It seems like I’m enchanted by Hadel! ‘No, this won’t do. If I continue like this, I might end up naturally getting dragged again and sobbing.’ Sharpening my mind, I shook my head. Then, gesturing to Hadel, I signaled for him to come back to bed. As Hadel furrowed his brow, he yawned, seemingly saying, “I’m too sleepy. I might fall asleep while washing up. It’s challenging to get up after soaking in water like a sloth, so I’d rather just sleep.” Even as I said this, I was aware that it didn’t make sense. And it’s not like I can’t sleep without washing up. Since I had no strength to lift a finger, eventually, it was best for Hadel to wash me. ‘But I can’t trust Hadel.’ Will it really end as a wholesome bath? It didn’t seem likely. ‘I’d rather die in pain than let Hadel wash me.’ Thinking that, I turned my head swiftly. At that moment, Hadel remarked like a jab, “You’ve slept enough. If you sleep more, you might be called a lazy sloth.” Lazy sloth. It sounded so unjust. Without realizing it, I found myself arguing with Hadel. “No! How can that be enough? Even after I fell into a deep sleep, you kept bothering me, making it impossible to sleep.” Tipping his head, Hadel pointed out the inconsistency in my words. “How could you know when you were asleep?” “Well…” Fearing that I might not be able to sleep all night, I pretended to be asleep. That’s right. I only pretended to be asleep. But after that, Hadel kept bothering me, making it impossible for me to pretend anymore.
“No, that’s not it! How can that be enough? Hadel, even after I pretended to fall asleep, you kept touching me, making it impossible to sleep.”

Tilting his head, Hadel pointed out the inconsistency in my words.

“You were asleep. How could you know?”

“Well…”

Thinking that I might not be able to sleep all night, I pretended to be asleep. That’s right. I only pretended to be asleep. But after that, Hadel kept bothering me, making it impossible for me to pretend anymore.

Upon learning the whole story of the incident, Hadel narrowed his eyes.

“Marian.”

Oh no. Caught off guard and coerced into a confession, I quickly turned my head, attempting to avoid an unfavorable situation.

“Ah, I don’t know! I don’t know! I’ll just go to sleep!”

Expecting more probing, Hadel chuckled. Then, he embraced me, taking firm steps as he spoke.

“Yeah. Just sleep. I’ll take care of everything.”

“What, what?”

This feels uneasy. I huddled my shoulders. Hadel maintained his usual indifferent expression. But somehow, did he seem mischievous, or was it just my imagination?

“Since you slept well even when I touched you, it won’t be a problem for you to bathe.”

In the end, it meant that he would bathe me, so whether I slept or not, it was up to me. I vehemently objected,

“That, that doesn’t mean the same thing!”

“It means the same thing.”

I pleaded as if trying to escape.

“I, I want to go back to being a sloth.”

“It’s too late.”

As soon as I heard the resolute tone, I had a premonition that things had gone wrong.

After being thrifty with Hadel even in the bathroom, I could finally board the carriage going up to the capital.

‘I slept, but it feels like I didn’t, rested, but it feels like I didn’t.’

With a pale, burnt face, I sat in the carriage. It was only after putting numerous cushions on my sore back.

Nella Orsini, sitting across from me, wore an exhausted expression.

“…You two seem much closer than I heard before.”

I couldn’t hear words as words, but they were fragmented and disjointed, indicating how tired I was. Closer? Was this the time to use the word “closer”?

“Well…”

I just wanted to hold a warm hot pack to my chest and sleep deeply. With a weary response, Nella frowned and started interrogating.

“What’s the matter with you saying ‘well’? Does it change anything if you play dumb now that you’re here?”

“……”

Whether I say anything or not.

‘I don’t care what you heard in the capital.’

I didn’t ask, but Nella, feeling unfairly treated, chattered on her own.

“Hadel Prince was supposed to have no interest in humans and no love for anyone, but after coming to the Grand Duchy, he was surprised to find a woman he hadn’t thought of before, and it seems like he even likes her so much that he can’t live without her……”

Even if I try to ignore it, if she keeps shouting my story right next to me, it’s hard not to pay attention.

‘I don’t even want to know what you heard in the capital.’
“Apparently, Prince Hadel showed no interest in humans and was said to have no love for anyone. However, when he came to the Grand Duchy, he was surprised to find a woman he had never thought of before, and it seems like he even likes her so much that he can’t live without her…”

Even if I try to ignore it, if she keeps shouting my story right next to me, it’s hard not to pay attention.

‘It seems like she didn’t hear anything about Hadel having a lover.’

Thinking that way, I felt a bit sorry for her. She grew up hearing that she would be Hadel’s wife, but now there’s a woman sitting in the Grand Duchy?