She was pushing the chair away and leaving the table.
“Have you finished eating already?”
"Yes."
“You left something so delicious behind and got up.”
Ravieli turned away without answering.
But his voice holds Ravieli back again.
"The Meyer family's mansion is as magnificent and magnificent as a castle. Do you manage it all?"
“...”
Lucian continued speaking listlessly, as if talking to himself.
“Who’s the butler? How long will it take to refurbish my room?”
“...”
“This is my first time in Rotten, so is there a herbal medicine shop nearby?”
“Hey.”
At first, she tried not to say anything to this man.
He may be the son of a Marquis, but he has nothing to do with her.
Besides, he had clearly said earlier that he would go on a tour of the mansion alone, but as soon as the Marquis left, he began to chatter like a sparrow.
"Yes."
Lucian Meyer put down his fork and looked up at Ravieli.
His eyes were full of youthful vitality, and a pleasant smile hung on his lips.
“Didn’t you say earlier that you wanted to look around alone?”
“I changed my mind.”
“...”
“Because the landlady knows the mansion best.”
Lucian joked, his lips stretched out to both sides.
Of course, Ravieli had no intention of accepting Lucian's words.
“Mage.”
“Yes, Miss.”
“You tell him who the butler is and when the room will be cleaned.”
After giving orders to Mage, Ravieli immediately turned around.
“You’re quite cool-headed. I understand.”
Lucian Meyer's voice was heard again from behind.
But Ravieli went up to the second floor without saying anything.
In fact, she felt more uncomfortable than necessary whenever Lucian spoke to her.
Of course, this was just the beginning.
When silence began to slowly descend on the spacious mansion.
Ravieli, who was thinking about reading a book or doing some sewing, decided to put everything down and just go outside.
Ravieli wore a thin coat and held a candlestick.
Because she didn't want to enjoy a walk in the dark, shivering with fear.
When everyone was asleep, being alone and enjoying leisure was the only luxury she was allowed.
Ravieli came down the stairs cautiously without making a sound.
She was shaking off her distracting thoughts, but ironically, as she passed the dining hall, the events of a while ago came flooding back to her.
'If you find it hard to believe... shall I prove it to you?'
'It's all here.'
'You don't know how stupid a man in love can be.'
The words Lucian left behind came back to her vividly.
What does it mean when a man in love becomes dull?
Ravieli thought of Theano's piercing eyes and the shadows behind his face.
He was a man known to have devoted himself solely to his studies and research after losing his wife several years ago.
He was a doctor of considerable reputation in the empire, and at the same time, he was also a virtuous and upright scholar.
Ravieli felt very fortunate to have such a Marquis as his guardian.
A family implicated in a terrible fraud and treason, parents who were proven innocent but eventually passed away, and a title that was left in the air.
A past where she narrowly escaped death, but was torn to pieces by those she trusted with her remaining wealth, leaving only her body.
Entering the home of a man old enough to be her father was initially terrifying, but Ravieli soon realized that being thrown into a world where there was no one to protect her was even more terrifying.
She believed the Marquis would be a good man.
Because he was a respected scholar and a famous doctor in the Rotton area.
'What a stupid idea that was.'
Theano was a completely different person from what people saw from the outside.
Like the others, Ravieli only learned of this after entering the mansion.
She was about to quickly go out the door, biting her teeth as she thought about it deeply, thinking that the events of the previous night would come back to her.
“...!”
What was faintly visible in the darkness was clearly a person's shadow.
Ravieli stood frozen in front of the door.
'Draud?'
It was definitely Lucian standing blankly in the front yard.
Fortunately, what Ravieli encountered was his back.
Ravieli carefully turned her skirt, hoping her footsteps would be drowned out by the wind.
But something caught the hem of her skirt.
“Hello, lady.”
It was definitely not the wind that brushed the back of her head.
A man's voice, languid but quite accurate and clear.
Ravieli pretended not to hear and tried to go inside.
“Ravieli?”
The voice holding Ravieli lazily wraps its arms around her waist and turns her around.
"Yes."
It was fortunate that it was dark.
Because the muscles in her face that tremble slightly will not be fully revealed.
“Why did you come out instead of sleeping?”
“I’m going to... go for a walk.”
Ravieli was answering Lucian's questions without even realizing it.
At that moment, she was wondering if she should have said something like, "I came out for a moment and was on my way back in," or "I heard a sound and came out and was on my way back in."
“Shall we walk together?”
There is a unique flavor in Lucian's voice.
She wonders if the herbal tea she drinks when she can't sleep smells similar to this.
“No, I just thought I’d take a quick walk in the garden.”
"Me too."
“...”
Lucian smiled languidly and approached Ravieli.
“Now that we’re a family, don’t put up too many walls.”
Lucian said, matching his pace to Ravieli's.
The faint scent had become stronger than before.
“Did you hear from my father?”
“What are you talking about?”
When Ravieli asked again, Lucian continued speaking.
“I will be living here from now on.”
"...Yes."
“It went well, didn’t it? For the first time, I’m living in a house that feels like home.”
Lucian looked down at Ravieli's head and smiled.
Fortunately, Ravieli didn't see that natural smile.
“By the way, what should we do from now on?”
"Yes?"
“If you want to be polite and respectful, then do so.”
Ravieli didn't know what to say in response.
'I wish we had never met in the first place.'
“I think it would be better to just call me Ravieli.”
Ravieli, who had been thinking, carefully lowers her voice.
“Is that so?”
"Yes."
“Yes, Ravieli. But... sometimes, when I need to, I call you ma’am.”
Lucian threw a joke at Ravieli to try to loosen up her frozen face.
But she didn't laugh.
The man, with an embarrassed expression, waved his hands back and forth vigorously and spoke again.
“The night air is nice, isn’t it?”
"Yes."
“The moon is bright too.”
"Yes."
“It’s dark, so I can’t see very well, but... it looks like you’ve kept the garden quite nicely. Did you do it?”
"No."
Ravieli was mechanically answering Lucian's questions. He was the man she'd met only a day before.
Of course, he was a man who would live in the same space in the future.
But he spoke to Ravieli in a friendly manner, as if he had known her for a long time.
Ravieli was scared.
Every time this young, lovely man spoke to her, every time his heavy feet touched the floor, and every time his breath was carried by the wind.
She was terribly scared.
Although she couldn't quite explain why she was scared, Ravieli was terrified of the time she spent walking with him.
How much time had passed, monotonous and suffocating, for a conversation to be called that?
It was when she was walking through the garden and heading towards the backyard.
Lucian's voice came flying in, sounding somewhat hazier than before.
“Are you usually that quiet?”
"Yes."
“And you have a quiet personality?”
"Yes."
“Are you going to marry my father?”
"... Yes?"
“Have you finished eating already?”
"Yes."
“You left something so delicious behind and got up.”
Ravieli turned away without answering.
But his voice holds Ravieli back again.
"The Meyer family's mansion is as magnificent and magnificent as a castle. Do you manage it all?"
“...”
Lucian continued speaking listlessly, as if talking to himself.
“Who’s the butler? How long will it take to refurbish my room?”
“...”
“This is my first time in Rotten, so is there a herbal medicine shop nearby?”
“Hey.”
At first, she tried not to say anything to this man.
He may be the son of a Marquis, but he has nothing to do with her.
Besides, he had clearly said earlier that he would go on a tour of the mansion alone, but as soon as the Marquis left, he began to chatter like a sparrow.
"Yes."
Lucian Meyer put down his fork and looked up at Ravieli.
His eyes were full of youthful vitality, and a pleasant smile hung on his lips.
“Didn’t you say earlier that you wanted to look around alone?”
“I changed my mind.”
“...”
“Because the landlady knows the mansion best.”
Lucian joked, his lips stretched out to both sides.
Of course, Ravieli had no intention of accepting Lucian's words.
“Mage.”
“Yes, Miss.”
“You tell him who the butler is and when the room will be cleaned.”
After giving orders to Mage, Ravieli immediately turned around.
“You’re quite cool-headed. I understand.”
Lucian Meyer's voice was heard again from behind.
But Ravieli went up to the second floor without saying anything.
In fact, she felt more uncomfortable than necessary whenever Lucian spoke to her.
Of course, this was just the beginning.
***
When silence began to slowly descend on the spacious mansion.
Ravieli, who was thinking about reading a book or doing some sewing, decided to put everything down and just go outside.
Ravieli wore a thin coat and held a candlestick.
Because she didn't want to enjoy a walk in the dark, shivering with fear.
When everyone was asleep, being alone and enjoying leisure was the only luxury she was allowed.
Ravieli came down the stairs cautiously without making a sound.
She was shaking off her distracting thoughts, but ironically, as she passed the dining hall, the events of a while ago came flooding back to her.
'If you find it hard to believe... shall I prove it to you?'
'It's all here.'
'You don't know how stupid a man in love can be.'
The words Lucian left behind came back to her vividly.
What does it mean when a man in love becomes dull?
Ravieli thought of Theano's piercing eyes and the shadows behind his face.
He was a man known to have devoted himself solely to his studies and research after losing his wife several years ago.
He was a doctor of considerable reputation in the empire, and at the same time, he was also a virtuous and upright scholar.
Ravieli felt very fortunate to have such a Marquis as his guardian.
A family implicated in a terrible fraud and treason, parents who were proven innocent but eventually passed away, and a title that was left in the air.
A past where she narrowly escaped death, but was torn to pieces by those she trusted with her remaining wealth, leaving only her body.
Entering the home of a man old enough to be her father was initially terrifying, but Ravieli soon realized that being thrown into a world where there was no one to protect her was even more terrifying.
She believed the Marquis would be a good man.
Because he was a respected scholar and a famous doctor in the Rotton area.
'What a stupid idea that was.'
Theano was a completely different person from what people saw from the outside.
Like the others, Ravieli only learned of this after entering the mansion.
She was about to quickly go out the door, biting her teeth as she thought about it deeply, thinking that the events of the previous night would come back to her.
“...!”
What was faintly visible in the darkness was clearly a person's shadow.
Ravieli stood frozen in front of the door.
'Draud?'
It was definitely Lucian standing blankly in the front yard.
Fortunately, what Ravieli encountered was his back.
Ravieli carefully turned her skirt, hoping her footsteps would be drowned out by the wind.
But something caught the hem of her skirt.
“Hello, lady.”
It was definitely not the wind that brushed the back of her head.
A man's voice, languid but quite accurate and clear.
Ravieli pretended not to hear and tried to go inside.
“Ravieli?”
The voice holding Ravieli lazily wraps its arms around her waist and turns her around.
"Yes."
It was fortunate that it was dark.
Because the muscles in her face that tremble slightly will not be fully revealed.
“Why did you come out instead of sleeping?”
“I’m going to... go for a walk.”
Ravieli was answering Lucian's questions without even realizing it.
At that moment, she was wondering if she should have said something like, "I came out for a moment and was on my way back in," or "I heard a sound and came out and was on my way back in."
“Shall we walk together?”
There is a unique flavor in Lucian's voice.
She wonders if the herbal tea she drinks when she can't sleep smells similar to this.
“No, I just thought I’d take a quick walk in the garden.”
"Me too."
“...”
Lucian smiled languidly and approached Ravieli.
“Now that we’re a family, don’t put up too many walls.”
Lucian said, matching his pace to Ravieli's.
The faint scent had become stronger than before.
“Did you hear from my father?”
“What are you talking about?”
When Ravieli asked again, Lucian continued speaking.
“I will be living here from now on.”
"...Yes."
“It went well, didn’t it? For the first time, I’m living in a house that feels like home.”
Lucian looked down at Ravieli's head and smiled.
Fortunately, Ravieli didn't see that natural smile.
“By the way, what should we do from now on?”
"Yes?"
“If you want to be polite and respectful, then do so.”
Ravieli didn't know what to say in response.
'I wish we had never met in the first place.'
“I think it would be better to just call me Ravieli.”
Ravieli, who had been thinking, carefully lowers her voice.
“Is that so?”
"Yes."
“Yes, Ravieli. But... sometimes, when I need to, I call you ma’am.”
Lucian threw a joke at Ravieli to try to loosen up her frozen face.
But she didn't laugh.
The man, with an embarrassed expression, waved his hands back and forth vigorously and spoke again.
“The night air is nice, isn’t it?”
"Yes."
“The moon is bright too.”
"Yes."
“It’s dark, so I can’t see very well, but... it looks like you’ve kept the garden quite nicely. Did you do it?”
"No."
Ravieli was mechanically answering Lucian's questions. He was the man she'd met only a day before.
Of course, he was a man who would live in the same space in the future.
But he spoke to Ravieli in a friendly manner, as if he had known her for a long time.
Ravieli was scared.
Every time this young, lovely man spoke to her, every time his heavy feet touched the floor, and every time his breath was carried by the wind.
She was terribly scared.
Although she couldn't quite explain why she was scared, Ravieli was terrified of the time she spent walking with him.
How much time had passed, monotonous and suffocating, for a conversation to be called that?
It was when she was walking through the garden and heading towards the backyard.
Lucian's voice came flying in, sounding somewhat hazier than before.
“Are you usually that quiet?”
"Yes."
“And you have a quiet personality?”
"Yes."
“Are you going to marry my father?”
"... Yes?"
She kept her composure throughout, but she couldn't do that on the last question.
When she looked up at him, his hazel eyes, shining brightly even in the darkness, were staring at Ravieli as if they were piercing through her.
“That... question is a bit rude.”
“Was that so?”
She expected Lucian to show jer his usual elegant smile, but his smile was colder than she expected.
Then suddenly he stopped dead in his tracks.
Ravieli also stopped walking after Lucian.
“I just wanted to get to know you a little better, and I apologize if I offended you.”
But contrary to his words, he showed no sign of regret.
Ravieli replied, swallowing dry saliva.
“I don’t think you really need to know since I’m not going to be a real mother.”
Ravieli, who had been answering only, spoke with a firm voice for the first time.
Even if he was the son of a Marquis, or even if he was acknowledged as such, it had nothing to do with her.
Of course, Theano already thought of her as a woman of the Meyers, and although it wasn't entirely unrelated to this matter, she didn't want to get close to Lucian.
“Are you scared of me?”
Lucian asked as if he had seen right through Ravieli's mind.
“Why am I afraid of you?”
“It just seems that way.”
Elegant golden hair that seemed like it could be sold for a price. Red-brown eyes that seemed too precious to gaze at for too long were staring at Ravieli.
“I have to go in now.”
"Wait a minute."
It was the moment she was about to turn around and leave.
A hot and cold sensation touched Ravieli's wrist.
“Wait, Ravieli.”
“No, I... I have to go in now.”
The other hand holding the candlestick trembled.
The hot air that started from her wrist took her breath away.
“Don’t go.”
“...”
“The night is long. Let’s talk a little more.”
“...”
“Yes? Please do so. Since today is my first night here.”
“...”
“The first time never comes again. So please spend some time with me just today.”
When she looked up at him, his hazel eyes, shining brightly even in the darkness, were staring at Ravieli as if they were piercing through her.
“That... question is a bit rude.”
“Was that so?”
She expected Lucian to show jer his usual elegant smile, but his smile was colder than she expected.
Then suddenly he stopped dead in his tracks.
Ravieli also stopped walking after Lucian.
“I just wanted to get to know you a little better, and I apologize if I offended you.”
But contrary to his words, he showed no sign of regret.
Ravieli replied, swallowing dry saliva.
“I don’t think you really need to know since I’m not going to be a real mother.”
Ravieli, who had been answering only, spoke with a firm voice for the first time.
Even if he was the son of a Marquis, or even if he was acknowledged as such, it had nothing to do with her.
Of course, Theano already thought of her as a woman of the Meyers, and although it wasn't entirely unrelated to this matter, she didn't want to get close to Lucian.
“Are you scared of me?”
Lucian asked as if he had seen right through Ravieli's mind.
“Why am I afraid of you?”
“It just seems that way.”
Elegant golden hair that seemed like it could be sold for a price. Red-brown eyes that seemed too precious to gaze at for too long were staring at Ravieli.
“I have to go in now.”
"Wait a minute."
It was the moment she was about to turn around and leave.
A hot and cold sensation touched Ravieli's wrist.
“Wait, Ravieli.”
“No, I... I have to go in now.”
The other hand holding the candlestick trembled.
The hot air that started from her wrist took her breath away.
“Don’t go.”
“...”
“The night is long. Let’s talk a little more.”
“...”
“Yes? Please do so. Since today is my first night here.”
“...”
“The first time never comes again. So please spend some time with me just today.”
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