I couldn’t raise my head and coughed. I couldn’t stop coughing because the soup I just ate went in the wrong way.
“I’ll get some lukewarm water. Don’t drink cold water and stay for a moment.”
Bessie left the room quickly and came back meanwhile the coughs didn’t stop.
I gulped down the lukewarm water that Bessie brought me.
The neck and hands trembled together.
‘That luggage bag, oh god, I didn’t clean it up!’
When I didn’t know this was going to happen, I mean, when I know that Agrita was Ari, I forgot to clean it up. I knew I could run away as smoothly as I planned, so I had packed my necessary luggage in advance and hid it in the closet.
Then I forgot.
‘No, I thought I’d clean it up in the middle, but….’
This crazy thing, I only thought about it. I skipped important practices and had forgotten it until this moment.
‘How can I do that?’
I was speechless at my stupidity. The cough stopped, but my heart was pounding even more. Bessie anxiously examined my appearance.
“Are you all right now? Do you want more water?”
“Oh, no. It’s okay. No more coughing.”
“That’s a relief, I was very surprised.”
I sighed and Bessie continued.
“By the way, that luggage bag. When did you pack it up like that?”
My head is spinning. The luggage bag hidden in the closet was not big in volume, but it was transparently packed for the purpose of leaving far away.
‘I got caught? I really got caught, right? But what should I say?’
My eyes were shaking nervously, as I put the glass near my face to hide the expression.
At that time, Bessie’s voice sounded happy.
“My lady, you should just say it.”
“……just say?”
“You wanted to go to the territory. Like you did when you were young.”
‘Territory? When I was young?’
I blink one’s eyes at a moment’s notice. A brief exclamation soon came out.
Ah.
“At that time, you packed your bags and hid them in advance as you did now, right? Do you know how cute you were when everyone thought…….”
Bessie grinned with her memory-soaked eyes.
That’s right. I was. So when I was really young, about six years old?
As Bessie said, at the time, I had packed my luggage and hid it at night the day before I went down to the territory with my family, and was caught by a servant like this.
But it wasn’t because I was expecting to go to the territory……
‘I was trying to run away then, too.’
To be exact, I did it in preparation for being kicked out.
It was around the time Ash, who grew up healthy, started running around, and I thought it was really time for me to be kicked out of this house, so I prepared for it.
Contrary to expectations, I was still not kicked out, and my father’s schedule to go to the territory with me and Ash coincided, making my intention to wrap it up like that.
I saw a pure face without any doubt of Bessie’s fondness for old memories.
I settled down.
‘I’m saved.’
Bessie has seen me since I was very young. As I told you before, she often took care of me instead of a nanny.
Maybe that’s why I grew up like this, but I still looked like a child to Bessie.
So at the age of 22, I packed a suspicious luggage bag that would suit a night owl, and even if I was caught, she would bring back the old days and interpret it in a naive way.
‘……it would be difficult to think of anything else.’
This is the same.
Generally speaking, it’s hard to imagine or understand that I’m trying to get away from this place. I suddenly felt bitter when I thought about it, but I felt relieved now anyway. Bessie’s misunderstanding saved me from the crisis. I quickly responded to her illusion.
“Yes, that’s right. Oh, me too, I can just say it. Maybe this is my habit, as it used to be.”
Then I hurried around. Because I wasn’t really going down to the territory.
“But it’s not like I want to go to the territory or anything. I don’t have to go. I can’t go alone if I want to, but Ash is really busy……”
“I’ve already told the Duke.”
“What?”
The motion stopped for a moment. Bessie smiled more thickly.
“Because my lady doesn’t think I know how you feel? I noticed earlier when I found your luggage bag so I said to the Duke that the Duke was really busy and my lady didn’t bring it up because you didn’t want to disturb him.”
“…..!”
Oh, no!
“Just go now. A territory is a place where the Duke has to stop by anyway. But I want you two to feel cosy while visiting that it feels like you were traveling together, so instead of disturbing him, how about you think of it as a help to the Duke, my lady?”
Bessie had a preposterous misunderstanding. I pressed my lips.
That’s not it. That’s really not it!
However, it was irrevocable now that it was corrected.
“Hoo-hoo, thank you is enough, my lady.”
I let go of the fork-like I missed it.
Maybe it’s because I’m in an unexpected situation. The fresh sprouts felt like dead spinach.
***
Early in the morning. Looking at the scenery in the busy yard, I wondered what the hell happened.
‘Let’s leave tomorrow.’
About yesterday afternoon, as Bessie said, Ash, who had already found me with a face as if he had heard it all, said it as soon as he saw my face.
Thanks to this, I had to sincerely worry about whether I’ve become a person with “death illness if I didn’t go to the territory right now.”
‘Huhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.’
What the.
At the same time, I tried to explain to Ash that I didn’t want to go to the territory that much, but I quit soon.
After the luggage bag was found, I needed an excuse.
It would be better if I could manage to get things over with.
‘But it’s so sudden.’
Wouldn’t the iron horn be broken if I pull it out like this?
I could not hide my bewilderment and complex feelings in the morning sun when Ari took my hand in the yard.
“Eonni.”
With a firm grip, Ari continued.
“Have a safe trip.”
“……yes, Ari, you too.”
I made eye contact with Ari.
“Have a safe trip.”
Ari said good-bye to me at the same time while seeing me off.
If I go down to the territory like this, I’ll stay there for a few days. In the meantime, I had no choice but to vacate the mansion, so Ari, who was staying in the mansion, decided to go back to her family.
“Go and be safe.”
In fact, it was time for Ari to go back, not just because of this situation.
The plan to seduce Ash with the enchanted cloth was shattered.
And the safety that Sir Davery has been responsible for is now, in fact, up to Dylan.
In many ways, Ari had no reason to stay here.
I held Ari’s hand in an inexplicable mood and let go.
The vain despair that came from sending her, which was the only hope, was also despair, but the fact that I left her and broke up with Ari made me feel bitter.
“Don’t let your guard down too much. Of course, Dylan will be good for you.”
“I will. When you get back from the territory, make sure to contact me again, eonni. Don’t hesitate to call me if you need me.”
Ari’s brown eyes were uplifting.
I didn’t deliberately embrace Ari. It seems like this is the last greeting. That’s kind of weird.
“……the enchanted cloth, just burn it.”
This remark was said in a whisper. Ari nodded.
And it’s only natural that Ari is going back to her family, which means Dylan is leaving the mansion with her.
“It’s been a long time since we’ve met, and I can’t help but feel sorry for breaking up so soon.”
Sir Davery said so with a look of no regret.
He looked very relieved.
Dylan, on the other hand, seemed really a bit disappointed.
“As expected, you’re really lucky, too. Sir Davery Sack.”
I glanced at two subtle people and slipped in.
“If it’s too bad, you don’t have to follow me to the territory, and you can stay with Dylan at your own place.”
Of course, I meant to tease him. Sir Davery’s employer was obviously Ash in the first place, so I had no authority to let him go anywhere he wanted.
Even though he knew it, Sir Davery got the rhythm right.
“My lady, whatever it is, it’s my fault.”
“You really don’t know what it is?”
“It’s all just wrong.”
“Be good from now on.”
After exchanging silly jokes, I was ready to go.
I soon got into the carriage, being greeted by Ari, who shook her hand hard, and somehow the butler didn’t say anything.
The carriage has set off.
There were two carriages to the territory in total.
One for me and Ash, and the other for Sir Davery and other employees.
For your information, I asked to take all the rides together in this carriage with only luggage in the other carriage before departure, but I was rejected at once.
The main culprit of the refusal was Bessie.
‘Both of you! Come on! Definitely! Anyone who has a disagreement, come to me now.’
And no one stood before her with a voracious air. Eventually, the number of carriages was divided in that way.
‘Bessie, you’re so…’
It hasn’t changed. Bessie has always been the same.
I felt that I lacked immunity because I got upset every time I went through that constant heart.
Rattle, rattle.
The carriage quickly ran out of the center of the city and out of the suburbs. The scenery along the street quickly turned green.
I habitually kept my eyes out of the window, with no purpose in appreciating the scenery.
In the midst of a complicated and cluttered mind, on the one hand, I was puzzled.