Chapter 10
Leaving behind a bewildered Romero, Tristan headed for the East Spire. The tight-lipped guard who had witnessed him sleeping on the roof with the redhead that night was on watch duty again today.
As soon as he saw Tristan, he hurried over.
“Find out where the red-haired maid’s quarters are, then come to my room.”
Without asking a single question, the soldier went down the stairs.
Returning to his own room, Tristan felt that the routine he performed every day felt strangely awkward today.
He had opened this room door his entire life, yet meaning now clung to the simple act of turning the handle.
This was the first time he had brought a woman into this room.
And a maid, at that.
With an anxious expression, he stepped inside.
Approaching the bed, he sat down cautiously beside it. She was sleeping with her face flushed red. Feeling her forehead, he noticed a slight fever, but it was not enough to be a cause for concern.
The woman’s face was fully visible: her frizzy hair, as bright red as burning fire. He caught a single strand of that hair between his fingertips. The soft texture trickling down through his fingers tickled his skin.
A rounded, luminous forehead, and skin like transparent winter moonlight. Red eyebrows, long eyelashes, a neatly pretty nose, and lips.
He quietly reached out and touched the tip of her nose. Soon after, his impatient, restless hand could no longer hold back and traced her lips.
“I must be out of my mind too.”
Without realizing it, air leaked through his teeth. During conquest wars, he was a man who hadn’t even trembled before the king of Shakra, built like a house and riding a massive elephant with four tusks.
What was so special about this woman’s lips that the fingertips resting upon them trembled? His fingers moved as if touching moist, warm, and soft velvet.
When her breath brushed against his fingers, even his heart began to pound.
As his fingers traced her lower lip, a thrilling sensation rushed backward through his fingertips. His finger slipped inside her lips.
The moist mucous membrane, like a lily of the valley that had just burst its bud, parted. When her snow-white teeth came into view, he traced them with his finger.
His heart thudded wildly like marching drums. A powerful impulse surged within him to suck on those pure red lips. He wanted to hold her firmly, let his swollen desire erupt, thrust his tongue in, and swallow her breath.
His gaze moved down to her neck, where buttons were fastened tightly all the way up to her chin.
An impulse flared to press his lips against her fair, delicate skin as if stamping a brand. He grew curious about what taste it would yield if he aligned his lips with Leona’s.
If he held her soft body in his arms like last night, would he feel a little better?
He suddenly recalled her green eyes, filled with tears as she scrubbed the floor.
If he pressed his lips against hers, would she look at him again with those tearful eyes?
“Where on earth did something like you come from?”
However, he pulled his hand back. It was impossible, and it was something that must never happen. His body belonged to God, and he had to keep his vow to God.
With a strong surge of heat flaring up throughout his entire body, he approached the window and threw it open.
The cold wind of Amast swept through the open window, wrapping around his body. Even so, his body showed no signs of cooling down.
The soldier entered.
“It is the room at the far left on the first floor of the maids’ quarters. You can enter through the window.”
He spoke as if he had already read Tristan’s mind. Chuckling softly, Tristan asked:
“What is your name?”
The soldier, who appeared to be in his early twenties, was a young man of average, sturdy build with brown hair.
“It is Julian.”
“From now on, I am leaving matters regarding that maid to you. I can trust you, right?”
“Just leave it to me, Your Grace.”
Tristan opened a drawer and pulled out thirty gold coins. Since it was an amount capable of buying a whole house, Julian bowed his head deeply upon receiving it.
“Starting today, you are relieved of military duties. Guard that maid. If anything happens to her, report to me immediately.”
“Yes, Your Grace.”
“Come find me every night and report. Do not leave out a single detail.”
Scooping her into his arms, Tristan nodded his head.
“Check the hallway. I am moving her to her quarters.”
Once Julian signaled from the hallway, Tristan stepped out. Wrapped in a thin blanket, Leona remained nestled in his arms like a baby.
Reaching the front of her quarters, Julian opened the window. Soon, Tristan stepped over the window frame and into the room.
“Bring hot water.”
Julian nodded and disappeared.
“So this is the room.”
In the small room, a single tiny bed and a small, cracked mirror were all that existed. As if she had no other clothes, a single outfit for daily wear hung on the wall was everything she owned.
Tristan fetched the white nightclothes hanging on the wall. Then, he placed his hands on the buttons of the dress worn by her as she lay on the bed.
“Endure it just a bit. I’ll change you into your nightclothes.”
Taking off her apron, he placed his hands on the buttons of her maid dress.
Once the buttons were halfway unfastened, a stifling corset came into view. Stripping the dress off from top to bottom, he was momentarily struck speechless.
Her knees were already bruised, likely from kneeling and scrubbing the floor all day. Pulling the ribbons at her side, he unlaced the corset. After pulling the corset down, her body was revealed to him in its entirety.
Tristan’s brow furrowed faintly.
His fingers touched the scars on her body.
‘This one is a sword wound, this is an arrow, and this is a spear…’
His gaze drifted downward. Come to think of it, there was a scar beside her thigh as well. Gently lifting her into an embrace, he looked at her back. On her back was the mark of an arrow piercing through, alongside another scar left by a sword.
“What on earth… is your identity?”
Awakened by a knock on the window, he laid Leona down, covered her with the blanket, and opened the window. Julian was standing there holding a bucket filled with hot water and a towel.
“Wait a moment.”
Closing the window, he approached the bed once more. Soaking the towel in hot water, he wiped Leona’s face and cleaned her body.
Gently wiping her bright red, chafed hands, he rubbed every single fingertip, but the black floor grime could not be completely removed.
Handing the water bucket back to Julian, he spoke:
“You may return.”
After he left, Tristan dressed her in her nightclothes.
As the breaking morning sunlight hit her eyes, Leona’s long eyelashes fluttered open while she furrowed her fine brow. Taking a long, lazy stretch, Leona blinked for a moment and woke up from her sleep.
Wait, why am I wearing nightclothes and lying here?
The last thing I remember was leaning against the wall, exhausted from hunger. I think I passed out after that… Why am I here?
Startled, Leona pulled the blanket all the way up to her chin.
“Am I… sleepwalking now or something?”
Recalling that she hadn’t finished scrubbing the floor, Leona set everything else aside, stood up in surprise, and changed into her maid uniform.
Without even having time to braid her hair, she dashed toward the northern hallway with her long hair fluttering and her kerchief held in her hand.
Seeing the head maid already standing in the hallway, tears immediately cascaded down her face in despair.
Turning around, the head maid glared at the rushing Leona.
“H-Head Maid. I’m sorry. I overslept…”
The corners of the head maid’s lips pulled back. It seemed like an expression indicating she was thoroughly pleased to finally fire her with relief.
“You surprised me.”
“Pardon?”
Hearing something other than the word “fired,” a clueless Leona raised her head high.
“I thought you wouldn’t be able to handle it, but to scrub the floor so magnificently… It even looks brand new.”
Leona dropped her head to follow Grace’s gaze down to the floor.
The marble floor was gleaming brilliantly, as if brand new. Thinking her eyes were playing tricks on her, Leona rubbed her eyes and lowered her head further to inspect the floor. Remarkably, it was clean enough to reflect her own face.
“To think you had such a talent for floor scrubbing.”
This was the first time since coming to this castle that Leona had seen Grace smile so broadly.
“Since you’ve found your talent, I will allow you to stay in the castle. The hallway cleaning is done, so go scrub the grand hall floor. A grand banquet will be held before His Grace the Grand Duke’s wedding, after all.”
Walking with quick strides, Grace led Leona and stopped before a massive set of doors.
The tops of the doors reached so high that one wondered if human strength could even open them. Three male servants pushed the doors open with all their might.
Leona was rendered completely speechless.
