Chapter 34
***
This was the first time lincia had come into Harvich’s private space.
Even a year ago, when they had lived closely as husband and wife, Harvich had never allowed her into his personal rooms.
Waiting for him as he changed clothes, lincia slowly scanned the room.
The furniture was overall dark in color.
There was only a bed and a desk.
By contrast, lincia spent most of her life in her bedroom, so her room had frames, flowerpots, and scented candles scattered here and there.
But in his room, the only thing worth noticing was the clock.
She looked down at the pure white rug spread on the floor.
It felt quite different from the wooden canopy attached to the bed.
She felt a little tired, but she could not bring herself to lie down on the bed in a room that wasn’t hers, so she sat in the chair instead.
The door opened, and a man holding a lantern stood there.
The candlelight flickered, stretching long shadows.
He placed the lantern on the desk where lincia was seated.
“Why didn’t you lie down?”
Of course she couldn’t just lie down comfortably.
Not only was it unfamiliar, but simply the fact that it was his space made her feel strange.
She fidgeted with her fingers for no reason.
“Still, this is your bedroom, not mine…”
“Is that so? Tomorrow after the hunting festival, I’ll escort you back to the Grand Duke’s castle, so please rest here. I’ll return as early as I can.”
Unlike before, his softened demeanor kept heating up her face.
The atmosphere felt too warm and ticklish, making her uneasy.
She had thought she might not even see Harvich again, so this situation felt even stranger.
She hadn’t considered it would come to this.
As thanks for his care, she had embroidered a handkerchief herself.
She wanted to give it to him before the hunting festival.
“For now, lie on the bed.”
Lincia nodded.
Harvich gestured with his chin, telling her to go ahead and lie down first.
She didn’t dare move around the room without the lantern, so she sat on the edge of the bed.
When the light went out, darkness filled the room.
But the soft moonlight on the rug kept the room from being completely dark.
They had once slept together in the outer castle, but the atmosphere then had been very different.
Back then he had either been out of his senses, or they had been quarreling.
Now… it was almost sweet, like two lovers just starting out.
The mattress beside her sank as he sat down.
The man next to her stretched out a hand toward her.
A familiar yet oddly unfamiliar scent drifted over.
“You should lie down too.”
Harvich gently laid the sitting lincia down.
It was like holding sugar in her mouth, a sweetness spreading through her.
“…Good night.”
“You too. Sweet dreams.”
He spoke softly and withdrew his hand.
As soon as his touch disappeared, she felt an emptiness.
She had thought she would quickly fall asleep from tiredness, but she couldn’t.
She stayed still, afraid that if she moved he might open his eyes.
In the silence, the ticking of the clock’s second hand rang loudly in her ears.
She had a feeling she would not sleep at all that night.
When she heard his steady breathing, lincia lifted her body.
His silver hair gleamed in the moonlight.
She let her eyes take in his face.
He was truly a handsome man.
At the academy, Harvich had been very popular.
Even though it was known he belonged to the Grand Duke’s family, which was watched warily by the imperial family, he always drew attention.
Lincia stared at him.
His tall nose bridge, sharp jawline, and defined features made him striking enough that anyone would turn to look at him.
Even she, raised in the palace surrounded by beauty and finery, had been struck with admiration at first sight.
After coming to the Grand Duke’s household, she had given him nothing but indifferent glances, but she knew very well how he smiled and with what eyes he whispered sweetly.
If she had never known, that would have been one thing, but because she did, she felt as though his coldness was entirely her fault.
On impulse, she reached out and brushed his hair back.
She kissed his smooth forehead.
“I hope you don’t get hurt.”
She whispered her small wish, felt satisfied, and lay back down.
Just then, Harvich stirred and laid his arm across her body.
Then he held her close.
Her heart felt like it would burst.
She hugged his arm tightly and closed her eyes.
***
Harvich knew lincia was struggling to fall asleep.
And that she was too tense to rest.
…Was it a mistake to tell her to stay in the outer castle?
Because Tereo was there, Harvich had thought to send her back to the main castle if at all possible.
That was why he hadn’t even brought his overcoat.
But he hadn’t been able to drape it over her shoulders.
She had come to the outer castle alone without even a maid, and she still hadn’t fully recovered from her cold.
Unable to resist the urge not to send her back, he had brought her into his room and given flimsy excuses.
But if he had known she would spend the night unable to sleep like this…
Should he still send her back to the main castle even now?
As he thought that, lincia sat up.
…Was she going to meet Tereo?
Harvich suppressed the urge to wrap his arm around her waist, pretending it was a sleep habit.
He hated the thought of her leaving him, and knowing exactly why would be unbearable.
“I hope you don’t get hurt.”
As if to erase his dark thoughts, lincia kissed his forehead and lay back down.
This time Harvich did not resist his impulse.
He embraced her.
On the eve of departure, with all the duties ahead, he lay awake all night, unable to sleep just because of a single kiss on his forehead.
Where her lips had touched still burned like a wound.
Holding her, he barely restrained the urge to kiss her and to do more.
After spending nearly the whole night awake, Harvich rose before the departure ceremony, leaving the woman sleeping soundly in his bed.
Truthfully, he didn’t want to get up.
He wanted to stay at her bedside until she opened her eyes.
But he had responsibilities to fulfill.
Worried that the morning sun might wake her, he carefully drew the curtains himself, and tucked the handkerchief she had given him into his breast.
For the first time in a while, he donned his armor and headed toward the outer castle’s training grounds.
Before the hunting festival, more than a hundred knights and soldiers of the Grand Duke’s family, along with other volunteers, stood in formation.
He gave his annual speech for the departure ceremony.
He began with the usual words not to treat hunting as mere entertainment, followed by a reminder to stay safe and a wish for success.
When his words ended, under Hue’s command the knights mounted their horses and poured out through the castle gates.
Only after the retainers had all left did Harvich make his own preparations.
“You’re leaving now?”
Harvich frowned at the voice behind him.
It was Marquis Avalon.
By rights, all of the Grand Duke’s retainers should have attended the hunt.
He was uneasy about Cayden, who remained to guard the empty castle, but dragging along an aged man who had spent years bedridden would have been unreasonable.
Besides, Cayden had a good reputation among the retainers.
Without evidence, openly suspecting him would be difficult.
Still, the uneasiness lingered.
“…What business brings you to the training grounds, when you aren’t even attending the hunting festival?”
