EIITAB - Chapter 23 < Endure >
Even if it is Trampled and Broken
"No, am I equally foolish?"
He swallowed a bitter smile and spoke to himself in a self-deprecating tone. It's been several hours since he's been standing here and watching Hestia.
As Aslan's breathing became heavier, the shading in his chest muscles became deeper. Aslan looked down at Hestia, who was standing motionless, silently holding her breath, like a wild beast facing its prey.
"What on earth is going on?"
It was strange to him that a woman who used to run away kept trying to get noticed.
He was also annoyed that he had no idea what her secret intentions were. Aslan repeatedly clicked his tongue roughly and took a sip of his drink. The strong drink flowed down his esophagus mercilessly, clawing at him.
"I don't feel relieved at all."
Rather, he felt more uncomfortable and angry. There was no meeting or anything. It was an excuse made on purpose because it was uncomfortable to face her. He thought it would be good if Hestia gave up meeting him and went back, but if she waited, he would make it miserable.
Just like she did to him six years ago.
At that time, Aslan was an adolescent. So, when he threw himself down in front of that little girl, he felt ashamed. Because for the first time, he realized that the relationship was not equal.
On the day when she bloomed the most beautifully in her world, he couldn't believe that she should get down on her knees and bow her head like this. His situation felt even more shabby. So he hoped, he hoped Hestia wouldn't remember himself from that day. But he also hoped she remembered this and that.
"Is this making things a little more fair?"
Is she miserable now? In a vulgar way, he was curious about that. He drank the strong drink in one go and wiped the moisture from his lips with the back of his hand.
As soon as the rope was pulled, Butler Robert appeared. He bowed respectfully towards Aslan.
"Did you call me, Your Excellency?"
"Bring her in."
"Do you want to meet her?"
"Hmm."
Unclear pronunciation was muffled in Aslan's mouth. He continued speaking as if he was very displeased with having made this decision.
"I don't want her messing around in my space because it gets on my nerves."
At that moment, Robert looked surprised.
Should je say that the host he brought in was indifferent? He had the personality of not paying attention to things he was not interested in. But it bothers him that Hestia is waiting. It was as if Aslan was paying attention to her.
The butler, who was quite surprised and missed the right time to reply, spoke up, and Aslan looked back at him, frowning strongly. Aslan slowly clicked his tongue opened his mouth in a fierce voice and gestured.
"Stop making stupid faces and hurry up and bring her."
"Oh, yes. yes, dismissal. I will."
The butler quickly adjusted his expression and attitude.
"Where shall we take the Princess?"
There was no answer right away. This was because Aslan pursed his lips as if he had not even thought about it. The butler waited patiently, and eventually, his lips opened.
"To this room."
Robert's eyes widened once more. But this time, he quickly adjusted his expression, nodded his head quietly, and left the room. Aslan, left alone, let out a long sigh of his hot breath. He thought that the intoxication from the alcohol, which he had been feeling fine while drinking, was finally rising.
He's never been drunk before in his life.
***
'How much time has passed?'
Even though she had makeup on, it was probably impossible to cover up her increasingly pale complexion. Hestia tightly held her frozen fingertips with her other hand. She tried to melt it at least a little with her body temperature, but since it was like ice melting ice, it didn't really have any effect.
At some point, it rained steadily, and even a chilly wind blew from time to time, so the perceived temperature dropped significantly. With her trembling hands, she pulled her wind-blown hood back over her head.
'Obviously, my stamina depends. It's only going to get worse from now on.'
Hestia curled her quivering lip and placed a little more pressure on the back of her knees. She felt like her entire body was becoming numb, and when she relaxed, she felt like she would unconsciously lose consciousness and fall over.
'It's my last chance. I must not fall until I meet Aslan Kalathi and share my story. So, bear with it, Hestia.'
Her hot breath flows out from her lips as if she has a fever. Hestia looked at her breath, frozen white and scattering in the air, and bit her delicate cheek with her teeth.
'After all, now is the time.'
Swallowing her lips, she continued her negative thoughts.
'I'm sure my physical condition will get worse as time goes by.'
In her last life, when she heard from Anessa that she was terminally ill, it didn't feel real to her. Because her physical condition was not bad.
However, just like lying, Hestia's strength has been noticeably weakening since just 10 days have passed.
'And in the end, I ended up vomiting blood.'
It seems to be the same in this life as well.
'Today is exactly ten days since I went back in time!'
She was obviously fine when she left the palace, but now her skin is shaking and her stomach keeps feeling nauseous.
Hestia shook her head slightly, swallowing the nausea that kept coming to her.
'I can't lose my mind and collapse like this. Haven't I met Aslan yet?'
In this way, Hestia gathered the spirit that was about to disperse into evil. But suddenly, the door to the main building, which had been closed and had no idea how to open, opened again.
"You've waited a long time."
Hestia shook her head as soon as she saw Butler Robert's face.
"Thank you, but the carriage is ready now. "I'm almost full."
Regardless of her not liking him, the butler was a man who was faithful to his duties. When he said that Hestia would not wait to go inside the mansion, he was worried that she would feel cold and he brought out hot tea at appropriate intervals.
Thanks to this, she was able to ease her initial cold well. However, because Hestia had a short mouth, she quickly filled up just by drinking a few cups of tea. She wasn't good at drinking, and it seemed like she would definitely get sick if she drank more, so Hestia tried to decline as politely as possible.
However, after hearing her words, the butler lightly shook his head.
"Princess, we haven't prepared any tea."
"Then what you mean is...?"
Hestia's eyes widened as she slightly stretched her words. Other than that, there was only one reason left for Robert to talk to her.
"Have you gotten an answer from the Duke?"
In a way, the butler seemed desperate, but without wasting any more time, he immediately nodded to her.
"Yes."
"Alright ..."
Thank God. Hestia placed her folded hands over her heart and let out a long sigh of relief. She wasn't going to move a single step until Aslan broke his stubbornness. But when he said he would meet her like this, Hestia felt like her heart, which had been tight all along, was finally relieved.
'It saved me an hour.'
Although she had to wait several hours, she felt that it was a hardship worth enduring. She glanced up at the lighted room from where she stood. Behind the curtain, she noticed a black doll disappearing. It must be Aslan.
'Thank you.'
When they meet in person, she has to convey these feelings properly. She dropped her gaze again, biting her pale lip hard. As if waiting for her, the butler politely pointed her inside the mansion.
"Please follow me. I will guide you, Your Excellency."
"Thank you."
Hestia, who was trying to follow the butler who turned around first, stumbled for a moment. Fortunately, he didn't seem to notice.
'Let's come to our senses. It starts now.'
Hestia moved her heavy legs as if dragging herself, whipping herself harshly inside her.
"Where is the Duke?"
"He told me to bring you to his room."
"To his room?"
Hestia's voice lowered slightly.
'I thought you wouldn't want me in your space...'
As she continued to think about this and that, she climbed the stairs and walked down the long, slightly dark hallway, and before she knew it, the butler stopped walking.
"His Excellency is waiting here."
The butler told Hestia the location of the room and then knocked politely on the door.
"Your Excellency, I have brought you Princess Hestia."
There was no answer from inside, but the butler quietly opened the door as if he was used to it.
"Please come in."
Hestia nodded her head slightly and carefully stepped through the door. As she entered, she saw Aslan's back looking out the window. Hestia looked around his room as if it was something new.
"The room is so spacious...'
There was almost no furniture, so it felt desolate.
At that time, Aslan, who was standing behind her, opened his mouth in that position. Even though he didn't even glance in this direction, it was as if he knew what was going on behind him.
"Robert, go out."
"Yes, Master."
Hestia came to her senses only after hearing the door close behind her. Neither in his past life nor in this life had she ever been left alone with an adult man in a room that could be considered a secret room. She suddenly felt as if every cell in her body was tense.
'It's okay!'
Swallowing her dry saliva, she calmed herself down.
'Because Aslan hates me...'
She's sure he doesn't like being touched. As she was thinking those thoughts, she heard Aslan's voice again.
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