The Duke Stole Everything - Chapter 36

Sharti couldn’t grip the flower stem too tightly for fear of damaging it.

Holding the precious flower, Sharti hurriedly placed it in a medicine bottle on the table.

Though there wasn’t a proper vase, it made for a fitting picture with the modest flower.

“Do you like it? …Sir?”

Ren watched Sharti, who couldn’t take her eyes off the flower, with a slightly curious feeling.

The pale yellow flower he had picked was embarrassingly rough and plain.

It must have been a common flower that Sharti, who climbs the mountain several times a day, had seen dozens of times.

‘With the herbal scent filling the house, she probably can’t smell the flower’s fragrance.’

Yet Sharti was sniffing slightly as if trying to catch the flower’s scent.

Ren felt a sudden urge to pull back her hood and check.

Ren, who had unconsciously reached out, clenched his fist before touching Sharti.

‘…I’m doing it again.’

Ren pressed his palm firmly against his solar plexus. The occasional tingling he had felt there before now felt a bit heavier.

Ren frowned at this strange reaction that came unbidden.

Ren entered the bathroom, leaving Sharti who was focused solely on the flower.

‘I didn’t expect her to like it this much.’

Ren lightly splashed water on his head and body, washing away the cold mountain air and earthy smell that clung to him.

In truth, the excuse he gave Sharti when giving her the flower was a lie.

After washing the herbs Sharti had asked for, he had secretly gone to check behind the log cabin and found the flower.

The reason his attention was drawn to the unassuming flower was simple. In the sunlight, the pale yellow flower looked just like the color of Sharti’s hair.

‘When I came to my senses, the flower was in my hand.’

He couldn’t just throw away the flower he had picked as if in a trance.

So he gave it to Sharti.

Even packaging it with pleasant words.

“Huu…”

Ren brushed back his damp hair and checked his face in the mirror.

His face, which had been covered in spider web-like capillaries, had returned to normal now that the toxin from the poisonous herb had completely left his system.

“Two days left, huh.”

Ren muttered, tilting his head.

He still hadn’t decided whether to accept Bireta’s proposal or not.

Ren let out a small laugh.

“It seems she’s already made up her mind to send me away.”

Sharti had already concluded that Ren would be leaving.

It was natural, since he had shown an ambiguous attitude towards the proposal, neither affirming nor denying it.

Though he knew she was engaging in conversation under the pretext of practice because he was someone who would be leaving, Ren didn’t add any words.

“At least not now.”

Even if he were to leave, shouldn’t he lighten his debt of gratitude to Sharti?

Minor chores weren’t enough.

‘To think she’d even catch fish to prepare meals.’

Instead of repaying her kindness, he was only receiving more.

He didn’t want to leave with just a one-sided feeling of indebtedness, even if they couldn’t be equals.

So Ren was secretly preparing a gift for her, uncharacteristically.

‘I should do it when night falls.’

Ren exited the bathroom.

While he was washing, Sharti had quickly prepared lunch.

The menu was stir-fried mushrooms with potatoes.

“…”

Ren sat down and closely observed the magic stone Sharti was handling.

Sharti only used the magic stone for cooking or as lighting when night fell.

He vaguely realized that the size changed each time she used it.

‘She won’t even use it for lighting after heating bath water.’

How startled he had been to hear water sounds from the pitch-black bathroom.

Imagining Sharti washing in darkness with the bathroom door closed made him feel uneasy.

So Ren was strongly confident about his gift.

Surely Sharti would be even happier than when she received that mere flower.

“Please eat a lot.”

“Alright. …Sir.”

Ren wasn’t particularly struggling with honorifics.

It just didn’t come naturally, making it awkward.

If he put his mind to it, correcting his speech pattern would be easy.

However, he didn’t fix his clumsy honorifics, as it allowed him to converse while hearing Sharti’s voice under that pretense.

“It’s delicious. …Sir.”

Though he didn’t particularly like the mushy texture, Ren silently continued eating.

He didn’t want to express his dislike and dampen Sharti’s excited mood in front of her.

“…”

As always, Ren finished eating early and quietly watched Sharti with his chin resting on his hand.

Even while eating, Sharti kept glancing at the pale yellow flower in the vase on the table.

The more Sharti glanced at the flower, the more Ren’s lips curved upwards.

“Ahem.”

Ren habitually brushed his lips.

When Sharti, who finished eating slower than usual, reflexively turned her gaze towards Ren, he casually averted his eyes.

He felt guilty for having been stealing glances at her.

“Thank you for washing the herbs.”

“…Was it alright? …Sir?”

“Yes.”

I guess I didn’t do a good job.

Ren swallowed a sigh.

But he wasn’t as dejected as before.

He planned to make up for it tonight with something only he could do.

“I’ve only finished the top, but try it on just in case. I’ll alter it right away if anything doesn’t fit.”

Sharti added that she needed to check if the stitching was done properly since it was thick fabric.

Ren didn’t mind what kind of clothes Sharti made for him.

Having shamelessly borrowed her pajamas only to have them torn and tattered due to their size difference, Ren wouldn’t have minded even if she gave him a sackcloth at this point.

“…It’s nice. Sir.”

Ren awkwardly moved his body around, wearing the winter clothes Sharti said she had completed.

Not only was it warm, but the clothes didn’t tear even when he moved.

It was clear at a glance how meticulously she had sewn it.

“I’m glad.”

Sharti sighed in relief as Ren seemed to like it.

Deciding to alter only the shoulder and forearm areas, Sharti took the clothes back.

‘…Am I going to leave wearing that?’

If he made the decision, in two days, he would leave this old log cabin wearing clothes she made and eating food she prepared.

Ren reflexively raised an eyebrow.

The problem was the sudden surge of denial and hesitation.

Inwardly clicking his tongue, Ren turned his gaze away from her and rubbed his nape for no reason.

‘What am I supposed to do?’

If it’s going to be like this, then rather…

Ren paused at another decision that came to mind, mixed with irritation and self-deprecation.

Slowly, he lowered his hand.

“Ren?”

“In this place…”

Startled by the words that flowed from his absentmindedly open mouth, Ren quickly shut it.

Looking troubled, Ren covered his mouth and turned his back to Sharti.

‘I want to stay in this place?’

His solar plexus surged greatly.

As if that was his true feeling.

Ren’s nape turned red.

[This is the timeline separator]

Sharti blinked as she looked at Ren’s suddenly complicated-looking back.

‘Why is he acting like that all of a sudden? Did he not like the clothes?’

Apart from the fabric, the design might not have been to his taste. But even so, there was nothing Sharti could do about it.

With her sewing skills, this design was the best she could do.

As Sharti was watching Ren’s reaction, he suddenly turned around to face her.

“I’ll eat a little later. …Sir.”

Sharti, who had tensed up expecting him to mention the clothes, quickly nodded after checking the time.

She would be sitting on the bed sewing all afternoon anyway, so it didn’t matter if the meal was delayed.

“…Ren?”

When Sharti called out to Ren, who had fallen silent again, he snapped back to attention and nodded.

He seemed to have his mind elsewhere.

As Sharti’s eyes were about to narrow, Ren picked up a broom.

“I’ll do some cleaning. …Sir.”

Sharti nodded, finding it unexpected.

She thought he would offer to help with the sewing again like he did in the morning.

“I’ll get the ointment out, so apply the medicine first.”

Sharti eyed Ren suspiciously as she went to fetch the ointment.

She considered applying the ointment for him since he seemed distracted, but it would be better for him to get used to applying it himself, so Sharti just handed over the ointment and headed to the bedroom.

‘Did he perhaps remember something?’

Ren’s subtly changed attitude and gaze in that moment bothered her.

Shaking her head vigorously, Sharti dismissed it as unnecessary meddling.

Sharti took off her hood, roughly combing through the long curly hair that had been stuffed uncomfortably inside. Then she sat on the bed and began working on the top Ren would wear.

‘It would be nice if he could recover his memories before leaving.’

It would be even better if she could hear Ren’s real name before he left.

But what was this uncomfortable feeling, like a thorn stuck in her side?

‘But Grandmother hasn’t come to visit since then. Tein too.’

Even Birena, who always took care of Sharti when she was sick, hadn’t been heard from.

It wasn’t that she felt lonely or hurt.

She was just perplexed.

‘Why doesn’t she come to ask me anything when she made such a proposal to Ren?’

It was as if they were giving time for Ren to sort out his feelings and say goodbye properly before leaving.

Sharti hugged the thick fabric and her knees.

Her crimson eyes stared at the curtain covering the broken window.

When she closed her eyes quietly, she could faintly hear movement outside the bedroom.

‘When Ren leaves, it’ll be like before…’

Living alone in this old log cabin.

How could she describe this feeling of being consumed by emptiness?

When no clear answer came, Sharti pushed away the idle thoughts and resumed sewing.

After altering the top and nearly finishing the bottom, Sharti rubbed her tired eyes.

Rotating her sore neck and shoulders, Sharti got off the bed.

The sun was already setting.

‘I’ll finish the bottom tomorrow and organize the herbs Ren washed first.’

After carefully fastening her hood, Sharti neatly arranged the fabric scraps and nearly completed clothes before leaving the bedroom.

There was no sign of Ren in the house, but Sharti turned on just one light and went straight to the herb room.

‘I wonder where he went this time.’

This time, she wasn’t startled by Ren’s absence.

Since Ren didn’t go far when he went outside and usually came back with small discoveries like berries or flowers, Sharti tried to restrain her overreaction.

‘The days get dark so quickly now that the season has changed.’

Sharti sat at the desk.

On the desk cluttered with formulas, herbs, and medical books, there was a toy-like lamp. The magic stone, only as big as a fingernail, wasn’t very bright even when lit, but it had the advantage of lasting an entire season.

It was a gift Birena had bought with her savings for Sharti’s independence.

‘I should finish the backlogged herb records first.’

Sharti diligently began writing records to be used for Tein’s lessons.

After that, she repeatedly trimmed, crushed, and ground the leaves, roots, stems, and flowers of the herbs.

Sharti’s concentration didn’t break until the day had completely darkened.

‘Phew! All done!’

Sharti stretched her stiff body as she finished today’s work.

As she was about to get up to tidy the desk one last time, Sharti tilted her head and rubbed the back of her hand.

‘Huh? It’s warm?’

Even though the sun had set, the room wasn’t cold at all.

Rather, Sharti looked around in confusion at the warm room temperature.

It wasn’t her imagination. Even the air felt warm.

‘…It actually feels hot.’

Sharti swallowed dryly.

Her heart started pounding. It was simply mental anxiety, but feeling the heat in the enclosed room made it hard to breathe.

‘Ca-calm down. This room has no windows, and I even closed the door, so it could be warm.’

Trying to think positively, Sharti hurriedly grabbed the doorknob.

But at that moment, Sharti’s complexion turned deathly pale.

‘Why, why…?’

From outside, there was the smell of something burning.

Sharti, her hand trembling on the doorknob, shook her head urgently.

She even hit her head hard repeatedly.

‘It’s an illusion. It’s all an illusion. Get a grip!’

There was no way there could be a burning smell inside this log cabin.

The possibility of a fire from the magic stone-embedded lamp breaking was also low.

Because it was a lamp gifted by Bireta, who knew well about her fire trauma, the lamp automatically turned off if it fell or was impacted.

‘I’ll just go out first…’

Using her two hands that had no strength, she forcibly opened the door.

Whoosh—

“…!”

A vivid flame was imprinted in Sharti’s pupils.

There was a ball of fire right in front of her eyes.

Moreover, it was a fire burning higher and faster.

[Hick… Save, save me please…]

“…”

Sharti covered her ears without even breathing.

But the sound of the fire burning, the sound of sparks flying, was too clear.

[Cough, cough, hack…!]

She heard the sound of someone clutching their throat and suffering after inhaling the acrid smoke.

Where was that sound coming from? Who was making that sound?

The memory from 5 years ago began to replay before her eyes more vividly than a nightmare.

And as the flames flared up, Sharti realized.

It was the sound she was making right now.

“Aaaaaaaaahhhhh—!!!!!”

Sharti collapsed and curled up on the spot.

“Save me, save… Hick, huu, save me, please, aah…!!”

Sharti screamed at the top of her lungs, covering her ears and curled up.

The fire, the fire was burning to devour her again.

That fire would engulf her again. It would strangle her again and leave eternal scars that could never be erased.

Sharti’s vision began to blur.

Large tears fell one after another.

And her tears pooled not on the floor, but on thick forearms.

“—Sha! Sha!!”

Ren, who was hugging the screaming Sharti, turned his head with a shocked expression.

The fire in the fireplace, where he had just been putting firewood, was burning hotly.