Ellie awoke and reached for her still-beating heart. She did not intend to kiss him!
Ellie covered her red face with both hands as she recalled his eyes’ playful sparkle. It was obviously a joke.
Even with this knowledge, she was startled and thrilled. It seems inevitable that one will lose her resolve in front of the person she loves.
Ellie reclined on the bed while inhaling. However, she had difficulty falling asleep since she awoke in a state of shock.
She fell back to sleep, attempting not to recall the stunning face she had just witnessed.
She fell asleep after an hour or two of tossing and turning while counting close to a thousand sheep. Duke Rufus was reading a book with his back against the head of the bed when she awoke.
“I thought you weren’t coming today… it’s because you never appeared immediately.”
He looked at her and closed the book while speaking softly.
“I have trouble sleeping.”
“You like me far more than I anticipated.”
Ellie’s cheeks instantly heated up in response to his audacious statements. I’m not sure why she is smiling so broadly when she says this.
“Stop making jokes.”
As he hurriedly dived beneath the bed, Ellie responded with an effortful quiet voice.
“I will get a book.”
She avoided making eye contact with him by standing in front of the bookshelves. Ellie approached the bedside chair after picking up one of his new books.
“Have you noticed this flower?”
He inquired, indicating the purnia flower on the end table.
“Yes. It is a beautiful flower.”
“This is a flower known as Purnia. It is stated that this bloom can only be found in the Canna region. I purchased it in order to present it to you. There is nothing you can take with you when you wake up, so examine it here.”
Therefore, it seems to have been put on the side table. She appreciated his thoughtfulness in placing the vase near to where she often read.
“Thanks. It is a really beautiful flower.”
He had already handed her the flower, but she was unable to express herself. He gave her a single Purnia flower, which was put in a vase on her desk.
“It is stated that this flower brings good fortune to anyone who gets it as a gift. I hope that good fortune will also find you.”
“I’ve already been pretty fortunate. I’m not sure whether I’m fortunate for the Duke.”
At her sincere comments, Duke Rufus’s face progressively grew crimson this time.
“Your presence is really useful. I do not have nightmares.”
He waited briefly before reopening his lips with a reluctant look.
“Thus, I mean… Could you perhaps assist me?”
“Yes?”
“I want to escape the dreadful memories she implanted in my mind. No longer do I dread the night. I believe I can achieve it with your assistance.”
Thank you for expressing this to begin with. It must have been tough for him to say, but I am very appreciative of his courage.
She also wanted to assist him. If his night were more pleasant, she would be able to do anything.
“I don’t know whether I can be of assistance, but I’m willing to do anything. If I can assist the Duke, I am capable of anything.”
A gentle grin grew over his lips as he fixed an unrelenting stare on her.
“This is why I keep seeing you and that woman overlapping.”
His huge hand delicately brushed her silvery hair.
Is it again the story of that woman? He had just one lady in mind.
Perhaps he wants her to be that lady.
“You both are basically similar to exerting effort in any endeavor.”
She was unable to smile at his compliments. It seems that envy makes individuals very insular.
“Are you jealous?”
His beautiful blue eyes sparkled with mischief as he regarded her rigid attitude.
“This is not the case.”
She was not a skilled liar. Ellie dipped her head in an effort to avoid making eye contact. I was quite pitiful to myself, being envious of myself at times and of unknown ladies at night.
“Then, should we first turn on the lights and then turn off the other lights?”
Ellie asked Duke Rufus, pointing to the stand on the side table, what it was.
“Alright. You should instead be at my side. Do not vanish unexpectedly.”
“Noted that Duke.”
She would not have awakened if not for an unexpected jolting event.
Ellie activated the stand light creating a gentle crimson glow and stroked his hand, who seemed somewhat anxious.
“All will be well. Yesterday was wonderful with the only illumination of incense candles.”
He warmly nodded gently in response to her comments.
“Then I will turn out the lights.”
Again exercising his enormous hand, Ellie rose from her chair. As she approached the wall with the switch, she once again regarded Duke Rufus.
Ellie cautiously lowered the switch after seeing that he was nodding his head with a strained grimace. Then, the sound of his labored breathing was audible in her ears.
As she hastily reached him, she saw Duke Rufus coiled and heavily inhaling.
Even with the lights on, he had a very unsteady aspect. Yesterday, when the incense candle was lit after being in the dark, the soothing light seemed like redemption.
Today, however, after being exposed to a strong light, just the stand’s weak light remains, so the place seems to be shrouded in darkness.
“Duke.”
The sound of his labored respiration heightened her concern.
“I can’t… I can’t do this… I’m gonna light it again.”
He grasped her hand as she prepared to get up.
“It’s alright. Simply remain at my side.”
Ellie knew he was exerting his greatest effort. He was still sitting in a hunched position and breathing hard, but he did not seem willing to give up without a fight, unless he lacked the confidence to fight.
“Did you know that giants inhabit the Kingdom of Astell?”
Ellie started the tale of a giant he had heard from his father as a boy in order to reduce his anxiety.
“Giants reside deep inside the mountains, and they are five times the size of normal humans. They like the company of people, but humans are so terrified of them that they hide in the mountains. Therefore, when a stray human wanders into their tribe, they occasionally treat it with the highest respect. In their view, humans are adorably adorable.”
“What a stupid tale… Who is speaking such nonsense?”
He laughed as if it were absurd, yet the tension seemed to have been somewhat reduced.
“I do not know whether or not that is true. This is a tale that my father told me.”
When she recounted to him the narrative her father had told her, he seemed a little perplexed.
“Hmm, your dad is a very amusing man.”
A natural grin formed on his lips as he promptly altered his position.
“Well, some refer to him as delusional. I did not trust my father until I consumed the fairy elixir. I believe, however, that all of these tales may be genuine in the present day. Unbelievable events are occurring.”
In response to her remarks, he slowly nodded.
“Right. If I told other people that an unknown lady entered my bedroom every night, I would be considered an idiot.”
“Perhaps.”
Unhesitatingly, he smiled sweetly in response to her response. His focus was on his much less tense face.
Even turning off the stand lights seemed absurd, but he recovered his calm sooner than anticipated.
“The fairy potion I consumed was concocted by the forest-dwelling slumber fairies. It takes ten years to produce a single potion from dew collected overnight.”
“Then you drank the ten-year-old potion that the fairies created.”
“Yes.”
“Your father is really gifted.”
Ellie smiled and nodded her head. Creating a more comfortable posture, he leaned against the head of the bed. Upon seeing that he was at ease, she shared another anecdote from her father.
He fell asleep shortly after leaning on the head of the bed. Ellie placed him on the bed and softly stroked his face to induce relaxation.
“I appreciate your bravery.”
Perhaps he will one day be able to do without this stand light.
Thankfully, her time spent here was not in vain.
She had no idea how long she would be able to continue coming here, but she prayed he could fight the darkness until then.
Ellie went to his office with the documents to report to Duke Rufus after leaving for work. While standing by the window and drinking hot tea, he seemed pretty content.
“Excellent morning.”
Ellie’s face lit up with a grin as he welcomed her with a smile initially.
“Greetings in the morning.”
The first piece of information to share with him concerned Gilbert. It was only positive news that ruined his mood.
“I received a call from Gilbert. Because the mine is understaffed, progress must be halted. We’ve been requested to extend the deadline by just two months, which might have dire consequences if we want to complete the work by the scheduled date.”
Ellie hesitated in anticipation of his smoldering rage. But his response was less severe than she anticipated.
“In any case, there are several justifications. Say yes. There is nothing more valuable than human life.”
Ellie regarded him with a hint of astonishment, but he only whispered a complaint and gladly consented.
“Why?”
Duke Rufus inquired in a harsh tone, perplexed by her look.
“I’ll tell Gilbert that.”
Ellie greeted the Duke and turned back after receiving numerous additional reports.
“Ellie.”
The Duke of Rufus summoned her just as she reached for the doorknob.
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