Chapter 21: 21

Click.

The sound of the door closing made my shoulders shrink automatically.

The atmosphere in the quiet room seemed to weigh heavily on me. I held my breath and looked around.

On the long sofa sat Aslan Tordell with his legs crossed. He must have heard the door open, but he didn’t move.

When I moved a little closer, I saw that his jaw was set and his eyes were tightly closed.

He allowed me to come in earlier, so he wouldn’t have fallen asleep.

I hesitated, then stood across from him with deliberate footsteps.

If I sat on the couch in my drenched state, the expensive leather would be ruined.

I could see water dripping on the floor where I was standing right now…….

I opened my mouth cautiously, bending over as much as possible so as not to touch the sofa.

“Uh, hello.”

His eyes opened at my words. Beneath the lazily rising lashes, his ocean blue eyes were revealed.

“…….”

“……!”

Our eyes met head-on. His eyes were as slow as the weather outside, and as they held mine, my mind suddenly went blank.

The whole time I was waiting, I had made my own plan while thinking about how to speak, but all that time and effort I put into it was meaningless.

My mouth moved wildly because of my head that had become a blank sheet.

“Do you remember me? I once picked up the Duke’s handkerchief.”

Ah. I made a mistake.

If I cut off the beginning and end of the story like this, only I, who had been pondering over our brief enconter, would recognize it.

I should have elaborated, because someone as busy as the Duke of Tordell would have quickly forgotten the details of our brief encounter.

I frowned and opened my mouth to correct myself, but Aslan Tordell was faster .

“I remember.”

Thank God.

I reflexively put my hand on my chest and breathed a sigh of relief.

If he hadn’t remembered, I would have been at a loss. I felt a little better as I pushed away the horrible imagery of me stammering out my reasons for coming here to a man who had forgotten I existed.

Calmer than I was at first, I spoke the words I’d been preparing.

“Do you also remember what you said to me then, that if I ever needed a favor, I could always come to you…….”

“That, too, I remember.”

I couldn’t believe that he remembered it too, so I asked quickly.

“So, do you think you could do me a favor?”

“…….”

Was that too abrupt?

Aslan didn’t answer right away. Instead, he looked at me from up and down with his natural, flowing gaze.

I didn’t find the stare offensive. Even if it were me, I would have thought of it as absurd if he had taken my empty words so seriously as if it were sincere, I would have been flabbergasted to be asked for a favor for something as simple as picking up a handkerchief.

I stood stiffly and held his gaze.

As he examined me from head to toe, Aslan’s brows narrowed and the fine lines between his eyebrows creased.

What is it about me that displeases him so much?

I chewed my lip, unable to contain my nervousness. His sharp gaze traveled to my lips.

I was about to stop chewing my lips .Then he got up from his seat and strode towards me.

Slowly, my heart began to beat faster as he drew closer.

“Duke?”

“A moment.”

Aslan reached out to me. His hand, which became inevitably close, covered my cold cheeks.

‘What the……?’

Confused by the sudden contact, I hardened.

The warmth from his palm wrapped around my cheek was hot.

“Ah…….”

I let out a small groan along with my long-held breath, and Aslan gave me a meaningless smile before slowly pulling his hand away.

“Let’s get you warmed up first.”

I was so nervous that I didn’t realize what he’d spoken.

Not only that, but I didn’t hear exactly what he said, so I blurted out like an idiot.

“What, what do you mean……?”

“Your skin is ice cold.”

His gaze traveled from my forehead to my cheeks and then to the hair that clung to the nape of my neck.

“Your hair is all wet, and your lips are purple.”

“Me…….”

“And why are your clothes so thin?”

Is it my imagination that his muttering voice sounds disapproving?

I had no idea why he was saying these things.

Was he annoyed that I had soiled the mansion with my dirty clothes?

Or is he annoyed that I’m not in the right state of mind to have a conversation?

As I blinked at him, unsure of his intentions, he demanded again.

“I can’t leave you like this, you need to warm up.”

“I’m fine.”

I couldn’t afford wasting my time. I wanted to conclude a conclusion with him right away and get away from Count Larestine’s people who were following him.

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But Aslan Tordell was stubborn. He acted as if he wouldn’t listen to anything unless I follow his way.

“If you don’t warm yourself first, I won’t listen to anything you say.”

“…….”

With no cracks in his demeanor, I had no choice but to do as he said.

“……ok.”

At my answer, which came out like a sigh, Aslan Tordell rang the bell to summon the butler.

“Take care of the lady.”

“Yes, sir.”

The young butler nodded dutifully at his master’s abrupt command.

Then he turned to me and said in a tone that could not have been more polite.

“Please follow me, my lady.”

“Yes, sir.”

I answered obediently, but I had a question.

‘Why go all the way outside to warm up when I could just stand in front of the fireplace over there?’

I glanced at the crackling fireplace, and then at Aslan Tordell, who stood still and watched me as if spying on me.

‘I assume it’s because the Duke might be uncomfortable with us here.’

Under Aslan’s watchful eye, I quietly followed the butler out of the parlor.

I felt Aslan Tordell’s intense gaze on my back until I closed the door behind me.

Dalton led me to a large room upstairs. From the way it was decorated, it appeared to be someone’s bedroom. It was far too large and ornate for a guest room.

“Lady.”

Dalton gestured to a maid waiting inside.

“Jenna will be your bath attendant.”

“What do you mean ……bath attendant?”

“If you feel any discomfort, please let me know.”

“I, wait!”

I panicked, trying to hold on to him, but the butler smirked and closed the door to the room.

“Ma’am.”

Staring blankly at the closed door, I turned to the maid who called out to me in a calm voice.

The expressionless maid, named Skye, looked stubborn and sincere.

“I’ll help you undress.”

“It’s okay, I can take it off by myself.”

“Let us help you, miss.”

Repeating herself, Jenna was as stubborn and sincere as her first impression.

Was everyone here like this? The duke, the butler, the maids.

They speak softly but insist on their demands.

In the meantime, Jenna undressed me and I was led into the bathroom.

The bathroom was large, like a public bath, with a huge tub in the center. Hot water gushed out of the mouth of a decorative lion statue.

“First, let’s warm you up in the bathtub.”

I put my cold, stiff body into the tub filled with steaming water.

Boom!

“Ah!”

As soon as the warm water touched my frozen body, a sharp pain shot through me.

“Is it hot?”

Jenna frowned. She apologized in a panicked voice that belied her expressionless face.

“Sorry. I should have been careful, if the young lady’s delicate skin had even been burned—”

“No, it’s fine.”

I felt uncomfortable hearing her apologize for something that wasn’t even her fault..

At first it felt like my skin was being torn apart, but once I got used to it, I felt a cozy sensation.

How long had it been since I’d been able to bathe in such warm water?

Not since the death of the Countess Larestine, so it must have been almost two years.

And the water wasn’t just warm.

‘I like the …… scent.’

“I have put some lilac scent in the water, do you not like it?

I took a deep breath and savored the lilac scent that tickled my nose.

“No.”

I replied, not bothering to wipe away the happy smile that came naturally.

“I like it.”

“Ah……I’m glad to hear it.”

Jenna, who had been staring at my face, coughed.

“Well, would you mind staying in the water for a while, I need to run outside to get something ready.”

“Okay.”

Obediently, Jenna ducked her head and carefully stepped outside.

Left alone, I flicked, flicked, flicked the surface of the water, where lilac petals floated in a circle.

Suddenly, I felt uncomfortable.

‘But how did she know that I like the smell of lilacs?’

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