Chapter 9

“A puppy…..?”

 

Ellie’s steps to the preparation room were very light.

 

She didn’t think her master (Helen) had lied to her. Her master wasn’t that kind of person.

 

There’s just one thing then. A dog without a name tag could be seen roaming around the castle. It was the Emperor’s puppy named Louis.

 

Once people saw Louis running around with his black fur dancing, they could never forget him.

 

He loved people and liked to roam all over the place.

 

“But he’s closer to a dog than a puppy. He’s very big.”

 

“I’ll ask her later.”

 

Ellie thought that maybe the puppy could be the key to succeeding the Emperor and her master Edith. (Helen is under Edith’s name)

 

If her master can heal the injured puppy, maybe the Emperor will show his face.

 

The Emperor coldly refused to visit his concubines every day, but if her master could heal Louis, whom the Emperor cherished, just once….

 

“I have a good feeling about this…”

 

Ellie’s steps toward the preparation room became faster and faster. A happy smile spread across her face.

 

At that moment, Helen got out of bed and secretly put some snacks in the basket. She didn’t know what Ellie was thinking as she making her way to the preparation room.

 

“….”

 

“Here is your medicine, Lady.”

 

A round jar in Ellie’s hand.

 

‘I said ‘wound medicine’ and she gave me some ointment.’

 

“Are you back already? You can go slowly if you want…”

 

“Are you going for a walk tonight?”

 

Apparently, Ellie’s eyes sparkled.

 

“No, I won’t go.”

 

“Why not!”

 

“Huh?”

 

Ellie was puzzled.

 

Helen had just lied to Ellie so that she wouldn’t be found out.

 

“I heard that the puppy got injured. Oh, don’t you have to treat him as soon as possible?” (Ellie)

 

“Yes, I do.” (Helen)

 

“Then, by all means, go for another walk tonight. I’ll prepare a thick jacket for you today so that you won’t be cold during the night.”

 

“I see.”

 

Helen nodded with a puzzled expression.

 

How could Ellie be so supportive of her evening walk?

 

Helen thought it was a relief, at least. If Ellie stopped her from going, she would not be able to keep her promise to the man.

 

At the same time, she didn’t want to be the one who didn’t listen to Ellie.

 

“Yes, I’ll go.”

 

It was rather a good thing.

 

***

 

After Ellie left, Helen put on her jacket and held a blanket in her arms. She also packed a pen and ink in the basket where she kept simple snacks.

 

She also put the medicine in it.

 

Helen opened the door and poked her head out.

 

After making sure that the hallway was empty, Helen ran fast.

 

She was so out of breath. But the road to the library from the annex was often crowded.

 

It was the time of the moonrise, but it would be difficult to explain if someone saw her behaving in such a suspicious manner.

 

Picnic in the middle of the night? It was very suspicious.

 

“Huh…huh…I’m dying…”

 

Helen finally stood up as she reached the front. Her legs were very heavy as she walked up the stairs.

 

The thick jacket was no longer useful. It was too hot after all the running.

 

Helen kept dropping the blanket on the way because she was running like crazy.

 

She felt like she was the little girl who spilled crumbs in stories.

 

She finally arrived.

 

Helen organized her messed up hair and opened the door to the library on the second floor.

 

She arrived a little earlier than usual. It was thanks to Ellie for leaving early.

 

“I’m here…”

 

She didn’t have time to finish her sentence.

 

Because as soon as she entered the library, the man pulled Helen by the hand.

 

Suddenly, her face was buried in the man’s chest again.

 

“Ouch…”

 

She hit her nose and it hurt a lot.

 

She wondered why this man was so impatient.

 

All the items in the basket she was carrying fell to the floor.

 

Thanks to the blanket that had fallen first, the items didn’t break or get dirty.

 

“Why did you pull me so suddenly?”

 

Helen raised her head lightly and looked up at the man, embarrassed by the fact that she was being held in his chest, but the man was breathing hard somehow.

 

“What’s going on?”

 

Helen raised her hand awkwardly and patted the man on the back.

 

Pat. Pat.

 

With repeated small taps, the man’s breathing gradually became steady.

 

“Was there something wrong?”

 

“There wasn’t.”

 

“Then why?”

 

The man didn’t have an answer. That didn’t mean that he was going to let Helen go.

 

It was strange to be in his arms like this, Helen flinched away and squirmed in his arms, pushing and punching his shoulders, but he didn’t falter.

 

In the end, she gave up and stayed there.

 

The man’s warmth wasn’t so bad.

 

She felt like he was a 10-year-old kid with a big figure.

 

He needed help, he needed affection. And he laughed a lot.

 

If it weren’t for the large body, she would think he was a child.

 

“It’s really weird.”

 

While Helen was still in his arms, the man had all kinds of thoughts. From the moment she had left the door last night, the man had stood in front of the door as if he was stationary.

 

It was an intense feeling for someone he had met only twice, and the feeling made the man uneasy.

 

It wasn’t long after she left, but his hands were already sweaty.

 

The nail marks were clear on the palm he held tightly to keep him from reaching out for her.

 

It was insane. The man left the door and approached the window.

 

Through the window, he saw the woman looking back several times. It was very cute.

 

 

‘Does she worry about me?’

 

He chuckled as if something was unscrewed in his brain.

 

Then, when she was completely out of sight, the man sat down on the floor.

 

He hoped to see her again tomorrow night.

 

And so it was night again.

 

But his burned skin was completely healed.

 

“I’m sure I got injured yesterday.”

 

It must be a dream.

 

Even the fact that he had met the woman must have been a dream.

 

It must have been a dream that he took it easy to escape this hellish library.

 

“I’ll never see her again.”

 

The anxiety came again. It was night, and he knew that a woman was coming.

 

He wanted to believe that it was not a dream. He was tired of the repetition of his life and he wanted to get out of here.

 

He wanted to see the woman again, the one who had told him he could escape.

 

He knew it was not time for her to arrive yet. She always came when the moon was high in the sky and it was completely dark.

 

But then he heard a rustling sound somewhere.

 

The man jumped up from his seat, listening intently to his hearing.

 

“It’s her.”

 

The woman, who had come much earlier than usual, was running busily, as if she was being chased by something.

 

And whatever it was that was in her arms, it was too big for her to hold. And in one hand, she was even holding a basket tightly. Perhaps it was because she had brought too many things with her.

 

She kept dropping the blanket. Then she stopped and picked up the blanket, then ran again.

 

“Cute …..”

 

That blanket must be for him.

 

She asked him if he was cold every time.

 

He told her he wasn’t cold at all, but she must be worried.

 

When he could no longer see her through the window, the man hurried to the door.

 

Her heart was pounding strangely.

 

She was the only one who could help him escape from this terrible anxiety.

 

It was time for the woman to arrive, but she didn’t show up.

 

“Am I hallucinating? Am I finally going crazy?”

 

…Ha….

 

In that short time, the man’s patience ran out.

 

“Tsk.”

 

The man clicked his tongue roughly. He was strangely uneasy.

 

Whenever he looked at his revitalized body, and the perfect condition library after he tried to destroy it, he thought he was probably already dead.

 

“Maybe I’m already dead, maybe I’m cursed.”

 

The man felt himself becoming more and more immersed in the darkness that was invading him.

 

“Please come in quickly… Please…”

 

At that time, the one fortunate thing was that he could hear the woman’s breathing from outside the door.

 

She seemed to be catching her breath. She didn’t have to do that outside. She could just come in and do it inside.

 

It was only a few seconds.

 

As soon as he became aware of the woman’s presence in that short time, the darkness that had been consuming him disappeared.

 

He gulped.

 

The door opened and the woman walked in.

 

“Huh?”

 

He suddenly pulled her arm, and her ‘paper-like body’ came to him too easily.

 

“Ouch…”

 

She shouted in pain as her nose hit his chest.

 

He was sorry, but he decided to do something bad anyway.

 

He wanted to share her warmth, just a little.

 

“Why did you pull me all of a sudden?”

 

The woman looked embarrassed.

 

Then she tapped him on the back with her cute hand.

 

Even though she stretched out her arms, she couldn’t wrap her arms around the man’s back.

 

It was cute, too, and he hugged the woman more tightly.

 

“Thank you for coming.”

 

‘My rescuer, please sacrifice a little more for me.’

 

***

 

“Why did you do that earlier?”

 

“I’m sorry…”

 

The man was even less strong today.

 

He was more depressed and droopy than usual.

 

Strangely enough, he didn’t make eye contact like he usually did, but that didn’t stop him from grabbing the hem of Helen’s skirt and looking pitifully when Helen sat next to him.

 

“Where are you going?”

 

“I’m going to get the blanket….”

 

“I’ll get it. Sit down.”

 

“Yes.”

 

Helen sat down again.

 

At that moment, the man looked a little cute.

 

The figure was cute in that he was afraid she would disappear or something.

 

Moreover, this was the first time she had met someone who needed her. She had always been a useless person.

 

Helen’s cheeks reddened and she could barely hide the smile that escaped her lips.

 

“What are you so careful about?”

 

The man, who had returned before she knew it, placed a blanket on the couch and the basket on the table.

 

She checked the basket and fortunately, none of the items were broken.

 

“It’s nothing.”

 

“‘Come here. Stay closer to me.”

 

“Um, excuse me…”

 

Helen’s cheeks turned bright red. The man hugged her as if she was a doll. As if sitting shoulder to shoulder wasn’t enough, the man leaned into her shoulder again.

 

‘Ugh…it’s ticklish.’

 

It wasn’t just because of his hair tickling her chin, shoulders and collarbone.

 

One corner of her chest was stiff and tickling in some unknown area.

 

Helen inexplicably clenched her fist and placed it over her heart.

 

‘I don’t know why I’m like this…?’

 

Her heart was beating violently.

 

‘What’s wrong with me?’

 

Helen put her hand over her heart and said nothing. The man raised his head.

 

“Are you sick?”

 

“Huh?”

 

“Your face is red.”

 

The man reached out and covered Helen’s face with his hand.

 

The rather man’s large hand was able to quickly cover Helen’s face with one hand.

 

“Why are you so small?”

 

“What do you mean I’m small…?”

 

At the sight of the man staring at her, Helen found her heart pounding harder.

 

‘What’s wrong?’

 

She quickly tried to avoid his gaze, only to have her cheek pressed by the man’s hand that was holding her face.

 

“Let go.”

 

“Yes.”

 

The man let go of her face without any trouble.

 

“But… I’m really asking just in case…You’re an adult, right?”

 

***

 

*This couple is so cute ☺️