66. I would have kissed you again and again.

As Klaus’s lips pressed against hers, Roselia froze as if struck by lightning.

Her wide, startled eyes slowly filled with a rosy hue, and she shut them tightly.

If only she could forget this reality, she didn’t care about anything else.

And, as always, his kiss had a way of emptying her mind completely.

Clinging to his arms like they were her lifeline, Roselia’s desperate response made Klaus’s heart ache.

Her small frame, trembling with sorrow and fear, didn’t even fill his embrace. The mix of anguish and tenderness that surged within him was beyond words, leaving his entire body tingling.

This kiss was nothing like the fleeting one by the lakeside. The salty, warm liquid that seeped between their lips only deepened his longing and the ache in his chest.

Her frantic movements, as if she were fighting for survival while overwhelmed by his towering frame, squeezed his heart even tighter.

How long had they been lost in each other, holding on so desperately?

When they finally parted, the heavy silence between them was filled only by their ragged breaths.

And just then, as if waiting for the perfect moment, a sound came from outside the carriage.

“Your Grace, it’s Alejandro.”

Roselia stiffened at once, trying to pull herself away, but Klaus kept his arms firmly around her and answered calmly.

“What is it?”

Even as he replied to Alejandro outside, Klaus’s gaze never left Roselia. It was only then that Roselia snapped back to reality.

What on earth had she just done?

Right now, she wasn’t even Roselia—she was Antonio.

And yet… why on earth had Klaus initiated the kiss in the first place?

Her mind spun in confusion until Alejandro’s composed voice broke through.

“What should we do about Nadia’s paintings inside the house?”

While Klaus hesitated, Roselia’s eyes widened, and she quickly slipped out of his arms and opened the carriage door.

“Wait a moment.”

Klaus’s brow furrowed instinctively as Roselia wriggled out of his grasp like a slippery fish.

Meanwhile, Alejandro looked startled as Roselia stepped out of the carriage, throwing the door open.

“I want to see the last paintings Nadia created.”

At her words, Alejandro glanced cautiously at Klaus.

Klaus, who had been silently gazing at Roselia, let out a sigh and nodded quietly.

Ignoring her trembling legs and the redness around her eyes, Roselia steadied herself and entered Nadia’s house.

The familiar furniture and clutter greeted her, unchanged except for the absence of Nadia.

Suppressing the aching sensation in her chest, Roselia tightly shut her eyes.

Then, following Alejandro’s direction, she slowly turned her gaze toward the storeroom.

Previously, the storeroom had been filled with nothing but clutter and trash.

As Roselia stepped into the dimly lit space, she froze in place.

Gone were the trash and odds and ends. The walls were now entirely covered with countless paintings.

From a dazzling sky adorned with rainbows, to a sky where butterflies danced, and a sky where blue birds flew freely…

Countless depictions of the sky, in various sizes, filled the room.

And these countless skies connected to form one vast, magnificent sky, causing Roselia’s lips to quiver.

She had promised herself she wouldn’t cry in front of Nadia’s paintings, but…

Beside her, Klaus stood staring at the paintings in silence, just as entranced. Then, in a low voice, he murmured.

“Look closely, Antonio. If it weren’t for you, Nadia wouldn’t have been able to paint this sky.”

Staring at the countless paintings that hadn’t existed in the original story, a small smile crept across Roselia’s lips.

And soon, a single tear slipped down her cheek, falling over that smile.

Gazing at the most beautiful and precious legacy Nadia had left behind, Roselia stood there endlessly, unable to tear her eyes away.

* * *

Inside the carriage heading to the mansion, no one dared to break the silence.

When the carriage finally arrived at the duke’s estate, Roselia was the first to step out. Klaus followed closely behind, his gaze fixed on her back with concern.

Then, just as she seemed to stagger slightly, Roselia collapsed sideways like a puppet whose strings had been cut.

Klaus, who had been watching her closely, swiftly caught her in his arms.

“Antonio!”

Startled, Klaus called out to her, but Roselia remained unconscious, her chest rising and falling heavily.

Her body was burning hot.

It was only then that Klaus realized she was running a high fever. Without hesitation, he carried her into the mansion, his steps brisk.

Jeffrey, the head butler, who had been waiting for the duke’s arrival, was startled when he saw Klaus carrying Antonio inside.

“Your Grace, what happened…?”

“Antonio has a fever! We need to bring his temperature down immediately!”

Jeffrey, initially frozen in shock at the sight of Antonio unconscious in Klaus’s arms, quickly regained his composure and bowed.

“I will have the servants prepare cold towels to lower his temperature. For now, please leave Antonio in the care of another servant.”

His words were a polite way of reminding Klaus of the many eyes watching them.

But Klaus wasn’t listening.

The thought of her fainting after sobbing so uncontrollably earlier tormented him. Was she dehydrated? Had she fallen ill? Anxiety gnawed at his chest.

Just then, Claucet came rushing down the stairs, her expression alarmed as she spotted Klaus and Roselia.

“Antonio!”

While Claucet examined Roselia’s complexion in Klaus’s arms, Jeffrey spoke again, his voice strained.

“Your Grace, please set Antonio down. We’ll take care of him from here.”

Claucet’s eyes widened as she glanced between Roselia and the butler.

If Roselia were left in the butler’s care, her identity would surely be discovered in no time.

Resolving herself, Claucet spoke firmly with a determined expression.

“I will look after Antonio with my maids.”

Jeffrey’s eyes widened in shock.

“You, Lady Claucet?”

Claucet straightened her posture and spoke in an authoritative tone, as if she were the mistress of the household.

“My personal maids, Melda and the others, will be enough. You don’t need to worry. No one besides the maids I’ve permitted is allowed in Antonio’s room.”

Jeffrey hesitated, glancing at Klaus for confirmation. Seeing this, Klaus, unable to think rationally due to Roselia’s fever, nodded.

Claucet, noticing Klaus’s distressed state, calmly added, “Let’s move Antonio to his room first.”

With a nod, Klaus carried Roselia straight to her room, followed closely by Claucet and Melda.

Once inside, Klaus gently laid Roselia on the bed. Moments later, Melda and two of Claucet’s maids entered, bringing a basin of water and several towels.

Klaus stepped back to give them space, but his hesitation to leave made him stand frozen in place. Claucet frowned at him and spoke bluntly.

“Aren’t you leaving?”

“Do I have to…?”

Klaus’s forlorn question made Claucet sigh before replying with feigned sternness.

“Antonio has a large scar on his chest. It wouldn’t be appropriate to show it to too many people.”

Her words implied that caring for Antonio would be difficult with Klaus in the room. Finally, Klaus sighed and stepped back reluctantly.

“I’ll check in later.”

With that, Klaus left the room. Once the door closed, Claucet exchanged a glance with Melda and instructed her to unwrap the bandages on Roselia’s chest.

Following Claucet’s command, Melda and the maids moved efficiently, soaking towels in water and wiping down Roselia’s body.

Meanwhile, Klaus paced up and down the hallway, passing Antonio’s door dozens of times.

Eventually, when one of the maids stepped out to change the water, Klaus approached and knocked on the door.

“Can I come in now?”

After a brief silence, Claucet’s exasperated voice came from inside.

“Come in.”

When Klaus opened the door and stepped inside, a strong fragrance immediately hit him, making him furrow his brows.

The scent was so overpowering it made his head spin, tingling his nerves. Klaus instinctively pressed his fingers to his temple and leaned against the wall.

“The scent is too strong. Did you light a scented candle?”

At his words, Claucet, who was wiping Roselia’s forehead with a damp towel, looked up in confusion.

“Scent? What scent are you talking about?”

Her blunt tone made Klaus’s frown deepen.

Claucet tilted her head in puzzlement and turned to the maid beside her.

“Do you smell anything?”

“No, not really…”

The idea that only he could smell this dizzying scent left Klaus baffled. Was his exhaustion making his senses hypersensitive?

Shaking off his unease, Klaus composed himself and asked, “How is Antonio?”

“His fever has gone down a lot. I don’t think we’ll need to call the physician.”

“That’s a relief.”

Klaus’s tense expression softened slightly as he looked at Roselia’s sleeping face.

Her features seemed much more at ease than before, which eased the tight knot in his chest.

But as the overwhelming scent filled his senses again, dizziness washed over him. Klaus quickly left the room.

* * *

Roselia was sitting on the sofa in Klaus’s office, having been summoned by him.

Klaus, seated across from her with his legs leisurely crossed, stared at her intently, leaving Roselia at a loss for where to look. She cleared her throat awkwardly to break the tension.

Soon, Klaus broke the silence himself.

“Are you feeling better now?”

“Yes, thanks to Lady Claucet, I’ve improved a lot.”

“That’s good to hear.”

Klaus, seemingly lost in thought, turned his gaze toward the table. Roselia, observing his expression carefully, hesitated before speaking cautiously.

“Um… Your Grace.”

At her words, Klaus immediately looked up to meet her gaze. Finding his attention overwhelming, Roselia quickly averted her eyes and continued in a low voice.

“It’s about Nadia’s paintings. Could you possibly donate them to the school being built in Algrisha Village?”

“To the school?”

At his question, Roselia lowered her gaze to the table and replied wistfully.

“I’d like the children growing up there to see the skies Nadia painted.”

Nadia had never liked selling her art for profit, so Roselia couldn’t bring herself to sell her final paintings. Instead, she hoped that through the freedom of the children who would grow up under those skies, Nadia’s spirit could find some solace.

Roselia wished for those children to live as freely as the skies in the paintings, making up for the stifling life Nadia had led since her childhood. She felt as if Nadia would have wanted the same.

“I feel like, through the children, Nadia might be able to live a new life.”

Hearing Roselia’s somber words, Klaus silently nodded.

“…Alright, let’s do that.”

Roselia blinked in surprise. She had expected him to question her decision or even insist on selling the paintings for profit, but Klaus agreed without hesitation. His calm demeanor as he sipped his tea reminded her suddenly of what had happened in the carriage that day. After a moment of hesitation, she finally spoke.

“And about… what happened in the carriage… please forget about it.”

“Why?”

Klaus’s blunt response startled Roselia.

“Why, you ask…? We were both emotional at the time, and… Your Grace and I are both men…”

Her words trailed off, and her face turned red. Klaus, who had been watching her closely, responded firmly.

“I don’t regret it.”

“What…?”

His deep navy-blue eyes seemed even darker than usual as they locked onto hers.

“No matter how many times I go back to that moment, I would still kiss you.”

 

 

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