It had only been a fleeting moment. Yet, her face flushed with the shame of having exposed more than she wanted to.
But worse was the sigh that soon followed from Count Heidern.
“Lea……”
As if she were gravely wounded, Count Heidern treated her like a patient, making Lea’s lips tremble.
“I’ll go out immediately and get a doctor…!”
He seemed to have grasped the situation and quickly covered her body with a large towel from the shelf. Then he lifted her up from the floor.
“…Count.”
Ignoring the Count’s frantic words, Lea managed to speak through her stifled sobs.
“Yes. Where are you uncomfortable?”
Was he aware that she was bare? He was inspecting her body while holding her.
What hurt Lea now was not physical pain but shame.
“Wa…”
“Water? You want water?”
As if he’d really get her water, he frantically looked around. Frustrated, Lea mustered enough strength to make her voice heard.
“…Door.”
“What?”
He bent his head down, as if he didn’t hear her well. Lea’s faint voice echoed into his ear.
“Close the door and leave…”
(This is a time separator.)
[Dash] Jolt.“Ugh……”
Lea inadvertently let out a low moan due to the jolting carriage.
Last night, Count Heidern had disregarded Lea’s request to leave and close the door, carrying her to bed instead.
Soon after, he had a doctor examine her.
[It’s fortunate. It seems like your muscles were just momentarily startled.] [Just startled muscles can cause this level of immobility?] [Yes, it’s possible. But you should avoid strenuous activity and rest for a while.]After the doctor left, Lea became deep in thought, staring at Akkia who sat next to the bed.
It might be a minor scrape, but had Akkia not been there, she would have remained fallen in the bathroom.
‘It’s good that it’s not serious, but…’
Her eyes were on the man leaning against the carriage, eyes closed.
The problem was that it became difficult to meet Count Heidern’s gaze after that incident.
‘So shameful!’
It was embarrassing even though it wasn’t the first time she had seen him undressed. Perhaps sensing Lea’s sidelong glances, the Count spoke softly.
“Endure a little longer. We’ll soon arrive at Count Belarus’ estate.”
After spending two days at the estate of Count Belarus, the lord of the northern territories, they had decided to leave for Biarritzkal.
Biarritzkal was the most barren land among the territories owned by the Belarus family.
Except for the salt mines, it was practically a wasteland, so they had taken a long time to prepare the necessary supplies at the Count’s estate.
“If you feel too uncomfortable, stay at the estate. I can go to Biarritzkal alone.”
“No way. How could I stay behind after coming this far?”
Seeing her determined response, the Count opened his previously closed eyes, revealing his deep red gaze.
He sighed without a word.
“If you come along, you’ll be a burden. There are no proper accommodations there. We’ll have to pitch a tent on the ground.”
“That’s fine.”
Seeing Lea’s unwavering determination, the Count finally nodded.
“Then get examined by a doctor once we reach Count Belarus’ estate.”
“Huh? It’s just a muscle spasm.”
However, Lea finally relented under the Count’s sharp gaze.
“I will do so.”
Satisfied at last, the Count abruptly turned his head. Inside the carriage en route to their territory, Lea fixated her gaze out of the window, avoiding eye contact with the Count.
She then thought about the Belarus Count’s family, a noble house with a long history as founding contributors to the Croatian Empire.
‘Of course, that’s ancient history…’
Although they were the leading noble family in the northern territories, they were now at risk of their lineage dying out. Count Belarus had an only daughter, who died young.
Ever since losing his only daughter, it was said that Count Belarus had given up on everything.
Not just the management of his territory, but also the family businesses handed down through generations.
Such were the thoughts on the Belarus family that crossed Lea’s mind.
As the carriage slowed down, it seemed they had reached their destination. Then the door opened, and the coachman’s voice could be heard.
“We have arrived.”
An Indifferent Woman is the One Men Desire the Most
One-line summary: The female lead is actually cold-hearted and extremely rational. She has stage-by-stage relationships and won’t two-time, but there will always be someone who secretly likes her.
This novel has the following triggers, so if you’re sensitive to these, please don’t read:
1. The female lead has had many relationships, but she treated each one seriously and broke up properly.
It’s just that the men unilaterally pestered her incessantly. For the female lead, when she doesn’t like someone anymore, she simply doesn’t like them.
(This applies to her relationships with Male Lead 1, 2, 3, and 4 as well, but she’s loyal in each 1-on-1 relationship!)
2. In this novel, Male Lead 2 and the female lead kiss in a car, and Male Lead 1 sees it and beats up Male Lead 2.
The female lead calls the police and sends both Male Lead 1 and 2 to the police station! Male Lead 1 begs the female lead not to break up with him.
3. Male Lead 1 has a gentle appearance but an obsessive personality.
Male Lead 2 has a delicate and soft appearance, slightly green tea-like (two-faced).
Male Lead 3 is a youthful college student and a smart person who has secretly liked the female lead for a long time.
Male Lead 4 is the female lead’s father’s special assistant, a business elite with deep, hidden thoughts.
4. At the beginning of this novel, the female lead has already broken up with Male Lead 1 (Chapter 4) and gotten back together with Male Lead 2 (ex-boyfriend).
5. Enter with caution if you have triggers!!!
