Chapter 6.8

“…”

Brienne stared for a moment at Herace, still pretending to be asleep with his eyes closed.

This wasn’t the Rontiano social world—just a passenger cabin on a ship. There was no one to see, nothing to worry about, just the sea outside.

Brienne decided that, at least in this moment, she would not be the young lady of the Ford family, but simply a person following the most honest voice of her heart.

“…Herace.”

After hesitating a little, Brienne carefully placed her hand on Herace’s hair. She could feel Herace’s body flinch slightly at the light touch.

“…Brienne?”

“Just… Just stay still, don’t mind it.”

Herace’s beautifully closed eyes slowly turned toward Brienne. In those deep gray eyes, a mysterious light flickered—he seemed confused, perhaps troubled.

‘Was it too sudden?’

Regret washed over Brienne, and she lowered her hand, covering Herace’s eyes. As soon as his hot breath touched her palm, she regretted moving her hand again. But… right now, all Brienne could think about was hiding her flushed cheeks, not the fever anymore.

“Don’t… Don’t look at me like that…! I’ll let you stay however you want, so don’t even think about opening your eyes.”

“…Alright, I won’t.”

Herace’s answer, which came after a long pause, carried a faint trace of laughter. Brienne flinched and curled her palm slightly. Sadly, it wasn’t only his breath that tickled her hand.

“I’ll wait quietly until you allow me.”

She could feel every single eyelash as Herace closed his eyes again. The ticklish sensation made Brienne dizzy.

‘…I’m crazy.’

Why did she touch Herace’s face so carelessly? Her heart pounded fiercely. Now, not only her face but even her neck felt hot—she couldn’t bring herself to move her hand away.

‘He’ll definitely tease me about this…’

Brienne bit her lip and sighed inwardly. She didn’t want to show Herace her flustered side anymore; hadn’t she even postponed her answer to him?

But now, Brienne was giving exactly the kind of reaction Herace could tease her for. To make a fuss and then show how flustered she was—there was nothing more ridiculous.

Brienne calmed her chaotic heart and swallowed, determined to be as shameless as he was.

Of course, only enough to blame it on being sick and not in her right mind.

“…”

Brienne’s hesitant thumb boldly slid down Herace’s nose.

Then to his lips, and then to his chin.

Tracing Herace’s sharp facial lines, Brienne watched his Adam’s apple move dramatically when her touch grazed his ear.

“…Brienne.”

“…”

Amid the faint hum of the passenger ship’s engine, Herace’s low whisper blended in. Brienne stared at his lips as if bewitched. She kept watching as his lips parted, searching for words, and it didn’t take long for him to finally speak.

“…Stop.”

Herace sighed as if it was hard for him and gently removed Brienne’s hand. His deep gray eyes briefly met Brienne’s, then quickly looked away.

“That’s enough, I should leave now.”

“…What?”

At that moment, reality slowly returned to Brienne’s dazed mind. Only then did she realize what she had done, and she hurriedly tried to follow him.

“W-wait, Herace, um…”

“I’ll be outside as promised. If anything happens, just knock on the door.”

But Herace left before she could stop him. Brienne’s eyes trembled as she watched his endlessly gentle figure walk away.

It was the first rejection she had ever received from Herace.

* * *

“To avoid arousing suspicion from those who trust and follow you, keep your conduct impeccable even in the smallest matters… Ugh! It’s the same thing again?”

Aaron, crouched in the hallway, shouted in frustration, his face twisted. He’d tried his luck with a lottery sold only on the Roeta round-trip ship for fun, but it just ruined his mood.

“Ugh, I’m such an idiot for buying more out of annoyance. How many did I buy, anyway?”

Aaron glared at the three slips of paper in his hand, clicked his tongue, and muttered curses. How could they all say the same thing?

“These are total scam artists.”

To think he fell for such a cheap trick. He’d even thought Herace was foolish for buying medicine at ten times the price just to give it to Miss Ford.

Aaron crumpled the papers together and tossed them mercilessly into the trash. Sitting back down, boredom crept across Aaron’s face.

“…”

He was bored.

Aaron thought he’d never been this bored since he started following Herace, and turned his eyes to the tightly shut door. And at that moment—

Bang.

“S-Sir H-Herace?”

Herace suddenly burst out of the room. Aaron, who had been watching his master’s face closely, was caught off guard.

“Huh? Why are your ears… Did you get hurt? They’re so red…”

“Aaron, go get some cold water. Or ice, if possible.”

“Huh? Cold water?”

“Don’t bother asking, just hurry.”

“Ah, yes, yes…!”

‘Did he have a fight with Miss Ford? Or did she ask him for something?’

Aaron had many questions but, afraid of upsetting Herace, quickly ran for the stairs.

Left alone, Herace stared at the empty hallway for a moment, sighed, and brushed back his hair. Pacing anxiously, leaning against the wall, his ears were even redder than when he’d left the room.

“…Ha.”

His lips were dry. It was the first time Brienne had acted that way toward him. In that moment, Herace almost forgot that Brienne was sick and nearly let his own impulses take over.

‘…Wasn’t she trying to push me away like before?’

Waiting for Brienne’s answer, Herace thought she might use this chance to reject him completely. Even if she sometimes opened up to him or laughed a lot, that didn’t necessarily mean she liked him.

But Brienne…

“…”

Had reached out to him first.

She’d covered his eyes, making sure he couldn’t see anything.

It was something he never dared imagine. He tried to convince himself it was just the medicine making him dream, or maybe her illness had softened her heart. No matter what excuse he made, the sound of his heart pounding refused to calm.

‘This is more dangerous than I imagined…’

Sitting in the hallway, Herace covered his face and couldn’t lift his head for a while.

If he could, he would have jumped into the sea like a madman.

* * *

Who said sleep was the best medicine for a cold? Brienne, who had fallen into a deep sleep, woke up feeling lighter for the first time in a while. She’d guessed she’d sleep for a long time after taking the medicine, and she was right.

She’d slept through the day and night, and now the sun was rising outside the window.

‘…Wow, did I sleep for an entire day?’

She’d better hurry and get ready to disembark. Brienne checked the clock, sat up with a stretch, and looked around.

Only then did she notice the chair left by her bed, and the memory of Herace’s rejection returned to her mind. As she stretched lightly, a small wrinkle appeared on her brow.

“…”

After he left, Brienne calmed herself and eventually fell asleep. She thought she’d reconsider everything once her fever broke and her mind was clear… but now she understood even less.

Who was the one who said he liked her and wanted to be with her? No matter how upset he was, wasn’t it too much to humiliate her without even giving her a chance to apologize?

She’d revealed her feelings to him for the first time.

But Herace had immediately rejected her touch.

‘Was my touch really that unpleasant to him?’

But if Herace did that to her… she wouldn’t mind at all.

Brienne stared blankly at her hand for a while, then shook her head. No matter how hard she tried to understand Herace’s feelings, it was a question she couldn’t answer alone.

‘…I should eat instead.’

She’d have to head straight to the academy upon arriving at the Holy Kingdom of Roeta. Brienne got out of bed, showered, and carefully prepared her face.

But as soon as she opened the cabin door and stepped into the hallway, Brienne was forced to stop in her tracks. Herace was sitting against the wall opposite her cabin, dozing off.

“Why is he here…”

Trying to make sense of the situation, Brienne let out a sigh and crouched down.

Herace had said he would wait outside, but after everything that happened, she never imagined he’d actually wait outside her door.

And hadn’t too much time passed?

Brienne reached out to wake Herace. But just before her hand touched his shoulder, a surge of frustration rose up.

“…If he was going to do this—”

He should’ve just stayed in the room with her, as they’d first discussed. Instead, he left and made her feel guilty for no reason.

She was upset.

She’d finally worked up the courage to approach him, and he was the first to reject her. Even the smile he always wore was gone, and he pushed her away coldly, as if she were a stranger.

“…”

Brienne glanced around the hallway to make sure no one was there, then sat beside him. Staring at Herace’s angelic sleeping face, a sad smile formed on Brienne’s lips.

“I finally decided to come closer, so why are you suddenly drawing a line?”

“…”

“Don’t tell me you prefer unrequited love?”

Brienne whispered quietly and gazed at Herace’s silent face for a long time. Her eyes traced his shining hair and paused on his thin shirt.

After a moment, Brienne stood up and returned to her cabin, her steps as heavy as her heart.