Chapter 12
Damn it, if half a month has already passed, then final exams must be over by now! The semester must have ended! My grades! I still need to graduate!
No, no. I must be lying in a hospital somewhere right now.
If that’s the case, they probably handled my absence as a medical leave.
My body was never that strong to begin with. After falling from that height, it would be normal to have at least one broken bone.
Or maybe…
‘Could it be that I got a concussion? Is that why I can’t return?’
If that were true, would she only be able to go back once her original body woke up?
It was a wait with no end in sight.
Yeorae was no longer hoping to return immediately. She just wanted to know what condition her real body was in.
And whether her family was okay…
‘Family.’
The image of her older sister standing at the top of the stairs appeared before her eyes again.
Yeorae quickly shook her head and forced the memory away.
Her body and mind were already exhausted.
And to make things worse, today was the day an even more difficult event began.
At last, Lilianshus had arrived.
‘As expected… a heroine really is a heroine.’
Yeorae opened the library window wide and leaned against the old wooden frame.
Lilianshus, who had arrived earlier in a luxurious four-horse carriage, was now walking across the enormous garden.
“…”
Just as the novel described, Lilianshus Eden was truly beautiful.
She wore a wide-brimmed silk hat and a light blue dress decorated with lace.
Her white curly hair, as white as lilies, danced gently in the cool breeze.
The way her dress flowed with each step made her look even more radiant.
Beside her walked Archer, the second-in-command and chief assistant of the Blancmir Merchant Company.
When Lilianshus smiled brightly while talking to him, the dimples on her cheeks made her look even more lovable.
Yeorae could not take her eyes off the cheerful girl chatting under the bright sun.
The reason the author had created this world.
The heroine blessed with all of God’s love.
‘So Leandros is going to fall in love with a girl like that…’
Yeorae felt so small and insignificant that her nose stung.
How nice it would have been if she were as beautiful as that.
“Insignificant? To me, Miss Yeorae seems much more special.”
“Hey. I told you not to touch my hair without warning.”
“I only read the thought you just had.”
Gideon chuckled softly and released her hair.
He stood beside her by the window and looked down into the garden.
Before long, Leandros appeared below, dressed more elegantly than usual.
The blue cloak fluttering behind him reminded Yeorae of the first time she had met him.
“Ah…!”
Lilianshus’ hat was suddenly blown away by the wind and landed near his feet.
Leandros picked it up, dusted it off, and handed it back to her.
Lilianshus smiled brightly, showing her teeth.
“…Don’t tell me that scene was in the novel too?”
“Yes. Since it was their first meeting, it was described in great detail. Although there wasn’t any mention of people secretly watching them like we are.”
He’s completely different when he’s with her.
Yeorae pouted.
The Blancmir Merchant Company, to which Lilianshus belonged, had been founded by her father, Jason Eden.
Jason Eden had grown up poor and was extremely ambitious despite being a commoner.
Twenty years ago, he visited the Duke Etsina Family and asked them to support him so he could safely expand his business.
The duke’s family accepted his request.
Of course, not for free.
The conditions were simple.
Every four years, he had to visit the duchy, submit his financial records, and pay five percent of his profits.
Originally, Jason Eden always came himself.
However, he collapsed from a long illness during the previous winter.
As a result, Lilianshus, his daughter and future head of the merchant company, had come for the first time.
“Where are you going?”
“To give damaged books to the goats near the well. If I keep watching, I’ll just feel more depressed.”
“You have to come back soon! It’s boring without you now!”
Holding a large stack of books from the cart, Yeorae waved her hand to show she understood.
Books that were too old or contained outdated information were usually used as firewood or given to the goats.
To avoid running into Leandros and Lilianshus, Yeorae deliberately took a longer route behind the mansion toward the well.
But on the way, she met someone unexpected.
‘That man…’
Silas was standing in the middle of a grassy field, painting in front of an easel.
At that moment, he seemed completely separated from the commotion happening elsewhere.
Spring sunlight flowed over his hair like mist.
The peaceful sound of birds filled the air.
Yeorae looked at what he was painting.
But she was too far away to see clearly.
‘A landscape painting…?’
After noticing her presence, Silas’ hand gradually slowed.
When he turned and their eyes met, Yeorae froze.
‘S-Should I greet him?’
She adjusted the slipping books in her arms and bowed politely.
Silas stared at her for a moment.
Then he suddenly lifted a hand and crooked his index finger.
Huh?
Yeorae frowned.
‘Is he calling me over?’
Silas crooked his finger again.
But when she still stood there blinking with wide deer-like eyes, he made one final gesture.
His face twisted into an ugly expression.
…What is that maid doing?
Get over here already!
Oops.
Before Silas’ expression could worsen, Yeorae quickly ran over with the books in her arms.
“You called for me?”
He looked her up and down as if criticizing her.
Then he raised one eyebrow.
“You’re the maid who saw me early that morning. And the one who watched my brother punch me last week, right?”
Yeorae answered with an awkward smile.
The bruise on his cheek from Leandros’ punch had faded enough that it was barely noticeable now.
Even though they were identical twins, their differences became obvious up close.
First, their eye colors were different.
Leandros’ eyes were a mix of gray and green, like a misty forest.
Silas’ eyes were purely gray.
Their hair was different too.
Unlike Leandros’ bright golden hair, Silas’ hair was darker, closer to a yellowish-brown color.
It was curly and thick, making it look like the fluffy fur of a large dog.
I wonder how soft it is.
Yeorae was grateful that her hands were full of books.
Otherwise, she might have been tempted to pet his hair.
“So? Tell me honestly what you think.”
“You’re handsome.”
“That’s obvious. I’m talking about the painting.”
“Oh.”
Yeorae nodded.
“M-My lord, I’ve always been a science person… I mean, I’ve spent my whole life studying numbers. I don’t really know much about art.”
“I didn’t ask for criticism. Just tell me your personal opinion.”
As she expected, Silas was painting a landscape.
It showed a wide field surrounded by green forests.
If she planned to stay here forever, she probably would have given him sweet compliments.
But she would return to her own world sooner or later.
Maybe she could be a little honest.
“Hmm… You’re very skilled, but I wouldn’t want to buy the painting.”
“Why?”
“Because it’s only well painted. It doesn’t really have anything attractive about it. It’s like… the difference between a photo of a dark alley at night and the same photo with a cat sitting in the corner.”
“…What?”
Right.
People here don’t know what photographs are.
Yeorae thought for a moment but couldn’t find a better explanation.
She set the books down and pointed at the largest tree in the painting.
“Here. Try adding red flowers to this tree.”
“Red flowers don’t grow on trees like that.”
“I know. I’m just saying you should use a little imagination.”
“Hmm.”
It was almost magical.
Silas dipped his brush into red paint and moved it a few times.
Soon, bright red flowers bloomed all over the tree that had once been only green.
He even painted flower petals drifting through the wind.
Then he stepped back and studied the painting.
After a moment, he slowly nodded.
“Not bad… It’s actually very good.”
As Yeorae bent down to pick up her books again, he asked,
“What is your name?”
