Chapter 9
Lizbeth was more concerned about something other than Eden’s sleep.
“Are you alone here in the middle of the night?”
“I can’t bring anyone else here.”
Elysia’s eyebrow lifted as if questioning the obviousness of the question.
Despite Elysia’s expression, Lizbeth still seemed eager to say something.
“If you have something to say, just say it.”
With Elysia’s permission, Lizbeth didn’t hesitate to ask.
“It’s dangerous to be alone after sunset. Miss, you’re still young.”
“Even though it’s dim, this is still the Duke’s estate.”
There was no need to argue about the danger.
As Lizbeth argued, Elysia was indeed still young.
Considering her age, it was natural for Lizbeth to worry about her walking alone at night, but it was unnecessary.
Inside, Elysia was not as young as to be afraid of the darkness around her home.
Of course, it was surprising to be worried by an unexpected person.
“As most young ladies do, they always have guards even in dimly lit places.”
“As you know, I don’t have any guards.”
Elysia replied with a playful shrug.
Duke Partin did not assign separate guards to Elysia and Ariel.
Being a duke who almost neglected his children, he might not even consider the idea of assigning guards.
Elysia had long abandoned the hope that Duke Partin would care about her and Ariel’s safety.
Especially since Duke Partin treated Ariel, who often skipped classes after causing various troubles, more like an annoyance than his own flesh and blood.
He only showed up to burden them with annoying tasks and then disappeared.
Having been at the mansion for over a week now and never once sought out Elysia and Ariel, the answer was clear.
To Duke Partin, even his children were just someone else’s problem.
“Considering I rarely have any reason to leave the mansion, why would I need guards?”
Elysia, who was inwardly assessing her position, smiled and added jokingly, “You know, Miss, as the Duke Partin’s niece, considering my status and age, guards are essential.”
Lizbeth emphasized Elysia’s status and age.
By now, Elysia also noticed that Lizbeth kept focusing on her age.
“Well, this is unexpected.”
It was rare for anyone in the mansion to treat Elysia like a child.
After years of experience, Elysia had learned that pretending to be foolish would only lead to losses here.
That’s why Elysia didn’t bother to mimic a child.
The only people who treated her as her age were the butler Edik and the maid Rachel.
Yet, to hear someone else, unexpectedly, say that she was still young.
“Elysia opened her eyes wide, unable to even manage her expression.’’
“When are you going to threaten me with your younger brother’s influence?”
“No, is it because you have a younger brother?”
“So maybe Elysia is more concerned about the child at her age.”
“Even at the end, despite her anger, Elysia spat out hurtful words.”
“Even kindness can be excessive.”
Elysia was aware that she had dragged Lizbeth into this.
Because she knew this well, Elysia was willing to understand Lizbeth even if she behaved more harshly towards her.
As long as she kept the promises with me.
“The whereabouts of the knights are not under my jurisdiction.”
“…If you could ask Your Highness…”
“Forget it. Just open the door.”
Was she asking Count Partin for a favor because there was no one else to ask? Not wanting to behave nervously towards Lizbeth, who had worried about her, Elysia forced herself to keep her composure.
Rather than talking about Count Partin, Elysia knocked on the door as if telling Lizbeth to open it.
Finally, she opened the door while holding back a sigh at Lizbeth’s ascent.
Perhaps because it was night, the interior was much darker than during the day. The darkness inside made her hesitate to step forward.
Unable to help it, Elysia groped the wall next to the door to find the switch to turn on the lights.
Something caught her hand.
Thinking it might be the light switch, Elysia pressed what was caught in her hand firmly.
With a click, the interior brightened.
“Eden? Still not sleeping.”
As Elysia entered, Eden sprang up from the bed. The sound of metal clinking came from his ankles.
When the metallic sound was clearly heard, not only Elysia but also Lizbeth stiffened their faces.
In no time, Elysia pretended not to notice and spoke to Eden.
“I left the light on for you.”
Approaching Eden step by step, Elysia continued.
“I brought some food.”
She offered the fruits she had personally brought from the annex in front of Eden.
Eden just stared at the fruits.
The fruits he knew well were tangled up in the basket.
“Do you not like fruits?”
Elysia moved to sit on the bed where Eden was sitting. Feeling the mattress sink, she placed the basket on her thigh.
“You should sit too.”
Why do you keep standing?
Encouraging him to sit by tapping his side, Eden sat back on the bed instead of replying.
Watching the two of them, Lizbeth kept staring without leaving.
Not leaving?”
Elysia, feeling belatedly the gaze of Lizabeth, asked with a puzzled expression.
Lizabeth replied with a stern face, “At this late hour, I cannot leave a minor boy and girl alone in the same room.”
“….”
“And it’s best to refrain from sitting together on the bed.”
Those were words meant for a 9-year-old and a 12-year-old. Even one of them was a mentally incapacitated boy with shackles on his feet.
“Earlier you said I was still a child.”
“Yes. So you’re a minor.”
“…Ah.”
As Lizabeth said, she was indeed a minor.
“And it’s not even 8 o’clock yet.”
“For young ladies, 8 o’clock is already late.”
“Huh.”
She felt her thoughts were blocked, almost suffocating.
Unconsciously, Elysia let out a hollow laugh. Whether she did or not, Lizabeth firmly held her ground.
“Alright. Well, I don’t plan to stay long anyway… I’ll just watch Eden eat and then leave.”
If it were any other servant, Elysia would have simply told them to leave without defiance, but she didn’t do so with Lizabeth.
It was because Elysia knew it wasn’t an act of ignoring her.
While passing over Lizabeth’s instruction not to sit together on the bed.
“Do you really hate fruits? I should have brought something else next time.”
“….”
Without even answering the question about fruits, Eden just tightly sealed his lips.
Thin lips met seamlessly.
“I should have asked if you wanted to eat first.”
Blaming herself for not considering Eden’s preferences and bringing something he couldn’t eat, Elysia rose lightly.
With a surprised expression, Eden glanced alternately between Elysia and the fruits.
“It can’t be helped. I’ll come again tomorrow.”
Feeling sorry for offering inedible food to a hungry person, Elysia gently stroked Eden’s head.
Even though his white hair hadn’t been washed for a week, sticking out between Elysia’s fingers, she didn’t find it dirty.
“Uh….”
Feeling the warmth on his head, Eden was once again flustered in a different sense.
While he was flustered, the warmth of Elysia’s hand disappeared.
“Lizabeth. Are there shower supplies and spare clothes here?”
“Yes.”
Lizabeth answered without hesitation.
Though she didn’t know anything else, Lizabeth knew everything necessary for Eden to survive was provided.
Handing over the towels and clothes that had been used, if Eden couldn’t do it himself, was one of Lizabeth’s duties.
“Do you know how to shower, Eden?”
As Elysia combed the bangs covering his eyebrows, Eden answered quietly, “Yes.”
“Then let’s shower and get some rest today.”
When Elysia pointed to a room presumably the bathroom, Eden moved his body slowly.
The heavy steps reflected Eden’s reluctance to go to the bathroom.
Yet he couldn’t resist Elysia’s invitation to come and see her.
While looking back from time to time to check Elysia’s position, Eden moved forward.
Then, in the midst of his hesitation, the warmth on his head disappeared.
“Looks like you’re getting along well.”
Separating the sound of water from the bathroom, Lizabeth asked.
“Trying to get along.”
Elysia responded with a playful voice.
“…Are you pitying him?”
As much as trying to get along with a boy whose identity is unknown?
Lizabeth, who didn’t know Eden’s identity, asked.
In response to the dry question, Elysia also replied with a dry voice.
“Can you not pity him?”
You’re pitying him too.
Regardless of what will happen in the future, whether knowing or not knowing, Eden’s situation was one that would evoke sympathy from both Elysia, who knew, and Lizabeth, who didn’t.
There were no more words exchanged between the two.
Only the sound of water flowing from the bathroom floated in the air.
