CH 7.2

The time that had been frozen ticked by. It was twice as fast as before it stopped.

“You can’t say things like that to just anyone.”

“I’m saying it because it’s not just anyone.”

“Pardon?”

“Why would you be a stranger to me?”

Of all things, the place I grabbed was near his wrist. His pulse and the tempo of my heart was the same.

‘Is it just a coincidence?’

The boundary of the pulse transmitted through the flesh was broken. He just stiffened. It was only natural that he, who had been tamed by me over the past month, couldn’t shake my hand. He couldn’t do anything without my permission. He really looked like a loyal dog with a leash.

He slowly parted his lips, rolling the words in his tongue he had not been able to spit out for a long while. He spoke in such a small voice that you couldn’t hear it unless you listened carefully.

“…If you say it like that, people might misunderstand.”

“Misunderstand what?”

“…”

“Think whatever you want. I don’t care about that.”

“Lillian doesn’t mind if I misunderstand as I please?”

Hadelion’s eyes looking at me felt hot.

‘What makes you so passionate?’ I pondered for a moment, but it wasn’t important, so I didn’t think deeply about it. I pulled the corner of my mouth and smiled. I added another excuse to keep him by my side to the end.

“Yeah, it doesn’t matter.”

“…”

“So you don’t like this?”

“…No.”

“Then just let it be. Right now it feels good.”

“Yes… Me too. I like this, Lillian.”

Red summer roses bloomed on top of his heated cheeks.

‘Just like a fool… What kind of expression will you make when you find out your mana, growing keen little by little, is eating me up?’

Seeing him deceived over and over again by his need for this shallow affection, my old self overlapped. At that time, I tried to push those thoughts out of my head. Because it seemed that another unknown feeling was about to conquer me. I didn’t want to make a connection with Hadelion.

‘Even the smallest regret might end up holding me back.’

I was afraid of nurturing vain hopes in this damn world. If I wanted to live again, I feared I would be hurt again. Sooner or later, the original story will begin. The heroine loved by all will appear, and Hadel will fall for her, too. That was the fate given to him.

What if when I have a desire to live, you go with ‘that woman’? What if I resent you?

I was a cowardly fugitive to the bone.

*      *      *

As the evidence of summer grew day by day, my days with him piled up. Naturally, most of the servants were also aware of our relationship. Of course, that was my intention. The words they said about us will only strengthen the leash on him.

“The Lady… it seems she has that child in her heart?”

“Who? The one you say that resembled that rumored archmage?”

“Yeah, I happened to come across a portrait of him at the capital while on vacation a while ago, and they look so alike!”

“Is he really a hidden son?”

“He isn’t. Anyway, be careful with what you say.  What would you do if the things you say about that child go into the Lady’s ears?”

Jeya, my exclusive maid, worked hard to prevent the gossip from spreading. I didn’t really like the way she did her job even though I didn’t ask her to, but I let it slide. Maybe everything became annoying in the heat of summer. Either way, I knew May was talking to her heart’s content, but I didn’t say anything.

“You don’t know why the servant who worked in the stable last year disappeared.”

“The boy His Grace sent out of his sight?”

“Not just that. The servant peered into the Lady’s room every night and was caught by the Archduke. So the next day, Queek–”

The maid pointed her thumb to her throat and motioned from left to right. When the maids passionately talked about that, Hadelion and I were taking a stroll. As soon as they saw us they lowered their voices, but the story had already reached his ears. He could feel the strength in his hands.

“Let’s end this walk.”

“…”

Whatever he was thinking, he was quiet, and I said,

“It hurts.”

I glanced at him, who was lost in thought, and muttered a little. Then he immediately relaxed his grip.

“I’m sorry, Lillian.”

“Let’s go.”

“I think it would be better to let go of our hands. My hand is sweating a lot…”

Hadel tried to pull his hot hand away, so I deliberately held it tighter and didn’t let go. My wicked heart was triggered by him trying to escape from me without permission.

“No, I like it right now. Don’t let go. If you let go, I will never hold your hand again.”

The hands held together were definitely sticky.

But we didn’t let go.

It had become a daily routine for each other’s steps to overlap. From that day on, the maids kept an eye on us.

“It’s a big deal, Jeya.”

“What is it?”

“I mean, Milady’s favoritism for that child.”

“His status may be unclear, but he doesn’t seem like a bad kid, so what? Isn’t it nice to have a companion so that she doesn’t feel lonely?”

“It’s nice if they just hang with each other, I’m worried about something else.”

“Are you afraid that His Grace will make him disappear?”

“Yeah, if that kid is suddenly out of sight, it will break the peace in this family.”

It was only a few days later that the maids’ concerns became a reality. No matter how much they tried to cover up things for the sake of peace, it was useless. Archduke Grey’s eyes and ears were everywhere.

It happened when Hadel and I were watching the gardener trimming the branches of the trees that had grown in between.

“Too close.”

Archduke Grey saw us and burst between him and me. Needless to say, Hadelion’s expression turned black. Although it was indeed the Archduke who allowed him to stay in the castle, he did not hide his hardened face.

“Is there any reason we shouldn’t?”

“Because it’s unacceptable for me to be unnecessarily close.”

“It doesn’t. It’s not Lillian’s opinion.”

In the end, he defied Archduke Grey without caring at all.