“Since Jonathan is back… It was nice to see him and I wanted to see his face often. That’s all.”
Ethan said as he wiggled his hand under the hem. The Duchess of Bronte felt her heart melt like sugar in tea.
She can’t believe Ethan was happy that his brother came after a long time even though he’s been bullied like that by Jonathan! How could there be such a kind and thoughtful child?!
On the other hand, Jonathan, who is already 15 years old this year, is still bullying his younger brother.
The Duchess kissed the lovely Ethan on the forehead and praised him for his kind heart.
“By the way, mother, the princess were injured in an accident during the last swordsmanship match…”
“Oh, yes. Your father is also very sorry about that.”
Jonathan’s face turned pale as Ethan talked about Dorothea.
‘Didn’t Ethan want to talk about the first time I met Dorothea and I was rude?!’
“Ethan!”
Jonathan hurriedly shouted to shut Ethan’s mouth. It was because he worried that Ethan was telling his mother all the warnings he had given to Dorothea.
The sound was so loud that Ethan was startled and trembled.
“Jonathan! Ethan would be surprised if you screamed like that!”
The Duchess got angry, and Ethan looked back at Jonathan with an innocent face that knew nothing.
“Why, brother?”
“you… you…”
Unable to speak about that day in front of the Duchess, Jonathan struggled and tried to make a silent threat.
Ethan smirked at him.
What stupid.
“Mother, by the way, can I come to visit the princess?”
“A visit to the princess?”
“yes. Still, our family is responsible for it… I would like to greet the princess”
“Ethan, it was a wonderful idea!”
Ethan, who takes care of the family, the duchess could not help but love him. Besides, Ethan had met and talked with the princess several times, so it was not strange to visit the princess.
“Go ahead, Ethan. I’ll tell the butler, and I’ll buy a present, so you can take it with you.”
“Thanks for the permission, Mother.”
Ethan smiled at the Duchess and kissed her lightly on the cheek. The duchess melted in his loveliness. Is it the joy of raising children?
“Brother Jonathan, would you like to go with me too?”
Ethan asked in a soft voice. But Jonathan shook his head violently.
‘There’s something I’ve done to the princess, how do I handle it!’
“Jonathan, it’s polite to go and greet the princess in a case like this.”
“I don’t like it! Why should I greet the princess?”
“Jonathan.”
The Duchess’ eyes frowned.
“Mother, it seems that my brother is uncomfortable, so I will go alone. The princess and I have met each other many times.”
Ethan smiled brightly as he stopped the Duchess.
‘After all, I didn’t even think of going with you from the beginning.’
* * *
Ethan visited Dorothea the day after Ray went up to the Lampas. Ethan came dressed more neatly than usual. A gray patterned jacket, a white shirt with a crossover tie, a Black overall and neatly ironed cotton shorts. brown leather shoes.
A perfect young man as if straight out of a textbook. it’s ordinary, it’s an ordinary outfit, but Ethan wore it and it looked special.
“I’m sorry for coming late, Princess.”
Ethan apologized for not coming right after Dorothea was injured.
“No. I wasn’t hurt because of you.”
“I was very worried. I was wondering if this injury would interfere with swordsmanship. You like it.”
“It’s not broken, it’s just cracked. They said it wouldn’t make much of a difference if everything got better.”
Dorothea didn’t want to expose her weakness, so she pretended to be okay for nothing. Ethan looked at Dorothea, who smiled shyly, saying it was okay.
“Why are you staring at me like that, Ethan?”
“It’s a little windy. Aren’t you cold, Princess?”
Ethan asked, pointing to the window she had left open for ventilation. Dorothea didn’t really care, but a cool sea breeze was blowing through the window. Dorothea couldn’t wear long sleeves because of the cast, so she was wearing a sleeveless dress with her arms exposed.
“It’s a little cold, but better to open the window.”
Dorothea said, stroking her cool arm with her hand.
Ethan then took off his jacket and put it on Dorothea’s shoulder. The jacket that had Ethan’s warmth touched her arm and the fragrant scent of flowers Ethan had.
“You don’t feel well, so you have to be careful.”
Ethan smiles softly.
“Oh, and I prepared a small gift because I couldn’t come empty-handed during the visit to the princess”
Ethan handed Dorothea the gift he was holding in one hand. It was a gift that was light and small enough to fit in one hand.
“You don’t have to bring these things…”
“You were injured, it was an accident because my family didn’t take good care of you, so how can I come empty-handed?”
Ethan’s golden eyes, looking at Dorothea, seemed to want Dorothea to open the present in this place. It was a look that he hoped his gift would not be the same as the letter that Ray sent.
Dorothea tried to remove the wrapping paper with one hand, but it didn’t work out.
“Can I help?”
“Yes. thank you.”
Ethan took the gift again and slowly unwrapped it.
Should I say that he knew how to peel off the wrapper cleanly without damaging it? Ethan unwrapped the wrapping paper and held out the gift with both hands.
Above his hand there is a handkerchief framed with gold thread and embroidered with a beautiful sword. The handkerchief was so luxurious that even Dorothea, who had once been an emperor, could feel it soft.
“You didn’t like the present last time, but I heard you said that you would accept this gift.”
Ethan smiles softly.
The last time he was presented with a gorgeous pendant, Dorothea refused it because she felt burdened. And at that time, Ethan had seen Theon’s handkerchief…
“Ah… thank you.”
* * *
I was amazed at the delicacy of Ethan, who had deliberately bought the handkerchief after remembering the incident.
“I hope you like it.”
Ethan looked at me with a look of anticipation.
“I like it, But embroidered a sword on a handkerchief? How did you get this unusual handkerchief?”
Usually, handkerchiefs were embroidered with flowers or birds. As far as I knew, no one had a sword embroidered on a handkerchief.
In just one case, except for Emperor Dorothea Milanaire. Before returning, Dorothy really liked swords, so she used to collect famous swords as a hobby.
When I felt empty, I ordered the best blacksmith in the empire to make the best sword that would remain as a legend.
The problem is that it was a command from my point of view, but from the perspective of the person receiving the request, it felt like a threat to their life.
In conclusion, it took up a large part of the charge of the tyrant’s luxury,’ but I still thought it was a pretty good hobby.
Hanging the sword on the wall on one side of the room as if painting the entire wall with my favorite sword, when I was depressed, I felt like the sword was talking to me.
It was one of my few happiest moments, except for the occasional uncontrollable bad urge. Anyway, as an extension of my hobby, I even embroidered a sword on my handkerchief.
“The princess seems to like swords, so I asked them to make a special one. I’m so glad you like it. Now you can use it instead of the old handkerchief.”
If it was an old handkerchief, it was Theon’s handkerchief that Ethan had seen. Ethan said that the handkerchief looked very old and did not suit me. I got it from Theon several years ago, so if I used it every day like other handkerchiefs, I would have thrown it away dozens of times. the handkerchief was still intact and good because I did not use it because I had only kept it carefully.
“It hasn’t been that long. It’s Still clean and good.”
“But it’s an old one. Now that we have a new one.”
Ethan smiles softly.
“Princess, since I gave you that present, I want to ask you one request.”
“A Request?”
“There was one thing I wanted to do for a long time.”
No matter how hard I looked at him, I couldn’t read the inside of the fox’s cunning yet captivating smile.
“What is it? Say it.”
“I… I want to write on your cast.”
Ethan cautiously pointed to my white cast.
“Here?”
From time to time, close friends would write encouraging words or sarcastic comments on a friend’s cast. But that was something kids like Ray would do.
Ethan I know isn’t enough to play such a childish act.
I, who thought him strange, nodded to him, who looked at me with pure eyes. No matter how crazy Ethan is, is he still a kid?
“Okay…”
If you have a good heart, I can give you anything. I’m going to take the cast off after a month anyway.
“Thank you for your permission, Princess.”
Ethan kissed my cast lightly.
Ethan had me sit down at the table and brought the pen and ink. Somehow he looked excited, and I wondered what he was thinking. You’re not drawing something weird, are you?
Ethan carefully grabbed my cast, which I had put on the table.
“Is it painful or uncomfortable if I hold it…?”
I shook my head. Then Ethan sat down so that my posture was not uncomfortable. Ethan picked up the pen with his long white finger and tapped the ink, then carefully pointed it out.
His golden eyes gleamed with enthusiasm unlike usual. Writing on my arm made me feel very close to Ethan.
As his slender silver hair flew down, Ethan put a pen for a moment, tucked his hair behind his ear, and started writing on the cast again.
Following his touch, the letters were engraved on my arm.
The figure was like a picture, and I watched Ethan and held my breath without realizing it. His eyelashes are really long. His eyes looking down at the cast were more serious and beautiful than sly. The eyebrows that follow the texture cleanly without any fuss, the white skin without any blemishes, the straight nose bridge, and lips that are labeled pretty for the first time.
Ethan was a very strange man. Even though I’ve seen him for a long time, I often find his strange side that I’ve never seen before.
I saw Ethan concentrating on the cast and fell in love with him after a long time. As if time had stopped, I couldn’t take my eyes off Ethan.
* * *
