MLHBMH 23

Chapter 23

A Wicked Thought

Startled by the sudden situation, Lily, who had been dazedly held in his embrace, finally came to her senses and pushed Herald away. She then hastily looked around; fortunately, there were no passersby.

Simultaneously relieved and wide-eyed, Lily looked up at Herald.

“Grabbing someone suddenly? What is this unmannerly behavior?”

Herald, who had been breathing heavily from rushing over, placed a hand on his chest and apologized.

“In my joy, I acted discourteously without thinking. My apologies, my Lady.”

“…….”

Since he readily admitted his fault and apologized politely, she couldn’t stay angry. Besides, she wasn’t that angry to begin with.

“Don’t do it again.”

“I shall keep that in mind.”

Herald answered firmly, then proceeded to scrutinize Lily’s face closely. Did she have something on her face? Lily wiped her cheek, but nothing came off. Even when she checked her reflection in a nearby shop window, she couldn’t see anything amiss.

“Why are you staring like that?”

“I was checking to see if you had been crying.”

She had asked because she was curious why he was staring, but his answer was strange.

“I don’t know why you’d think I was crying, but no. I haven’t been crying.”

“But you look like you might cry soon.”

“That’s not possible.”

It wasn’t as if Fredic’s womanizing was a new development, and she had no intention of wasting her precious tears over something like that. When Lily firmly denied it, Herald smiled.

“I was worried you might cry like you did that day, but I’m relieved to hear you won’t.”

“You say I cried when…?”

Lily belatedly remembered the time she had gotten drunk and cried her eyes out, then closed her mouth. As the memories of that day surfaced vividly, the tips of her ears turned bright red. Seeing this, a mischievous smile formed at the corner of Herald’s mouth.

“I was going to explain if you didn’t remember, but unfortunately, it seems you’ve recalled.”

Was that something to be ‘unfortunate’ about? Lily stared at Herald with bewildered eyes before turning her head away. Perhaps because she had just witnessed Fredic’s affair, looking at Herald’s face felt more awkward than usual.

“Well then, I’ll be going now.”

She tried to leave, as even a prolonged conversation felt unpleasant, but Herald asked,

“Might I ask where you are going?”

“Don’t ask.”

She didn’t know where she was going herself. She would probably return to the Benjamin residence before the day was out, but not right at this moment.

“You have no destination, it seems.”

When Herald spoke as if he had read her mind, Lily looked back at him.

“Do you have somewhere you’d like to go?”

“…If I did, would you take me there?”

“If you wish, I will take you.”

At his confident reply, Lily let out a small laugh. She wondered if he knew where she wanted to go to answer like that.

“I want to go somewhere I can shake off all my worries and rest comfortably. Somewhere I don’t have to worry about other people’s eyes, a place that can clear this stifling feeling in my chest.”

She wasn’t testing him; she answered because she truly wanted to go to such a place.

But after saying it, it sounded like she was chasing a pipe dream, so Lily was about to add that it was just a comment and he shouldn’t take it seriously.

“Hmm, a place that clears the stifling feeling…”

But seeing Herald ponder so seriously, she couldn’t bring herself to say it and closed her mouth. Surely such a place didn’t exist; he’d probably give up after thinking for a moment.

Lily intended to wait until Herald raised the white flag first, but as passersby were glancing their way, she couldn’t wait any longer and opened her mouth.

“It was just something I said…”

“There is.”

Their words overlapped. Lily swallowed her next words and looked at him.

“There is one place that fits your description, my Lady.”

“Such a place exists?”

At the unbelievable answer, Lily asked back skeptically. Herald’s eyes curved into pretty crescents as he nodded.

“Yes. Fortunately, it’s not far from here. Shall we go together?”

“…….”

Even after hearing Herald’s confident reply, Lily still couldn’t believe it and frowned. Even if such a place existed, she wasn’t keen on following a man whose name and status she didn’t know.

As if sensing her thoughts, Herald suddenly asked,

“Are your injuries alright?”

It was an indirect way of saying he wanted to help heal her wounds, not cause her new ones. Lily lightly clenched her palm, which was completely healed unlike her knee, and said,

“Thank you… for treating them.”

“Don’t mention it.”

Herald smiled innocently and extended his hand.

“Shall we go then, my Lady?”

“…….”

Lily stared down at Herald’s outstretched hand. In her memory, this man was clearly a good person. Although he had done something embarrassing she’d rather not recall, it had been a consensual arrangement.

Moreover, she was the one who had first brought up the idea of being lovers and approached him, so she absolutely couldn’t blame him for that part.

Recalling her other memories, the man had been exceptionally good to her, almost to a strange degree. He had taken care of her when she was drunk and incoherent, and even saved her from nearly being cheated by the innkeeper.

He had treated her wounds and even prepared tomato-based foods, worried she might be suffering from a hangover. He had even said he disliked tomatoes himself, meaning he had prepared them solely for her.

And even now, he had rushed over worried she might cry, and offered to take her wherever she wanted.

Above all, she was curious if the place he mentioned truly existed. If it did, she wanted to go and ease this stifling feeling in her heart, even if just a little.

“…Please take care of me.”

Once her thoughts reached that point, Lily impulsively took Herald’s hand.

Herald first stopped by a carriage rental and hired a public carriage. He had initially thought of going on horseback, but since Lily didn’t know how to ride and it seemed inappropriate to ride in a dress, he rented a carriage instead.

Lily tried to hear where they were going when Herald told the driver their destination, but as if reading her mind, Herald whispered it into the driver’s ear. At his highly suspicious behavior, Lily narrowed her eyes and asked,

“Why did you whisper?”

“Because it would spoil the fun if you knew the destination in advance.”

“You’re not planning to take me somewhere strange, are you?”

Herald laughed at her interrogative follow-up question.

“If you doubted that, you shouldn’t have gotten in the carriage, my Lady.”

“…….”

Rendered speechless by his answer, Lily pressed her lips into a line and looked out the window. Herald said nothing more, so an awkward silence filled the carriage. Only the occasional shouts of the driver and the sound of the wheels turning could be heard.

Perhaps because it was a public carriage, the ride was terribly uncomfortable. The city roads were smoothly paved for carriages, so it was manageable, but the suburban roads were bumpy and very unpleasant.

Every time the wheel went over a stone, her jolting bottom ached with a sting, and Lily unconsciously made a face.

The carriage, which had been running for a while, came to a stop just as Lily’s patience was nearing its limit. Quickly getting out, Lily looked around while Herald, who had followed, spoke with the driver.

All she could see were trees and grass. The scenery, filled with green and not a person in sight, did clear her stifled chest a little.

“Is this the place you mentioned?”

Lily asked as Herald, finished with the driver, approached.

“No. We have a bit further to go. The carriage can’t reach that spot, so we have to walk a little. Is that alright?”

“It’s fine.”

The high heels she wore to match her pretty dress weren’t suitable for walking in such a place, but Lily didn’t mind. Instead of asking if she was really sure, Herald extended his hand.

“You might trip on the stones, so please hold on.”

“…….”

Although reluctant, thinking it was better than falling, Lily obediently took his hand.

Herald guided her deeper into the leafy forest. As he had warned, the path was strewn with many stones, and she almost tripped a few times, but thanks to Herald holding her hand tightly, she avoided falling in an unsightly manner. Of course, it was also because Lily walked carefully, putting strength into her feet to avoid falling.

Perhaps because of that. Even though they hadn’t walked far, her feet hurt. Her legs even felt numb. Still, she endured without showing it and walked silently until Herald stopped, causing her to stop as well.

“It’s over there.”

Lily turned her head in the direction Herald pointed, and her eyes widened in an instant.

“Wow.”

At the tip of his finger was a lake so beautiful it could draw a gasp of admiration the moment one saw it. The lake was surrounded by dense trees, but it was open to the sky above, and the sky with its drifting clouds was perfectly reflected on the blue water’s surface.

Captivated by the mysteriously beautiful sight, as if there were two skies, Lily walked towards the lake as if enchanted.

Herald didn’t follow, standing in place and watching her.

The ground around the lake was damp, mud dirtying her shoes and the hem of her dress, but Lily didn’t mind and walked as if strolling along the shore.

Then, she took off her shoes and gently dipped her feet into the lake that held the clouds. She let out a gleeful laugh, watching the ripples distort and scatter the clouds’ reflection.

Although it was already quite obvious, Herald wanted to hear her confirm it and asked,

“Do you like it?”

Finally turning to look at Herald, Lily’s face held the brightest smile he had ever seen.

“Yes! I like it very much!”

“Then, are there any other women you’re interested in?”

Suddenly recalling the question Olivia had asked, Herald narrowed his eyes.

A wicked thought crossed his mind—that he should probably correct the answer he had given back then.