Chapter 20

When she opened her eyes the next morning, there was no one beside her. Seeing that there were no pressed marks on the bed, it seemed that Edwin didn’t even lay there.

Nadia groaned and sat up. Her entire body felt stiff and groggy. A thin sheet fell off her, soon revealing her naked body. Feeling a still lukewarm liquid trickling down between her legs, she pulled the rope beside the bed.

Now, this was something she was not ashamed of anymore. After a short while, a knock was heard, then two maids came in and greeted her.

“Madam, would you like to bathe?”

“…Yes.”

Her voice was half-inaudible. With the blanket wrapped around her body, she stood up, but her legs trembled as she couldn’t bring any strength into them. A warm wind blew in from the balcony.

After soaking in warm water, Nadia had a late breakfast. Then, taking a light walk as usual, she walked along the pond of the rear garden. Now, she was used to the shrub maze enough that she wouldn’t get lost. It smelled like grass here.

She liked the maze already. It was unbelievable that she was scared of it at first. It was a place where she knew that nobody could see her, and so she was comfortable because of this.

In the middle of the maze was a gazebo where one can take shelter from the sweltering sun. Originally, it was an empty space, but as Edwin knew that she liked spending time there, one day he asked her to check this place. In a casual voice as though it was nothing much, he said it was a gift.

Edwin was really an unreadable person. He often treated her like a glorified prostitute who was there just to satisfy his lust, but sometimes, he was also a thoughtful, amiable husband. However, in most cases, he still acted like the world’s most insufferable jacka*s.

He seemed indifferent, but at times generous. And he would speak of the shocking truth as though it was nothing. He was such an unpredictable man.

Nadia took another step. No matter how much she thought about it, she couldn’t understand that man. No, the real question here was whether there was anyone at all who could comprehend him.

Perhaps because she was so lost in thought, but she couldn’t feel the presence of another person. Suddenly, she was dragged helplessly as a hand snatched her waist, and she bumped her shoulder against someone’s chest. She was about to scream, but before this happened, a large hand covered her lips.

Nadia’s eyes widened in shock as she saw the face of the person who pulled her back. There was only a tall man in her gaze as the hand covering her lips fell off.

“Asheel!”

It was a small, hushed shout. Asheel raised his index finger over his lips and shushed her. Nadia, still pressed down on his chest, poured out several questions in a single breath.

“How did you get in here? W-What the hell are you doing here? If we get caught by someone…”

“Calm down.”

Her shoulders huffed up and down, but it was after she had grown so agitated that she regained her composure again. Nadia belatedly realized that she was still in Asheel’s embrace. She took a few steps back, flustered.

Asheel only watched her without saying a word. Nadia averted her eyes, crossing her arms together in a defensive stance.

“What do you want? Just say it quickly and leave.”

Asheel took a step closer. Just one of his steps was twice of hers, and so the distance between them was lost once more.

“I really don’t understand you. Just how much do you plan to make me waver…”

When he carefully held Nadia’s hand, Asheel’s wrist was seen, and there hung the string bracelet that she had secretly given to him just a day before.

Her face quickly turned red. Her heart pounded, overshadowing the composure that she had just regained. She was ashamed. And it seemed like he could read all the confused thoughts she had that she herself hadn’t noticed yet.

“Why did you give me this bracelet? Do you want to have a lover, just like the noblewomen in the capital?”

“What did you say?”

Her throat felt tight, perhaps because she became shaken by the voice that whispered in an impatient tone. Nadia’s expression was distorted by shock.

“If not, then what is it that you want? Tell me with your own lips—what do you want me to do? If you really want me to leave you alone, why did you give me this bracelet?”

She couldn’t answer. She also didn’t know why she did that. Nadia looked away, biting her chapped lips.

She was a fool. She shouldn’t have done that. She felt like she was exposing what she had already hidden deep in one corner of her heart.

Instead of answering, Nadia reached towards the bracelet on his wrist. It was an action that she didn’t think about. However, when she saw that bracelet on him again, an indescribable sense of shame flooded within her.

Noticing what she was trying to do, Asheel sharply retracted his hand.

“I’m leaving. I’m going to the capital.”

“…What?”

Nadia raised her head. Asheel was still expressionless, but his eyes were in turmoil, filled with many emotions that he couldn’t hide.

“I’ll come back after a short while.”

When he said he was leaving, it was embarrassing that she herself noticed how her heart sank.

“…In the meantime, make a decision. If you really want me out of your life, don’t lead me on in such an ambiguous way.”

“What are you saying…”

She asked back as though she couldn’t understand. But truthfully, despite the painful betrayal and the terrible end to their relationship, Nadia was still in love with him.

And it was clear that before she admitted this to herself, Asheel had noticed it already. Nadia felt despair as she finally realized it.

“Why… Why are you going?”

Her throat was almost sore because she forcefully squeezed out this voice. It wasn’t the time to ask him this. It was a pathetic question. There was also the shallow intention to somehow redirect the conversation to another subject.

“I need to attend an appointment ceremony. I am the commander of the knight order now.”

She raised her head, then her gaze met with his.

“Can…”

Asheel trailed off, swallowing reluctantly. His adam’s apple bobbed up and down. Nadia tried to guess what he was about to say, but nothing came to mind.

While she was trying to think of what was happening now, he spoke in a voice that was so hushed that she might have missed it if she hadn’t listened carefully.

“Can I kiss you?”

He asked for permission. Nadia raised her head to look at him. She couldn’t keep up with the flow of this conversation. Why was he asking if he could kiss her? It was a huge misunderstanding on his part that she’d allow this just because she still loved him.

“Will you listen to me this time?”

Even before she could respond, he spoke again in a hurry, and it was like he was flustered by what he himself said. It seemed like he wanted to bite off the tongue that said such a thing.

“Madam!”

But I heard Susan’s voice from afar. This time, it was Nadia who got flustered. Asheel also seemed to be shocked by this.

No matter what happened, the servants did not come into the maze. But even so, she shouldn’t have been complacent.

Nadia pushed Asheel’s chest away. Leaving him behind, her steps hurriedly led her out of the maze.

When she looked back, she couldn’t see him anymore. She covered her face with one hand for a moment, then she went out towards the voice calling her.

Early the next morning, Asheel forged ahead towards the capital with the other knights.

A small number of people, including Edwin, briefly saw him off in front of the castle. Nadia was there as well.

Although Asheel had been in charge of her guard detail a couple of times, there was no other contact between them publicly, and it was too early to see him off as the Marchioness. Nevertheless, Nadia stood next to Edwin with an expressionless face.

Wearing a red helmet and a silver armor that had an insignia of thorny vines engraved upon it, he looked exceedingly dignified. Even if he didn’t, Nadia noticed the young maids giving him sideways glances while blushing.

It was safe to say that she played her role as the lady of the house, but inwardly, she was distracted.

What Asheel told her in the maze kept ringing in her mind. Those words seemed to sharply point at her indecisiveness.

As she repeatedly thought of those words in her head, she became so incensed that goosebumps bristled over her skin. What was he trying to say? He had treated her that way, and so she couldn’t help but be angered.

They say that couples resembled each other, so Nadia thought that she perhaps started to have the same whims that Edwin had.

Asheel said his farewells, but his gaze lingered on Nadia for a long time. Noticing his look, she curled her toes, nervous that Edwin would grow suspicious. She even regretted coming here when she could have just slept in.

Fortunately, Asheel left the Marquisate without anything more, and the people who gathered to see him off eventually left one after another. She entered the hall with Edwin, who soon quickly pulled Nadia’s waist to his side and groped her backside regardless of other people’s eyes on them. She saw some of the knights, who she met gazes with, turn their heads in surprise.

“Why didn’t you sleep more?”

“I-I’ve slept enough.”

Nadia replied and struggled to remove the hand that was slinking towards her chest.

“Then, shall we do something else instead?”

He pushed his tongue into her ear, and in an instant, it got soaked. The fact that they were in the middle of the hall didn’t seem to bother him. With a pale face, Nadia pulled back and pushed him away.

“People are watching!”

“But it doesn’t matter if they watch?”

Edwin turned his head without even waiting for her to answer, then he shouted towards the knights and servants who were desperately trying not to look at the couple.

“Everyone get lost!”

The people around them disappeared in a hurry as though they were waiting for the chance to leave. Only Edwin and Nadia were left in the entire hall. Nadia watched him yell something unimaginable at all those people, and at her dazed expression, Edwin chuckled as if he was having immense fun.

“Now, where were we?”

Edwin lifted Nadia into his arms and sat her onto the stair railing, positioning himself between her legs so that she wouldn’t be able to close them. She gave up on pushing him away and instead clung onto his neck. Because the railing was narrow, it seemed like she was going to fall the moment his hands would leave her waist.

Whether or not he was worried about this, Edwin’s hands groped her hips and dug relentlessly between her open skirt.

“I’m the lady of this house, so how…”

“That Khurshid, did you cheat on me like a dog in heat with that lowly bastard?”

Nadia’s face turned ashen. She felt like her heart had dropped to the ground. Both his vulgar tone and his words pointed to the truth.

Did he notice? Perhaps from their meeting yesterday at the rear garden? Nadia shook her head in a hurry, hoping that he would only think that the reason why her expression froze was because of his tone.

However, as he persistently stared at Nadia’s reaction, he showed signs of doubt. At the same time, unlike a husband who was suspecting his wife of infidelity, his hands were moved with the intention to do lewd things.