《Every Night, I Come To His Bedroom》


 Chapter 1

    Chapter 1


    At the sight of the man in front of her, Ellie slowly blinked her eyes. He is Duke Raymond Rufus, the handsome man who fell asleep with the light in his bedroom lit.


    Ellie couldn¡¯t even blink her eyes properly, as she couldn¡¯t believe the man she had been in love with for five years was lying right in front of her eyes.


    The unrequited love that she started when entering the same academy has continued to this day while working under him.


    Although she worked for him, it was not close. To him, she was just one of many people working for Duke Rufus.


    He probably doesn¡¯t even know that she entered the same academy as him. Because by the year she entered the school, he was already in the graduating class.


    There were many people who had a crush on Duke Rufus. She didn¡¯t even think of confessing her heart, she just watched him from afar.


    It has been only a year since she graduated from the academy and worked as secretary to Arthur, an aide to the Duke of Rufus.


    She would occasionally report about work on Arthur¡¯s behalf, but that was all she did.


    She didn¡¯t mind though. She was happy just to see him. She didn¡¯t even want him to know her unrequited love.


    She was a person who did not even dare to be greedy. Because he was no match for her, the daughter of a poor Viscount.


    With her quiet personality and even timidity, she was an unattractive person. Even in the social world, her presence was dim.


    She was completely different from the Duke of Rufus, who caught people¡¯s attention just by appearing.


    The beautiful-looking Duke Rufus with dark blond hair and blue eyes was like the sun.


    He is so dazzling that it is difficult to look at him.


    She didn¡¯t even think of seeing his face properly, even when she occasionally reported on work.


    I can¡¯t believe such a man is right in front of me.


    Ellie looked at Duke Rufus, who was sleeping deeply, with trembling eyes.


    I don¡¯t know how the hell this happened.


    She must have slept in her own bedroom, so why is Duke Rufus in front of her eyes? Moreover, this is not even her bedroom.


    Ellie cautiously got up from the bed. Her trembling eyes looked around the spacious and lavish bedroom.


    Am I dreaming?


    As she slowly looked around the large window behind the bed, the bookcase filling one wall, and the luxurious leather sofa in front of it, she stopped in front of a large mirror.


    Her eyes widened spontaneously by the unfamiliar appearance of herself reflected in the mirror. Instead of her usual appearance with her brown hair and eyes which she had always seen, a completely different, beautiful fairy-like face caught her eyes.


    The appearance of a beautiful woman with mysterious silver hair, blue eyes, and painted-like pink lips reminded her of her deceased mother who was often told by her father.


    She doesn¡¯t know her mother¡¯s face because there are no pictures or portraits left, but her mother¡¯s face that her father told her and her reflection in the mirror is quite similar.


    Ellie was very upset when she was a child when her father told her that her mother was a dazzlingly beautiful person. Because she didn¡¯t seem like her mother at all.


    If she really were such a beautiful person, would she have the courage to approach Duke Rufus?


    Actually, she doesn¡¯t know. Even the young noble ladies famous for their beauty in the Empire tried to win over Duke Rufus, but the ice-cold Duke didn¡¯t budge.


    He had no interest in any woman. There were even rumors floating around saying that he likes men. But he didn¡¯t care at all for such bizarre rumors.


    While looking at the mirror and thinking about this and that, Ellie held her breath for a moment. The image of Duke Rufus approaching her appeared in the mirror.


    His beautiful but terribly cold blue eyes were looking down at her.


    ¡°Who are you?¡±


    At Duke Rufus¡¯s question in his alert voice, Ellie looked up at him with trembling eyes. At that moment, she saw his big hand reaching out towards her.


    ¡°Ah.¡±


    Surprised, she exhaled a rough breath, and when she opened her eyes, she saw a familiar view. It is her bedroom. Ellie, who got up from bed, looked around with a puzzled face.


    She is still in her room.


    So, was it a dream?


    It seems that my feelings for Duke Rufus are growing bigger and bigger. What a ridiculous dream.


    ¡°Calm down, Ellie Miller.¡±


    Calming her heart, which was still beating loudly, Ellie went to sleep again.


    After tossing and turning for a while, the scene of Duke Rufus¡¯ bedroom unfolded in front of Ellie, who fell asleep again.


    This time she lay alone in Duke Rufus¡¯ bed.


    ¡°You showed up again.¡±


    Duke Rufus¡¯ low voice could be heard as she got up from the bed with a bewildered face.


    As she turned her head towards the voice, she saw Duke Rufus sitting on a chair by the bed.


    ¡°Oh, how did you disappear? And how did you appear now? Are you using any strange magic tools?¡±


    Duke Rufus asked her in a sharp voice. Ellie is also curious. Why does she keep dreaming like this?


    ¡°It¡¯s too vivid for a dream.¡±


    At her murmuring in a low voice, Duke Rufus asked, ¡°A dream?¡±


    ¡°Yes. I am dreaming right now. This is my dream.¡±


    ¡°What a crazy woman.¡±


    He stretched out his hand towards her. His big hand grabbed her arm. She was startled by the vivid sensation.


    ¡°You can say such a nonsensical excuse to the judge¡­¡­¡±


    Raymond stopped talking. The woman in front of him until recently disappeared again in an instant.


    There was only a faint warmth in his hand, which held her arm tightly. Having experienced ridiculous things twice in a row, he frowned.


    ¡°You are by no means an ordinary woman.¡±


    She didn¡¯t look human in appearance. Raymond, who recalled her long silver hair and beautiful face, bit his red lip.


    He couldn¡¯t figure out why the strange woman, who he didn¡¯t know if she was a witch or a ghost, kept appearing in his bedroom.


    ***


    ¡°Sigh.¡±


    Ellie let out a sigh and got up from the bed. She had a strange dream again. No, was it really a dream?


    She could see a blue bottle on a small table next to the bed. It was a potion her father gave her before he embarked on his new adventure.


    He said that it was a potion given by a fairy, and if she drank it, something very special would happen every night. Ellie did not believe what her father said.


    His father, who only saw her face several times a year, was a delusion who liked adventure. When she was young, the stories her father told her were very interesting.


    The story of the mysterious mermaids, the story of giants who are big but warm-hearted, and the story of beautiful fairies were enough to attract her interest.


    But as she gradually got older, she stopped listening to her father¡¯s story. Those stories that seemed like fairy tales when she was young became more and more like a false delusion as she got older.


    As such, her father¡¯s story was not at all realistic. Even though she lives in a world where magic existed, it is a power that is obtained through a special mineral called a magical crystal.


    Wizards who emit fire from their hands, people fly in the sky, or float objects in the air existed only in novels and fairy tales.


    The same was true of dragons, mermaids, giants, and fairies appearing in her father¡¯s adventure stories.


    It was her neighbor, Nancy¡¯s grandmother who took care of her on behalf of her father, who was busy embarking on his adventures.


    When she was thirteen, Nancy¡¯s grandmother passed away, and after that, she had to live alone waiting for her father who came home once in a while.


    She couldn¡¯t understand her father, who couldn¡¯t escape his vain delusions.


    When she finally met her father, he urged her to drink a potion quickly, saying it was her twenty-year-old birthday gift. She had no choice but to drink it, but she didn¡¯t expect anything special to happen.


    ¡°Maybe¡­.. because of that potion?¡±


    Ellie shook her head.


    She wondered if he had come to Duke Rufus¡¯ room in the appearance of a fairy when she was asleep, but when she thought of this, she felt it was absurd and burst out laughing.


    She was relieved to think she had only experienced a strange dream. Even though she thought like this, she couldn¡¯t sleep easily.


    So, having stayed up all night with open eyes, she left her house with a tired face. Arriving at the Duke¡¯s mansion in a carriage, Ellie was slightly bewildered by the strict security than usual.


    After submitting the access plate, Arthur, her boss, approached her as she entered the Duke¡¯s mansion.


    ¡°Did you sleep well? You look pretty tired.¡±


    At Arthur¡¯s question, Ellie slowly shook her head.


    ¡°I had a bit of trouble sleeping. But what¡¯s going on?¡±


    Pointing to the large number of guards guarding the main gate of the large Duke¡¯s mansion, Ellie asked in a low voice.


    ¡°Oh, a strange woman broke into Duke Rufus¡¯ bedroom last night.¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°She suddenly appeared and then suddenly disappeared. The Duke suspects that she used magic tools. If you see a silver-haired, blue-eyed woman around the Duke, report it right away. Got it?¡±


    Silver hair and blue eyes.


    Obviously, it was the appearance she saw in the mirror last night.


    So what happened last night was not a dream?!

 Chapter 2

    Chapter 2


    People from the Wizard¡¯s Association came to the Duke¡¯s mansion and installed a device that prevented the use of other magic tools other than registered ones.


    Ellie¡¯s brown eyes trembled violently at Arthur¡¯s explanation that the installation of the device cost an exorbitantly large sum of money enough to buy a mansion.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t she a really great woman?¡±


    Ellie looked up at Arthur with a bewildered expression.


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°She must be a woman who has a crush on the Duke. Even so, the thought of using magic tools to break into the Duke¡¯s mansion is bold.¡±


    At Arthur¡¯s words that pierced her conscience, Ellie only smiled awkwardly. She couldn¡¯t reveal that it was her.


    She thought it was simply a dream, but it wasn¡¯t. She herself couldn¡¯t believe that she actually turned into what she looked like when she entered Duke Rufus¡¯ bedroom. She was still stunned.


    It was probably because of the potion her father gave her. Do fairy potions really exist?


    She thought it was her father¡¯s bluff again this time, but she was so confused that it wasn¡¯t.


    When she fell asleep, it was as if she was taken to Duke Rufus¡¯ bedroom in the appearance of a fairy. And when she wakes up in surprise, she will return to her original appearance.


    This was all she could guess at the moment.


    ¡°It would be tiring to live as a popular man. Even such a strange woman clings to him.¡±


    ¡°I know, right.¡±


    She suddenly became a strange woman. She didn¡¯t even know that the potion had that kind of power.


    What if she came to Duke Rufus¡¯ room every night she slept?


    She wouldn¡¯t be able to sleep comfortably if that was the case.


    When she returned home, these worries continued. Even after she drank three cups of coffee, she fell asleep. It was because she hardly slept last night.


    She tried hard not to fall asleep but to no avail. As she sat on the sofa and read a book, her eyes suddenly closed.


    ¡°I¡¯m here again.¡±


    At the familiar bedroom scene unfolding in front of her, Ellie sighed in despair. As soon as she fell asleep, she came back to the Duke of Rufus¡¯ bedroom.


    Fortunately, Duke Rufus was nowhere to be seen in his bedroom. Sweeping through her soft long silver hair, Ellie tried to wake up.


    But it seems she can¡¯t wake up as she pleases.


    What should I do to wake my sleeping body up?


    Ellie walked through the spacious Duke of Rufus¡¯ bedroom with an anxious face. She wanted to wake up before he showed up.


    But at that moment, the bedroom door opened. Duke Rufus, who was walking into the room, found her and furrowed his well-groomed brow.


    ¡°You are here again.¡±


    ¡°I am sorry. This is not my will.¡±


    Ellie hurriedly apologized to Duke Rufus. Lucky for her, her current appearance was not what she really was.


    If she showed up in his bedroom in her original appearance, she would have to stop working. It was a relief during the misfortune.


    ¡°Damn Wizards Association bastards.¡±


    He spent a lot of money to install a magic tool control, and it seems he¡¯s really upset that it doesn¡¯t work.


    Duke Rufus hates wasting money the most in the world. He was the richest man in the Empire, but he never squandered a single silver.


    So he only invested where it was worth investing in. It was never easy to pass his strict standards.


    ¡°I am sorry about that too. You hate wasting money the most.¡±


    Somehow it seemed like it was my fault, so I apologized carefully.


    ¡°You know me well.¡±


    He approached her, narrowed his eyes, and looked at her intently. Ellie unknowingly stepped back, but was blocked by a wall and could no longer step back.


    He came closer and stretched out his hand towards her face. Then, as if something came to mind, he stopped his hand near her face.


    ¡°Will you disappear again if I touch you?¡±


    Ellie could not easily answer his sudden question. She didn¡¯t know either. How to leave this place?


    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡±


    Despite her honest answer, his blue eyes filled with dissatisfaction, perhaps he thought she was hiding something.


    ¡°I¡¯m telling you. I know how to get here, but I don¡¯t know how to get back.¡±


    Taking a step back, he looked at her with an interrogating look and asked, ¡°Then tell me how you got here. What kind of magic tool do you use so that even that damn expensive device doesn¡¯t work?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not using magic tools.¡±


    She smiled awkwardly and said carefully, ¡°Actually, I¡¯m asleep right now.¡±


    His brow furrowed even more as if he didn¡¯t understand what she was saying.


    ¡°I know it¡¯s an unbelievable story. I don¡¯t know why, but when I fall asleep, I wake up in the Duke¡¯s bedroom. In short, I¡¯m in a state of dreaming.¡±


    Looking up at his beautiful blue eyes, she said in a calm voice.


    If it were the real me, I wouldn¡¯t have even made eye contact with him. However, when I stood in front of him in a different appearance, a sense of relief and strange courage soared.


    ¡°I¡¯m even still awake, so stop talking nonsense.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a reality for the Duke, but it¡¯s really a dream for me.¡±


    He smirked as if it was ridiculous.


    ¡°I¡¯m a crazy guy who tried to solve it by talking to a crazy woman.¡±


    It was understandable that he didn¡¯t believe it. Ellie herself also felt that the things that were happening now were unrealistic.


    ¡°I can¡¯t help it if you don¡¯t believe it. That¡¯s all I know right now. I don¡¯t know anything yet except that I¡¯ll come here when I fall asleep.¡±


    He rang the bell calling the guards as if he didn¡¯t want to deal with her anymore. She could hear the guards who were waiting outside the door running over.


    ¡°Ha!¡±


    Ellie awoke, gasping for air. Her heart was pounding wildly.


    Will I wake up if I am so shocked to the point that I can¡¯t handle it?


    Caressing her still pounding heart, Ellie got up from the bed. She was afraid to go back to sleep because the guards seemed to be guarding in the Duke¡¯s bedroom.


    ***


    Raymond frowned as he looked at where the silver-haired woman had stood before.


    ¡°She¡¯s disappeared again.¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    The guards who rushed in asked in confusion.


    ¡°Nevermind. Get out.¡±


    He ruffled his hair. He barely slept last night because of that woman who suddenly appeared in his bedroom.


    He even installed an annoyingly expensive device, but she still magically appeared in front of him.


    If she¡¯s not using a magic tool¡­¡­ who the hell is she? Does she really appear here when she sleeps and disappears when she wakes up?


    ¡°I¡¯m totally fooled by that crazy woman¡¯s words.¡±


    Recalling what the woman had said, Raymond laughed bitterly. He didn¡¯t want to play with such bullshit.


    Perhaps there was an error in the device made by the Wizards Association. Raymond gritted his teeth, remembering the faces of those who shouted that no unregistered magic tools could be used in the mansion.


    He would make them return all the money they had taken from him. To install such a device, it cost a lot of money to buy a mansion.


    As expected, the Wizards Association guys were scammers who only wanted money. They say magic is science. Science is ridiculous. Absurd things were happening in his mansion where common sense and science did not work at all.


    ¡°Let¡¯s wait and see. Maybe you will come again when you fall asleep.¡±


    Raymond sat back on the sofa with a tired face. He also had trouble sleeping last night because of that woman. Thinking of the woman who made him tired two days in a row made him annoyed.


    He noticed that the woman knew quite well about him. But he didn¡¯t know anything about her.


    She has a face that can¡¯t be easily forgotten. No matter how much he didn¡¯t care about women, it was strange that he didn¡¯t recognize a woman with such a face.


    Silver hair is not common. Moreover, soft light emanating from her hair. Unless she hid her hair, if he had ever met her at a social gathering, he would have definitely remembered her.


    Raymond was thinking about making a sketch of her. She has such a beautiful appearance that anyone who sees her will never forget her, so he will be able to find her in no time.


    Arthur will be busier.


    No, Arthur¡¯s talented secretary will be busier.


    A soft smile spread over his face as he recalled Arthur¡¯s secretary, Ellie.


    She was one of the few people in his life he liked. What he liked most about her was that she never said unnecessary things. Her work was also done neatly. Also, she showed no useless interest in him.


    It was said that she went to the same academy as him, but he couldn¡¯t remember.


    Ellie was not a person with a strong impression when he first met her. However, as time passed, she was a person whose impression became stronger and stronger.


    It doesn¡¯t matter if Arthur, his aide, quit his job, but it will be quite difficult if she does.


    Okay, I¡¯ll leave this to Ellie Miller tomorrow.


    Recalling her extraordinary ability to collect and organize information, Raymond nodded his head with a satisfied look on his face.


    ***


    I was tired like I was going to die.


    It was really hard to go to work without sleeping for two days. Wearing a navy suit as dull as her face, Ellie struggled to go to work.


    ¡°Are you not feeling well? You look worse than yesterday.¡±


    Arthur asked, examining her complexion with a worried face.


    ¡°I am fine. It¡¯s because I haven¡¯t been sleeping well lately.¡±


    ¡°Do you have insomnia? Then don¡¯t drink coffee, drink warm tea. Coffee is worse for insomnia.¡±


    Ellie smiled at the advice of her friendly boss.


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    But contrary to her answer, her hand was holding a cup of coffee. She couldn¡¯t stand it.


    ¡°Sometimes you don¡¯t really listen to me.¡±


    Arthur smirked at her. At that time, a knock on the door to the aide¡¯s office was heard. When Ellie turned her head, the butler of the Duke of Rufus was already standing there.


    ¡°Secretary Miller.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Mr. Butler.¡±


    ¡°Duke Rufus is looking for you.¡±


    When Ellie heard that Duke Rufus was looking for her, she was instantly taken aback.


    Why is he suddenly looking for me?


    Did he ever notice that the woman who came into his bedroom the last two nights was me?


    Ellie shook her head. It¡¯s impossible. She couldn¡¯t help but feel anxious even though she thought so.

 Chapter 3

    Chapter 3


    Ellie, who visited Duke Rufus¡¯ office, accepted the portrait he was handed to her with a nervous expression. It was a portrait of a woman with silver hair and blue eyes.


    Fortunately, she didn¡¯t seem very much like her transformed appearance when she looked in the mirror.


    ¡°The painter was not good at it.¡±


    Duke Rufus murmured in an annoyed voice.


    ¡°Find some of the best painters in the empire.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Trying not to show signs of nervousness, Ellie took straight notes of what he was saying.


    ¡°Did you hear of a woman breaking into my bedroom?¡±


    Because she couldn¡¯t say that it was her, Ellie quietly nodded her head.


    ¡°In this portrait, the only things that are the same are the hair and eye color.¡±


    She also agreed with him.


    ¡°She seemed to know me quite well. Gather information about women with silver hair and blue eyes among those I have contact with.¡±


    He was more excited about this than she expected. He looked annoyed that the woman had disappeared twice right before his eyes.


    I¡¯m sorry, but I can¡¯t tell the truth. If I do, I may be mistaken for a witch and be executed immediately.


    She was also frustrated. She didn¡¯t know yet why she kept coming to his bedroom when she was sleeping.


    She suspected it was because of the ¡®fairy potion¡¯, but honestly, she didn¡¯t fully understand. Then it really means that fairies exist in this world¡­¡­


    So, are all the ridiculous adventure stories her father told her true?


    ¡°Are you listening?¡±


    Ellie, lost in thought for a moment, hurriedly nodded her head.


    ¡°Yes, Duke.¡±


    ¡°Then, please.¡±


    ¡°All right.¡±


    Ellie answered Duke Rufus calmly.


    ¡°Your eyes are red.¡±


    Just as she was about to say goodbye and take a step back, Duke Rufus asked her as if he had been observing her all along. Ellie, bewildered in an instant, bowed her head in a hurry.


    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s nothing. It¡¯s because I couldn¡¯t sleep well. Then I¡¯ll excuse myself.¡±


    Her conscience was pricked, making it uncomfortable for her to make eye contact with him. Ellie saluted him and left Duke Rufus¡¯ office.


    She was more tired now. She wanted to close her eyes, even for a moment. Ellie walked in despair as she rubbed the corners of her red eyes.


    ***


    Eventually, Ellie gave up at lunch and laid her head on her desk. Would a nap be okay? With that in mind, she fell asleep.


    ¡°No.¡±


    Looking around the now familiar bedroom of Duke Rufus, Ellie sighed.


    She was lucky that it was daytime. Duke Rufus will never come to his bedroom. As she looked around the bedroom, she saw a portrait lying on the table.


    It was a painting that closely resembled the one she had received. Perhaps he was going to compare her when she appeared.


    Standing in front of the mirror with the portrait, Ellie frowned. There¡¯s really no resemblance except for the color of her hair and blue eyes.


    Whether it was Duke Rufus¡¯ expressive ability or poor artist skills, she could not tell.


    ¡°It really doesn¡¯t look alike.¡±


    ¡°I think so too.¡±


    Ellie, who was muttering, was startled by Duke Rufus¡¯ voice behind her.


    She thought Duke Rufus would never come to his bedroom during the day, but what the hell happened?


    ¡°I hadn¡¯t slept for two days, so I came here to rest for a while, and an uninvited guest has been coming since broad daylight.¡±


    It must have been the same for him that he hadn¡¯t slept for two days.


    I felt sorry for him who was unintentionally suffering because of me.


    ¡°I¡¯m really sorry.¡±


    ¡°I wonder why you keep repeating the things you¡¯re sorry for.¡±


    Duke Rufus¡¯ face also looked quite tired.


    ¡°I think I told you yesterday, it¡¯s not something I can do according to my will.¡±


    ¡°Then you¡¯ve been sleeping since broad daylight, too?¡±


    ¡°I couldn¡¯t sleep last night either. Please know that I work really hard to stay awake.¡±


    He seems to believe a little that I come here when I sleep.


    ¡°Looks like you still don¡¯t want to give up on that nonsense.¡±


    No, he still couldn¡¯t believe it. Even if it were me, I couldn¡¯t easily believe that nonsense either.


    ¡°It¡¯s understandable that you don¡¯t believe it. But can I tell you one more story that you can¡¯t believe?¡±


    He sat down on the sofa without saying a word. He still doesn¡¯t like it, but he seems willing to listen. Given his personality, he would have immediately refused at once if he really didn¡¯t want to hear about it.


    ¡°This is not what I really look like.¡±


    He smirked as if it was ridiculous.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°I just wanted to let you know.¡±


    He was a man who terribly hated wasting money and time.


    I¡¯m sorry to bother you like this already, but I didn¡¯t want to add anything else I¡¯m sorry for.


    ¡°I¡¯m worried you might be wasting your time for no reason.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re thinking of me too.¡±


    Ellie smiled awkwardly at his sarcastic remark.


    ¡°I really don¡¯t want to bother you either. Who wants to annoy the person they like?¡±


    Seeing Duke Rufus¡¯ sharp gaze, Ellie quickly bit her lip.


    What the hell did I just say?


    I confessed my feelings out of frustration.


    ¡°Do you like me?¡±


    ¡°Well¡­¡­¡±


    She felt someone shaking her shoulder. When she opened her eyes, she saw Arthur¡¯s dark green eyes looking at her worriedly.


    ¡°Ellie, are you okay?¡±


    Arthur, who returned from lunch, seems to have woken her up because he was worried. It was rather fortunate.


    Why did I tell Duke Rufus that I like him?


    Since I am in a different appearance from my original, it seems that I have been careless without realizing it. But at the same time, I felt relieved.


    It was a feeling she hadn¡¯t uttered in five years. She thought it would be a one-sided love that she would never reveal to anyone in her entire life, but after she said that, she felt a little relieved.


    ¡°Ellie?¡±


    She heard Arthur calling her again.


    ¡°I am fine. I think my condition got better after a little sleep.¡±


    This was true. Miraculously, her headache went away a little. The pain in her eyes from the lack of sleep had also subsided a lot.


    ¡°That¡¯s a relief. I didn¡¯t wake you up, did I? Do you need more sleep?¡±


    ¡°No. Rather, thank you for waking me up.¡±


    Thanks to Arthur, the crisis she was in just a moment ago had been over. Arthur smiled and handed her a sandwich.


    ¡°Eat this. You skipped lunch because you were tired, right?¡±


    Ellie was grateful for Arthur¡¯s consideration. He was a bit talkative, but a friendly and warm boss.


    ¡°Thank you. I will eat well.¡±


    Is Duke Rufus sleeping now? Ellie was worried about Duke Rufus, who couldn¡¯t sleep well for two days because of her.


    She had to find a way. It would be nice to find a clue about the ¡®fairy potion¡¯ first.


    It was then. Suddenly, she remembered the diary she wrote when she was little.


    She remembered writing down the mysterious stories her father told her in her diary. Maybe there is a story related to fairies.


    She wanted to know what kind of potion she drank. She lost contact with her father, who was on an adventure, so now she had no choice but to count on the diary.


    ***


    When Ellie came home from work, she went straight up to the attic. When she was a child, all of her belongings were kept in the attic.


    She found her diary in a large box in the corner of the attic. She dusted it off and carefully opened it.


    There were a lot of really nonsensical stories written there, such as the story of a giant, the story of a dragon playing in the form of a human, the story of a witch living in the Black Forest, and the story of a mermaid living in the eastern sea.


    She was hurriedly flipping through her diary, and finally, she found a story about a fairy.


    The night fairies live in the Green Forest.


    The fairies make a special potion by collecting clear dew on the grass all night long.


    It takes ten years to make the potion.


    If you drink the potion, you will have a very special dream.


    My father said: when you fall asleep, you can go to the side of your loved one in the appearance of a fairy.


    When I said I wanted the potion for my birthday later, my father said he would definitely get it for me.


    If I drink that potion, even if my father goes on an adventure far away, will I be able to see him in my dreams every day?


    I want to get the fairy potion as a gift as soon as possible.


    Memories I had completely forgotten came to mind.


    I vaguely remembered talking to my father about the ¡®fairy potion¡¯ when I was young. My heart was pounding.


    Ellie gradually did not believe what her father said as she grew up. Only resentment for her father, who left her alone and went on an adventure for a long time, increased.


    Then naturally, she lived forgetting that promise. But it seems that her father has not forgotten.


    She now understands why she comes to Duke Rufus¡¯ bedroom when she sleeps.


    Ellie Miller, who longed for her father, whom she did not see often, was gone. As she grew up, the space in her heart for her father wasn¡¯t as big as it used to be.


    In the meantime, when she got to know Duke Rufus, she began her long one-sided love.


    The reason she goes to Duke Rufus¡¯ bedroom when she sleeps is that she has a crush on him.


    She sighed. Maybe this ridiculous thing would end only when she stopped liking Duke Rufus, she thought.


    Even though she knew the answer, she was not at ease. She knew that she had to give up someday.


    If she works hard, will she be able to give up on her feelings?


    Ellie sighed again and came down from the attic with her diary. After showering and lying in bed, Ellie looked at the clock, it was almost midnight.


    She couldn¡¯t take it any longer and closed her eyes. In an instant, drowsiness came. And as expected, she opened her eyes on the Duke of Rufus¡¯ bed.


    Fortunately, he was asleep. He said he hadn¡¯t slept properly for two days, so he must have been very tired.


    But why is the light always on?

 Chapter 4

    Chapter 4


    Even though it was night, his bedroom was brightly lit.


    Do you hate the dark?


    She had a crush on him for five years, but there were still many things she didn¡¯t know about him. After all, she didn¡¯t even talk to him until she worked for the Duke, so it¡¯s understandable.


    Holding her breath, Ellie looked at him quietly. She didn¡¯t want to wake him up.


    I wonder what kind of dream he was dreaming of. I hope he has a good dream.


    However, contrary to her wishes, he was having trouble breathing.


    ¡°¡­¡­ah. No. Please¡­¡­ let me¡­¡­ go.¡±


    Ellie hurriedly reached out to Duke Rufus, who uttered those words in a voice full of pain.


    ¡°Duke, Duke!¡±


    She shook his shoulders, but he was still breathing heavily.


    Seeing him in pain, as if he was about to run out of breath, made her heart uneasy.


    ¡°I¡¯ll call the doctor.¡±


    In the Duke¡¯s mansion, the doctor on duty is the resident doctor. Forgetting that her current appearance wasn¡¯t her real appearance, Ellie hastily got up from the bed.


    At that moment, Duke Rufus reached out and grabbed her arm.


    ¡°It¡¯s you again.¡±


    He mumbled in a very low voice.


    ¡°Are you okay?¡±


    Ellie asked him in a worried voice.


    ¡°I was just having a common nightmare.¡±


    His figure seemed too in pain to be having a common nightmare. What kind of dream is that?


    As she looked at him with worried eyes, his big hands pulled her onto the bed. Eventually, she lay in the bed in his arms.


    ¡°Stop disappearing at will.¡±


    Hearing his low voice, Ellie had a confused expression on her face.


    I told you it wasn¡¯t my will.


    ¡°Would you mind letting me go for a moment?¡±


    His beautiful face, close enough that his breath touched her face, made her heart pound dizzy.


    ¡°Promise me you won¡¯t disappear.¡±


    ¡°I will try. It¡¯s not something I can control at my will.¡±


    He slowly let go of the arm he was grabbing as he looked at her warily.


    ¡°Continue what you were talking about during the day.¡±


    At his sudden words, she blinked slowly. Is he talking about her confession?


    ¡°Before that, I have something to tell you.¡±


    Sitting up, she said in a calm voice. He looked at her quietly as if wanting her to keep talking.


    ¡°I found out why I came here when I fell asleep.¡±


    How far will he believe this absurd story?


    ¡°Well¡­¡­ it was because of the fairy potion.¡±


    He stared at her with sharp eyes as she spoke of a fairy potion.


    ¡°I understand that you don¡¯t believe it. Because I really can¡¯t believe it either. Still, please listen to the end.¡±


    Ellie continued her explanation in a calm voice. As she finished the detailed explanation of the fairy potion, Duke Rufus laughed in a low voice.


    ¡°So, the reason you keep appearing in my bedroom is that you have a crush on me?¡±


    ¡°Probably.¡±


    ¡°Besides, you¡¯re appearing in the appearance of a fairy, not your real appearance?¡±


    Ellie nodded slowly at him, confirming his words.


    ¡°Exactly.¡±


    ¡°Then, who are you?¡±


    Her eyes widened at the unexpected question.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I can¡¯t say that. No matter how curious you are¡ª¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not curious.¡±


    Perhaps his pride was hurt, he cut her off with a cold voice.


    ¡°I know, right. You are not someone who is curious about such things. Not one or two women have a crush on you. You think that women confessing to you are annoying.¡±


    So Ellie didn¡¯t even think to confess her feelings.


    It wasn¡¯t a confession she made in her true appearance, but after confessing the feelings she had been holding for a long time, her heart became more at ease.


    ¡°You know me too well. Did you even do a background check on me?¡±


    He asked, showing signs of displeasure.


    ¡°It¡¯s not like that, so don¡¯t worry.¡±


    He looked at her with his still alert eyes.


    ¡°I know you feel very uncomfortable. I will sort my feelings out quickly. Once I sorted out my feelings toward you, I will no longer come here.¡±


    ¡°Sort your feelings out?¡±


    He asked, raising one eyebrow slightly.


    ¡°Yes, I will do my best so I can get rid of my feelings for you. I am so sorry for the inconvenience.¡±


    ¡°Then, what if you don¡¯t come here anymore?¡±


    ¡°Perhaps my longtime crush is over.¡±


    He frowned at her blunt answer.


    ¡°I hope you can sort your feelings out quickly.¡±


    At his blunt words, Ellie hurriedly nodded her head. She didn¡¯t want her feelings to make him uncomfortable either.


    ¡°I will do that.¡±


    As if tired, he raised his hand and rubbed his red eyes.


    ¡°No matter how much I think about it, it¡¯s ridiculous that I have to believe your nonsense.¡±


    ¡°There are times when mysterious magical things happen in the world.¡±


    ¡°I think it¡¯s a curse rather than a magic.¡±


    At his straightforward words, Ellie quietly bit her lip. It may be magical for her, but it was natural for him to feel like a curse.


    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry. If you¡¯re so uncomfortable, I¡¯ll just go outside. Because I don¡¯t want to burden you either.¡±


    Ellie carefully looked into his eyes and came down to the bed.


    ¡°Just stay here. It¡¯s more burdensome if rumors of a witch roaming around the Duke Rufus¡¯ mansion every night spread out.¡±


    He¡¯s right. If anyone saw her coming out of the Duke¡¯s bedroom at this hour, there would be strange rumors such as the Duke hiding a woman.


    She¡¯s already been burdening him, and should not cause any more burden.


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll be on the sofa over there. Have a good night¡¯s sleep. Don¡¯t worry about me.¡±


    Duke Rufus sighed quietly.


    Having nothing more to say, Ellie hurriedly closed her mouth. She only regrets having become a burden to him.


    Seeing her sitting on the sofa as if she were dead, the Duke sighed quietly and lay down on the bed.


    Ellie looked at the book on the table, trying not to look towards the bed as much as possible so as not to make him uncomfortable.


    A new novel by J. Orlia that came out recently was lying on the table. She was well aware that he liked the books of J. Orlia.


    She also liked novels by J. Orlia. Following him, she started reading the author¡¯s novels, and she liked her characteristic plain and warm style of writing.


    Neither absolute evil nor absolute good appeared in the author¡¯s novels. The stories of ordinary, warm people even warmed the hearts of those reading the book.


    Contrary to his cold appearance, she thought that Duke Rufus was a quite warm-hearted person.


    ¡°If you want to read it, just read it.¡±


    Duke Rufus said as she stared at the book by J. Orlia. She turned her head in surprise and saw him lying on the bed, looking at her.


    She thought he was asleep because it was quiet, but he was not.


    ¡°If you can¡¯t sleep because it¡¯s too bright¡­¡­¡±


    The lights were always on in his bedroom, but just in case, she opened her mouth carefully.


    ¡°It¡¯s not like that. Never turn off the lights.¡±


    As expected, he seems to hate the dark. He often has nightmares that are said to be common nightmares. His night didn¡¯t seem as comfortable as she thought.


    ¡°¡­¡­shall I read you a book?¡±


    With his blue eyes staring at her, she asked hesitantly.


    ¡°I think you can¡¯t sleep well. I was just wondering if it would help you a little bit.¡±


    He held back a smirk when he saw her utter an excuse hesitantly with her blushing red face.


    ¡°¡­¡­then read it.¡±


    Contrary to his outspoken tone, he spoke unexpected words of permission. With a sigh of relief inwardly, Ellie picked up the book by the author J. Orlia lying on the table.


    She got up from the sofa and sat down on the chair next to the bed. Leaning on the pillow, the Duke looked at her without saying a word.


    Carefully, she began to read the book in a calm voice. She just wanted his night to be a little more comfortable.


    How much time has passed? Fortunately, the eyes of the Duke of Rufus, who was looking at her, gradually closed. After confirming his regular and comfortable breathing, Ellie quietly stopped reading. Perhaps he was very tired, he fell asleep faster than she thought. Fortunately, his sleeping face looked relaxed.


    ¡°Your eyelashes are really long.¡±


    It was her first time looking into his beautiful face like this. Suppressing the urge to take a closer look at his face, she turned her gaze to the book she had stopped reading.


    I have to be careful not to let him wake up because of me. I hope he sleeps peacefully all night without any dreams.


    Ellie was even careful while breathing, quietly concentrating on the book. She had to stay here until her body woke up.


    Fortunately, it is not boring at all, perhaps because the book is interesting. However, her body remained here until she finished reading the thick book.


    Ellie looked out the window where the sun had risen before she knew it and had an anxious expression on her face. It was time to wake up, but her body didn¡¯t even want to wake up.


    At this rate, I¡¯ll be late for work.


    As she was biting her lip with anxiety, she heard a knock on the door.

 Chapter 5

    Chapter 5


    ¡°Duke.¡±


    The moment the butler opened the door and entered, Ellie disappeared in an instant.


    Raymond¡¯s eyes widened at the sound of a thick book falling to the floor. The chair she was sitting on was empty.


    ¡°Looks like you¡¯re awake now.¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    When the butler asked back, Raymond shook his head slowly.


    ¡°Nevermind.¡±


    After he fell asleep again, miraculously, he had no nightmares. Every night, nightmares relentlessly tormented him.


    Is it all thanks to that woman?


    ¡°You must have slept well.¡±


    ¡°Yeah. I slept very well after a long time.¡±


    He thought she was just annoying. The woman was more useful than he thought. Somehow, he felt like he was looking forward to the night from today on.


    *


    Ellie hurriedly looked at the clock. Looking at the clock hand pointing to 08:30, she rushed down the bed.


    As expected, I am late.


    Perhaps because of the aftermath of not sleeping properly for two days, she woke up past her usual wake-up time. Unlike her awake mind, her body must have slept soundly.


    After taking a shower in a hurry, Ellie dressed in a gray suit and left her house. No matter how fast the horseman was, she wouldn¡¯t be able to arrive until nine o¡¯clock.


    It was her first time being late in her life. Along the way, Ellie looked at the watch on her wrist with an anxious face.


    She arrived in front of the Duke¡¯s mansion after being twenty minutes late and started running around frantically. She had never hated the Duke¡¯s excessively large garden as it was now.


    It was only after she ran fifteen minutes without a break that she was able to get to the front of the aide¡¯s office. As she opened the aide¡¯s office door with a hasty hand, she hardened like a stone.


    She could see Duke Rufus standing in front of her desk.


    ¡°You are late.¡±


    Said the Duke, slightly narrowing his forehead.


    At his words, Ellie let out a rough sigh with a bewildered face.


    ¡°Sorry, I am sorry.¡±


    ¡°Ellie must have been very tired. She hasn¡¯t been feeling well the past few days.¡±


    Arthur stood up for her.


    ¡°You defend her too much.¡±


    Duke Rufus said in a blunt voice. He valued time and hated being late. Knowing that well, Ellie became even more nervous.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay to be late.¡±


    Ellie was even more nervous by Duke Rufus¡¯ generous reaction.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you being overly generous? The last time I was late, you were nagging me all day.¡±


    This time, Arthur complained.


    ¡°That¡¯s because you were late so many times. Ellie Miller couldn¡¯t have been late because of drink and play like you.¡±


    Avoiding his gaze, Ellie hurriedly bowed her head.


    ¡°Thank you. I will make sure this does not happen next time.¡±


    ¡°Okay. I¡¯m here to tell you that you don¡¯t have to do the work I entrusted to you yesterday.¡±


    It was nice to hear that she didn¡¯t have to do what he had entrusted. He seemed to believe to some extent what she said last night.


    ¡°What did you entrust to Ellie without me knowing?


    Arthur asked Duke Rufus curiously.


    ¡°Arthur Winston. Are you interested in me or your secretary?¡±


    Arthur¡¯s face turned slightly red when Duke Rufus asked in a sharp voice.


    ¡°Oh, that¡­¡­ I was just curious what was going on, so I asked.¡±


    Duke Rufus held back a smirk as he watched Arthur hurriedly utter an excuse.


    ¡°Just do your work. Dating inside the mansion is prohibited.¡±


    After uttering such an absurd remark, Duke Rufus walked out of the aide¡¯s office.


    ¡°He is very mean today.¡±


    Arthur looked at Ellie and spoke to her awkwardly.


    ¡°I know, right. I think the Duke misunderstood because you took good care of me.¡±


    Ellie answered with an indifferent face, went to her seat, and sat down.


    ¡°Misunderstanding¡­¡­ that, yes that¡¯s right. A misunderstanding. It¡¯s a misunderstanding.¡±


    Arthur muttered to himself.


    Anyway, it was fortunate that Duke Rufus was not angry by her lateness. From tomorrow onwards, I must pay more attention to prevent this from happening again, Ellie thought.


    *


    Maybe because I slept a lot yesterday, I couldn¡¯t sleep easily today.


    Ellie lay on the bed with scented candles on to help her sleep well.


    I shouldn¡¯t be late again because sleeping late.


    The scented candle she made herself was quite effective. The gentle scent of lavender slowly made her fall asleep.


    Ellie, who opened her eyes in the Duke of Rufus¡¯ bedroom again this time, looked up at the empty seat next to her and stood up. Then she saw Duke Rufus sitting on the sofa and reading a book.


    Seeing him reading a book reminded her of the past.


    She had first seen him in the library of the academy.


    Like now, he was sitting by the window and reading a book. His dark blonde hair fluttered in the gentle breeze coming through the slightly open window.


    It was as if the sunlight was there for him. She couldn¡¯t take her eyes off him for a long time, looking at his unusually shiny figure.


    That¡¯s how her long one-sided love began.


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me when you came?¡±


    Hearing his voice, Ellie stopped thinking about the past.


    ¡°Seeing you reading a book reminds me of the old days.¡±


    He closed the book and asked, ¡°What are you thinking?¡±


    ¡°You were reading books in the library back then as you are now.¡±


    His blue eyes turned to her. Ellie made an awkward expression as he stared intently at her.


    ¡°Why are you¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°So you went to the same academy as me.¡±


    Ellie¡¯s eyes widened spontaneously.


    ¡°The only time I went to a crowded library was when I was in the academy.¡±


    She hadn¡¯t thought of that. But she wasn¡¯t worried. He probably doesn¡¯t even know that she went to the same academy as him.


    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not Laura Develin, are you?¡±


    Ellie looked surprised when he asked with his eyes narrowed.


    ¡°Young Lady Develin? Does she also like you?¡±


    Laura Develin was a classmate of Duke Rufus. As much as Duke Rufus, she was a hugely popular senior in the academy.


    No, not only in the academy. If one were to ask who was the most beautiful woman in the Empire, eight out of ten would say her name.


    She recalled Laura Develin who was so beautiful even in the eyes of other women. Ellie sighed.


    How high are this man¡¯s eyes? He refused even her confession, too?


    ¡°Looks like you¡¯re not Laura Develin. So, are you Angela Bianca?¡±


    Again, Ellie shook her head as he asked the name of a senior as beautiful as Laura.


    ¡°Then you will mention all the names of the people who attend the academy. Among all the people who attend the academy, who doesn¡¯t like the Duke?¡±


    Seeing that Laura even confessed to him, it seemed that everyone had a crush on him at least once.


    ¡°There is one. She¡¯s someone I don¡¯t think will ever like me.¡±


    I wonder who she is.


    Ellie really wanted to learn how to not like the Duke.


    ¡°I wonder who she is.¡±


    ¡°Someone I feel very uncomfortable with.¡±


    But I don¡¯t think he hates her. Duke Rufus¡¯ face, as he spoke of the woman, looked quite relaxed. I envy the woman I don¡¯t even know her name.


    ¡°Did you finish reading the book yesterday?¡±


    Ellie stopped her thoughts as she heard Duke Rufus¡¯ voice.


    ¡°Yes, it was fun. But why aren¡¯t you sleeping yet?¡±


    The time was already past midnight. Do you usually sleep this late?


    ¡°I slept well after a long time yesterday and I can¡¯t sleep easily now. Don¡¯t get me wrong, I didn¡¯t wait for you.¡±


    At his words, Ellie smiled and nodded. He stared at her smiling face.


    At that burdensome gaze, Ellie hurriedly stopped smiling.


    ¡°Do you want me to read you a book today as well?¡±


    It was inevitable to come here while she was asleep. Instead of making him uncomfortable, she wanted to give him a little help.


    ¡°Whatever.¡±


    ¡°What book should I read for you?¡±


    At her question, he pointed to the bookshelf that filled one wall.


    ¡°Just bring the book you want to read.¡±


    Ellie really liked books, so she was happy to hear what he just said. She walked over to the large bookshelf, and she looked through the books.


    Duke Rufus, who loves reading as much as she does, had a variety of books. There were also quite a few books she enjoyed reading.


    A book called ¡®Secrets of the Kingdom of Baronia¡¯ caught her eyes as she slowly looked at the bookshelf.


    It was a book she always wanted to read. It was a story about the lost kingdom of Baronia, a book that was not easy to come by.


    Ellie reached out the book. However, it wasn¡¯t easy to get the book out because it was stuck in a high place that she couldn¡¯t reach.


    She tiptoed with all her might. Her hand, barely holding the bottom of the book, trembled. The moment she pulled out the thick book, she lost balance and staggered.


    ¡°Be careful.¡±


    Duke Rufus¡¯ strong arm reached out towards her body. Thanks to him bending over and supporting her, she was able to prevent mishaps of falling on the floor.


    But now that wasn¡¯t the problem. Ellie held her breath as she saw Duke Rufus¡¯ face in front of her.


    The distance between them was close enough to feel each other¡¯s breath. Surprised, Ellie hastily got her body up to get out of his arms.


    A more horrific accident happened after that. She hurriedly got out of his arms, but her lips slammed against his.


    Ellie¡¯s eyes trembled violently at the touch of his soft lips. At the same time, she disappeared in an instant.

 Chapter 6

    Chapter 6


    The book in her hand fell on the carpet. Raymond, who was still standing still with a slightly bent posture, grinned.


    ¡°You caused a big accident and disappeared at will.¡±


    His face reddened as his hand ruffled his hair. The texture of her soft lips still remained on his.


    He never dreamed that his first kiss would be so absurd.


    A long time passed, but she did not come to his bedroom again that night.


    ***


    After waking up, Ellie hurriedly touched her lips.


    ¡°Crazy.¡±


    It wasn¡¯t her intention, but she kissed Duke Rufus on the lips. It wasn¡¯t a real kiss, but the feeling of his lips touching hers was vivid.


    Ellie, who came down the bed, wandered around with an anxious face in the cramped bedroom. She doesn¡¯t know what to do.


    What if he thought it was intentional?


    Sometimes, she imagined kissing his beautiful lips, but that was literally just an imagination. She really had no intention of putting it into action.


    First of all, she had to apologize and give an explanation.


    Ellie hurriedly lay down on the bed again. But as soon as she closed her eyes, she opened her eyes again because his soft lips still appeared in her mind.


    Her heart was pounding like crazy. She jumped up and let out a long, deep breath. Still, her heart did not stop beating.


    ¡°Calm down, Ellie Miller.¡±


    That was an accident. Nothing more or less.


    Reflecting on the unintentional accident, Ellie lay back in bed and closed her eyes. The scented candles she made were not very helpful now.


    The more she thought that she should sleep, the more her mind became clearer. As she tossed and turned, it was already past five in the morning.


    Having given up on sleeping, Ellie got up from the bed. Her mind was blank, but if she slept now, she wouldn¡¯t be able to wake up in the morning.


    She didn¡¯t want to be late for work again, so Ellie took a shower and got ready to go to work. She shook off her drowsiness with a cup of coffee.


    Leaving her house half an hour earlier than usual, she arrived at the Duke¡¯s mansion and walked slowly through the garden. Today is going to be a long day.


    Ellie went to the aide¡¯s office and sat in her seat, checking the documents while waiting for Arthur. At nine o¡¯clock, Arthur opened the door to the aide¡¯s office and entered.


    ¡°Good morning¡­¡­ you look tired today, too.¡±


    Said Arthur with a cheerful voice as he looked at her complexion.


    ¡°No, I¡¯m fine.¡±


    Ellie replied with a smile.


    ¡°Are you not feeling well? I don¡¯t think you¡¯ve been sleeping well lately.¡±


    ¡°I just have a lot to think about.¡±


    Trying not to recall the accident that happened last night, Ellie said in a calm voice.


    ¡°If you have any concerns, feel free to tell me. I will help as best I can.¡±


    Arthur Winston was a pretty good boss. At his words of consideration for her, Ellie smiled.


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    ¡°There will be a lot of work today. Are you okay?¡±


    ¡°Yes. You have to report it, right?¡±


    She took the report of the mines invested by Duke Rufus and handed it to Arthur.


    ¡°There will be a riot.¡±


    Arthur sighed as he looked at the report. Ellie left the aide¡¯s office following Arthur, who was on his way to report to the Duke of Rufus.


    Arthur entered Duke Rufus¡¯s office alone, and she waited outside with a notebook to write down.


    ¡°Are they shamelessly asking for more money? They are like scammers! Tell The Gilbert[1] clearly: no further investment, if they don¡¯t show any results in exactly three months, I will meet them in court!¡±


    [1] The Gilbert is the name of the company.


    Duke Rufus¡¯ angry voice could be heard outside the office. Duke Rufus invested quite a lot of money in the mine where magic crystals were said to be buried.


    However, the pace of mine development is slower than expected. It seemed Duke Rufus¡¯ patience had reached its limit. Ellie, who was standing outside the office, hardened her body. It seemed that he was angrier than usual.


    Arthur, who was devastated by Duke Rufus, came out of the office with a dead face.


    Ellie walked over to Arthur¡¯s side and carefully said to him, ¡°I will contact The Gilbert.¡±


    ¡°Ok, thanks. He¡¯s in a bad mood today. What the hell happened?¡±


    At Arthur¡¯s low murmur, Ellie quietly bit her lip. She had a feeling that she was the one who somehow put the Duke in a bad mood.


    Recalling the accident last night, Ellie bowed her head with a flushed face.


    Having no appetite, Ellie only had a quick lunch. She took a cup of coffee and sat down on the garden bench. Basking in the warm sunlight, she kept her eyes closed regardless of her will.


    Then she finally fell asleep. Ellie sighed quietly at the view of Duke Rufus¡¯ bedroom in front of her.


    After coming down from bed, she approached the window. Then she could see herself dozing off on the garden bench.


    There was still about thirty minutes left for the lunch break. She was worried that she would not be able to wake up less than that time. Should I go downstairs and wake myself up?


    As she was thinking about this, she heard the sound of the bedroom door opening. Ellie was startled by the sight of Duke Rufus entering the room and moved away from the window.


    If he saw me dozing off, he could have suspected me.


    ¡°You finally here.¡±


    His blazing blue eyes turned to her.


    As she stepped back to avoid him approaching her, she was in front of the window again.


    ¡°How dare you run away after taking my first kiss?¡±


    Her eyes widened spontaneously at his words that it was also his first time. When she thought about it, it was only natural that it was his first time. Because she had never heard of him dating anyone before.


    ¡°Sorry, I am sorry.¡±


    Turning away from the window, Ellie apologized in a trembling voice.


    ¡°It was not intentional. It was a mistake.¡±


    ¡°Do you think you can hide behind the word ¡®mistake¡¯? You still took my first kiss.¡±


    At his words emphasizing the ¡®first kiss¡¯ again, Ellie bowed her head.


    ¡°It was my first time, too.¡±


    His expression softened slightly as she replied in a small voice.


    ¡°You¡¯re not saying let¡¯s pretend it didn¡¯t happen because it was our first time, are you?¡±


    Only his expression softened, but his tone of voice was still sharp.


    ¡°I am sorry. I will make sure this never happens again.¡±


    ¡°Okay. If you¡¯re sorry, make sure you come before midnight every day from now on.¡±


    At his unexpected words, Ellie raised her head.


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°Your voice helps me fall asleep quite a bit.¡±


    Looks like he asked her to read a book to him. She was relieved that she could help Duke Rufus even a little, and not only cause inconvenience.


    ¡°I can do anything for you. I will read you a book every time I come here.¡±


    ¡°It is forbidden to touch my body or come close to me without my consent.¡±


    Hearing his words in a sharp voice, Ellie hurriedly nodded her head.


    ¡°Of course.¡±


    He held back a smirk at her answer without hesitation.


    ¡°If there is a book you want to read, write it down here. I will get it.¡±


    He held out a paper toward her. Ellie, who was trying to write down the book she wanted to read without much thought, stopped.


    She almost got in trouble. Perhaps the Duke of Rufus is more familiar with her handwriting than her face.


    Recalling Duke Rufus reading her handwritten reports almost every day, Ellie put down the paper.


    ¡°I will write it down later when I remember it. There are a lot of books here too.¡±


    ¡°Okay. So, read one right now. I didn¡¯t sleep well last night, so I¡¯m very tired now.¡±


    At his sudden suggestion, Ellie put on a bewildered expression.


    ¡°I am sorry, but I have to go now.¡±


    I had to wake up before lunchtime was over.


    ¡°I have some work to do.¡±


    He frowned slightly at her words.


    ¡°I can¡¯t help it. Go ahead then.¡±


    ¡°I will come early tonight. Then, sleep well.¡±


    Ellie, who said goodbye to Duke Rufus, looked thoughtful for a moment.


    It seems that my body is still asleep. I need quite a bit of agitation psychologically to wake up.


    Seeing Duke Rufus staring intently at her who did not disappear, Ellie smiled awkwardly.


    ¡°Duke.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°I am sorry, but I will only do one thing you hate.¡±


    As she approached the Duke of Rufus, she looked hesitant for a moment and stretched her arms toward him. Then she hugged him.


    Duke Rufus looked down with an absurd look.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    With her eyes tightly closed and her face resting on his firm chest, Ellie let go of her arms with a guilty expression.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think this is enough. I thought I¡¯d wake up because I¡¯d be nervous if I hugged you.¡±


    As she sighed, Duke Rufus looked at her with a furious gaze.


    ¡°What? You¡¯re not nervous even if you hug me?¡±


    It was then. A knock on the door could be heard.


    ¡°This is Arthur Winston.¡±


    The moment Arthur¡¯s voice was heard outside the door, she disappeared in an instant. Raymond, who was left alone in his bedroom, smirked.


    ¡°You said you weren¡¯t nervous even when you hugged me, but you just disappeared by the knocking sound?¡±

 Chapter 7

    Translated and edited by: Persephone


    Support me by buying advanced chapters!


    When Arthur walked in the door, his eyes were wide open.


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°Oh, I just received a call from the Luton Hotel. Please double-check the calendar since we have an opening ceremony for a hotel in Canna on April 3rd.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. Tell them you¡¯ll be there.¡±


    He was investing in the Luton Hotel. In Canna, a warm southern location, a new branch was planned to open.


    His biological mother was born and raised in the Canna region. A particular place in Ellie¡¯s heart made him want to see it for himself, even though he had a long-standing aversion to traveling.


    ¡°Once that¡¯s done, I¡¯ll be heading out.¡±


    After Arthur had gone, he frowned once again. To hear that she wasn¡¯t frightened made him feel much worse than if he had embraced her without her consent.


    She claimed she was organizing her thoughts, but she appeared to be able to do it much more quickly than he expected.


    ¡°This place is filthy.¡±


    The mere thought of that made him feel much worse.


    Ellie sprang off the seat as soon as she woke up. Arthur¡¯s prompt arrival was a blessing in disguise. Ellie returned to her afternoon duties in a rush.


    Regardless of whether or not she¡¯s exhausted, the day seems to drag on for a long time. While driving home from work, she stopped to buy an alarm clock.


    Set her old alarm clock and two new ones, then went to bed after eating a light meal.


    Because she was exhausted, she was able to fall asleep fast. At first glance, Ellie was surprised to see Duke Rufus peacefully reading newspapers in his room.


    The last thing she wanted was to disrupt his job.


    ¡°Tell me why you come, don¡¯t spy like a stray cat.¡±


    Does this man have a pair of extra eyes? He spoke bluntly, his gaze fixed on the documents in front of him.


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure if I¡¯m interrupting your job.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve given it a thought. I was unable to sleep because of someone.¡±


    Ellie reddened as she remembered the horrors she had been subjected to during the day.


    ¡°I¡¯m really really sorry for bothering you.¡±


    ¡°If you¡¯re really sorry, then mean it.¡±


    Nothing came to mind that she could protest. It already seemed like Duke Rufus was taking her as a strange lady. Thank goodness for the fact that he didn¡¯t know her real name, Ellie Miller.


    ¡°I suppose I¡¯ve worked out my emotions for myself.¡±


    When he spoke those words, Ellie¡¯s eyes widened.


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°No. Don¡¯t worry about that; it¡¯s just rubbish.¡±


    He stood up from the couch once he had finished his paperwork. Ellie snatched the ¡®Secret of the Kingdom of Baronia¡¯ from the table as he lay there getting ready for bed.


    There is no doubt in her mind that she was eager to read the book.


    Her cheeks began to tingle as she sat on the bed and listened to him. It was because she recalled the near-accidental kiss that occurred as Ellie was removing this book from the shelf.


    ¡°The old kingdoms fascinate me.


    Perhaps her father¡¯s influence is to blame for her interest in such enigmatic tales. When Ellie was a kid, her father would frequently tell her tales about his fascinating experiences, and it seemed like it was only natural that she would be intrigued by them.


    ¡°Instead of the library, where have you seen me as well? If we went to the same academy, I¡¯m sure that we would have met once or twice.¡±


    There were a lot of unresolved questions at today¡¯s meeting.


    ¡°You won¡¯t remember me even if I told you.¡±


    ¡°Well¡­ I don¡¯t really like women that much.¡±


    In response to the question, he raised his hand and scratched his forehead.


    ¡°There¡¯s one thing, may I ask you?¡±


    Ellie approached him warily. He paused before nodding his head in agreement.


    ¡°What is it about you and having the lights on when you go to bed?¡±


    His brows furrowed slightly as she approached and presented him with the inquiry. She¡¯s guessing she posed a very unnecessary question.


    ¡°Sorry again. You don¡¯t have to answer¡ª¡±


    ¡°As a result of the daily nightmares I have.¡±


    Ellie¡¯s anxious expression was evident as he responded with a soft remark. She did recall him being plagued by dreams.


    ¡®What in the name of God¡¯s creation is that?¡¯


    ¡°What a bizarre situation. My lack of knowledge of your identity is the reason. It¡¯s strangely simple to say things like that to you.¡±


    Ellie was ecstatic to be able to present herself to him in a new way. She wished she could erase all of his nightmares if she could.


    ¡°However, I have fewer of those nightmares now that you¡¯re here with me.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a good thing. I can be of service.¡±


    ¡®This was genuine all the way. I didn¡¯t want to be a nuisance during my time with him; instead, I wanted to be of service.¡¯


    ¡°So, should we start reading the book now?¡±


    With a bashful expression on his face, he hesitantly nodded to her query. Ellie started reading the book with great attention.


    Slowly, as he took in her voice, his pupils began to dilate. Despite his lack of movement, he seemed to be sleeping, but Ellie didn¡¯t stop reading until he was slumbering.


    ¡®I hope he has a good night¡¯s sleep.


    May he sleep well at night.¡¯


    Ellie proceeded to read the text with that breeze in her head.


    Ellie awoke to the sound of her alarm clock and got out of bed with a calm expression on her face. Duke Rufus was fortunate not to experience a nightmare.


    It was relaxing to see his contented expression as he slept. Ellie really wanted to spend more time with him, even though she couldn¡¯t divulge my identity.


    A loud doorbell rang in her ear as she went to wash her face and get ready for work. Her letter was delivered to her when the door opened.


    It was her supervisor, Arthur Winston, who called her. When she read the letter, she discovered that he had been hunting and had wounded his leg.


    Count Winston was the next stop for Ellie, who had just called for her carriage. Ellie sprang out of the carriage and dashed toward the count, who was standing at the doorway.


    Following the maid¡¯s lead, She entered Arthur¡¯s room and found him lying on the floor with a cast on one of his legs.


    ¡°Aide, what¡¯s wrong?¡±


    In an anxious tone, Ellie inquired about Arthur¡¯s well-being.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine, it¡¯s just a fractured leg.¡±


    He seemed to be in poor health, despite the fact that he had just fractured his leg.


    ¡°How long will it take for you to recover?¡±


    ¡°Well, I was told that it could take a couple of months. How about you take my job for now? Are you good with that?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Don¡¯t worry and just rest.¡±


    ¡®I was afraid to say something loud¡¯. The assistant¡¯s work necessitated constant interaction with Duke Rufus.


    ¡®I feared making a mistake, so I had to be extra cautious. He shouldn¡¯t know who was sneaking into his room at night, and he shouldn¡¯t find out.¡¯


    While greeting Arthur at the door, Ellie couldn¡¯t stop thinking about it the rest of the way into work.


    Ellie held her breath as she stood in front of Duke Rufus¡¯s office. Slowly, she lifted her hand and knocked on the door, remembering the things she had to tell him.


    ¡°It¡¯s me, Ellie Miller.¡±


    ¡°Come in.¡±


    Ellie walked in after hearing Duke Rufus¡¯ response and opened the door. She immediately noticed Duke Rufus¡¯s expression as he sat at his desk and flipped through the paperwork.


    Ellie placed the papers and mail on the desk, attempting to avoid making eye contact with him.


    ¡°How¡¯s Arthur?¡±


    Ellie took a step back and opened her lips in response to his abrupt query.


    ¡°Two or three months is what they claim is required for a full recovery. However, if you don¡¯t feel comfortable with me doing the task for you, I can find a temporary helper¡ª¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. There is no substitute for you as an interim assistant.¡±


    Even though his remarks appeared to know Ellie, she tried not to brag about how delighted she was.


    ¡°The timetable for today will be explained to you later on,¡± she said. ¡°This morning, you¡¯ll be meeting with Auston. The meeting will be held at the top of Li¨¨re for lunch. Also, don¡¯t forget about tonight¡¯s imperial ball.¡±


    Her news caught Duke Rufus¡¯ attention, and he gave it a cautious nod.


    ¡°The imperial ball is taking place today?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°All well, then, join me.¡±


    In response to Duke Rufus¡¯ abrupt proposal, Ellie, who had been bowing her head, lifted her brow.


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid I¡¯ll be exhausted if I undertake it alone.¡±


    ¡°Please excuse me, but I¡¯m out of clothing¡ª¡±


    He nodded as he admired the blue outfit she wore.


    ¡°There must be something wrong with your outfit. So join me at my meeting and we¡¯ll go to some dressing rooms.¡±


    ¡°Oh no¡ª¡±


    She had never gone to an imperial ball as the daughter of a humble Viscount. To attend a conference of the most powerful lords naturally made her feel anxious.


    She¡¯s also Duke Rufus¡¯s companion.


    The weight of the responsibility became heavier as she became aware that everyone¡¯s attention would be drawn to her.


    ¡°Consider it an extension of your body of work. I¡¯ll make sure the overtime is covered.¡±


    She was unable to ignore his forceful remarks any longer.


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­ that¡¯s fine¡±


    Ellie responded with a trembling voice, her head bent. It seemed as though the day would be long and exhausting.

 Chapter 8

    Dyuk escorted her to one of the priciest dressing rooms in the place. One dress cost a year worth of salary.


    ¡°Sir¡­ why don¡¯t we go somewhere else?¡±


    Ellie talked with caution to Dyuk.


    ¡°It was the Duke¡¯s direct order to purchase a dress from this store. Don¡¯t worry since the cost will be paid for by the Duke.¡±


    Duke remarked with a kind grin. The fact that Duke Rufus paid for the outfit made Ellie feel much more uncomfortable.


    ¡°It¡¯s really fine.¡±


    ¡°Consider it a prize for your diligent effort.¡±


    Madame Dwellin, the proprietor of the dressing room, approached her as she was conversing with Dyuk.


    ¡°It has been some time, butler.¡±


    Since she was familiar with Dyuk, she welcomed them with a smile.


    ¡°Good luck today, Madame Dwellin.¡±


    ¡°Is it this woman? I¡¯ve never seen this before.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s Young Lady Miller, Duke Rufus¡¯s partner for the ball.¡±


    Madame Dwellin¡¯s eyes widened at hearing the phrase partner of Duke Rufus.


    ¡°I¡¯ll have to pay special attention then.¡±


    She stared at Ellie while smiling. The changing room staff eventually presented Ellie with various outfits.


    At first sight, wearing a dress that seemed rich and gorgeous increased her load.


    ¡°Do you have any further basic dresses?¡±


    Madame Dwellin became concerned for a time in response to Ellie¡¯s query, then went away. She eventually returned with a silver outfit that lacked any unique embellishments.


    The silver outfit that sparkled in the sunshine was simple, yet it exudes opulence. It was an outfit that felt like the nightly transformation of a fairy¡¯s silver hair.


    ¡°I adore it.¡±


    Madame Dwellin smiled broadly at hearing Ellie¡¯s response.


    ¡°Would you want to give it a try?¡±


    Ellie nodded slowly in response to the inquiry. Two employees who followed her inside the changing room assisted her with the outfit change.


    Possibly due to the expensive outfit, her image in the mirror was more refined than normal. Ellie adored her gown.


    Madame Dwellin nodded in approval upon seeing Ellie emerge from the dressing room.


    ¡°This outfit flatters you much more than a drab navy blue suit.¡±


    ¡°Please display the shoes and accessories that coordinate with this outfit.¡±


    Ellie¡¯s eyes startled at Dyuk¡¯s unexpected comments.


    ¡°Sir.¡±


    ¡°If you feel uneasy, you may return the item later. It will be practical if you consider it an extension of your job.¡±


    Ellie was compelled to nod her head in response to Dyuk¡¯s smiling comments. Given the appearance of Duke Rufus, it seemed that she had to dress properly.


    She could not return to the duke¡¯s home until she had purchased pearl earrings and necklaces, silver shoes and purses. After work, the maids paid her a visit at the office of the assistant.


    With the dexterous assistance of the ladies, Ellie applied cosmetics, styled her hair, and donned a dress, so that when she glanced in the mirror, she did not recognize herself.


    Ellie was astonished to see that she seemed lovely and graceful in the mirror.


    ¡°You are gorgeous.¡±


    As she flushed nervously at the maid¡¯s praise, she heard a tap at the door.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go if you feel ready.¡±


    Ellie immediately grabbed the clutch upon hearing the voice of Duke Rufus outside the door.


    As he opened the door and waited outside while wearing a tuxedo, Duke Rufus squinted his eyes and observed her.


    ¡°It fits you well.¡±


    Even at his modest compliments, her heart puffed up. It was her first time standing in front of him in this manner, so she became more tense.


    ¡°Thank you very much.¡±


    Ellie attempted to ignore the strain and shaking as she responded with a steady voice.


    ¡°Then, should we proceed?¡±


    Ellie, at his urging, gently followed him. His silver automobile was parked in front of the entrance.


    It was an Auston automobile, one of the enterprises in which Duke Rufus had invested. The car¡¯s exterior, which gleamed silver, was constructed from costly hematite, and only approximately eight were created annually. Therefore, only the imperial family and aristocracy of the highest rank could still acquire automobiles.


    The majority of aristocracy still preferred carriages. It was her very first time in a vehicle. Arthur usually accompanied Duke Rufus on business trips, therefore he never entered the vehicle.


    Ellie was really fascinated about the automobile that was propelled by the Magic Stone without the assistance of a horse. The automobile arrived at the Imperial Palace while its occupants remained silent so as not to disturb Duke Rufus, while gazing out the window.


    ¡°Wait a minute.¡±


    Duke Rufus spoke calmly to Ellie, who was ready to open the door and exit the carriage, as she prepared to do so. Duke Rufus exited the vehicle first, then turned around, opened the door on the side where she was seated, and extended his hand.


    ¡°Thank you very much.¡±


    Ellie gripped his hand, attempting to conceal her anxiety. I¡¯m glad I wore gloves. Or maybe he¡¯ll catch her moist hands due to anxiety.


    Ellie¡¯s attention was drawn to the spectacular inside of the palace once she stepped onto the crimson carpet between the well-kept grounds and entered it.


    An enormous crystal chandelier was surrounded by a plethora of lesser chandeliers that glistened with brilliant light.


    As soon as Duke Rufus made his appearance, all eyes were on him. He was always and everywhere an attention-getter.


    They looked directly at her as she stood next to Duke Rufus.


    The stern looks of the aristocrats who knew nothing about her caused her to instinctively recede.


    For this reason, Ellie did not enjoy the prom. It was really unpleasant, similar to wearing loose-fitting clothing.


    ¡°There is no need to be anxious. Because I am here.¡±


    Possibly seeing her discomfort, he said in a whisper.


    Ellie grinned broadly and nodded vigorously.


    Numerous aristocratic families gathered to greet Duke Rufus.


    Ellie concealed her anxiety and stood by his side in silence. Because it was her responsibility to do so today.


    * * *


    While Duke Rufus greeted the hostess of the celebration, the Empress, she walked out onto the balcony. She felt somewhat more out of breath after breathing in the fresh air.


    Additionally, the ball was unpleasant. Ellie wanted to get home fast and relax on the bed. It was a new pair of shoes, therefore her feet felt really uneasy.


    While seated on the chair, she grabbed her footwear. In the meanwhile, the shoes were difficult to remove since her feet were swollen.


    When she tugged the heels with vigor, the shoe recoiled and flew away. Ellie then saw a hand taking up her shoe.


    Ellie cautiously lifted her head and observed the handsome face. Her dark eyes twitched rapidly upon seeing the visage of Duke Rufus.


    ¡°I don¡¯t enjoy parties, either.¡±


    Duke Rufus took up her shoes and approached her with caution. As he bent his knee and placed her shoes on her, Ellie¡¯s face became hot with humiliation.


    ¡°I can do it.¡±


    Despite her encouragement, Duke Rufus did not stand up. Ellie regarded him with an uneasy expression as he stood up just after putting on her shoes.


    Even with the air, the heat on her face did not seem to go quickly. Ellie¡¯s need to conceal her hot cheeks prevented her from raising her bent head.


    ¡°Thank you very much.¡±


    ¡°If you feel really uncomfortable, you may return first. I¡¯ll call you a carriage.¡±


    In response to his comments, Ellie shook her head.


    ¡°No. It has only just begun. I shall remain till the Duke has departed.¡±


    ¡°This is why I like you. You¡¯re diligent and honest.¡±


    Her cheeks, which had managed to calm off, flushed scarlet in response to his sly praise.


    ¡®I was affected by his acknowledgement of me, not as a woman, but as a praise to a dedicated employee.¡¯


    ¡°Thank you very much.¡±


    ¡°Then will we proceed? Just one further hour to go.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Ellie followed him down the balcony in silence. Then, she saw individuals dancing to the music underneath the dazzling lights.


    ¡°Shall we also go and dance?¡±


    Duke Rufus extended his hand to her. At that time. One of the little chandeliers suspended over their heads crashed to the floor.


    ¡°Be careful!¡±


    Duke Rufus quickly placed his arms around her and yelled. The chandelier fell to the ground and broke as Duke Rufus was caressing his hand.


    People at the party were shocked by the loudness and quickly gathered around the two individuals.


    ¡°Are you okay?¡±


    Ellie nodded nervously in response to the Duke¡¯s inquiry. Duke Rufus¡¯s hand was bleeding in front of her eyes.


    ¡°Did you hurt your hand?¡±


    He gazed down at the injured hand with an expression indicating that he didn¡¯t mind when she asked in a surprised tone.


    ¡°It is just a little scrape.¡±


    A little scrape resulted in considerable blood loss. Ellie quickly unzipped the purse and extracted a handkerchief. Ellie opened her lips and bandaged his wounds with a cloth as her hands shook.


    ¡°It¡¯s bleeding¡­ should we contact your doctor¡­ or even a hospital¡ª¡±


    ¡°Ellie Miller.¡±


    He called her in a tranquil tone.


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s alright. Don¡¯t worry excessively. It¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve ever seen you that enthusiastic.¡±


    Ellie was unable to laugh at his jokes that included laughter. I felt uneasy because I believed he was suffering because of me.


    ¡°Duke Rufus. Are you okay?¡±


    The Empress, the party¡¯s host, approached Duke Rufus with a look of astonishment.


    ¡°Yes, Imperial Empress. I am okay. Nonetheless, it might be prudent to inspect the lights once again.¡±


    The banquet hall¡¯s ceiling was equipped with many lights. Due to Duke Rufus¡¯s injury, it was inevitable that someone would get hurt.


    ¡°You must cure your wounds, thus, I believe that you must return home today.¡±


    Duke Rufus¡¯s face lit up with a grin, as if he had a good reason.


    * * *


    Ellie carefully packed her dress, shoes, and accessories before returning home. The dress was cleaned and returned, while the other goods were returned the next day. They were just too costly to obtain.


    After cleaning and bathing, she lay down on her bed immediately. I was anxious about his injury. It seemed imperative that I visit him immediately.


    She slipped into a deep slumber shortly after lighting the incense candle.


    Don¡¯t forget to click the heart for advanced chapters!(For My Husband¡¯s New Wife)  ????

 Chapter 9

    As soon as she saw the familiar chamber of Duke Rufus, she arose from her bed.


    He was completely absent from the room. Only his tuxedo remained on the couch when he removed it.


    Today, Duke Rufus¡¯s tuxedo was really stylish. Ellie was so scared that she couldn¡¯t even fully look at him, but the dress he wore reminded her of his graduation celebration, which she saw from a distance.


    Ellie believed that she would never attend a party with Duke Rufus.


    Ellie couldn¡¯t quite believe she had attended a party with him, despite the fact that it was for business reasons.


    The bathroom door then opened, and Duke Rufus in a robe emerged. On the injured hand, neither the handkerchief nor the bandage were visible.


    ¡°Duke.¡±


    She ran to his side and grabbed his hand. The wound was oozing with blood.


    ¡°Please wash your hands. Why is it not treated yet?¡±


    Ellie snorted at seeing his damaged hand. Then he revealed bright blue eyes.


    ¡°You attended the imperial ball.¡±


    Her blue eyes fluttered frantically in response to his certain remarks. And in a flash, her form vanished.


    Ellie awoke and reached for the cushion next to her.


    ¡°What ought we to do? I must be insane!¡±


    Upon seeing him emerge after washing his hands without treatment, she got momentarily concerned and yelled inappropriate comments.


    He is unaware that he is Ellie Miller.


    Yes, almost everyone at the imperial ball was aware of his injury. It was equally stranger not to realize that a riot occurred.


    As long as they didn¡¯t discover it was Ellie Miller, it was okay that the investigation¡¯s scope was reduced.


    Ellie once again regained her breath and closed her eyes. She was still unable to quiet her shocked thoughts, but it was a stressful day, so she fell asleep soon.


    ¡°You came up today for no apparent reason.¡±


    Duke Rufus approached Ellie as she awoke in bed.


    ¡°I expected you to be absent all night.¡±


    ¡°Sorry. I did not vanish intentionally. If I¡¯m surprised, I don¡¯t realize it until I wake up¡ª¡±


    Duke Rufus peered carefully at her while offering justifications with a hesitating expression.


    ¡°After all, you are a young lady from a prominent aristocratic family.¡±


    Ellie¡¯s eyes widened in response to his soothing remarks.


    ¡°If I asked you who you were at the imperial ball, it would probably be from a family that I already know, no?¡±


    Thankfully, he did not seem to have any suspicions that she was Ellie Miller.


    ¡°I have no idea. However, you¡¯re more interested in me than I anticipated. I believe that you said that you didn¡¯t want to know who I was.¡±


    He exhibited a little frown in response to her statements.


    ¡°I¡¯m not curious.¡±


    Then he responded with a direct tone.


    ¡°That¡¯s good fortune. I was concerned that you would develop a sudden interest in me.¡±


    ¡°Why are you anxious?¡±


    He inquired with a confused expression.


    ¡°You said it. I was just decluttering my thoughts. We will continue to meet one other at future social functions, but I don¡¯t want the Duke to discover who I am and make things difficult.¡±


    As soon as she completed her response, his countenance went icy.


    ¡°I¡¯m feeling terrible for whatever reason.¡±


    Duke Rufus murmured gently to himself. Ellie scanned the bedroom but could not detect his presence.


    She saw a first aid package laying behind the bookcase.


    ¡°Fortunately, a first aid package is available. Can I use it momentarily?¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡±


    Ellie retrieved a first aid kit from the bookcase before approaching Duke Rufus.


    ¡°Can you show your hand to me? This should not be dismissed as a minor injury. When it comes to inflammation, the situation is really complicated.¡±


    Ellie retrieved a bandage and ointment from the first aid box.


    ¡°Why are you so anxious if you¡¯re decluttering your mind?¡±


    ¡°Things are in the process of being worked out, but they have not yet been resolved. And it is normal to be concerned for the ill.¡±


    ¡°You are not required to treat a critically sick patient with such a wound.¡±


    He stretched out to her while groaning in a discontented voice. Ellie administered medicine and wrapped his wounds with care.


    He stared at her in silence.


    ¡°You remind me of someone.¡±


    ¡°Who?¡±


    While securing the bandages, Ellie fixed her gaze on him. It was difficult for her to establish eye contact with him while she was in her normal shape, but since she was in a new form, she felt more at ease and her undiscovered bravery increased.


    ¡°Someone who will never love me.¡±


    ¡°The woman you told me previously? Do you like her? Why do you keep on talking about her?¡±


    He waited briefly in response to her query. ¡®Do you like her?¡¯


    ¡®I was a bit envious of the lady, but I didn¡¯t even recognize her.¡¯


    ¡°Well. Once upon a time, I believed that if I had to get married, I would do it with this lady.¡±


    He responded in a hushed tone while stroking his dripping blonde hair with his unwrapped hand.


    Ellie was unaware that Duke Rufus, who hated women, would elicit this kind of emotion.


    Her heart hurt momentarily. Not having expectations does not guarantee that you will not be hurt.


    Her head was filled with jealousy.


    ¡°You like her.¡±


    Ellie said nonchalantly as she attempted to assemble the first aid bag.


    ¡°That¡¯s not the case. It is just comfortable.¡±


    ¡°If that emotion grows, wouldn¡¯t it become better?¡±


    ¡°Why? Are you intending to provide me with dating advice as I organize my emotions?¡±


    In response to his direct inquiry, Ellie hastily shook her head.


    ¡°I do not believe that will occur at this time. I¡¯m really a bit envious.¡±


    Upon hearing her words of envy, his sculpted face broke into a contented grin.


    ¡°I do not believe that this feeling can be readily sorted out.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re correct. If I don¡¯t want to annoy the Duke, I¡¯ll need to resolve this swiftly.¡±


    Ellie rose from the couch and returned the first aid box to its original location.


    ¡°Please take your time.¡±


    The Duke¡¯s quiet voice could be heard in her ear as she flipped over the pages of the book. When she turned his head, she saw a face that was slightly flushed.


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°You seem to be more handy than I had anticipated.¡±


    Ellie had a grin on her face while seeing his hasty explanations.


    ¡°That¡¯s good fortune. It¡¯s not like it¡¯s only irritating. Today, should we utilize this book?¡±


    The title of the book was ¡®I met you in the dead of night.¡¯ I liked the title of a novel that paralleled my position.


    ¡°Do anything you feel like.¡±


    He responded while laying in bed. Elli approached him with a book, sat on a chair, and opened the book.


    As she read the book without hesitation, her face instantly became crimson. I chose this book based only on its title, yet it was more sexual than I anticipated.


    ¡°His hands were tied with lace¡ª¡±


    When he saw that she had stopped reading, he stifled a smile.


    ¡°Why are you not reading it?¡±


    ¡°I believe I made the incorrect choice. Again¡ª¡±


    ¡°What kind of book is this? I¡¯ll see it.¡±


    He snatched the book from her grasp.


    ¡°No.¡±


    Ellie hastily extended her hand towards him. She grasped his hand, which had already opened the book, in a hurry. Consequently, her body was positioned halfway on the bed.


    Their eyes locked in mid-air. The space between them was so close that their breaths might have touched. Ellie hurriedly stood up after realizing that she was getting too near.


    ¡°It¡¯s not to my liking, so don¡¯t misunderstand me.¡±


    She fanned her face with her palms in an attempt to chill it.


    ¡°All well, bring up another book.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    I chose a book with a well-known title this time. This book, titled ¡®Armian,¡¯ was a classic literary text I studied while attending the academy.


    It was quite monotonous, but she believed it would be an excellent sleep aid. While seeing her comfortably reading a book, he fell asleep gradually.


    Ellie gazed longingly at his sleeping face with loving eyes.


    Ellie, who went for work a little earlier than normal, had a cup of hot coffee before beginning her shift. The phone then rang.


    ¡°This is Ellie Miller.¡±


    [It¡¯s me¡­ how¡¯s the job?¡±]


    Arthur¡¯s voice was audible across the receiver. Ellie smiled and opened her lips to speak.


    ¡°Yes. How is your injury??


    [It is more difficult to lay in bed than to be working endlessly.]


    Arthur was a very active individual. As someone who likes hunting, horseback riding, and shooting, Ellie expected the stagnation to be more frustrating.


    ¡°In that method, you will recover quickly.¡±


    [I know. I almost long for the duke¡¯s nagging. I was unaware that laying down was so unpleasant.]


    ¡°Please hold on a little longer and cheer up.¡±


    Ellie offered words of encouragement in a quiet voice.


    [It¡¯s true that you attended the royal ball with the Duke yesterday, correct?]


    Had Arthur already heard of the rumor?


    ¡°Yes. How did you find out?¡±


    [If the Duke arrives with his companion, there will be no peace and quiet. I heard it was a major event. Is it okay?¡±]


    ¡°Yes. However, the Duke is slightly injured.¡±


    [I¡¯m pleased you weren¡¯t wounded. I called out of apprehension. You do not yet have a telephone at home.]


    ¡°I appreciate your care. But I don¡¯t believe it¡¯s time for the Aide to be concerned about me.¡±


    Arthur¡¯s jovial laughing was audible across the phone. Although he was ill, he was a really lovely person.


    At that time. Ellie¡¯s eyes were drawn to the image of Duke Rufus entering the aide¡¯s office with a chilly expression.

 Chapter 10

    ¡°Sir¡­ I¡¯ll call you later, I¡¯m hanging up.¡±


    She abruptly stopped the call by hanging up.


    ¡°Is the caller Arthur Winston?¡±


    Duke Rufus inquired in a direct tone while scrutinizing the arranged mail.


    ¡°Yes. He must¡¯ve heard about the events of yesterday¡¯s imperial ball. I believed he called because he was anxious.¡±


    ¡°It seems like Arthur cares deeply about you.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s probably more concerned about the Duke than mine.¡±


    Duke Rufus stifled a slight chuckle at her direct response.


    ¡°Arthur will endure some pain.¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°Nothing. Next week, you will accompany me on a business trip, right?¡±


    Ellie gave a bewildered nod in response to his unexpected query.


    ¡°Yes. Are you referring to the grand opening of the Luton Hotel?¡±


    ¡°Right.¡±


    ¡°We will prepare without any hitch.¡±


    He responded to her statement with a hesitant nod.


    ¡°Then do your best.¡±


    ¡°Ah, Duke. Wait.¡±


    She gently extended to Duke Rufus her shopping bag of accessories, shoes, and a handbag.


    ¡°The dress has to be laundered, therefore I believe that I can deliver it in a few days.¡±


    ¡°Right. That¡¯s of no use to me, so it doesn¡¯t need to be returned.¡±


    He grimaced as he examined the contents of the shopping bag.


    ¡°But you see¡ª¡±


    ¡°Consider it overtime pay. You may wear that outfit at the hotel¡¯s grand opening ceremony. I had a good time. So, what more have you to say?¡±


    Duke Rufus returned her shopping bag to her desk. Upon seeing his disturbed expression, Ellie was unable to continue speaking.


    As he exited the assistant¡¯s office, Raymond exhaled quietly.


    I felt oddly irritated. Perhaps it was because he saw her with Arthur smiling and conversing in a relaxed tone on the phone, and the appearance of the lady who visited him every night briefly overlapped.


    There are no parallels between the two, thus I do not see why they continue to overlap. Furthermore, Ellie Miller had no possibility of having a crush on him.


    She always handled him with professionalism. The same was true when we both attended the promenade.


    ¡®If she likes me, there should be a little fluttering indication, but during the party, just a sign of irritation was visible.¡¯


    ¡°Right¡­ definitely not Ellie Miller.¡±


    Even considering it in this manner, he felt a certain sadness. The more he was drawn to the lady who visited him at night, the less he understood why Ellie kept popping into his head. Reimond became more upset with himself.


    This irritation resulted in a headache. Even hunger was vanishing as the ache lingered until the dark hours.


    ¡°Duke¡­ are you sick?¡±


    Dyuk stared at him with concern as he was about to leave his supper.


    ¡°My head aches.¡±


    ¡°I will contact Dr. Brown if you relax in your room.¡±


    Raymond grimaced and nodded before exiting the eating area. It seems that he was not feeling well since he was constantly irritated by small matters.


    With a worsening headache, he pinched his temples and crawled into bed, putting his head on his pillow. After some time, Dr. Brown and Dyuk visited his bedroom. Dr. Brown immediately approached him and scanned the area.


    ¡°Your throat is a little swollen, that¡¯s why your temperature is a bit high. If you sleep and drink medicine, you should be good.¡±


    He answered with a head nod. Dyuk, who had left the bedroom with Dr. Brown, returned with medication after some time.


    ¡°Have you been sleeping poorly recently?¡±


    Dyuk inquired while observing him with concerned eyes.


    ¡°No. Currently, I am sleeping really well. Therefore, you should not worry.¡±


    ¡®Thanks to her nightly visits, I seldom get nightmares these days. As I listened to the sweet, pleasant voice while reading a book, I unknowingly fell asleep.¡¯


    ¡°I¡¯m delighted you slept well.¡±


    Raymond gulped the tablet Dyuk had given him and then glanced at the wall clock. Only eight o¡¯clock in the evening remained. She often arrived around 10 p.m.


    In addition, she is not around when he gets up in the morning, so she seems to be waking up rather early.


    ¡®I wanted to stay awake till she arrived, but the medication kept making my eyes heavy.¡¯


    I didn¡¯t want to sleep like this. He felt as though he were experiencing a dreadful nightmare that had always plagued him.


    I disliked it, so I attempted to hang on to it, but since I wasn¡¯t feeling well, the spirit of medication swiftly consumed me.


    Ellie awoke in Duke Rufus¡¯ chamber, astonished to discover him lying next to her, as quickly as she fell asleep.


    Except for the first time she entered this bedroom, he was usually awake, so it had been quite a while since she had seen him first asleep.


    ¡°Were you really weary? Or are you feeling sick?¡±


    Ellie regarded his sleeping face with anxiety as he slept. At that time, his face contorted as he slept.


    His rapid breathing indicated that he was experiencing a nightmare.


    ¡°No¡­ I don¡¯t want to¡­ please let me out.¡±


    His massive body trembled. The two hands were joined as if pleading and imploring. Ellie hastily extended her hand towards the Duke, whose breathing was becoming harder.


    ¡°Duke, Duke.¡±


    She gripped his sturdy shoulders and waved and shouted his name urgently. At that time. His big arms roughly grasped her.


    ¡°Please hold on¡­ Just a minute.¡±


    His voice shook slightly, as if he had not yet completely exited the nightmare. Ellie gently nodded as he held her in his arms. His body shook slightly as she stroked his shoulder softly.


    ¡°Are you alright?¡±


    He nodded in response to her concern. Then, he gradually freed her from his grasp.


    ¡°It has been a very long time since my last nightmare.¡±


    What in the heck is he dreaming about? He seemed really concerned throughout the nightmare. There were several questions Ellie wanted to ask, but was unable to.


    Something seemed like it was touching his traumatic memories, so she had to be cautious.


    ¡°Seeing you somehow calms my heart.¡±


    His huge palm extended in the direction of her silver hair. Without touching her hair, however, he silently clinched his hands and walked out of bed.


    ¡°It¡¯s 10:30.¡±


    Ellie nodded in response to his remarks as he glanced at the clock on the wall and then crawled beneath the bed.


    ¡°Today, you must have slept early.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not feeling good.¡±


    Her blue eyes widened in response to his response.


    ¡°Are you alright now?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s alright. After taking some medication and getting some rest, I felt much better. I believe I slept for around two hours. Today, I must have slept in.¡±


    After waking up after two hours of sleep, it is normal to find it difficult to fall asleep again.


    ¡°Are you able to play chess?¡±


    Ellie was perplexed in response to the unexpected inquiry.


    ¡°No.¡±


    She had no one to socialize with and was too busy to appreciate such a luxurious pastime.


    ¡°Good. You can learn now.¡±


    He removed the chessboard from the bookcase and informed her.


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m a rigorous teacher, but I¡¯m also an excellent one, so don¡¯t worry.¡±


    Unexpectedly learning chess, she nodded awkwardly.


    * * *


    She performed better than he anticipated. As if she didn¡¯t want to miss a single word, he grinned slightly as he regarded her focused blue eyes.


    Even the chess rules, which were first difficult to comprehend, were surprisingly simple for her to learn. Obviously, knowing the rules was not sufficient to play chess successfully, but when he saw her move her pieces according to the rules he taught, he was once again amazed.


    ¡°You must¡¯ve done well in the Academy.¡±


    Concentrating on moving her horse, she exhibited a look of mild bewilderment at his unexpected statements.


    ¡°I¡¯m stating this because you have excellent comprehension, focus, and listening skills.¡±


    ¡°Well¡­ I was fine.¡±


    After replying with a somewhat flushed face, she once again displayed brilliant focus as she regarded the chessboard¡¯s pieces.


    ¡°Is it your routine to concentrate on something?¡±


    When he saw her rubbing her lips with the thumb and index finger of her left hand, he suppressed a smile.


    ¡°Why? Did I do something wrong?¡±


    She questioned with strained eyes as the knight, one of the chess pieces, was being set down.


    ¡°It¡¯s not that horrible. Obviously, I cannot call it a good number.¡±


    It was a move that adhered to the norms without exception. Nonetheless, she believed it would be ideal to remember and implement the complex chess rules immediately.


    She maneuvered the horse carefully so that her rook might reach his king. To compensate for her inability to understand the whole situation, she attempted to decipher absolutely nonsensical terms.


    He extended his hand rapidly with her right hand. As she gazed at him, her blue eyes quiver slightly as he grasped her hand.


    He softly grasped her little hand and approached Rook. She approached the rook with a timid expression after realizing it was her cue to do so.


    ¡°Checkmate. If I place the rook here, your king is no longer able to move.¡±


    ¡°Ah¡ª¡±


    As if she understood, she lowered her gaze and smiled warmly, and her face became noticeably more beautiful. It was regrettable to release the hand that was holding her.


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    Advanced Chapters Here: (Chapter 11-15) $10 for 15 advanced chapters ????????????

 Chapter 11

    ¡°Now, your hand¡ª¡±


    Hearing her speak in his ear, he reluctantly released his grip on her hand. This lady, of whom he was unaware of her name, age, or true appearance, had invaded his life too swiftly.


    While he pondered her true appearance, two feelings he did not like to experience coexisted in his thoughts.


    The lady he desired most closely resembled Ellie Miller. However, he was also aware that this lady was not Ellie Miller.


    If somehow he discovered her actual nature, he will no longer be able to treat her as comfortably as he does today. Yes, I believed it would be best if I was unaware of her true appearance.


    ¡°I believe I now know a little bit.¡±


    He glanced intently at the chessboard and grinned in response to her comments.


    ¡°Then should we proceed properly?¡±


    ¡°Yes¡ª¡±


    The chess game went throughout the night. Obviously, with the exception of one match he rigged, she never won. Nonetheless, her abilities increased significantly overnight.


    He opened his lips to speak with the lady who was resisting him fiercely.


    ¡°Consider carefully. With any luck, you¡¯ll win this time.¡±


    The moment he spoke those words, her blue eyes shone brilliantly. She took up a bishop while staring carefully at the chessboard, as if she had discovered the solution on her own.


    At that time, her body vanished from his view instantly. He glanced outside and saw the sun shining brightly.


    ¡°Looks like it¡¯s time to wake up.¡±


    It was difficult to adjust to the sight of her vanishing before his eyes, despite the fact that he had observed it several times. He was exhausted from being unable to fall asleep all night, but he also felt sorrow.


    I want to remain with her for a bit longer.


    It was unfortunate that she kept her feelings.


    ¡®I could have won this time around.¡¯


    Ellie grumbled in a quiet voice as she arose from her bed. Still,she felt anxious.


    ¡°Today you must be quite exhausted.¡±


    I never expected to spend the night playing chess with him. Unlike herself, who was genuinely sleeping while she was in fairy form, he was likely quite exhausted.


    Yesterday, he was in poor condition and very anxious that he was pushing himself too hard. After hastily preparing for work, she went to the duke¡¯s mansion.


    As soon as she arrived at the Duke¡¯s mansion, she entered the assistant¡¯s office and arranged the documents and mail for Duke Rufus.


    The door was then knocked upon.


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Dyuk the butler opened the door to the assistant office when she responded.


    ¡°You can brief the Duke after lunch, he also said to cancel all his morning appointments.¡±


    It seems absurd to play chess all night long.


    ¡°Is he feeling poorly?¡±


    At Ellie¡¯s question, he shook his head.


    ¡°Seems like he didn¡¯t get any sleep at all.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I understand.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­ and he asked me to find a dessert store, do you know any?¡±


    Ellie had a moment of concern in response to Dyuk¡¯s query. I dislike sweets, thus I was susceptible to such information.


    ¡°I¡¯ll phone the Aide and inquire. I believe the Aide understands that well.¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­ sir Winston. It is true that he¡¯ll know that¡­ then please do so.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Arthur often brought macarons, chocolates, or desserts to work with him. I don¡¯t know much about desserts, but I recall that the items he purchased were pretty tasty.


    After contacting Arthur to cancel Duke Rufus¡¯ morning engagement, she phoned him to enquire about the dessert business.


    As it transpired, Arthur was so delighted to tell Ellie about a popular dessert and sweets store that he knew of. She hanged up after thanking Arthur for promising her that he¡¯ll get some sweets for her the following day.


    But why does Duke Rufus want information on the dessert business all of a sudden? She was aware that he did not like sweet foods very much.


    ¡°Is there somewhere that he¡¯ll give it as a gift?¡±


    Whoever Duke Rufus would give such a present to was making Ellie a little jealous.


    Duke Rufus, upon awakening for lunch, stretched and walked to the window. Then he saw Ellie Miller sitting on a bench while eating a sandwich and reading a book.


    She was so engrossed in the book that she ate hardly no sandwiches and instead flipped through the pages. While she was reading a book, the picture of the lady who visited him every evening merged with her.


    ¡°You can¡¯t let go of your regrets although knowing it¡¯s a desire in vain.¡±


    He could not help but quietly smirk. He turned, resisting the impulse to observe Ellie a bit longer.


    A knock was heard on the bedroom door at that moment.


    ¡°Are you awake?¡±


    He nodded in response to Dyuk¡¯s question.


    ¡°Did I sleep a bit long?¡±


    ¡°You must have been quite exhausted.¡±


    Raymond, unaware of his situation, grinned softly at Dyuk¡¯s comments, who had spent the night playing chess.


    ¡°Should we provide food in the room?¡±


    ¡°Yes. I will wash up and while I do that, bring the food in my chamber.¡±


    ¡°Yes sir.¡±


    He exited the room and the Duke returned to the window. Ellie remained seated on the bench while reading a book. He often sees Ellie sitting on such a seat and reading a book.


    It seems that he might request a book from Ellie for the lady who visits him every night. I had a hunch Ellie would be able to choose a book that fit her preferences.


    He turned away once again and entered the restroom. When he emerged from the shower, the food was already served. He went to the workplace after a brief feast.


    Since I had already squandered the morning napping, I could not afford to lose any more time. As I sat at my desk reading the newspaper after lunch, I heard a bang that sounded angry.


    Ellie was really punctual. She arrived from the closed door with reports, documents, mails, and books.


    ¡°Thanks for taking care of my morning schedule.¡±


    He addressed the lady in a kind manner as he lowered his head to meet her.


    ¡°That¡¯s nothing.¡±


    Her nice and quick response was returned. He received her documents and letters without comment.


    ¡°Oh, and a dessert business named Ertia is renowned today. The macarons and chocolate are really tasty.¡±


    ¡°Okay? Then I must go there. Well, what type of dessert do you like?¡±


    As he flipped the papers over and inquired, she seemed rather bewildered.


    ¡°Oh, I have nothing noteworthy to conceal.¡±


    ¡°That is to say, I don¡¯t have any specific preferences.¡±


    She nodded her head hesitantly.


    ¡°Nonetheless, you seem to like the book quite a bit.¡±


    ¡°Yes, it is correct.¡±


    ¡°Can I ask you a favor? Go to the bookstore and pick up some good books. I¡¯d like to ask you to pick books that you usually want to read or books that you enjoyed reading.¡±


    ¡°Yes sir.¡±


    ¡°Purchase one more book so that you have one.¡±


    At his comments, she shook her head rapidly.


    ¡°No. I¡¯m fine. Then I will go immediately.¡±


    It seems that she was very burdened by his gift to her. It was also quite similar to Ellie Miller. Raymond was familiar with her character, yet he couldn¡¯t help but feel a bit sorry.


    ¡°I will leave Hans with you, so please enter the vehicle.¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°The books will be heavy, so place them in the vehicle.¡±


    ¡°Yes sir.¡±


    Ellie greeted him courteously before leaving the office. As he inspected the paperwork, he heaved a sigh.


    While in the bookshop, Ellie also purchased a chess book for herself. She excitedly read a chess book after supper when she returned home from work.


    She cleaned up and climbed into bed at 10:00 p.m. after examining some strategies she had not considered. As she fell asleep practically daily at the same time, she fell asleep promptly.


    After awakening as a fairy on Duke Rufus¡¯ fluffy bed, she opened her eyes widely to see the macarons, chocolates, and books she had purchased earlier in the day.


    ¡®Perhaps this was a present for me.¡¯


    ¡°You came.¡±


    As he emerged from the restroom, he talked while drying his damp blonde hair with a towel.


    ¡°Yes. But what does it all mean?¡±


    As he saw her inquire while pointing to the table, he grinned gently.


    ¡°Can you consume food? Why do you occasionally have food-related dreams?¡±


    Ellie was unable to remove the items from the place, although they appeared edible. As he said, there were moments when I dreamed of eating.


    ¡°I have never attempted it, but I believe it is conceivable.¡±


    ¡°You can eat it, though I¡¯m not sure if it¡¯s to your liking.¡±


    He indicated the macarons and chocolates on the table with his finger. Additionally, tea was made for her.


    ¡°Did you purchase this for me? The Duke doesn¡¯t like sweets.¡±


    ¡°You really know me.¡±


    While averting his eyes, she opened her lips while scrutinizing him.


    ¡°Everyone who loves the Duke must be aware of this, right?¡±


    ¡°I sense that something is amiss. I am not even aware of your name.¡±


    Are you really curious about my genuine identity? Ellie stared at him hesitantly.


    ¡°You cannot be anxious. Because I have no plans to learn who you are just yet. There are some situations in which I am better at ease since I do not know who you are.¡±


    At his comments, she exhaled a breath of relief.


    ¡°Do you like chocolate and macarons?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t really have any specific preference.¡±


    Unthinkingly, he wore a peculiar face in response to her comment.


    ¡°There are a few peculiar commonalities.¡±


    His muted muttering was audible.

 Chapter 12

    ¡°Yes?¡±


    When questioned with a confused tone, he shook his head.


    ¡°No. Oh, I just purchased a new book. I hope it meets your taste.¡±


    There was no way that it would not be to my liking. She selected all of the novels.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been longing to read this book. Thank you. I will carefully study it.¡±


    ¡°I believed you would like it. There are several historical books.¡±


    He didn¡¯t doubt that they have the same preferences.


    Ellie regarded him with cautious eyes. However, there was no such uncertainty in his gaze.


    He did not seem to believe she might be Ellie Miller. In any case, he was not the lady he was interested in.


    She was not a noble family of great status, nor was it as lovely as a fairy. It was natural for him to disregard her everyday self.


    ¡°Eat just once. It seems that you care more about books than food.¡±


    ¡°Thanks. I shall eat well tonight.¡±


    She first grabbed a macaron. Arthur, a gourmet, had suggested it, so of course it must have been great. It was exquisitely delicious.


    ¡°It¡¯s delicious.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°Would you want to sample it?¡±


    Ellie took a macaron from my bag and presented it to him. There was no anticipation that he would consume food. Unexpectedly, though, his face neared the macaron she was holding.


    Instantaneously, her cheeks became flushed as his gentle lips touched her finger.


    ¡°It¡¯s consumable.¡±


    In contrast to her discomfort, his expression was remarkably composed. Her heart raced as he grinned and regarded himself in the mirror.


    ¡°Then¡­ Then, let¡¯s eat this now.¡±


    Ellie instantly bent her head and responded to conceal her flushed cheeks. His lovely face approached her.


    His face, which was directly in front of her, was so annoying that it caused her heartache. His face, which seemed to have been lovingly created by God, was absolutely stunning.


    His beautiful blue eyes, which seemed to be encrusted with gems, were fixedly looking at her.


    She was concerned that her heartbeat might reach his ears.


    ¡°If you keep being like that, you¡¯ll be surprised and vanish.¡±


    With a mischievous grin, her cheeks became even more flushed as he continued. I wondered why he was observing me so intently, but I suppose he was just inquisitive.


    ¡°Stop taunting me.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve seen you so surprised that you vanished these days.¡±


    As he stood up from his bent position, he said.


    ¡°If you want me to vanish¡ª¡±


    ¡°The reverse is true. I do not know why, but I would like for you to stay a bit longer.¡±


    Her heart rate increased in response to his straightforwardness and honesty. Simultaneously, her body vanished in an instant.


    ¡®Thankfully, I can tell that you still like me quite a bit.¡¯


    He did not know why, but he felt somewhat glad as he saw her go.


    Ellie rose from her bed and placed her hand on her still-beating heart. It¡¯s not because she was startled; rather, her pulse rate was so rapid that she awoke in a condition of excitement.


    He already knew that Ellie had a crush on him, but she still felt very ashamed because she seemed to be shaking with every word he said.


    ¡°Let¡¯s calm down.¡±


    With her heart still hammering, she returned to sleep. Obviously, she was unable to fall asleep soon since her heart was finding it difficult to relax.


    She fell asleep after counting hundreds of sheep and awoke in his bed. Fortunately, he was waiting for her on the couch.


    ¡°Because you did not appear as soon as possible, I was concerned.¡±


    Ellie stretched out to him with both hands in response to his kind remarks.


    ¡°You are prohibited to speak kindly. Do not approach me too closely. This implies I might vanish once again.¡±


    At her anxious comments, he suppressed a chuckle and nodded his head.


    ¡°Okay. I should be more attentive to you, who loves me more than I first believed. If you go, I will get bored.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve read and studied chess, but I believe today is too late. You must sleep.¡±


    He stared at her with a joyful expression while speaking with a sorrowful face.


    ¡°I think you were a good student.¡±


    It was difficult for Ellie to react, so she remained silent.


    ¡°You studied diligently, should I just let that go?¡±


    Ellie responded swiftly to his query by nodding her head. I was contemplating writing the techniques I discovered in the book myself. However, theory and reality are distinct.


    She glanced at the chessboard with vacant eyes, having conceded defeat without remorse.


    ¡°I believe I have not yet studied enough.¡±


    ¡°I know, correct. You shall train more diligently tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°Okay. I want you to become my opponent immediately.¡±


    Every night afterwards, she played chess with him. During the evening spent playing chess and conversing in that manner, the two became further acquainted with one another.


    The hotel¡¯s grand opening event was only one day away. I¡¯ve heard of a hotel constructed with cutting-edge amenities employing magical engineering. The Canna region, where the hotel was constructed, was also renowned as a seaside resort.


    When Ellie returned from work, she immediately began packing for a business trip. It was just a two-day business trip, but she had more baggage than anticipated. Ellie sighed as she retrieved the silver dress that Duke Rufus had compelled her to accept.


    Regardless of how much she considered it, it was a heavy gift to receive. Nonetheless, Ellie was pleased that she could wear it for public business.


    After packing everything, Ellie double-checked to ensure she had not forgotten anything. Ellie decided to create a handmade scented candle as a present for Duke Rufus, who has trouble sleeping.


    ¡°What should I say for a natural delivery?¡±


    Few others seemed to be aware of his sleep difficulties and nightmares. As a guy who does not communicate himself properly, he didn¡¯t even realize that she had liked him for a long time.


    If I hadn¡¯t visited his bedroom as a fairy, he may have never known about it. Wouldn¡¯t it be odd to offer such an item as a present?


    She pondered before placing the perfumed candles in her purse. Once she had it, she decided to consider it.


    ¡°However, what will become of me if the Duke visits Kant?¡±


    It was the first time Duke Rufus had been away from home since she began waking up in his bedroom after falling asleep. She was uncertain as to whether she would check into the Luton Hotel or remain in his vacant room.


    It seemed that the answer would not be revealed until tomorrow.


    Ellie lit a perfumed candle and laid down on her bed after finishing all the inspections. The sleeping lady eventually awoke on Duke Rufus¡¯ bed.


    He was seated on the couch and examining something. She got out of bed and approached him with caution.


    ¡°What are you staring at?¡±


    He shook his head in response to her query.


    ¡°Photographs of my mum. Shall I show you?¡±


    At his query, Ellie nodded slowly. He gave her a frame containing black-and-white photographs.


    The attractive lady with the brilliant grin had a face that resembled that of Duke Rufus.


    ¡°The Duke closely resembles his mother.¡±


    Duke Rufus smiled sardonically in response to her statements.


    ¡°Right? I¡¯ve only seen photographs of my mother¡¯s face, but I believe so.¡±


    ¡®I had heard that his mother had died young.¡¯


    ¡°You must¡¯ve missed her a lot.¡±


    ¡°I have no regrettable recollections.¡±


    He mumbled in a despondent tone. Like myself, he seemed to be a very lonely individual. She was unaware of her mother¡¯s appearance. She had no regrettable recollections.


    ¡°All right, I¡¯m leaving tomorrow on a business trip.¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    She was aware of the reality, but she pretended ignorance by asking.


    ¡°To my mother¡¯s birthplace.¡±


    Tomorrow¡¯s business trip destination, Canna, was unknown to her as his mother¡¯s hometown.


    ¡°I heard that it¡¯s a good place.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m looking forward to it.¡±


    She said it with eagerness.


    Upon seeing his perplexed expression, Ellie quickly understood she had made a linguistic error.


    ¡°I mean¡­ you must be very excited.¡±


    Ellie smiled awkwardly at him as she regarded him.


    ¡°That¡¯s true. I¡¯m looking forward to it tremendously. However, what about you?¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°I wonder whether you will come to where I am, or if you will merely enter this bedroom.¡±


    She was fascinated about it as well.


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure. I believe we will not know till tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°I wish that you could visit. I can no longer fathom falling asleep without you.¡±


    Ellie¡¯s cheeks became slightly flushed as he said the truth.


    ¡°I¡¯m delighted I¡¯m helping.¡±


    This was really genuine. She was inadvertently annoying him, but he needed her assistance. Simply considering him in this manner prompted a sweet grin on his lips.


    Then he looked at her without speaking. Both parties¡¯ eyes met in the air. I had no idea why, but I was unable to ignore his look.


    Is it because his eyes are darker than they formerly were?


    Oddly, just staring into those eyes made her thirsty.


    ¡°You must go to bed shortly. To go on business tomorrow.¡±


    Ellie, who had hitherto averted his look, said as he approached the bookshelves. The longer I peered into those eyes, the more my heart began to pound and I felt as if I was going to awaken.


    ¡°It ought to be.¡±


    He responded with a slightly muted voice. Two inexplicable sighs escaped their lips.

 Chapter 13

    Canna, the birthplace of Duke Rufus¡¯ mother, was a more lovely place than Ellie anticipated. The vista she saw from the carriage window with the Luton Hotel personnel who received her at the railway station was more breathtaking than any landscape painting.


    After spending a considerable amount of time appreciating the view, she arrived at the Luton Hotel and was once again impressed by the hotel¡¯s exquisite facade and spacious balconies in each room.


    Of fact, the inside of the hotel was more surprising than the fa?ade. Because it was a hotel constructed with the most advanced magic engineering technology, there was an elevator that could reach the seventh story with ease.


    Ellie had previously seen a manual elevator that produced a tremendous noise, but the elevator powered by the Magic Stone gilded softly and quietly.


    Ellie unloaded her belongings in the room provided to her before proceeding to the balcony. A refreshing sea air stroked her face.


    Under the balcony, another magnificent panorama of Canna unfurled. Over the white sand beach, she could see the green water gleaming in the sunshine.


    Today was the first time Ellie had ever seen the ocean. She never traveled outside her typical cocoon, so maybe this is typical.


    The train journey lasted a remarkable five hours, yet none of that time was wasted. If she could view this kind of landscape, Ellie believed she could suffer for much longer. Then she heard the balcony door next door open.


    Afterwards, Duke Rufus stepped out onto the balcony and drew her attention. He remained silent as he saw the scene developing in front of his eyes.


    ¡®Is he remembering his late mother?¡¯


    Ellie thought that it would be better if the one with him right now was the lady who visits him every night, not Ellie Miller.


    If she did, she would be able to converse with him while admiring the breathtaking environment.


    Ellie left her sorrows behind and turned around in silence. She did not want to bother him as he took in the view.


    ¡°It is quite gorgeous here.¡±


    At that time, Duke Rufus addressed her.


    ¡°Yes. It is a lovely place.¡±


    Ellie responded calmly as she regarded the water once again.


    ¡°Stay if you are entering because you are uncomfortable seeing me. I shall enter.¡±


    Ellie waved her hand rapidly in response to his surprising comments.


    ¡°That¡¯s not the case. I was only attempting to enter out of concern that I would impede the Duke.¡±


    ¡°Has it been a year now? That you¡¯re working for me?¡±


    Ellie responded hesitantly to his unexpected inquiry by nodding slowly.


    ¡°You¡¯re really consistent, so I admire it.¡±


    ¡°I appreciate the compliment.¡±


    He glanced at the ocean once again without speaking. Ellie once again focused her attention to the ocean. Now that he had addressed her first, the stillness was no longer awkward.


    * * *


    When Ellie returned to my hotel after the opening ceremony, it was after 10 p.m. After bathing, Ellie changed into comfortable attire and regarded the perfumed candles with concern.


    She lost the opportunity to give it. Ellie shook her head as she deliberated whether to bring it now. He seems hesitant to disclose that he suffered from sleeplessness.


    After working for him for nearly a year, Ellie was unaware that he suffered from sleeplessness. If she had not consumed the fairy¡¯s potion, she would never have learned about it.


    Giving something as a present may raise suspicions. Ellie climbed into bed after placing incense candles on the table above the couch.


    When the lights turned out, she could hear the sound of the waves. With the sound of the waves as her companion, she fell asleep gradually.


    ¡°Oh?¡±


    Ellie was initially taken aback when she awoke in a shadowy room as a fairy. It wasn¡¯t the room she regularly visits. When she heard the sound of the waves outside his window, she understood she had arrived at his hotel room.


    However, something seemed odd.


    The room¡¯s lights were off, and he was nowhere to be seen. Ellie attempted to switch on the light by touching the stand, but for some reason, the stand would not turn on.


    As her eyes adjusted to the darkness, she saw Duke Rufus huddled in a corner of the chamber, trembling.


    ¡°Duke?¡±


    As she neared, his body continued to tremble.


    ¡°I¡­ I was wrong. Mother please remove that¡ª¡±


    He was murmuring strange words in a low voice.


    ¡°Duke, it¡¯s me.¡±


    ¡°Please¡­ Please remove it. It¡¯s too dark here.¡±


    He clasped his hands together and beseeched her. The darkness seemed to induce terror in him. She ran to the wall and pushed the light switch, but the light remained off.


    There may be an issue with the power supply. Ellie shook her head as she ran to the next room and considered waking herself awake.


    He would never want his secretary to see this aspect of his character. After unlocking the balcony door, she approached the balcony of the next room with caution.


    When she opened the door to the room, she saw herself sleeping on the bed. It seemed odd to observe oneself sleeping, but that was irrelevant at the moment.


    Ellie gathered the incense candles and matches off the table. She retrieved it and returned to the balcony that led to Duke Rufus¡¯s chamber.


    This was achievable due to the low height of the barrier separating the balconies. Ellie rushed into Duke Rufus¡¯s chambers, sighed, and lighted an incense candle.


    Incense candles barely illuminated the poorly-lit chamber.


    ¡°Duke.¡±


    As she approached Duke Rufus with an incense candle, his tremor lessened gradually.


    ¡°Are you alright?¡±


    She inquired attentively, verifying that his eyes, which had temporarily lost focus, were gradually recovering.


    ¡°It¡¯s you.¡±


    Ellie nodded while gazing at the soft, blue eyes that seemed to be damp.


    ¡°Yes, it is me.¡±


    He extended his squatting body and reached out to her. A huge hand that was slightly shaking grasped her hand.


    ¡°The truth is¡­ I was abused when I was a child.¡±


    Her eyes flitted furiously in response to his surprise comments.


    ¡°My stepmom.¡±


    She was unaware he had a stepmother. She had never heard of his stepmother anywhere.


    ¡°She wanted to rid me. Because she wanted everything for her unborn child.¡±


    After briefly regaining his breath, he cautiously opened his lips.


    ¡°I was six years old. My stepmother was wedded to my father. It was the choice of a parent who believed his kid needed a mother¡¯s touch.¡±


    He started speaking with a raspy voice. Ellie listened attentively as he sought to confide in her.


    ¡°My stepmother was quite lovely to me throughout the first year of their relationship. Like all of my peers, I was thrilled to have a mother. And after that, she gradually started to show her real colors.¡±


    The conclusion of his voice shook, as it was still excruciating to consider it.


    ¡°At that time, my father was likewise preoccupied with his new venture. He left the residence regularly, and the duchess¡¯s place began to fill it with my stepmother¡¯s relatives. My stepmother was still courteous to me in front of my father, but she did not conceal her nasty character when we were alone.¡±


    A cruel grin appeared on his face.


    ¡°I believed that it was my fault. I believed my stepmother was treating me this way because I was not pleasant, not intelligent, and not beautiful. I tried all I could to restore my stepmother¡¯s former beauty. It was disdain and loathing that always returned.¡±


    In her thoughts, an image of the youthful Duke Rufus appeared. Her heart ached just imagining his expectation, disappointment, and wounds.


    After that, an unbelievable tale unfolded. According to him, the pregnant stepmother was ready to get rid of him with all deliberateness.


    On the day his father left for a lengthy business trip to another country, he was confined to a small basement. He was unable to do anything except wail and plead for help as he was confined in a dark, wet, and silent basement.


    The sound of his stepmother discussing the afterlife with a guy worried him even more.


    Fortunately, his father, who had been away on business, arrived home moments before he passed away. As soon as he saw his father¡¯s face, he passed out, and when he awoke, everything was in order.


    It was actually Carlo¡¯s child. Carlo addressed the duke¡¯s stepmother with the goal of extorting the duke¡¯s inheritance.


    The employees at home were their people, but a servant who could not stand by and see such a dreadful event accompanied his father on a business trip and told him the truth, saving him.


    He said that the servant¡¯s name was Dyuk and that he now serves as the duke¡¯s butler.


    Even though his stepmother and Carlo were executed, he said that he still bears the profound scars of traumatic recollections.


    ¡°When the lights go out, the horror of that period is constantly reawakened. Since then, I have been unable to sleep with the lights off. And I sometimes had nightmares.¡±


    Even though he was speaking in a monotone about his former recollections, the hand that was holding her was still shaking.


    ¡®My heart hurts so much. I was unaware that he had such a severe wound.¡¯


    It seems that the former Duke Rufus remained silent in order to avoid this damaging rumor from reaching his son.


    A few years ago, his father succumbed to an illness. After then, it was unfortunate that he had to cope with these unpleasant memories on his own.


    As if he were imprisoned in a basement, he sat in a squat stance. Ellie¡¯s eyes were filled with tears as she glanced at him.


    ¡°Why are you crying?¡±


    With her face resting on his crouched knees, he questioned her while looking at her.


    ¡°Because the Duke does not shed tears.¡±


    Her voice shook as she responded. I couldn¡¯t fathom the magnitude of the anguish, which caused my heart to pound.


    His hand trembled as it approached her face. He opened his lips and carefully wiped away her tears with his palm.


    ¡°This is the very first time. Telling someone else this story.¡±


    He quietly exhaled.

 Chapter 14

    ¡°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¡ª¡±


    ¡°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¡ª¡±


    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.

 Chapter 15

    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.

 Chapter 16

    Ellie regained her upright position and faced him once again as she pondered if he might ask her more.


    ¡°Yes, Duke.¡±


    ¡°Do you believe in fairies or giants?¡±


    Ellie exhibited confusion in response to his abrupt statements.


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°No. Just a senseless joke. People like you cannot accept this as true. You can go now.¡±


    ¡°I will adhere.¡±


    I believe that the tale I told you yesterday was rather remarkable. Seeing you ask such a question out of the blue.


    Ellie¡¯s face lit up with a grin at the sight of Duke Rufus, who was sweeter than anticipated.


    ¡ª


    He was becoming more used to the gloom. The stand fire could not yet be extinguished, but as time passed, numerous unstable appearances vanished.


    ¡°Okay. What preparations did you make today?¡±


    He is now engrossed in the strange tales she tells.


    In contrast to the perception that he would never believe such a narrative, he seemed to be genuinely intrigued by her account.


    ¡°The devil¡¯s tale.¡±


    ¡°Devil?¡±


    He exhibited a small frown and inquired.


    ¡°Yes. Even the eternally-living demon has just one vulnerability. Do you know it?¡±


    ¡°Well. It irritates me that a malicious demon has just one flaw.¡±


    Ellie grinned in response to his discontented comments.


    ¡°However, this one weakness is a little hard on Satan. The devil is poisoned by love. When you have a loved one, the devil¡¯s lifetime progressively transfers to that person. His heart eventually melts and I pass away. Conversely, those whom the devil loves enjoy everlasting life.¡±


    ¡°It would be lovely to be a person that the devil loves. You will have an everlasting life, which is the desire of every person.¡±


    Her ideas were quite unique. Wouldn¡¯t such individuals see everlasting life as a curse?


    ¡°I have no idea. It would be a dreadful curse if this individual also loved the devil.¡±


    ¡°Can a good person love a demon?¡±


    Ellie nodded in apparent agreement with his firm comments.


    ¡°That¡¯s correct. In any case, it¡¯s a legend-only tale. I do not believe that a demon has ever loved humanity.¡±


    ¡°The rumor must have been propagated by a dull demon.¡±


    Ellie grinned and opened her lips in response to his gruffly whispered words.


    ¡°Duke¡­ Do you believe in demons?¡±


    ¡°Even a fairy lives in my presence. Is there any justification for disbelief in the devil?¡±


    In fact, he was correct. She began to believe all her father had told her about this occurrence after experiencing it herself.


    It seemed odd that only her father could see enigmatic entities that normal people could not see, but as Ellie began to trust her father¡¯s account, the world got more intriguing.


    ¡°Any other tales?¡±


    ¡°This time, may I tell you about the mermaid?¡±


    Duke Rufus nodded impatiently.


    ¡°According to legend, a princess was born in the realm of mermaids around 20 years ago. She is the first princess to be born in the mermaid realm in 100 years, thus a huge celebration was planned.¡±


    ¡°Mermaid?¡±


    Ellie nodded her head in response to his inquiry, which she saw as ludicrous. The narrative then resumed.


    ¡°It seems that many fishermen have sailed to the mermaid realm, mesmerized by the multicolored lights rising above the water. It is stated that people with a bad heart who encounter a strange mermaid are punished severely, whereas fishermen with a good heart are welcomed to the mermaid kingdom¡¯s celebration. People who had a pleasant time while blessing the lovely little mermaid are supposed to have gotten a unique gift and returned to land. Since that day, no one has discovered the mermaid country, despite the fact that many fishermen who saw the mermaids travelled in search of the mermaid kingdom.¡±


    When her narrative concluded, Duke Rufus stifled a grin.


    ¡°After the devil, a mermaid this time.¡±


    Nonetheless, the tale seemed to have piqued his curiosity significantly.


    ¡°I would like to come once to provide you with a unique present. Isn¡¯t it like a really rare treasure?¡±


    ¡°If you enter with such a disposition, you will be severely penalized.¡±


    He stifled a smirk in response to her comments as she grinned.


    ¡°Therefore, I shall never see another snobbish individual for the rest of my life. Please inform me when you go there and how lovely it is!¡±


    ¡°I will¡ª¡±


    She thanked him for listening attentively to the rubbish she was spouting.


    She felt better just by seeing his sparkling blue eyes twinkle as he listened to her narrative.


    Unfortunately, Ellie was now unaware. The fact that she would encounter the strange creatures described by her father in person. (T/N: its getting interesting)


    ¡ª


    Ellie went to see her employer, Arthur, before returning to work after a lengthy absence. Two months have passed since he took a leave of absence.


    ¡°How are you doing?¡±


    Ellie enquired in a kind tone and offered him a shopping bag with Arthur¡¯s preferred tea.


    ¡°I haven¡¯t been doing well at all. Being confined to bed is terrible.¡±


    ¡°When is the cast removable?¡±


    ¡°Next week. Time passes so slowly.¡±


    Arthur exhaled slowly and responded.


    ¡°Still, it¡¯s not long. Be a little more robust.¡±


    Despite her assistance, Arthur¡¯s face remained pallid.


    ¡°It will take a month to remove the cast and resume normal walking. I want to go to work. Do you not realize how difficult it is to stay home alone? Ellie, I cannot even see your face.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you miss the Duke more than you miss me?¡±


    Ellie, uncertain as to whether he was kidding or being serious, attempted a grin and shifted the subject.


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s not quite like that, but I too would want to visit the Duke. How is he doing? There are rumors that he has gotten much brighter recently.¡±


    His statements were truthful. Currently, Duke Rufus is consistently in a cheerful mood. People at the top, who previously visited the duke¡¯s mansion with apprehensive expressions, seemed more at ease today.


    ¡°That is true, he is much brighter these days.¡±


    ¡°Is he dating?¡±


    ¡°I have no idea. I don¡¯t believe that¡¯s all.¡±


    ¡°Well¡­ he¡¯s not the type to share.¡±


    That was correct of Arthur.


    Ellie understood just what made Duke Rufus feel better. But she was unable to explain why.


    Currently, her biggest joy was seeing him progressively recover from his wounds.


    ¡°Regardless, thank you for coming. Seeing your face gives me a sense of vitality.¡±


    ¡°Quickly return to your workstation.¡±


    ¡°Yes, you¡¯re right. Soon, I¡¯ll be rehabilitating and returning, so work diligently till then.¡±


    It was not at all painful. It was enjoyable to see Duke Rufus throughout the day and at night. It made it more difficult for her to end the unrequited love, but this time she felt blessed.


    ¡°Then I shall go. I eagerly anticipate your return in excellent health.¡±


    Ellie was with Arthur until she left for the carriage. Ellie, who immediately began working at the duke¡¯s residence, proceeded to the duke¡¯s office to sort the files and mail for Duke Rufus.


    ¡°Come in.¡±


    Ellie carefully unlocked the door and entered the office after hearing his voice in answer to her knock.


    ¡°Excellent morning.¡±


    Ellie¡¯s lips curved into a grin in response to his kind welcome.


    ¡°Anne is coming today at 2:00; is your schedule flexible?¡±


    Ellie, who welcomed him, inquired in a calm manner about the timetable.


    ¡°It¡¯s alright.¡±


    ¡°Noted. And the Einhard Merchants Association contacted me. They inquired about making a contribution to the approaching Lunar Festival.¡±


    ¡°I forgot to contact them, but approve of whatever they say¡­ It¡¯s the biggest celebration in Einhardts.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s all fine.¡±


    As Ellie quickly accepted his remarks, she jotted them down in her notepad instantly.


    ¡°The Lunar Festival is approaching quickly.¡±


    A serious look was on his face as he whispered to himself.


    ¡°It¡¯s next week, right?¡±


    Ellie nodded hurriedly in response to his query as he was raising his head.


    ¡°That is correct.¡±


    At her response, he once again placed his head on his palm and lapsed into deep concentration.


    ¡°Do you enjoy festivals?¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    Ellie inquired, perplexed, in response to his muted murmur.


    ¡°Nothing¡­ you can just go.¡±


    ¡°I will adhere.¡±


    His facial expression was quite animated. Ellie spent almost the whole day with him, so she could tell how he felt just by glancing at his face.


    Ellie assumed he had little interest in festivals, yet he seemed enthusiastic about them. She enjoyed the Lunar Festival as well.


    The Lunar Festival is one of the largest celebrations conducted in Einhardt, an archipelago, and is a prayer for peace and joy to the moon goddess.


    The streets were illuminated with silver lights like moonlight, and thousands attended the festivities till dawn. A stunning fireworks display starts at midnight.


    A face-printed handkerchief was offered to a loved one, along with prayers for health and tranquility.


    Unfortunately, it seemed to be challenging to attend the Luna Festival this year. Unlike previous celebrations, the Luna Festival began at nine o¡¯clock at night and finished until daybreak.


    He was unable to leave his bedroom, so he could only enjoy this festival in his heart.


    ¡ª


    The day of the Lunar Festival has arrived. On her way to work, she observed that the roadway was decked with lengthy lights, beginning with a large moon goddess monument.


    It seemed like a wonderful spectacle would develop at night. It was a bit upsetting that she couldn¡¯t enjoy the Lunar Festival, but on the day of the festival, she couldn¡¯t help but become thrilled.


    ¡°Greetings in the morning.¡±


    Ellie greeted the individuals who greeted her as they entered the Duke¡¯s home with a happy expression.


    ¡°Yes. May the secretary also have a wonderful day with the moon goddess¡¯s favor.¡±


    ¡°Yes. May the moon goddess¡¯ blessings always be with you.¡±


    Today¡¯s workers felt quite excited for some reason.


    ¡°Are you available, secretary?¡±


    Ellie also bowed to Dyuk, who welcomed her with courtesy.


    ¡°I wish you the blessings of the moon goddess, butler.¡±


    The butler, Dyuk, was quite thankful to her. After realizing that he had saved Duke Rufus¡¯ life, Ellie developed a deeper appreciation for Dyuk.


    ¡°I shall pray for the Moon Goddess¡¯s blessing to also be with the secretary. You will likely not have to report to work tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°Why¡­ is that?¡±


    Ellie inquired with a perplexed expression in response to Dyuk¡¯s abrupt statements.

 Chapter 17

    ¡°The Duke also granted us a vacation from now until tomorrow evening. He instructed everyone to attend the event and have fun. Currently, everyone is delighted since they have taken care of the special allowance.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Don¡¯t worry about going to work tomorrow, secretary, and enjoy the celebration in peace.¡±


    ¡°I appreciate your informing me.¡±


    She seems to get why people are enthusiastic. I had no idea that Duke Rufus took the event so seriously. I¡¯ve always had the impression that he wasn¡¯t really interested in this, but I have no idea what¡¯s going on.


    As the butler Dyuk said, Duke Rufus also provided her with holidays and other allowances. Because he urged her to leave work early, she was able to come home sooner than expected.


    Since she cannot attend the festival at night, Ellie came home and reviewed her journal, having been relieved by her pre-festival reconnaissance.


    Now, the number of stories left to tell him was diminishing. If she had known this would be the case, she would have wished to hear more tales from her father.


    Ellie found a fresh tale to tell him and then fell asleep on the bed.


    And after a time, Ellie opened her eyes on his bed to see Duke Rufus seated on the couch in his outdoor attire.


    ¡®Have you just returned from an outing?¡¯


    ¡°What have you been doing?¡±


    He shook his head in response to her query.


    ¡°Nothing¡­ I want to go out with you.¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°We should also attend the festival.¡±


    He grinned and spoke inconceivably.


    ¡°There is no one remaining in the mansion, so you need not be concerned.¡±


    Because of this, it seems as if he granted everyone a vacation and provided extra allowances. She was given a mask to conceal her eyes.


    ¡°Anyway, there are many people wearing masks today, so no one would identify you if you walked out like this.¡±


    The mask she wore concealed part of her face. Even though he was wearing a mask, his attractiveness remained, and he seemed to enjoy the celebration more freely.


    ¡°I was uncertain about whether to attend the event.¡±


    ¡°It was really pricey.¡±


    Because hundreds of employees at the duke¡¯s home received special allowances, it was logical to state this.


    ¡°Therefore, you must enjoy the holiday appropriately. got it?¡±


    Ellie smiled and nodded in response to his statement. As they exited the empty home, a white horse was standing in front of the entrance.


    ¡°I cannot ride a vehicle or a wagon today, therefore we must ride a horse. Have you ever ridden it?¡±


    Ellie shook his head in response to his query.


    ¡°It¡¯s alright. My riding abilities are really excellent.¡±


    Several times when he was attending the school, Ellie saw him riding a horse. She never imagined, though, that she would be able to ride a horse with him in this manner.


    The two mounted white horses and galloped towards the festival¡¯s location on the main street.


    As the lovely silver lights that embroidered the roadway attracted her attention, she let out a string of exclamations.


    ¡°Please hold. I will let you handle the horse.¡±


    He put her out in front of the main street and cautioned her.


    ¡°Yes¡­ I¡¯ll try.¡±


    While waiting for him, Ellie saw the festival attendees enjoying themselves. She saw other individuals wearing masks similar to theirs.


    There were also those costumed as the moon goddess. The cheerful, carefree environment caused her heart to naturally flutter.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    He approached her carefully and extended a huge hand.


    ¡°Hold it. It would be best to hang onto me and walk due to the large number of people.¡±


    It was not the first time she held his hand, but each time Ellie did, she felt anxious. All of her body¡¯s feelings seemed to be concentrated in her hands.


    ¡°What are you thinking?¡±


    Ellie, who was seeing the enormous hand, shook her head in response to hearing his voice in her ear.


    ¡°Nothing¡­ I just thought of something for a second.¡±


    She took his hand after calming her quivering heart.


    ¡°What ought we do?¡±


    He posed the inquiry with a bright grin and sparkly eyes.


    ¡°Anything you want to do.¡±


    ¡°Then, let¡¯s first take a short look.¡±


    ¡°Yes. Let¡¯s go.¡±


    Two people, holding hands firmly so as not to get washed away by the mob, saw the magnificently adorned streets while avoiding being swept away. It was also entertaining to see the food stands.


    The two sat in front of the apparently relaxed kiosk and purchased ice cream in the form of a moon.


    A treat as delicious as vanilla ice cream. Ellie never imagined attending a festival with Duke Rufus.


    He gazed at her with glee as he scanned the street with an animated smile.


    ¡°You enjoy festivals.¡±


    Ellie bowed her head hesitantly.


    ¡°It makes people enthusiastic.¡±


    ¡°That is true. I believe it is exciting. In fact, this is my first time attending a festival of this kind.¡±¡±


    Ellie was aware that he disliked crowded areas. Nonetheless, she felt thankful to him for attending the event on her behalf.


    ¡°Thanks. Thank you for making me feel great.¡±


    The fireworks then began. The fireworks that illuminated the night sky were really stunning.


    ¡°Wow, it¡¯s really gorgeous!¡±


    Duke Rufus gazed at Ellie as she spoke these things.


    ¡°Yes¡­ Truly gorgeous.¡±


    He was not observing the sky-illuminating pyrotechnics. His concentration was solely on her face.


    Recently, he has been intrigued by her. Even though he understood that not knowing who she was was pleasant, he entertained the desire to meet her.


    He constantly reflected about her, day and night. Could this man be capable of any type of love?


    He exhaled quietly as he remembered the pictures of the ladies who had confessed to him one by one. That may not be the situation.


    None of them made him feel a thumping heart not like this lady. Perhaps it¡¯s because he hasn¡¯t been able to have lengthy talks with the ladies who confessed to him?


    I do not know. I¡¯ll be honest: I was immediately taken to this lady. It was not due to her attractive looks. He appreciated her particular warmth.


    Ellie Miller was the only lady that had a comparable mood with this woman. Unfortunately, Ellie didn¡¯t like me at all.


    ¡°Duke?¡±


    As if the fireworks had concluded, she summoned him from his mind. Raymond quickly left his thoughts.


    ¡°What are your thoughts?¡±


    ¡°Nothing. I was simply thinking for a moment.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s something I want to do with you¡­ if you¡¯re cool with that¡ª¡±


    ¡°Yes of course.¡±


    Without hesitation, he responded to her hesitant words.


    ¡°Are you aware of what I intend to do?¡±


    ¡°Are you certain you want to do anything unusual? Hmm?¡±


    Ellie grabbed his arm and rose from her seat.


    ¡°Follow me immediately.¡±


    As she proceeded with a brilliant grin, he followed her as if captivated by her. Even if she begged me to go to hell with her, I felt ready to follow her.


    ¡ª


    She took Duke Rufus to a booth where they could paint on handkerchiefs. Many individuals were purchasing handkerchiefs from street sellers and painting the faces of their companions.


    ¡°Is this what you wanted to do?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Nothing is more important to me than the Duke¡¯s health and tranquility.¡±


    ¡°Well, alright. You are so concerned about my health and tranquility, therefore I will gladly oblige.¡±


    He purchased two white handkerchiefs and a sketching pen. They sat at the drawing table and peered into one other¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°I regret that you are wearing a mask.¡±


    She nodded as though she agreed with his statements.


    ¡°Still, I am confident in my ability to depict the duke¡¯s face.¡±


    ¡°Alright. I¡¯m excited about how you¡¯ll depict me.¡±


    Serious-faced, Ellie started to paint his face on the handkerchief. A drawing accurately depicted the attributes of his gorgeous face.


    ¡°You have a great deal of dexterity.¡±


    He saw her photograph and congratulated her.


    ¡°Is the Duke satisfied?¡±


    Unfortunately, he had awful sketching talents. Ellie believed that he was capable of doing anything. I suppose he lacked something as well.


    ¡°Am I this?¡±


    Ellie questioned, pointing at his esoteric painting, in a perplexed tone of voice.


    ¡°Wait. It is not yet complete.¡±


    ¡°I believe you said that the artist who painted my face was subpar.¡±


    ¡°Are you comparing myself to that unfortunate painter?¡±


    Perhaps because of a blow to his self-esteem, he became even more agitated and focused on painting her face. But she never imagined that the image would improve.


    Ellie, who had done his face drawing first, stopped laughing and glanced at it.


    ¡°Do you still find this unacceptable?¡±


    Ellie shook her head in response to his statements and replied, ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°No. It¡¯s terrific.¡±


    ¡°I believe it to be ironic.¡±


    ¡°I believe you to be rather astute.¡±


    ¡°This is done¡­ throw it away if you don¡¯t like it.¡±


    Ellie grabbed his hand quickly that wanted to throw the handkerchief.


    ¡°However, I believe it resembles my actual face.¡±


    Ellie consoled him when he saw a photograph mirroring her unremarkable face devoid of character.


    ¡°Do you believe it is similar to this painting?¡±


    He exhibited a small frown and inquired.


    ¡°It¡¯s simply the vibe. Regardless, this is mine.¡±


    Ellie extended a handkerchief bearing his face. As though he really appreciated the image, he peered closely.


    ¡°What are these creases on my face?¡±


    ¡°There is no other way to describe the duke¡¯s dazzling face.¡±


    ¡°But, it is impossible to adequately explain my attractiveness.¡±


    This individual will likely be the only one to bob his head in response to such conceited statements.


    ¡°Is this Duke Rufus?¡±


    Then, a familiar voice from behind was heard. On crutches, none other than Arthur Winston approached them. As soon as he approached, her body vanished in an instant.

 Chapter 18

    Ellie awoke and reached out with her pulse beating. She was unaware that she would unexpectedly encounter Arthur there.


    Despite the fact that he would not have recognized her as Ellie Miller, she could not help but feel nervous.


    ¡®I feared that odd tales about Duke Rufus would arise for no reason.¡¯


    He would not find it odd if she vanished in an instant.


    Ellie attempted to go back asleep after calming her trembling heart.


    ¡ª


    Raymond exhaled slowly as he saw where she had recently been.


    ¡°Once again, she¡¯s gone.¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    Arthur, who had reached him, inquired indifferently.


    ¡°Why are you here? Aren¡¯t you sick and should be resting? You have an injury yet you¡¯re walking here so carelessly.¡±


    Raymond was anxious about Arthur, who had brought crutches to the celebration. Because of him, his wonderful meal has ended.


    ¡°Ah, regardless of how ill you are, you cannot miss the Lunar Festival, which occurs just once a year. I have come to pray for the Duke and Ellie¡¯s peace.¡±


    Arthur¡¯s expression seemed simply caustic as he responded with a grin.


    ¡°I also pray for your cast to be removed soon.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s alright. Soon, the cast will be removed. It¡¯s a little unpleasant, but I believe I¡¯ll live a lot more when I¡¯m simply laying in bed and not wandering about.¡±


    Raymond heaved an exasperated sigh at seeing Arthur¡¯s inattentive babbling.


    ¡°Okay. Then take it easy and heal well.¡±


    ¡°Did the Duke arrive by himself?¡±


    Arthur questioned, his dark green eyes flashing as though it were odd that he was attending the fair alone.


    ¡°I simply came out to explore. I was on my way home.¡±


    Considering that she had already left, there was no need to remain in this mob. Raymond picked up the handkerchief she had abandoned and stared at Arthur.


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll go. Oh, and you need not exert so much effort to go to work. I will extend your vacation time.¡±


    Working with Ellie was far more pleasant than working with Arthur. She was the only candidate that satisfied his stringent requirements.


    Next year, when Arthur departs his assistant position as planned, he wants to replace him with Ellie. I only hoped she would not have an accident that would force her to abandon her work.


    ¡°No. I will shortly report to work.¡±


    At Arthur¡¯s apathetic response, he slightly scowled.


    ¡°I told you to not overdo it.¡±


    ¡°I am really more exhausted from being alone at home. I want to go to work and work, as well as see Ellie. I also want to hear the duke¡¯s nagging.¡±


    Arthur¡¯s cheeks became slightly flushed as he said Ellie¡¯s name. Ellie misses a narrative that has maybe the most authenticity.


    Arthur¡¯s affections for Ellie were well-known. In truth, Raymond was sometimes envious of Ellie¡¯s kind handling of Arthur.


    Because he wanted Ellie to be the lady who visited him every night. But it was irrelevant today.


    ¡°Fine, fine. Then till next time!¡±


    Before the narrative could continue, Raymond interrupted him. Here, he lacked the time to converse with him.


    He had to return to the duke¡¯s residence before she falls back asleep.


    ¡°Yes. Please proceed with caution.¡±


    He disregarded Arthur¡¯s cheerful welcome and returned to get the horse given to him. He arrived home hastily on horseback and went directly to his bedroom.


    ¡°I assume she hasn¡¯t slept yet.¡±


    As he surveyed the vacant bedroom, he mumbled angrily. That is the past. She returned to the bed.


    ¡°Are you already here, Duke?¡±


    Didn¡¯t realize he was in the bedroom, she inquired with sparkling blue eyes.


    ¡°Yes. Our celebrations have been marred by an incompetent assistant.¡±


    ¡°Well, maybe he didn¡¯t notice me, did he?¡±


    At her hesitant inquiry, he nodded slowly.


    ¡°He hadn¡¯t seen you at all¡­ it¡¯s surprising how fast you vanished. But why are you so shocked? Do you happen to know Count Winston?¡±


    Arthur was so well-known that he served as the academy¡¯s student body president. Having attended the same institution, Raymond questioned whether or not she even knew Arthur.


    ¡°I am unaware of the specifics. I am just somewhat familiar with the face. Obviously, he will no longer recognize my face. Nonetheless, I¡¯m concerned that the Duke may become the subject of weird tales because of me.¡±


    ¡°What gossip? There are rumors I have a hidden lover?¡±


    She hesitantly nodded her head in response to his query while smiling.


    ¡°You do not like being surrounded by such rumors.¡±


    ¡°Well. Perhaps it would have been preferable if the rumors had spread in this manner. Many of the ladies that approach me will vanish.¡±


    Somehow, he felt a touch of melancholy. He would have been able to enjoy the festival a little more if she hadn¡¯t unexpectedly vanished. It disturbed him that he did not fully appreciate the event and returned.


    ¡°Regardless, it is sad. I was unable to truly appreciate the event.¡±


    ¡°Nevertheless, I¡¯m relieved that I am done with the handkerchief¡­ How about you? Did you treat it with care?¡±


    In response to her inquiry, he produced two handkerchiefs from his pocket.


    ¡°You can¡¯t even keep the drawing I made of you.¡±


    ¡°Just keep both as a souvenir¡­ I also wish you health and peace.¡±


    She was a really pleasant speaker. So maybe this explains why Raymond was more drawn to her. The more time he spent with her, the stronger his emotions were.


    ¡®I pondered your identity.¡¯


    Raymond gazed at her with sorrowful eyes as he swallowed the words he couldn¡¯t yet pronounce because he lacked the guts.


    ¡ª


    Ellie was astonished to see Duke Rufus waiting for her in the assistant¡¯s office after a day of relaxation.


    ¡®Am I late?¡¯


    Ellie was surprised to see that she still had around twenty minutes until it was time to go to work.


    ¡°Hello, Duke.¡±


    Duke Rufus, who was examining the documents at the time of her welcome, nodded.


    ¡°I saw Arthur yesterday, and he seemed to be in excellent health.¡±


    Yesterday, she had met Arthur with him, but she pretended not to know and opened her lips.


    ¡°Oh yeah? I¡¯m delighted if he looks terrific.¡±


    ¡°I fear he will arrive at work earlier than anticipated.¡±


    His use of words was rather peculiar. It was an expression that did not approve of Arthur¡¯s work.


    ¡°Did you know that Arthur was my assistant just till this year?¡±


    This was common knowledge. Before overseeing one of the Winsters¡¯ firms, Arthur was working as a business class for Duke Rufus.


    ¡®I was thus assigned to serve as his assistant for just two years.¡¯


    ¡°Yes. I know.¡±


    ¡°I want you to take the post of assistant if Arthur resigns.¡±


    Ellie¡¯s eyes widened in response to his unexpected comments.


    ¡°Am I?¡±


    ¡°Yes. There is still much time, so consider carefully. Allow me to double your existing pay.¡±


    A fantastic suggestion then followed. For a secretary, her present income was also fairly high.


    The fact that he will raise her income, however, gave the impression that he was acknowledging her skills, thus Ellie¡¯s heart was overwhelmed.


    She was aware that he relied heavily on her other personality, who visited him every night. However, it felt even better since she felt that he recognized her as the genuine Ellie Miller.


    ¡°Let¡¯s consider it. Thank you for your excellent proposal.¡±


    It seems that her time spent working for Duke Rufus was not wasted. Ellie was content with just that. At least she was the person he needed.


    Day and night, Ellie wanted to be of assistance to him.


    ¡ª


    Ellie fell asleep while recalling the talk she had with Duke Rufus this morning.


    Ellie, upon rising from his bed, surveyed the shadowy chamber in which the nightstand was off with confusion.


    ¡°You¡¯re here.¡±


    The voice of Duke Rufus came from just next to her.


    Ellie saw him lying on the bed with the lights off with astonishment.


    ¡°Duke? Are you okay?¡±


    ¡°I feel fine, real good.¡±


    His voice was tranquil. There was no anxiety or stress whatsoever. It was the first time. Even after all the lights were out, he had such a determined expression.


    ¡°Are you really fine?¡±


    ¡°Yes. It¡¯s just fine.¡±


    His soothing voice was again heard. As she grew used to the darkness, the face of Duke Rufus, who was looking at her, became more distinct.


    His countenance was as tranquil as his words. He did not experience any trembling.


    ¡°I no longer fear the dark.¡±


    His massive hand extended toward her face.


    ¡°When darkness comes, you will come. Thus, the darkness is now inferior.¡±


    Ellie¡¯s eyes welled up with tears as he gently stroked her face while speaking. I had no idea why I was sobbing.


    There was an overwhelming sensation that was difficult to articulate.


    ¡°You are sobbing better than I anticipated.¡±


    Her tears were brushed away by his long fingers.


    ¡°Thanks.¡±


    ¡°Is this not what I ought to say?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure. I can only think of thank you.¡±


    He stifled a smile before opening his lips.


    ¡°I am more thankful. Thanks to you, I was able to eradicate all of my negative memories. Now, I do not want to lose those good memories.¡±


    Hearing that he likes her is exciting. The time granted by the fairy elixir was producing a wondrous miracle.

 Chapter 19

    Every night, I Come to His Bedroom Chapter 19


    Amanda Charlotte, an academy classmate of Ellie¡¯s, asked her to her wedding. Amanda¡¯s spouse was also a senior at the same institution as she.


    Since their time at the school, the two have been lovers. Amanda was first attracted to Duke Rufus, but when her present husband consoled her after she confessed, their relationship evolved into one of love.


    In a sense, Duke Rufus may be the primary contributor to their union.


    Ellie, who was about to leave for the wedding, grabbed the calendar from the dressing table. Since she first visited his bedroom, it had been 100 days.


    I had no clue that my visits to his bedroom would go so long. When her affections for that place have passed, will she really cease visiting?


    If so, she may spend her whole life with him. As she intently observed him, the unrequited love she was certain she would be able to extinguish intensified.


    And he was aware that he, too, had a crush on the one who visited him at night. Nonetheless, she lacked the confidence to confess that she was Ellie Miller.


    The lady on whom he has a crush is undoubtedly the most attractive woman of the night.


    If he discovers that he is infatuated with Ellie Miller, he may immediately lose interest.


    Simply contemplating it caused her heart to hurt. Ellie shook her head hastily so as not to get swamped by negative thoughts.


    Ellie cheerfully grabbed her handbag and exited the home. She should never attend the wedding of a classmate with a frown.


    Academy banquet hall was where the wedding was held. The banquet hall may host a wedding for any student graduating from the institution.


    Given that the college was visited by high-ranking nobility, the banquet hall was likewise rather magnificent. As she entered the dining hall after distributing invitations, she was welcomed by numerous familiar faces.


    But no close pals existed. Due to her high marks, she was awarded a scholarship and admitted to the school. It was tough for her to establish friends since she was younger than her peers.


    In addition, it was difficult for a person from a low-class household like her to approach them since the majority of students at the academy were offspring of high-ranking aristocratic families.


    ¡°Ellie.¡±


    Suddenly, she heard a familiar voice. Ellie regarded Arthur¡¯s crutch-wielding approach with awe as he approached her.


    His zeal was also rather impressive. His legs aren¡¯t totally healed yet, but he¡¯s still attending the wedding of his senior classmate.


    ¡°Assistant. Are your legs all right?¡±


    ¡°Given that I attended the festival, it shouldn¡¯t have come as much of a surprise.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s getting better. I¡¯m here because I must carefully endeavor to recover swiftly. In addition, I am not in excellent health, but I cannot miss this important occasion.¡±


    ¡°But don¡¯t overdo it, Assistant.¡±


    ¡°Arthur. Simply refer to me as Arthur. We¡¯re not even working.¡±


    Ellie quickly waved her hand in response to his statements.


    ¡°What do you suddenly mean¡ª¡±


    He was even too far away in this system to call his name. Since the first time they met, Arthur had no problem addressing her by name.


    In truth, Ellie was a little unfamiliar with his attitude, but since she was younger than him, she did not say anything. Arthur¡¯s personality has been well-known to her for a very long time.


    Arthur Winston was probably well-known among the pupils that attended the same school.


    In contrast to Duke Rufus, he was famed for a different connotation. Due to Arthur¡¯s strong bond, there was no one who could have never followed him.


    I felt jealous of his personality on occasion. It was the complete opposite of her, who does not get along with others readily.


    However, it seems that no matter how hard she tried, she could never live like Arthur did.


    ¡°I don¡¯t like being called an ¡®Assistant¡¯, you see¡ª¡±


    ¡°I will exercise caution outdoors.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a pleasure to see you here. You¡¯re aware that I¡¯ll be at work tomorrow, correct?¡±


    At Arthur¡¯s query, Ellie nodded.


    ¡°Yes. I know. I¡¯m happy to hear that you returned to excellent health.¡±


    ¡°I appreciate that.¡±


    Arthur was then summoned from a distance.


    ¡°Would you want to go say hi?¡±


    Ellie shook his head in response to Arthur¡¯s query.


    ¡°No.¡±


    She only wanted to congratulate them in private and then go.


    ¡°Then I will go for some time.¡±


    After Arthur¡¯s departure, she was once again able to enjoy being alone in peace. Ellie sat in the corner and awaited the ceremony¡¯s start.


    That¡¯s it. Suddenly, the banquet hall became silent. She noticed Duke Rufus enter the banquet hall as she turned her head to follow the attention of the crowd.


    He was someone who captured the attention of everyone anywhere and at any moment. As his personality has blossomed in recent days, his sensitive sentiments have dissipated, and his gorgeous face has looked to radiate even more.


    He was greeted by several individuals. He appeared to attract more interest than the bride and groom.


    As the piano began to play, signaling the beginning of the wedding, he was able to flee the people who had met him.


    Ellie did not approach Duke Rufus, who was seated at a distance, and instead watched with a nonchalant expression. I did not want to continue to annoy him by greeting him.


    The wedding ended as pollen began to flutter to bless the bride and groom. Numerous ladies surrounded Amanda to catch the bouquet the bride flung.


    The bouquet that Amanda hurled with all her might soared into the air. And, oddly, the bride¡¯s bouquet fell in the arms of Duke Rufus, who was seated at the back of the room.


    Upon seeing him clutching a flower and frowning, the banquet hall became instantly silent. This wedding, during which Duke Rufus received the bride¡¯s bouquet, was discussed for a considerable amount of time thereafter.


    People have a vivid recollection of it.


    ¡ª


    Ellie awoke in the bedroom of Duke Rufus and surveyed the well-lit room before rising. He went to bed a little early since he was exhausted, but he seemed to still be washing.


    The bouquet he got at the wedding was placed on the couch table.


    Ellie smiled as she recalled the scenario in which Duke Rufus was presented with the bouquet. The bathroom door then opened, as she heard.


    ¡°You arrived early.¡±


    ¡°Yes. After going out, I felt exhausted.¡±


    ¡°Were you also there at the wedding?¡±


    Ellie responded uncomfortably to his query by nodding her head.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t the wedding gorgeous?¡±


    ¡°The wedding was a nuisance. I went in case you were present, but I was unable to identify you.¡±


    Evidently, I attended the wedding. I made brief eye contact with him, but that was the extent of our interaction. Perhaps he did not even consider Ellie Miller a contender.


    ¡°You would not know if I were standing right next to you.¡±


    ¡°You seemed really happy.¡±


    I was upset, truth be told. He did not see me as the opposing sex in any way.


    However, Ellie gave it up when she began to fall in love with him. Because she was aware that she and him did not get along.


    ¡°Now that you¡¯ve gotten the bouquet, you should hurry up and be married.¡±


    Ellie shifted the topic and picked up the bouquet that he had discarded.


    ¡°Who does believe in those kinds of things? I don¡¯t have any plans on getting married.¡±


    ¡°It is the reverse of what I am.¡±


    She desired marriage at an early age and was always lonely. The most envious were those who had a large family. Ellie Miller, when she was young, desired to have a loving household with decent people.


    Since I was a child, I¡¯ve desired to be married swiftly.


    Ellie touched the petals of the bouquet and spoke with a sweet face.


    ¡°Who do you want to marry? Don¡¯t tell me that you want to marry me?¡±


    Ellie frantically waved her hands in response to Duke Rufus¡¯s smirking comments.


    ¡°Extremely unlikely. I can affirm to God. I never considered it in such a manner.¡±


    With a serious look on his face, he displayed a trace of irritation at hearing her response.


    ¡°You¡¯ve never considered it before?¡±


    Ellie responded to his query with a scowl and an unhesitating nod of the head.


    ¡°Yes. Really. I never imagined such a thing.¡±


    Sincerity was evident. He was the type of man she could never even imagine.


    ¡°Haah.¡±


    His lips let out an incomprehensible chuckle.


    ¡°Maybe you don¡¯t believe me?¡±


    ¡°Then, who is the man you envisioned being married to?¡±


    His blue eyes, like furious waves, shifted toward her.


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°What kind of man did you want to marry?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s only that I want someone who is similar to me¡ª¡±


    As she responded without any reflection, he drew closer to her. Ellie closed her lips as he regarded her with intense, seemingly swallowing eyes.


    ¡°Since you have a crush on me, why do you visit me nightly and marry someone else?¡±


    Ellie gently blinked her eyes in response to his low, gruff query.


    ¡°Do you believe I¡¯ll simply sit back and let it happen?¡±


    Ellie was perplexed as she gazed up at him. He approached her and seized the hand carrying the bouquet.


    ¡°Excuse me, Duke¡­ You don¡¯t even know who I am¡ª¡±


    His blue eyes clouded. Ellie was apprehensive for some reason due to the resolute stare that was directed at her.


    ¡°I wonder who you are.¡±


    The unexpected comments caused her heart to beat swiftly. Her form vanished in an instant at that time.


    Raymond heaved a sad sigh as he saw the flower arrangement tumble futilely to the floor.


    ¡°She just vanished once again.¡±


    His statements seem to shock her much.


    ¡°That was inappropriate of me to say.¡±


    She may have seen them as rash statements.


    ¡°In fact, I¡¯ve been wanting to tell her this for a while. Who she was now was essentially irrelevant.¡±


    He felt certain that he could love anybody. It¡¯s not because of her beauty that he was captivated by her. He gradually sank into that loving heart, which considered him more than everyone else.


    Thanks to her, he was finally able to escape the horrific memories that had long tormented him. Her presence provided him with solace, a miracle, and a sense of love.


    He planned to share his thoughts with her in a calm manner when she returned. He nervously waited for her return while seated on the couch.


    She did not reappear that night, regardless of how long he waited.

 Chapter 20

    Every night, I Come to His Bedroom Chapter 20


    Ellie, who abruptly awoke, had difficulty sleeping. In the meanwhile, Duke Rufus had been covertly expressing his love for her, but this was the first time he had done so openly.


    He was interested in me. However, she lacked the guts to expose herself just yet.


    Seeing the disappointed expression on Duke Rufus¡¯s face, she concluded that she could no longer work for him.


    I did not want to lose both my career and my love. Since I was acknowledged as an employee who was indispensable to him, I wanted to continue by his side as an essential individual if I was unable to be a woman to his eyes.


    After tossing and turning in her thoughts till 12 a.m, she finally fell asleep. But for some reason, she was unable to enter his bedroom even while she was sleeping.


    Ellie, upon awakening without a dream, had a perplexed look. It was the first time this had occurred since she consumed the fairy elixir.


    What went wrong?


    The weekend, when she did not work, prevented her from seeing his face throughout the day. Ellie was irritated and attempted to take a nap, but she was once again prevented from entering his bedroom.


    It was the same at night. Ellie, who awoke with a dissatisfied frown, had a gut feeling. that the magical period has ended.


    Her eyes filled with tears as she remembered the 100 days she had spent with him.


    She knew that this period would eventually end. But she did not anticipate it to end so abruptly.


    If only my sentiments hadn¡¯t changed, I suppose I would have been pleased to see him again.


    Because I had faith in him in my heart.


    It felt as if my heart had been torn open. There seems to be no way to fill this gap.


    Ellie, who went to work with a black complexion, stood for a long time in front of his office. Ellie, ultimately lacking the guts to knock on the door, turned around with her head bent.


    When she entered the assistant¡¯s office with a weary foot, Arthur, who had arrived at work earlier, waved to greet her.


    ¡°Ellie. Greetings in the morning.¡±


    ¡°I believe it¡¯s been quite some time since I last saw you here.¡±


    Now that Arthur has returned, she will seldom see Duke Rufus at work. The thought of moving away from him, who was always with her day and night, breaks her heart, but now is the time to wake up from the dream.


    The wonderful dream of one hundred days is ended.


    ¡ª


    The light in Duke Rufus¡¯ chamber, which had been out for some time, was once again brilliantly illuminated. Raymond gazed with moist blue eyes at the location where she appeared daily.


    After many days of insomnia and anticipation, she did not reappear. The exchanges he had with her ran through his head.


    Then what if you no longer show up here?


    Perhaps my unrequited love has come to an end.


    I hope I can resolve the situation soon.


    He recalled what he had said and felt remorse.


    He did not want to state that.


    If he had known her emotions would be so easily resolved, he would not have spoken anything.


    ¡°Please appear again. I shall love you more now.¡±


    He was without even a name to miss.


    If I had known this would occur, I would have inquired about her identity sooner.


    Despite the fact that we had been seeing each other for almost three months, I knew nothing about her.


    He had no choice but to hang onto the handkerchief she drew of him and wait for her reappearance.


    ¡°Because you will not arrive. Again, the darkness is frightening.¡±


    After her disappearance, Raymond was unable to sleep in complete darkness.


    It was not a matter of conquering fear. Only because she was beside him did he not feel frightened.


    The night had lasted too long. These extended evenings were always filled with sorrow.


    ¡ª


    Ellie groaned hard and headed home after leaving work with a fatigued expression. These days, only tears and sighs have risen.


    Duke Rufus is a Duke, and he welcomes the daughters of prominent aristocratic families every day.


    Social circles were inundated with rumors that he was going to be married shortly. Ellie was skeptical of the rumor. She was aware that he was searching for the lady who had visited him nightly.


    I could tell what type of picture he had of me by observing the ladies. They were all young girls from families that could be identified by name alone.


    The arrival of the stylish, gorgeous, and stunning ladies caused her to become even more reclusive.


    I feared that I would have the confidence to do it, but I would not even be able to observe him from a distance, so I instantly lost my bravery.


    ¡°I wish I were as beautiful in real life as a fairy.¡±


    ¡°Do you want it? Go on, tell me. I¡¯ll listen.¡±


    While reciting, Ellie was surprised by the man¡¯s dismal voice coming from behind her.


    As she turned back in astonishment, a guy with dark black hair and dark black eyes greeted her.


    ¡°Which are you?¡±


    Ellie yelled in a cautious tone as she swiftly grabbed the umbrella from the porch.


    ¡°Who do you believe I am?¡±


    A darkness emanated from his body. It resembled a devil.


    ¡°Right¡­ a Devil.¡±


    Is he able to read her mind?


    He responded with a grin. Ellie¡¯s dark eyes widened in response to his incredible claims.


    ¡°What nonsense¡ª¡±


    At that same moment, his body rose into the air. A chilly grin appeared on his face.


    ¡°Your father entered my garden without permission and picked the devil¡¯s flower. Therefore, I believe you will have to pay for your misdeeds on behalf of your father.¡±


    He was talking about things that made no sense on a scale of one to 10.


    ¡°How can I trust¡ª¡±


    She was again dumbfounded. When he opened his hand, she saw her father in a prison-like setting.


    ¡°What have you done to my dad?¡±


    Ellie questioned him with urgency.


    ¡°I haven¡¯t done it yet. However, your actions will decide whether your father lives or dies. Is that true? There is no life after death for a soul consumed by the devil.¡±


    His icy words gave her chills. Ellie expelled a long sigh while gazing into his emotionless black eyes.


    I could not let my father pass away. I do not know why this bizarre occurrence only befell my father, but now he had no choice but to follow this devil.


    ¡°What ought I to do?¡±


    ¡°In contrast to your idiotic father, we get along very well. Simple. Just be my pretend lover.¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    I wondered whether I had misunderstood anything. Ellie inquired with a confused expression.


    ¡°I must fool a female. Like I no longer adore her.¡±


    A moment of grief appeared in his eyes, something she had not before been able to recognize.


    ¡°I will soon depart this earth. When I pass on, your father will also be set free. So until then, pretend to be my sweetheart.¡±


    It reminded her of the devil-related conversation she had with Duke Rufus.


    The single weakness of the devil was love. Could this guy, or devil, have fallen in love with a human?


    ¡°How did you learn the story?¡±


    In fact, this monster seems to be able to read people¡¯s minds. Ellie stared at him with an uneasy expression as he asked her a question.


    ¡°I was informed by my father.¡±


    ¡°Your father was also not an average person. In the first place, normal people do not seek the devil¡¯s flower.¡±


    It seems that her father did not choose the flower at random.


    ¡°The devil¡¯s flower is capable of curing all diseases. If you collaborate well, your father will also get the flower. And you want to be beautiful? If you can successfully deceive her, I can make you lovely.¡±


    The devil¡¯s appeal was very enticing. But Ellie was aware that the sweet was toxic.


    ¡°I simply said it.¡±


    ¡°It sounds rather grave. Then consider what else you want. I, too, am not that scrupulous demon.¡±


    She never imagined hearing the devil mention conscience.


    ¡°You are aware that your father will die as soon as you reject.¡±


    This was not a request, but rather a warning. It appears reasonable that the devil has no conscience.


    ¡°Yes, conscience. My heart has become as tender as a human¡¯s.¡±


    Ellie groaned at seeing the enraged monster.


    ¡°I¡¯ll assist you. I have no idea whether she will be duped, but I will try my best.¡±


    There was no other means of saving his father. And Ellie was thinking that he didn¡¯t seem like a horrible demon at all.


    A demon that developed romantic feelings towards humanity. So, will that lady instead of this monster have an everlasting life?


    ¡°Yes. She is unaware that my lifespan has been transferred to her. I didn¡¯t even realize I was going to die shortly. Therefore, you must keep it a secret.¡±


    It seems that even the devil is kind. This demon was upset because he had threatened to kill her father, but he was also rather distressed.


    Love seemed to be painful for both humans and demons.


    ¡ª


    Ellie regarded the demon who had followed the duke and watched him go with an uneasy expression.


    ¡°Am I required to do this?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s very jealous¡­ She went with me wherever I went¡­ you must do this so she can trust you¡­ I like you¡ª¡±


    ¡°She is not even observing us.¡±


    The devil placed his hand on her shoulder as he frustratedly addressed her.


    ¡°She is still observing us.¡±


    Ellie¡¯s eyes widened as he said quietly in her ear.


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°She was the most accomplished assassin in the Kingdom of Astell.¡±


    The lady he cherished was a killer. Ellie¡¯s body shook by itself for no apparent cause. Perhaps, Ellie will be killed without anyone knowing.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, it won¡¯t happen. She has not harmed anybody since leaving that position.¡±


    His remarks alleviated some of her anxiousness, but it did not totally go.


    ¡°However, do not fret.¡±


    ¡°I know. Stop immediately.¡±


    Perhaps she wanted him to return before the duke¡¯s household staff discovered him. But it seems late.


    ¡°Ellie?¡±


    Ellie spun around in surprise as she heard Arthur¡¯s familiar voice coming from behind. Arthur exited the carriage and cautiously regarded the demon standing next to her.


    T/N Notes: NEW ML? I guess not, since demons cant fall in love