Everything I have will disappear in an instant, like bubbles in the water. No matter how hard I try to kindle it every moment, I always end up dying, and nothing remains.

“If it’s going to be like this, I’d rather…”

I’d rather not wake up again. My strength was gradually draining from my body. My struggling body fell silent as if it had floated into the void.

The pain that made me feel like I was about to die from suffocation also disappeared instantly.

It felt peaceful, as if I were sitting at a warm tea table in front of a quiet cabin, feeling the afternoon sunlight and eating scones, as if there was nothing around.

(“May you receive the blessings of the gods.”)

For some reason, at that moment, I recalled Princess Rephrio, whom I had met at my memorial service. It was the short and sweet blessing the princess had given when she ran away to the monastery because she didn’t want to get married.

“If there really is a god, and if I can receive the blessing of the gods, please stop it now.”

At that time, when I felt the lake enveloping me, I heard the sound of someone jumping into the lake.

Although it was too dark to see properly, why were the black hair strands moving towards me so clearly as if they were imprinted?

He was desperate. It was as if he feared my death.

“…Raches.”

I wanted to reach out to him, but my body didn’t move as I wished. Then, Raches, who was approaching rapidly, wrapped his arms around my waist and pulled me out of the water.

“Phew!”

As we surfaced, I could finally take a deep breath. I coughed, and my chest felt tight.

“Duke!”

“Lea!”

As my vision turned to the surroundings at the powerful cries, I first saw the bright torches surrounding the lake.

Many knights and maids had gathered.

I was alive. I hadn’t died. Whether it was because of the cold or the joy of being alive, my body kept trembling.

Raches took me out of the lake. As I came out of the water, my legs lost their strength, and I awkwardly sat down.

“Doctor!”

Raches shouted loudly, brushing his wet hair back.

The doctor rushed over, and the maids who had been waiting covered me with several thick blankets.

Raches refused the blankets and ordered them to cover me.

“Lea, Lea! Are you okay?”

Celly, who was in tears, tried to take off her clothes to cover me.

I wanted to reassure her, but the intense cold had made my lips tremble, and I couldn’t respond.
“Fortunately, aside from being surprised, it seems that there are no serious injuries. However, since the body temperature has dropped significantly, it would be a good idea to move to a warmer place,” the doctor reported to Raches, trembling.

Coldness seemed to flow over his face like water dripping from hair. He had an air as if he could kill someone at any moment.

“Who should I ask for responsibility for this incident?”

Raches muttered heavily. The atmosphere froze at his chilling, lifeless tone.

Thanks to the blanket covering me, I could look around. Cedric and his companions, shivering, were visible nearby.

Raches, throwing away his soaking wet shirt into the water, walked toward Cedric.

“It seems like I showed you everything properly, but it seems that it was still insufficient. He’s not a beast cub who can’t understand without me telling him directly.”

Cedric shivered and lowered his head, avoiding eye contact with Raches.

Raches glared at him, then turned around. He snatched the blanket from the steward’s hands and wrapped it around me before hugging me tightly.

Even the highest authority in this castle, the Duke, had thrown himself into the cold lake just to save a mere maid. And now he was hugging her.

This was on a completely different level from the slight consideration he had shown so far.

“I’ll listen to the reports later. I will personally confirm this incident, so all reports should be made to me.”

“Yes, Your Grace.”

“All those who were present at the scene should wait in their respective rooms. Going out is prohibited until I give permission.”

Holding me in his arms, Raches issued orders, and Cedric, who was listening, met my eyes. However, Cedric quickly averted his gaze, clearly startled.

His expression had become pensive as he looked at me being held in Raches’ arms.

“Where are you looking?”

When I stared at a single point, Raches, who noticed, adjusted me in his arms and blocked my line of sight.

“I have a lot to talk to you about. I must have told you to go back to your room after the walk was over.”

“…Yes.”

Although it was artificial respiration to save me from dying, I couldn’t forget Raches’ lips in the lake.

Thinking about it, my shoulders trembled lightly. Sensing my shiver, Raches pulled the blanket covering me up to my neck.

“The rest of you, clean up around the lake, and everyone else, disband.”

After giving a light command, Raches, still holding me, turned and walked quickly into the castle.

Unlike usual, his eyes, devoid of any compassion, were even unfamiliar.

“Thank you for saving me… I appreciate it.”

I squeezed out a thank-you because I couldn’t help it. However, there was no response.

His silence was unfamiliar, and his gaze that avoided me without looking at me was unfamiliar.

Raches was originally a man known for his cruelty, and it was natural that there was no connection between me, a mere maid.

Even though I had seen him be affectionate to someone else all my life, it wasn’t a big deal.

But for some reason, my heart ached strangely.

Could there be a problem somewhere in my body because I had drunk so much cold lake water?

“It seems like your life is the only one that’s precious to me.”

“…What?”

“You don’t seem to care or worry at all.”

Our eyes met. Raches clenched his jaw. Suppressing his rising anger, he turned his head.

So, right now… Did this mean that this man was valuing my life?

Why?

It was when I was wondering about this, tilting my head.

“Ugh…!”

Suddenly, Raches stopped in his tracks and tightly wrapped me with the blanket.

Just before I was about to ask what he was doing, I heard a familiar voice.

“Something interesting happened in the middle of the night, Your Grace.”

It was Dettor. If Raches hadn’t wrapped me up, my face would have been exposed, and my identity would have been revealed.

“It’s late at night, Count Deverty.”
“The moon in the north was beautiful, so I was admiring it, and time got late. But…”

Dettor let out a sly laugh.

“Are you satisfied with just a maid? Your taste is simple. If you’ve captivated the Duke, you must be the owner of outstanding beauty. I’m curious too.”

My heart pounded.

“Please introduce me too, Your Grace.”

I could hear Dettor’s approaching footsteps.