CH 51

Hahaha, what is this sound? In fact, it was hard to pretend not to know.

The rain was pouring down in front of her.

‘Great timing,’ Livia thought sarcastically.

She looked back at Cardien with an empty face.

He, too, was gazing at the pouring rain expressionlessly.

“What should we do, Your Grace?”

In response to the question, he replied while still looking at the rain.

“I don’t know.”

Then a cold smile formed on his lips.

“I guess we should see if there’s an inn nearby with available rooms.”

Well, that’s probably the best option, right?

Livia chuckled helplessly and eventually let out a deep sigh.

* * *

Luckily, the coachman had booked them a room at an inn as soon as it started to rain, so they didn’t end up in the worst-case scenario of spending the night in the carriage.

But there was a problem…

“There’s only one room left?”

“Yes, I’m sorry.”

“No, don’t apologize.”

When the coachman hurriedly went to secure a room, there was only one room left.

‘It’s expected, considering the festival.’

If anything, they should be grateful there’s a room left at all…….

But…Sharing a room with Cardien?

Livia didn’t mind sharing a room with Vincent. Vincent is still a child.

But Cardien is…….

‘No, Cardien probably wouldn’t want to share a room with me in the first place,’ Livia thought, almost convinced. ‘Although he has allowed me to stay with him at night a few times.’

She didn’t know if she should call it permission or a command.

‘But recently, I haven’t been called for that either.’

In fact, it wasn’t really a sleepover at all, just a quiet presence beside him, like a talisman to help him get a good night’s sleep.

But this time was completely different.

‘It can’t be helped,’ Livia resolved with a sigh.

She approached Cardien quietly and spoke to him.

“Your Grace, I will sleep in the carriage. Please go upstairs with Vincent and rest.”

When she said that, Cardien looked at her.

~ Translations by Lurelia | Editing by Valpal | Read only at moonlightnovels.com ~

Vincent was already asleep in the carriage that had brought them to the inn. It would be fine to carefully carry him up.

Actually, the carriage wasn’t bad either, upon reflection. It wasn’t just an ordinary carriage, but the carriage of the Mercedes Duchy.

The sofa seat alone would probably be better than most beds.

Livia thought Cardien would agree and take Vincent upstairs.

But……

“Is it uncomfortable for you?”

She stared at him, wondering what he meant by that.

His follow-up remark made her face turn red.

“Are you afraid I might touch you?”

“No, that’s not what I meant!”

“Then why do you want to sleep separately in the carriage?”

That’s obvious!

“Because I thought Your Grace would be uncomfortable!”

In reality, there were more practical reasons to consider.

For one, it was not a common situation for unmarried men and women to sleep in the same room. And they were not just any man and woman – Cardien was a parent, and Livia was a tutor…..

But the biggest reason was Cardien himself.

Even if Vincent would be fine, due to Cardien’s personality, it would be impossible for him to sleep together with someone in the same room.

But Cardien seemed to have a different thought.

“Why are you so sure that I would feel uncomfortable?”

“Huh?”

Now what was he talking about?

“Well…”

Livia tried to answer confidently, but her words got stuck in her throat.

‘Because of your personality?’

If she answered like that, it would seem like she was pretending to know too much about Cardien.

In reality, she had nothing else to say.

As she was unable to provide any response, he gave a blatant laugh and asked, “You’re not actually blaming me for your discomfort, are you?”

“Ah, no, that’s not it.”

It…was kind of true.

Livia considered saying that it was true, albeit belatedly, but the situation was already progressing.

“Well, then.”

“……?”

Um, what did he mean by “well”?

Before Livia could express her confusion, Cardien swiftly approached and entered the carriage.

Then, with Vincent fast asleep in his arms, he came closer to her.

“Vincent will be restless if he wakes up and you’re not there.”

“…….”

“As a tutor, you have to think of your students first, don’t you?”

With that, Cardien strode briskly into the inn.

She looked back and forth between the open carriage and the inn, and finally sighed heavily and turned away.

* * *

Entering the room, Livia let out a small gasp of admiration.

‘It’s more spacious than I thought.’

Although the inn was considered a luxury establishment, the interior of the room was even more spacious than she had imagined, prompting a small exclamation to escape her.

A large window occupied the entire front, and in front of it, there was a long sofa.

The bed was situated in the center.

While Cardien laid Vincent on the bed, Livia took off her coat and searched for a blanket.

Finding a thick fur blanket beneath the wardrobe, she immediately headed towards the sofa.

‘I’m so tired.’

She had been walking and running around all day, and sleep washed over her as soon as she saw a place to lie down.

“Your Grace, I’ll go first…….”

She was about to say goodnight to him and go to sleep when he came over and snatched the blanket out of her arms.

“Eh?”

She looked at Cardien, who was now already lying on the sofa, with a bewildered expression.

“Your Grace?”

“……?”

He stared at her with a questioning look, as if asking what her problem was.

‘No, why is he giving me that kind of look?’

“Won’t you sleep on the bed?”

In response to Livia’s question, Cardien lowered his gaze and muttered, “I’m more comfortable on this couch.”

“But…….”

It’s a bit strange for the duke to sleep on the sofa while a mere tutor occupies the bed, isn’t it?

As Livia hesitated, he slowly opened his eyes and looked at her.

His dry violet eyes had an unusually strong presence in the darkness.

“Aren’t you tired, Tutor?”

“…….”

His words caught her off guard.

He closed his eyes again and murmured in a deep voice.

“I’m tired.”

His meaning was clear.

There was no point in arguing unnecessarily with someone who was clearly exhausted.

Well…

‘There’s nothing I can do about it.’

What’s the use of holding onto someone who claims to be tired, saying, ‘That’s my spot!’?

Besides, Cardien was the one who booked the room in the first place. Livia decided that if she was going to criticize, then she should criticize herself.

“…… Then good night.”

Livia bowed and headed for the bed.

On the bed was Vincent, sleeping soundly.

‘So adorable…….’

The sight of Vincent sleeping soundly seemed to ease her fatigue already.

Livia cautiously climbed into bed, not wanting to wake Vincent with her enthusiasm.

She ended up lying down on the side closest to the duke.

Cardien remained motionless with closed eyes.

‘I hope he’s okay,’ Livia worried drowsily.

Although she was concerned about him sleeping on the sofa, the temptation of sleep overwhelmed her more.

‘I don’t know.’

If he says he’s fine, then he must be fine.

With that thought in mind, she slowly drifted into sleep.

* * *

When Livia woke up again, it was the early dawn hours after the rain had stopped. She stared blankly at the ceiling with sleepy eyes.

Strange noises had been erupting faintly since a while ago, which had disturbed her sleep.

‘What on earth is that noise…….?’

Livia groggily turned her head in the direction where the noise was coming from.

Suddenly, she stood up from her position.

‘Cardien?!’

He was clutching his chest, contorting his upper body in pain.

“Hghhh…”

The source of the noise was Cardien’s groans.

Livia rushed to his side. His eyes were tightly shut, and cold sweat dripped down from his forehead. She knew instinctively that he was having a nightmare.

‘Why…….?’

Wasn’t he fine for a while?

The time Livia spent questioning didn’t last long.

Right now, the priority was the person moaning in pain in front of her.

“Your Grace, can you hear me?”

She shook his shoulders and called his name, but there was no response. She bit her lip and glanced back for a moment.

Vincent was sound asleep, unaware of the situation.

‘I can’t help it.’

Livia let out a long sigh and placed her hand on Cardien’s forehead.

Then, in an instant, a light began to emanate from beneath her palm.

Clap!

A large hand snatched her wrist in an instant.

And then, out of thin air, she met a pair of violet eyes.

‘When…….?’

Livia stared blankly at him, and soon a bright silver light emerged, engulfing Cardien.

~ Translations by Lurelia | Editing by Valpal | Read only at moonlightnovels.com ~

***

‘Where am I?’

When she woke up, she was standing in a dark place.

‘It’s like déjà vu…….’

It seemed like she had been in a similar situation before…..

Livia recalled the violet eyes she had last seen and shivered involuntarily.

‘I can’t believe he opened his eyes at that time!’

For a moment, it felt as if her heart stopped.

She frantically scanned her surroundings, rubbing her arms. First of all, it wasn’t the same basement as the last time.

She was standing in an alleyway, albeit a little darker due to the lack of sunlight.

She was pretty sure this was Cardien’s dream. It was probably the dream he was having just before waking up.

But something was off.

It was too calm to be a nightmare.

There were no painful moans or sounds like last time.

That’s when it happened.

Rustle.

Her head swung around at the sudden sound. Something swiftly pushed her against the wall.

“Heuk!”

Though it didn’t hurt since it was a dream, she was taken aback and swallowed her breath.

‘It’s a dream, yet it can touch me?’

Frowning, she looked at the figure that pushed her.

He slowly emerged from the darkness and Livia froze in place when she recognized his face.

“How did this situation come about?”

The person who was pressed tightly against her chuckled humorlessly and whispered, “It seems an explanation is necessary, Tutor.”

Livia held her breath.