CH 46

Elusiana, whose conscience was poked, dropped her head. Then the man asked carefully again.

“You’re the benefactor who saved me. I’d like to know your name. Can’t I?”

“W-what do you mean a benefactor?” Elusiana hurriedly waved her hand, blushing as if his words were nonsense.

“How can I just pass by when someone is dying? Anyone who saw Mister would have helped, just like I did.”

“So, when are you going to tell me your name?”

Elusiana flinched unknowingly at the man’s stubborn question. It was because his gaze was so firm. What on earth does this man see in her and come to believe her?

Elusiana became a little curious about the reason. But there was no way she would know right away. After taking a deep breath, she answered. “It’s Lusi. My name.”

“Lu…si.”

A faint smile spread around the man’s lips as he recited her name. Elusiana’s heart fluttered when she saw that smile.

“That’s a pretty name, Lusi.”

“…Ah, haha, thank you for the compliment?”

“It’s really pretty.”

Elusiana’s smiling face turned red again.  When he said ‘pretty,’ it sounded like he was complimenting her face. She stood up from her seat and cleared her throat for no reason.

“Ahem, then I will be on my way.”

The man’s eyes widened slightly.

“…Are you saying you’re leaving already?”

The gentle puppy-like eyes drooped down. Seeing him look quite pitiful, Elusiana involuntarily hesitated to answer him.

“…I was waiting for someone, and I’ve been away for too long.”

“If that’s the reason, it should be fine.”

“Pardon?”

Elusiana erased her smile and looked at the man with questioning eyes. No, why does he think it would be fine?

The embarrassed man muttered as if he were making excuses.

“…I thought that would be okay. Because quite a bit of time has passed…”

Elusiana smiled and wrinkled the back of her nose.

“Maybe they are looking for me. Because I’m an outsider, I’m the main target for surveillance.”

“Is it necessary… to worry about that?”

“Of course, this is Sestein. There might be a recorder installed somewhere I don’t know that is watching me… Oh my! By any chance, does this room have it too?”

“That’s… absolutely not like that.”

“How does Mister know that?”

“Because this… is my room.”

“Ah, haha… Yes, this is Mister’s room… that’s right.” Elusiana smiled awkwardly and nodded.

The man let out a sigh. Then Elusiana, surprised by the sigh, gently grasped the man’s shoulder and examined his complexion again.

“Are you still having trouble breathing?”

“That’s—”

The flinched man suddenly grabbed near his chest and breathed heavily.

“…Gasp. A little… a bit… like… that… cough. Cough, cough.”

The man who couldn’t finish his sentence coughed again.

But he seemed fine. Why is this happening all of a sudden? Elusiana urgently grabbed the man by the shoulder and said, “Mi-mister.”

“Uurgh. Soon… it’s going to be… Cough, cough.”

Elusiana stomped her foot in surprise at the man’s rapidly deteriorating condition. It was clear his condition became worse as his pain continued to recur.

I don’t think it’s an illness that can be cured just by putting up with it. Elusiana bit her lips and looked at the door.

“Cough, cough.”

“I will call the doctor. So I will go downstairs and bring the doctor here.”

“No, I’m… okay. Cough. It will… subside… soon. Cough, cough. I told… you. Soon… I will… be… haa… okay…”

Elusiana hardened her expression and said firmly, “Don’t be stubborn. Things could really go wrong.”

Then, the man grabbed her arm. Elusiana paused for a moment at the desperate touch of the man who held her arm.

“Just… wait a moment, Haa… Stay with me… here. Cough, cough. It’s enough… only with… that. Cough.”

The pale man’s smile trembled like a flower blown away by the wind. His smile was so sorrowful that Elusiana couldn’t even let go of the hand that was holding her.

“Just one minute. If you don’t get better, I will call the doctor.”

“Lusi is really… kind. Thank… you, cough… Lusi.”

The man who said so smiled faintly. His eyes, folded in half, bend exceptionally fine as he touches her. For a moment, Elusiana felt a strange sense of deja vu in the eyes of the man she had met.

Red eyes with golden rings. She hurriedly rolled her eyes, deflecting the man’s gaze. She couldn’t see him well because it was dark. Still, as she began to carefully examine the man’s appearance, she noticed what she had overlooked. Silver hair…?

Silver hair with a blue tint, red eyes with golden rings. That was obviously the appearance that only appeared in the family of Grand Duke Sestein.

Gasp! No way! This guy! A blood relative of Sestein? Elusiana covered her mouth with her hands. Her shaking eyes wandered in confusion.

But wait a minute— Isn’t something a little strange? The only sick person in the Sestein family was the former Grand Duke Sestein. However, they said that he was recuperating at the villa after handing over the position of Grand Duke. In addition, He’s probably over 50 years old, right?

She couldn’t even think of this man as the eldest son. Because they said after losing in the succession battle, the eldest son went to study abroad.

Then is this man the current Grand Duke of Sestein? The question spread across Elusiana’s eyes. A person who is dying like this has thrown out the rightful heir and usurped the position? And now, he stayed in this gloomy place without any servant?

This doesn’t make any sense. However, shallow doubts kept rising in her head. Elusiana, who couldn’t shake off the doubts, asked in a voice as small as an ant.

“That, by the way.”

“Cough, cough. What’s wrong?”

“B-by any chance, who… are you?”

“Are you asking me?”

“I don’t think I have heard Mister’s name yet.”

The man staring at Elusiana smiled softly as if in response. He raised the corners of his eyes as if teasing her about how she could only become curious about it now.

“My name is—”

He was clearly a frail, sickly man. But when their eyes met, she couldn’t move, as if she was caught in a trap.

Elusiana, who shook her head without realizing it, faltered and stepped back. Then the man straightened his body, stretching his shoulders that were crouching.

“Where are you going, Lusi? I haven’t even told you my name yet.”

The man gave her a subtle smile and snatched her wrist as she tried to run away. It was as if they were going to bump into each other as she was taken aback by their narrow distance. Before she knew it, the man put his lips to her ear and whispered seductively.  

“Don’t forget, Lusi. My name is Aster Miriam Sestein.”

* * *

“Lady?”

“Ma-Ma’am!”

Escaping the hallway, Elusiana spotted Heila, who was just going up the stairs. She rushed down as if to meet her savior. Heila’s face went pale as she looked at Elusiana who was about to fall.

“Be careful, Lady. You’re going to fall down.”

Elusiana, who reached the first floor in an instant, grabbed Heila’s wrist.

“Hurry up, Ma’am.”

“Yes? To where?”

Elusiana, who glanced up at the third floor, urged Heila. “To where? T-the parlor. It’s already late. I need to go home quickly.”

“Ah, I will guide you there.”

As Heila took the lead, Elusiana followed closely behind her. In the meantime, she glanced behind her and looked around the third floor. Hu, thank God. It doesn’t look like he’s coming after me. She swept her chest, wiping the cold sweat from her forehead.

Even though it was unavoidable for her to drag the head of the family and put him on the bed, it was clear that she was ignoring him as she ran away after he revealed his identity. No, no. I’ve helped him, so he won’t harm me.  Even so, the future was the problem. If he didn’t see her again, he might let that slide, but if she caught his eyes while working as a maid here, he would be able to pick up the fire that had been put to sleep.

No matter how high the salary is, it’s not more important than my life. If both of her options were on the way to death, it was right to choose the one with a grace period rather than die right away.

It’s a shame, but I have to quit.  It was when Elusiana, who decided to do so, entered the parlor.

“Lady, you’re here. How do you feel about the Grand Duke?”

“Sir Butler?”

“Did you like him? Ah, I was in a hurry. Have a seat, Lady.”

When she saw Louis smiling after saying that, Elusiana somehow felt her back stiffen, and the hairs all over her body stood up.

Elusiana slipped back. As soon as she sat on that chair, she felt anxious that she could never get out of it again.

“I-I’m sorry, Sir Butler. It seems that this job is not a good fit for me. I’m sorry for your favorable opinion.”

“It’s alright, Lady. It doesn’t matter anymore if the job is not a good fit or not.”

“It doesn’t matter…? W-why?”

The end of Elusiana’s words trembled as she asked back.