Chapter 29
“…Harold.”
Diana called him again.
The room was dim, with no moonlight seeping through due to the thick clouds. so she couldn’t clearly see his expression. However, the hand she held onto in her half-asleep state felt damp and cold with sweat.
“Did I wake you?” she asked.
“No. Well… Are you alright?” Harold replied.
Diana placed her other hand on Harold’s cheek. His cheek felt just as cold and damp as his hand.
“You’re not sick, are you?”
Since they had both fallen asleep in the same positions, Diana felt guilty for letting go of his hand in her sleep. Though his seizures had decreased since they started spending time together, but Harold was still unwell.
If you were sick, you should’ve woken me up. If you didn’t want to wake me, you could’ve at least held onto me. Worried and upset, Diana tightened her grip on his hand. Slowly, Harold’s cold hand began to warm under her touch.
“I’m not sick. I just had a bad dream.”
As warmth spread through Harold’s hand, the tension in his body eased. He felt his body relax, like a trained animal responding instinctively to comfort.
“Really…?” Diana asked.
“Yes.”
Relieved that he wasn’t unwell, Diana lowered the hand she had placed on his cheek.
“I’ll go wash up. Diana, you should go back to sleep.”
Diana nodded in agreement, but once she was alone, she found it impossible to fall asleep. The sheets where Harold had been lying were damp with sweat.
This didn’t seem like a simple nightmare.
Even if Harold said he wasn’t sick, she couldn’t shake her concern and sat up.
‘Hmm… Wouldn’t he be thirsty?’
After sweating that much, it was hard to imagine that he wouldn’t feel thirsty.
Diana slipped on her slippers, draped a shawl over her shoulders, and headed to the kitchen. By the time she returned with a tea tray, Harold seemed to have finished washing up. A faint light was seeping through the gap in the door.
When she fully opened the door, Diana saw Harold standing by the window in a fresh robe. He turned toward her, noticing the tea tray she had brought.
“So that’s where you went.”
“Yes.”
“You could’ve asked a maid to do it.”
“It’s far too late for that. Besides, I know how to brew tea myself.”
The skill of making tea was part of Diana’s own memories. She set a cup in front of Harold.
“Thank you.”
While Harold sipped his tea, Diana glanced at him discreetly. With a candle now lit, she could see him more clearly.
He sipped the tea with an air of elegance. His actions and expression were just as composed as always, but the hollows under his eyes were deeply shadowed. There were dark circles beneath his eyes, and his skin, already pale, looked ghostly under the dim light. He appeared utterly exhausted.
‘What is he thinking about? Is he thinking about that nightmare?’
“Harold, wasn’t the pudding we had after dinner was amazing?” Diana asked, attempting to change the subject.
“Was it?”
“You don’t seem to remember. Did you not eat it?”
“I kept my meal simple today.”
“Oh. It was delicious, though… I’ll have to ask the chef to make it again tomorrow.”
“Was it that good?”
“Yes! The one we had today was Earl Grey milk tea-flavored pudding. It was smooth and bouncy, and when you took a spoonful, the sweet and slightly bitter flavors blended perfectly. It was so good I couldn’t stop eating.”
“Hmm. I’ll look forward to it tomorrow, then.”
As they chatted, Diana noticed Harold’s expression soften slightly. She smiled to herself, feeling relieved.
‘Honestly, Harold isn’t the type to get tense up on nightmares.’
Maybe she was overreacting on her own. Still, she couldn’t put her mind at ease.
There were many reasons she couldn’t let it go. Because they were together. Because he was the first meaningful connection she had made since being reborn in this body. And because she genuinely liked Harold as a person.
“By the way, why did someone from the Imperial Palace visit today?” She asked lightly, figuring Harold would avoid the topic if it was something sensitive.
“They came to investigate the raid on the human trafficking organization.”
“Oh.”
But why would they come to Harold about that?
As Diana tilted her head in confusion, Harold seemed to read her thoughts and explained.
“It’s because that incident happened after you went out alone and ended up in danger.”
“Ah, that makes sense.”
Diana slowly nodded.
“Whoever it is, I hope they don’t get caught.”
“Don’t worry. Your husband isn’t so careless.”
“That’s true. Harold isn’t careless… Wait, what?”
Diana froze, her eyes darting nervously like a startled cat.
“Didn’t you hear me? Your husband—”
“Ahhh! Stop! Don’t say another word! Haven’t you heard the saying, ‘Eve walls have ears’?!”
She hurriedly clamped her hands over his mouth. Harold lightly tapped her hand as if to say, Let go.
Should I let go or not? Hesitant and flustered, Diana lowered her hand.
“There are no mice or rats nearby to overhear something said in a low voice. If anything, your shouting might attract them.”
“Aren’t you afraid of me saying something somewhere? What would you do then?” she exclaimed.
“You? Well…”
Without finishing his sentence, Harold raised his teacup. Watching him sip his tea in his composed manner made Diana feel even more anxious.
What does he mean by that? Does he think I wouldn’t dare because he could handle it with ease?
Diana clutched her hair and pouted.
Ugh! Why did I even ask?
Her blue eyes welled with a mix of embarrassment, irritation, and regret, as if to say this wasn’t what she’d wanted.
“Pfft.”
Finally, Harold let out a chuckle. It was hard to suppress his laughter when her thoughts were so transparent.
As Diana snapped her head up in surprise, his navy-blue eyes crinkled in amusement, still glistening with laughter.
“I laughed because the tea is good.”
“…Did someone say something to you?”
Diana’s lips pouted even further at his excuse, which didn’t make any sense.
‘He is laughing at someone who is feeling awkward.’
Still, she didn’t dislike seeing him smile. That was the whole reason she kept talking to him—to see that smile. It annoyed her a little but also made her happy. Happy and slightly irritated.
However, the negative feelings quickly faded away, and she was left with the sense that it was all fine as long as he was in a good mood.
As Diana’s face broke into a soft smile, Harold’s navy-blue eyes deepened as he stared at her. She wouldn’t understand what the relationship was between them.
But one thing was clear: She felt safe in his arms.
Harold tilted his head slightly.
“Just,” he said, getting close to her.
His hair brushed against the nape of her neck, cold as if it were sharp fangs piercing her delicate skin. She nervously tried to push him away but he wouldn’t budge an inch. Suddenly a strange tension spread all the way to the pit of her stomach.
“I wondered if I forgot to give you a warning.”
A warning?
Did he just say a warning?
“Did I… do something wrong?”
“You did.”
What did I mess up today?
Was it asking why someone from the palace came earlier? But Harold could have just chosen not to answer. Or was it something else? No matter how much she racked her brain, she couldn’t pinpoint it.
“I’m sorry,” she said, bowing her head.
There was no response from Harold. The silence made her even more nervous. Should she get on her knees? But she couldn’t, not with his firm grip keeping her in place.
Then, Harold loosened his hold. Caught off guard, Diana awkwardly straightened up.
Does that mean he accepted my apology?
She sneaked a glance at his face a few times and let out a deep sigh. The tension drained from her body, leaving her feeling heavy and exhausted.
“I’ll go to bed for real now…”
“Alright. I’ll finish my tea first.”
Still wary, Diana stole a few glances back at Harold like a rabbit checking for predators as she headed to bed.
So he really held me back just to ask that?
Her face twisted in a mix of confusion and exasperation as she lay down. Moments later, she fell asleep.
Listening to her soft, steady breathing, Harold set down his empty teacup. Standing beside a bed, he let his gaze linger on the sleeping Diana.
“Diana.”
“If you have remembered my warning, you’d also remember this.”
“I always get what I want, no matter what it takes.”
His lips curved into a sly, almost sweet smile as he whispered the words.
But his navy eyes remained dark, filled with emotions she hadn’t yet noticed. Sticky, possessive emotions.
