Lucian's reddish-brown eyes, which had seemed as solid as bricks, suddenly became blurry.
As Ravieli hesitated, her wrist caught in the man's gaze, his eyes became moist, like dew forming on delicate blades of grass.
“Please. Everything feels awkward and unfamiliar to me right now.”
Ravieli almost blurted out, 'You swindler, you liar!'
Because those who were attached to the mansion in pursuit of Theano's money always ended up crying in the end.
“I know what you’re thinking, but I can’t just send you with a maid or a servant.”
Lucian slowly relaxed his strength.
However, the hot feeling she felt on her wrist was actually getting stronger.
"You were out for a walk, and so was I. We share the same goal, so we're just walking in the same direction."
Ravieli almost burst out laughing at Lucian's natural, innocent speech.
'That tongue-twitching is no ordinary bet. He must be a conman.'
Even though she knew she should turn back with a cool head, Ravieli listened to Lucian's ramblings.
“Please.”
Finally, Ravieli sighed in resignation and answered as coldly as possible.
“Yes, but not too late.”
“Yes, lady.”
He didn't seem like a trustworthy man.
He was talking a lot to lighten the mood, but it felt secretive, and all he could say was superficial talk.
Yet, it was very strange that she was following Lucian's words.
“Rabieli, why do you think I’m here?”
Lucian asked such a heavy question and walked silently for a while.
As soon as he closed his mouth, the atmosphere that had been somewhat comfortable cooled down in an instant.
She guessed he was just trying to organize his thoughts.
Ravieli carefully turned her head and looked at Lucian.
Does a man who looks so relaxed have worries?
Or is he just pretending to have worries and packaging me up?
In fact, either way, Ravieli thought it had nothing to do with her.
"Well."
“...Because of my mother’s will.”
If it hadn't been dark, she might have been able to see Lucian's expression in more detail.
But she could already guess his feelings just from his voice.
"It's not important, but anyway, I ended up living here. That was my mother's last will and testament."
“I feel sorry for your mother.”
"It's okay. If leaving can be more peaceful than living."
The words he blurted out felt like they were scraping apart Ravieli's heart with charcoal.
Perhaps the saying that leaving can be more peaceful than living was meant for Ravieli.
A life where she could not leave the mansion without Theano's permission, and had to endure sadistic acts every night.
The only thing she can do is take a couple of laps around the garden and reread a novel she read hundreds of times.
She, too, found her current life as painful as death.
Then suddenly, she remembered her younger sibling whom she lost when she was very young.
Is he alive, or is he dead?
Perhaps she should consider herself fortunate to have left Lewin without seeing this terrible sight.
She's enough to live a miserable life by herself.
The younger brother that Ravieli remembers is just a very small and adorable baby's face.
'Yeah... Maybe that's a good thing.'
Lucian quietly made the sign of the cross to the god of the empire.
Ravieli, who was watching the scene, also carefully followed Lucian.
'I hope you are at peace.'
After walking ten more steps in silence, Lucian finally spoke again.
It seemed like he wanted to make up for the heavy atmosphere caused by the story he brought up.
“Ravieli, do you often go out for walks at night?”
“Sometimes.”
Ravieli thought he was asking a transparent question.
If I say I come out often at night, are you planning to follow me?
"No."
"Is it so?"
Lucian dragged out his words as if he didn't believe Ravieli's words.
“Then why did you come out today?”
“Just.”
Lucian smiled inwardly at the dry answer and asked back.
“Aren’t you lonely if you come out alone?”
“That’s why I came out.”
Lucian burst out laughing at Ravieli's words.
“You’re coming out because you’re lonely?”
“Yes, because I want to be alone.”
Ravieli let her emotions flow without her knowing it.
As soon as the tightly locked door is released, all the words that have been held back come pouring out.
Lucian didn't miss it.
"Why?"
“You said it was nice to have a home that felt like home, but I’ve never really felt like home here.”
That was true.
After entering the mansion, Ravieli was not happy for a single moment.
Because it wasn't her will that held onto her life.
Lucian raised the corners of his mouth subtly, as if he had noticed something.
However, he opened his mouth cautiously, as if trying to avoid saying anything that might offend Ravieli.
“Are you originally from Rotten?”
She didn't want to talk about her origins. The past still haunted Ravieli.
When she first came to Rotten, Ravieli wondered how much time would have to pass before her memories would fade.
She didn't even wish for happiness. She just wanted an ordinary life to be added to her bruised heart.
But Rotten, or rather Theano's mansion, completely shattered Ravieli's expectations.
“Ravieli?”
Lucian's voice woke Ravieli.
"Yes."
“Are you originally from Rotten?”
“No, I lived in Rob.”
“Oh, you came from a nice city.”
Lucian's words once again pierce Ravieli's heart.
"Yes."
When Ravieli answered calmly, Lucian seemed to hesitate about whether to ask the next question.
“?”
“Why did you have to come all the way to Rotten...?”
He wanted to ask if she believed Theano Meyer.
A very young and beautiful woman at first glance.
Lucian wanted to know what on earth she was carrying here.
If she didn't tell him, he was going to find out somehow.
"I don't want to go into detail. Anyway, I'm grateful that the Marquis accepted me."
“...”
The death of her parents and the downfall of her family, things that were difficult to handle alone, made Ravieli feel quite strong.
Only survival is meaningful.
Nothing else mattered.
Listening to the servants' gossip, living like a bird trapped in a cage, everything.
“It looks difficult.”
There was no answer to that.
Perhaps it was because no one had ever said anything like this to her since she entered Theano's mansion.
At that moment, Lucian threw a stone at Ravieli's chest.
“Do you want to run away?”
Then he smiles calmly as if nothing happened.
“What did you say?”
“Why are you so surprised? I was just joking. I heard it was hard.”
Only then did Ravieli put her hand on her chest, wondering if she had raised her voice too loudly.
But all she can feel is her heart beating fast.
It was a very brief moment.
A sense of doubt and a burning sense of shame that her reaction was foolish are eating away at Ravieli.
“I was joking. Are you mad?”
Lucian asked her as he followed her, her pace quickening without her realizing it.
“No, but I don’t find that kind of joke funny.”
"Sorry."
Ravieli walked with her eyes on her toes.
She wanted to say something to change the mood, but somehow she felt suffocated.
In the end, she ended up making a full circle around the huge mansion.
It was a walk that was somewhat fruitful for both of them.
Lucian managed to break down some of the solid wall that had been built around her, and Ravieli learned that Lucian wasn't just a reckless, rambunctious brat.
Of course, the shadow of being a fraud couldn't be erased.
“Ravieli, you’ve walked for quite some time, so you’ll probably sleep well now.”
Lucian, standing in front of the door, added lazily to Ravieli.
“Good night, lady.”
"Yes."
When Ravieli, who had responded dryly, turned around to leave.
“My name is Lucian.”
Lucian said that and raised one eyebrow.
Ravieli deliberately avoided mentioning his name.
Calling the name didn't mean anything, but somehow she felt like she shouldn't say it.
Even though the wall she had erected in front of him was weaker than it had been at first, Lucian was a man she could never approach.
But Lucian was slowly turning the mud wall Ravieli had built, sticking one finger into it.
“Yes. Good night.”
“My name is Lucian.”
“...”
“Yws, I’ll stop, lady.”
It was when Lucian smiled lazily and waved his hand.
Ravieli licked her lips and muttered in a faint voice.
“Yes, Lucian Meyer.”
As Ravieli hesitated, her wrist caught in the man's gaze, his eyes became moist, like dew forming on delicate blades of grass.
“Please. Everything feels awkward and unfamiliar to me right now.”
Ravieli almost blurted out, 'You swindler, you liar!'
Because those who were attached to the mansion in pursuit of Theano's money always ended up crying in the end.
“I know what you’re thinking, but I can’t just send you with a maid or a servant.”
Lucian slowly relaxed his strength.
However, the hot feeling she felt on her wrist was actually getting stronger.
"You were out for a walk, and so was I. We share the same goal, so we're just walking in the same direction."
Ravieli almost burst out laughing at Lucian's natural, innocent speech.
'That tongue-twitching is no ordinary bet. He must be a conman.'
Even though she knew she should turn back with a cool head, Ravieli listened to Lucian's ramblings.
“Please.”
Finally, Ravieli sighed in resignation and answered as coldly as possible.
“Yes, but not too late.”
“Yes, lady.”
He didn't seem like a trustworthy man.
He was talking a lot to lighten the mood, but it felt secretive, and all he could say was superficial talk.
Yet, it was very strange that she was following Lucian's words.
“Rabieli, why do you think I’m here?”
Lucian asked such a heavy question and walked silently for a while.
As soon as he closed his mouth, the atmosphere that had been somewhat comfortable cooled down in an instant.
She guessed he was just trying to organize his thoughts.
Ravieli carefully turned her head and looked at Lucian.
Does a man who looks so relaxed have worries?
Or is he just pretending to have worries and packaging me up?
In fact, either way, Ravieli thought it had nothing to do with her.
"Well."
“...Because of my mother’s will.”
If it hadn't been dark, she might have been able to see Lucian's expression in more detail.
But she could already guess his feelings just from his voice.
"It's not important, but anyway, I ended up living here. That was my mother's last will and testament."
“I feel sorry for your mother.”
"It's okay. If leaving can be more peaceful than living."
The words he blurted out felt like they were scraping apart Ravieli's heart with charcoal.
Perhaps the saying that leaving can be more peaceful than living was meant for Ravieli.
A life where she could not leave the mansion without Theano's permission, and had to endure sadistic acts every night.
The only thing she can do is take a couple of laps around the garden and reread a novel she read hundreds of times.
She, too, found her current life as painful as death.
Then suddenly, she remembered her younger sibling whom she lost when she was very young.
Is he alive, or is he dead?
Perhaps she should consider herself fortunate to have left Lewin without seeing this terrible sight.
She's enough to live a miserable life by herself.
The younger brother that Ravieli remembers is just a very small and adorable baby's face.
'Yeah... Maybe that's a good thing.'
Lucian quietly made the sign of the cross to the god of the empire.
Ravieli, who was watching the scene, also carefully followed Lucian.
'I hope you are at peace.'
After walking ten more steps in silence, Lucian finally spoke again.
It seemed like he wanted to make up for the heavy atmosphere caused by the story he brought up.
“Ravieli, do you often go out for walks at night?”
“Sometimes.”
Ravieli thought he was asking a transparent question.
If I say I come out often at night, are you planning to follow me?
"No."
"Is it so?"
Lucian dragged out his words as if he didn't believe Ravieli's words.
“Then why did you come out today?”
“Just.”
Lucian smiled inwardly at the dry answer and asked back.
“Aren’t you lonely if you come out alone?”
“That’s why I came out.”
Lucian burst out laughing at Ravieli's words.
“You’re coming out because you’re lonely?”
“Yes, because I want to be alone.”
Ravieli let her emotions flow without her knowing it.
As soon as the tightly locked door is released, all the words that have been held back come pouring out.
Lucian didn't miss it.
"Why?"
“You said it was nice to have a home that felt like home, but I’ve never really felt like home here.”
That was true.
After entering the mansion, Ravieli was not happy for a single moment.
Because it wasn't her will that held onto her life.
Lucian raised the corners of his mouth subtly, as if he had noticed something.
However, he opened his mouth cautiously, as if trying to avoid saying anything that might offend Ravieli.
“Are you originally from Rotten?”
She didn't want to talk about her origins. The past still haunted Ravieli.
When she first came to Rotten, Ravieli wondered how much time would have to pass before her memories would fade.
She didn't even wish for happiness. She just wanted an ordinary life to be added to her bruised heart.
But Rotten, or rather Theano's mansion, completely shattered Ravieli's expectations.
“Ravieli?”
Lucian's voice woke Ravieli.
"Yes."
“Are you originally from Rotten?”
“No, I lived in Rob.”
“Oh, you came from a nice city.”
Lucian's words once again pierce Ravieli's heart.
"Yes."
When Ravieli answered calmly, Lucian seemed to hesitate about whether to ask the next question.
“?”
“Why did you have to come all the way to Rotten...?”
He wanted to ask if she believed Theano Meyer.
A very young and beautiful woman at first glance.
Lucian wanted to know what on earth she was carrying here.
If she didn't tell him, he was going to find out somehow.
"I don't want to go into detail. Anyway, I'm grateful that the Marquis accepted me."
“...”
The death of her parents and the downfall of her family, things that were difficult to handle alone, made Ravieli feel quite strong.
Only survival is meaningful.
Nothing else mattered.
Listening to the servants' gossip, living like a bird trapped in a cage, everything.
“It looks difficult.”
There was no answer to that.
Perhaps it was because no one had ever said anything like this to her since she entered Theano's mansion.
At that moment, Lucian threw a stone at Ravieli's chest.
“Do you want to run away?”
Then he smiles calmly as if nothing happened.
“What did you say?”
“Why are you so surprised? I was just joking. I heard it was hard.”
Only then did Ravieli put her hand on her chest, wondering if she had raised her voice too loudly.
But all she can feel is her heart beating fast.
It was a very brief moment.
A sense of doubt and a burning sense of shame that her reaction was foolish are eating away at Ravieli.
“I was joking. Are you mad?”
Lucian asked her as he followed her, her pace quickening without her realizing it.
“No, but I don’t find that kind of joke funny.”
"Sorry."
Ravieli walked with her eyes on her toes.
She wanted to say something to change the mood, but somehow she felt suffocated.
In the end, she ended up making a full circle around the huge mansion.
It was a walk that was somewhat fruitful for both of them.
Lucian managed to break down some of the solid wall that had been built around her, and Ravieli learned that Lucian wasn't just a reckless, rambunctious brat.
Of course, the shadow of being a fraud couldn't be erased.
“Ravieli, you’ve walked for quite some time, so you’ll probably sleep well now.”
Lucian, standing in front of the door, added lazily to Ravieli.
“Good night, lady.”
"Yes."
When Ravieli, who had responded dryly, turned around to leave.
“My name is Lucian.”
Lucian said that and raised one eyebrow.
Ravieli deliberately avoided mentioning his name.
Calling the name didn't mean anything, but somehow she felt like she shouldn't say it.
Even though the wall she had erected in front of him was weaker than it had been at first, Lucian was a man she could never approach.
But Lucian was slowly turning the mud wall Ravieli had built, sticking one finger into it.
“Yes. Good night.”
“My name is Lucian.”
“...”
“Yws, I’ll stop, lady.”
It was when Lucian smiled lazily and waved his hand.
Ravieli licked her lips and muttered in a faint voice.
“Yes, Lucian Meyer.”
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