My Will Did Not Mean This

“Umm…”

 

Vivian rubbed her eyes lazily. Bright sunlight shines through the eyelids. It seemed like it was already morning. But Vivian hardly felt like getting up. The blanket was warm and comfortable.

 

“I want to sleep more.”

 

“Then why not?”

 

Vivian, who had been curling up against his body, suddenly stopped. A very eerie and ominous feeling went up her spine.

 

“Sleep more, Vivian. You overdid it last night.”

 

“…”

 

“I’m still tired too.”

 

Vivian’s bronze forearms wrapped tightly around her slender waist. The sense of this familiar steel frame is clear.

 

“Aslan?!”

 

“What?”

 

“What is this…!”

 

Her drowsy mind was instantly lifted. As soon as she opened her eyes, what she saw was Aslan’s chest without any trace of aura. Vivian suddenly lowered her gaze. Fortunately, she was properly dressed. Although it was only a thin negligee, there was no sign of it being disheveled.

 

‘Did I just fall asleep like that last night? No, but I was sitting at the bedside.’

 

Why was she trapped in Aslan’s arms now? Vivian tried to stand up, but it was impossible. Aslan’s arms were tightly wrapped around her waist and did not budge no matter how much she twisted her body.

 

“Hey, arm over there, over there…!”

 

If he had a conscience, he shouldn’t use a small and precious patient like her as a pillow! Did he know how many times his weight was hers?! To add a bit of exaggeration, the thickness of Aslan’s forearms was almost the same as the thickness of her waist. Two of these things were wrapped around the waist, so the person’s waist wouldn’t be fine!

 

“I feel like my back is going to break…”

 

“It’s because you overexerted yourself last night.”

 

“Ugh!”

 

That’s not it, she thought he would tighten his grip so much that she would break off! It was a moment when Vivian, who had been longing for escape, twisted her body with difficulty. She heard the sound of inhaling from behind her.

 

Emma, the middle-aged maid who received the gazes of both people at the same time, bowed her head.

 

“I apologize for interrupting your sweet time. Stop, it’s time for your wife to take her medicine.”

 

‘It’s not that.’

 

“No, you did well. I can’t let Vivian skip her medicine. Bring breakfast first.”

 

‘That’s not it!’

 

Emma and Aslan simply ignored Vivian, who was fluttering between them, and ended their conversation among themselves. She had a really bad misunderstanding. She must have misunderstood, especially considering that Emma’s gaze was subtly lowered to her diagonal angle.

 

‘Why can’t you look people in the eye?’

 

While Vivian was covering her face with both hands and despairing, breakfast was already prepared for them in the bedroom.

 

“It’s a shame, but I have to get up now.”

 

Aslan lightly picked Vivian up and walked out of the bed. After setting her down on her sofa, she had her servant fetch Vivian’s slippers.

 

“You have small feet, so the shoes are cute.”

 

“It’s not that I’m small, it’s that your hands are big…”

 

“No, it’s small.”

 

Vivian’s small, white feet were caught in Aslan’s grasp. He gently stroked Vivian’s instep and then put on her slippers himself. Then he smiled contentedly.

 

“Just eat this.”

 

Aslan ate as much as his huge body. In the morning, he casually chewed and swallowed a steak the size of two palms. He looked at Vivian stirring her salad and his expression hardened.

 

“Why can’t you eat?”

 

“It’s morning and I have no appetite.”

 

“Don’t you usually eat as much bird seed?”

 

Vivian, who was about to say, “It’s not that I eat little, but that Aslan eats a lot,” quickly shut her mouth. It was because he had furrowed his brows and called a servant.

 

“Fire the chef.”

 

“Yes, I understand.”

 

“Aslan?”

 

“All the cooks in this mansion are hired for you. If they don’t satisfy their master, they deserve to be fired.”

 

Vivian quickly caught the servant who was leaving the bedroom. There wouldn’t be many noble families who would accept a cook who was fired from the Grand Duke’s residence. If things continue like this, their careers would be ruined just because she ate too little. Vivian quickly picked up the soup in front of her.

 

“Wow, it can’t be this delicious!”

 

“…”

 

“It’s Aslan, after all, to ask for a chef of this skill. You’re the only one who thinks about me?”

 

Vivian ate eagerly. She gave it her all, feeling like she was eating bread soaked in tears. 

Aslan’s eyes, which had been staring at her without saying a word the whole time, became gentle again.

 

“I’m glad you like it.”

 

Vivian protected the careers of innocent chefs.

 

＊ ＊ ＊

 

The meal time, which took all of her effort, ended safely. Aslan, who watched Vivian swallow the bitter medicine to the end, then stood up. He smiled, gently ruffling his fiancee’s hair.

 

“Good job. I’ll be back at lunch, so get some rest until then.”

 

“Where are you going?”

 

“I have something to take care of. Should I not go?”

 

“No? You have to go, what are you saying? There is an old saying that if you don’t work, you shouldn’t eat.”

 

Vivian ignored the cries of her conscience. He said it was okay because he was rich. Of course, Aslan was richer, but she decided not to care about that.

 

“More than that, Aslan, can I ask you a favor?”

 

“Tell me anything.”

 

She originally planned to tell him later out of curiosity. But now Aslan seemed to be in a very good mood. She had a feeling that she had no better chance than now.

 

“I want to go see my father. At Eleonora’s mansion…”

 

“Why?”

 

Aslan’s voice, which was as soft as honey melting, immediately froze.

 

“Are you sure you want to go back?”

 

“That’s not it…”

 

“Now they are people who have no relationship with you. It’s not worth your concern.”

 

“But they said my sister was back.”

 

She had been troubled ever since she received Duke Eleonora’s letter from the south. Finally, the original female protagonist appeared. The person on whom the demonized Aslan was ‘imprinted’, and the only person who stayed by Aslan’s side while he was consumed by the power of the devil and went crazy. The entity that would determine the flow of this worldview has finally appeared.

 

‘I’m going to die because I’m so sorry that I destroyed the cave just so I could live.’

 

Thanks to this, the opportunity for Aslan and the heroine to meet each other for the first time was shattered.

 

‘So I have to make sure we meet in another way. I’m sure they will recognize each other at first sight!’

 

In other words, the gist of the plan was to arrange a fateful meeting between the two. In fact, she didn’t come forward simply out of a desire to serve, but also because she thought it would be easier for him to run away if the two people made eye contact. Instead of Aslan’s colleague, she would persuade the easygoing female lead and easily obtain her cure.

 

“Sister? Yes, you are only half blood relatives anyway.”

 

“But as a family, we have a duty…”

 

“I can’t understand that reason, Vivian.”

 

But Aslan’s thoughts seemed very different. Golden eyes flashed brightly, as if surrounding fleeing prey. Vivian spoke quickly to make it clear that she had no intention of running away.

 

“I want to go with you! It can’t be done without you!”

 

“What?”

 

“I got into a really bad accident, right? Thanks to this, the family was turned upside down…”

 

Aslan tilted his chin as if he was listening. It was her chance when he listened.

 

“But I don’t think I’ll be scolded if I go in with you in front. So I need a shield… Oh, no, it’s not a shield, it’s a strong…”

 

Vivian glanced up. Then she said a word of conversion.

 

“My fiancé.”

 

Vivian succeeded in getting Aslan’s consent.

 

＊ ＊ ＊

 

The next day, Aslan and Vivian visited Duke Eleonora’s residence. The servants who had been notified in advance gave the two people who got off the carriage a warm welcome.

 

“I send greetings to His Majesty the 2nd Prince.”

 

“Princess, how much trouble have you had while living in a foreign land?”

 

Vivian, who got off the carriage with a nervous feeling, cheered inwardly. She ran away from home after a major accident and came back, but no one scolded her or paid any attention.

 

‘Is this the power of power? Is this good?’

 

Vivian looked up at Aslan with proud eyes. Then, as if he somehow noticed, he focused his gaze.

 

“You don’t look good. Why don’t you take a break?”

 

“I only moved a little bit with the carriage, but it was difficult. I just thought you looked cool today.”

 

When she lived at the mansion, people had never been this kind. She had difficulty breathing due to a seizure, so even though she waved the rope, no one came, and even when she went to visit him herself, he stayed far away and ended up exchanging a few cursory words. Thanks to this, it was easy to escape the mansion. She was caught quickly, but…

 

“More than that, where is my sister? Can I see her right away?”

 

“Iris is resting in her bedroom. Every night, the Duke and she go to bed late to share the bond between father and daughter.”

 

“I see. It’s a pity, but wait…”

 

“I can’t wake her up right away, so please understand. I hope Vivian understands the pitiful situation of Iris, who fell asleep while looking for her father.”

 

Because the attendant’s voice suddenly became louder, the attention of those around him focused on Vivian. If anyone heard it, they would misunderstand that she was being rejected after threatening to wake them up immediately. The servant’s silent gaze turned to Aslan. The same was true for other workers. It seemed as if she was expecting his reaction. It was at that time that the atmosphere was becoming increasingly tense.

 

“You’re arrogant.”

 

“Yes?”

 

“You suddenly shout at a patient who is already so weak. It’s really annoying even to my ears. Is this at Eleonora’s level?”

 

“Well, that is…”

 

“I’m asking if you have ever taken care of Vivian to this crappy level.”

 

The pressure Aslan radiated was truly terrifying. The attendant, who immediately received his gaze, bowed his head, unable to breathe.

 

“You’re saying you were going to take Vivian away like this?”

 

“So, I’m sorry. I’m still not good enough…”

 

“There is no need for insufficient workers to exist.”

 

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Translator Note: