Translator: Nox

Chapter 26

It was a sweltering afternoon following a brief rain shower. Vanessa, who had been leafing through a magazine with the window half-open, let out a daze-filled sigh. Her hand, which had been steadily turning pages out of habit, finally slowed to a stop as her gaze drifted with her wandering thoughts.

Her body felt unusually heavy today. Was it because the weather had suddenly become so hot and humid? Even sitting still, she felt as if her stamina were being drained away. Her hands felt somewhat shaky, and she thought she might be breaking into a cold sweat….

Clutching her stomach as it began to throb with pain, she buried her heat-flushed cheek against the desk. From her tilted perspective, the now-familiar scenery of the room filled her vision, along with the scent of perfume left behind by River Ross—a lingering proof that he had been in this room until moments ago.

‘It’s already fading, though.’

Even in that short time, the breeze drifting through the open window quickly thinned the scent. After a moment’s hesitation, Vanessa reached for the perfume bottle on the desk, opened the cap slightly, and inhaled. Ridiculously enough, the nausea that had been bothering her seemed to subside a little at the smell.

“Vanessa.”

Lulled into a deep sleep that had come on with frightening speed, Vanessa was slow to realize that his voice was reality. A shadow cast by River Ross’s body fell darkly over her head. Vanessa lifted her hazy eyes and looked at him with what she intended to be a welcoming expression.

“River. When did you get here?”

With the light pouring in from the open door at his back, River Ross’s face was hard to see. Nevertheless, the body heat warmed by the summer sun, the fresh scent of garden grass, and the way he leaned against the desk were proof enough that it was him.

“About thirty minutes ago. I was in the garden.”

“The garden?”

“A new variety of roses arrived. You looked busy, so I went to help out.”

“A new variety?”

At the interesting news—a rarity lately—Vanessa shifted her cheek, which was still pressed against the desk. At that listless movement, River Ross pulled up the corner of his mouth into a smirk.

“You can go see for yourself if you’re curious. But Vanessa.”

“Yes?”

“Why are you so exhausted in the middle of the day?”

“Um, just… I don’t know. Maybe it’s the heat. I guess I’m a bit tired.”

“Did you stay up all night?”

“Not particularly.”

River Ross brushed his knuckles against her forehead and cheek as if checking for a fever. When his cool skin touched her flushed face, everything became a little easier to bear—the sweltering heat, her sluggish body, and the unpleasant mood that had settled over her since meeting Lord Roden.

As she exhaled a languid breath and sat up, River Ross skillfully pulled away the magazine she had been using as a pillow.

“A circus?”

“Oh, that.”

Vanessa stifled a small yawn and pointed to the advertisement she had been looking at. Beside illustrations of two-headed twins, a woman with a snake wrapped around her neck, and a monkey jumping through a ring of fire, words like ‘First 47-City Tour’ were written in an elegant typeface.

“Sitariri’s Circus is coming. The first performance is tonight.”

Sitariri. Theodore let out a hollow laugh at the ridiculous word. It was likely a group of swindlers who had thrown together a name that sounded Eastern at best, reflecting the recent surge of interest in the New World within Ingram.

They boasted of touring forty-seven cities and being the first of their kind, but their true status was obvious if they were crawling all the way to a countryside like Somerset. It was surely a cheap play filled with all sorts of scams, insufficient to handle the shrewd people of the capital. Losing interest immediately, he folded the magazine and set it back down on the desk.

“River. Let’s go see it together.”

He paused for a moment, then tilted his head as if he had never hesitated at all.

“…This?”

“Doesn’t it look like fun?”

Her gray eyes, now sparkling again, were teasing. She certainly looked excited for someone whose face had been pale with pain just moments ago. Vanessa stretched her long limbs.

“My uncle seems to be in a good mood lately. If we’re lucky, I think I’ll be able to go out.”

“You said you weren’t feeling well.”

“That’s why I should move around more. Besides, it’s been a long time since the circus.”

‘A long time.’ Every time she casually recalled memories that couldn’t possibly exist between them, an uncomfortable thorn pricked him before vanishing again. Staring down at the long blonde hair clinging to her slender nape, Theodore reached out and brushed it away to help her cool down.

“Will you really be okay?”

“Yes. The weather is too nice to just stay inside.”

“Fine, then.”

“Really? You’ll go with me?”

“You said you wanted to see it. It’s not that difficult.”

Vanessa looked at him, momentarily speechless. Whenever she was with him, she was often overcome by a strange sentiment. She hadn’t known why, but now she felt she finally understood. He treated her like an ordinary woman.

As if she had the freedom to act without permission. As if she could see what she wanted to see and go wherever she wished.

“I should go wash up.”

Releasing her hair, River Ross stretched and turned away. He seemed to find his cooling body uncomfortable. He ran a hot hand through his sweat-dampened hair. At the movement, droplets of sweat beaded on his nape rolled down and disappeared into his collar.

Vanessa slowly swallowed. Was this heat from the weather, or from desire?

“…….”

At times, River Ross was breathtakingly beautiful. Especially like this, when he couldn’t contain the vitality radiating from his young body. She particularly liked those moments in the middle of summer when he, with a face cooler than anyone else’s, succumbed to the heat and desire like a mere mortal.

“…….”

The impulse to slide her hands under his shirt and rub his hot, firm skin with her palms always tormented her intensely. She wanted to touch him right now and feel his pulsing life force.

“Your eyes look lewd, Vanessa.”

“…….”

“As if you want to strip me bare and devour me right this second.”

“When did I ever….”

Because her thoughts had been exactly along those lines, she couldn’t even form a proper protest. With a snicker, River Ross ruffled her bangs and walked past her. Crossing the room, he scooped up water from a brass basin with his hands and repeatedly wiped his sun-warmed skin.

Vanessa etched the sight into her retinas without blinking once. The droplets of water clinging loosely to his smooth cheeks, eyelashes, and lips looked refreshing. Drying his damp hair with hands where the veins stood out, he crossed his arms and pulled off his completely soaked shirt.

Reddish sunlight pooled over his powerful shoulders, which were slick with sweat. His well-toned muscles rippled elastically with every move he made.

“Madam Luther. I believe this method is a sort of trick.”

Over that vivid scene, last night’s memory drifted up like a fog. The memory of being surrounded by people who were closer to death than to life.

“I apologize if I sound offensive. Please understand that I lacked the time to choose my words more carefully. The Earl trusted you enough to step away, but he will find it strange if we delay for too long.”

“I see that you do not trust me, My Lady.”

“I know you only said those things to scare me.”

At that moment, the strange glint in the old woman’s eyes… perhaps it was the look one gave to something truly insolent and defiant.

“Holy water mixed with blood sounds plausible, but it is merely water. In the end, what proves innocence is the individual’s conscience. If one is honorable, their arm will not tremble; if one fears something, it will.”

“…….”

“And if it is the latter, whatever is placed on that arm will surely slide off.”

“I am not quite sure what you are trying to say.”

“The Earl is already outside the door, and he trusts you. Whether I spill the holy water or not, you can make up whatever story you wish.”

“…….”

“I want to buy those words of yours.”

After a brief silence, Madam Luther let out a clear laugh.

“It seems half the rumors circulating about you are wrong. I heard you were a naive soul.”

“So, how much will it be?”

She replied calmly, trying her best to hide her anxiety. In a deal, the one who was more desperate always stood to lose more. Just like when she had begged River Ross to enter a contract with her….

“That depends on what you want, My Lady. Adding a few words isn’t difficult, but a woman like me lives her whole life on her reputation.”

Despite such a brazen answer, the price Madam Luther asked for was surprisingly not that high. It wasn’t as if a grand lie was needed in the first place, and the look in the old woman’s eyes as she watched her at the final moment was clearly one of pity.

“Contact me if you find yourself with child. I will tell you how to get rid of it without a trace.”

And Vanessa had willingly paid that price. She only needed to evade the situation until this summer ended. Something she would have previously welcomed and shared honestly with the Earl had now become something she was desperately hiding….

“Vanessa.”

Her wandering thoughts were suddenly cut short. A firm hand gently tilted her chin up. River Ross, who had approached her without her noticing, leaned down with one hand on the back of her chair.