Ran opened her eyes. She immediately felt refresh and know for sure she lost the fever.
'How long have I been sleeping?'
Ran stretched out. While scratching her head, Ran sighed.
'My head is screwed up!'
When Ran got up from her seat, Kara, who was bringing in a new basin, approach her.
"Are you awake? How are you feeling?"
"Yeah, I've lost my fever. It's okay. But I want to wash up."
"Okay, let's get some hot water ready. Can you stand up?"
"Yes"
Ran nodded and coughed softly. The fever fell, but it didn't seem to be better.
'Is this summer cold?' She gave a long sigh.
After washing up and changing, Ran had a light meal. After drying her hair, Ran decided to visit Eustaf herself.
She poked Ross with a long face.
"Sir Ross."
"What's the matter?"
"It's my fault."
In her whisper, Ross looked surprised and said,
"I'm glad you know. If I thought I was standing in front of an empty room, I'm gonna--"
He grumbled in his mouth.
Only when Eustaf came back with Ran, Ross knew Ran was gone. The embarrassment of that time.
"And this may happen again in the future."
Ross raised his eyebrows. Ran smiled lightly.
"I'm telling you in advance."
Ross held back what he wanted to say. Ran opened her eyes wide, saying, "Oh."
I thought you'd complain about something here, but your holding it in.
'Ross, you've grown.'
I don't think it will change, but I guess people, who change.
Ran took the lead in walking, amazed. The weather outside the window was clear as if when it rained. It was clear enough to be transparent.
All the windows in the hallway were open and filled with fresh air. The sun slowly tilted, and the sky was bright red. It was a clear sunset, not cloudy.
As I entered the office, Eustaf, who had been working diligently since morning, looked up.
"Noonim, you're still not feeling well."
As he got up from his seat, Ran glanced at the pile of documents.
"Are you doing this alone?"
"I do my part."
It was a peaceful conversation as if there were no violent conversations last night. Ran said, feeling somehow itchy inside.
"Eus."
"Yes."
"I apologize again for my slip of the tongue yesterday."
Greeting politely, Eustaf came out of the desk and said, holding her head down.
"No, I know that you're all over the place as much as the rain in July."
Ran frowned.
"What do you mean?"
I couldn't even think about it, so I asked again, and Eustaf smiled as if it were fun.
"Well, what could it be?"
What the hell?
Ran blinked, but it was fortunate that Eustaf seemed relieved.
'Saying 'there's nothing precious to me' was the worst thing to say.'
That was also the most disturbing remark for Eustaf. You know how precious Lazia is to him.
"Now that the rain has stopped, will we go back?"
"You should. If you weren't sick, you would have left today."
"Then let's leave early tomorrow morning. But can I take one more person with me...?"
"Okay."
Eustaf said so and nodded.
"I don't care if there is even two."
The man and his sister.
"Thank you, Eus."
With a big smile, Ran said, and somehow Eustaf got a little irritated and lightly knock her forehead.
"....?"
When Ran looked puzzled, Eustaf looked at his hand and spoke.
"No more without me knowing."
"Tell me if you're angry."
"I'll knock on your head just because I'm angry? I'll feel like a trash."
"Then, then why?"
Ran's head was spinning because Eustaf had never come out like this, or touched her like this.
Did you hit me on the forehead? Eustaf?
My forehead?
Is that a sign of familiarity?
Or just?
"I don't know either."
Why are you so confident when you don't know?
Ran rubbed her forehead, holding back what she wanted to shout. Eustaf asked.
"Does it hurt?"
"No."
It didn't hurt at all. Should I say that I am more embarrassed than that?
Cough cough**
When Ran coughed, Eustaf quickly brought a glass of water. Ross looked at it from the side and said, "Our lord is calling such a petty call!" and was biting his handkerchief.
Ran said, pushing the glass of water.
"No, it's just a cough. It's okay."
"Can you really go back tomorrow?"
"Yes, I'm just coughing."
I'm glad I don't have a cold.
Eustaf lowered his head and whispered low and gentle in her ear.
"Noonim, I'm worried, too."
"?!"
Surprised by the whispering, Eustaf caught Ran taking a step or two back, blocking her ears, and then stumbling.
"Do you understand?"
"Huh? Uh-huh. Thank you..."
"Then go back and rest."
"Yes."
With a nod, Ran staggered back to her room.
'Worried? Worried...? Oh!'
Only then did Ran flash into her head.
One of the reasons why Eustaf was angry yesterday, he was worried.'
I didn't think you'd worry about me. That's why he's Eustaf.
'But why did you tell me about your position there? ········ No, but why do you really think Eustaf will worry about me ········?'
- What does Noonim think of me-
At that time, I remembered what Eustaf said yesterday.
'I think I'm missing something···?'
Ross saw her wriggling with anxiety, but Ran returned safely to her bedroom.
'I don't know. I want to rest.'
I wasn't in a state of mind. Ran threw herself on the bed and closed her eyes tightly.
'Eustaf is worried about me.'
When I thought about it, I grinned somehow, and Ran fell asleep with a smile.
'In this world, there are people who care about me.' Before she went to sleep, she thought so for the last time.
********
The flag bearing the sentence of Lazia and the flag indicating that the Patriarch was with them were also fluttering, and the carriage was in a long procession.
Lily looked at the beautiful woman sitting across the street. The coral reef where Lily stayed was a brothel.
Of course, there were many women, but it was my first time seeing such a beautiful woman.
The milky hair flows down smoothly and shines like a star, and the eyes are clear and deep enough to be transparent. It has a lovely features and strangely elegant features.
She is a woman who is never seen in the brothels of the slums.
'In addition, ·····."
I don't know how nice she is to her. The clothes she was wearing were smooth and soft.
The carriage was also soft.
"Don't you feel dizzy?"
When Ran asked, Lily shook her head. Ran laughed and took out meringue cookies.
"Do you like snacks? Do you want some?
The light-colored meringue cookies made in the shape of flowers were pretty just by looking at them, so their eyes grew bigger. Lily picked up the snack carefully and put it in her mouth. Ran laughed as she saw Lily's eyes getting bigger.
"Delicious?"
"Yes, yes."
"Then eat all of this, Lily."
She handed over a bag of meringue cookies to Lily, so Lily opened her mouth.
"All of this?"
"Yes."
Ran smiled sweetly.
'So cute. So cute. Feeding herbivores!'
She's so beautiful that she sparkled when she was dressed a little properly. Dimodia, who was sitting next to Ran, said cautiously.
"Wouldn't it be too much if you eat it all? Isn't it too sweet?"
"Really? Lily, have some tea."
Ran suggested so and smiled.
The group described Lumiere and Lily's siblings as old acquaintances. We're going with them to help me settle down on my way down to Lazia. Everyone wondered, but they accepted it without saying much.
There was no one who did not know that Ran was the daughter of a rural knight before he came to the Duchy of Lazia, and no one wanted to point that out.
Of course, the biggest support was that Eustaf told me that Lily and Ran could ride the carriage together. That's how the party started and had been heading to Lazia territory for four days already.
Lumiere was either walking or in a cart because he didn't know how to ride a horse. He glanced at the most spectacular carriage.
'I never thought she was really the Duchess of Lazia.'
When the Duchess of Lazia came to greet him, she soothed Lily, who was afraid, several times.
"Are you going away from me again?"
"No, it's okay. Let's go together."
While saying so, he thought he wouldn't see Lily when he arrived at the Duchy. However, siblings were always treated as a pair, and they did not show any signs of separation.
Good food, good clothes, good bed.
Things beyond their means were given, so Lumiere lowered himself even more.
It was even more so after the carriage started. When I saw Ran with Lily next to me, I thought, "As expected."
'And he's Eustaf.'
The next Duke.
The most likely opponent to kill.
Every time he looked indifferently into Lumiere's eyes, as if he was penetrating into him, he felt his back neck numb.
'He's not an easy target.'
Eustaf was riding a horse, not a carriage. When he lightly raised his hand, the party stopped in unison.
"Let's take a break."
Eustaf's words instantly made a fuss. There was a sound of the horse coming down and busily from the carriage. Eustaf also got off the horse and knocked on the carriage door where Ran was riding.
"Are we resting?"
Ran opened the carriage door without hesitation, and Eustaf nodded, avoiding the opening door.
"I think I'll take a ten-minute break."
"It was frustrating."
"Are you riding a horse?"
Ran opened her eyes wide at Eustaf's words.
"Next time."
"Don't you think you'd better practice a little bit?"
"It is, but ·····."
Ran mumbled into her mouth and got out of the carriage holding Eustaf's hand. Then Lily quickly got off the carriage and went away looking for Lumiere.
Ran whispered.
"Cute."
"What?"
"Lily."
Eustaf looked at a small girl running. Ran said in embarrassment at the sight of her face.
"She's cute, isn't she?"
A smiley woman who is worthy of being, enough to be present?
"Is that your cup of tea?"
"That's not what it's like"
Ran opened her mouth wide.
'Well, he's not a pedophile.'
I think so too, but Kara and Soda, who were in the other wagon, ran and held out a warm car.
"Lord, you're still coughing."
"I made tea."
"Oh, thank you."
"Shall I have a chair straightened?"
"Huh? No, it's okay. I've been sitting. All three of you go for a walk. Cause I'm fine."
Saying that to the maid, Ran took a sip of the warm tea. When Eustaf saw the maids moving away, he asked her.
"But what did you say to him, Noonim?"
"Huh?"
"Did you ask for my assassination?"
"Huk-"
Ran spat out the tea she was drinking and began to cough violently.
"Cough, Cough, Cough."
Eustaf patted her on the back.
"Are you alright?"
"That its, that, what, Cough--"
Eustaf raised his hand to stop the maids from approaching Ran. Ran also waved her hand to indicate that she was okay.
It's not something that the maids listen to. Ran, who took a sip of tea again and cleared her throat, shouted low.
"What are you talking about?"
"No, that's what I'm looking at. So, I wondered if he was looking for a Duke."
"No, I'm not. I'm not after you. And I didn't say anything to Lumiere."
When Ran said in a fit of anger, Eustaf murmured, "That's too bad..." , Ran said because she was amazed.
"Do you want me to go for a Patriarch job?"
"I think it's still okay."
"What?"
"What is it?"
When Eustaf said so, his arms gave me goose bumps. I haven't felt this in a long time.
"Eus"
"Yes?"
"You said you weren't going to kill me."
"I did."
So muttering, Eustaf fiddled with Ran's hair, which had fallen.
Not yet, I think it'll be okay.
If Ran wants to be a housekeeper, I think she can keep it forever.