Chapter 135

Oh dear.

Noel looked at the classical poetry book with his eyes wide open.

When he turned a few pages, he saw densely written text smaller than his fingernails.

Besides, there were only words that he didn’t understand.

It would be much easier to understand if he had read a fairy tale book in the Kingdom language rather than ‘conversing with’ something like this.

“Noel.”

“Yes, yes?!”

“If you are ready to tell the truth, you can do it any time.”

Did that mean . . . For him to be honest with everything, it would set him free from this painful book?

Noel squeezed his lips together tightly and bit them.

He opened the book and unscrewed the cap of the inkwell.

Because Noel couldn’t tell the secret that Elisha had been sacrificing his body for.

He filled the nib with ink, and he wrote ‘Chapter 1’.

* * *

Noel did not leave the Duke’s office until it was dark.

It was enough for him to eat while he transcribed the book.

It was only when it was time for sleep that he was freed from punishment.

The Duke said there would be no further punishment for what happened today, and Noel nodded his head.

“Now go back to sleep.”

After saying that, his father kindly opened the door for some reason.

It was unfamiliar for him to receive such kindness even after being punished, so Noel left the office with a frown on his face.

The hallway was a little dark.

However, there were lights at regular intervals, so there was no problem standing around.

Noel turned to go back to his room.

“Noel!”

Rieta stood in front of him as if she had risen from the floor.

She must have been squatting near the office and waiting for him.

“Princess?”

“Were you scolded a lot? Are you okay?”

Rieta scraped her feet against the ground with a face that looked like she was about to cry.

It was a little out of the blue in this situation, but Noel must be very surprised with Rieta’s feet. He had an idea.

Even when good things happened, they wouldn’t last. And even when bad things happen, you would have to move on.

“Haha, I’m fine. Why aren’t you sleeping?”

“Well, Noel . . .”

Rieta was about to reply, but she stopped talking.

“What’s the matter?”

When Noel asked, she carefully grabbed his right hand and clasped her hands around his.

“. . .”

Noel just realized something.

Why did his father open the door?

It was because Noel’s hand was a shaking mess.

It seems like this happened because he had to put all his effort into copying the difficult book all day long.

“Does it hurt? Are you sick . . . ?”

Now Rieta pressed his fingers gently and blew on it.

Anyone who saw it would think that Noel had suffered a major cut on his finger.

“It doesn’t hurt, idiot.”

Noel was a little embarrassed that his hands were trembling, so he backed away and escaped from Rieta’s hands.

“Let me see again, it looked really painful.”

“What difference does it make when you hold my hand like that?”

“It’s . . .”

“Besides, it’s late. If you stay in the hallway at this hour, a scary ghost might appear.”

He was just telling a funny story.

To let Rieta say ‘It’s too much!’ and rush back to her room.

But contrary to his intentions, the foolish Princess was still worried about Noel.

She looked worried and as if she was going to die.

“. . . Ugh.”

Noel had no choice but to answer seriously with a face that negated his playfulness.

“Don’t worry about me.”

“How can I not worry? It’s the first time I’ve seen the Duke scold you all day.”

“I couldn’t help it.”

“I wish you had been honest and forgiven.”

He knows.

Noel actually thought so.

But he couldn’t help it.

“The subordinates have important things to understand among themselves.”

“. . . Subordinates?”

“Yeah, it was a time I could never back down.”

Noel didn’t forget to use Elisha’s words to show off a little.

That was a cool thing to say, he hoped that Rieta would look at him with longing eyes.

However, Rieta’s reaction was different.

She tilted her head slightly and only wondered.

“You mean it was a subordinate’s job for Noel to try to miss class by lying? Did the Princess do it?”

“How could Sister do that! Rather, how the hell did you know I was going to miss class?!”

“There is no one in the mansion who doesn’t know. Everyone knows.”

Rumors spreading throughout the mansion were so fast.

Noel pouted his lips slightly, and Rieta grabbed his arm and led him.

“Anyway, I’m glad Noel didn’t intend to miss class with a bad heart.”

Noel stopped arguing.

How does the Princess know my heart?

For some reason, he was happy that Rieta knew that.

The throbbing pain in his right hand made him somewhat proud.

This must be the loyalty between subordinate and master.

Rieta took Noel to his room, and she said good night.