It was as if she had encountered someone she shouldn’t have met.
Of course, this was natural. The person Sienna was looking for was not him, but Theodore Monches.
After a belated assessment of the situation, Declan bowed his head.
“I’ve been rude. You seemed to be in trouble…”
Uncharacteristically, Declan dragged out his words. Encountering her unexpectedly, his lips wouldn’t move as he intended.
Sienna, frozen in shock, opened her mouth as if to say something, then promptly closed it again. Her blue eyes, rolling restlessly, clearly showed her flustered state. Though he tried not to show it, Declan was no different.
After a suffocating silence, it was he who averted his gaze first.
“I’ll be outside. Call if you need anything.”
****
Even after he left the bathroom, Sienna stood there stupidly with her head raised, belatedly looking down at the clothes and towel he had left. It was then that she became aware of her completely naked body.
Of course, from his position, he wouldn’t have seen everything, but he must have clearly seen her back. Sienna buried her face in her hands, flushed with shame.
She already knew she couldn’t keep avoiding him forever. But…
‘To meet like this… It’s unbearable…’
The belated surge of embarrassment was too much to bear. Sienna quickly put on the clothes with jerky movements and left the bathroom.
Declan, who had been leaning against the opposite wall, took a step closer as she came out. In the narrow hallway, even that was enough to significantly close the distance between them.
As soon as their eyes met, Sienna quickly lowered her gaze.
“I’ve inadvertently caused you trouble, Your Grace.”
“Think nothing of it.”
He responded politely, true to his gentlemanly manner.
“If you’re returning to your quarters, I’ll escort you.”
“There’s no need. I’m familiar with the way.”
“I beg your pardon, but familiarity doesn’t necessarily mean safety. Especially…”
His gaze flickered downward as he trailed off.
Due to the moisture from the bathroom, her thin dress was clinging completely to her body.
Droplets of water she hadn’t managed to wipe away were dripping from her curled hair. Beneath the thin, soaked fabric, her pale skin was clearly visible.
Following his gaze, Sienna hurriedly closed her robe. Then she retorted in a sharp tone.
“Isn’t the Grand Duke too important to waste time escorting me?”
In truth, all people of the empire served the Emperor and the imperial family, so escorting an imperial princess was a matter unrelated to social status.
But Declan didn’t feel the need to argue each point and focused only on breaking her stubbornness.
“If I’m making you uncomfortable, I’ll call for Sir Monches.”
He was unyielding. Seeing his unwavering stance, Sienna frowned.
Just then, a cold wind blew, sending a chill through her. Instinctively, she shrank back. He took off the coat he was wearing. As he tried to drape it over her shoulders, Sienna blocked it with the hand holding her robe closed.
“I’m fine.”
“I heard your health has greatly deteriorated.”
Declan didn’t force the coat on her, but he didn’t back down either.
“Besides, if you encounter someone else in that state, it would surely be embarrassing.”
Sienna silently bit her lip.
As she dropped her hand in resignation, he approached again and draped the coat over her shoulders. Her blue eyes glanced towards the man who had come close.
His thin attire was no different from hers. Though the toned body slightly visible beneath was incomparably more robust than hers.
Sienna walked ahead, eyes fixed on the ground, tightly closing the coat around her.
She heard him following behind but didn’t bother to speak. She didn’t want to cause any more commotion in the middle of the night. He walked a few steps behind Sienna.
Even so, not a word was exchanged between them.
They had to walk a long way from the bathroom to the clergy’s quarters.
Every time a faint breeze blew, her scent brushed his nose. In the darkness, overlapping with her calmly walking figure, he saw the image of her bare white body from earlier.
‘You crazy bastard.’
Declan swallowed a curse, overwhelmed by self-loathing.
Even though they were walking at a constant distance, he was acutely aware of everything about her.
It had been only a few days since he vowed never to interfere in her life again, yet here he was, endlessly shaken just by encountering her. He despised himself for it.
Sienna was no less uncomfortable. Though walking ahead, all her attention was focused on the man following a few steps behind.
Why had he been standing outside the bathroom, of all places? Why was he insisting on serving her like this?
Amidst the chaotic thoughts jumping around, there was clearly a subtle feeling of gladness. Though she herself hadn’t realized it yet.
As her thoughts continued to wander, she soon erased all doubts. She concluded that for him, all of this was simply maintaining basic courtesy towards an imperial princess.
With that thought, her heart, which had been fluttering since meeting him, cooled down. She unconsciously gripped the coat tighter.
She was now used to his loyalty.
Upon reaching her room, she immediately took off the coat and handed it to him.
“That’s enough now. It’s late, you should go back too, Your Grace.”
Her gaze remained fixed somewhere on the floor.
“I seem to be indebted to you multiple times.”
“I only did what was natural.”
“I suppose so.”
Her face fell even further.
“In any case, thank you. I hope there will be a chance to repay this favor in the future.”
He would soon leave this place, and that ‘chance’ would likely never exist. Sienna turned away as if she had said all she needed to say.
His gaze silently followed her movements.
In the past, she had been desperate to go to the capital, but the person before him now was completely different from what he remembered. She didn’t even mention the capital, let alone show any interest.
That sight evoked an inexplicable emotion in him.
His resolve, which he had long maintained, crumbled easily, making his previous determination seem futile.
“Your Highness.”
Sienna slightly turned her head to look up at him. The elegant features etched on her pale face showed no expression.
“I’m returning to the capital tomorrow. This will probably be the last time I see Your Highness here.”
As he said this, his face looked somewhat desperate, causing Sienna to blink slowly.
“Is there anything else you wish from me?”
Sienna stared at Declan with a puzzled expression, then belatedly let out a short gasp. Only then did the conversation between him and Theo, which she had unintentionally overheard earlier, flash through her mind.
“Theodore Monches.”
It was almost a whisper to herself. Her blue eyes, devoid of any soul, calmly turned to him.
“You can take him to the capital. I really don’t care at all.”
Declan’s brow furrowed slightly. He seemed not to have properly understood what she meant.
Since she hadn’t expected an answer from him in the first place, Sienna turned away without hesitation. Declan’s gaze, uncharacteristically filled with confusion, followed the swaying hem of her robe as she moved.
But she closed the door without looking back. The creaking sound of the old wooden door closing felt harsh.
****
Even before the sun had fully risen, the entrance of the monastery was bustling with preparations for the long journey ahead. Soldiers were busy attaching wooden carts to horses or adjusting reins.
“You’re industrious from early morning.”
Theodore approached the Count, who was loading luggage onto a cart, while letting out a languid yawn.
“With the Grand Duke moving about since dawn, I can’t just sit idle.”
The Count replied gruffly without even looking at him. Despite his words, fatigue was evident on his face.
“By the way, how is Her Highness?”
“Since when did you start asking about Her Highness’s well-being…?”
“No, I was just wondering how unwell she must be to stay in her room for an entire month.”
At the half-mocking remark, Theodore fell silent with a taken aback expression. This time, even he had nothing to say.
Generally, in such situations, it was customary for royalty to personally commend the army’s bravery and efforts on behalf of the imperial citizens.
Even though Sienna had been exiled here, as long as she was still called ‘Her Highness the Princess’, she was no exception. From the perspective of the Count, a loyal servant of the Grand Duke, it was understandably unpleasant.
Feeling awkward, Theodore fiddled with the cloth securing the luggage when the Count’s sharp gaze turned to him again.
“By the way, what are you doing up so early? I thought you’d be busy playing nursemaid to Her Highness.”
“What are you talking about?”
Judging by his sarcastic tone so early in the morning, it seemed the Count still harbored resentment about Theodore not returning to the capital with them. Theodore looked at his brother with an irritated face and then let out a deep sigh.
Of course, he understood the Count’s attitude. After all, hadn’t Theodore himself tried to persuade the princess to use the Grand Duke’s visit as an opportunity to return to the capital together?
Even so, he wasn’t dissatisfied with the princess’s decision not to go to the capital.
He had made that proposal only because he knew she had been eagerly waiting to return to the capital. He never thought she would refuse it.
But apart from that, lately, the princess was somehow different from before.
Thanks for the chapter