Episode 31

We had left the city walls, but we hadn’t gone far.

After about half a day of traveling, we arrived at a quiet village with a small harbor.

“My goodness, Igon! It’s the sea!”

The summer sun made the sea sparkle, and the salty sea breeze hit us immediately.

I might have seen the sea in my past life, but this was my first time seeing it in this one.

The sea, seen after so long, was both unfamiliar and dazzling.

The carriage followed the coastal road before turning into winding alleys, heading deeper inland.

Even in this rural village, we continued further until we reached a forest where the villa Igon mentioned was located.

Between the trees, I glimpsed a house with red bricks.

The carriage stopped at the edge of a path leading into the forest.

“Let’s walk from here.”

Igon jumped down from the carriage first and held out his hand.

I placed my hand in his.

Though I was wearing low-heeled shoes, walking along the soft grassy country path didn’t feel difficult.

We walked along the path, listening to the chirping of birds and inhaling the fresh scent of grass.

As we passed a dense corner of the forest, a beautiful, quaint country house, like something out of a fairy tale, came into view.

The well-built, two-story red brick house wasn’t small by any means, but compared to the Duke’s residence in the capital, it felt like a little cottage.

And that made it even more charming.

The house, bathed in the soft evening light, shimmered elegantly.

Surrounding the house was a lush, green forest and a well-tended garden with colorful flowers swaying in the breeze.

Even before we stepped inside, the air was filled with a strong fragrance carried by the wind.

The rustling of tree branches in the wind sounded like the house was welcoming us.

“Isn’t it beautiful?”

Igon asked in a low, whispering voice.

Seeing it in person, I realized he hadn’t exaggerated at all when describing the villa.

In fact, his words seemed insufficient to capture its beauty.

“It’s beyond beautiful.”

A soft gasp of admiration escaped my lips.

I hadn’t even gone inside yet, but I already felt like I was falling in love with this place.

The mansion had no servants inside.

When we opened the front door, I was surprised by the lack of any presence.

At first, I thought perhaps the servants were just very good at staying out of sight.

But Igon explained that they all stayed in a servants’ quarters a short walk away.

They cleaned and cooked according to a schedule and then returned to their own quarters.

He added that since he owned all the land in the area, just maintaining it kept them busy.

So, except for a few hours each day, the time here was entirely ours.

With no one watching, there were no restrictions.

On the first night at the mansion, it was already late, so we had dinner and took a brief walk.

Starting the next day, I indulged in behaviors I could never exhibit at the Duke’s residence.

I roamed the mansion in my pajamas without a shawl.

I dragged a chair to a sunlit spot in the lobby and read a book.

I even lay on the rug beneath the bed.

Igon remained secluded in his room from evening until the entire next day.

He had been wrestling with documents the whole journey to the villa, and it seemed his work wasn’t finished yet.

Although I enjoyed my time alone, I longed for company to talk to and take walks with.

Letting out a languid sigh, I wrapped a shawl around myself and knocked on Igon’s door.

“Come in.”

When I opened the door, I saw Igon sitting comfortably in a chair.

There was something new on his face.

A monocle.

“Your eye…”

“Recently, my left eye hasn’t been seeing well.”

Igon placed the monocle on the table as he spoke.

Suddenly, I remembered the boy who had his eye wrapped in bandages.

When Igon returned to the Duke’s residence after subduing monsters, his left eye was wrapped in layers of bandages.

He said that monster blood had splashed into his eye and caused an infection because it wasn’t cleaned properly in time.

He spoke casually, saying it was common in the battlefield, but his eye was bloodshot.

Pus dripped down like tears of blood.

I had worried that he might lose his eye, but after several months of treatment, it seemed to get better.

At least, I thought it had.

Noticing my concern, Igon smiled as if it was nothing.

“It’s just because I’m getting old.”

He made a joking remark and stood up, turning his back to me to tidy his documents.

The sight of the young, healthy man joking about aging filled my vision.

His broad shoulders and well-defined muscles moved fluidly under his light clothing.

“Shall we go for a walk?”

His question, without turning around, startled me as if I had been caught staring.

“Sure, I’ll get ready.”

The thought of leaving the room took over my mind.

I quickly exited, closing the door behind me and leaning against it.

There was no reason to feel flustered, yet my cheeks burned.

I had seen him many times, and sometimes even felt his strength under my hands.

I shook my head and went up the stairs.

Opening the wardrobe, I chose the most comfortable outfit I had brought, one that I could change into without assistance.

After putting on low-heeled shoes, I descended the stairs to find Igon waiting in the lobby.

His attire was simpler than usual but still neat.

I wondered how he managed to get ready so quickly.

“Shall we?”

Igon offered his arm with a slight bow, maintaining impeccable formality.

Suppressing a smile, I placed my hand on his arm.

He escorted me as if this was not a country house but the royal palace and I was not a sham noble but a real princess.

We walked through the garden after exiting the front door.

The afternoon garden was beautiful, but I wanted to see it in the morning light tomorrow.

“Will you be busy tomorrow?”

“There’s nothing scheduled for tomorrow.”

His playfully formal tone didn’t annoy me.

“Ah, except for swimming.”

“Swimming?”

“A river flows nearby. It’s quite deep.”

The sea, the forest, the river—all things I loved.

“Let’s definitely go tomorrow.”

I almost gasped in delight like a country bumpkin.

That wouldn’t suit my current role as a lady of the capital.

I closed my mouth and tilted my head with a feigned aloofness.

But I couldn’t hide the smile that kept peeking out.

“Great. I’m looking forward to it.”

Igon mirrored my smile as he looked at me.

His soft hair swayed gently in the sunlight.

* * *

Just in case, I wore a thin cotton dress and draped a shawl over it.

I told the servants to prepare a basket of snacks, and I followed Igon down the forest path.

The sounds of birds chirping and insects buzzing filled the air.

As we walked deeper, the scent of water grew stronger.

Sunlight filtered through the leaves, casting patterns on the ground.

I felt so happy I thought my heart might burst into song.

At some point, the well-trodden path disappeared.

The scent grew stronger, and the sound of water was close, but I couldn’t see the stream.

Igon, familiar with the way, pushed aside the bushes, revealing a wide river below a gentle slope.

The river was broad but not fast-flowing.

“You haven’t learned to swim, have you?”

“Well… no.”

I might have in my past life, but not in this one.

And I didn’t want to rely on vague memories from a past life to navigate the water.

From the moment I decided to come, I planned to only wade in up to my knees and spend the rest of the time sitting and reading a book.

If Igon decided to swim, I planned to watch him from the shade.

I laid out a blanket under the overhanging trees and placed the basket on top of it.

Igon took off his shirt and set it beside the basket.

It looked like he was about to swim.

Just as I reached for the book I had brought, something unexpected happened.

“Igon!”

In one swift motion, he lifted me up from my seated position.

I protested, but it was useless.

“Don’t!”

I tried to seriously warn him before we fell into the water.

But his playful grin and mischievous eyes said it all.

Feeling a sudden anxiety, I shook my head and tried to resist, but it was no use.

I ended up splashing into the cold river while being held in Igon’s arms.

The chilling water turned my scream into bubbles that rose to the surface.

I tried to punch his shoulder, but the water sapped my strength.

The coldness of the water contrasted sharply with the warmth of his embrace.

His hold on me was tighter than ever, his body heat vividly felt through the water.

“Hah!”

When my head broke the surface again, I gasped for air like a newborn taking its first breath.

The mix of Igon’s scent, the smell of the water, and the fresh aroma of the trees filled my lungs.

I punched his shoulder again.

Igon laughed heartily, closing his eyes in delight.

His wet skin looked even paler, and his lips appeared even redder.

Instinctively, I reached out to touch his cold face.

As my fingers made contact, his closed eyelids slowly opened.

Beneath the long, light eyelashes, his pale blue eyes seemed deeper than usual.

I parted my lips to say something, but lost my balance and slipped back into the water due to Igon’s sudden movement.

On that sunny summer day with not a cloud in sight, I could see all the way to the clear riverbed.

Although not very deep, it was clearly not safe for me to swim alone.

I resurfaced and tightened my grip around Igon’s neck.
TL/N: How guys how she looks ike his dead sis