~Chapter 62~
She truly had deep affection for Armin.
It wasn’t the kind of thing you could fake.
“He’s cute, isn’t he?”
And that affection was based on the fact that he was her own blood.
“You look really surprised.”
“Your Majesty has never told me anything about His Highness before.”
“You ungrateful brat. Do you know how many times I’ve changed his dirty diapers?”
The emperor slammed her fist on the table.
She was pretending to scold, but the smile on her lips never went away.
“You know, when he secretly wanted candy without his mother knowing, I was the one who got it for him.”
Back then he was adorable. His hands were small too.
The emperor’s expression grew hazy with nostalgia.
I was wondering whether I should tell her that Armin had grown into an adult who hated sweets now, when—
“No, Your Majesty!”
“His Majesty is sleeping. You must request an audience at an appropriate—”
Things became noisy outside.
The moment the emperor turned to the door—
Bang!
“Your Majesty.”
The doorway broke apart, and an intruder stepped in.
It was Armin.
Holding a sword dripping dark red blood, he had been pointing it at the knights approaching to stop him—until he saw me. Then, he dropped the sword.
“…Bella.”
Next, he reached out a clean hand toward me.
Perhaps taking it as a threat to the emperor, the knights erupted in an uproar.
“Your Majesty!”
“No matter if you are the Grand Duke, this is overstepping—”
“Leave him. I’m fine.”
The emperor stopped the knights trying to pull Armin away and smiled at me.
“I suppose it’s time for you to go.”
She was right.
As soon as I stood up, Armin grasped my hand firmly. The way he held it felt desperate, as if to make sure I was real.
He was going to take me back to the Grand Duke’s house—the place I had been trying to escape from.
Even knowing that, I couldn’t resist. No, I didn’t want to.
“…Bella.”
He lifted me into his arms, and as my chin rested on his shoulder, the emperor called to me.
When I looked up, she waved.
“Come visit again. My bedroom’s always open.”
Though she had clearly seen several people burst in just now.
Armin, about to walk out, stopped in his tracks.
“That will never happen.”
“Oh, Armin. Clingy men aren’t popular, you know.”
Clicking her tongue, the emperor waited until Armin turned his head, then mouthed just for me to see: “Come visit.”
Ever since I’d heard she went alone to destroy the slave auction, I’d thought—
‘She really doesn’t seem like an emperor.’
I resisted the urge to shake my head and buried my face into Armin’s shoulder.
I had guessed it from the moment I saw Armin coming for me, but the Grand Duke’s residence was like thin ice.
Even at this late hour, every room in the mansion was lit, and all the servants were gathered.
They didn’t dare look straight at us as we entered through the main gate. Their stiff, frozen expressions felt strange.
As I looked over their faces, I twitched my nose. There was a metallic scent of blood in the air.
Puzzled, I lifted my head, but my view was blocked—Armin had pulled out a handkerchief and covered my eyes.
I paused at the sudden darkness.
“You’re back, my lord.”
It was Morgan’s voice.
“How did it go?”
“Two left.”
“Send the young one away, finish off the rest.”
“Yes, my lord.”
After that brief, cryptic exchange, Armin started walking again.
‘Are we… going up stairs?’
Along the way, I heard a maid’s voice.
“M-my lord. Th-the bedroom has been prepared.”
She spoke so nervously that even I could feel the fear making her shrink.
…
Only after my body was placed on a soft bed did I pull away the handkerchief.
The hinges had sounded different—this was Armin’s bedroom.
Should I tell him this was a mistake? Or try to sneak out?
That thought disappeared the moment my eyes met his.
“You’re tense.”
Throwing his outer coat carelessly onto the floor, Armin looked down at me.
“Are you afraid of me?”
“I—”
“I heard from a servant. When you were dragged out and your wrists tied, you didn’t resist until then.”
The shadow he cast over me felt as heavy as my silence.
“Do you want to leave me?”
“My lord.”
“Do you remember what I told you before? That if Bella didn’t like me, I wouldn’t do anything.”
“…”
“That still stands.”
If you want to leave, I’ll let you.
In his gaze, I saw a sincerity even stronger than I had believed before.
In the end, I had to ask.
“Why do you like me? I’m a coward, a liar who’s always thinking of running away from you, and I have no qualities that would be of help to you—”
“Bella is my guidepost.”
Plainly spoken.
A voice that told me it was the truth.
“When I didn’t know what to do, Bella taught me what it meant to want something. You brought color into my world. That’s what you did.”
“…”
“I’ve answered you honestly, so I’d like you to answer me too.”
He caught my wandering hand on the bedsheets.
“Are you afraid of me?”
“…Yes.”
Armin stopped breathing.
I could feel that every small word, every breath, every change of my expression mattered to him.
That made me even more afraid.
“I’m afraid of changing. Of getting used to a life with you in it…”
“…”
“I’ve always been alone. Even on the day you came to find me, I woke up alone in the attic of my shop. Before you came, I had no complaints about that life. It was normal.”
But—
“Now I keep thinking it’s not normal. I keep checking if you’re next to me, if you’re looking at me.”
I knew why I was like this.
“I’ve become greedy. Even knowing what’s been happening to me is special, I still want more…”
Rambling on, I suddenly met Armin’s eyes.
“Why are you smiling?”
“I guess all I’ve done hasn’t been a waste after all.”
“…?”
“Bella.”
Armin tightened his grip on my hand, then pulled me closer, intertwining our fingers.
“I’ve needed you for a long time. I can’t be without you.”
“That…”
“Do you know how I feel right now? Honestly, I feel like I could fly—because I’ve confirmed that you don’t hate me.”
Even in this short moment, I could feel his sincerity.
The way he looked at me with the corners of his mouth lifted tickled a corner of my heart.
The truth was… it didn’t feel bad at all.
“Then get some rest.”
Armin started to leave.
Maybe it was because it wasn’t my own room, or maybe it was the events from earlier, but the space felt colder than before. Without thinking, I grabbed his hand.
“Tonight… will you stay with me?”
Armin froze.
“…”
“…”
We stared at each other in silence, the air itself feeling still.
“Bella.”
He brushed my hair back with his free hand.
“I’m not patient. If you give me the chance, I’ll cross the line without hesitation. And next time, I won’t hold back. So think carefully—”
“I want you to stay.”
“…”
“M-my body can’t… but if it’s just holding hands while we sleep, that much…”
“…”
“I don’t want to be alone.”
“Childish.”
He waited until I finished speaking, then burst out laughing.
He lowered himself to sit beside me. The bed dipped under his weight—it felt unfamiliar.
But I wasn’t afraid.
“I like childish things.”
“…”
“Let’s sleep together, holding hands.”
His hand, when I held it properly—
‘…It’s warm.’
Just warm enough to slowly ease my tension.
As my eyes slowly closed, I heard Armin’s whisper.
“Good night, Bella.”
why they are so cute~ holding hands while sleeping haha