Chapter 5
Episode 5
The cake was just the beginning, and Nina told Adrian about the servants' New Year's party.
She talked about how much money the Duchess had spent on this year's New Year's party, how much the butler had embezzled, and how much food was left over from the banquet.
Finally, Nina expressed how much she liked her position as a kitchen maid, and Adrian could only nod.
"Nina is a glutton."
"Oh? Did you just say that? But I can't deny it."
Nina readily admitted, and Adrian laughed again. After her story, Adrian shared about the book he had been reading and his worries about his swordsmanship skills not improving.
It was a pleasant evening, befitting a New Year's party. As the night grew late, Nina reluctantly got up.
"See you next time."
"Good night."
"You too, Young Master."
Feeling very happy, Nina gathered the dishes and went out into the hallway.
She was humming a tune and just turned the corner when she ran into someone.
"Ah, so you're the little rat."
An elegant and smooth, aristocratic voice.
Nina stared blankly at the woman in the fancy green velvet dress before flinching and kneeling down.
"Greetings, Madam."
The Duchess smiled sweetly and looked down at Nina.
"There's a rat in my house. Oh, how filthy."
The Duchess said in a girlish voice, then added.
"Wouldn't it be clean if we shaved off all its fur and poured water on it?"
Nina felt a chill down her spine.
But she had no intention of screaming or making a fuss.
Adrian would hear.
"It would be nice to do it by the well."
The Duchess said that and glided back the way she had come.
\ \ \
What followed was quite difficult.
Considering it was January at the time, Nina survived only because she was a Spirit Contractor.
It was a humiliation and pain that was hard for a twelve-year-old girl to bear.
Perhaps because the Duchess didn't think Nina would survive, she forgot about Nina's existence after giving the order.
The servants who were friendly to Nina didn't pour water on her naked body, and left her with her underwear.
Wearing clothes would make her body temperature drop faster, but it was better than being naked in front of all the people in the mansion.
Being in her underwear in January, breaking the ice, and pouring well water over herself in front of people was an experience she couldn't do twice.
Adrian didn't know what had happened to Nina. So when Nina didn't come for a few days, he eventually went to the kitchen to find her.
He was speechless when he saw Nina with her head shaved, a towel on her head, and shivering with a fever.
The kitchen maids who cared for Nina pleaded with Adrian.
Please stay away from Nina.
Adrian returned to his room without a word.
When Nina came to her senses, he had made up his mind.
Adrian didn't talk to Nina and ignored her.
He often threw sharp words at her.
Eventually, Nina had no choice but to sneak into his bedroom in the middle of the night.
"Adrian!"
Adrian was taken aback as she jumped onto the bed and almost climbed on top of him.
Nina said.
"I know Adrian is doing this because he doesn't want to lose me. But if you do this, Adrian will lose me in the worst way."
Adrian said nothing, and Nina just stared at his beautiful Rose quartz colored eyes.
The confrontation didn't last long, and Adrian was the one who eventually surrendered.
He squeezed his eyes shut.
"But Nina. But..."
Seeing him struggling, Nina offered a compromise.
"If it's that bad, let's pretend we don't know each other in public. But I'll come at night like this. Is that okay?"
Adrian was still uneasy, but he agreed.
\ \ \
After that day, they pretended not to know each other in public, but met at night.
The relationship almost broke down completely once, but it continued and became stronger.
The days of ignoring each other continued.
They didn't even exchange glances. But they communicated through fleeting touches of their fingertips, flowers placed on the windowsill, and walks that always passed the same place.
Then, on nights when surveillance was lax, Nina would sneak into Adrian's room.
Then they could face each other properly and talk.
Some might pity them.
If Nina said, "We're still happy," someone would retort to Nina. That it was mental victory, a miserable life where they couldn't eat or drink properly.
But Nina had no intention of entrusting her happiness to others. She held the reins of her joy and pleasure.
She had no intention of letting others judge it.
Nina chose the path where she was happy over the path that others said was happy.
Life was always a series of hardships and sorrows, so finding joy and pleasure in it was entirely up to oneself.
Nina had no intention of having the pleasure she had salvaged judged by others, nor did she intend to compare it.
Nina was an expert at finding joy in life, and Adrian would smile faintly whenever she did.
\ \ *
Two years later.
In the year Adrian turned fifteen, what Nina had been prepared for and Adrian had been hoping wouldn't happen, happened.
The Duke appointed him as the commander of the Jet-Black Knights.
He had decided to put the fifteen-year-old on the front lines.
No one was unaware of the notoriety of the Violet Forest. The Jet-Black Knights had a mortality rate of nearly 50%.
Anyone could see that he was being sent to that position to be killed.
Adrian called for Nina.
In broad daylight, openly.
Her hair was cut short. She hoped it would grow quickly every day, but it was growing very slowly.
The maids said it was because she wasn't eating well, and Nina thought that was probably true.
Adrian calmly told Nina that he had become the commander of the Jet-Black Knights.
He opened a box.
It contained all of his possessions.
Two large gold coins, five large silver coins.
One silver brooch.
That was all the wealth of the Duke's eldest son.
"Leave the Dukedom, Nina."
He said so with a gentle smile.
"This should be enough for your ransom. I won't be here anymore. Maybe it'll be easier without me, but just in case."
"Young Master!"
"I'm fine. It's better to leave here. At least I'll have fewer worries."
He looked at Nina.
"My only worry is you."
"Adrian."
Nina reached out and cupped his cheeks. She brought her face close, and his eyes widened.
"You don't have to smile like that even to me."
"Nina..."
"Even to me, Adrian."
"Nina."
He gritted his teeth. His hands gripped her arms tightly, and he collapsed in her arms.
The fifteen-year-old boy sobbed.
Nina hugged him tightly without a word.
Run away? No way.
Adrian, you still don't know me.
