Chapter 8
Diana muttered as if she was dreaming as she heard her name coming from the man’s neat lips.
“That is… … .”
Then what caught my eye were the partygoers looking at the two of us with curious eyes.
There wasn’t much time to think about how he knew her name. After looking at everyone one by one with her confused gaze, she ended up nodding her head shallowly.
“Oh my, what a beautiful couple.”
“Congratulation!”
The exclamations and congratulations heard here and there could not be heard properly. Diana was dragged helplessly by Edmund, who lightly grabbed her, and she buried her face in the young duke’s arms.
The strength of the arms that hugged me tightly was strong and
gentle. She couldn’t say anything to that man as she buried her face in his arms.
Everything happened so quickly that Diana had no time to stop it.
After some commotion, Diana finally got the chance to ask him on the way back home in the duke’s carriage.
“Why did you lie like that?”
“Otherwise, I would have become a pervert who shamelessly molested women at a masquerade ball.”
He answered as if it was no big deal.
“It was annoying for me too. With marriage proposals pouring in.”
“… … .”
“So I’m going to give it a try. I will be your faithful lover.”
He was the man who promised her. A perfect and wonderful lover without a single flaw. As the lover of such a man, Diana became known as the Cinderella of the high society that year.
However, regardless of his gentlemanly appearance, whenever he went out to a social party, the fact that the two were so
deeply in love that their clothes were torn was always talked about.
“For a girl who has just debuted in society, she is quite bold.”
“Duke Serwell is also amazing. He didn’t seem interested in any women until now.”
“The secret to capturing the duke is… Is that so?”
“Then what should she do? I don’t think they are going to get married anyway.”
“Oh my, if they are in such a deep relationship even though they are not married… … .”
She could hear whispering wherever the two appeared, but he didn’t care one bit. Meanwhile, little by little, Diana became obsessed with what others think and that she could not marry him.
It didn’t matter what others saw as an ideal lover. I thought it would be better if this noble duke had a crush on me, just like the rumors said.
I hoped that the passion that entangled Agnes and the man that I had seen at the night of the masquerade ball where the two
met would also spread between them.
I don’t care what people think about me or my reputation, so I want people to greedily covet me.
It was something I couldn’t bear to say. Perhaps, it was her fear that if Edmund could hear those words of her heart, he might despise and loathe her. He treated me so politely. Yet she herself was obsessed with this lustful desire.
But I guess it was good. Although they are now deceased, she was raised by her parents, who were an example of a good couple. She received plenty of love in a very open and affectionate environment where she was not afraid to hug and kiss without hesitation.
So there was nothing strange about wanting that kind of affection from one’s lover. On the contrary, Edmund, who harbored no lust, made it certain that he had no feelings for her.
It was just a way to prevent her reputation from being ruined and also to prevent malicious rumors that he had harassed an innocent girl at a masquerade ball.
So it was right to let go before my emotions got any deeper. I had to step away from him consciously and go back to my place.
That’s how Diana had to say goodbye to Duke Serwell.
* * *
My head felt like it was stuck in broken glass. Diana woke up from her sleep due to a sudden chill.
“… … .”
My vision was blurry as if there was a fog. But even if I opened my eyes wide, my surroundings were completely covered in darkness.
“Are you awake?”
The voice came from not far away. Who the owner of that voice was, she knew that very well.
As I rubbed my eyes with my hands a few times, a whitish figure came into view. It was clearly Edmund who entered her unfocused field of vision. It was clearly him sitting loosely on the wing chair.
“Edmund…?”
It was a name that came up without thinking. The moment the name came out of Diana’s mouth, the figure of the man, which had been fixed like a painting, moved slightly.
“… It’s much better.”
A low voice came out. Even though Diana had a headache, she couldn’t understand what was good about it.
“It would be nice if you always called me that.”
‘What did I say just now?’
Even though Diana tried to pull herself together, her mind kept wandering and she couldn’t think straight. She was clearly having a conversation with him, but she couldn’t quite make out what he was saying. No, above all.
“Why do I… … .”
Apparently, I drank a farewell drink with him earlier and left the Duke’s residence. The carriage started running through a quiet forest, and…
‘Did you fall asleep?’
It felt like a piece of the puzzle in my memory had disappeared entirely. She was embarrassed that her memory had been cut off to this extent. But she clearly said goodbye. We broke up. We will never have to sit face to face like this again. But why?
Am I talking to him? That too while sitting in this dark… room.
Room?
As soon as she thought about that, Diana became confused again. She was now lying on a warm, soft, nice-smelling bedding.
The faint smell was the scent of cologne coming from his body.
A refreshing yet tempting scent. Whenever I stood next to him, this scent always made my heart flutter.
Whenever we would share a light hug, I would always secretly look forward to what would happen next. Passionately entwining our tongues, and then collapsing together and making love… .
But there was nothing after that. It was just a repetition of being excited alone, looking forward to it, and then being disappointed as the emotions faded away.
So, for Diana, this scent was a medium that brought both excitement and disappointment.
If so, where was she now?
“This is my bedroom.”
The answer came back as if he had read her mind.
“Yes?”
“To be exact, it is the bedroom of my private villa.”
Ah, I see. For some reason, a feeling of relief came over me and then disappeared in an instant.
Why?
A clear question emerged from my clouded mind.
‘Why am I lying here?’
On a bed with soft bedding. I saw a light canopy hanging high from the ceiling. I also heard from him that this was his bedroom.
But there was something very strange about it.
Apparently she was going to her home in a carriage. Why did I end up lying in a place like this?
Plus, it’s a villa owned by Edmund.
Even as the unanswered questions continued to follow one after another, Edmund did not move an inch. He simply sat there, while facing her.
“Ah… … .”
My head was still dizzy, as if I had been bathed in muddy water, but I felt like I couldn’t lie down any longer.
She lifted herself up, barely holding herself up with her arms. But she soon became so dizzy that she threw her head down on her bedding again.
“Ah!”
A moan naturally escaped me.
Her body didn’t feel like her own. It was difficult to even move a finger. Why is this happening? No matter how much she drinks, she didn’t find it this difficult to control her body like this.
As I was crushing my head on the cushion in a helplessness state, I felt him walking towards me with a screeching sound.
“You must not make any sudden movements.”
Those words sounded extremely friendly. As he got closer, the
smell of his cologne became stronger. At that moment, Diana felt all the strength in her body being released. It was a natural reaction. If there is any safe place in the world for her then, it was Edmund’s arms.
It was the result of the body’s natural reaction to remembering that smell and warmth.
A large, warm hand landed on her head.
“The headache will go away after a while.”
He spoke as if he knew her symptoms very well.
“I also used to drink it when I couldn’t sleep.”
“… Yes?”
“That drink. It’s sweet and fragrant, but it’s strong enough to make you fall asleep in an instant.”
It was nice to hear sound of his laughter.
“Just like you.”
The words he added had a strange resonance. His hand caressing her brown hair was infinitely gentle. Diana closed her eyes, feeling as if she was purring like a soft pet.
