Chapter 13
“Oh my, I’m so sorry. I thought you were asleep, so I came in quietly… Did I startle you?”
“N-No, it’s fine!”
As the maid who had entered through the bath door flustered about, Inael shook her head and hurriedly slipped her arms into the sleeves of her nightgown.
Seeing Inael nervously glancing toward the door while dressing, the maid—Sophia—tilted her head.
“It seems Ruban is outside. Shall I tell him that you’re changing and will come out soon?”
“Wha—? Ah! Yes, please.”
Quickly grasping the situation, Sophia cracked the door open and hurried down the corridor.
Once fully dressed, Inael placed a hand over her chest and let out a deep breath.
She could feel her startled heart pounding rapidly beneath her palm.
A moment later, Sophia returned and said as she towel-dried Inael’s dripping hair,
“It seems His Highness thought you were asleep and went back. He told another maid to ask how you were feeling once you woke up.”
“I see. I feel very well. I slept deeply, so all my fatigue seems to have disappeared.”
“I will let him know.”
Smiling at Inael’s bright expression, Sophia rang the bell cord beside the bed.
When another maid entered and received the message, two more maids followed her into the room.
They had come to prepare Inael, the guest of honor, for the welcome banquet that evening.
After seating Inael before the mirror and conferring seriously, they split up and began their tasks.
One chose a dress, another opened drawers on the shelf to pick out jewelry.
Sophia, in charge of her hair, picked up a comb with a solemn expression.
As she slowly brushed Inael’s waist-length hair, Inael let out a small laugh, and Sophia awkwardly laughed along.
“It’s my first time doing someone’s hair. There’s no lady of the house at Blayer Manor, and His Highness doesn’t rely on maids either, so unless we practice among ourselves, we never get the chance. Does it hurt anywhere?”
“Not at all. It feels so comfortable that it’s putting me in a good mood.”
Sophia’s face brightened at once, and she handled Inael’s hair more confidently than before.
After chatting a little more, Inael hesitated, then spoke softly.
“What about Jeanne…?”
“Jeanne is in the hall right now. She’ll be your closest attendant as your personal maid, but tasks like dressing and serving meals will be shared with the other maids.”
Inael nodded.
She had asked out of concern that Jeanne might have quit as her attendant because she disliked her, and Sophia’s answer both relieved her and eased her heart for another reason.
She wanted to get along with Jeanne, but remembering the cold look in her eyes made her worry about spending every day together.
If I approach her slowly, we’ll surely get along.
While she forced herself to think positively, Sophia finished her hair and put the comb down.
“How is it…?”
At the anxious question, Inael looked into the mirror and widened her eyes in surprise.
Her long hair was loosely braided and draped over one side, and a small jeweled hairpin sparkled beside her ear—it was exactly to her liking.
“Oh my, I love it! How are you so good at this?”
“I’ll practice more so I can make you even prettier next time!”
Blushing at the string of praise, Sophia laughed shyly.
Wearing a pale sky-blue chiffon dress and simple jewelry, Inael headed toward the dining hall where the welcome banquet was being held.
As she followed the guiding maids, faint voices and the delicious aroma of food drifted toward her.
When they reached the door, waiting servants flung it open from both sides.
Inside the spacious dining hall, long tables were lined up in rows and filled with men dressed comfortably.
Seeing more people than she had expected, Inael hesitated briefly.
Beren spotted her and raised his hand high, shouting,
“Inael! Over here!”
At his shout, every pair of eyes in the dining hall turned toward her.
At tables farther away, some even stood and craned their necks to see her face.
Sophia guided Inael to the central table where Beren was waving.
Fortunately, there were familiar faces gathered there.
As she approached, Ruban stood up immediately and pulled out the chair beside him for her.
“Did you rest well?”
“Yes, I slept deeply.”
“Good.”
Relieved by her brighter complexion, Ruban dismissed the maid standing by and personally served her food.
As he asked what she wanted and placed each dish on her plate, Inael’s cheeks flushed.
In truth, the knights who had remained behind at the manor were shocked to hear that their lord had returned with a woman.
Even when the story came from a knight who had accompanied him, many refused to believe it.
But now the woman had appeared in person, and seeing Ruban treat her so tenderly like a lover, the knights murmured in amazement.
Unable to contain his curiosity, one knight cried out,
“Your Highness, who is she? Please introduce her!”
Inael, just lifting her fork, flinched.
There were so many unfamiliar faces that her hand holding the fork tightened unconsciously.
Ruban glanced down at her, then spoke to the knights waiting for an answer.
“She is Inael, who will be staying with me here at Blayer. The manor will be unfamiliar to her, so I hope you will help her adjust.”
A louder murmur spread through the hall.
“We’re curious how you came together!”
The question was more teasing than before, like prying into how lovers first met.
Ruban swept his gaze over the hall, filled with not only knights but also countless servants.
Though he had told Oliver to ensure she was treated respectfully, he thought it best to express his feelings for her himself, even briefly.
“I fell in love with Inael at first sight.”
Silence fell instantly.
Only Ruban wore a relaxed smile.
“I barely managed to persuade her to come with me, so unless you want to see me rejected, treat her well.”
As soon as he finished speaking, cheers erupted from the knights.
To hear such words from a lord who had never so much as glanced at women before!
The maids standing nearby to serve also glanced at the pair with astonished eyes.
Meanwhile, Inael sat frozen in place.
She had expected him to give a vague answer in front of so many subordinates, but his bold confession made her heart race.
Seeing her small hand frozen around the fork, Ruban wrapped his hand over hers and skewered a piece of juicy meat.
“Eat.”
Not knowing whether the food was going into her mouth or her nose, Inael began to eat.
As knights came over to offer their greetings, she chatted with them happily, gradually blending into the cheerful atmosphere.
Outside the window, the round moon had long risen in the dark sky.
Though she had slept deeply, it seemed her accumulated fatigue was still too much; Inael rubbed her heavy eyes.
“Sleepy?”
“A little.”
“I’ll take you to your room.”
“I can go by myself. You should stay and enjoy yourself.”
“Let’s go.”
Before she could protest further, Ruban stood up and led her out of the dining hall.
Leaving the noisy crowd behind and stepping into the empty, wide hall, cool, clean air wrapped around them.
Breathing in the pleasant breeze, her drowsiness soon vanished.
Inael looked up at Ruban and smiled brightly.
“They say Blayer has gentle winds. It’s true—the night air feels so nice.”
“Shall we walk in the garden for a bit?”
“Sure. Um… could we go to the garden I can see from my window?”
“Of course.”
Changing direction from the stairs, he led her to the garden.
Flowers bathed in moonlight bloomed more vividly, releasing rich fragrances as if to show off their freshness.
Drunk on the dreamy atmosphere, Inael murmured absentmindedly,
“It looked like a painting from my window, so I wanted to see it in person.”
“And how is it, now that you’ve seen it up close?”
“It’s so beautiful I don’t even have words.”
Watching Inael gaze at the garden, Ruban’s lips curved into a faint smile.
“It really is beautiful.”
After wandering about, Inael pointed at a long bench flanked by roses.
“Can we sit there?”
“You don’t have to ask things like that.”
Chuckling softly, Ruban pulled her hand and sat down with her.
Inael leaned back against the surprisingly comfortable bench.
Suddenly, a habit she had forgotten since coming to this world came back to her.
Before sleeping, recall the good moments of the day.
She gently closed her eyes.
A pretty room, a warm bath, delicious food and kind people, the gentle night air and beautiful flowers, a comfortable bench—and…
“What are you thinking about?”
Ruban.
At that instant, as if swept away by a powerful current, the thought slipped out of control, and Inael’s eyes flew open in surprise.
