Chapter 4 : Ready to run (4)

*****

A few days later, Regina visited the temple again to find out how to make holy water.

She hasn't made up her mind yet, but she was thinking of making a special medicine just in case.

'First, prepare water, the main ingredient which will become holy water.'

She took out a book related to holy water from the library and read the part where the production method was written.

In the book, it was explained over one page, but to summarize it was simple. One, prepare water. Two, dip your hands in the water and read the prayer. Third, the healing powers are applied to the water.

Regina wrote a brief summary of the contents and the prayer in the notebook she brought with her. She also borrowed a book just in case and left the library immediately. She couldn't wait to practice this herself.

Regina, who was walking fast, stopped in surprise as she passed through the pillar. This was because a person came out of a place that was hidden by a large pillar.

She paused for a moment, and as she was about to make her way back to avoid him, the man who had turned to bump into her called her.

"Leah?"

"Yes."

She looked up at the familiar voice to see it was Lou. He seemed a little surprised, but then he smiled brightly.

"I didn't expect to see Leah here again."

His turquoise eyes curves softly.

Regina looked up at him and remembered what he said the last time they met.

"I heard you don't come to the temple often."

"That's right. I didn't often come, but I've been working recently. But it's nice to meet you like this."

She doesn't know if he's originally like this, but he also said straightforward things.

Regina felt ashamed of herself, so she avoided his gaze and bowed her head.

"Oh, that's right. Well then, good luck."

"Are you going already?" 

He followed when she took a step to finish her path.

"Yes. Didn't you come because you had something to do?"

"Yes. Of course, I have something to do."

But he continued to follow her outside.

Regina, who was going through the hall to the entrance, stopped right there and looked up firmly at him, who was still standing next to her. 

"But why do you keep following me?"

She looked at him, his turquoise eyes widened a little, then disappeared again. There was a little joy in his eyes.

"It's been a long time since we met. It's nice to see you, so I'd like to be with you a little longer."

He seemed to like her a lot. He looked happy to meet her, Regina didn't understand that. So she's really curious.

"Do you know who I am?"

Lou gave a thoughtful expression for a moment at the explicit question, Then he shrugged as if nothing was important. 

"I don't know who you are, but I can slowly get to know who you are. "

Regina's brow furrowed at his answer.

'Don't you know who I am yet?' 

Black hair is not common, so she thought he would look for her right away, but Lou's attitude seemed odd.

Eventually she had to say something. 

"I have a fiance."

Hearing those words, Lou's mouth was still closed. But he looked a little bitter for some reason.

He lowered his eyes for a moment, then looked straight at her again. His turquoise eyes met her, and she lost her words for a moment.

His eyes had some kind of longing for it. "Are you really married for love?"

Her heart pounded with tension. Regina looked back at the question and pondered his tone and expression. Listening to him from the perspective of an ordinary person, the question was asking if she was just an arranged marriage, so there was nothing special about it.

But then he said, "Not married under threat?"

Regina nodded her head calmly.

"Yes. It's a marriage for love."

For a moment, she felt as if his turquoise eyes were trembled. Why? What does he mean with such a face? It was hard to keep eye contact with him, so she lowered her gaze and greeted him.

"Then I'll go first. I hope you do your job well. "

Regina immediately turn her body and exit the temple. Lou didn't stop her.

*****

Arsene, who got off the horse, handed over the reins to the servant and entered the mansion. 

He had been to the Imperial Palace in person to talk with Ruairi about the recent movements of Empress Dowager, the current status of other nobles, and the date of their wedding.

As soon as he entered the lobby, took off the cravat and handed it over to Severo, who was waiting for him. 

"Regina?"

"Lady went to the temple. Maybe she'll be back soon."

The first thing he does when he gets home these days is to ask about Regina's condition. 

Like now, as soon as he returned today, he asked where Regina was, and Severo replied that she had gone to the temple.

Regina told him that she had never visited the temple when she was at Count Blois, but these days she seems to be visiting the temple more often. However, he nodded his head once as if to say yes, and went up to the office.

Severo followed him quietly. A maid caught Arsene's gaze as she climbed the stairs and was walking down the hallway where the office was.

She was on her way to Regina's room carrying something. Looking closely she was holding a piece of paper in her hand. It looks like a sketch of someone's face. Then the maid who found him bowed her head and greeted him.

As he looked down for a clearer picture, he recognized that the person in the picture was Regina.

"What is that?"

Curious as to who drawing her, he reached out to the maid.

She politely handing him a picture of Regina that the maid was holding in her hand. 

"The picture was in the lady's pocket. I took it out while I was washing it, but I forgot to bring it and was taking it now."

Arsene quickly opened the picture. The person who drew the picture accurately drew Regina.

Arsene gaze that looked at the Regina face with beautiful hair and lines went down.

"......."

At first glance, a smile crossed his mouth. It wasn't a positive smile like pleasure or joy. 

"It's fun."

His gaze was fixed on her left hand, which was painted like a crushed one in the midst of a sharp picture.

It looked like it was just trying to draw. Arsene knew well what was there. Her engagement ring. 

Arsene, returning the painting to the maid, and entered his office.

As he sat down, he heard the sound of a carriage coming through the window he had left open.

"Looks like the lady is back."

Because the butler was here, the housemaid and Sally seemed to meet her instead.

Among their voices, Regina's voice came through the window. 

Arsene, who had heard the sound of getting smaller and smaller as she entered the mansion, lowered his head.

Suddenly, one of his servants was prostrate in front of him. It was the person attached to Regina. 

"Nothing happened in the temple, but—"

He paused for a moment, then continued.

"The Lady met Prince Logan again." 

Arsene didn't respond as expected. Then he recalled the picture he had seen a little while ago, and he couldn't help but burst into laughter. 

Apparently, his younger brother was in love with his fiancee.