I'm A Sucker For Extras - Chapter 38

Chapter 38

“I did?”

‘Did I ask to be washed? Did I?’

‘Is it something I said in my half-asleep state that I can’t remember? ’

Brody tried to recall, and then it hit her.

“Ah, I can’t get up until someone helps me wash.”

That’s what she had said.

“Well, that was… I just meant I’m not going to sleep without a bath.”

While pondering what to say, Aidan guided her towards the bathtub.

“No way, you’re actually going to wash me?”

Aidan sighed at Brody’s bewildered words.

It was unlikely that she would have asked him to do that.

He turned away as he spoke.

“I’ll just stay here. I can’t be far from you anyway.”

“Right.” After all, they hadn’t crossed the Perdan Fortress yet. Whether it was Jax or someone else, the princess’s touch was still easily reachable.

She was going to sleep without washing up earlier, but as she stood before her eyes in a bathtub filled with warm water, the desire to wash outweighed the desire to sleep.

Having left the South, they couldn’t even properly wash, let alone take a bath.

“I’ll go ahead and bathe.”

She made up her mind without hesitation.

‘In that case, he surely won’t turn around.’

For some reason, she had that trust.

Brody quickly undressed and immersed herself in the warm water.

“Ah… it feels so good.”

As the warm water enveloped her body, she couldn’t help but let out a sigh of contentment.

The scent of roses, whether from the water or something else, tickled her nose.

While submerged in the bathtub, she sneakily observed Aidan’s stiff back.

For some reason, she didn’t feel good.

“Your Grace, aren’t you tired?”

“Well, this much is fine. It’s nothing.”

“Hmm, don’t you want to bathe?”

“I can wash after you.”

Should she be waiting for Aidan like that while he is washing up? Because it has to be within reach?

If not, he would likely be content with another quick wash or simply wiping it off with a damp towel.

That felt too apologetic.

‘It’s not like we have that kind of relationship.’

Embracing her flushed cheeks, she gathered courage and asked, “Would you like to… join?”

At her words, Aidan’s shoulders stiffened.

After a moment of silence, he spoke quietly.

“Are you kidding? Please don’t tease me.”

“It’s not a joke.”

He rubbed the back of his neck, then answered a little hoarsely.

“No, you must be tired. Go ahead and bathe. I’ll go later…”

“Then I have to wait for you like that. It seems like you won’t be able to bathe comfortably…”

“5 minutes, no, 3 minutes will be enough. It’s sufficient for you to bathe and tidy up. You don’t have to worry about me.”

“…Fine.”

It was hard to bring it up, and Brodie felt awkward insisting further.

So, after comfortably finishing her own bath, she waited for Aidan to bathe while drying her hair.

Aidan quickly washed and tidied up after bathing in warm water, and as the muscles relaxed, drowsiness overwhelmed him.

Without hesitation, Brody went to the bed, covered herself with the blanket, and laid down.

Her mind flashed through the many places she’d slept since coming to this world: barracks bunks, rustic Southern inns, narrow cabins, camping, and sleeping on horses.

How long had it been since she’d slept in such a fluffy bed?

She drifted off into a deep sleep, feeling cozy as if she were lying on a cloud.

The next day, Brody blinked, feeling the sunlight streaming through the window.

“Is it morning?”

Judging by the color of the sunlight, it wasn’t early morning, probably around 10 a.m.

“I must have slept for over 12 hours since we arrived and bathed right away yesterday evening.”

Her muscles ached, but her mind felt clear.

Not wanting to get up immediately, she tossed and turned a bit, only to find the spot next to her empty.

“Is he already up? We’ve been driving a horse for half a day without sleep.

No, I looked closer, and it wasn’t just empty; it was tidy.

As if no one had ever laid down.

“Are you awake?”

“…”

When she turned her head toward the voice, the sunlight pierced her eyes.

Opening her sleepy eyes, she saw Aidan sitting at the table, looking neat and focused, sipping tea.

He smiled upon seeing Brody squinting in the bright sunlight.

“Shall we have a meal?”

“Yeah, I’m starving.”

Aidan rang the bell, summoning a waiter to order a simple meal.

After the waiter left, Brody, having crawled out of bed, approached and sat at the table.

The table was piled with documents, and Aidan, while sipping his tea, seemed to be reviewing them.

“Did you get some sleep?”

He awkwardly smiled and nodded in response.

From his reaction, it didn’t seem like he had slept much.

Aidan brought a blanket and covered Brody, a considerate gesture that she appreciated, especially given the chilly atmosphere.

He sat back down, silently perusing the documents.

Perhaps Teddy had piled up paperwork during the time they were away.

The sunlight created a backlight behind him, outlining the contours of his cheek and neck with a glow.

Brody rested her chin on her hands and silently observed him.

“Do you have a lot of work?”

“It comes from the territory.”

After briefly turning his gaze away from the documents to look at Brody, he returned his attention to the paperwork.

There were deep vertical lines on his forehead as he examined the documents.

‘Oh, now that I think about it… the headache…’

At that moment, a knock on the door interrupted them. A waiter entered, elegantly placing a trolley with food in front of Brody, and then exited with a polite gesture.

The savory smell stimulated Brody’s hunger. She tore off a piece of well-baked bread and topped it with jam, butter, and some cheese, savoring the delicious bite. Fortunately, after Adonia had cast a healing spell, meals were no longer a challenge.

“Aren’t you going to eat?”

“I had something earlier. Don’t worry and enjoy your meal.”

After a while of the sounds of tearing bread, the clinking of knives and plates, chewing, and the rustling of paper, Brody, having satisfied her hunger, spoke up.

“Your Grace, how’s your headache?”

“Ah.”

Aidan realized he had been unintentionally scowling. He rubbed his forehead, then responded.

“It was fine until now… a bit bothersome.”

Recalling their journey from the South, Brody realized she hadn’t thought about his headaches during that time.

She supposed it’s possible to not notice when you’re in the middle of a life-or-death situation, but at least she had a little time to look around once we were on the ship.

If Aidan had been in pain, she probably would have known.

Assuming that he had administered medicine through her mouth while she was unconscious, it made sense.

But since waking up, she couldn’t recall any memory of sharing a kiss with him or anything similar.

But he said it was fine.

‘Did he not think swallowing fluids was necessary, or was simple contact enough? No, when we held hands and slept, it didn’t work, right? Hmm, could it be because of sweat? Or maybe body scent? ’

She wasn’t sure exactly why, but being on guard for Jax for nearly twenty-four hours a day must have worked to keep his headache at bay.

Brody observed Aidan, who was deeply engrossed in the documents, with a deep vertical wrinkle forming on his forehead.

“Did you say it’s been fine until now?”

“Yeah, I don’t really understand why. It seems to worsen as we head north…”

“Hmm…”

It worsens as they head north? Is it because of the cold? Or perhaps… Could it be the growing sense of duty?

The stack of documents in front of him served as evidence of his responsibility and the position he held.

The man sitting in front of Brody was transitioning back from being Aidan to the Duke.

‘Kissing… Can I do that? Out of nowhere? I can’t feed him Meshu, so I need to make a potion quickly.’

‘What should I do now?’ Brodie, who was contemplating, decided to try something a bit daring.

Keeping the Northern Duke healthy is the first step to making the North stronger.

“Would you like some tea?”

“Huh? Can we do that right now?”

“Yes, if there’s a place to make and brew herbs…”

She suggested it, thinking of doing it discreetly where Aidan wouldn’t notice.

“Nah, we’re about to move. It’s okay, even if it hurts during the journey.”

Aidan declined her offer after a moment of consideration.

After confirming that Brody had finished her meal, Aidan began packing and asked her to prepare.

“We should reach Perden Fortress in two days. We won’t push ourselves like yesterday since there’s a place to rest along the way.”

“Alright.”

Once the items needed for the stay were prepared, Teddy arrived with a bundle of luggage in his hands.

The luggage he brought forth contained a whole set of Brody’s winter clothes.

He handed Brody the clothes she would wear now, and even then, a large pile of clothes came out.

“Are these all the clothes I should wear at once?”

Aidan checked the thermal properties of each one, nodding with satisfaction.

“I think this should be enough. Good job, Teddy.”

Teddy scratched his head, visibly pleased by the praise.

“It’s my pleasure!”

Brody’s eyes widened at the sheer amount of clothes, but with the upcoming winter in the north, she was grateful for them.

After putting them all on, her body looked rounded, and Teddy couldn’t help but burst into laughter. Aidan turned his head, but a faint smile appeared on his face.

Brody sighed, creating a furrow on her forehead. After selectively removing some clothes, she felt much more comfortable, even though she still looked a bit round.

As they went outside, three horses were waiting. One was Kaius, the other belonged to Teddy, and the remaining one?

“This is…”

“From now on, it’s yours. Since you said you can ride, give it a try. If it gets difficult, you can ride with me again. Don’t hesitate to do so.”

‘Oh, I thought we were riding together before heading to Perden Fortress… Did he prepare a horse? Well, I’ve recovered quite a bit.’

With such thoughts in mind, Brody walked towards the horse.

The horse with light brown fur and a white mane exuded a glossy coat and boasted a robust, muscular build.

It seemed well-trained, and Brody extended her hand for the horse to sniff.

She didn’t know much about horses, but even at a glance, it seemed like a good one.

“Thank you, Your Grace.”

Aidan silently nodded in response to Brody’s gratitude.

After Teddy helped saddle the horse and load the luggage, the three of them set off.

Shortly after departure, Aidan observed Brody on the horse, making sure she was comfortable and handling the horse well.

It seemed that her claim of not knowing how to ride was indeed a lie. Brody handled the horse with ease.

Brody, noticing Aidan’s watchful eyes, smiled charmingly. Aidan, in response, gave her a faint smile before urging the horses forward.

Aidan led at the front, Brody rode slightly off-center, and Teddy followed behind.

‘It feels… uncomfortable.’

Brodie looked at Aidan’s back, who sat upright on the horse.

She guesses it’s possible to feel bad now that he’s confirmed in front of him that she lied about not being able to ride.

‘But I didn’t do it on purpose. I really couldn’t ride back then…….’

Somehow, she felt guilty.