Chapter 127

Chapter 127. Secret, Part VIII

It was winter so long that there was nothing ready for the garden side, but where he disappeared was the corridor leading to the garden.

‘Is there a way out of here?'

Thinking about it, Aria opened the door to the garden, passing through the corridor. Unfortunately, there was no Asher there. Nevertheless, the reason why she couldn't go back quickly was because of the outpouring of regret.

So she walked through the garden looking for his traces, and a small cough came out because the cold air of winter entered her lungs. And then, someone who had come to her before she knew it, gave her a coat that was still warm on her shoulders.

“What are you doing here, Lady Aria?”

“... Mr. Asterope.”

‘It's not a dream, right?' As if he had been watching her all along, the touch of Asher, who was turning over Aria's hair in the wind, was filled with affection and anxiety.

Asher, who moved to prevent the strong winter wind from melting Aria's body temperature, complained about his name,

“Please call me Asher.”

“How dare I...”

“It hurts because I feel like I've become estranged from you.”

He narrowed his eyebrows as if to express his sick heart. She had to nod, even though she knew it was half a joke, who had just played so many men. Looking back, she always seemed unable to keep her composure before him. It was only then that Asher opened his eyebrows and smiled affectionately.

“The necklace looks very good on you.”

“Ah...”

Aria's shoulders cringed with his deep stare at her slender neck. She didn't wear it to show him, but she didn't want it to look like that, so she nodded small, and changed the subject around.

“What are you doing here?”

“I stopped by to celebrate the engagement of the Marquis of Vincent.”

Asher noticed her mind and answered with a smile as if she was cute,

“... it seemed like you just popped up, and did you use that ability?”

“No, I don't use it very often. There's a price.”

“Price...”

The word “Price” reminded her of herself, who had not been able to wake up for a whole day after using the hourglass in her head. when she had first used it, serious fatigue had come over her immediately, but now it vanished. Even when she tried to bear it desperately, it was hard to pass a few hours.

“I move my body fast and I have to rest a little bit.”

Asher and she seemed to have a similar grace of having to pay the price instead of using the ability. Suddenly, she was curious. She assumed that he was protected by God, as he was a member of the royal family, but what kind of grace did she get to be able to use the hourglass?

She didn't think it was related to her mother who had inherited poverty for generations, so it was probably related to her biological father who she didn't know who he was... But of all the men, she didn't know who her real father would be, so perhaps she wouldn't be able to know it forever.

“I see. You seem to have a good relationship with the Marquis, given that you've been visiting like this.”

As if not to know the relationship of the Marquis of Vincent and him, she asked about it and the eyes of Asher grew a little thin. He looked as if he were measuring something. The expression, which was revealed even though it could be hidden, had a hidden meaning that she knew everything already.

“I thought you would know if I didn't have to explain.”

He was truly putting a high value on Aria's insight. It had also been an unquestioned part of the past.

‘Maybe he'll answer honestly.'

It was Asher who had even revealed his identity to her even though he had yet to make a formal appearance. Aria was no longer intimidated and asked what she suspected honestly,

“Surely, since you handed over the luxury goods last time, did the Marquis of Vincent become your man?”

Again, Aria's question hit the point and his laughter was deepened. That was because it was close to the answer, albeit not the answer.

Of course, because it was a popular rumor, anyone who was quick in information could think of it, but whatever she said sounded intelligent and wise to him, who had an extremely high assessment of Aria. Even though he was aware of this, he could not stop his assessment of her from rising.

“I haven't gotten there yet, but I'm trying to do it.”

It was a groundless belief that she would not betray him, looking at the steps she had taken so far, even though she was the eldest daughter of a noble family to the bone.

Maybe it was something he wanted to believe. Because he foresaw that if Aria betrayed himself, he would suffer from a sense of loss that would be too great to make a comeback for a while.

With a satisfied smile, the hands of Asher slowly approached Aria's face. The palms of Asher swept away Aria's pale skin as she didn't avoid his hand.

“I was going to see you for a second and go, but...”

His eyes were heartbroken. Knowing that Aria had arrived here, he was going to see her face for a while from afar, but he couldn't do so when he saw her face smiling at the men around her.

So he caught Aria's eye as if he had left a mark on purpose. But now that he felt this way, he couldn't go back.

Aria was annoyed by a little regretful word of Asher, and she asked a sharp question,

“Is there any reason why we shouldn't meet and talk like this?”

In spite of the coldness, Aria stared at himself with red eyes full of heat, and from the depth of his stomach, the fever rose and went into the palm of his hands wrapped around her cheek by itself.

“You always embarrass me like this.”

‘Where is the man who can standby looking at her like that?' Just smiling made him lose his sight so he couldn't even move.

A blue eye glanced over Aria's face. His eyes glazed persistently through the light-green quaint eyes that had burnt many men's hearts, passed by a lovely nose and reached her bewitching lips.

Her reddish lips were pouting out their white breath. He couldn't take his eyes off them because he convinced himself that they were tempting him with such a fascinating self.

“Mr. Asher…”

Aria's voice trembled at the sudden change of mood and piercing gaze. Her swaying eyes seemed to have noticed Asher's intentions. Still, looking at Aria, who did not avoid but came in eye contact, Asher, who wrapped his hands around her waist, slowly bent down and lowered his gaze.

By the time the distance that had otherwise been close was reduced to reach each other, the bitterly cold wind blew Aria's hair once.

Thanks to the scattered jewelry powder, shiny hair mingled with the snowy garden and looked like a mirage. Along with that, the nervousness of Aria shaking added a mystery.

Asher, who had put all those beautiful things in his eyes, soon slowly blinked and sighed a little, then gently handed over Aria's hair, giving her a slight kiss on her soft forehead.

“It's cold. I think you better go back now.”

In fact, there was no time to feel the cold, but they had to leave and he couldn't do a shameless thing to her, as two years remained before she would become an adult.

Aria nodded as she stared at Asher, even though his lips fell off her forehead as if she was bewitched for a while. He also had to go back, as he had been away for a long time.

It wasn't long after he told her to go in, and that his hands around Aria's waist fell off. A little hesitant, Aria turned around and moved very slowly out of the garden.

‘Why his longing grows big every time even if their meeting is repeated?' Asher was so sad by the appearance of Aria disappearing into the end of the corridor and stared at it for a while.

‘If it is now to be able to discuss all the corruption… wouldn't it be better for her to stay by my side?'

It was clear that it would be okay to have Aria around now that he would no longer be dragged around by the nobles. Of course, there was still a big problem that she had to accept it.

He was about to go back, thinking that he should put the best knight he knew next to her, and he saw an irritating face coming in at the end of the corridor where Aria disappeared.