CH 12

“I’m going crazy!”

Elusiana crouched over her body, covering her face with her hands. She was ashamed and sorry. She was also mad at herself for stepping on them every moment because she couldn’t chase them.

If he had expressed pain, she would have apologized, instead of getting angry right now.

‘He could do that or say my dance was bad.’

But Astein danced so calmly as if he didn’t feel any pain.

“…really, sorry.”

She wouldn’t feel this guilty if it were flat shoes without a heel.

“What’s wrong with stepping on my foot?” he said, giving her a prickly expression.

But she wore high heels that could be used as a weapon.

“The top of his foot must have been chipped. Why were you holding on to it? Just like a fool.”

Elusiana quickly shed tears. That madman was good at strangling Soda, but he wouldn’t tell her about  anything he didn’t like.

‘Is it because I’m the only daughter of this family? Is he afraid of getting kicked out?’

If that wasn’t the reason, she might have influenced him. One side of her heart throbbed when she thought so.

“You don’t have to do that.”

This was where he was allowed to live. At least here, he didn’t have to put up with it. It looked like his pain sensors had been blunted due to being abused for a long time.

“You shouldn’t get used to that.”

Elusiana was heartbroken for a moment. It was so sad to think about his determined appearance, not frowning the entire time, even though he must have been in pain. How long had he suffered before he endured the pain without expressing it?

‘Stupid.’

In this world- There are so many good people. He needed to know about that.

The world was much more beautiful than he knew. So that he could be happier now. He had to know about that.

Elusiana clenched her fists.

“I can’t let it get buried like this.”

She shouldn’t let him handle it alone. She had to make sure that it was wrong to endure pain.

And-

“I will tell him that he is not alone. That I’m by his side.”

Elusiana ran off somewhere with a determined face.

* * *

At that time, Astein was reading a book in the library that Viscount Waieo allowed.

“Umm, why did she suddenly become so cold?”

Astein, who looked around, focused again on the book. However, at some point, the book, which was being turned one page at a time, stopped.

“Hmm.”

For some reason, his toes tingle. The top of his foot was tolerable, but his little toe seemed completely crushed.

“That’s just what I’ve learned over the years. I wasn’t born with it.”

Astein’s frowning lips suddenly made a faint smile.

There was no subject to compare because he had never danced with anyone before, but Elusiana’s dance skills were so poor.

“It’ll be okay if I do better.”

‘This pain will soon go away anyway. The broken and crushed wounds will soon fill up with new flesh.’

Even now, he felt a lot less pain than the first time he felt it.

But why did Elusiana cry at the end?

Astein put down the book he was holding and was lost in thought. After a while, he came to a conclusion.

“She was worried about me.”

A deep smile spread across the corners of Astein’s lips.

* * *

“…Lusi?”

“You’re here.”

Elusiana, who was drinking tea with a smile, waved her hand. Astein couldn’t hide his joy when he saw her sitting in the room without its owner. As he guessed, it was clear that she had been worried.

“When did you get here?”

“Just now.”

Astein glanced down at her teacup. But her teacup was almost showing its bottom. She lied about having arrived just now. He sat across from her. Her lies somehow made him feel good.

Is this what “family” is?

Even if she lied, he didn’t want to kill her. Rather, he felt strangely excited that one side of his heart was tickling.

“Where… were you?”

“Library.”

Astein gently raised the corners of his mouth. Seeing that smile, Elusiana’s mouth trembled slightly.

‘Is he upset that I arbitrarily entered his room without its owner?’

Elusiana cleared her throat at Astein’s gaze, which somehow became tenacious. She put down the empty teacup and said, “I’m sorry. I came into your room without permission.”

“It’s all right.”

“R-Really?”

“Yes. This is Lusi’s house anyway.”

Elusiana nodded her head nonchalantly and shook it quickly.

“There’s no such thing as that! This is your room, As. If you don’t like it, you can say no.”

“I don’t hate it. Because it’s Lusi.”

“What?”

“We’re a family.”

“Uh, yes. Right. T-Thank you?”

Elusiana, who answered vaguely, smiled awkwardly. It was because she didn’t expect him to use the word ‘family’ here.

“Lusi, am I a rolled stone?”

“What are you talking about?”

“I heard what people were saying. They say I’m a stone that rolls by luck.”

“Nonsense. As, you’re my family.”

“Family…?”

“That’s right. A family that is always together, anytime, anywhere.”

But now she was like, ‘Hey, those words were beautifully added to comfort you. Because I couldn’t just say forget it.’

Elusiana quickly changed the topic.

“Umm, by the way, As. The blue bottle I gave you before… Do you still have them?”

“Blue… bottle?”

“Yes. Do you have that special ointment? It was the size of my palm.”

With that said, Elusiana opened her palm. Astein stared at her palm and nodded.

“I have it, but… why?”

It was a somewhat hesitant answer, but Elusiana asked back without noticing at all.

“Where?”

“There. In the drawer next to the bed.”

“Excuse me. In the drawer next to the bed.”

“Ah! You put it there.”

Elusiana, who couldn’t hide her joy, rushed to the table. But there were three drawers on the table.

‘Can I just open anything?’

Elusiana glanced at Astein and opened the first drawer because anything in order was good.

Skreet.

Fortunately, the blue bottle was in the first drawer. Elusiana picked up the bottle and cheered quietly.

“I found it!”

* * *

Astein smiled as he watched Elusiana, who was jumping around. What could be so good about it? For him, it was good that the waves of her emotions reflected transparently like glass. Until he came here, everyone was malicious and treacherous. Even his father, who acted kindly, as if he would listen to him, was like that too.

‘He used me.’

And brutally killed his only mother in the world.

“As, will you come over here?”

Elusiana shouted, gently shaking the blue bottle in her hand. Astein moved to the place where she was, putting strength in the corner of his mouth that was about to rise more.

“Sit here.”

“…here?”

Elusiana tapped the sheets on the bed and smiled brightly.

“Yes. Lean back here and sit in the most comfortable position possible.”

“…Okay.”

Astein leaned back as she instructed.

“Done?”

Elusiana, who tilted her head while standing by the bed, said again.

“Umm, you can lie down if you feel uncomfortable.”

“Huh?”

“No. It would be better to just lie down and sleep. Come on, let’s lie down, As.”

Astein blinked as if he didn’t understand what she said. Elusiana burst into laughter at his expression, which looked somehow cute.

“Pfft. Hahaha. So you know how to make expressions like that.”

“What’s wrong with my expression?”

“No, it’s just that. It’s so cute.”

The tips of Astein’s ears turned slightly red. He stiffened slightly in embarrassment, but Elusiana didn’t notice the change at all because she was laughing.

Elusiana, who barely stopped her laughter, looked at Astein, who was sitting quietly, then smiled.

“So you’re really not going to lie down?”

“…stop it.”

“Hmm. Okay?”

Elusiana gently shook the blue bottle with a sly look. Seeing that, Astein’s eyes slightly frowned. But Elusiana’s nerves were all directed at Astein’s feet.

“As.”

Elusiana, who whispered softly, smiled a mischievous smile.

For a moment, he wondered why she was being like that. Before he knew it, Elusiana grabbed the end of Astein’s sock and pulled it out quickly.

“…!”

Astonished, Astein pulled his feet in a hurry. But the sock she was holding had already come off. As one of his socks came off, Astein looked at her with a reddened face.

“…what are you doing?”

“Why are you so surprised? With just one sock off.”

“So, why are you taking this off?”

Looking at Astein, who was red like he had a fever, Elusiana talked with a voice full of laughter.

“Why? I’m trying to treat you.”

“What? Treat?

“Yes, treat you. So don’t be stiff. Put your feet up here.”

* * *

Elusiana sat by the bedside and looked at the feet that Astein was hugging.

‘Hmm?’

She thought it wouldn’t be weird if his feet were torn and burst, but they seemed to be in better condition than she thought.

‘I heard these shoes were from far away. Was it because the quality is high?’

Anyway, it was fortunate for her that he was less injured.

‘Still, I need to treat it meticulously.’

Elusiana unconsciously grabbed one of Astein’s legs and pulled it.