~Chapter 27~
After finishing breakfast, I sent the servants away and stood by the window. Apollyon would be passing by here soon.
Lately, my daily routine revolved around him—watching, waiting, memorizing his schedule.
At first, I followed him everywhere, pretending I needed a tour of the estate. But with me by his side, he moved stiffly like a rusty robot, so that didn’t last long.
Next, I tried asking Wilson about his every move. Wilson, the ever-loyal butler, answered all my questions. But I couldn’t spend every day glued to him either.
So I ended up just… watching Apollyon from a distance.
His life was disciplined, unlike the spoiled nobles in the capital. He rose before dawn, trained, ate breakfast, rested in his room for half an hour, then went to the stables to check on the horses.
And to reach the stables, he always passed beneath this very window. That’s why I liked waiting here.
After greeting the horses, he would pet them affectionately, then disappear into his office until lunch. I never dared bother him there.
So every morning, I sat and waited.
“Here he comes.”
I settled in my chair, gazing down.
He walked quickly, each stride long, like he was flying. Even today, though his pace was a bit slower, he was still too fast for me to ever catch up.
The sunlight hit his violet hair, making it shimmer as he moved. He wore a pale blue tunic today—unlike his usual dark clothes. Bright colors suited him so well, I couldn’t help smiling.
Maybe he’d listened to my plea for lighter clothes.
And just then, he stopped. His blueberry-colored eyes met mine through the window.
I waved. He lifted his hand hesitantly and gave me the shyest little wave back. His neck flushed pink in the sun.
“Pink…? I’m gonna faint.”
He was too cute. What if he ever took off that mask? Would I survive the cuteness? My heart pounded at the thought.
But soon he turned away and headed toward the stables.
I closed the window with a sigh.
“…I’m bored.”
Without him, I had nothing to do.
I scanned the room: the rocking chair, the side table, the white vase. Familiar for Petunia, but foreign to me. Who in Korea used a rocking chair at home? Massage chairs were more common.
I flopped onto the bed, staring at the ceiling fan spinning lazily. The estate was quiet—just birds and the wind.
After twenty minutes, I heard two maids laughing outside, carrying loads of laundry toward the washhouse.
Despite their heavy loads, they giggled, teased, and stumbled along together.
“…I’m jealous.”
Not of their work, but of their normal lives. Talking freely, laughing easily, sharing little daily stories—simple, ordinary things.
That’s what I missed.
Here, everyone bowed to me, too careful, too formal. Even Selena, my maid who sometimes chatted with me, chose her words cautiously, never forgetting I was above her.
And Apollyon? He hardly spoke at all. He avoided people, and conversations with him were rare treasures.
So despite all the comfort, I felt lonely.
“Still… what can I do.”
I pouted, wrapping myself in the terrace curtains like a child.
If this went on, they’d find me dried up like a mummy someday.
Now I understood why novel heroines who suddenly became noblewomen always tried doing chores themselves—cleaning, sewing, helping servants—just to feel alive.
I wasn’t about to start scrubbing floors or sewing dresses, but I finally understood.
This mansion felt like Rapunzel’s tower, and I longed for any kind of human connection.
“I underestimated this.”
Yes, I had treated this world too lightly. Even if it came from a book, this was my reality now.
And reality wasn’t like novels or games. Time didn’t skip boring parts. There was no “fast-forward” button.
Time just dragged on—and I was trapped in it.
For the first time, I felt the crushing weight of boredom and loneliness.
I’d always thought I was fine being alone, but this… this was different.
Still, being here at the Duke’s mansion was better than staying with Count Inkledove’s family. At least fewer people here knew Petunia’s past.
I sighed. Apollyon wasn’t cruel, just distant. It still stung a little, but I had promised myself I would accept him as he was.
After all, people’s hearts weren’t locked doors you could fix with a little oil. They were complicated things, needing patience and effort.
“…Ugh, my head hurts.”
Too much deep thinking gave me a headache. I laughed at myself for being so serious.
Then I shook off the thoughts, ran to the dressing room, and slipped on outdoor shoes.
“When you’re restless, take a walk.”
That was the answer.
