Translator and Editor: Effe and Nabi

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Chapter 4

It wasn’t long before they reached their destination.

Leonhard carefully stopped the horse, then helped Celine get off the horse. The employee came right up and dragged the horse somewhere.

She glanced up at the dazzling building. Through the wide-open gate, people wrapped in colorful clothes came and went. It seemed to be a noble mansion with whom the Bernoulli family was acquainted.

He opened his mouth with a tone of displeasure.

“I should go to the villa, but my father doesn’t like it, so I can’t use it right now.”

“Where are we?”

“Grand Hotel. First time seeing it?”

Celine’s head paused for a moment. ‘Was there a hotel in this game…?’

When she was led into the lobby by Leonhard’s hand, she was still dazed.

‘It’s dazzling…’

She couldn’t find a place to set her eyes on the chandelier hanging from the ceiling, the gold leaf decorations everywhere, and the marble wall. Looking down involuntarily, she could see a marble floor with dark red patterns in it.

‘That’s amazing.’

Of course, it’s a place where the heir of the Grand Duke will lie down, so it’s only natural that it’s not an ordinary place.

The manager with half bald hair and belly protruding leaped out.

“Oh, my Lord! How long has it been?”

“It’s been about three years.”

“If you had sent a messenger beforehand, you wouldn’t have been waiting like this… Though this lady…?”

“She’s with me.”

“I am Celine Hunt. Nice to meet you.”

“Ah, ah, it’s nice to meet you.”

The manager glanced at her in amazement as Celine introduced herself proudly. She didn’t care. She didn’t care what others thought of her as long as she no longer died.

“The room?”

“Of course, it is ready. Morgan! It’s the peony room.”

Celine followed the staff slowly as she uttered a sudden thought. “Wouldn’t it be better to have two rooms?”

“Do you need two?”

“I don’t think it’s a good idea to share the same room?”

She stared at Leonhard’s face, puzzled, but he looked as bewildered as she was.

“Why do you think so?”

“That is… that’s okay.”

Celine gave up the explanation and shrugged her shoulders. As long as the bed is separate, it doesn’t matter.

‘He’s stingier than he looks.’

But, Celine realized how foolish she was in her thoughts the moment the staff opened the door. It was because when the door opened, a short hallway, a small hall, and a dozen or so doors could be seen.

“This room is… Is everything like this?”

“Like this?”

“This is a house, not a room!”

“Is this a house? Where do you see a house like this?”

“Of course, I would expect a room with only a bed…”

Leonhard asked with an absurd tone, “Did you think we could only rent a bedroom? Where can I find a hotel that rents out like that?”

‘I think there’s a lot.’

Although Celine did not dare to speak the truth.

He then pointed to the door carved with a little angel blowing the trumpet.

“This is my younger sister’s bedroom. Everything a woman needs will be provided there, so use it.”

Celine opened the door without thinking, and she took a breath.

A starry sky unfolded.

There were soft purple carpets on the floor, and murals depicting flower gardens realistically on every wall. On one wall, there was a fireplace for this room only. Most of all, the bed caught Celine’s eyes. A huge, fluffy bed without any traps.

As Celine was about to run to the bed, forgetting her face, the staff hesitated and asked.

“Lord, how about dinner?”

“Oh, send it right away.”

Meal…!

Suddenly, the world felt beautiful.

She hadn’t eaten anything hot until now. It was about a day’s happiness to buy the cheapest and most hard bread at the local bakery with a few pennies from the mansion. However, lately, even that has fallen apart, so eating wheat flour with a sour smell in water was a meal.

Saliva ran down Celine’s neck.

Just the thought of being able to eat ordinary food made her feel full.

“Is there any food you can’t eat?”

“Nothing! Everything is good!”

Celine’s eyes twinkled.

Moments later, she gazed at the silver plates that were laid out one by one on the huge mahogany table.

Steaming soup, bread that looks more delicious than the most expensive menu item at the local bakery, salad full of fresh vegetables, beef stew that just smells enchanting, and grilled salmon with bursting trout roe…

She carefully scooped it out and ate it for a while, and the food placed in front of her soon disappeared.

Leonhard looked down at the woman sitting opposite him, smiling as if she had everything in the world.

“I guess you don’t hate food.”

“Is that possible?”

Celine mumbled, savoring the lemon sorbet that melted in her tongue.

“I thought you were so thin because you didn’t like the food itself. I’ve seen cases like that around.”

“I couldn’t eat because I didn’t have it?”

As she poured a cup of hot tea, she let out a happy sigh.

“It’s good.”

“I’m glad you like it.”

“I really like it.”

She then opened her mouth as she stood up from her seat before stumbling for a moment. A big meal after a month and a half made her a little dizzy.

Leonhard, who immediately hardened his body, caught her eye.

“I think it’s because I ate too much.”

“Be careful. One kind of nightmare a day is enough.”

“From tomorrow on, you won’t be dreaming at all, so what are you worried about?”

“That’s something you don’t know.”

Leonhard replied bitterly. “I don’t know if you only die in that house, but there have been times when you tripped over a stone and died while walking. You have to be careful.”

“…You really have seen it all.”

“And, I will see it again today.”

Leonhard grimaced at her face and stood up.

“Would you like to go in and rest?”

“Yes!”

Celine answered vigorously, and she approached the door.

“Have a nice dream—Ah, uh, um… cheer up!”

“….”

He coughed absurdly, though Celine jumped into the bed, didn’t notice him.

‘It’s fluffy!’

“Ah…”

A moan of satisfaction escaped from her mouth. She wanted to quickly throw away these messy clothes and dig into the duvet.

‘Do they have pajamas? I like a gown, too.’

She rolls around for a moment and then jumps up to her feet because Celine could see a space covered by thick curtains.

‘What is that?’

She slowly walked over, enjoying the soft touch of her carpet, and pulled the curtains wide open.

‘Huh…?’

An old-fashioned wooden bathtub appeared. Celine couldn’t keep her gaping mouth shut. Even in that terrible mansion, there was a bathtub, but when the water was turned on, rust mixed with insects dropped and she would run away.

Celine struggled to turn on the huge faucet.

Hot steam poured out.

She couldn’t control the corners of her lips that kept rising.

It’s a bath!

She hadn’t washed her body properly before, so much that she thought she was lucky in the cool weather. All she had to do was pour water directly from the well and pour it all over her body. But now, a bathtub full of hot, warm water was in front of her.

Celine threw her clothes off. She wasn’t cold at all thanks to the steam coming up from the bathtub.

—Splash!

Warm water wrapped around her body.

Celine stretched out her weary body. The bathtub was big enough for two adults to lie on.

“So good…”

Comfort words came out of Celine’s mouth. It was the first time since she was thrown into a life where death lurks.

Her stomach was full, she was soaking in warm water, and a comfy bed awaited her. But now, Celine was so full that her heart couldn’t be explained by her physical satisfaction alone.

Soon, she found the answer.

It was a relief from safety. She no longer had to pick up rotting food for fear of starvation, or to find pennies and died dozens of times in traps.

Leonhard will provide her safety, for his sleep.

Celine tried to think a little more about herself and his situation, but the water was so warm and her weary body was relaxing.

Moments later, she drifted into a deep sleep.

***

“Kyaak!”

Leonhard, who was in the largest bedroom in the peony room, picked up Rashir and ran out of the room.

His heart sank.

A constant scream was heard from Celine’s bedroom. It wasn’t the scream he had heard dozens of times in his dreams, but the scream of an unfamiliar voice.

“What’s going on!”

“Young, young lord—la, la, lady, lady is…!”

The hotel maid, still confused, could not utter her words properly. At that, he hurriedly walked past the maid, half clinging to him, and entered Celine’s bedroom.

“….!”

Leonhard’s eyes shook.

A naked woman was half draped in the bathtub. Her skinny body that her shoulder bones stood out didn’t even move as much.

“Originally, sh—she, she, is completely asleep… The breath, breath, breathing…”

Just when the maid was sobbing and explaining the situation, the water in the bathtub fluctuated, and she moved.

The maid took her breath.

Leonhard turned his back to leave the room. His head hurt.

A long night awaited him.

Celine looked at the maid in front of her with perplexed eyes. It had been a long time since the tension had been released, so it seemed that she had just dived into the water and almost drowned.

It was comforting to know that she fell asleep and did not know that she was going to die.

“Sorry. Are you very surprised?”

“Are, are you okay? A—ah, you couldn’t breathe earlier…”

The maid looked at Celine with terrified eyes.

“I’m perfectly fine! Look, I’m able to breathe with ease, right?”

Celine puffed her vigorously. To be honest, with this kind of death, she didn’t mind so much that she thought she could die a thousand more times.

Meanwhile, the maid looked at her, not sure if she should laugh or cry.

“Well, why did you come in?”

“Young, Young Lord came too quickly, so I couldn’t prepare enough. I’m going to do it now.”

She felt guilty at the thought of how surprised this poor maid must have been, but Celine only nodded her head because it was an inevitable

“Do you have any towels?”

“Yes…”

The maid, still confused, brought her a towel large enough to cover Celine’s body.

“Don’t you have pajamas?”

“There is a gown…”

It was exactly what Celine wanted.

While she wiped her body and put on the gown, the maid repeatedly asked her if she needed a doctor.

“I’m very fine. I’m a lot stronger than I look, right? You don’t have to worry.”

The maid lit the fireplace and went back. On the other hand, Celine buried her body in a warm blanket, and she tried to enjoy the luxury of sleeping in an expensive bed.

Knock, knock.

Celine frowned. Nevertheless, something had happened because of her, and she just couldn’t pretend to be asleep.

“Come on in.”

Leonhard entered the room slowly. Through the nightgown, his strong body could be seen. The urge to run away again wrapped around her. But, he didn’t frown or make a threatening gesture, but her heart raced at the pressure she felt.

Leonhard’s intense eyes looked straight at her.

“…What was it this time?”

“I fell asleep.”

“Haa…”

A long sigh escaped Leonhard’s mouth.

“I’m sorry…”

“Well, you can’t help it, but be careful.”

“Okay.”

Celine made no excuses. In any case, Leonhard will have a rather painful night tonight because of her carelessness.

“Now, at least I won’t drown while taking a bath. Even if I look like this, my memory is good.”

“…You’ve got a good memory, though you’re too clumsy.”

Celine, whom Leonhard sees in her dreams, remembers all the traps she once died from, although she was a woman who stumbled over a stone and died.

“I’m sorry. I’ll be careful from now on.”

“….”

Leonhard didn’t answer what he was thinking. Meanwhile, Celine, almost fell asleep, barely came to her senses.

“If you don’t have anything else to say, I’ll just sleep.”

At that, his eyebrows twitched as she tried to support her heavy eyelids.

“There is…”

“What?”

Leonhard’s distinctive assertive words hit Celine.

“I will sleep here tonight.”

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