Chapter 40
The room Logan showed me was very small, about the size of the bathroom in Evelia’s room at Duke Adelhard’s mansion.
There was almost no furniture in the room. It was just a bed and a nightstand.
Even the bed was small enough for Evelia and Ruth to sleep together.
‘It’s like a gosiwon* I used to live in Korea. I don’t mind, but will Ruth be okay?’
Evelia was used to small rooms like this. But Ruth was different. He was a nobleman raised in the Adelhard family from birth.
Accommodation like this could have been uncomfortable.
“Are you really sure you want to sleep with me?”
Despite her worries, Ruth looked excited.
The child’s plump cheeks were stained red as he held in his arms the teddy bear that Annie had gotten from somewhere.
Only after seeing that reaction was Evelia able to smile at ease.
“Yes, let’s sleep together.”
Ruth screamed like a child and jumped onto the bed. The child rolled around on the bed and looked up at Evelia.
“Do you, Eve, not want to sleep with me?”
“That can’t be right.”
“Really?”
“Yes.”
Ruth’s face, which had been momentarily dim, brightened. He squirmed around and lay as close to the edge of the bed as he could.
Evelia approached the bed, worried that the child might fall off.
When she lay down on the bed and pulled Ruth’s arm to tell her to come in a little further, the child hesitated and then fell into her arms.
Two people lay down on the bed with a flat teddy bear between them.
Evelia looked down at Ruth awkwardly.
I decided to become Ruth’s mother, even if it was only for three years. I decided to protect the child’s innocence so that he could grow up brightly.
But I wasn’t used to this kind of intimate contact yet.
Perhaps the past trauma of being rejected by a half-brother who is older than me remains.
However, Evelia gathered her courage and hugged the child. It was a shame that I couldn’t feel the child’s warmth because of the teddy bear.
As soon as she thought that, Ruth quickly threw the teddy bear behind his back. Thanks to that, I was able to hug him tightly.
“Would you like me to read you a storybook?”
“But there are no books.”
Evelia tapped the child’s nose.
“I know a few stories.”
Evelia told him about some of the children’s books she had read in Korea.
When I was telling the story of Snow White for the third time, following the stories of Rapunzel and Cinderella, I heard the sound of the child snoring softly.
‘Sleep well.’
She got out of bed with a faint smile on her face.
It was time for the child to go to sleep, but it was still too early for the adult.
‘Anyway, what is Annie doing?’
I suddenly became curious about the three people who were camping. I was thinking about Annie, but strangely enough, what caught my mind the most was Cassis.
Cassis, the one who had come along, using some ridiculous excuse other than escort and family duty.
But Evelia now had no choice but to admit it.
If Cassis and Ruth had not been there, I would have been caught up in great sadness and helplessness today.
Evelia didn’t want to admit that she cared about Cassis.
Regardless of that, her steps automatically headed towards the window.
When I looked out the window, I saw three people sitting around a blazing bonfire.
Evelia hesitated for a moment, then put on her outerwear and left the room.
*****
The atmosphere between the three was extremely awkward. Annie, who was already unfamiliar with the Adelhard family, had her head down, and Cassis was looking at the bonfire with a serious face, as if lost in thought.
Only Logan was smiling and looking at the stars in the night sky.
“You can definitely see the stars better than in the capital.”
“…….”
There was no answer, but he didn’t seem to care. He shrugged his shoulders once, suddenly noticed Evelia, and stood up.
“Why didn’t you sleep and come out? Are you having trouble sleeping?”
“No. It’s comfortable. It’s just that it’s not time to sleep yet.”
“If there’s anything uncomfortable, please let me know.”
What’s really uncomfortable is not the hastily prepared bedroom, but the atmosphere.
Evelia smiled faintly, hiding her true feelings.
“Everything is really okay. Rather, thank you. Because of me, everyone is going through hardships that they shouldn’t have to endure.”
“No. I am truly honored to be able to assist you, Lady.”
“That’s right, Lady! I’m fine too!”
Annie, who had been keeping her head down the entire time, clenched her fists and cheered.
During that short conversation, only Cassis remained silent.
Evelia glanced towards Cassis and then sat down next to Annie.
Annie exchanged glances with Logan and then quietly stood up.
“I’ll have to go check on the Young master and see if he’s sleeping well.”
“I will also bring some more firewood.”
Evelia tried to stop the two, saying it was okay, but before she could, the two were already left.
In an instant, Evelia and Cassis were the only ones left around the campfire.
Evelia gazed at Cassis’ shimmering face beyond the constantly flickering bonfire.
Cassis seemed to have felt her gaze and looked directly at her.
“Do you have anything to say?”
“No, I don’t have anything to say.”
“Then you can’t sleep?”
“No. It’s not time to go to bed yet.”
“I see.”
After those words, there was no conversation between the two.
‘Why did I come out when I could have just stayed in my room?’
Evelia regretted it later and waited for Logan and Annie to arrive.
However, the two showed no signs of returning, as if they were planning something.
Evelia got up with the intention of going in. At that time, Cassis, who was watching her, spoke to her.
“Are you okay?”
“What… ah.”
Evelia immediately understood what he meant.
‘You’re asking me if I’m feeling okay.’
Cassis saw Evelia crying over her mother’s death the day before yesterday.
He seemed concerned that she might be sad after seeing her mother’s tombstone.
Cassis told her about his dead mother while she was crying alone in the backyard.
At the time, I wasn’t sure if he was comforting me, but today it became clear.
‘I guess it’s right, he comforted me.’
Evelia revised her evaluation of Cassis.
Everyone in the capital’s social circles had described him as emotionless and cold. But the Cassis that Evelia saw was different.
Of course, I despised him at first, but despised was an emotion. And then…
‘It was a little strange.’
When he saw her wounds, he brought her to the Adelhard mansion, calling her his fiancée. He handed her clothes and gave her some comfort that did not seem like comfort.
And this time, he followed me here under the guise of being an escort.
Of course, there’s a reason he’s supposed to be polite, since they’ll be married, but what’s the point being polite when it’s a contractual marriage?
In other words, even though he was contractually married to someone he hated, he was still being polite as a husband.
‘I don’t think he’s as cold as he seems when you look at things like that.’
She still wondered why he didn’t break off the engagement with her.
However, it seemed like I could get along better with Cassis than I thought during the contract marriage.
Evelia promised that if he decided to play the role of husband, she would do her best as a wife here as well.
“I’m fine, thank you for asking and…”
Evelia smiled slightly without realizing it.
“I came to say thank you for coming today.”
“…….”
“Thank you very much. Thanks to you, I was able to have a good time.”
Just then, Logan, who had gone to get firewood, returned. He asked Evelia as he put more firewood into the bonfire.
“Aren’t you cold? Would you like me to bring you a blanket?”
“No. I was tired so I thought I’d go in now.”
Evelia stood up and bowed her head towards Cassis.
“Then see you tomorrow.”
Cassis just nodded without answering.
But Evelia felt it in her gut.
That today, at this very moment, something had changed between them.
*Gosiwon (Korean: 고시원) are a kind of single room occupancy class of building found in South Korea. Originally designed for students preparing to take exams, they are characterized by low rent, shared bathrooms and kitchens, and very limited private space.
