Chapter 93
After returning to the airbase, Scarlett unpacked her things in the glider hangar next to the officers’ quarters.
Inside the hangar, a surprisingly fine workshop had been set up. When Scarlett expressed her amazement, Palin, who came in with her, explained,
“There are a lot of handy fellows around. They worked on it a little each day as a hobby, and before we knew it, it was done.”
“It’s wonderful…” Scarlett murmured in admiration.
“But it’s a bit too spacious for just me.”
“Do you think the engineering faculty folks will come?”
“I’m not sure. If they don’t, I’ll just have to do the work of three people myself.”
When Scarlett said this with quiet determination, Palin laughed cheerfully beside her.
Just then, Victor entered the workshop. Palin greeted him and slipped out, leaving the two alone. Victor approached Scarlett.
“Do you like it?”
“Yeah. It’s amazing.”
After replying, Scarlett turned to look at him seriously.
“There’s something I should tell you ahead of time.”
“What is it?”
“When I build the planes, I’m going to install a detonation device in the engines.”
“…”
“If war breaks out, I’ll destroy them all. So, you’d better make sure that peace treaty gets signed properly.”
At her firm declaration, Victor looked at her in disbelief for a moment before nodding.
“Alright. I promise — I’ll make sure the peace agreement goes through.”
“Good.”
Scarlett began hanging up her design sketches on the wall.
In that short span of time, she had drawn an incredible number of designs. Some were inspired by memories of her parents, but most were new — ones she had created while studying at school.
Victor looked at the sheer number of blueprints — and at Scarlett’s tired face, weary yet bright — then took her arm gently.
“First, you need to rest. You crossed the mountains to get here.”
“Do I have time to rest?”
“You do. From what I hear, Bestina’s too busy trying to figure out the situation after learning you’re building aircraft. Considering there’s been no recent military provocation, that’s saying something.”
“I see…”
Scarlett leaned back in the chair. After so many sleepless nights, she began dozing off almost immediately. Though she didn’t want to admit it, being near Victor made her uneasy — and yet, somehow at ease.
Victor chuckled softly at the sight of her nodding off, brushing a lock of hair from her face.
“Sleep in the bed.”
“Don’t wanna wash up…”
“Just sleep.”
“I can’t sleep in a new bed like this. I have to bathe, change into pajamas, and then sleep.”
Victor picked up the pajamas she’d laid out and teased,
“For someone talking about a ‘new bed,’ these pajamas look pretty old.”
Scarlett, half-asleep, raised her fist and lightly hit his arm. He pretended to block and stepped back. As she wobbled from the motion, he caught her in his arms.
“Then sleep in my bed.”
“What kind of suggestion is that?”
“Or I could just bathe you.”
That earned him another punch.
Victor laughed quietly.
“I’m not joking. For someone as important as you, I don’t mind doing that much work.”
“Don’t say ridiculous things. You are teasing me.”
“I told you, I’m not joking. If you’re too tired, I really can help you wash.”
“…”
He’s saying that seriously? Is that even possible?
Scarlett looked up in disbelief. Victor bent closer, meeting her eyes.
“Hmm?”
At that proximity, her drowsiness vanished. She turned away, muttering,
“…I’m awake now.”
“Is that so.”
“I’ll go wash up.”
Scarlett hurried to grab her pajamas and ran to the bathroom — only to pause at the doorway and turn back.
Victor looked up.
“Victor… you weren’t trying to seduce me, right?”
He raised an eyebrow.
“Was I really that clumsy that you’d have to ask?”
“No…”
I just wondered — if it’s not that he’s seducing me, maybe I’m the one imagining things because my heart’s racing too much.
As she hesitated, Victor stepped toward the bathroom.
“And what about you?”
“Huh?”
“Why do you look so troubled? You’re making me wait.”
His blunt honesty made her freeze — then flush crimson. She cupped her cheek, flustered.
“Couldn’t you just… really just help with the bath?”
He sighed, looking faintly dissatisfied, but answered,
“Alright.”
“Then come in.”
Scarlett stepped inside.
She turned on the hot spring water; it filled the tub quickly with pleasant warmth. Victor mixed in some cold water to bring it to the right temperature, rolling up his sleeves to test it with his hand.
Scarlett found it strange — this man, who had probably never adjusted bathwater for anyone in his life, doing something so ordinary for her.
He added a bath salt she’d brought from the Dümfeld estate, then pulled the curtain closed around the tub.
“Wash up,” he said.
“Is the temperature right?” she asked suspiciously.
“You think I can’t even handle that?”
“Considering how you wrapped those bandages last time, I think it’s possible.”
“I was mortified after that. I’ve been practicing.”
“…Really?”
“Yeah.”
At his reply, Scarlett laughed softly and slipped behind the curtain. She took off her robe and stepped into the bath — the temperature was perfect. She even started humming.
When she came out, wrapped in a large towel, Victor approached, unwrapped it, and began gently drying her off before helping her into her clothes.
Scarlett thought about protesting, but exhaustion weighed her down, and besides — he’d already seen her without clothes before. She tried to ignore the embarrassment, but it only grew stronger until her sleepiness vanished completely.
After getting fully ready for bed, she was about to lie down when Victor said,
“I’ll stay until you fall asleep.”
“I’m not a child.”
Ignoring her protest, he lay beside her and offered his arm as a pillow.
Scarlett remembered the day she’d pretended to have lost her memory — the day she’d pulled him close, thinking he was asleep. Now she realized he must’ve been awake then.
Blushing furiously, she climbed into bed anyway.
Victor turned off the gas lamp and wrapped an arm around her.
“Good night.”
“…Yeah.”
Scarlett felt parched, her heart racing, as she tried to sleep in his arms.
But sleep wouldn’t come. Her drowsiness had already faded in the bath, and now, feeling the beat of his heart against her hand only made her more restless.
His heart…
It was racing fast — fast enough that she wondered if he was nervous too.
She lifted herself slightly and asked,
“…Are you nervous?”
Victor looked up at her.
“Yeah.”
“Why?”
“Because you’re right here.”
“That makes you nervous?”
“Right now, yes.”
Scarlett hesitated, then — as if testing a hypothesis — leaned down and kissed him lightly.
“…How about now?”
He didn’t answer.
She placed her hand back over his heart — it was still pounding.
Finally, Victor spoke.
“Go to sleep. You said you were tired.”
“…”
“Sleep while I’m still letting you, Scarlett.”
She nodded and rested her head on his abdomen. It didn’t look comfortable, but she soon drifted off.
Victor let out a dry chuckle.
“You’re getting harder and harder to figure out.”
He tilted his head back.
Her soft breaths against his stomach made every muscle tense.
She acted as if he had unshakable self-control — but she couldn’t have been more wrong.
All Victor could think about was her — stepping out of the bath, the curve of her shoulders, her smooth legs, the way the towel had slipped from her skin.
Just not touching her felt like torture.
And now, she was sleeping right on top of him.
It was as if she were testing how far his restraint could go.
There would be no sleep for him tonight.
