Chapter 59

The Sleepless Night of the Maid — Chapter 59

It couldn’t be him. It had been a while since he left Crocs Field, so it couldn’t be him passing through the Rubel area.

Haa. When she turned around with a smile, a familiar face stood in front of her.

“Oh, my. I’m surprised. What are you doing here, Rex?”

“What are you doing?”

“I was just getting some fresh air.”

Eva hesitated and only mentioned her original purpose. Just now, the knights passed over the bridge and it was picturesque. But she didn’t speak of it because she was embarrassed.

“I’m here to thank you, apologize, and ask questions.”

“What?”

Eva frowned at his answer, feeling that it did not consider her lack of understanding. Now, tiredly, she threw away her mind to attempt to infer what he said. 

“Thank you for helping me earlier, and I’m sorry for hurting you. I had a nightmare, so I couldn’t see.”

“Don’t worry about it. I do that often, too.”

Eva smiled, understanding his feelings sincerely. She knew better than anyone else how scary, persistent, and devastating nightmares were. Todd came out in her dreams every night. They were nightmares where Todd grabbed her ankles as she tried to run away, or was strangling her with his bloody hands.

“But why did you come to see me? At this time of night.”

“Oh, there, this….”

Eva searched her pockets as she remembered and took out her mother’s bracelet.

“What’s this?”

Rex received the bracelet with a puzzled face and examined it.

“I’ll give you this, so please take my mother to the hospital tomorrow. This should be enough for the hospital fee.”

“… Are you an idiot?”

While carefully looking at the bracelet, he frowned and spoke in disbelief.

“What?”

“You’re going to give me this bracelet for the hospital bill? Do you know how much it costs?”

“…I don’t think so.”

Embarrassed, Eva’s voice was quiet. How would she know how much that cost? She had never bought jewelry and ornaments in her life, having lived like a maid in a rural corner. Nor had she ever sold anything before.

“Haa. Listen carefully, Lily. In order to live in the world, there is something you must never forget. You’re doubting yourself, constantly. Do you understand?”

“…….”

“You took this bracelet to sell, but if someone buys it for 30 coins, they’ll take it to someone else. Then they’ll sell it for 300 coins, and the buyer takes it to someone else. And this would continue until no one else can sell for a higher price.”

“…….”

“You’ll be relieved. Originally, I would have paid only 10 coins for the hospital fee and gulped down a bracelet worth 3,000 coins. I’m being honest in return for your help earlier.”

“3,000 coins?!”

“I like people who are pure. But if you’re stupid, it’s your loss.”

Rex looked annoyed with her. But she wasn’t offended by him. It was like the heart of an older brother who was worried that his sister, who didn’t know the world, would be teased and deceived. It was like an ironic expression that looked angry on the outside, but was caring on the inside.

“You’re not going to sell it.”

Eva deliberately glanced at him with a coy look.

“What?”

“I’m not a person who easily suffers like that. Of course, I can’t help being beaten unknowingly because I was clueless. But I’ll be careful and wary of that from now on. And….” 

“…….”

“It’s important to be suspicious, but it’s important to trust people, isn’t it? I trust you, Rex.”

Eva smiled. Rex had a mental world she couldn’t understand, but he wasn’t a mean person. He wasn’t a bad person, even if he stabbed and teased her with words, or sometimes threatened her despite his calm eyes.

Of course, that didn’t mean that Rex was a good person. Because she still didn’t know how he behaved elsewhere. But at least she knew he was not someone who would harm her. She didn’t have many opportunities to do that, and in being shown subtle consideration, she could be honest.

“Let’s go to the Gongseong Fortress tomorrow and go to the hospital in the afternoon. And here, keep the bracelet.”

Rex, who had been quiet for a while, put on a dispirited look and held out her bracelet. He often became speechless after Eva’s words these days. Then he’d laugh and make a bitter face.

“Thank you.”

Eva received the bracelet and held it tightly in her hand as she looked up at the sky. After a day like this, tomorrow’s work had been decided. A question lingered in Rex’s gaze. 

“Why do you look at the sky like that?”

“Because the stars are pretty.”

Stars were twinkling in the sky. After this time of pain, her heart was ripe, and Eva eagerly hoped.