14.1 – Perhaps Sweet Days

“Ugh…….”

Ella felt a stinging sensation on her skin and turned over in bed. After rubbing her eyes a few times, she frowned and opened them. It seemed that the sunlight had seeped through the window because the curtains hadn’t been properly drawn.

‘Why didn’t I close those before sleeping?’

She grumbled inwardly and shut her eyes again. However, she was far too lazy to get up and fix the curtains. After debating for a while, she pulled the blanket over her head. Yet, small annoyances kept bothering her.

‘Why is this pillow so hard?’

The pillow supporting her neck felt uncomfortably firm. Trying to find a more comfortable position, Ella turned her head this way and that. Eventually, she stacked her hands beneath her cheek, which felt much better.

‘Ah, that’s better.’

Just as she was about to drift back to sleep, a chilling realization ran through her.

‘Wait a second. My room doesn’t have curtains. And what am I lying on?’

Her eyes flew open. The first thing she saw was Adolf’s peacefully sleeping face, wearing a gentle smile. Following the line of his arm, she realized it was tucked beneath her head.

That’s right. What she’d been using as a pillow wasn’t a pillow at all—it was Adolf’s arm, warm and pulsing with life.

“Ahh!”

“Ugh…”

Startled by the sight of Adolf’s bare, warm body pressed against hers, Ella instinctively kicked him away. Adolf, who had been precariously perched on the edge of the bed to make her more comfortable, fell to the floor with a loud thud.

“Ugh…”

Did I just kick him off the bed?

Ella, more shocked by her own actions than anything else, quickly peeked over the edge of the bed.

“Are you okay?”

“I’m fine. Don’t worry.”

Despite his reassurance, Ella couldn’t help but feel concerned. She leaned forward to offer him a hand, but her eyes were immediately drawn to his muscular, n*ked form. Broad shoulders, a chiseled chest and abs, a deep pelvic line—and below that…

Her face flushed as she quickly averted her gaze. The sight brought back vivid memories of the passionate night they had shared.

‘Oh no…’

Holding her throbbing head, Ella remained seated. Meanwhile, Adolf, who had been cautiously observing her, slowly got up and approached the bed.

“Ah…”

Noticing the shadow he cast over her, Ella hesitantly looked up, meeting his gaze. His ears were burning red. When she gave him a questioning look, Adolf quickly glanced away.

‘What’s going on with him?’

Sensing something unusual, Ella glanced around. That’s when she noticed the chill spreading over her body. She looked down at herself and realized, to her horror, that her bare chest was exposed to him. Her skin was marked with faint red spots and bruises.

‘Of course I’m n*ked! What else would I be wearing?’

Mortified, Ella dove under the blanket. Adolf, however, slid in beside her. Feeling his movements, Ella squeezed her eyes shut. The memories of their time together came flooding back.

‘It happened again…’

Peeking through her lashes, she saw Adolf smiling warmly at her. She quickly pretended not to notice, but Adolf didn’t seem to mind. He pulled her closer, wrapping her in his arms. Gently lifting her head, he placed his arm beneath it once more. Facing her directly, his face flushed, he asked shyly:

“Did you sleep well, my lady?”

“Ah, yes… But did you really have to ask me like this?”

“Haha…”

Ella awkwardly laughed, pulling the blanket up to her chin. Adolf remained silent for a moment before speaking again, his tone almost apologetic.

“I thought you might be uncomfortable without a pillow…”

“I wasn’t talking about the pillow…”

Why are we even lying down like this?

Ella’s eyes were filled with questions, but Adolf avoided her gaze, clearly unsure of what he was saying himself. Deciding to let it go, Ella burrowed deeper into his embrace. She, too, was trying to avoid meeting his eyes. However, Adolf misinterpreted her actions and held her even tighter, letting out a contented sigh.

“Ah…”

Ella felt his warm breath against the top of her head. His large, warm body enveloped hers entirely, making her feel as though she were submerged in a soothing bath. It was oddly comforting.

When Ella relaxed completely and remained silent, Adolf also stayed quiet, simply holding her. For a while, the room was filled with a peaceful stillness, allowing Ella to gather her thoughts.

‘I wasn’t that drunk.’

No matter how much she tried to deny it, she couldn’t ignore the fact that she had accepted him while fully conscious. It wasn’t just Adolf who had wanted her—she had given her consent and even undressed herself. She couldn’t entirely blame him for what had happened.

‘But still, he’s the one who asked for comfort first. Even so, is it okay for me to keep acting like this with someone I’m not even dating? When did I become so… open?’

Having lived as a model student for 20 years, Ella couldn’t believe how much she had changed in just a few months after meeting him. Of course, there was nothing inherently wrong with spending the night with someone she wasn’t in a relationship with. But knowing that she was Adolf’s first love and first experience made her feel even more conflicted.

It was a strange feeling. While she wasn’t committing a crime, a vague sense of guilt lingered. As Ella wrestled with these unanswered questions, Adolf broke the silence.

“It’s been a long time since I’ve slept so deeply.”

“Huh? Do you usually have trouble sleeping?”

He looks like he could sleep soundly even in a tent in the middle of winter…

Surprised by his unexpected comment, Ella momentarily set aside her thoughts and asked curiously. Adolf, looking slightly embarrassed, continued.

“When I was younger, I was afraid that ghosts would take me away in my sleep… I got into the habit of staying alert, and now I rarely sleep deeply.”

“Ghosts? You were afraid of ghosts?”

Adolf nodded slightly. As his chin brushed against the top of her head, it tickled.

‘Now that I think about it, he’s also scared of insects and can’t handle bitter food…’

Ella’s heart tickled at the sight of Adolf’s vulnerable side. It was hard to believe this was the same person who had moved like a human weapon during self-defense lessons. Now, he seemed more like a child seeking affection.

She let out a soft laugh and teased, 

“Are you planning to reveal every single one of your weaknesses now?”

“I couldn’t hide them even if I wanted to. Honestly… I thought if I confessed everything, you might pity me a little more. I wanted to rely on that feeling.” 

Adolf murmured, resting his chin on her head as if he had decided to bare his soul entirely.

His demeanor struck Ella as both endearing and pitiful. She playfully poked at his muscles with her finger, grinning mischievously. 

“How do you expect to survive this harsh world when you’re scared of so many things?”

Adolf flinched each time her finger jabbed him, rubbing his chin against her hair. His voice carried a hint of embarrassment as he admitted, 

“You’re right…”

Ella found his honesty so adorable that she couldn’t help but smile. 

‘Oh well, who cares anymore?’

She decided to embrace the moment and her feelings for what they were. After all, why else would she find this man’s appearance so irresistibly cute? Thanks to his candid confession, she could no longer deny the sincerity of his emotions.

He was putting his whole heart into loving her and expressing that love. And she… 

‘I think I like him.’

She liked him. She wondered why it had taken her so long to realize it. Holding back tears that threatened to well up, she feigned a nonchalant tone. 

“I guess I’ll have to protect you.”

“Pardon?”

Adolf looked down at her, confused.

“I’m not afraid of ghosts. I’ll protect you every night. Just sleep soundly.”

With that, Ella finally gave her answer to the confession he had made long ago about falling for her at first sight. She nestled deeper into his embrace.

“…Thank you.”

Adolf hugged her tightly, and she returned the gesture, wrapping her arms around him. The sunlight streaming through the window felt warmer than ever.

Ella, too shy to lift her head, fidgeted in his arms for a while. However, Adolf remained unusually quiet after thanking her. She had expected him to react more enthusiastically—maybe even lift her off the ground in joy—but his response was surprisingly subdued. 

Did he not understand what I meant?

Just as she was about to clarify, a sudden wave of anxiety washed over her.

“Oh no! My class!”

Ella abruptly lifted her face. Adolf, moving at lightning speed, turned his head just in time to avoid bumping his chin against hers. A minor accident had been narrowly avoided, though Ella seemed oblivious as she anxiously scanned the room. Adolf, noticing her disheveled hair, gently tucked it behind her ear and asked, 

“What’s wrong?”

“The time! What time is it now?”

“Ah, it’s almost lunchtime—around 11 o’clock. Are you hungry for something?”

“This is a disaster…”

Ella, who had been halfway out of bed, collapsed back into his arms. 

Morning classes were already over.

Shua must be worried sick by now…

Feeling utterly defeated, Ella slumped like a jellyfish. Adolf, alarmed by her despondency, bombarded her with questions. 

“What’s wrong? Are you feeling unwell? Should we go to the infirmary right away—”

“Stop! I’m fine!”

“Pardon? Then why are you so upset…?”

“My class! I had a morning class, but I missed it because I overslept. And the professor already doesn’t like me… This is a disaster.”

“Pardon? Someone dislikes you? Who is it?”

Adolf’s concern quickly turned into indignation. He looked like he was ready to storm out of the room and confront whoever it was. Even if the person in question were His Imperial Majesty, Adolf seemed prepared to take action.

Ella patted his chest to calm him down, but he continued to fume. Frustrated, she smacked his chest with a loud slap.

Slap!

“You’re making me dizzy! Stay still for a second! This is partly your fault!”

Adolf immediately lay back down, looking chastised. Ella, annoyed by his attempt to act innocent, glared at him. 

“You should’ve taken it easy last night! You were so rough at first that I passed out, and that’s why I overslept!”

“I’m sorry…”

Recalling the events of the previous night, Adolf’s expression turned sheepish.

“My attendance record is going to be terrible now. I needed good grades—what am I going to do?”

“Well, um…”

“Ugh, I spent 20 years studying just to get into the Imperial University! And now, thanks to you, those 20 years are about to go down the drain. What am I supposed to do?”

“I’m sorry, my lady…”

“That’s not all!”

Adolf continued to apologize profusely, but his overly submissive demeanor only fueled Ella’s rebellious streak. She began to exaggerate her grievances, blaming him for ruining not only her life but also her father’s efforts to raise her and even the farmers who had grown the food she ate while studying.

Although missing one class hardly warranted such dramatics, Adolf accepted all her accusations without a word of protest. His remorseful expression made Ella feel a pang of guilt. 

‘Well, we both agreed to it… Maybe I shouldn’t make such a big deal out of this.’

Ella let out an awkward laugh and gently stroked his face as a way of apologizing. When she extended her hand, Adolf, who had been avoiding her gaze, looked at her with a slightly timid expression.