# 50
---
Episode 50
Ruelia had never thought that her hand was small.
But she never expected it to slip so easily.
“Sir Duke?”
As Ruelia blinked her eyes in confusion, the bright white bandage slipped from her hand.
When the feeling of pressure on her hand was gone, she felt refreshed, but something inside her felt lacking.
“Looks like I'll do it better.”
“Sorry, I should have finished it quickly.”
Kyles turned to his side, holding the edge of the bandage with his teeth.
When he raised his chin slightly, the veins in his neck popped out slightly.
Was it because of the afternoon sunlight that crept in behind the duke's seat? There was an art formed from the contrast between the light shining on his skin and the shadows, and it seeped into Ruelia’s eyes.
'You said fantasies are forbidden!'
Ruelia couldn't blink her eyes as she followed the Duke's movements.
“All you have to do is cut the tip with scissors.”
As Ruelia was lost in her daze once again, the knot had already been beautifully tied, and the bandage was tightly wrapped.
Ruelia shook her head slightly as she looked for the scissors.
‘This is a big problem,’ I thought.
“Ah, okay.”
I wonder, did Caelus see that stupid look on her face?
Ruelia suddenly felt embarrassed, so she quickly cut the bandage, arranged the basket with light movements, and then returned to its place.
Then, Caelus grumbled to himf in a regretful tone.
'I should have pretended to be in pain.'
If he had, that soft hand might have massaged his a little more.
He looked at his bandaged hand for a moment.
The heat left by Ruelia's hand was still reverberating faintly. Just the touch of a hand, and yet…
He felt hot in places that weren't supposed to be hot, so he couldn't get up.
'Maybe I should have made a cut.'
Maybe he shouldn't have demonstrated his skill at bandaging. From tomorrow, Ruelia might not treat him…
Kyles' fingers moved nervously as if to express her displeasure.
Ruelia saw this surreptitiously and swallowed.
‘Please, do it well, Ruelia. 'I made him angry.'
If she continues to make mistakes like this, she may even lose the affection she has gained.
Ruelia took another look at the Duke warily.
'You said fantasies are forbidden!'
When he tilted his head slightly again, all the questions she had intended to ask him evaporated from her mind.
* * *
When Ruelia returned home, she threw herf on the bed without changing her clothes.
“Oh, I'm so tired!”
Melissa saw this, and ran into the bedroom in shock.
She had not seen Ruelia act like this since she moved to the Duke's Palace. Why does she look so tired?
“Ellie, what happened?”
Melissa sat on the edge of the bed and asked.
Ruelia slowly got up, her face pale, as if her energy had been exhausted. She looked at her sister's cute face for a moment, then buried her face in Melissa's shoulder.
“Nothing. I was just… exhausted from trying to control myf.”
If her heart grew weak here, it would be embarrassing.
Even though she knew this, she couldn't concentrate throughout the work because she was casting secret glances at the Duke. If she continues like this, she may be found out and fired.
She wasn't worried about losing her job, she was close to securing her future, but...
Suddenly, Ruelia raised the corner of her mouth and laughed.
Like crazy.
“Heh, heh…”
“Ellie?”
Melissa looked at her sister in surprise, and pushed her slightly to study her face.
“Did something happen at the Duke’s palace? Did the Duke say something?”
“The Duke? No, it’s just the same as usual. His face is always scary, but he has a good heart, and his toned muscles are still the same.”
"Muscles? Have you seen the Duke's muscles already?"
“No, I mean, yesterday when I was treating the injured part, I just touched his hand!”
She was babbling words that were not asked of her, and her ears were red like shy flower buds.
If she continued like this, she might get scolded by Melissa.
The sister who always warned her that all nobles were the same, and that she should be careful not to become someone's mistress, was Melissa.
“Ah, I'm getting hungry!”
Ruelia quickly got up and ran to the first floor.
Melissa noticed her sister's strange behavior, and furrowed her eyebrows for a moment.
But she didn't scold her.
'It seems that the Duke is beginning to show interest.'
He had told her that he would prepare everything before he announced it.
Melissa was jealous of her beloved sister.
On the other hand, I felt comfortable. If the Duke truly found her family assets, Ruelia wouldn't be the only one who would benefit.
'Please, help us, Dad.'
After a short prayer, Melissa tidied up the covers her sister had left on the bed.
Suddenly, a loud voice was heard from the bottom of the stairs.
“Melissa, what is this rose? Who gave it to you?”
Melissa rushed to the first floor.
Ruelia was standing in front of the fireplace with a family photo on it.
Totally ready to joke around.
“This big red rose grows abundantly in the garden of the Imperial Palace, doesn’t it? Did Viscount Levenel give it to you?”
At Ruelia’s question, Melissa’s face turned red like a carrot.
* * *
Caelus was reading Ruelia's apology letter in the carriage as he moved.
I told the assistant that she should write a hundred pages of apology letters. –
- Ruelia will think that I am an unjust boss. –
-But this is your entertainment these days, isn't it? –
Signor's skill at joking became as good as Galleon's, or perhaps worse.
But he could not deny this.
“When you protected me yesterday, I felt my heart soar.
I realized that I made the right decision by joining the Duchy.
I know you'll rush to protect me if I'm in danger.
I will learn treatment methods and wrap bandages more seriously. If you get injured again, I want to treat you myf until the end.
If you feel any discomfort in your hand, please call me at any time. I will help you instead of the butler.
Please, forgive my clumsy skills today.
I will try harder to be Ruelia worthy of your heart.”
“She's nice.”
Kyles ran his fingers over the gentle, circular line.
If this one letter were a love letter, he would have carefully written ten pages full of responses.
He felt some regret.
But abandoning this message was very unfortunate.
Since he can't ask her for a love letter, he has to make do with that for now.
Recall the events of the morning for a moment.
-What will you do if Ruelia doesn't want to? –
- I do not intend to take anyone who does not want force. But the seat of the Duchess of Abert will remain vacant forever. –
-That's why Ellie follows you. –
But it seems that he got the most important point today.
If he had known that Ruelia's sister would become his loyal supporter after hearing his plan, he would have talked to her from the beginning.
Kyles took out the small necklace Melissa had given him.
Inside, there was a picture of a strong man holding his two young daughters in his arms.
The shape of his eyes looked familiar, but he was a man he had never seen before.
-It was said that he was skilled enough to live as a mercenary after his escape, so I'll start by looking into the knights' families. –
He had a broken facial bone and scars, so his appearance changed a lot from his youth. I don't know if my grandfather would recognize him. –
-If he was still waiting for his son to return, he would recognize him with one look. –
Because that's what parents do.
Although his mother was not a caring person, she was.
Even as she fell ill due to the temple's plots or deceit, she always recognized Caelus.
He remembered a bitter thought for a moment, then went back to reading Ruelia’s letter to change his mood.
“My lord, we have arrived.”
When the carriage stopped, Caelus carefully folded the apology letter, which resembled a love letter.
He carefully put it and the necklace into his inside jacket pocket.
Now, he must move as a subject of the empire.
“Since he has ambitions, I hope he will cooperate with me...”
He alighted from the carriage, and looked for a moment at the banner of Lothelros, which he had visited so long after.
* * *
Ruelia sat in front of Melissa at the dining table, looking at her with concentration.
“So, you're saying that Viscount Levenel visited you this afternoon?”
“Yes, and send me a new invitation to a tea party.”
That wasn't surprising.
But, strangely, I felt a bit of déjà vu. She didn't have a clear clue, but something didn't seem right.
'Right, I forgot. I have a bad intuition!'
Looks like she got something wrong about Melissa...
“Millie…”
Suddenly, a knock was heard on the door from the entrance.
Melissa quickly got up and went to the door, her face the brightest Ruelia had ever seen.
“Come in.”
When Melissa opened the door, a burly man raised his hand to greet her.
Ruelia confirmed the identity of the visitor, and she also quickly got up.
“HH?”