Chapter : 24
When I relayed Noel’s words, Sirinyu’s expression froze coldly.
“What?”
Her expression was so icy that I squeaked out my words, my voice shrinking.
“N-No… I thought I could come as soon as I finished, since you said to come straight to the palace when it’s all done.”
Sirinyu spoke coldly and rose from her seat.
“You can’t go until a full week has passed.”
The next day, Yurie entered the dim room, clicking her tongue as she pulled back the curtains.
“Milady, it’s time to get up!”
I rubbed my eyes and struggled to get out of bed. I couldn’t even sleep in, being in someone else’s house… what a sight.
I tried to linger a bit longer, but Yurie was strict.
“Breakfast will be ready soon. Are you going to leave it like that?”
“Alright…”
After washing, I lightly applied makeup to my face and put on a dress that made me wonder how I could even eat in it.
The hallway was quiet. When we entered the dining room guided by the butler, I saw the table set. Only one place setting.
I turned to the butler and asked,
“And the Grand Duke?”
The butler, pushing my chair from behind, replied politely.
“He is training in the back garden today.”
“Training?”
“He conducts physical conditioning and sword training at the same time every day.”
My ears perked up. I had seen him fight before, but it was always chaotic, and I never got a proper look at it.
“Meals are ready to be served.”
I had to eat first. Indeed, a great noble’s chef was something else.
I had learned that noble young ladies were supposed to leave a little food on their plates. But—
‘What am I supposed to do when everything tastes amazing…?’
The tight dress I was wearing now felt like a curse. I wanted to sit in my room in comfortable clothes and just eat freely.
But I couldn’t say that in someone else’s house.
‘Ah, I miss my mansion…’
After stuffing myself in the tight dress, I felt completely uncomfortable. I decided to take a walk with Yurie, who had come down looking for me.
“Yurie, did you eat?”
“Yes, milady.”
“Did you get steak too?”
A butler followed behind us as we exchanged small talk. Passing neatly trimmed garden trees, we headed toward the back garden, where the sound of men shouting commands reached us.
“Huh?”
I froze, and the butler stepped ahead of us.
“This way is the training ground. Would you like to see it?”
I widened my eyes.
“Can we watch?”
“The Grand Duke said to grant any request from guests.”
“Wow.”
Was this how it felt to watch an unreleased practice session? I moved forward excitedly.
Looking down from above the training ground, my eyes nearly popped out.
“Why… why is it….”
So much bare skin?!
…Am I really allowed to see this?
Yurie kept her head down, staring at the ground, and I hurriedly looked at the butler.
I was grateful but also a little embarrassed.
The butler seemed equally flustered, waving his hands as he approached me.
“The weather isn’t—well… let’s see it another time.”
But I had already seen it. A perfectly sculpted body, every muscle defined, a firm torso with not a trace of fat. The holy droplets of sweat glistening in the sunlight as he trained…
‘Ha, please… if the heavens are listening…’
Just one hidden camera, please. Are you watching, Binge Hotel staff?
My desperate plea, of course, went unanswered, and the living statue approached me.
“What’s this?”
“I apologize. I told her I would show the young lady the training ground.”
The butler bowed, and Sirinyu raised an eyebrow while placing a large towel over her shoulder.
“So the young lady really does have such a hobby.”
“Excuse me?”
“You followed here without knowing what a training ground is for, didn’t you?”
“Eh?”
Her purple eyes seemed to scold me. I waved my arms, trying to explain frantically.
“No, really, it’s not like that!”
You were the one who undressed first! How unfair… But wow, that body is incredible.
Unable to stop my eyes from rolling toward Sirinyu’s form, I struggled, and she lifted the corner of her mouth and said:
“Why don’t you come closer and take a look?”
I grabbed Yurie’s arm and ran without looking back. I didn’t mind, but for a girl like Yurie, it might be too stimulating.
Looking back as we left the training ground, I saw Sirinyu pressing her chest with her hand.
I trudged back to my room and flopped onto the bed. I half-opened a book to glance at the contents, but had to close it again.
The letters looked like abs.
Since that incident, having Sirinyu under the same roof had become unbearably distracting.
‘What is Sirinyu doing now?’
I didn’t want to talk to her yet, but I wanted to see her face. I didn’t want my blood to run low on Sirinyu concentration. I regretted leaving her painting at home.
‘Come to think of it…’
I didn’t think I’d seen any of Sirinyu’s paintings since coming to this mansion. If there were baby photos or treasured items, I’d like to have one—but I couldn’t just take them, that would be a crime…
‘Maybe I can ask for one if the old books are well deciphered…’
That afternoon, I sat in the living room, engrossed in a book. The passage I was reading was very interesting.
“Decorate a corner of the house with red, glossy fruits infused with the power of the earth to repel monsters.”
I thought hard. Red, glossy fruits with the power of the earth? A thought came to mind.
In Korea, there’s a superstition of using red beans to ward off ghosts.
‘Do they treat monsters like ghosts?’
Tilting my head, I spoke to Sirinyu, who was gracefully sipping tea.
“Do you use red beans to repel monsters here?”
“Red beans?”
Sirinyu raised an eyebrow, and the butler behind her spoke.
“It seems you mean something similar to beans occasionally used as ingredients.”
I glanced back at the book.
“Do you know what these red, glossy fruits with the power of the earth are?”
Sirinyu lightly tapped her knee with her palm.
“I remember our family elders mentioning something similar about jewels used to repel monsters.”
“Jewels?”
“We collected all red jewels, but none were effective.”
I shook my head. Not red beans then…
I continued reading, and the next sentence made me slap my knee.
“Those who escape from where monsters dwell sprinkle white snow from the sea all over their body.”
Salt.
“Do you know what the white snow from the sea is?”
Sirinyu nodded.
“It’s supposed to prevent capture by monsters. They used to go get it from the sea themselves, but since it turned into liquid, it was ineffective.”
The butler behind her nodded in agreement. Sirinyu rubbed her chin with long fingers and said:
“Does the book really say that? Then it can’t be trusted.”
She looked displeased.
‘She doesn’t know this?’
I shook my head. This was a European fantasy setting. People here wouldn’t know Korean superstitions, and they seemed to interpret the book literally, so it didn’t work properly.
I explained my interpretation to Sirinyu.
“I heard there’s a country that uses red beans or salt to ward off ghosts—or rather, monsters.”
I said this casually, mixing in a lie. Sirinyu crossed her arms and thought, and the butler looked surprised.
“Get red beans and salt. Use them immediately.”
When the butler left, Sirinyu also stood and turned toward the door without hesitation. I regretted losing sight of her pretty face, but if I couldn’t see her face, I could at least enjoy her back.
I happily admired her broad back and long legs when Sirinyu suddenly stopped.
‘Gah. Did she notice me staring shamelessly?’
She turned to look at me.
“There will be a party tonight. I’ve left the preparations to the maids, so attend.”
“A party?”
My eyes went wide. Nightmarish memories of parties here immediately surfaced. I asked the butler, who came to guide me back to my room.
“Um… what kind of party is it? Will there be a lot of people? Strangers? Could my brother come too? He’s outside now… it might be tough for him…”
The butler replied cheerfully.
“The Grand Duke said only the scheduled guests may attend.”
I trudged into the room the butler opened. Yurie waited inside, looking slightly excited.
“Milady, come quickly!”
“Why?”
I went inside, bewildered. An astonishing sight awaited me.
“All of this…?”
