The night deepened at the North Caltz mansion, where Noah and I were staying.
Even with thick, double-draped curtains covering the windows, the chill of the winter night's north wind seeped through, making it impossible to leave the blankets. Even with the stove warm, it was still too cold for human comfort.
“But won’t you sleep well?”
I tilted my head, watching Noah not return to his room even after midnight. He was sitting on the edge of the bed, leisurely stirring the hot cocoa in his mug with a teaspoon.
“I should go to sleep.”
He let the cocoa cool completely before handing me some cold medicine along with it. After dinner, I was horrified to see the ingredients listed on the syrup bottle the maid had brought me, and I refused to drink it. It proudly boasted about the ingredients, including morphine, opium, and marijuana.
I didn't want to look like I was intoxicated and ugly, so I asked for and got some natural herbal cold medicine. A cold would just get better after a good night's sleep, sweating profusely, and waking up feeling refreshed.
“I’m going to go after seeing you sleep.”
Noah took the temperature by placing one hand on his forehead and the other on mine.
“It’s still hot.”
“It’s okay because I can take antipyretics as well.”
“You can’t get sick.”
“I want to do that.”
I took bitter cold medicine and sipped warm cocoa to ease the bitter taste in my mouth. I staggered to my feet, brushed my teeth, and collapsed on the bed. He pulled the blanket over me, right up to my nose.
I asked Noah about the owner of the mansion.
“Your friend was a soldier, wasn’t he? He’s the owner of this mansion.”
"Yeah. He was my father's friend. He was the deputy commander of the Northern Command."
“Thr late Duke was also a soldier?”
“Yeah. He was part of the Supreme Command.”
I didn't know much about military organizations or affiliations, so I pretended to understand.
“I guess he was a good person. It’s great to see him helping us like this.”
Noah stared blankly into space, as if recalling something. The streetlight filtering through the curtains cast a faint shadow over his face. A dark shadow fell on one side, giving him a look of anguish.
"I don't know what's good or bad. If they were good people, they shouldn't have died. Others might see us as bad people, too."
“Hmm... Judging by your personality, you seem like a good person. People usually take after their parents, don’t they?”
Although he feels a strange lack, he also possesses basic gentlemanly and noble manners, such as opening doors first and laying out handkerchiefs on the seats. This is directly related to education.
"Yeah. They're good people to me. My father was a good husband to my mother, too. When she was sick, he would sit here and watch over her until she fell asleep."
Suddenly, the corners of Noah's mouth curved slightly, and he added calmly.
"Outside, he devised efficient methods and strategies for killing people and gave the orders. But while trying to save someone else's life, he died in an accident with my mother. Isn't that strange? He is a bad person. He killed countless people. Whether they were good or bad. You're the only one I ever saved."
Even with thick, double-draped curtains covering the windows, the chill of the winter night's north wind seeped through, making it impossible to leave the blankets. Even with the stove warm, it was still too cold for human comfort.
“But won’t you sleep well?”
I tilted my head, watching Noah not return to his room even after midnight. He was sitting on the edge of the bed, leisurely stirring the hot cocoa in his mug with a teaspoon.
“I should go to sleep.”
He let the cocoa cool completely before handing me some cold medicine along with it. After dinner, I was horrified to see the ingredients listed on the syrup bottle the maid had brought me, and I refused to drink it. It proudly boasted about the ingredients, including morphine, opium, and marijuana.
I didn't want to look like I was intoxicated and ugly, so I asked for and got some natural herbal cold medicine. A cold would just get better after a good night's sleep, sweating profusely, and waking up feeling refreshed.
“I’m going to go after seeing you sleep.”
Noah took the temperature by placing one hand on his forehead and the other on mine.
“It’s still hot.”
“It’s okay because I can take antipyretics as well.”
“You can’t get sick.”
“I want to do that.”
I took bitter cold medicine and sipped warm cocoa to ease the bitter taste in my mouth. I staggered to my feet, brushed my teeth, and collapsed on the bed. He pulled the blanket over me, right up to my nose.
I asked Noah about the owner of the mansion.
“Your friend was a soldier, wasn’t he? He’s the owner of this mansion.”
"Yeah. He was my father's friend. He was the deputy commander of the Northern Command."
“Thr late Duke was also a soldier?”
“Yeah. He was part of the Supreme Command.”
I didn't know much about military organizations or affiliations, so I pretended to understand.
“I guess he was a good person. It’s great to see him helping us like this.”
Noah stared blankly into space, as if recalling something. The streetlight filtering through the curtains cast a faint shadow over his face. A dark shadow fell on one side, giving him a look of anguish.
"I don't know what's good or bad. If they were good people, they shouldn't have died. Others might see us as bad people, too."
“Hmm... Judging by your personality, you seem like a good person. People usually take after their parents, don’t they?”
Although he feels a strange lack, he also possesses basic gentlemanly and noble manners, such as opening doors first and laying out handkerchiefs on the seats. This is directly related to education.
"Yeah. They're good people to me. My father was a good husband to my mother, too. When she was sick, he would sit here and watch over her until she fell asleep."
Suddenly, the corners of Noah's mouth curved slightly, and he added calmly.
"Outside, he devised efficient methods and strategies for killing people and gave the orders. But while trying to save someone else's life, he died in an accident with my mother. Isn't that strange? He is a bad person. He killed countless people. Whether they were good or bad. You're the only one I ever saved."
A subtle discomfort crossed Noah's eyes at the part where he "died saving others." Perhaps it was resentment toward his parents, who had died, leaving behind a young son, while saving strangers whose faces he had never seen.
“It depends on the situation...”
I am a selfish, individualistic person, so I have no altruism towards people I don't know.
However, there is a certain line, and social standards of morality and ethics are followed, but there was no attempt to teach or enlighten by adding a commentary on yesterday's murder.
I'm the type of person who doesn't care about harming others unless they harm me first. Besides, I have no compassion for the guards and mercenaries who tried to kill me.
Those people may be good people to someone, a precious family. But that's none of my business. Otherwise, I'd be dead first.
In a world where millions die because of a single frontline position, where compassion means being killed by the enemy first, it was impossible to think of others first when one's life was at stake.
Good deeds, virtues, and compassion are only possible when we have the luxury of self-sufficiency, and peace is a prerequisite. War turns everyone into monsters who disregard life. It's horrifying.
I dozed off for a moment, not knowing when I'd fallen asleep. Then, feeling the dazzling sunlight on my eyelids, I opened my eyes. Perhaps because I'm relatively healthy, my cold healed surprisingly quickly.
As I was preparing to leave, the maid brought me a blouse, a skirt, a coat with ribbons, and a long black wig.
"It would be wise to leave it behind. Since you resemble a Medaian in appearance, you should be able to travel safely once you escape North Caltz."
She packed my underwear, socks, and clothes in a large, square suitcase, and also gave Medea a forged ID.
“The master has prepared this for you. May God bless you.”
"Thank you."
After putting on my wig, I briefly thanked her and went down to the front door. Noah, wearing a gray-green Northern Army officer's coat with dark sable fur on the collar, offered me his hand as if to invite me to come.
He looked at me and smiled.
“Long hair is also pretty.”
I stepped out of the mansion with Noah. There was a different car parked at the front door than the one Belford had driven.
“I was thinking of taking the train, but it didn’t work out. I’ll book the train ride next time.”
He sounded strangely excited, as if he were truly going on a trip. Watching the snowy winter landscape and fairytale-like houses pass by outside the car window, the world awash in white, I momentarily forgot my fugitive status.
As I passed the gray, shell-shocked scene, the ruins of collapsed buildings, and the hideous steel frames, I felt a renewed sense of dread.
We drove for several hours, leaving North Caltz, the Frogen Empire, and entering a neutral country. Fortunately, the snow had been cleared, presumably to allow for the armored vehicles to pass, so we arrived quickly.
“Even though the soldiers shot a lot when we crossed the Belford border, the Princess slept very well. Hmm... She’s sleeping again.”
Noah, who was driving, looked at me and spoke with a curious tone. I was dozing off again, covered in a wool blanket, when I suddenly came to. Whenever I get in a car, I feel sleepy, as if I'm suffering from narcolepsy.
“Uh... I get sleepy just by riding in the car.”
“I feel like you can sleep well anywhere.”
Outside the car window, the sky had darkened, and the buildings had changed dramatically. And it seemed colder here than in North Calz.
But the quiet atmosphere and the charming houses with their red, triangular roofs reminded me of Eastern Europe, a place I'd visited before. Baroque stone statues adorned the river that ran through the city center and the bridges that connected the towns.
Above the road, a man wearing a hat and overalls was lighting a gas lamp by lighting it with a long stick on a street lamp.
“We’ll stay in Hagen today and leave tomorrow.”
Noah parked the car to one side, got out, and escorted me. As soon as I got out, I was startled by the bitter cold and pulled my cashmere coat tightly around me.
It's so romantic that you'll forget all about the excitement of traveling to a city and going on a date.
“Why is it so cold? Aren’t you cold?”
“Soldiers don’t get cold.”
“You’re not a soldier anymore.”
“Yes. Then I’ll be the knight who protects the Princess.”
But how long do I have to keep up the Princess concept? I followed him, enduring the tingling sensation of unfamiliar affection. We went to a nearby restaurant and had a meal with warm wine.
I was a little concerned about his financial sense, as he ordered an expensive steak even though it was clearly a situation where he needed to save money.
“Do you know anyone who lives here?”
"No."
“Then where do you sleep?”
Noah took the plate, cut the steak for me, and placed it in front of me, answering nonchalantly.
"Hotel."
I kept my mouth shut for a moment and watched his expression. You didn't mean for us, as lovers, to go to a hotel, did you?
I tried to banish the dangerous red image that was rising. I smiled nonchalantly, reminding myself, "I'm the one who's rotten."
"Yes. I'll buy it for you tomorrow. I always get help and take advantage of it."
The inside pocket of the coat my nanny had given me before I was locked up in solitary confinement contained the prize money from a contest. I don't know how she found the prize money I'd hidden, but she must have put it there beforehand.
You could exchange your money here, in a neutral country, and then return to Medea to exchange it for more. With around 3 million, you could probably rent a decent place to live, even if it's not near a train station.
“Yeah. Thank you.”
Noah smiled prettily.
After leaving the restaurant, he led me to a magnificent, luxurious hotel, at least a five-star hotel, that looked incredibly expensive. I looked at Noah with a disapproving look.
“We need to save money now... I can sleep anywhere, right? I can even sleep in the car.”
“How can a Princess sleep anywhere?”
“I told you I slept well.”
"It's amazing. They say there's hot spring water here. The bedding and furniture are all top-notch."
His characteristic temperament came out. He ignored everything I said. I sighed and followed him in.
If I continue like this, I'll probably end up in poverty, but there's a way out. It feels like taking in a rich, reckless person who's bankrupt but still spends the same amount of money.
Entering the overly luxurious hotel room together, I stood in the middle of the room and was silent for a moment.
He casually takes off his coat, sits on the velvet sofa, and opens a newspaper lying on the table.
“You only rented one room?”
"Yes."
I clenched and unclenched my hands, feeling an inexplicable tension. Even though it was cold, my palms were sweaty.
“Then let’s sleep together...”
"Due to circumstances, I can only rent one room. The Princess needs to stay somewhere comfortable. I'll take care of it."
Noah lowered the newspaper he was reading and smiled with his eyes, but a pity that seemed to strongly suggest a protective instinct was evident.
It's full of a devoted atmosphere that says, 'I'm really okay, as long as you're comfortable.'
Doing whatever you want? Are you saying I'm the only one enjoying the luxury while that man sleeps outside? Even though I'm self-centered, I hate hurting others, so shamelessness and guilt wash over me.
If it weren't for me, he would still be living comfortably, eating well, his back warm and his stomach full. Feeling a stiffness of guilt, I carefully made a suggestion, fidgeting with the hem of my skirt.
“Let’s just sleep here together. It’s cold, where else are you going to sleep...?”
I don't know if it was my imagination or if Noah's gaze suddenly sharpened. The corners of his mouth lifted in satisfaction, and his blue eyes narrowed into crescent moons.
It's like the look in the eyes of a strategist who has finally succeeded in a plan he had prepared for a long time.
“Shall we sleep together? The Princess is still very active.”
The newspaper in Noah's hand had long since drifted away.
I'd forgotten for a moment that he was a pitiful man. A vixen who would tell me what he wanted.
Noah rose from his seat and came closer, swiping my hair behind my ear. The feeling of his fingers lightly brushing my jawline made me shiver involuntarily and shrug my shoulders slightly.
The neat, ascetic collar of his shirt, locked with a serene gaze, aroused my sense of depravity and made me feel unbearably sensual. Noah looked at me with languid eyes.
And he spoke in an overly brainwashing, breathy voice.
“Then go wash up first.”
Oh my god. Why is that guy so wild when he didn't do anything?
Comments
Post a Comment