'Actually, I think I fell for Etienne back then.'
She stroked her flushed cheeks and let out a long sigh. This was not the time to be lost in such sentimentality. She needed to make a concrete plan of where to go and what to do there.
"But I..."
There was a limit to the thoughts she could come up with, as she had barely ever left Regbell. Time was just passing by, and if she stayed foolish like this, she might end up marrying Count Noah just as Eli really wanted.
Just then, the sound of dreams being trampled was heard nearby, and startled Shioana looked around.
"...E, Etienne."
Shioana's eyes welled up with tears at the sight of his face, which she hadn't seen in a full fifteen days.
She couldn't meet Etienne due to the sudden funeral. Guests kept coming and going, and Eli was acting sensitive.
"I told you not to cry."
Etienne walked close to her with the same expression on his face. Looking at Etienne, it felt as though nothing would happen. Shioana ran to him with her arms outstretched and burst into tears.
Although she had never been able to cry freely since her father passed away, she could do so in Etienne's arms. As she cried until his shirt was soaked, Etienne gently stroked Shioana's back.
"I am sorry I couldn't be by your side when you must have had a hard time."
"No."
She shook her head with her face buried deep in Etienne's chest. It was Shioana who felt sorry. She had confessed her love and asked him to be with her, yet she was the one who hadn't been able to properly take care of him.
"But are you still not going to show me your face?"
It was the first time they were meeting properly after spending a beautiful night together. He had even tried to go see Shioana during that time. It wasn't that difficult to sneak into the bedroom upstairs under the cover of night.
But he held back, thinking of Shioana, who would be having a hard time.
"Not now!"
Shioana, having raised her voice, remained with her face pressed tightly against his chest. Etienne, who had been staring only at the crown of her head, raised his hand and gently stroked her hair.
He longed for the sensation of the thin brown hair scattering between his fingers.
"Do you already hate me?"
"...What?"
At his absurd words, Shioana lifted her head quite high.
"You're finally showing your face."
"Don't look right now, my face is ugly."
She tried to lower her head again, but Etienne's two hands held her cheeks, preventing her from doing so.
Etienne furrowed his brow at her bright red eyes, nose, and tear-smeared face. As expected, seeing Shioana cry was unpleasant. He gently wiped away her tears with his sleeve and then blew a soft breath of warm air on her face.
"It's not ugly at all."
"It will probably look like a toad..."
Shioana kept avoiding eye contact because she was embarrassed to have shown her heavily swollen face.
"The crying face... I mean..."
Etienne, who had been quietly gazing at her face, suddenly trailed off and turned his back on Shioana.
"You asked me to show you my face, and now what is this? Is it actually so ugly that it's hard to look at?"
When she avoided answering, Etienne turned his body away again.
"...That's not it."
Shioana became anxious at her lover's strange behavior after meeting him for the first time in fifteen days.
'Even though the two of us promised a future under the moonlight, if his heart has changed, there is nothing I can do.'
"Are you really going to do this? I've missed you so much all this time..."
When they met, there was so much she wanted to say, and a mountain of things they needed to discuss together. But seeing Etienne constantly trying to avoid her like this, it felt like the sky was falling.
"Miss..."
As she started to cry, Etienne had no choice but to turn around, pull Shioana closer, and hug her tightly.
"...?"
As she touched Etienne's body, Shioana could feel his heart beating ceaselessly fast and his body greatly swollen. Soon, Shioana's face flushed as if on fire.
"I told you it wasn't ugly at all."
Etienne bit his lip slightly and trailed off again, and she swallowed hard along with him. She recalled the rough breathing of Etienne, who was like a beast and wouldn't let her sleep all night long.
"Etienne, you really."
Shioana also stammered, not knowing what to say to her lover who had gotten agitated watching her cry. However, not wanting to let such precious time slip away, she hugged him just like that.
"You really like me a lot, don't you?"
“Yes, my lady.”
Etienne, with one arm wrapped around Shioana's back, buried his nose in the crown of her head and mumbled. At his affectionate voice, Shioana spoke the words she had prepared.
"Etienne, let's leave."
It was May now, and since the wedding was September, the timing was just right.
It would have been better to make a plan, but there wasn't much room for it. At her words, Etienne only tightened his grip and remained silent for a long time.
"I am worried that I might cause you trouble, Miss."
"Etienne, do you want me to marry Count Noah? Do you really want that?"
"That can't be true."
A strong sense of possessiveness flickered in Etienne's eyes as he wrapped his arms around her waist.
"I have already given myself to the young lady, so where do you think you can go?"
"Because you act like you regret it every time...."
"I apologize for not being able to assure you. I will not do so again in the future."
Etienne bowed his head and gave a kiss of vow.
***
"Miss, what is the matter?"
Shioana, who had called Martha late at night, whispered softly with the candle extinguished.
"Martha, I'm leaving here."
“Oh my gosh!”
Martha, who had been distracted by Viscount Evgenia's funeral, instantly looked grim.
"You'll come with me, right? Huh?"
"Miss, I really don't feel like it. What on earth do you plan to do going forward?"
Martha's concern was understandable.
How could Shioana, who had lived only in Regbell, possibly face the harsh world? It was a task that even Martha, who had worked for a long time, could not dare to attempt. Moreover, the young lady was, above all else, a noble person as a Viscount's daughter.
I cannot stand the sight of your hands getting wet, Miss.
Martha turned her back and showed her firm resolve. She was a young lady whom she had raised herself since infancy. Martha could sacrifice her life if required, but how could she simply stand by and watch as she chose a path clearly marked by hardship?
"Are you saying you're going to marry that unlucky guy?"
"...We already are."
As Shioana's face turned red at the sudden question, Martha was speechless.
"Oh, Diana!"
So that unlucky red fellow became the young lady's partner, and she ended up serving him as her master.
"Etienne will never take Martha's soul. I guarantee it."
She tried to soothe Martha, who was still afraid to deal with Etienne.
"Is the soul the problem right now?"
The young lady's life is at stake, so what does something like her soul matter?
With a heavy heart, Martha held back her tears and quietly gazed into Shioana's eyes. She had thought of her as just a child; when had she grown up so much and fallen in love?
"It's late, but Diana's blessings..."
At Martha's words, as she wiped away her tears with her fingertips, Shioana was embraced.
“Thank you so much, Martha."
She thought it was really fortunate that Martha was the first person to bless their union. She also gained great strength from the fact that they could continue to be together in the future.
"Miss, just trust me."
Martha was no exception; she had never left Regbell, but she spoke loudly for no reason.
***
Regbell's drawing room late at night.
In Highbell, there would be no need to light a stove in May, but the situation was different here. Except for a brief midsummer, firewood had to be stored all year round.
"My Lord."
Eli was looking at some troublesome documents when Joseph spoke to him. Eli took off his glasses at the voice of someone who rarely spoke.
“Yes, what’s going on?”
“That’s it.”
Joseph mumbled while holding his shabby hat, then spoke again.
"...What?"
At the unbelievable story, Eli sprang to his feet.
"To think Shioana slept with that slave bastard!"
Eli, who had raised his voice, sat back down and tapped the table with his fingertips. Only then did he understand Shioana, who had spoken with such rebellious spirit.
"You would turn down such a good position just to play with fire with a slave?"
It was undeniably a foolish and stupid thought, truly typical of Shioana.
"Joseph, go outside and keep an eye on her."
After the servant left, Eli's blue eyes were consumed by rage. He did not know if Elizabeth Demory's plan would succeed or not, and he could not tolerate Shioana behaving this way.
"How could a girl, without any pride, fool around with such a lowly fellow?"
It was enough to make him feel ashamed to share the same blood. However, what worried him most was that Count Noah would find out about this.
"Absolutely not. Absolutely not."
Following Eli's ominous voice, the candlelight in the drawing room swayed precariously, as if about to go out.
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