CH 12

“Juliana, are you not feeling well?”

Juliana came to her senses at Louis’ worried voice. Without knowing it, she was losing her mind.

“No, I’m fine. I was just thinking what Louis said was right.”

“Louis’ face is like a flower, “Juliana, who quickly added these words, smiled awkwardly. She herself didn’t look bad, but compared to him, she lost! Inside, she admitted defeat and waved a white flag.

“That’s not what I meant.”

Louis corrects her words with a fine raised eyebrow.

“What? Then what?”

Juliana’s eyes became round.

She wondered if there was a separate reason for him to compare himself to a flower.

“Juliana… didn’t you fly to me?”

Louis gave a clear smile, fluttered his eyelashes, and laughed.

Juliana admired his words internally. Strangely, her heart swelled and her face turned red.

‘Yes, that’s right.’

Juliana smiled facing him.

‘The problem is that I can’t use magic and we’re cut off from the outside…’

There was not much discomfort in her daily life.

‘I left a note for Ar. I’ll have to empty my mind for the time being.’

She thought it would be mentally good to think so.

“Juliana?”

“What?”

Juliana came to her senses at Louis’ voice. Her mind snapped back as if the clock hands that had stopped inside, started turning again.

“Oh, sorry. What did you say?”

“I kept calling you, but there was no answer. I thought your soul had left your body.”

She couldn’t take her eyes off his deep blue eyes. Juliana froze in Louis’ gaze that was stimulating her soul beyond her body.

‘Strange…’

Their eyes met. Juliana’s body became stiff due to the sudden tension. Louis stared at her with a searching look… drawing her deep into his gaze.

His eyes, which she was likely to be sucked into, hovered on Juliana’s small lips, and her chest that rose up and down. Slowly, it trailed down.

Thump-thump.

Juliana’s face gradually turned red like paint. Her toes curled up in the unbearable tension. Displeasure did not rise.

Louis’ gaze was now extremely businesslike and monotonous, as if looking at normal things. Juliana could not shake off the feeling that she had fallen into the position of an inanimate object. As soon as she tried to shake off the effect on her pride–

“What’s wrong with your hands and feet?”

His drowsy voice filled her ears and broke the silence. Louis slowly wrapped his hand around Juliana’s ankle and moved his fingers to the soles of her feet.

Feeling his long fingers graze the soles of her feet, Juliana closed her eyes. Louis slowly started rubbing her feet. Juliana bit her lower lip hard at his touch, massaging both feet.

‘This is driving me crazy. This is so…’

He continued to squeeze Juliana’s feet. The feeling of him touching her soles made her feel strange. Now, she has reached the limit.

The fingers that tickled her sensitive soles…

“It’s so ticklish!”

Juliana burst into laughter that she held back. The more she felt him touching the soles of her feet, the itchier it got.

“It tickles! Stop it!”

Juliana wiped away the tears around her eyes and smacked Louis’ shoulders.

Was he trying to tickle or massage her feet? Who would tap their fingers on someone’s soles and move like that?

“Ha, haaa.”

Juliana turned her head to the side and glanced at Louis after a while. He was frowning and looking down at her feet.

“It’s still cold.”

Louie, who rarely showed his feelings, gave a serious look. Juliana pondered what that man was thinking about so seriously. His blue eyes were filled with emotions.

“This will make you feel better.”

He dropped Juliana’s foot inside his gown. When experiencing something sudden, the human brain stops.

That was exactly the case now.

Juliana hardened like a stone statue when she felt his hot abdomen  under her feet.

What was going on here?

‘In a blink of an eye, my foot….It’s in Louis’ gown!’

“Ugh!”

On coming in contact with those hard muscles and abs, her head turned white. Juliana screamed internally and her mouth puckered up like a goldfish.

Louis was holding onto her ankle, so she couldn’t shift or move her feet back. She spent a few minutes frozen like a statue.

“Juliana’s body is cold.”

Louis slowly opened his lips and said in a subtle tone, “And my body is this hot.”

A voice that made her heart stop. Juliana forgot to breathe and looked at him in awe.

He had an alluring smile on, eyes half-open. Those dark blue eyes were slightly twinkling and staring at her. Unlike her, who was restless and didn’t know what to do, Louis looked relaxed and at ease.

“…????”

Now, Louis took Juliana’s feet out of his clothes.

‘Why did he take it out?’

At his sudden action, Juliana looked around and got a hold of this situation. She didn’t know why, but Louis was seriously thinking over something.

Taking advantage of his loss of thought, Juliana turned her head to the side and exhaled the breath she had been holding. Her heart was pounding.

Louis jumped up. Juliana flinched and turned her head to see him.

“Huh?”

Louis stood with his arms wide open.

“……?”

Juliana stared at him from afar. What kind of joke was this? Juliana was nervous about Louis Anne’s unpredictable behavior.

“I can’t do anything about it.”

“What?”

“I’ll warm you up, Juliana.”

What?! T-This crazy man.

Juliana’s jaw widened as if it were about to fall out. Louis was smiling brightly and spreading his muscled arms wide.

‘Okay, I probably heard it wrong, right?’

As she stuttered like a child, Louis waved his arms up and down, attracting Juliana’s attention. The man armed with carelessness all the time seemed fine even at this moment.

“What? What are you doing?”

“Juliana’s body is cold. So come take in my warmth.”

Juliana was embarrassed by this man who seemed self-satisfied by this clear answer.

“A-Are you crazy?”

Flushed, her words came out without a filter.

“That’s not true.”

Louis tilted his head, denying in a gentle voice. Juliana had a blank face seeing the man with his arms still open. There was a big disagreement between his words and actions.

“Hahaha.”

Juliana shook her head.

What an unpredictable man.

She wasn’t just surprised by Louis’ moves, but on the other hand, she was grateful.

‘…but at least he wanted to take care of me.’

Juliana was an ice wizard. Her body temperature was relatively colder than others… Perhaps in Louis’ view, it might have felt abnormal.

“…….”

Juliana looked at Louis with a light smile. The way he cared about her was a bit off, but he had a beautiful heart.

This was a thought that came to her mind sometimes.

Louis looked indifferent, but he was friendly, and at the same time seemed a bit unusual.

‘Of course… Even so, I don’t have the gall to hug him without shame.’

“I’ll just accept your heart.”

When she firmly raised her hand and refused, Louis put down his arms sullenly. The appearance of a man with drooping shoulders caused some strange pity.

‘No, don’t give in!’

Juliana turned her head, catching her mind in time, before it weakened.

Shwik, shwik.

Juliana stared at the scarlet-haired maid wiping the window frame dust.

No matter what Louis may be like, Juliana picked the servants here as her enemy. The butler mainly visited Louis, and the scarlet-haired maid was in charge of bringing new clothes to change into and food to eat.

“What’s your name?”

Juliana, who was staring at the back of the maid, asked. The maid was surprised by the sudden question.

‘She looks about 16 years old…’

The maid looked back at Juliana with round eyes. If she was a noblewoman, she would be at the age of having a coming-of-age ceremony.

“…Anna.”

The maid hesitated and spoke. She didn’t know if she could answer, which was probably why she was hesitating.

“Okay, Anna.” Juliana responded with a smile. Talking softly as if dealing with a wary child made Anna look more comfortable.

“You must have worked here for a long time?”

“… It’s been 10 years since I’ve worked as a maid here.”

Juliana nodded and quickly thought a bit.

In the meantime, Anna did not say a word to her. Like others, Anna dealt with her with an expressionless face, but somehow Anna showed a favorable attitude towards her. Juliana thought that she always looked bright…

“…You’ve been working for a long time.”

“Yes madam, but you don’t have to use honorifics for me.” Anna looked uncomfortable, and urgently added.

“Madam?”

Juliana’s expression became strange. Why did she call her madam?

“Oh, if you’re not fine with it…” Anna’s eyes looked like they were about to pop out, and her face grew pale.

“No, it’s okay.”

Juliana shook her head and smiled softly. Information on the Grand Duke was limited. First of all, she should win the favour of the maid. She was going to find out about the lunatic of the empire.

“It’s just… I’m lonely…”

“…….”

“Please talk to me when you come and go sometimes.” Juliana spoke with a refreshing smile.

“Yes, madam!” Anna clenched her fist with a solemn face on hearing this, and nodded fervently. Julia smiled sincerely at her cute appearance.