# 50
"…your name?"
She was expecting him to ask for something he wanted to do or needed.
"What do I do?"
Helen was confused by this unexpected request as to how to address him.
“Ah…”
It wasn't that she hated the idea, it was that suddenly calling him by his name seemed strange. She had already gotten used to calling him “Duke.”
But since she was the one who asked him what he wanted, and since it wasn't an unreasonable request, saying no would be even more embarrassing.
‘Why am I embarrassed by something as simple as saying his name…?’
Aachen. A very short name, yet difficult to pronounce.
“Please say it, Hale.”
Aachen smiled slyly, looking at her expectantly.
“…Aachen.”
Helen gathered her courage and spoke his name for the first time.
“…Hearing my name from someone is a nice feeling. I didn’t know that before.”
Aachen slowly sat down beside the bed and spoke in a quiet, hesitant voice.
“Hale. Please say it again.”
“…Aachen.”
Aachen rested his head on Helen's shoulder. His breath was so close that her soft hair rose.
“Aachen. Wait a minute...”
“I don't want you to be in pain. How about hiring a personal assistant to help you?”
His suggestion, uttered out of concern for her, was not bad.
‘With an assistant, I won’t have to overexert myself.’
Helen was already struggling to juggle preparations for the reading event with her family's internal affairs.
“Having an assistant will definitely make things easier.”
“Maybe it's better if he's the same gender as you.”
Aachen belatedly realized that his words revealed a hint of jealousy, so he hastily added an explanation.
“This way, it will be more comfortable for you.”
"This is correct."
“Then, I will ask Garen to interview the female candidates.”
"Good."
Fortunately, Helen did not notice his slip of the tongue.
“I can't sleep.” Shivalin suddenly opened her eyes.
It was still dark outside, but she was wide awake.
Even cuddling her bunny tightly didn't help. She ended up falling asleep.
Beside her, Elisha was fast asleep.
Shivalin gently pulled the covers over Elisha, who stirred slightly before falling back asleep.
Then she grabbed her doll and slowly crawled out of bed, heading quietly to Luan's room.
As she pushed open the door with a creak, she saw Luan reading a book.
“Shivlin?”
Shevlin presses her gurgling stomach and makes a sound with her lips.
“Are you hungry?”
Luann clearly remembers eating a full dinner, so it was weird.
“This is unusual.”
He smiled, put his book down, and got up from his chair.
“Shall we go to the kitchen?”
"Yes!"
Chevilin nodded enthusiastically, seeming pleased with the idea.
Luan held a candle in one hand, took her hand in the other, and tiptoed down to the kitchen.
“Here, eat this.”
After Luan rummaged through the supply closet, he found a chocolate bar, which he handed to Chevelin.
[Let's share!]
Chevelline broke the chocolate in half and offered half to Luan.
“Okay…thanks.”
As Luan put the chocolate in his mouth, his mind returned to the activity of reading.
‘What if she was hurt by what happened earlier…?’
Henry's description of Shevlin as a "mute" has bothered him ever since.
After Luan learned that Shevlin couldn't speak, he was always careful not to say anything hurtful.
But Henry said those words without thinking.
Luan was so angry that, for the first time, he exploded in Henry's face without thinking.
"Shevlin, don't think too much about what happened at the reading event. That man is a weirdo. My father has already banned him from entering Hestor Castle…"
[Cherry is fine.]
“You… okay? But Henry didn’t even apologize.”
Shevlin wiped the chocolate crumbs off her hands.
[Cherry is unfazed. I'm not actually mute.]
[What he said was a lie, so I don't need an apology.]
Luann was surprised by Shevelin's strength of determination.
[If he repeats it, Sherry will make sure to correct his mistake. Don't worry too much.]
“Okay.”
With Shivalin, Luann never felt alone.
“Hey, do you think my mother and the Duke will arrive in the morning?”
"maybe?"
Luan wiped a tear from the corner of his eye and replied.
Shivalin clenched her hands resolutely.
[Brother, let's explore!]
“Now?… But we explored everything last time.”
"No! There has to be a secret place! Since mommy tells us to sleep at night, we can't help but search now. And secret places always have delicious things!"
“Hmm.”
[“Come on! Follow Sherry!” Believe me!]
Luan didn't quite understand her logic, but decided to go along with it.
'It's really impossible to stop.'
He took the doll that Chevlin had left and followed her outside.
Shortly after, Chevlin realized they had found nothing, and disappointed, she continued walking.
In the end, she sat on the floor with a desperate sigh.
[I feel so exhausted...]
Luan watched her, and thought for a moment
A moment before you suggest:
“Let's go to the greenhouse. Maybe we can find some fruit there.”
[Is there fruit in the greenhouse?]
Hearing Luan's words, Shivalin perked up, her curiosity immediately aroused.
As they entered the greenhouse together, they were greeted by an abundance of blue roses in full bloom.
Shivalin smelled the flowers with wide, curious eyes.
It's winter, but the flowers are blooming! And it's warm here!
“That's because it's a greenhouse. And these flowers were grown with magic.”
Luan explained gently as Shivalin looked around the greenhouse in amazement.
“This is a Recla tree. It bears fruit all year round.”
Shivalin picked a fruit and put it in her mouth, chewing it eagerly.
[What a sour and delicious flavour! Can Cherry take more? ]
“Sure. But don’t eat too much. Eating too much at night might cause you to have a stomach ache.”
Shivalin sat under the tree, happily picking and eating more fruit.
As she extended her hand, she suddenly found a small bottle of perfume lying on the ground.
[What is this?]
“Let me see.”
Luan took the perfume bottle, opened its cap, and sniffed it.
“It smells like it's made from blue roses. Strange... I wonder how they extracted this scent from magically grown flowers?”
Luan examined the perfume carefully, then sprayed some on his wrist.
Shivalin gasped and spat out the fruit she had just eaten.
“Shevilyn? What’s wrong? Are you feeling nauseous?”
[No, it's just… your eyes don't shine anymore.]
"You're not shining anymore? Are you sure you're not delusional?"
Shivalin rubbed her eyes repeatedly, then confirmed her words.
[Your eyes used to shine like jewels, sparkling... but now they are no longer like that.]
Shevelin didn't look like she was joking, but Luann couldn't be sure for himself because there was no mirror.
“Do you mean... my gem-like eyes have disappeared, Sheviline?”
Shivalin stared at Luan's face carefully, then suddenly stretched out her arms.
[Sprinkle some on your cherry too!]
Luan hesitated for a moment, then sprayed a light spritz of perfume on her.
[How are Cherry's eyes? Have they changed too?]
Shevilyn widened her eyes as she looked at Luan, waiting for his reaction.
“…they look the same.”
[What?! Why…why doesn’t it affect you?]
Shevelin frowned, slumping her shoulders in disappointment.
[I thought spraying it would change my eye color too...but apparently I was wrong.]
“I think your eyes are really pretty. Don't you like them?”
Despite Luann's reassuring words, Shevlyn frowned.
[Sherri doesn't look like my mother or my father.]
“Huh…?”
Luan was surprised and gently patted her back while looking sad.
[I wish my eyes could change to look like my mother's.]
“There has to be a way.”
[Method…?]
“When dad comes back, let's ask him.”
[Okay…]
Shevlyn held Luann's hand as they left the greenhouse.
Luan took her back to her room, covered her tightly, and wished her good night.
Shevlin buried herself under the covers, closing her eyes tightly.
The next morning.
After staying up all night, Shevlin was now falling asleep, reclining on the sofa.
“Princess, Their Highnesses have arrived.”
[Really?]
Upon hearing the news of Helen and Aachen's arrival, Shevelin suddenly opened her eyes and ran downstairs in a faltering hurry.
[Mom!]
As she rushed forward, she almost tripped, but Aachen quickly caught her with a levitation spell, and gently lowered her.
"Sheveline! Are you okay?"
Helen rushed to check on her daughter, carefully examining her for any injuries.
She did not breathe a sigh of relief until she was certain of Shivalin's safety.
[Yes, Shivalin is fine! Thank you, Your Highness.]
"You should be more careful. You almost got hurt."
At Aachen's gentle rebuke, Shevelin laughed sheepishly.
“I'm back...”
Moments later, Luan, who was still sleepy, came out to greet them.
“Luann.”
"Did you sleep well?"
Luan looked between Helen and Aachen, and bowed slightly.
He yawned deeply, his face still heavy with sleep.
“Didn't you sleep well last night?” Helen asked warmly, and Luan nodded slightly.
“I was looking for something in a book... Oh, right. Dad, there's something I want to tell you...”
Before he could finish his sentence, Shevlin suddenly grabbed his arm and dragged him behind the stairs.
"Shivlin? What's going on?"
[my brother. Don't tell my mother or Your Highness about this.]
"Why not? I found something similar in a book. If you tell Dad, he might be able to do something about it."
Shevlin shook her head firmly.
[If my mother knew that Cherry was thinking about this… she would be upset.]