Chapter 7
If there weren't any clothes that fit...
'Then I'll have to commission a designer.'
It was the last resort, but it was the cleanest solution. All I had to do was keep Lisid from being seen by the nobles.
I'd create a comfortable environment where he could rest for three months and pretend to help lift his curse.
Then, the moment the curse was broken, I'd send Lisid back to the Grand Duchy of Ephenterion.
If necessary, I even planned to create a fake villain to take my place.
This was the plan I had carefully prepared ever since I decided to kidnap the male lead.
'Good. I've succeeded in kidnapping him, so now I'll just take it one step at a time.'
Feed him.
Give him water.
Take good care of him.
Filled with determination, I scrubbed the uniform even harder.
But before long, my hands and arms began to ache.
The uniform was no bigger than doll clothes, but it seemed Airel's body couldn't endure the work because it was her first time doing something like this.
'Well, I did run around and sew earlier.'
I decided not to push myself any further and stood up.
The fishy smell from the lake had disappeared completely, so this was good enough.
'Now it just needs to dry.'
I twisted the uniform with all my strength. I wrapped it in a towel to squeeze out as much water as possible, then shook it out and spread it neatly.
This is the survival skill of a Korean living alone!
"Your Grace?"
Before leaving the bathroom, I cracked the door open and peeked outside. I wanted to make sure the Grand Duke wasn't changing his clothes.
"I'm coming out, okay?"
But even after raising my voice, there was no answer.
Feeling puzzled, I walked out, opened the window, and carefully spread the uniform over the windowsill.
Yet even then, the Grand Duke was nowhere to be seen.
"Your Grace, where are you?"
Just in case, I walked over to the bed and lifted the blanket.
But not only had the little bed I made for Lisid disappeared, even the pillow was gone.
At that moment, a chilly breeze blew in through the open window.
Slowly turning my head, the worst possible thought crossed my mind.
'...No way!'
Did he leave through the window?
Was he trying to return to the temple again?
He couldn't!
"Your Grace...!"
Holding back a scream, I frantically searched the room.
But there wasn't a trace of Lisid—not on the bed, the table, or even the floor.
I hurried to the window.
Looking down, I saw a flower bed filled with thick bushes. It wasn't impossible to jump from this height if someone was determined enough.
Especially if that someone was the Lisid I knew.
'No...!'
Why had he left?
Did he really hate the flower-patterned pajamas that much?
'Or... did I say something wrong?!'
Overwhelmed with shock, I replayed everything I'd done.
I had become too complacent after successfully kidnapping the male lead, naturally assuming Lisid would stay by my side.
If I'd known this would happen, I would have run to find a designer immediately and gotten him proper clothes.
"Ah... I should've treated him even better..."
I slowly sank to the floor in despair.
All of my plans had turned to dust.
At this rate, all that awaited me was the death ending.
Tears welled up in my eyes.
Just as I sniffled and wiped my nose—
"You're not crying, are you?"
"...Your Grace?!"
"I hate crying more than anything."
A low, chilly voice echoed from somewhere.
I jumped to my feet and looked around frantically.
But Lisid was nowhere in sight.
"Y-Your Grace... w-where are you?"
Clutching my pounding chest, I followed the direction of the voice.
But there was nothing there except a wardrobe and a dresser.
"Look up."
Up...?
I quickly raised my head.
There sat Lisid atop the huge wardrobe, looking down at me.
There even seemed to be a cushion beside him.
"Oh my goodness, Your Grace!"
What are you doing up there?
And how on earth did you even get up there?
My eyes trembled as if an earthquake had struck them.
As though reading my thoughts, the Grand Duke answered.
"I stepped on the drawers and climbed up."
Wow...
Your Grace...
Looking at the drawers that were still slightly pulled open, my eyes filled with tears.
Even if he'd used the drawers to climb up, the fact that he'd thought of settling on top of the wardrobe with that tiny body...
'The one surviving a reality survival show was Lisid all along.'
I silently admired him.
"Um... isn't it dusty up there?"
I hesitantly reached out, but my hand couldn't reach the top of the wardrobe.
The Grand Duke smiled crookedly.
"It seems the servants of the ducal house are quite competent."
Was that his way of saying he was satisfied?
Relieved, I lowered my hand.
"Well, that's a relief."
The Grand Duke rested his chin on one arm and asked lazily,
"More importantly, Lady... was my disappearance really that shocking?"
"O-Of course it was. Where could you possibly go in that body? It's far too dangerous. What if you got hurt...?"
"Even so, there was no need to cry. Your reaction was excessive. It makes me wonder why you're helping me in the first place."
His crimson eyes gleamed with suspicion.
I shamelessly smiled back at him.
"I told you already. I like you, Your Grace."
"So you shed tears over something as trivial as that?"
"I guess Your Grace doesn't know, but that's what love is like. When you can't see the person you love, you become anxious, sad, depressed... and, um, you lose all your energy too!"
"..."
"Have you never loved someone before, Your Grace?"
Silence filled the room.
The Grand Duke, who had been staring at me, suddenly turned away.
"Airel Blandiche."
"Yes?"
His voice was colder than ever.
"Stop talking nonsense and put out the lights."
* * *
"Mmm... my... my bibimbap..."
Late that night.
Airel's sleepy mumbling echoed through the room.
Standing at the corner of the bed, Lisid stared at Airel as she smacked her lips in her sleep.
'She's a strange woman after all.'
She had been chatting away with those wide, sparkling eyes just moments ago.
Yet only three seconds after lying down, she'd fallen completely asleep.
'How can she sleep at a time like this?'
Clicking his tongue quietly, Lisid turned his gaze toward the wall behind the headboard.
Then, suppressing his presence, he walked toward the curtain Airel had desperately tried to hide.
"No matter what happens, I'll protect Your Grace before I protect my own life."
"If you ever see even the slightest sign that I'm betraying you, don't hesitate to stab me with that sword."
With every step he took, Airel's confident voice echoed in his mind.
He had followed her here on the chance that she might be telling the truth, but there were still too many things he couldn't understand.
How had she known where he was?
And how had she recognized him immediately?
'I can't let my guard down.'
No matter how kindly she treated him now, she was still a member of House Blandiche.
She might be acting under the Emperor's orders and waiting for an opportunity to kill him.
'This body is perfect for dying without anyone noticing.'
In this condition, he couldn't even fight back.
Remembering the lady weeping as she looked out the window, Lisid slowly drew his sword.
Then, despite her warning not to, he gently pulled back the edge of the curtain.
His expression instantly froze.
'This is...'
Swallowing hard, Lisid slowly opened the curtain.
Moonlight streaming through the window illuminated countless framed pictures covering the wall.
"...Ha."
A cold sigh escaped his lips.
'So that's why.'
That's why she told me not to open it...
The entire wall was covered with portraits of Lisid.
His gaze slowly swept across each portrait.
His brows gradually furrowed.
He had doubted the young lady's feelings.
After all, Airel Blandiche was a woman who claimed to like him while committing incomprehensible acts—mistreating others and even setting the temple on fire.
Hearing his name constantly dragged through ugly rumors naturally made him wonder whether her feelings were genuine or if she had some hidden agenda.
But...
'...At this point, this isn't love. It's an illness.'
Or perhaps...
An obsession.
Lisid glanced back at Airel, who was sleeping soundly.
Hearing her soft little snores, he let out a weary sigh.
It was the moment all his doubts about Airel's feelings finally disappeared.
* * *
"Good morning, Your Grace. Did you sleep well?"
Early the next morning.
Rubbing my eyes, I looked up at the top of the wardrobe.
Lisid was already awake, sitting perfectly upright.
He had even folded his bedding neatly.
As expected of the Iron-Blooded Grand Duke of the North.
'When did he get dressed again?'
Tilting my head in confusion as I looked at him wearing the uniform that had been drying on the windowsill, I noticed that he'd even closed the window.
I let out a huge yawn and stretched.
"Yaaawn... It's still early. You could've slept a little longer..."
Because of you, I couldn't even sleep in.
Swallowing those words, I continued stretching.
The Grand Duke let out a sigh as though I were hopeless.
"From up here, I have an exceptionally clear view of the structure of your mouth, my lady."
