Chapter 40
“She’s in the bedroom.”
When Evelyn, who had been polishing the hallway lamp, answered Noah’s question, he pushed the door open and entered before she even finished speaking.
“Hrkkk… fwoo… hrkkk… snnnoooore…”
There, sprawled across a long sofa, was Rozé, fast asleep.
Her head rested awkwardly against the armrest, as though it were uncomfortable, and she was even snoring—something Noah had never once heard from her before.
At least this time, she hadn’t vanished.
Seeing her there, breathing steadily, loosened the suffocating pressure that had weighed on his chest like a heavy stone.
“Haa…”
Noah let out a long sigh of relief and dropped into the chair opposite her.
With his hand pressed to his still-throbbing temple, he tilted his head back.
“Krrhhp… fwoo…”
Rozé’s snores grew louder. Noah got back up, adjusted her posture to make her more comfortable, then stood there for a moment, looking down at her face.
She was fast asleep, like a child, unaware of the world.
“Spring must be coming soon.”
Even the floor that had once felt like it would sink beneath his feet now felt firm, and the breeze carried a gentler warmth than it had just days ago.
Slowly, Noah walked toward her, then perched on the low table in front of the sofa, gazing at her.
“You could have slept in a bed, comfortably… why here…?”
Then, spotting a book dropped on the floor, he realized why she had dozed off there and fell silent.
“Was she… waiting for me?”
Perhaps she had been.
In the silence, Noah studied her face.
Rozé, in human form, looked exactly the same as the girl who had once hidden beneath a bed in his memories.
Her hair was so long and thick it seemed heavy, her lashes snowy white—sleeping like this, she looked as though frost had fallen across her eyelids.
Her lips curved upward, poised between girlish innocence and womanly allure, with a dainty nose completing the picture.
“Rozé, it’s nearly dinner. Time to wake up.”
And then, those eyes, so much like his own.
He reached out, gently shook her, and like roses blooming through snow, Rozé’s crimson eyes opened to meet his.
“…It’s Noah.”
She smiled drowsily at him, her gaze still hazy from sleep.
In the softened sunlight, the curtains fluttered, and Rozé smiled with those eyes that mirrored his own. It was almost unbelievably peaceful.
It felt like stepping into a dream he had never once dared to imagine. Carefully, Noah reached out and touched her cheek.
His hands, chilled even through gloves from constant travel, began to thaw against the warmth of her skin.
If this were a dream, he thought he would gladly live in it forever—but the thought had barely formed when—
“Noah, perfect timing. I need your advice on where I should live from now on.”
Her words dragged him back into cold reality.
“Father!”
Christina wanted to stay and play with Rozé all day while waiting for Noah, but she knew when to step back.
After all, there would always be tomorrow, the day after, and the day after that—endless chances to see Noah again.
“Christina, how many times must I tell you? It’s dangerous to run out in front of horses and carriages.”
More than anything, she wanted to greet her father on his return.
She wanted to tell him that the imperial palace was more comfortable than she’d expected, that Rozé was kind and fun to play with, and that she was glad for this opportunity.
Being close enough to have such trivial conversations with her father was always Christina’s greatest pride.
Even now, though he scolded her for recklessness, Duke Raymond dismounted and swept her up in a hug.
“Father, I heard you visited the hunting grounds with His Majesty today. Why didn’t you tell me?”
“Are you interested in my work, or in His Majesty?”
“Oh, Father… obviously in both!”
First, a son to inherit the title.
Second, a son to inherit the business.
Third, a son to inherit the name.
After three sons in succession, Duke Raymond had always longed for a daughter.
There was no grand reason.
In his mind, an ideal family portrait required a daughter.
And beyond that, he wanted someone who would come running and smile at him, unlike his dutiful but distant wife and aloof sons.
“Of all days, it had to be my first day as a lady-in-waiting, and I didn’t even get to meet His Majesty. How disappointing.”
Of course, she could also serve as a useful tool to expand his influence.
But after her third son, the duchess, whose health had broken, declared she would bear no more children.
So Duke Raymond sought another woman.
It wasn’t difficult: a noble-born lady of good lineage, her family fallen on hard times, willing to secretly bear his child.
And arranging it so the child would appear to be his wife’s? That was nothing at all.
“His Majesty will be at the palace tomorrow. You’ll have a chance to meet him then.”
“Really? Then tomorrow I must wear my prettiest dress!”
The already strained marriage collapsed completely into estrangement, but Duke Raymond had no regrets.
“We’ll have the tailor come. Spring is coming—you’ll need a beautiful new dress.”
“Really? Oh, how exciting!”
For his daughter Christina would one day rise to the highest position in the empire.
Christina’s birth mother—unknown even to Christina herself—was a woman of exceptional beauty.
That was why Duke Raymond was not shaken, even when Noah repeatedly rejected Christina.
No matter how rigid he might appear, any man who looked upon Christina, blooming like a flower, would eventually fall.
Even he won’t be able to resist forever.
Even the man who had been immovable before was changing—hadn’t he already accepted Christina as a lady-in-waiting?
Smiling, Duke Raymond envisioned his ultimate victory.
“But Father—Lady Melissa is waiting for you.”
Until he had to face Melissa, that is.
“Ah… ahem. Your Majesty, would you care to join me in the study for lunch today?”
“…”
After Rozé asked Noah about moving to a new place, he hadn’t given her an answer. He had even skipped dinner and stormed out.
It wasn’t until dawn dew had settled that he finally slipped back into the bedroom.
They had lain together briefly in bed after that, but since then, this was how things had been.
“Your Majesty…?”
No matter what Rozé said, he gave no reply—only flicked his eyes toward her, then looked away.
What’s wrong with him?
It was the first time she had experienced this, and she couldn’t help but feel unsettled.
She felt like she was sitting on needles, unable to even perch casually on the bed as she usually did while Noah fixed his appearance before the mirror.
“Why?”
“…Pardon?”
He repeated the same question, this time more firmly, adding “Your Majesty” before she finally got a reaction.
Yet even then, Noah didn’t turn his head toward the Rozé standing by the window. He only looked at her reflection in the mirror.
Even now—he looked, but did not see.
His gaze, once overflowing with affection no matter how much he tried to hide it, was completely different.
This time, Noah truly seemed like a man deeply, firmly angry.
“I asked why you were wondering if I would be at lunch.”
“Ah… it’s just that Lady Christina will be visiting again today. She is a guest, after all—I thought you might at least show your face once.”
Meeting those eyes, Rozé suddenly understood why Evelyn and Amelia had always avoided Noah’s gaze.
As expected, the atmosphere in the bedroom grew heavy, and the two of them withdrew to the corner, holding their breath.
“What are you thinking?”
“…Pardon?”
Rozé understood that too.
No matter how much his image had softened, Noah bristling like this was terrifying.
Not just his piercingly cold stare—but the oppressive weight in the air was overwhelming.
She realized now what she hadn’t before.
For the first time, under Noah’s icy gaze, Rozé’s breath caught in her throat.
