BTVF 07

~Chapter 7~

“It still feels warm…”

Aria gently touched her head.

She thought patting someone’s head was just a simple action.

But she didn’t know it would feel like this.

“Is that why the Grand Duke’s hunting dogs always begged to be petted?”

She stared at Dana’s hand.

Dana noticed and asked,

“Do you want me to pat you more?”

Aria showed a card:

[I’m not a baby.]

But she kept glancing at Dana’s hand, so Dana couldn’t help but smile.

“Then why were you looking outside?”

[The flowers are pretty.]

Dana looked confused.

Aria pointed outside with her pen.

White flowers, wet from spring rain, were gently shaking.

[I can see them well from here. I like it.]

Looking outside had always been her habit.

She had lived her whole life trapped.

To others, it might look like she was just staring blankly at the sky.

“You like flowers just like the madam. That’s good. There are many rare plants in the Grand Duke’s castle.”

Rare plants…

Maybe because she had been locked up for so long—

Aria looked at Dana with sparkling eyes.

“Ah… if you look at me like that…”

Dana reacted like she was attacked.

“Do you want me to show you the garden?”

Aria quickly nodded.

“Your family brought some cute dresses.”

Dana had the maids bring Aria’s luggage.

“What do you usually wear?”

All the dresses Aria brought were new.

Her usual clothes were actually old, moldy rags…

She hesitated, then answered honestly:

[I’ve never worn any of these. My father bought them before I came here.]

Dana’s expression turned cold.

“…He’s trash.”

Wait—didn’t you say they were cute?

“The fabric and design are all cheap. These are unacceptable in Valentine.”

That harsh?

With one sentence, the Count became someone who bought garbage.

“Call the maids. We need to take her measurements.”

Now? When they were about to go out?

Aria thought they wouldn’t leave today…

But—

“Bring dresses in her size within one hour. Also hats and lace umbrellas.”

And somehow…

It worked.

Everything happened so fast that Aria just stood there in shock.

The maids discussed seriously while holding dresses up to her.

“These are all high-quality… like what’s offered to the royal family.”

Now she understood—

The dresses her father gave were truly low quality compared to this place.

“Oh… a small umbrella.”

Aria became fascinated by a light blue umbrella with lace.

“I always saw people holding umbrellas in the rain.”

She liked the sound of rain hitting umbrellas.

Tap… tap…

Now she could hear it up close.

That made her a little excited.

Dana then took something out.

“I made this quickly because your mask looked uncomfortable.”

It looked like a mix between a mask and an eye patch.

Soft pink cloth with fluffy texture.

Inside was soft silk and cotton.

“…It has bunny ears.”

Why?

Aria stared at Dana silently in protest.

Dana smiled brightly.

“It’s your bunny friend. It will protect you from nightmares.”

[I said I’m not a baby.]

“Oh my, you’re right. I made a mistake.”

…

Aria felt strange.

No one had ever treated her like this before.

Someone caring for her like she was precious.

“It feels… uncomfortable.”

She almost wanted to run away.

Why would someone go this far for her?

She couldn’t even refuse if they forced her to remove her mask.

So she didn’t understand.

“The Grand Duke was the same.”

He didn’t even try to see her face.

Didn’t doubt her.

“That doesn’t make sense…”

“Maybe they’re testing me.”

“If you treat someone well, you can see their true nature.”

Then—

“I have to stay calm.”

Don’t relax. Don’t be shaken.

Show your value.

“Okay… act normal.”

Aria turned around calmly and wore the bunny mask.

But—

Dana poked her cheek.

“You were hiding such cute rosy cheeks?”

…She lasted only 10 seconds.

Aria stepped back in surprise.

“I thought sugar powder might come off,” Dana joked.

Then she handed her a mug.

Hot cocoa.

“Drink this. It’s cold today.”

Aria drank it.

“…!”

She was shocked.

It tasted like melted chocolate.

Before, sweets made her feel sick.

But now—

The sweetness felt good.

Warm. Filling.

“No nausea…”

Her heart started beating fast.

Even the soft topping melted in her mouth.

Dana watched her happily.

“Do you like it?”

Aria wiped her mouth and admitted:

[It’s delicious… melon.]

“Isn’t she too cute…?”

Cute?

“Me?”

Dana blushed and raised her hand—

“To pat her again?”

Aria froze like a nervous rabbit…

But secretly, she was expecting it.

Then—

“Head maid! Something’s wrong!”

A servant rushed in, pale.

* * *

Aria ended up walking in the garden alone.

“The madam’s condition suddenly worsened!”

All the servants rushed to the Grand Duke’s wife.

Dana too.

Everyone left.

“Can you stay alone? Just look at the flowers and come back.”

Dana said anxiously.

Aria nodded and sent her away.

It was already dark.

Rain was falling.

She listened to the rain hitting the umbrella.

Then she looked toward the main building.

A sudden worry appeared.

“Is today… the critical moment?”

“The Grand Duchess must not die.”

Even if it was just a guess—

Stopping her death might stop the future tragedy.

“Dana said Lloyd takes care of his mother.”

He must have loved her deeply.

And suffered when she died.

“Just like I did.”

Aria held her necklace tightly.

She looked carefully at the building.

“The top floor…”

The only room with lights.

That must be where the Grand Duchess was.

“I found it.”

But she couldn’t go there yet.

She was still an outsider.

And security was tight.

Rustle—

She suddenly turned.

She heard footsteps.

“You. What are you doing there?”

A cold voice.

Before she could react—

A sword was already at her neck.

“Answer me.”

She slowly looked up.

A boy stood there, cold and expressionless.

Standing in the rain.

“You chose a good time to act. Speak your purpose.”

Black hair, wet from rain.

Sharp, dangerous eyes like obsidian.

Elegant, controlled movements.

Under the moonlight, he looked almost unreal.

“…Lloyd Cardence Valentine.”

A beautiful boy—

Like a painting.

But also wild and dangerous.

Not a devil—

A true noble.

“So he can look like this too…”

This wasn’t the broken, mad version she remembered.

His eyes were alive.

Burning with life.

“He wasn’t always crazy.”

This wasn’t what she expected.

But strangely—

“I feel… happy.”

He wasn’t holding a bloody sword.

His sword shone pure white in the moonlight.

Her heart pounded painfully.

Lloyd leaned close to her ear and growled:

“Speak.”

“Unless you want your head rolling in the mud.”