“Are you okay?”

The soft voice of Ileon was heard at the top of my head.

There were several times when moments like this happened.

When I fell asleep reading a book next to Ileon.

When I fell over in the park while chasing a bee.

Suddenly.

Elishia tried hard to gather the emotions that were brewing inside her.

“Il…..”

Elishia, who was about to call him without knowing, was very surprised.

‘He doesn’t know me.’

And she also had to not know him.

Elishia barely raised her head.

“Ah…..”

She met his red eyes staring at her as if piercing her. Ileon was looking at her, bowing his head and looking at her in his arms.

When did he start looking like this? Elishia got goosebumps on her arm.

The point of focus that always met closely was gone, and vivid primary colors were shining where the grey pupils had been.

Elishia looked at his eyes as if she was mesmerized for a moment.

‘I thought red pupils might be scary or strange.’

Because it’s a different color from ordinary people’s pupils. There was a time when I was curious about what it would be like to see it in real life. The real eyes of Ileon were very beautiful. It was a mysteriously beautiful red.

Then I heard someone approaching over the evergreen trees that surrounded the garden. Elishia, who suddenly came to her senses, was surprised.

The arm of Ileon wrapped around her waist was still there. If anyone saw it, they would be as close as if they were having a secret affair between a man and a woman.

“Ththank you.”

“Don’t mention it.”

Courtesy words were exchanged, and Elishia was puzzled.

‘Huh?’

It was a sign to let go, but oddly, it felt as if Ileon was hugging her tighter.

“Umm… Your Highness.”

Elishia, who found a title that suited him, not “Mr. Ileon,” called him.

“I, I’m okay. You can let go now.”

Feeling the familiar scent of Ileon in his arms, her heart kept becoming melancholic.

Besides, it seemed that someone was getting closer and closer, which made her anxious.

“Your Highness? Please let go. If someone sees…”

“They’ll be jealous.”

“……What?”

Elishia opened her mouth stupidly, then quickly shut it. There were many times when she felt that he was not at a loss for words even when he couldn’t see in front of him, but she thought it was because of their masterservant relationship. It seemed that was not the case.

“It’s a joke. I meant to make you laugh, but you’re not laughing.”

Ileon helped her to stand upright. Due to the voluminous skirt that obscured her feet, Elishia carefully stood up straight.

“What’s your name?”

“My name is Elishia Uter.”

Elishia quickly spread her skirt and bowed her knee in greeting. I only did it in front of Julian and Mariella, Ileon. You have to know that. You’re the first one outside of family. Elishia was embarrassingly mumbling anything to herself.

“Elishia Uter, Elishia. Elishia.”

Ileon, who was murmuring her name over and over as if chewing on it, seemed to be trying to memorize her name.

‘Why?’

She couldn’t figure out the reason.

“By the way, how did you know I was the Grand Duke?”

“That… I heard a rumor…”

“What kind of rumor?”

“That Grand Duke Clevent has regained his eyesight.”

“Aha. That’s it. A rumor. You heard a rumor.”

Elishia strangely felt that he kept catching the tail of her words.

‘Uh. It’s uncomfortable.’

Suddenly, Mariella’s earnest expression came to mind.

“Your honor falling to the ground is not just your problem. It’s a disgrace to the Duchy of Uter.”

She had made Elishia promise several times.

“Never. Never let it be known that you were a maid of the Grand Duke. Even if you say nothing happened, scandal is such a thing. It doesn’t matter what the truth is. Because it’s enough to be sensational.”

I just vaguely wanted to see Ileon with his eyes open.

Now that she faced Ileon, she had a lot of questions.

‘I want to ask.’

How he feels. Whether there was any pain. Whether he was eating well, etc.

But probably, Mariella would have been trembling just at the sight of her facing Ileon like this. Elishia’s mother was a person who worries a lot.

“I will retreat for now.”

First of all, evasion was the best strategy.

Elishia hid her regretful heart. She didn’t know when she could see Ileon again. But she must not reveal that she is Rona.

She was about to turn around in a highly tense state. Suddenly Ileon called her.

“Miss Elishia.”

“Yes?”

“This is also fate, let’s have a cup of tea together.”

“With, with me?”

Elishia tilted her head in confusion.

This was because she had heard from the butler, Bernard, the surprising story that Illeon had no interest in women and had never been on a date. Especially tea, that damn tea.

「Our Majesty who hasn’t even touched the cup of tea must continue to live in a poison workshop!」

But why does he want to drink tea now? And with me?

When Elishia didn’t answer, Illeon stared at her intently.

“Is there a problem?”

“No, there isn’t.”