Chapter 24
<26화>
“Aisha. I’ll see you at dinner. Don’t forget, six-thirty!”
Having received my permission, Lucas left the chaotic infirmary with a beaming smile.
Then, a momentary silence followed.
“It seems you and Lucas have already become like family.”
The Duke broke the uncomfortable silence with a smirk.
‘He’s sulking!’
I could tell.
Even though he was trying to hide it, his eyebrows were arched about ten degrees higher than usual.
‘Emergency! Emergency!’
I stared into space with a frozen expression as I assessed the situation. Soon, a good idea struck me, and I tapped my fist against my palm.
“Th-This is the harmful effect of cramming!”
“What?”
“I heard Lucas call himself ‘Oppa’ all day long, so it just popped out without me thinking!”
“Is that so?”
At that, the Duke took a piece of chocolate from his pocket, slowly unwrapped it, popped it into my mouth, and muttered.
“…Then I wonder if the word ‘Papa’ is possible too.”
“Pardon?”
Unfortunately, I missed his words as I savored the sweetness of the chocolate for the first time in a while.
“It’s nothing.”
Calips gave a small chuckle and shook his head as if it were truly nothing, then wiped the corner of my mouth with a handkerchief.
‘…Wow. Incredible.’
His expression was definitely indifferent, yet I could feel the affection in the way he looked at me.
Munch, munch—
The chocolate felt even sweeter for some reason. Feeling good, I unconsciously wiggled my toes.
“Aisha.”
“Yes?”
He watched me quietly before speaking cautiously.
“There’s something else you didn’t tell me besides that title.”
“Hm?”
“The fact that Lucas was kidnapped by a circus troupe. Why didn’t you tell me?”
Thump.
My dancing toes came to a halt.
It was a simple question without further explanation, but his words brought the burden and loneliness I’d felt right before going to the circus rushing back like a wave.
Perhaps he noticed my body stiffening.
“I’m not scolding you.”
His firm, low voice reached me. Leaning forward, he began to unwrap another chocolate.
“I’m worrying about you. So, can you answer me?”
The Duke held the chocolate to my lips once more.
I opened my mouth reflexively, but I couldn’t think of what to say.
‘Because I was afraid I’d lose your trust?’
When he was looking at me with eyes so full of affection?
I felt like saying that would only hurt him.
‘Then, because I failed once and thought you wouldn’t believe me a second time?’
To say that, I’d have to bring up our contract again, and I didn’t want to make him think of the lost Lady again.
Hmm.
As my contemplation stretched on, a short sigh escaped from across from me.
“Kid. You’re overthinking again.”
I flinched.
Just as I was finally about to open my mouth after agonizing further—
“I believe I might be able to explain that.”
“?”
“……?”
A familiar voice echoed from somewhere.
Startled, Calips and I looked around.
Pop!
The flowerpot in the corner of the infirmary room shot upward.
No, to be precise.
“I am sorry, Lady.”
A man wearing a plant-shaped headband rose from the soil.
“Will you give me a moment to apologize?”
It was Knox, the aide of the Duke of Crost.
At that same time, in the head maid’s quarters.
“My eyes are getting dim, trying to knit at this age.”
May, who had been gently massaging her tired eyelids, spread out a finished scarf.
It was a plain scarf compared to the goods in the city salons, but the meticulous knitting and the small wolf embroidery in the center gave it a quite luxurious feel.
She was packing the scarf into a blue box to match the color when—
Knock, knock.
“Head maid. Sir Knox is calling for you.”
A servant nodded as if everything was ready.
‘The time has finally come.’
“I see. I’ll be right out.”
With a racing heart, May picked up the box and stepped into the hallway.
Her destination was the infirmary, where Lady Aisha was staying.
“…….”
May took a slow, deep breath in front of the closed door, made her resolve, and knocked.
Knock, knock.
“It is May. I am coming in.”
Inside the infirmary, people were bustling about, attending to the young Lady who had returned to health.
And so, currently.
Knox and May were kneeling deeply before me as I sat on the bed.
‘I’m dying of awkwardness! What is going on!’
My eyes darted around, not knowing where to look.
At first, flustered, I had flailed my arms and tried to stop the two adults.
‘Why are you kneeling! Get up, especially you, Head Maid May—you’re at an age where your joints aren’t great!’
Noticing something was off, the Duke caught my flailing hands.
‘Leave them be. They say they have something to say to you, their Lady.’
Subordinates. He called them subordinates!
Technically, it was true, but the Duke had never treated May or Knox that way until now.
Thus, I sat there with my eyes wide, trying my best not to look down at the two kneeling adults.
“So.”
“…….”
“What is it you’re going to explain?”
Calips was the first to speak.
At his slightly sharp tone, May’s shoulders flinched, and Knox slowly raised his gaze.
His teal eyes were fixed on me, not the Duke.
“Back when we couldn’t find you, I harbored dreadful suspicions that you had approached the Duke’s Castle with ulterior motives.”
I knew that. Knox had been particularly blatant in his dislike of me.
“But through this incident with the young master, I realized I was incredibly complacent.”
“…….”
“If I had trusted and believed in you, you would have told at least me about Young Master Lucas. At the time, His Excellency was away for the monster subjugation.”
Knox paused for a moment and then asked cautiously.
“My Lady. That strange report you were writing in your bedroom… did you write that on purpose so that I would go to the circus?”
At that question, the Duke’s gaze shifted to me as well. It was a question Calips had been curious about too.
Why am I getting so nervous over this?
I fidgeted with my small fingers and nodded.
“…Yes.”
Then—
“I thought as much.”
“Sigh.”
“…….”
Knox nodded, Calips furrowed his brow as if slightly annoyed, and May hung her head like a criminal.
“Due to my poor judgment, you were gravely injured, My Lady. I will humbly accept whatever punishment you see fit.”
It was a stoic but sincere apology.
“By the way, My Lady?”
“Yes?”
“If you found Young Master Lucas, do you also happen to know where the first young master is?”
Knox seemed to believe my words now, seeing as he was asking such a question.
At Knox’s inquiry, all eyes turned toward me.
“Um… that’s….”
I twiddled my fingers.
“You won’t be able to find the first young master.”
“Why is that?”
“…I’m not really sure. Hehe.”
I brushed it off vaguely, but I actually did know where the first young master was.
However—
“My Lady.”
It was then. May, who had been watching for an opening with an anxious look, spoke up.
“I, too, will humbly accept my punishment.”
“May, why are you…”
Calips started to ask, puzzled, but May pushed on firmly.
“You asked me once, My Lady. Whether His Excellency would find you untrustworthy.”
“What? Who found whom untrust—”
“Duke.”
Calips’s eyes went wide. But I cut him off and tugged on his sleeve.
“I remember the answer I gave to your question.”
“…….”
“I said, ‘He may have adopted you out of pity, but he likely does not trust you. After all, you were the one who lied first, My Lady.’”
“What? May, what on earth did you say to this tiny child—”
“Duuuuke.”
I tugged on his clothes again.
“…Ha, really.”
Calips looked back and forth between me and May, letting out a hollow laugh as he slowly wiped his face with his palm.
May’s hands, folded over her knees, turned pale.
“I said it in a moment of pique, but I have regretted those words ever since. Especially when I heard you had died trying to save Young Master Lucas…”
May took a sharp breath and swallowed hard.
“My heart sank.”
The atmosphere in the infirmary turned heavy at May’s confession.
The two remained kneeling, waiting for my response.
More accurately, they were waiting for the punishment I would decree.
It was then.
“I’m taking the kid for a moment.”
Hiding his flustered expression, the Duke quietly picked me up.
Huh? Knox and May are kneeling right here. We’re leaving?
“Why?”
“Let’s go out for a moment and talk, just us.”
As I looked at him with wide eyes and whispered in his ear, his answer came back firm.
