Chapter 19
19
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After toasting and receiving celebratory drinks from everyone, Nina lost consciousness at some point.
‘Huh?’
When she came to, she was in a bedroom. A bedroom she had never seen before.
Nina wondered which part of the castle this bedroom was in as she sat up.
‘Ah, pajamas.’
When did someone change her?
‘No, more importantly, I didn't even notice someone changing me? Am I weak to alcohol? Or just tired?’
Nina looked around the room.
Black Shield Castle was a castle built for defense. So, it wasn't as ornate and beautiful as Silver Lake Castle.
It was sturdily built with solid stone to prepare for battle.
The windows were small, and with the shutters closed, the interior was generally dark.
There was also very little in the way of fancy decorations. Still, it had a balcony, so Nina opened the shutters leading to the balcony.
“Can you find Adrian for me?”
As she asked, a whooshing wind blew. Following the guidance of the North Wind, Nina crossed a few balconies and arrived at Adrian's bedroom.
Knock, knock.
She politely knocked on the balcony door. There was no answer, so she knocked once more. After a moment, the door opened.
Adrian, wearing a robe and holding a sword in one hand, sighed when he saw her sitting on the balcony railing.
“Couldn't you come through the door?”
“Coming through the balcony is more romantic, isn't it?”
Nina chuckled and stood up from the railing.
“Come in.”
As he stepped aside and spoke, Nina quickly entered.
His bedroom also had no special decorations. The furniture was large and simple.
The bed seemed to be behind another door with curtains.
Adrian sheathed his sword and asked,
“Can't you sleep?”
His tone was much more casual than when he was with other people.
Nina smiled slightly.
“No, I woke up from a nap. I missed Young Master.”
Adrian chuckled and turned away. He sat on the sofa and patted the seat next to him.
“Come here.”
Nina didn't sit next to him but sat on the floor, resting her arms and head on his lap.
“You're doing this again.”
Adrian frowned, but Nina didn't care.
“It feels kind of nice, you know? Acting spoiled. You should try it sometime, Young Master.”
“But if you do that, all I can see is your hair. I want to see your face, Nina.”
At Adrian's words, Nina raised her head, giggled, and quickly sat next to him.
Her long hair was so smooth that it didn't tangle during those movements and softly fell back into place.
“Who changed my clothes?”
Nina asked, looking down at her pajamas. “Kirill did,” Adrian replied.
Nina's face became quite serious.
“Do we not even have a maid we can trust?”
“That's right.”
Nina mulled over that ‘that’s right’ answer.
“Then why don't we fill the positions with good people?”
“How?”
Nina grinned.
“Just trust me and leave it to me.”
At her words, spoken with a bright smile, Adrian felt his shoulders relax.
“There are candidates.”
He hadn't been idle for the past two years either.
“And I've saved up funds.”
It wasn't for nothing that he had been implementing austerity measures in the castle.
“I'll give you both the discretion.”
Nina was momentarily speechless at Adrian's words. She playfully whispered,
“Aren't you trusting me too much, Adrian?”
“You are special to me, Nina.”
“I know.”
Nina replied in a tone that suggested, ‘Why are you bringing that up now?’
We only had each other, so of course we're special.
But now there's Jin, and Lord Louis too. As the world expands, won't we have more allies?
She didn't want his world to end with just the two of them.
But knowing what those quiet, rose quartz eyes wanted right now, Nina opened her mouth.
“Adrian is very special to me too.”
“I know. You've always told me that. But I've never said it.”
He realized it only after she disappeared.
“So, I want to say it now. And I want you to know.”
At Adrian's words, Nina stared at him intently. In the darkness, his pink eyes looked dark red.
Rose Quartz Eyes stared straight at her.
His delicate and beautiful features were clearly outlined even in the shadows, making him look like a sculpture.
Nina was newly impressed by his appearance. His lean body was firm, and his frame was masculine and strong, creating perfect proportions.
He looked perfect with clothes on, and even more perfect with them off.
It was a new realization, but he had grown up so well.
Looking at Adrian with a sense of pride, he reached out his hand.
His hand brushed her cheek, caressed her eyes, lightly pressed her pink lips, and then fell away.
He smiled gently.
“I trust you.”
Nina slowly savored the weight of those words.
The Adrian she had seen in the original story trusted no one.
He always smiled brightly, keeping a certain distance from everyone.
His modifier in the novel was ‘the most aristocratic Duke Louveaen.’
It meant that he was polite and elegant, but you never knew when he would stab you in the back with a sword.
He was surrounded by enemies, and there was no one he could trust.
But we've come this far.
The stage of trust.
Nina smiled, reached out her arms, and hugged him tightly.
“I trust Adrian too.”
“Okay.”
Adrian smiled and patted her back. When Nina pulled away, he said, “Wait a moment,” went inside, and came out with a small box, handing it to her.
Without hesitation, Nina opened the box and her eyes widened.
“Huh? This? How do you have this, Adrian?”
Inside was an old hair tie. It was the hair tie that the Duchess had taken when she shaved Nina's head.
The only family item she had, made by her sister.
“I'm sorry.”
At Adrian's words, Nina looked up. Adrian, now an adult, had the same distressed expression as back then.
“Why are you sorry, Adrian? The Duchess was the bad one.”
Nina could tell without seeing it how hard Adrian had worked to find this tie.
“Thank you, Adrian.”
Nina put the box on the table and abruptly pulled Adrian towards her. Caught off guard, Adrian ended up lying down with his head on her lap.
“Now, you've done a good deed, so I'll give you a reward.”
Nina stroked his hair. His high-quality black hair was so short that it was a shame.
He had been looking dazed, but he sighed and straightened his posture.
His long legs stuck out from the sofa.
“Who bullied our Young Master? Tell me. I'll punish them.”
At Nina's words, Adrian chuckled softly.
“I wonder, who should I ask Nina to punish?”
As the stroking became slow and steady, Adrian slowly fell asleep.
Looking down at the sleeping Young Master, Nina admired, ‘His eyelashes are really long.’
Not only his eyelashes, but his eyebrows were also shaped beautifully as if they had been groomed, his forehead was neat, and his nose was high. He had flawless features.
When his eyes were closed, he was just a handsome face, but when he opened them, his unique shadows and delicacy added a completely different charm.
And when that was combined with the smile he always wore, what should she say?
‘The person who marries our Young Master later will be so lucky.’
Thinking that, she giggled, raised her head, and started thinking.
If her garden was safe, then it wasn't a complete zero base. Besides, looking at Kirill's smile, wasn't there something there?
‘Come to think of it, I talked about the plants, but I didn't talk about this.’
