“It’s really peculiar. Why can I tell you these things if I have no idea who you are?”
His hand was gentle as it caressed her face.
“I want you to stay by my side like this.”
Ellie nodded slowly.
“Yes. I will never reveal my identity. I shall safeguard the secret of the Duke.”
In that instant, a light broke out in the hotel room. Duke Rufus gazed at his hand, which was securely grasping her, and gently released it with a mournful grimace.
“The lights are back on.”
“I understand.”
She felt bad but relieved at the same time.
“Now you can sleep peacefully.”
He smiled and nodded gently in response to her comments.
“May I read a book to you?”
“Of course. However, whence did this incense originate?”
He questioned while pointing to the incense candle Ellie had returned with.
“Ah, that was in the room, but you apparently missed it.”
For a minute, he cocked his head in confusion at her comments.
“Yes? Maybe it was left behind.”
Fortunately, everything seemed to have passed without a hitch. Ellie exhaled a breath of relief and took up the book from the side table.
She had no idea how she was able to go to this location other than the duke’s chamber, but it was my good fortune to be able to accompany him.
She was somewhat reassured by his presence, thus she felt relieved.
* * *
Ellie smiled at the corner of her lips as she saw Duke Rufus’s gorgeous face quietly sleeping. Thankfully, he did not seem to experience nightmares.
Ellie was quite thankful to Dyuk, the gentlemanly butler. Possibly, if not for Dyuk, Duke Rufus would not exist in this world.
The very concept of it filled her with immediate terror. How awful and scary it must have been for him to have personally experienced this.
I couldn’t even fathom. Ellie, feeling annoyed, closed her book and stepped outside after discreetly opening the balcony door.
As she felt the fresh sea wind, the suffocating sensation on her chest appeared to diminish. A crimson sun was rising slowly in the distance.
The sensation was quite distinct from the sea she saw throughout the day. As she admired the breathtaking sight, she heard the balcony door opening.
“Thank God you’re still here.”
Did the sound of the balcony door opening awaken him?
“Sorry. Did you awaken due to my presence? I have not slept for some hours.”
He shook his head in response to her apologies.
“No. I decided to get up before you go. I want to see the ocean with you.”
Ellie’s cheeks slightly flushed in response to his unexpected comments. She was nonetheless content. Because the sun is turning the whole world crimson, she cannot conceal her red face.
“It is a very gorgeous place.”
“Right. So I only wanted to show it to you. I believe you will like it.”
His face was adorned with a pleasant grin.
It was one of the innumerable moments Ellie envisioned while falling in love with him. Simply envisioning him beaming at her caused her heart to race.
I was only attempting to satisfy my imagination, knowing him well enough that his face seldom changed.
I had no idea he would grin at me in this manner. Ellie gazed at his face with a bewildered expression in response to that grin, which was more lovely than she had expected.
“Why are you looking at me like that?”
Ellie quickly shook her head in response to his abrupt inquiry.
“No… I’m enjoying the view. The sea is pretty.”
It was a delightful dream. She wants to sleep in today. She wanted to be with him in this state for a while longer.
But I suppose this wasn’t my intention.
Ellie heaved a wistful sigh after awakening in her former body. She arose from her bed and strolled to the balcony.
As she cautiously opened the balcony door, she saw Duke Rufus’s back as he observed where she had recently stood.
Duke Rufus, while standing still and staring behind her, turned his head to face her.
“You awoke really early.”
Wouldn’t it be weird if she suddenly reappeared after disappearing?
“Yes. Did you sleep well?”
Ellie greeted him in the morning with an easy and naive appearance.
“Yes. Thanks to someone.”
He exhaled and turned around. As he opened the balcony door and entered the room without remorse, Ellie gazed at him with sorrowful eyes.
‘Let’s not be deceived.’
He wasn’t really interested in seeing this landscape with her.
He never doubted that she could be her. Possibly, he does not want her to be that lady.
Ellie Miller was nothing more or less than a diligent and silent employee in his eyes.
Even though she was aware of the reality, she felt a weird sadness. Is it because of the breathtaking scenery?
Ellie viewed the surroundings she had just seen with him with a sense of loneliness.
* * *
While waiting for the train to return, a young woman carrying a bouquet of flowers approached the two.
“Purchase my flowers. Canna has an exclusive supply of Purnia flowers. The happy receiver of this flower, as the saying goes. Wish your loved ones success.”
Ellie grinned at the edges of her mouth while seeing the girl’s lucid explanation of the flowers. Here was a beautiful flower whose hue mirrored that of the ocean.
“Permit me to purchase them all.”
Ellie heard Duke Rufus’ voice in her ear as she pulled out her money. The face of the girl selling flowers lit up in an instant.
He extracted ten gold from his wallet and gave it to the woman.
“Is this excessive? Since each piece costs one silver, you simply need to pay me 20 silver.”
In response to the girl’s response, he indicated the basket.
“Give me the basket as well.”
“Still, this is—”
“I believe you are fortunate to sell beautiful flowers.”
He was a genuine gentleman. With tears in her eyes, she accepted his gift of 10 gold. The girl who brought him the basket greeted them many times with further bows before moving away from them.
“I believe that the Duke is a really wonderful guy.”
He responded timidly to her praise while holding out a flower.
“I hope for your good fortune.”
Ellie felt embarrassed that she had lusted for his other heart for some time. As an employee whom he trusted and loved, it was a joy to work alongside him.
“Thank you very much.”
Ellie hesitantly expressed gratitude and took the offered flower. It was lucky for her that he gifted her with a beautiful flower.
Let’s not be hungry for more, she said as he regarded the flower-filled basket with a kind glance.
* * *
Before coming home, Ellie went by a bookshop and purchased many psychology-related books. I wanted to assist him in recovering from his wounds in every way possible.
The prospect of him spending the rest of his life living in terror of the dark was unsettling. If she could, she would have brought back all of his unpleasant memories.
After taking a shower and reading a book, she laid back on the bed and fell asleep. She awoke from her sleep, stood up, and surveyed the bedroom.
Duke Rufus could not be located. Instead, she was drawn to the purnia flowers in the vase on the side table.
Ellie’s lips smiled as she recalled that Duke Rufus was purchasing this flower. Ellie waited for him while gently stroking the petals of a Purnia flower.
However, he was absent from the bedroom for thirty minutes. Perhaps anything is occurring?
She was anxiously watching the bedroom door when, to her relief, the door opened and Duke Rufus entered the room.
“You are really tardy today.”
Ellie approached him and inquired.
“I was curious whether you could come from where I am, so I tried it, but it does not seem to work. When I see your entry into the bedroom.”
Have you been awaiting my arrival somewhere till now?
“Well, wouldn’t that be the duke’s bedchamber?”
There was no other explanation. It seems that she needs a bed in order to assume this shape.
“I see. I deemed it appropriate to meet you outdoors. I believe it would be incredibly frustrating for you to spend every day in my bedroom.”
I appreciated his thoughtfulness in thinking about me.
“I adore being alone with you in the bedroom.”
When he saw her respond with a bright grin, he suppressed a snicker. Then he took one step at a time in her direction.
“I had no idea that you would like spending time alone with me in the bedroom.”
Ellie knew she had made a mistake upon seeing the weird grin that appeared on his lips.
“Duke… it is not what it implies—”
She attempted to move back to prevent him from approaching, but the bed prevented her from doing so. Ellie slumped on the bed after being stunned by the motion of his wide arms to stop her.
His face approached hers. His lively blue eyes shone brightly.
“Is it not because you mentioned you loved the bedroom and wanted something similar?”
He lowered his head in her direction. The gap between them shrunk to the point that their respective breaths met.
She fiercely shut her eyes as his lips neared hers. At that instant, her body vanished.
Raymond grinned as he examined her previous location.
“I can’t do anything. She was just stunned and vanished.”
Longingly gazing at the location where she had vanished, he whispered in disbelief.
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