“Are you up, My Lady?”
“Uh, uh, Sir… Logan?”
Surprised, Elusiana opened her eyes wide. Why is the knight who is supposed to guard the Grand Duke’s side here?
Logan, who fully guessed that expression, smiled awkwardly and said, “I’ve been ordered to protect this place.”
“Ah.”
…Why? Elusiana, who managed to swallow that word, coughed small. “Cough. Then now… I guess His Excellency is in his office?”
“That’s right.”
“Can I go by then?”
Logan, who was nodding his head, replied with a straight face. “It’s not possible.”
“No way.”
Elusiana, who was about to pass Logan, flinched and looked at him. “I can’t? …Why?”
“That’s…” Rubbing his head in embarrassment, Logan answered again in a strong tone. “Anyway, you can’t go.”
“Is there a guest that came, which made it difficult for you to answer?”
“How did you know that?” Embarrassed, Logan made a surprised expression but hastily covered it up.
Well, you’ve already been caught, Sir.
“I guess this is someone I know well too, right?”
“Cough.”
Logan, who looked at her, looked quite troubled.
As expected, it looks like the grand prince is meeting him. That’s why they didn’t let me come out.
She didn’t know if Genoyer came voluntarily or if Aster called him. But the key point was that the two people were meeting.
I, the person involved in such an important matter, cannot be left out.
Elusiana said in a stern voice. “Good. I have something to tell him too.”
“Ah, then— Cough. That’s troublesome, Lady.”
“Can you take responsibility for that now?”
“…Pardon?” Suddenly, Logan was a little embarrassed by Elusiana’s words of responsibility.
Elusiana continued with a serious look. “I have something very important to tell His Excellency about this matter. Of course, His Excellency will make the decision, but if something goes wrong, I have no choice but to blame you for it.”
“Blame me? I mean… What did I do?”
Elusiana paused for a moment. “Sir Logan has been forced to stop me, so I must tell His Excellency about it.”
“But I was ordered by His Excellency—”
“Yes. So, the judgment should be left to His Excellency.”
“…”
Logan broke into a cold sweat behind his back. How can she say such scary things with a smile on her face? No, it was clear that this lady was saying it without knowing it was a threat. However, from the perspective of the listener, from those who knew how cruel the grand duke’s temper was, it was truly a heart-wrenching threat.
Logan coughed loudly, straightening his shriveling shoulders. “Cough. If it’s such an important matter, I guess I can’t help it.”
“Thank you, Sir Logan. Then, please excuse me first.”
Elusiana, who was delighted, hurried out of the place in case Logan’s mind would change.
* * *
I never thought we’d meet so soon.
Her mind wasn’t ready.
Why was he, the Grand Prince Sestein, here? What on earth is the relationship between Aster and the grand prince? And… What was he trying to do with me? Questions that hadn’t yet been sorted out were swirling around her head.
Elusiana, who arrived in front of the office, breathed deeply. She was a little worried about what kind of expression she would make when she faced Genoyer. But she had to step up and prove it now. Otherwise, Genoyer won’t admit the truth.
At that time. It’ll be okay, right? Because As is also inside.
“Huu—”
Elusiana closed her eyes tightly and opened the door with force, but it felt a little strange. She pushed the door with her own strength, but it felt as if someone was pulling it. And that very moment!
Bump! She bumped into something hard. Elusiana frowned at the sudden shock and staggered. It wasn’t enough to cause her to fall, but she was just as precarious. She gave strength to her feet after she had been pushed a couple of helpless steps.
It was right then. Someone’s hand carefully hugged Elusiana and held her back from falling.
“…Lusi?”
Elusiana raised her head to the voice that broke the short silence.
“Noel?”
Her eyes blinked and looked blank for a while. She came to see Genoyer, but why did Noel come out of nowhere…? Right…?
No matter what she thought, Noel looked surprised. No, it seemed like he was overjoyed.
“Noel, when did you come?”
“You’re too much, really.”
“…Pardon?”
“That’s too much, really.”
“Do… Do you know how long I’ve been looking for Lusi?”
“You’ve been looking for me? Why?”
“Ha! You’re saying that now.” Noel paused for a moment, covering his face with one of his hands.
“What’s wrong with you? What’s going on?”
Noel, who had lowered his hand, looked at her with a face as if he was about to cry. “I thought you were in danger… How… worried I was…”
Noel twitched the corner of his eyes and dropped his head as if he was falling down. Unable to bear to hug Elusiana, he rested his forehead on her shoulder and spoke as if complaining.
“…Do you know if I was worried? But in a place like this, you feel comfortable… and go to sleep. Lusi, really… You’re so mean…”
“Noel, that’s— Uh, huh?”
Before she could answer back, Elusiana’s body was pulled back easily. It was then that a chilly tone came out right behind him.
“Let’s go, Lord Klaus.” Aster, who wrapped carefully around Elusiana’s shoulder, looked at Noel with a cold gaze.
“…”
Noel folded and opened his empty hands a couple of times. The warmth that had touched him had disappeared like a lie.
“Do you still have something to say?”
Noel felt irritated for a moment as he looked down at him intimidatingly. He wanted to immediately rip off that arm he was holding as if it were his and break it. However— It would be right to step back now.
Noel, who gritted his teeth, lowered his head. He had nothing to hope for or expect until he asked for her forgiveness, especially in front of the grand duke, who knows the whole story of the incident.
Noel, who had already calmed down his expression, took a step back. “No. I don’t.”
“I’ll skip seeing you off.”
“It was rude of me to come without contacting you in advance, Your Excellency.”
Noel, who bowed politely, looked at Elusiana again. Their eyes met, and she was about to say something when Noel moved before her. At that moment, Noel, who had narrowed the distance in the blink of an eye, grabbed her hand. He kissed the back of her hand as if engraving it and whispered softly.
“See you again, Lusi.”
Confused, Elusiana’s eyes widened in embarrassment. She looked at his deeply sunken purple eyes as if being possessed. But at that moment, the sound of a clicking tongue was heard, and her body was pulled back.
“Tsk. You’re annoying until the end.”
When Elusiana turned her head and looked behind her, Aster, frowning in disdain, was glaring at Noel.
“Then, I’m really leaving this time.”
Noel smiled and walked out of the office. He didn’t take his eyes off Elusiana until the door closed. And she was like that too.
Elusiana’s earlobe turned slightly red as she touched the back of her heated hand. It was immediately after that that Aster collapsed, clutching his chest.
* * *
Helping the fallen Aster, Elusiana moved him to the bedroom with Logan’s help. As Logan, who laid Aster on the bed, left the room, Elusiana anxiously put her hand on his forehead.
“You have a slight fever, As.”
The flinching Aster’s cheeks turned slightly red.
“Really? I didn’t know.”
“I’m sorry.”
Elusiana bit into the delicate flesh inside her mouth and shut her mouth as if blaming herself. Seeing that, Aster pulled her hand that was touching his forehead, placed it on his cheek, and said, “Ah, it’s cold. I think my fever is going down a little.”
“…Sorry.”
“Why are you so sorry?”
“I feel like this happened because of me. I should have taken better care of you.”
Aster said, rubbing his cheek against the palm of her hand that touched as if feeling happy about her worry. “I told you it wasn’t because of you. It’s because of me, Lusi. Because my body sucks.”
“Sucks? Where in the world? How can you say that! You were healthy!”
Astor rubbed her cheek against the palms of her hands as if her worries were pleasant.
“That’s right. I was. In the past.”
Aster let out a low laugh like a purring cat. Feeling awkward about the tickling vibrations, Elusiana wiggled her hands and tried to pull it out. Then Aster squeezed her hand and made eye contact.
“Do you hate me being sick?”
“Yes. I hate it.”
“Why?”
“Why? Because you’re my family. It’s natural to be worried, right?”
“Ah. Family.”
Right. You did. As Aster muttered softly, his expression was strangely distorted, neither crying nor smiling.
“Are you up, My Lady?”
“Uh, uh, Sir… Logan?”
Surprised, Elusiana opened her eyes wide. Why is the knight who is supposed to guard the Grand Duke’s side here?
Logan, who fully guessed that expression, smiled awkwardly and said, “I’ve been ordered to protect this place.”
“Ah.”
…Why? Elusiana, who managed to swallow that word, coughed small. “Cough. Then now… I guess His Excellency is in his office?”
“That’s right.”
“Can I go by then?”
Logan, who was nodding his head, replied with a straight face. “It’s not possible.”
“No way.”
Elusiana, who was about to pass Logan, flinched and looked at him. “I can’t? …Why?”
“That’s…” Rubbing his head in embarrassment, Logan answered again in a strong tone. “Anyway, you can’t go.”
“Is there a guest that came, which made it difficult for you to answer?”
“How did you know that?” Embarrassed, Logan made a surprised expression but hastily covered it up.
Well, you’ve already been caught, Sir.
“I guess this is someone I know well too, right?”
“Cough.”
Logan, who looked at her, looked quite troubled.
As expected, it looks like the grand prince is meeting him. That’s why they didn’t let me come out.
She didn’t know if Genoyer came voluntarily or if Aster called him. But the key point was that the two people were meeting.
I, the person involved in such an important matter, cannot be left out.
Elusiana said in a stern voice. “Good. I have something to tell him too.”
“Ah, then— Cough. That’s troublesome, Lady.”
“Can you take responsibility for that now?”
“…Pardon?” Suddenly, Logan was a little embarrassed by Elusiana’s words of responsibility.
Elusiana continued with a serious look. “I have something very important to tell His Excellency about this matter. Of course, His Excellency will make the decision, but if something goes wrong, I have no choice but to blame you for it.”
“Blame me? I mean… What did I do?”
Elusiana paused for a moment. “Sir Logan has been forced to stop me, so I must tell His Excellency about it.”
“But I was ordered by His Excellency—”
“Yes. So, the judgment should be left to His Excellency.”
“…”
Logan broke into a cold sweat behind his back. How can she say such scary things with a smile on her face? No, it was clear that this lady was saying it without knowing it was a threat. However, from the perspective of the listener, from those who knew how cruel the grand duke’s temper was, it was truly a heart-wrenching threat.
Logan coughed loudly, straightening his shriveling shoulders. “Cough. If it’s such an important matter, I guess I can’t help it.”
“Thank you, Sir Logan. Then, please excuse me first.”
Elusiana, who was delighted, hurried out of the place in case Logan’s mind would change.
* * *
I never thought we’d meet so soon.
Her mind wasn’t ready.
Why was he, the Grand Prince Sestein, here? What on earth is the relationship between Aster and the grand prince? And… What was he trying to do with me? Questions that hadn’t yet been sorted out were swirling around her head.
Elusiana, who arrived in front of the office, breathed deeply. She was a little worried about what kind of expression she would make when she faced Genoyer. But she had to step up and prove it now. Otherwise, Genoyer won’t admit the truth.
At that time. It’ll be okay, right? Because As is also inside.
“Huu—”
Elusiana closed her eyes tightly and opened the door with force, but it felt a little strange. She pushed the door with her own strength, but it felt as if someone was pulling it. And that very moment!
Bump! She bumped into something hard. Elusiana frowned at the sudden shock and staggered. It wasn’t enough to cause her to fall, but she was just as precarious. She gave strength to her feet after she had been pushed a couple of helpless steps.
It was right then. Someone’s hand carefully hugged Elusiana and held her back from falling.
“…Lusi?”
Elusiana raised her head to the voice that broke the short silence.
“Noel?”
Her eyes blinked and looked blank for a while. She came to see Genoyer, but why did Noel come out of nowhere…? Right…?
No matter what she thought, Noel looked surprised. No, it seemed like he was overjoyed.
“Noel, when did you come?”
“You’re too much, really.”
“…Pardon?”
“That’s too much, really.”
“Do… Do you know how long I’ve been looking for Lusi?”
“You’ve been looking for me? Why?”
“Ha! You’re saying that now.” Noel paused for a moment, covering his face with one of his hands.
“What’s wrong with you? What’s going on?”
Noel, who had lowered his hand, looked at her with a face as if he was about to cry. “I thought you were in danger… How… worried I was…”
Noel twitched the corner of his eyes and dropped his head as if he was falling down. Unable to bear to hug Elusiana, he rested his forehead on her shoulder and spoke as if complaining.
“…Do you know if I was worried? But in a place like this, you feel comfortable… and go to sleep. Lusi, really… You’re so mean…”
“Noel, that’s— Uh, huh?”
Before she could answer back, Elusiana’s body was pulled back easily. It was then that a chilly tone came out right behind him.
“Let’s go, Lord Klaus.” Aster, who wrapped carefully around Elusiana’s shoulder, looked at Noel with a cold gaze.
“…”
Noel folded and opened his empty hands a couple of times. The warmth that had touched him had disappeared like a lie.
“Do you still have something to say?”
Noel felt irritated for a moment as he looked down at him intimidatingly. He wanted to immediately rip off that arm he was holding as if it were his and break it. However— It would be right to step back now.
Noel, who gritted his teeth, lowered his head. He had nothing to hope for or expect until he asked for her forgiveness, especially in front of the grand duke, who knows the whole story of the incident.
Noel, who had already calmed down his expression, took a step back. “No. I don’t.”
“I’ll skip seeing you off.”
“It was rude of me to come without contacting you in advance, Your Excellency.”
Noel, who bowed politely, looked at Elusiana again. Their eyes met, and she was about to say something when Noel moved before her. At that moment, Noel, who had narrowed the distance in the blink of an eye, grabbed her hand. He kissed the back of her hand as if engraving it and whispered softly.
“See you again, Lusi.”
Confused, Elusiana’s eyes widened in embarrassment. She looked at his deeply sunken purple eyes as if being possessed. But at that moment, the sound of a clicking tongue was heard, and her body was pulled back.
“Tsk. You’re annoying until the end.”
When Elusiana turned her head and looked behind her, Aster, frowning in disdain, was glaring at Noel.
“Then, I’m really leaving this time.”
Noel smiled and walked out of the office. He didn’t take his eyes off Elusiana until the door closed. And she was like that too.
Elusiana’s earlobe turned slightly red as she touched the back of her heated hand. It was immediately after that that Aster collapsed, clutching his chest.
* * *
Helping the fallen Aster, Elusiana moved him to the bedroom with Logan’s help. As Logan, who laid Aster on the bed, left the room, Elusiana anxiously put her hand on his forehead.
“You have a slight fever, As.”
The flinching Aster’s cheeks turned slightly red.
“Really? I didn’t know.”
“I’m sorry.”
Elusiana bit into the delicate flesh inside her mouth and shut her mouth as if blaming herself. Seeing that, Aster pulled her hand that was touching his forehead, placed it on his cheek, and said, “Ah, it’s cold. I think my fever is going down a little.”
“…Sorry.”
“Why are you so sorry?”
“I feel like this happened because of me. I should have taken better care of you.”
Aster said, rubbing his cheek against the palm of her hand that touched as if feeling happy about her worry. “I told you it wasn’t because of you. It’s because of me, Lusi. Because my body sucks.”
“Sucks? Where in the world? How can you say that! You were healthy!”
Astor rubbed her cheek against the palms of her hands as if her worries were pleasant.
“That’s right. I was. In the past.”
Aster let out a low laugh like a purring cat. Feeling awkward about the tickling vibrations, Elusiana wiggled her hands and tried to pull it out. Then Aster squeezed her hand and made eye contact.
“Do you hate me being sick?”
“Yes. I hate it.”
“Why?”
“Why? Because you’re my family. It’s natural to be worried, right?”
“Ah. Family.”
Right. You did. As Aster muttered softly, his expression was strangely distorted, neither crying nor smiling.
