CH 179

I didn’t know what kind of coercion Dietrich used, but the room that was eventually changed had a more glamorous and antique look.

‘The ceiling is made of glass.’ 

As if boasting that it was the tallest building in Kirov, the ceiling of the room on the top floor of the hotel seemed to touch the sky.

In addition, the front was made of glass, so it felt as if I had stepped into the sky.

“Hmm.” 

I glanced at Dietrich's back as he unpacked without making eye contact with me from the moment I entered the room.

‘Normally, he would have asked a servant to do it.’

As I squinted my eyes wondering why he was doing that, I then turned my attention to the bed that seemed to be announcing its tremendous presence.

“Is there only one bed?”  

The round bed that occupied the middle of the room was big enough for four people to roll around, but in the end, it was just one.

I couldn’t have seen it because I also have eyes, but he nodded awkwardly as if it was only then that he knew when I asked. 

“Is that so?”

“You didn’t know?”

“......When do you plan on going back to Lagrange?”

“I don’t know. Since we’ve been to the auction house and the streets, should we watch the opera and then go back?”  

Marilyn may not be worried about me but I knew she wanted to see me and I didn’t want to go back in a carefree manner. 

“Then I'll have a carriage ready to leave tomorrow afternoon.”

“Okay. That'd be great.” 

I nodded thoughtlessly to Dietrich's words and frowned slightly, feeling that I had forgotten something.

‘Did he just change the topic so naturally?!’

He seemed to have realized that I could notice his lies to some extent. 

He was avoiding a difficult question by talking about something else. 

‘As expected, it’s because of the bed.’

He should have just told me he wanted to sleep next to me. 

Well, he was someone who was bad at being honest.

I stared at Dietrich’s back while clicking my tongue as he repeatedly unpacked and repacked his things that weren’t even that many. 

“We’re leaving tomorrow anyway, so stop organizing things, and let’s wash up.” 

Dietrich turned to look at me, who picked up my change of clothes, with a rare startled look on his face as if I had said something wrong. 

‘Why is he so surprised?’

I looked down at the back of his hand, the veins of which had bulged out from holding the luggage bag so tightly, and repeated my words impatiently.

“I said let’s wash up. Why do you look so surprised?”

Dietrich's mouth opened and closed again to my question.

“......Together?”

“Are you crazy?!”

I felt the blood draining from my face in an instant and raised my voice.

“I’m going to wash up first. So I’m telling you to get ready.”

I slapped Dietrich on the shoulder and shook my head hard, not knowing what was going on in his head.

“Wha-what?”

It's the first time I've seen Dietrich stutter. 

“What on earth am I supposed to prepare for?”

I was taken aback by his question that I crossed my arms and laughed dryly.

“Get ready to wash up!!!”

If not that, what else was there? 

‘What’s wrong with him, really?’

At my cold response, he bowed his head with the back of his ear turning red.

I looked at Dietrich with a sideglance as he seemed unable to get his act together and turned around with a whipping sound. 

────── 〔✿〕──────

Shaa.

Shaaaa.

I closed my eyes tightly at the sound of the water roaring strangely loudly.

‘I thought this was a luxury hotel so what’s with this level of soundproofing?’

Even in the old Viscounty, I’ve never heard the sound of someone washing pierce my ears like this.

I started rolling around the wide bed as I pressed my hand on my chest which was beating fast without any basis – but actually, there was a reason for that. 

‘How could he say such a strange thing like washing together out of the blue.’

I was resentful.

Dietrich was being nervous for no reason and I, who didn’t think much of it, became conscious as well. 

I glared at the tightly closed bathroom door with a vicious eye and slammed my face into the pillow so hard that it made a thud.

Light pink hair that had not yet been dried stretched out like seaweed on top of the white pillow. 

“Haa—.”

Should I have brought Yuric?

Then at least we could have avoided this embarrassing and shameful situation.

‘......Should I sleep first?’

I didn’t know how to deal with Dietrich once he comes out after washing. 

I was so embarrassed that I screamed and washed up, but how could I look at him?

‘Fine, let’s just go to sleep.’

When tomorrow morning comes, we might both forget about this strange confrontation.

With a firm determination, I buried my face in the pillow and squeezed my closed eyes.

‘I’m sleepy. I’m very sleepy now.’

I’m getting sleepy. I’m getting really sleepy.

‘I’m not, ack!’ 

I only let out an internal scream, just in case Dietrich could hear it and pounded the pitiful bed.

It's been a while since the sun had set, and it was a very tiring day to ride a carriage and look around the auction house, so it was worth falling asleep, but as time went by, my eyes were still wide open.

‘Is it because I’m nervous?’

Eek. 

In the end, failing to go to bed before Dietrich finished showering, I hurriedly pulled the blanket over my neck at the sound of the bathroom door opening.

I glanced sideways at Dietrich, who came out wiping his wet curly hair with a towel, and as soon as he turned his head, I began to look elsewhere as if I had never peeped at him.

‘Why do I feel like he’s even more handsome today?’

When would that radiant face never shine?

After giving me a strange tension, I feel even more grumpy because he returned to his usual indifferent face as if he’d found peace.

“Are you going to sleep?”

“Huh? Uh, yeah. I’m going to sleep now. I’m sleepy. Hmm, yaawn.” 

I yawned with an awkward performance that even a child won't believe, but Dietrich moved as if he was about to get closer.

I clenched my fist, hidden under the blanket, at the sound of his loud gait.

‘He’s coming!’

Though I nervously thought, Dietrich plopped down on the carpet next to the bed instead of coming to me. 

“I’m going to sleep on the floor.”

“Huh? Why?”

“Because I don't want to force you into an uncomfortable situation.”

It was already a very nerve-wracking situation to sleep in one room, but I didn’t have the heart to complain because the crown of his head looked so pitiful as he didn’t even meet my eyes and just wiggled his fingertips. 

I sighed and nodded my head.

“All right. Then, I’ll give you a pillow.”

“......Put it on the floor.”

Feeling pity, I handed the pillow I was sleeping on, but Dietrich leaned back while sitting down, avoiding my hand altogether.

I leaned forward, wondering if his mysophobia was acting up again. 

“I washed up just now. It’s not dirty.” 

I waved my hand holding the pillow with the intention of telling him to accept it and he raised one eyebrow and shook his head. 

“I didn’t think it was dirty.”

“So why are you avoiding my hand?”

“I’m going crazy because your scent keeps spreading.”

“Huh?”

“It’s really driving me insane so get back.”

“Uh, okay!”

I hastily shut up when I saw Dietrich's face contorted, mistaking it for peace until just now.

After confirming that I was lying quietly, he turned off the lamp, and soon complete darkness came.

Silence.

“.........”

‘Why is it so hard to sleep?’

After tossing and turning for hours without falling asleep, I rolled over and checked the floor.

“Dietrich.”

“…….”

“Are you asleep?”

“.........”

Seeing as there was no reply, it seemed he was asleep. 

After saying that he was about to lose it, he fell asleep by himself.

‘I guess I’m the only one nervous for no reason.’

I was so nervous even at the sound of his low breathing that sleep ran away from me.

“You’re so cheap.”

While criticizing Dietrich, who slept soundly, in a small voice, I wondered what was so cheap with him. Still, I was feeling a bit resentful of him. 

“......You can at least kiss me.” 

“......”

“You can at least say you’ll just hold my hand and sleep or something.” 

Though it's kind of weird to just hold hands and sleep.

I grumbled in a whisper, staring at the thick shadow that settled over Dietrich's eyelids.

His sharp outline created shadows even in the dark.

‘But why don’t I hear his breathing?’

I could no longer hear the breath I used to hear well just until earlier.

It wasn't a dead body that stopped breathing, and a sleeping person couldn't have been this quiet.

“Dietrich, are you really asleep?”

At my question, he slowly opened his eyes.

Dietrich's eyes, shining dark red in the darkness, gleamed like a red moon in the night.

Eyes deeper and stiller than the veil of the deepest night.

I slowly stretched out my hand to the corner of his eyes that felt particularly red.

“......No.”

He barely responded in a hoarse voice.

Dietrich took my hand, gently wiping his half-closed eyelids, and slowly brought it to his lips.

Kiss.

The destination of the kiss that fell down like a bird’s feather was only on the back of my hand, but the hairs at the back of my neck stood up.

“I’m not asleep. I can’t sleep tonight.” 

I was about to ask why for a moment, but his answer was so obvious that already expected it, so I swallowed my words.

“Is that so?”

“Yeah.”

“.....I don’t think I can sleep either.”