CH 182

Not Easy (3)

Lily frowned and let out a hazy groan.

Her body was heavy as if she was a bucket of sand.

It was not Lily who got rained on that day, but it was she who had gotten sick. It wasn’t her immune system, it was menstrual cramps.

She had severe dysmenorrhea. Every time she returned to her period, she was tormented. She buried her face in the pillow. A low-pitched voice came from the back of her head as she leaned over and moaned.

“Lily.”

The touch gently slid between her hair. It was his hand. It felt good to be gently stroked on the back of her head

Will I be able to sleep again?

He whispered slowly in his characteristic low, languid voice, “I made them bring a bag of hot water. I told them to bring you more herbal pills to relieve the pain, so be patient.”

The low voice relaxed her body. The pain of someone scratching her lower abdomen with a fingernail seemed to be wavering. It looked like she could fall asleep again.

Lily overcame her hazy vision and turned her head. As she stilled, her vision all in a blur, he brushed away the hair that had covered her face with his fingertips.

The clear green eyes were revealed between the fine silver hair and the white pillowcases. He was caught in her eyes.

Sitting on the bed with one leg crossed. Vlad really suited his uniform, from his neatly ruffled black hair to wide, right-angled shoulders, a strong chest, and a straight waist.

His eyes, like the rest of his facial features, were captivating.

“You’re here… today.”

Since that day when it rained, quite a lot had changed.

He left her bedroom only several days after she opened her eyes. When he was in a hurry, he would tell her directly instead of leaving a letter.

“And I will continue to be here.”

The sweet taste lingered in her mouth with his friendly tone.

Lily clutched the bedsheet under the duvet. The sound of the rustling of cloth in her hands tickled her ears and the area between her chest.

When she woke up early, she could see him with a slightly different appearance.

He was sitting quietly at the tea table, reading something. The dawn sky cast a faint border on his profile.

She sat up and stared blankly as she watched the dark shadows cast over her vivid husband’s facial features. Every movement was robotic. Even the gesture of handing over the documents looked scripted and it was like a painting drawn on a canvas.

“I will be going to Cadis. I’m not going to be back until tomorrow night.”

Before, he would have been away for days without a word. It was a huge improvement compared to when she confirmed her husband’s work progress in a letter later.

“And I am going to Ataka.”

Flash.

Her mind was pierced as if lightning had struck his head. Her body jumped first, ignoring the pain of the splitting of her back.

Blood rushed from the top of her head, through her face, and down her neck. It felt like her heart had stopped.

“A-Ataka again… Why all of a sudden..”

“I am not going right now.”

He added hastily to the look on his face that she was about to faint.

Her face, as delicate as the feathers of a white bird, was exceptionally thin today.

Rounded, lean shoulders. A translucent nightgown that reflects the soft curves of the body. Even the fine-grained silver hair spilled over her chest.

Even the wind that blew through the window seemed to kill her.

“I need to use the gold veins you found, so I’m going to start mining gold. It takes quite a long time to prepare, so we have at least half a year before departure. It will take up to three years at the latest. Just….” He stroked her cheek as if to reassure her. “I wanted to tell you in advance.”

“Ah….”

As she ran towards panic, a human-like complexion appeared on her face.

As the shock faded away, her stomach began to churn. Lily put her arms on the bed and slowly laid down again. She buried the front of her face in her pillow. Her heart raced between the bed and her chest.

As her heart calmed, the heartache she had been putting off for a while rose. Her emotions ran through her.

“So, you’re telling me that you are leaving right now? I’m really surprised…” A sharp pulse pounded the back of her hand, which was pressed between her bed and her chest.

“I decided in the morning. I was in a hurry to tell you, so I was afraid.” When her hair fell down again, he swept it up again.

“But before… I had asked Hans. We already operate copper and granite mines near Ataka, so I think there are some tips for developing and operating them.”

That was the problem she was going to tell him in his office.

Vlad asked her as she paused her words to reflect on her, “So what have you learned?”

“About blasting with gunpowder. It’s a difficult and risky task instead of significantly reducing the time…”

“Yes.”

“How far… will you need to go? Will all the dangerous work be done by the time you go?”

He was busy examining her complexion even as he answered.