'You've become like that, and you've never said a word. Not even a single word!'
The evidence of the brutal assault, clear even in the darkness, a fire of anger raised in his heart. He knew he wasn't a good husband to her. But I thought I could at least be a protector, and apparently, I couldn't even be that to her. It wasn't something he couldn't understand since he'd never protected her. barely able to control my bursting stomach, I returned to Edith's room and found her asleep. But the tears that soaked her lashes and cheeks were still glistening in the light.
"Edith. . . . . "
I called her name in a low voice, but Edith was fast asleep, as if she had relaxed.
"What the hell are you. . . . .what are you hiding?"
Edith, the one who keeps her mouth shut while me and Ludwig take all the shit people throw at us. Killian let out a long, frustrated sigh, wondering if there would ever be a day when he could reach her truth. However, his hands that applied the medicine to her body were as careful and gentle as ever. Edith, who was tickling or flinching and groaning little, had to draw patience in and out, but Killian applied medicine to her body and hugged her until dawn broke. Killian smiled with self-depreciating as he saw Edith digging into the warmth without knowing it was him.
'It was my side that was stupid. it's so shaky, what can i do?'
Killian kissed Edith on the cheek and thought he was crazy. If you're not crazy, you can't be swayed like this by a woman who doesn't even know what's inside.
***
I woke up in the morning feeling a little better. I had some very cozy dreams last night, and I think it was because I slept for a long time without woken up once in the middle of the night. In that cozy dream, someone gently caressed my body. I don't know who it is, but I didn't hate the careful touch, like touching something fragile. No, it was rather good enough to make me cry. I wanted to leave my body in that hand and my heart in that warmth.
'It's a dream full of senses. It's really amazing.'
It was the first time I had a dream in which I saw nothing and did not have a story. But thanks to that, the gloomy mood of last night was blown away, and I stretched long. However, the feeling of softness on the back was strange.
"Huh?"
It felt like my sleep gown sticks to your back like a sticky body lotion.
"Uh? What is this ?"
I reached over my shoulder and touched it, and sure enough, there was something on my back. and as it was applied to the 'bruised area', I realized it was an ointment.
'Killian. . . . !'
Killian was the only one who could do this. sophia and Killian were the only ones who knew I had bruises on my body, and Sophia wasn't exactly the greatest person to put medicine on me.
'So that's a dream, too, isn't it, Killian. . . . ?'
Just imagining Killian applying the medicine to me made my toes tingle. But her misunderstanding was forbidden. Killian was raised with a strict upbringing, so he wouldn't have been able to let a woman who get injured to the point of a nasty bruise. Even if it's a woman he doesn't like.
'I shouldn't have fallen asleep. No, he wouldn't have put the ointment on me if I hadn't been sleeping?'
I kept wishing I hadn't fallen asleep so I could have made another sweet scene with him. But there's no point in regretting something that has already passed. The fact that he was looking out for me was something to be thankful for.
'By the way, I think he got a clue about Sophia, but what's going to happen. . . . .'
I didn't have high expectations. Sophia was a maid sent to me in the name of Count Riegelhoff, with a mission to watch over me so that the Duke of Ludwig would not persecute me. But Killian's behavior far exceeded my expectations. Today was not my day to help Linan with his work, so I was just sitting in my room reading, but suddenly Killian entered my room with one of his knights and grabbed Sophia.
"Killian! What's going on!"
I was surprised and asked, but Killian's gaze was on Sophia.
"I'll kick this maid out, Edith."
"What? Kick out. . . . Huh?"
"Take her out."
Killian glared at Sophia terribly as I asked in confusion and then ordered the knight. Sophia panicked and screamed as soon as she was grabbed by the knight.
"You can't do this! I'm the maid Count Riegelhoff sent to protect the young lady!"
"Oh, really?"
"What in the hell do you think you're going to do to our young lady? Take her away from me! count Riegelhoff will never let you go!"
Sophia stiffened on the subject of maids and spoke with a grimace. but Killian was unfazed.
"A maid like you who can't fulfill her duties, staying by Edith side won't help at all."
"That's not fair! i've been taking care of her since she was a little girl. . . . !"
"From a young age? you've been doing this since she was a kid, right?"
The sound of Killian voice dropped dramatically. He sat down in the chair next to her and asked Sophia in full interrogation mode.
"You. What do you think the duties of a maid are?"
"That, that's it, to take care of the lady before she call, so that the person who your serve can always be comfortable and healthy."
"You know it well."
"Of course! i've been trained from a young age to be a lady's maid."
"Then it's even weirder."
Killian turned his head slightly and looked at Sophia.
"Did the maid, who knew her duty so well, neither reported nor treated the bruise on her master's body?"
For the first time, Sophia's mouth closed tightly.
"Besides, no matter how much I think about it, the person who makes that wound. . . . . I thought you were the only one."
"Oh, no!"
Sophia protested that she wasn't, but her eyes were on me. There was a clear threat that if I opened my mouth, she wouldn't never leave me alone.
"Even if you didn't stare at Edith like that, Edith didn't say a word. Whether it's fine or foolish."
The surroundings became quiet. To the point where I can hear Sophia's throat growling and drooling.
"Oh, I didn't know about the lady minor injury because she didn't talk about it. It's my fault for not looking at it, but. . . . ."
"Does she get hurt in a small way? If that's a trivial thing, should i send you a minor smack, too?"
"Yes. . . . ?"
"I can't believe you tried to deceive me until the end. Well, Shane Riegelhoff let you in with a flag, so you're not an ordinary maid."
But Sophia was surprised by something other than the fact that Killian had been roundly aware of her identity.
"He, too, the young master, saw the wounds of the young lady. . . . are you asking?"
Her eyes were wide open, and she was looking at me and Killian alternately. Killian smirked there.
"What's so surprising? Edith and I are married couples, so is it really that surprising that a husband would check out his wife's body?"
Perhaps that was the point, Sophia couldn't even control her mouth opening.
"If I could, I'd like to get off at least for contempt of the Nobel lady , but you master begged me to let you go safely, how much you're was treated at Riegelholff house. A More suspiciously."
The morning wasn't even over yet. When the hell did they break the news to the Riegelhoff? i stuck my tongue out at Killian's behavior.
"I won't listen to your opinion in kicking this maid out."
Killian's gaze finally turned on me. I nodded and tried not to look that i was pleased.
"Anna. Leonard. keep what you see and hear in this room until you die. If the story leaked out, neither of us would be safe."
Anna and the knights answered briefly with Killian's threats. Like Anna, Leonard's knight's face was also very frightened. Looking at the similarity of the two frightened faces, I had a feeling that neither of them would never let this put. In the meantime, Anna had finished packing Sohpia's things. She's been fidgeting since the knight grabbed sophia, but she's been packing sophia bags since Killian said he was going to throw sophia out. It's an action that resembles the owner.
"Anna. Take care of Edith's. I had to send this precious maid on her way in the carriage sent by the Riegelhoff."
Oh my gosh, it seemed that the Riegelhoff had even sent a carriage to take Sophia. Why don't you spread rumors around the neighborhood that she's a suspicious person! Killian gave me one last, unintelligible glance and then led Sophia out. Left a quiet room, I was stunned by what had just happened. Then Anna quietly walked up to me and whispered.
"It's my mistake for not paying attention to your condition. If you're going to punish me, I'll take it sweet."
"Huh? Oh, no! What's wrong with Anna. . . . ?"
I was deliberately escorted by Sophia when I changed clothes so that Anna wouldn't notice my injury. It was impossible for Anna to notice the bruises on my body because she didn't receive a separate bath or massage. Nevertheless, Anna looked as if she were really guilty.
"Thank you for your forgiveness, miss. Then. . . . . may I take a look at your body?"
I sighed. Anna may be punished if she says no. I nodded grimly and went to the bedside to undress. The last time I took off my outer dress and carefully lowered my chemise for the last time, I felt Anna's breath stop behind my back. How bad is that?