Chapter : 8
Surely… I didn’t fall asleep in the same bed as Duke Cassiar, right?
I held my breath and slowly pulled back the blanket.
Fortunately, I was the only one lying in the bed.
“Phew, that was close. I almost got stuck with Duke Cassiar.”
“Are you already thinking of running away from me the moment you wake up?”
As I let out a sigh of relief that nothing had happened, Duke Cassiar appeared at some point, leaning against the door, watching me.
Since when had he been watching me?
If he had been standing there since I woke up, I’d want to bolt out of the mansion from sheer embarrassment.
“At the very least, shouldn’t you make some noise when you’re around?”
“I thought about it, but you seemed far too busy.”
A faint curve lifted the corners of his lips.
So he saw everything from the start, didn’t he?
I gave an awkward smile, recalling how I’d been messing up my hair and thrashing around the bed like a lunatic just moments ago.
“Don’t even think of running away. You saw it with your own eyes last night, didn’t you? That your power is still effective.”
“I wasn’t really thinking of running away, you know? Besides, is that all you have to say to me? After I stayed up all night nursing you?”
Realizing the situation was turning against me, I pulled out my trump card.
“You say I stayed up all night, but you were sleeping so soundly. You didn’t even notice when I moved you to bed.”
Wait. He was the one who moved me to bed?
My embarrassment ticked up another notch.
Wasn’t he supposed to be on the verge of death just yesterday?
How could someone recover overnight and look so full of energy?
The duke didn’t look like someone who had been coughing up blood at all.
“Your Grace, were you… putting on a show for me yesterday?”
“A show?”
“Just last night, you were coughing up blood like you might leave this world any second, and now your skin is literally glowing with health.”
Suspicion in my eyes made him nod slightly.
“Well, normally, I should’ve been bedridden for at least a week.”
So that meant…
“It seems my recovery was thanks to you. I suppose your ability is greater than even I expected. Congratulations, you’re now officially recognized as a talent by the duchy.”
He even clapped, with a solemn expression.
It was such a stiff, formal congratulation.
“I don’t want that kind of congratulations, thank you.”
“More importantly, shouldn’t you head back home now? Spending the night out unexpectedly must be worrying your family at the marquisate.”
I had forgotten.
Yesterday, I had confidently spent my first night at the duke’s mansion.
Considering how strict my household was about curfews, my mother would smack me at least ten times when I returned.
Just the thought of my mother’s sharp hand made chills run down my spine.
Maybe I should just live here instead?
Seriously debating, I decided to delay going back to the marquisate a bit longer.
“I can’t just return without results. There’s still something I haven’t tried.”
“Is that so? You could stand to ease off a little, you know.”
Maybe still haunted by the all-lettuce meal from yesterday, Cassiar looked less than enthusiastic about my renewed determination.
“I’ll have Fanny prepare clothes for you. Go wash up and change.”
“Wait a moment.”
I caught him before he could leave.
He paused, turning back to me.
“Why did you grant my request? When I asked to spend time with my family, I mean.”
His eyes lingered on me with an unreadable expression.
I worried I’d stuck my nose in where it didn’t belong, but my curiosity about his intentions won out.
“Without me, you’d have had to take sleeping medicine. You could’ve ended up coughing blood or collapsing again.”
“Your family at the marquisate is precious to you, isn’t it? Think of my agreeing to your request as simple courtesy in return for your sacrifice for me.”
Though he said it blandly, attaching a logical reason, I could sense it was his own way of being considerate.
Why couldn’t he just act cold and ruthless?
That way I could just do as I pleased without guilt!
But now I knew too much about him.
“I’m not going on that family trip anymore. From now on, I’m coming to the duchy every single day.”
“If this is about last night, you don’t need to worry. As you can see, I’m already much better thanks to you.”
I pressed my finger firmly against his lips to silence him.
“Shh! Don’t argue. I’ve already decided not to go. I’ll find a way to help you sleep as quickly as possible—and then I’ll escape this place!”
Cassiar, lips squashed under my finger, muttered quietly.
Please… just go.
Refreshed!
After bathing, I headed downstairs for breakfast feeling bright and clean.
The clothes Fanny had prepared fit me perfectly.
Honestly, I hadn’t expected a fine dress on such short notice, but it was luxurious enough to make me act carefully just wearing it.
“Milady, you’re here? Oh my, that new dress suits you beautifully. You look stunning.”
Fanny clasped her hands in admiration.
I blushed at the rare compliment and smiled shyly.
“So that’s why it didn’t look worn before—because it was new?”
“Of course. His Grace had it prepared for you in advance.”
He… prepared a dress for me?
“There are also dozens more dresses in your wardrobe, milady.”
“I already… have my own room?”
“Yes! His Grace instructed us to be fully prepared to welcome you.”
I had no idea.
If I’d known I had a room, I wouldn’t have stolen the duke’s bed last night.
Then I wouldn’t have had to face that embarrassment this morning.
“His Grace may seem stiff and unfeeling like an old tree, but when it comes to someone he values, he’s remarkably attentive and thorough.”
Someone he values… it wasn’t me, but the power I possessed.
If I really were precious to him, I might have been touched.
“Milady, are you feeling unwell at all after last night?”
Fanny leaned close, whispering discreetly.
“If you feel sore or achy anywhere, please tell me. I’ll take care of it.”
By “last night,” did she mean my nursing Duke Cassiar?
“I’m fine. I didn’t stay up the whole night, and after I fell asleep, His Grace moved me to the bed. I slept comfortably.”
“I see. His Grace, despite being unwell, stayed until you fell asleep from exhaustion. At last, he’s fulfilling his role as a man.”
All I had said was that he carried me to bed, yet her face lit up.
Why did she suddenly bring up his “role as a man”?
As I retraced our conversation, I realized something was terribly misunderstood.
“Fanny, that’s not what I—”
“Is the meal ready yet?”
Just as I was about to clear up the huge misunderstanding, Cassiar entered.
“We only need to serve the soup now. Please wait a moment, milady.”
Beaming, Fanny glanced at him warmly before hurrying off to fetch the soup.
She had gone too far into her fantasy for me to correct her now.
I turned to the table instead.
Let’s just eat first.
My hunger made my brain shut down anyway.
“Well, this is rare. His Grace actually having breakfast. This must be thanks to milady?”
Kyle, who followed Cassiar in, was setting the table but stopped to watch in amazement as the duke sat across from me.
“Why’s that strange? Isn’t it normal to eat breakfast?”
I frowned, confused, and Kyle finished arranging the dishes.
“His Grace usually skips breakfast, saying it upsets his stomach. But with you here, isn’t he eating just to see you a little longer?”
“Oh really? Is that true, Your Grace?”
“Someone insisted on feeding me nothing but lettuce yesterday. I just got hungry quickly, that’s all.”
His sharp gaze landed on me.
Right… yesterday I’d only given him greens, hadn’t I?
A pang of guilt stabbed at my conscience.
“Oh, Your Grace, you’re just embarrassed.”
“Kyle, you seem to have too much free time.”
“Not at all. Enjoy your meal, both of you. I’ll be off, I have errands.”
He practically fled after Cassiar’s warning.
I quietly studied the duke as he ate.
Come to think of it, he did look a little thin.
Why had I fed him only useless lettuce?
As I cut my meat, I remembered he liked meat.
“Here, Your Grace.”
I picked up a piece with my fork and held it out to him.
He stared at the morsel brought all the way to his lips.
“You like meat, don’t you? Sorry for making you eat only tasteless greens yesterday. Think of this as an apology and eat it.”
“I’ll pass. I can feed myself, I’m not a child.”
As expected, he refused.
But I didn’t lower my hand.
“Are you going to leave my arm hanging awkwardly like this? It’s starting to ache, you know.”
My stare pressed on him, and at last, Cassiar opened his mouth.
At that very moment—
“Oh my goodness! I didn’t see anything! Please continue!”
Fanny, carrying soup, covered her face with the plate and fled.
“…Wonderful.”
And thus, the misunderstanding between me and Fanny only deepened.
“So, what’s your plan for tormenting me today?”
After the meal, Cassiar already looked tired, as if resigned.
Honestly, the quicker he gave up, the easier it was for me.
“Today, we’re going to try meditation.”
“Meditation? Never heard of it. It isn’t dangerous, is it?”
He sounded genuinely wary.
Apparently, thanks to my experiments with lettuce and chamomile, his trust in me had already plummeted off a cliff.
“As if I’d harm you, Your Grace.”
“You never know.”
“Focus, please. Your Grace?”
I ignored his reasonable suspicion and continued firmly.
“Meditation is a mental training that calms the mind. Start by focusing your thoughts.”
He stared at me so intently it was almost frightening.
“Not on me. Close your eyes, and focus on yourself.”
“…Difficult.”
Once I saw his eyes close, I closed mine too, guiding the meditation.
“Now slowly release the tension from your body. Cast aside stray thoughts, and relax.”
It was silent—perhaps meditation was actually working?
Curious, I cracked open my eyes.
And there he was, Cassiar, sitting across from me… gazing quietly, directly into my eyes.
