Chapter 178

Chapter 178: Chapter 178

“Your Grace, the sun is already setting.”

Elise was right. The sky had turned red. Was it thanks to the encounter with Stephen? Rubica’s anxious heart had calmed down. She thought her worries were nothing compared to those of the people who could never complete their love.

“We should go in now.”

“Okay.”

Before Rubica went back in, she took a look around the garden. Unlike how it had been when she first arrived, it now had colorful roses. Everyone had objected to her decision of investing in Sesar’s work, but only Edgar had trusted her and supported her.

Moreover, it had been the same with the mana quartz. Everyone else thought of her as a naïve idealist, but not Edgar. Faith was what she was the most grateful for among what she had received from him.

“Ann… Edgar would believe anything I say, right?”

She spontaneously asked Ann who nodded immediately and added a joke, “Of course. He would believe you even if you said it was possible to make butter with beans. If the others don’t believe it, he will find a way to make it possible himself.”

However, that didn’t sound like a joke to Rubica. Edgar was indeed looking for a way to make the machine Rubica had talked about.

‘A machine that can do the needlework instead of humans… even I thought that made no sense, when I’m the one who asked for it.’

But Edgar was like, ‘You can trust me with it!’ and he had already finished designing the machine about ribbons.

What kind of machine was she supposed to ask for in order to stop him from making Stella? She was worried but touched at the same time. He acted like it was only natural for everything she said to turn into reality. She wondered where that much faith was coming from.

‘But then, shouldn’t I trust him more as well?’

Was it because of their bad first meeting? To be honest, Rubica didn’t trust Edgar that much. She was hesitant to tell him about what happened with Minos not just because she was worried about how much he would get hurt. She feared he might be disappointed at knowing she was still looking for Arman.

Although she wanted him to believe her past, she was thinking he would of course not believe it.

That was why she was holding everything to herself even when she wanted to confess everything. She wasn’t sure she would be able to bear it if he didn’t believe her.

He was saying he loved her. Despite that, she was going to be very disappointed if he didn’t believe her.

That was why she had hesitated so much to tell him the truth. However, she couldn’t hide the truth forever just because she feared he might not trust her. She had to find the courage and take each step forward. Nothing could be solved by postponing what she had to do.

‘I must be honest about Minos first.’

Of course, she couldn’t tell him about the dragon and his goblin right now. Edgar was highly likely going to ask if she was on some kind of bet with Lord Sesar if she explained about all that.

Although that would naturally change the moment he met Minos and see him transform into a goblin. Then, he would also believe her story about the ring. Most of all, Minos was going to support her and her story.

‘And it is a sure way to stop him from making Stella.’

The encounter with the dragon had been shocking and fearful, but it was all for the better. If she told Edgar about how she had traveled back in time, he would understand why she wanted to find Arman so badly.

“Rubica!”

When Rubica went inside, Edgar was running down the main stairs of the building, doing his cuffs.

He was in such a hurry that his hair was a mess. He looked so urgent and was extremely surprised when he spotted her. He quickly ran down the stairs.

“What is it?”

“What… is it? What do you mean?”

He frowned at the question. Rubica was usually in the sewing room at this time of the day. So he had gone there with an excited heart to see her as soon as the sun went down, but the room had been empty.

He had been on his way to the outside, worrying if something bad had happened to her.

“You… were taking a walk?”

Only then he saw one of her maids carrying a parasol and the gloves she was wearing. He was relieved, but then he got mad at himself for running out like an idiot without asking a maid where she had gone.

“Yes, I went out to get some fresh air.”

“Oh, we should have left someone in the sewing room to tell you about it.”

Ann’s comment made Rubica realize why Edgar seemed to be in so much hurry. She blushed and cleared her throat once, then she took Edgar’s hand. He flinched when she took his hand first, but he didn’t hate it, so he stayed still.

“The roses have bloomed outside. They are all so pretty.”

“I know. I look at them from the window every day.”

“And they smell good, too.”

She stared at him. Edgar became tense and he could feel his cheeks hardening. Rubica had been saying that sitting for too long in his office wasn’t good for his health. Although he was trying his best to hide the reason for that, he knew it was time for her to get a little mad about not being able to see him during the daytime.

“Why don’t we take a walk together?”

“A walk? But the sun has already set.”

“But… then will you take a walk with me tomorrow afternoon?”

“I can’t afford time for a walk during the day.”

“That is exactly why you should go out now. You cannot stay inside for long like that. I know you are busy, but you have to get some fresh air and see the sun.”

However, Rubica didn’t complain as she was just worried about him. For a moment, Edgar wished he could rub his cheek on hers.

“Okay then, we will go out now.”

He said that before he could think about it. She smiled at hearing that, and that smile was prettier than anything else. Taking a walk at night wasn’t a problem. Thanks to a servant with a bright mana stone lamp, their way was as bright as if it was daytime.

“Edgar, look here. The roses are pretty, but these delphiniums have also bloomed so prettily. I think our gardener has really good skills.”

Edgar had seen that flower quite often, but he had never cared about it till now. He didn’t even know its name, but he decided to raise the gardener’s wage right on the spot.

“Yes, they are pretty.”

“And they also smell good.”

She took a deep breath and so did he. They could feel the strong scent of flowers. It had the night’s atmosphere and was quite fresh. It was completely different from drinking in the scent of flowers which Rubica had put in his office that was mixed with the smell of the old carpet.

“Haha!”

Edgar tried to agree enthusiastically with her, although it made him feel really awkward. Rubica burst into laughter at seeing that. He laughed along with her even if he didn’t know what it was about. Her clear laughter made him feel better, and she let him know that he was actually capable of laughing so easily.

“Edgar, may I give you a tour around the garden? I think I know this place better than you by now.”

Rubica took the mana stone lamp from the servant and smiled a little naughtily. She was asking to spend some time alone with Edgar, and it made his heart burn up.

He immediately ordered his guards to stop following. Rubica could see Stephen was mad about it, but she looked away and pretended to be ignorant. She thought it would be better for Stephen’s mental health to be away from them.

“Have you seen these hydrangeas? They must not be seen from your window because of that tree…”

Rubica turned a corner, but then she couldn’t continue with the explanation. The lamp dropped from her hand. He hugged her and held her high. The scent of hydrangea mixed with his unique scent made her dizzy. Her feet couldn’t touch the ground and it made her even dizzier.

“What, what are you doing? Let me go.”

However, Edgar didn’t let go of her for a long, long time. He buried his face in her hair and drank in her scent mixed with the sweet perfume. He could feel her heart beating like crazy. The faster it beat, the more relieved he became. Did she know how worried he had been when she was suddenly missing?

Now she let him embrace her and kiss her, but he couldn’t cease to worry that she might leave him someday. The more the happiness and sense of stability he had gotten through her grew, the more worried he became about losing it all again.

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Chapter 179: Chapter 179

“Edgar.”

Soon Rubica gave up on trying to make him let her go. She just gently swept on his cheek with a hand. That soft and kind gesture made the anxiety that was stuck on his back disappear.

“Are you worried?”

The brown eyes looked so mysterious as they looked up at him, saying she understood it all. He normally would have said no because of his mighty pride, but he nodded as if he had been enchanted by those eyes. He became strangely honest when he was with her as he felt she would listen and understand everything he said.

“I’m not going anywhere. I’ll be by your side forever.”

It made him hug her even harder.

“Do you really mean it?”

“Yes.”

“Do you know what that means?”

The chillingly low voice reached her ears. His blue eyes were shining like the morning star and his chin and lips looked as firm as usual.

However, the hands that held her were shaking a little, and it couldn’t have been her imagination. Rubica wondered how she was supposed to let him know her heart. The layers of emotions that had been piled up in time were too complicated and difficult to define.

“Yes.”

Instead of giving him a complicated explanation, which could potentially distort what she was trying to say, she answered in one short word. Soon, his face came close and their lips touched.

They had shared so many kisses that now she couldn’t even remember each of them, but every time their lips touched, her heart beat fast and heat engulfed her entire body.

“Rubica.”

After the kiss ended, his forehead came down to meet hers. It still looked white, but it was burning as if he had a fever. So were his hands on her cheeks. He had always been cold, so when did he change like this? Rubica closed her eyes and enjoyed his warm hands.

“Will you really stay with me forever?”

She already said she would, but he kept asking.

“Yes, I will stay with you.”

“Even if you meet Arman again? Will you stay with me instead of leaving with him?”

“Yes.”

That answer came without any hesitation. Edgar couldn’t control himself and hugged her as hard as he could. He couldn’t believe he didn’t have to worry about the warmth in his arms and the sound of the heart beating at him anymore.

“I can’t breathe!”

She weakly beat on his chest and he quickly let her go. Edgar was smiling like crazy. Rubica glared at him but, in the end, she burst into laughter as well. She was sure she was the plainest and most ordinary girl in the world, so why was he so happy to be with her? She wondered that sometimes.

What kind of power brought them together? Asking that question made tears swell in her eyes. She quickly turned to hide her heart that was as fickle as the rain of a summer’s day.

“Look. Aren’t these hydrangeas pretty?”

“But you are prettier.”

Of course, that answer made her jaw drop.

“How can I think about some flowers when you are in front of me?”

He didn’t care about the look she gave him and protested as if that was only the natural truth. Her complaints were funny, but what was even funnier were her cheeks turning red.

“You are the only person who says I’m even prettier than flowers.”

“Of course I should be.”

Rubica said that to shake away the embarrassment, but Edgar agreed with her.

“If anyone else says such a thing to you, I will not let them get away with it.”

His eyes glistened dangerously. Judging from his serious gaze and compressed lips, he really meant it.

He was even taking a step further and worrying if anyone else wanted her. Was she really the most beautiful woman in the world in his eyes?

“As the others don’t need the help of an optician, I’m sure they won’t say what you are saying.”

“An optician?”

“We really should have your eyes checked this week.”

“But my eyes are fine… of course, I’ll do it if you want.”

He couldn’t even understand the joke, and Rubica had no energy to be mad at him. On the other hand, he was feeling really good. He even hummed as he walked.

He then took the extremely light mana stone lamp Rubica was carrying, saying it was too heavy for her, and held it himself.

“Having a walk at night isn’t bad.”

Rubica’s skin glowed white under the soft moonlight. Her hair fluttered in the wind, her dress made sounds when she walked on the grass, and the faint smile she made each time she saw a pretty flower. They were walking in the garden, holding hands, and it felt like a wonderful dream.

“A man from Jackal Bank has come today, right?”

Rubica was wondering when she should talk about Minos, but then he asked about it first. As a man had come from the bank that now managed their wealth, of course, he was supposed to be worried if there was anything wrong.

“Yes.”

“I heard you were alone with him at the reception room for quite a long time…”

However, what he was worried about wasn’t the management of his wealth. So, Rubica couldn’t help but stare at him in shock.

“What, is there something wrong about that?”

“Not exactly, but…”

He looked away. He didn’t want to rule over her at all, but he did care a lot about what Rubica had talked about with the banker.

Thinking the banker had heard of her worries he didn’t know about made him a little sad and angry.

“And you even gave him coffee and refreshments. Weren’t you being a bit too kind to the banker?”

He didn’t want to appear narrow-minded, so he couldn’t tell what he was really thinking and made a problem out of something else. Of course, he didn’t know that it made him look even more foolish.

“He was a guest.”

“But still… you are just too kind.”

He angrily stroked his chin. For a moment, Rubica didn’t know what to think of it, but his pouted lower lip made her realize he was jealous.

‘Maybe it’s good.’

It was better than to hesitate and delay telling him about Minos.

“The banker has asked me to let him meet you.”

“Meet me? Did he ask for an audience with you just for that? That’s absurd!”

Before he could say he should cancel the deal with Jackal Bank immediately, Rubica held his hand tightly.

“He said he knew a way to find Arman.”

“What?”

Edgar’s eyes burned dangerously. His knuckles that clutched the lamp turned white. Rubica cowered at his angry voice, but she wasn’t afraid. She was sure he would listen to her.

“He said he would tell me how to find Arman, but I should let him meet you in return.”

Edgar’s eyebrows went up high. He wasn’t mad at Rubica, but he was mad at the banker who he didn’t even know.

‘It must be a fraud who wants to fool this innocent lady.’

As Edgar knew Arman was himself, the offer of the banker was quite suspicious to him. He was a mere banker, but he knew Rubica was looking for Arman, and Edgar didn’t like it. If he was just trying to use what she said coincidentally and gain something from that, Edgar was going to make him never see the light of the day ever again.

“I will have Carl make time tomorrow.”

“No, you don’t have to do that. Just… meet him when you get time.”

Edgar had been pushing everything aside to do what Rubica asked, and it had been bothering her. She had come up with the idea to delay the development of Stella, but as he had so many important businesses on his hands, it strangely made her feel guilty.

He was saying he was willing to postpone other important things and make time to help her find the man she liked, and she felt so sorry for that.

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She couldn’t say sorry, but she touched his finger instead. She was clearly hesitating, and it almost made him smile, but he stopped himself and tried hard to look disappointed.

“Why? Don’t you want to find Arman quickly?”

“Yes, but…”

Her eyes were wet. She didn’t know what Arman was thinking, and she now wanted to cry. How could he be so nice to her? Didn’t he care about his own feelings? She had never been loved like this before. She had always been the helper, not the cared one.