Chapter 12: 12

Gold hair shining like the midsummer sandy beach, cold blue eyes like the winter sea, smooth and white skin like marble. a sculptural face that is not buried in fancy colors.

Was it because of the high nose bridge and sharp jawline? The handsome face, which seemed to have been carefully carved by God, was both manly and beautiful.

“Helena Larestine, right?”

“……That’s right.”

I answered his call a beat late.

It was because I was distracted by his beauty, which was hard to take eyes off from, and also it was still awkward to be called “Helena.”

Even after being called ‘Helena Larestine’ for 4 years, the feeling of wearing different clothes did not disappear.

So when I was called without notice, I would ignore the person who called me as if I had heard nothing.

I didn’t mean to, but this behavior has already caused my low reputation to fall further to the ground.

Maybe this time, too. I looked down because I was too tired to deal with someone who would shoot at me with a hint of displeasure.

When I looked down, what caught my eye was the wide chest. Wearing a three-piece suit under the coat, his body felt solid even though it was covered by clothes.

“My name is Aslan Tordell.”

The voice that didn’t seem offended at all, even with my response, which I also felt was rude, miraculously made me feel at ease.

Due to the constant threat, if it was an adult male, I would reflexively warn him, but it was a strange thing to say that this guy’s greetings relieved my tension. Still, thanks to him, I was able to think calmly.

Aslan Tordell. It was a familiar name.

Who was it?

I rummaged through my head looking into his eyes staring at me in silence.

I was usually confined inside a mansion and knew very little about the aristocracy, with no one to talk to, let alone friends in social circles.

Still, if he is such a handsome man, I probably would have heard of him from somewhere.

While I was recalling the information about him, he opened his mouth first, looking carefully at me.

“This.”

He took something out of his pocket.

“I heard you picked it up and returned it.”

It was a clean but old handkerchief with someone’s name abbreviation skillfully embroidered at the end.

I remembered it belatedly after staring at it for a few seconds ,it felt strangely familiar.

“Oh, that.”

A few days ago, I went to a ball and picked up a handkerchief which was lying on the floor.

I could have just ignored it, but when I saw a handkerchief with embroidery on it, I remembered my mother.

My mother, who was sad that she couldn’t buy me something precious because the family situation was quite poor, prepared with utmost care what I wore and carried with myself.

Each of her handkerchiefs were embroidered neatly, and it was nice to be able to feel my mother’s love in such trivial things.

Among them, the handkerchief embroidered with small purple flowers was the only and precious item I had which helped me get through the hard days at the Larestine mansion.

I lost it two years ago, so I don’t have it anymore, but…….

Maybe that’s why, the handkerchief that had been lying on the floor caught my eye even more.

Unlike the handkerchief in my memories made of easy-to-find fabrics, it was made of expensive-looking, but I was more concerned about the simple embroidery at the end.

It must have been embroidered by someone with sincerity. Like my mother, like a mother who poured her heart into thinking of them… … .

So I dared to pick up the handkerchief and called an attendant to find the owner.

I didn’t know if it would go to its owner, but I didn’t take any other action either.

With that alone, I thought I had done my job.

It wasn’t a big deal, so I forgot about it even before I got back to the mansion.

I thought it wasn’t enough for the handkerchief to find its owner safely, but now it brought its owner to me like this.

“It was precious to me. When I came to know I had lost it, I started searching for it, but I couldn’t find it, so I was discouraged… … .”

He bowed his head slightly.

“Thanks to the Lady, it has come back to me. Thank you.”

“No. It was no big deal.”

The polite thank you was awkward for me, so I waved my hand, and he looked down at me.

His clear gaze looking at me was burdensome.

‘Does he know me from before?’

The eyes that searched thoroughly enough to raise doubts were as if they were unfamiliar with the different aspects of the person they had met a long time ago.

But if I had met such a person, I would not have forgotten.

‘Did you see me from afar when I picked up the handkerchief? Or is it because I look ridiculous now, so he keeps staring….’

Come to think of it, I didn’t look normal right now. The colorful and ridiculous dress, which is likely to be worn by young children, was thin for this season, and even short enough to reveal the entire wrist.

This is because I have never gotten a new dress since the Countess died and was demoted from fake aristocratic Young-ae to maid, so I wore only a few dresses that I got a few years back.

I lowered my head further and bit my lip. I shrugged my shoulders and grabbed the hem of my skirt, wanting to hide myself even a little.

Then he spoke slowly over my head.

“It was a big deal for me. It’s one of the things that I want to keep for as long as possible.”

“Ah……”

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I shook my head abruptly.

My lips dried up at the thought of making a slip of the tongue.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to ignore your precious things.”

When I apologized timidly, he said.

“I know.”

Then he added.

“I’d like to give you an example by taking you to the Tordell mansion.”

“Excuse me?”

“Yes, I want to repay you for giving back what is precious to me.”

I blinked as if I had heard it right.

Are you teasing me? I thought about it for a moment, but for that to be said, Aslan Tordell’s expression was too serious.

I hesitated to answer.

“It’s all right.”

“I’m not okay.”

“It’s really okay…….”

I refused repeatedly, but his attitude was stubborn.

I shook my head saying I didn’t want anything, and after thinking about it for a while, he took off the cufflinks and held them out to me.

“Take it.”

I took it in bewilderment. Perhaps his temperature had shifted in that short time, but the cuff buttons on his hands were warm.

“If you have something you want later, you can come to the Tordell mansion and show them this.”

I stared at the proof of his promise. It was so pretty that my shabby hands were ashamed of itself.

“Well.”

When I hesitated to speak, he first said as if he knew I was going to say no.

“Any time is fine. So don’t feel pressured and come to me if you need anything. I really want to repay you.”

He bowed his head with a straight gaze. I wanted to give it back, but he never seemed to want it.

I hesitated and nodded yes.

Then he laughed.

It wasn’t a bright smile. But it was a clear smile, with the ends of both lips up.

Even when he stayed still, his handsome face looked breathtakingly beautiful.

I stared at him as if bewitched and bit my lips.

“Well, then, I’ll be on my way.”

Bowing down, I turned quickly.

I heard him say something behind my back, but I ran away as fast as I could to not get caught. A Lady’s dignity, which she learned, didn’t matter now as if she had completely forgotten.

I didn’t stop walking until I was out of breath.

I hesitated and turned around. His beautiful figure was nowhere to be seen, nor the tip of his hair.

My stomach felt nauseous. It must be because of the sudden walk.

Neither because I regret that he never followed me, nor because I regret ignoring his promise to take me.

It’s just that I was so breathless that my head was spinning.

I slowly closed my eyes and opened them to organize my thoughts.

“Sigh.”

When I exhaled, white steam came out.

The sharp winter wind, like a knife, brushed against the exposed skin.

I felt my toes getting cold from the wet shoes in the muddy snow.

‘How do I get back to the mansion?’

I looked around in a daze. Luckily it was the way I knew it.

It’s been a while since I came out, but nothing much has changed. Looking through the familiar streets, I slowly started moving.

I couldn’t ride a comfortable family carriage except when there was an important meeting.

I rode the family carriage only when I was Helena Larestine, Count Larestine’s only daughter.

Helena often participated in important social events to show that she was alive and not dead, but at that time she rode a family carriage to show others.

However, as it is now, when she came out to run errands that even the maid did not want to do, she was not even given the convenience of riding a carriage.

Count Larestine did not allow me to ride a carriage, which is less than enough to feed a horse. The coachman didn’t particularly like me, so he also didn’t necessarily show kindness to carry me behind the count’s back.

However, I had no money to ride a wagon, so I had no choice but to move my healthy legs hard.

That was the reason why I walked around outside trembling without wearing a proper coat in this midwinter.

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