thought so, raised her head, and hugged Jean tightly.

“Really, what would I do without Jean?”

“It’s not going anywhere.”

Jean smiled and said. Nina enjoyed his peaceful arms. It’s reassuring to have Jean’s large hand stroking her back.

Moments later, Nina jumped down from his leg and stood up straight.

“I’m better now.”

“That’s a relief.”

“I’m sorry I missed training.”

“it’s okay.”

Jean got up from his seat and nagged again.

“Now eat properly.”

“Yes, I got it.”

“Nagging again” Nina laughed. Jean got up, tapped her on the shoulder, and left her room.

“Good.”

Let’s wash first, Nina said, and washed her oily face clean. She changed her clothes, and her hair was tied in two pigtails as usual. The reason she tied it higher than other days is to give it strength.

‘It’s definitely better to talk to someone else.’

Humans seem to be unavoidable social animals. Her mood was finally clear as if she had vomited what had been spinning in her head.

She wore a vest over her shirt and tied a thin ribbon around her neck.

‘Good.’

After, she took in a long breath, Nina moved her steps.

At that moment, the sound of loud footsteps was heard above her. No one in the townhouse stomped around like this.

As Nina went up in wonder, Fiona came out to the hallway. Her face was flushed red and her hair was a mess.

“Miss Fiona?”

Nina cautiously called out to Fiona, and she looked at her in bewilderment.

“Are you okay?”

As Nina approached, Fiona quickly messed her hair with her hands. And then shouted.

“Idiot! Wuss!”

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