Nerys pondered and pondered. And finally, she made up her mind and knocked on the door. Smartly.
The door opened immediately at the light knock. Nerys, who didn't expect Cladwin to come out so quickly, widened her eyes like a rabbit.
"Are you on your way out? Oh, judging by your attire, maybe not?"
It was already past the official working hours of the castle, and it was a moonlit night. Cladwin was dressed in a linen shirt and pants appropriate for that time, and if he were to go to the study room in such attire, he would freeze to death.
Leaning against the door of his own bedroom, Cladwin looked down at Nerys with a strange smile.
"I heard footsteps."
"My footsteps? Oh, right, there's no carpet around here. Is it for assassin prevention?"
"Yes."
While the Eastern Palace, a busy workspace for many people, as well as the Main and West Palaces where elegant living was expected, had carpets laid everywhere, the area near the Duke's bedroom, which should be the most elegant, remained unpolished. Normally, it should have been decorated with the finest carpet.
Cladwin's composed face suddenly overlapped with the face of a sixteen-year-old boy. Nerys looked up at him with a sense of unease.
Nerys's attire was simple as well. She wore a loose-fitting dark green velvet robe over a white linen dress. Of course, the buttons on the velvet robe were all fastened, but the fact that it resembled nightwear remained unchanged.
Her slender and straight collarbone was partially exposed above the robe. As Cladwin's gaze fell on that area, Nerys awkwardly made excuses.
"I had to sneak out after telling my mother I was going to sleep."
"Just a moment."
Cladwin immediately turned and entered his bedroom. Nerys hesitated, standing by the door, waiting.
Cladwin's bedroom, like the standalone bedrooms used by nobles, was quite spacious and contained some elegant furniture. However, the grand and luxurious decorations Nerys had seen in the royal or Elendrian households were lacking.
The modest taste of the current owner of this bedroom was evident in the simple clothes haphazardly hung on the ornate clothing rack and the few swords hanging on the wall. Nerys couldn't help but smile.
Taking a black cloak from the clothing rack, Cladwin returned to Nerys and carefully draped it over her shoulders. With the weight of the cloak added to the robe, her body swayed slightly. She straightened up, and Cladwin leaned against his bedroom door frame before asking.
"What's the matter? At this hour."
"Let's have a drink."
Nerys, still holding the wine bottle tightly, showed it to him. This time, Cladwin looked incredulous.
But he didn't refuse.
❖ ❖ ❖
Even so, drinking in the bedroom at night was inappropriate, so the two found their way to a nearby small sitting room.
Cladwin skillfully lit a fire in the unlit fireplace of the small sitting room and quickly brought wine glasses.
"Shall we have a drink?"
He was amazed as Nerys took out a small water bottle from her embrace and poured it into his glass. She sat on the long sofa, fiddling with her glass and shrugged her shoulders.
"Isn't the glass with water not a glass?"
Since the embarrassment she faced in her previous life, Nerys had not drunk alcohol, and there was no reason to change that now. Moreover, in the current situation full of secrets, she needed to be even more cautious.
Cladwin sat on a single chair placed diagonally facing Nerys. After skillfully pouring the drink into the glass, he looked at Nerys and took a sip.
"For my capable advisor."
"For the trusted Duke."
Nerys also tasted her drink. The two almost simultaneously drank what was in their glasses.
"Quite good, isn't it? Where did you get it from?"
"From the West Palace wine cellar. It seemed untouched for a long time, so I took one. If I say that, would you think it's too audacious to admit to stealing in front of the owner?"
"The owner is you. There's no reason to be audacious even if you sell the pillars."
"Strange words. Where have you ever seen a lord giving a whole palace to a trusted subordinate?"
"Here. The lands I govern don't operate so naively, Trued, who is deeply appreciative of how subordinates are treated."
"Perhaps too radical, generous employer."
Thinking back to the recipient of exchanged letters at some point, they glanced at each other and chuckled involuntarily.
Suddenly feeling too nonchalant, Nerys looked down at her glass. And she said what she had originally intended to say.
"Thank you for entrusting me with the decision regarding the Viscount."
Viscount Tifian was, after all, Cladwin's enemy. If he hadn't allowed it, Nerys wouldn't have planned to secretly send the Viscount away.
Cladwin gazed at her for a moment. The chairs where the two sat were close to the fire in winter, casting a warm glow on Nerys's face.
Her pensive violet eyes, radiant cheeks, thin and delicate eyelids, and slender neck. Wrapped tightly in a black cloak, her neck was not visible, accentuating her petite face.
Her throat was dry. Cladwin took a sip of wine and calmly spoke to her.
"You have a plan. It was your doing that caused discord between the Viscount and that woman."
Earlier at the reception hall, Nerys realized that they shared the same thoughts.
Pretending to engage with the fake Catherine, deliberately saying a few words to her, and gathering all the noble people to show the disgrace, preventing the Viscount from speaking nonsense.
It would have been difficult for things to unfold if he hadn't anticipated Nerys's plan.
"I won't disappoint you. Don't worry. I'll handle it so you don't feel inadequate."
She smiled. He was a truly remarkable man. The way the fake Catherine loudly expressed her inner thoughts in front of people would have seemed insane, so one could suspect from the beginning that there was some conspiracy between the Viscount and Nerys in that process.
He trusted her. Naturally.
Perhaps that was why. Something warm and tingling spread in his chest.
"Did you come to talk about that?"
"Just, well. I came to talk about various things. Did you hear about the ring from Ellen?"
The statement about receiving the Baroque pearl ring from Cladwin was false. The power of the gem worked best when the other person was unsettled, so she borrowed it hastily.
"Nerys didn't use the late Duchess's important heirloom for her personal purposes, but she felt guilty for casually mentioning it. Apologetically, Cladwin responded with a sly smile.
"I haven't heard. Ellen seems to think it's something you should tell me."
"Is that so?"
Nerys hesitated in choosing her words and let out a deep sigh.
"It seems the late Duchess received separate training from the Viscount. When you were absent, I opened her bedroom and found the ring she left behind in a drawer. It contained poison."
"Ah."
He was clever, so he likely grasped the situation roughly from this alone. He had long been the main person pondering the Viscount's indifference towards the late Duchess and her lineage.
But was 'Ah' all he had to say? Unable to hold back, Nerys stared through Cladwin's face. When their eyes met, she froze, unsure of what to say. She just... wanted to be helpful.
Just like he had been her strength when she had nothing but a desire for revenge, he had supported her.
Although she couldn't return the same feeling of being in the library with the same feeling of light shining through.
She hoped he wouldn't be alone on a day like today.
Cladwin smiled as if he had read her mind. Then, he whispered affectionately.
"I had a rough idea. Originally, I thought the culprit was from the royal family, but six years ago, when those waiting for me drew their swords that night, I suspected otherwise."
"So, on that day, you...?"
"It was a plan to attack Abelus. I believed it like a fool when you suggested we seek revenge together."
"That was already treason just by speaking of it. However, neither the speaker nor the listener cared about such disloyalty.
"Why didn't you call me!"
Nerys raised her voice unknowingly. Realistically, he couldn't help it at that time, but she felt sorry for it.
Abelus had always wanted to kill Cladwin whenever the opportunity arose. Understanding that the young Cladwin, who had already struggled to survive, had planned his fate for revenge and survival made sense.
"I was planning to push through with force, but how could I call a twelve-year-old kid? Wouldn't it sound like I was involved if I knew the plan?"
"Of course. You must know that I don't like Abelus."
The expression was too casual for use with the royal successor. Nerys knew that fact. However, she thought it was fine.
It was rather refreshing.
Cladwin smiled wryly.
"Too bad. I didn't see you as a potential partner in crime."
"Exactly."
"I'm glad I found you now."
"...Well, I suppose it's fortunate."
Cladwin naturally poured water into Nerys's empty glass. Nerys also filled Cladwin's empty glass with wine.
"To trustworthy partners."
"To trust."
Nerys gulped down the water in one go and murmured as if making a vow.
"I hope you'll be well."
No matter what happens, she wished for his safety until the end. To be at peace and happy.
She hoped he would have everything she could offer, even the things she couldn't.
Nerys lowered her eyes. Suddenly, a spark flew close by.
The fireplace contained well-dried good firewood, and a safety screen was installed. However, out of caution, Nerys gently pulled the edge of her cloak, which was spread out widely. It was a very fine piece.
Her slender feet, wrapped in slippers, were revealed.
Cladwin's gaze fell on her ankles. It was when the second spark flew and landed near her slippers.
Without a word, Cladwin got off the chair and knelt on the floor. He gently removed Nerys's feet from the slippers and cradled them in his hands.
Her small feet were almost completely enveloped in his warm, large hands. His thumbs gently pressed the hollowed part of her small feet.
Nerys fell silent and looked down at Cladwin's face. Cladwin gazed at her feet. As if looking at something very lovely.
And if such an expression were possible... as if desiring to devour everything.
This couldn't go on. Nerys shook her head.
"Don't do that."
"What am I doing?"
"You're touching my feet."
"I know. It was rude behavior. But is that all?"
It wasn't. Definitely not.
Nerys understood. She knew what he was asking. Although no man had ever acted this way towards her before... he behaved in a way that was impossible to misinterpret.
In her previous life, she was always unsure whether the people around her truly loved her. Sometimes it seemed like they didn't love her at all, while at other times they claimed they did.
She felt lonely. So she tried hard to believe in their love. She thought it was her fault for not being able to decipher their love in the confusing signs.
But now, she knew.
Real love doesn't leave you confused.
Yet, why did she have to feel so tormented by such love?
"Cladwin Maindland."
Her voice trembled. Cladwin quickly released her foot with a look of realization on his face. He stood up and took a step back.
"I'm sorry. I..."
"It's not your fault. It's mine."
"No. I was too presumptuous... It must have been uncomfortable to have Ellen call you to your room..."
"I can't have a child."
Cladwin's eyes widened slightly. Nerys looked at him and quietly spoke.
"That's why you rejected me. And why you will continue to reject me."