There was a lake. It was a lake covered with blue solitude. The lake was lush with dense bushes, except for one place. In that place, there was a sheer meadow and a temple.
Temple? Is that a temple?
The white stone building had columns facing each other, forming a circular chapel and next to it was a laurel tree, behind the tree was a man standing still.
The man kept looking at the temple. It was a persistent and lonely gaze. The man, who had only been looking, approached the temple gradually as his surroundings became dark.
The persistent, lonely gaze soon became dismal. The laurel tree made a mournful sound. For some reason, when I woke up, I felt sad.
“Hmm.”
I was just watching the scene but my body became sweaty. A painful sound came out. The sweat cooled me down. I was just definitely looking at it, but why is the man’s gaze stuck in my body?
I stood up as if possessed and headed to the window. I leaned on it and looked at the moon in the night sky. It’s not a scary dream, but why do I get chills? I opened the door and went out. Being in the room alone makes me feel strange.
Moonlight illuminated the desolate corridor. I didn’t know where to go, so I just wandered around the mansion. Since it was dawn, it was quiet without a single person passing by.
Where is that place and who is that man?
Actually, I’m familiar with this dream. It was a dream I had from time to time when I was Ha Sohee.I had no idea I’d dream of this even after becoming Mary. My grandmother used to stroke my hair after I woke up from a sweat-filled sleep, but now that she isn’t here, I can’t do that…… I just had to stay up all night.
‘Now you have a family who will take care of you….’
As I continued to walk like that, I wandered in front of Grand Duke Estin’s bedroom.
Can I come in…….
I pondered at the door for a moment. Can I come in? This is the first time I’ve been in Grand Duke Estin’s bedroom. I hesitated for a moment. Someone who will look after me instead of my grandmother, who is no longer by my side.The only person I can think of is Grand Duke Estin.
I carefully raised my hand and knocked. Are you sleeping? Should I knock one more time and leave if there’s no answer? I knock a little harder than before. There was no answer again.
I guess he’s sleeping.
I should just go back.Still, I felt sorry for some reason, so I wandered around for a while. When I go back to my room alone, I’ll just…… wait till the morning comes. I’ll just have to endure it somehow. As I was about to turn around…
“What’s going on?”
“Ack!”
The voice of Grand Duke Estin, who I thought was in the room, was heard from behind me. I was so surprised that I screamed. Looking at his wet hair and gown, he seemed to have taken a bath at this time. He had a frown in his left eye as if my shouting had hurt his ears.
“Didn’t you sleep?”
“I did…… I slept.”
“You slept?”
“I had a scary dream…”
As I spoke, Grand Duke Estin listened intently and cast a silent gaze my way. Oh, was it too much to come all the way here just because I had a little nightmare? I’m not five or six years old. I looked at the floor for a moment, then smiled as brightly as I could.
“But it’s okay now! Hurry up and go to bed. I’ll go and sleep, too.”
As I was talking like that, Grand Duke Estin, who was quietly observing me, lifted me up. I’m not surprised now because I’ve been carried by him a few times now, I’m quite comfortable. Are you trying to take me to my room? When I looked at him with round eyes, Grand Duke Estin smiled at me.
“Shall we sleep together?”
“Yes?”
“Let’s go in.”
I was doubting my ears, but Grand Duke Estin fixed my posture with one hand and opened the door to his bedroom with the other. After a moment, I hugged Grand Duke Estin’s neck. It appears that I won’t feel lonely tonight for some reason.
***
“Where is Miss Mary?”
When Carol entered Mary’s room to wake her up, she was perplexed to see an empty bed. She went out to the garden thinking Mary might have gone for a morning walk, but she was not there either. Bonita approached, looking at the restless Carol.
“What’s going on?”
“Oh, I, I can’t find Miss Mary. She’s not in bed or the garden.”
“Even in the dining room?”
“Yes……. Where did she go?”
Carol’s words also made Bonita worry. Where in the world did she go so early in the morning?… She’s a girl with nowhere else to go, but she mysteriously vanished, so it was natural to be concerned.
Carol and Bonita were both at a loss, but Lucas was coming down the stairs was smiling as if something good happened.
“Oh, why do you look so troubled?”
“Miss Mary is not in the room..….”
“Oh, that explains your expression.”
“Do you know where Miss Mary is?”
Lucas laughed at Bonita’s words. Carol asked, surprised at Lucas’ expression, which seemed to know something.
“She’s in the Grand Duke’s room.”
“……what?”
“They were sleeping soundly in the Grand Duke’s room”
“Really?”
“I went in to wake him up, but they looked so picture perfect that I couldn’t dare to do it, so I just came out. “
Lucas, who went in to wake Estin in the morning, was briefly surprised at the sight and then laughed quietly.
It was because the youngest Conler was sleeping in Estin’s large arms. He wondered if they had become so close without him knowing, but Mary’s face, which he saw, touched his heart for no reason.
Mary’s face, which always seemed like she was being chased, looked so comfortable.
“What?”
He was looking at Mary’s sleeping face when Estin woke up and asked Lucas only with his mouth without making a sound.
“Oh, it’s morning…….”
“All right, get out.”
“What?”
“I’ll take her out when she wakes up, so stay out.”
Estin gave Lucas an order with sleepy eyes. As Lucas stared blankly, his eyes turned fierce. Lucas, who couldn’t beat the look, nodded and went out carefully.
Lucas, who was kicked, stood in the hallway and muttered.
“Who would live in sorrow because they don’t have a daughter?….”
***
“Visit the Imperial Palace.”
Estin muttered as if he knew it. He guessed it because of what happened with Cameron. There was a task he needed to do.
Lucas, standing in front of him, hesitated for a moment and opened his mouth with difficulty.
“It’s not just your excellency.”
“Gilbert too?”
“Ahm, no.”
“No way.”
Estin, who was staring out the window, gave Lucas a firm look. Lucas continued with a vague smile.
“Miss Mary was also invited.”
“Why?”
Estin’s momentum became ferocious. He would have fainted if there had been anyone else here besides Lucas. Lucas also became distraught for a moment, then regained his senses and calmed Estin.
“His Majesty didn’t ask her to come, so don’t make such a scary face.”
“……then who?”
“Princess Lausanne.”
“All of a sudden?”
“She asked you to come with her. Isn’t this a good opportunity for Miss Mary? Princess Lausanne is holding a salon. There will be a lot of young people her age who will be attending.”
“Hmm.”
But Estin still looked unhappy about something. Actually, he knew that the imperial family would be interested in Mary. Since she’s the youngest Conler found after 9 years. He knew that he had to take him someday. However, when he thought that such a day had come, strangely, he didn’t like it.
“Can’t you put it off?”
“…… because of the trouble with the first prince, wouldn’t it be better for her to go to the salon of Princess Lausanne?”
“Ha…”
Lucas had a point.
He wasn’t asked to bring her in front of the emperor’s front, and he didn’t think it would be bad if it was a salon where people of her age gathered. But it’s too early for Mary to be out of the world.
“Do you think Mary can adjust well to a cultural salon?”
“Hmn, the tutor…….”
“A tutor?”
“I’ve found the right person for a tutor, but……. It was hard to find a tutor these days.”
“Why is the introduction so long?”
In the prolonged beginning, Estin urged him to answer as if he had to speak quickly. Lucas kept hesitating. It was hard to get a tutor these days. Young men study at the academy, but it was a trend for young ladies to be educated at home by a tutor. Teachers who seemed to be okay with that arrangement were already working as other young ladies’ tutors. Especially the noble ladies.
So the man who he managed to find…….
“He’s a second-honor graduate of the academy.”
“That kind of genius is a tutor?”
“Yes…”
“What’s his name?”
“His name is Logan Reilly.”
Ohhhh noooo, it’s the manipulative person