CH 6

“I’m sorry if I offended you. It was just too funny.”

“No. Elia laughs so I like it too.”

He smiled childishly. It was admirable how beautifully he spoke. She looked down at the child with a new feeling. Was appearance the only thing he resembles the peacock Duke? Well, his appearance resembled the Duke perfectly. However, his eyes were not dark red like the peacock’s, but blue. The color of his eyes resembled that of his real father.

While she was stroking the child’s hair, she heard a knock from outside.

[It’s time to go to lunch, Lord Delian.]

The long-awaited situation had arrived. She sighed naturally at the fact that she had to face the Duke. She didn’t know if she was going to go overboard even after seeing those bloody eyes. Well, it’s not like she was going to stare at the peacock’s face the whole meal. If it doesn’t work out, she would have to endure it while looking at the pretty child’s face. With that promise, she opened the door with the child and went out.

* * *

This was not a dining hall, this was a prison. Being in a suffocating space where there was not even a rattling sound, she couldn’t tell whether the food was going into her nose or mouth. Did they normally eat without making a sound when they eat together like that? It was also a board that she had to pay attention to breathing.

When she glanced at the child sitting next to me, he looked accustomed to eating like that. Even if she wanted to talk to the child, she had to show a little in the peacock eye.

“Elia, aren’t you eating?”

She quietly smiled at the voice of a savior-like child. Since Delian spoke first, could she answer? She answered, drawing her own conclusions.

“No, eat…”

She tried to show respect for the Duke, but the child became sullen and lowered his head. The more she dragged on, the more the child’s head sank downward. She didn’t know if she was going to put her nose on a plate like that. She was worried about encroachment, but with a feeling that she didn’t understand, she closed her eyes tightly and answered.

“Yes. I will eat.”

When she answered by placing an iron plate on her face, the child immediately smiled brightly. The gaze of the Duke, who was quietly eating, immediately caught her attention.

There were no peacocks there. It’s just her and her two kids. While brainwashing herself, she picked up tableware.

All the food on the table looked appetizing. She cut the meat in front of her with a knife and ate a little. The taste was impeccably great.

“This is delicious.”

“Right?”

“But, why don’t you eat more?”

“Yes. Stop eating.”

The child had already put his tableware down completely.

‘I think he ate too little…’

When they were together before, he ate happily in the morning. Oh, is it because of that? She had a sudden thought and brought the child’s plate in front of her. After cutting the meat into appropriate sizes and piercing it with a fork, she handed it out to the child.

“Ahh.”

The child who had been watching blankly opened his mouth slightly. The meat melted into his small mouth and was sucked in. When the convex cheek suddenly collapsed, he showed his spirit again. As expected, he put the meat in his mouth and chewed it. He didn’t eat it because they didn’t give it to him.

When they were at the mountain house, she always helped him eat the same way she did now.

She smiled heartily as she watched the child’s cheeks swell up nicely. Now he looked like the kid she used to know. After coming to the Duke’s residence, he was strangely weak, but now he seemed full of energy.

“A great spectacle.”

She raised her gaze slightly at the Duke’s voice. He was staring at her and the child with the cutlery down. She met a terribly puzzled look, then slightly turned her head. For a moment… But why was she looking at that human eye? It’s not like she was guilty, so why? As soon as she thought about it, she realized it with a sharp gaze. That it was because she kept cringing because of that cold gaze that seemed like it would kill a person.

It was around the time she had almost finished eating with the child in the suffocating gaze that the Duke got up from his seat and left the dining hall without a word.

Huh, really…

She clicked her tongue inwardly at the amazing action and said to the child.

“Shall we go out too?”

“Yes.”

When she left the dining hall with the child, the knights and attendants immediately followed. It bothered her, but she also knew it couldn’t be helped because it was one of the clauses in the contract. Fortunately, the knights did not enter the children’s room nor her own.

As soon as she got into the room, she went straight to the bed and threw herself. The child saw her and followed suit.

She and the child looked at each other accustomed to each other and quietly giggled. Even when they were at the house in the mountains, they spent a lot of time lying down after eating.

“Elia, my belly is so full.”

Seeing a child rubbing his belly, she rubbed hers too.

“Did we eat too much?”

Her stomach, which had been concave, felt quite convex. She didn’t know if it was when she was at the mountain house before, but now she couldn’t do this, right? At that time, there was no one to see, so she was comfortable there.

“Shall we go for a walk?”

“A walk?”

“Yeah. I’m going to take a walk while digesting it.”

“Great.”

She got out of bed, roughly adjusted her clothes, and left the room with the child. As she opened the door and went out, the gazes of the knights standing in front of it turned to her.

“I’m going to take a walk in the garden with Lian.”

The gaze of the knights became fierce at the word referring to the child, but she decided not to care. If so, what would they do? As long as Delian was by her side anyway, it was no different from a strong shield.

She took his hand and headed out of the mansion. The place where the child took her was the rose garden located in the center of the gardens in front of the mansion.

“This is the best place to take a walk. You can smell a lot of flowers, and there are many things to see.”

After all, money was good. Everywhere she looked, she was in awe of the impeccable landscape of the garden. While walking slowly looking around, she noticed a familiar figure standing not far away.

“My father must have gone for a walk, too.”

The peacock was standing among the thick trees, staring into the distance. His gaze didn’t change, as if he hadn’t noticed they were there yet.

Was there only one way? She didn’t want to meet him again. She paused for a moment and looked around. In order to move forward, she felt like she had to inevitably pass by the place where the Duke was.

“You’re not going?”

“…No, I’m going.”

She reluctantly moved on again. It was around the time the distance with the Duke shortened that his gaze slanted at her. It was still a cold stare. A person with such a gaze would later fall in love with the female lead… She couldn’t believe it no matter how much she thought about it.

Would those eyes warm up? She moved diligently even though she had doubts. When she was only a few steps away from him, she found herself momentarily dizzy. Why was she doing that all of a sudden? It wasn’t to this extent in the previous room… It was clear that an abnormal signal had come to her body, but she felt that her senses were blunted. As she slowly blinked, she heard a child’s scream.

Only then did she realize that she was collapsing in front of him. She was going to roll on the floor. In the moment of resignation, something hard wrapped around her body. And the dark red eyes met hers.

She finally regained her composure when she saw the red eyes that seemed to be sucked into her like a whirlpool, which was not strange even if it was choking.

* * *

When she came to her senses, she was standing in a space covered with darkness. Where was that? She was definitely in the Duke’s house until she lost consciousness… She only blinked her eyes at the unknown situation. It had not been that long that a faint voice came from somewhere.

Where did that voice come from? It was the moment when she unconsciously turned her head. In an instant, the darkness dissipated and the entire space began to be dyed in various colors. In the completely changed space, she saw a man with a familiar appearance.

The red eyes were looking at someone in front, but they were entangled with possessiveness and obsession. Who the hell was there in front of her, looking that way? Her heart sank at the feeling of being out of breath. However, unlike the Duke that was clearly visible, the figure of the other party on the other side was blurred. She didn’t know who that person was, but she felt the same way.

Few people could bear that gaze even a little. Even more so, he couldn’t breathe even from her point of view. The peacock, who had been standing motionless, slowly stretched his arms forward. He tilted his head as he slowly stroked someone’s cheek. Unbelievably, the Duke kissed the other.

…What, what?

She didn’t know where to put her eyes, and at the moment she was wandering around, she got goosebumps all over her body. The gaze of the Duke, who had not been able to see her until just now, was precisely directed at her. As if fully aware of her existence.

At that moment, the face of the person the duke had kissed began to become clearer. The one who finally showed up was unbelievable… It was her.

“… Omg!”

She opened her eyes and took a deep breath. Then, after a while, she realized where this place was. Why was she in her room? While taking a walk in the garden with the child… Oh, she was stunned to see that in front of the Duke.

She still couldn’t believe that the Duke, before she passed out, grabbed her body as she fell. Trapped in his tight arms, she met his red eyes very closely. When she lowered her gaze, she saw a small skull resting on her shoulder.

Hearing the sound of exhaling evenly, she raised her hand and brushed his small back.

By the way, was it just a dream…? To dream of such a thing even if she… It must be the end of the world… She let out a small sigh, but she felt a gaze somewhere. Feeling like deja vu, she slowly turned her head.

“…Omg!”

The Duke was sitting on a chair not far away, staring at her. She thought she was falling for a moment. Her heart was racing at how surprised she was.

What kind of human being could sit without a sign? She finally calmed down and opened her mouth. No, the moment she opened it, she lowered my eyes at the sound of crying. The child, who woke up before she knew it, looked at her and started crying loudly. His shoulders were instantly wet with tears.

“…Hmm, Elia…”

Because she didn’t know why he was crying, her heart was disturbed for no reason. She should have asked for some medicine or called a doctor. She kept putting it off because it was annoying and ended up collapsing in front of the child…

“Baby, don’t cry. Huh?”

“…Huh!”

Just then, the peacock approached in stride and took the child away from her. He spoke nonchalantly as he held the ceaselessly crying child in his arms.

“A day and a half.”

“…what?”

“It’s the time you fainted.”

Had she been out of her mind for so long? Wasn’t it just body aches?

“Have I been in so much pain?”

The Duke wordlessly pulled on the string hanging from the ceiling. A man who appeared to be a doctor came inside and began examining her.

“It has improved a lot, but the residual fever is still there. It may be better to take the medicine for a few more days. I’ll prescribe it for you, so take it after your meal.”

“…Ah yes. Thank you.”

She gave her thanks to the doctor and glanced at the Duke. He was staring at her with unrecognizable eyes. Soon after, the Duke shifted his gaze to the doctor and opened his mouth.

“What is the probability of affecting Delian?”

“I see very little. You won’t have much to worry about.”

She blinked her eyes at the unexpected conversation going on.

“Still, we can’t be completely relieved, so take Delian and do a thorough examination.”

“You mean now?”

“Now.”

“Okay. Lord Delian, please come here.”

The doctor bowed his head as he handed over the sobbing child from the Duke’s arms.

“Then let’s go. Lord Delian, I will send you back as soon as the inspection is finished.”

“Hmm, I don’t like El…! I want to stay with you. I’m not going to go.”

The child cried out in a plaintive voice and stretched out his arms toward her. Even though he expressed with his whole body that he did not want to go, the Duke still remained calm.

Feeling sorry for the child, she said to the duke.

“I don’t know what the situation is, but can you send him later?”

“Take him out.”

But he didn’t care about her words and just urged the doctor. In the end, the child was taken out with a doctor.

She quietly watched the Duke in the terrifyingly quiet room. Was it only her illusion that the atmosphere seems serious? Even though she didn’t do anything, she felt like she had committed a sin for no reason, so she felt very uncomfortable with this situation.

What happened while she was passing out? As many questions filled her head, the Duke opened his mouth.