4. Don’t Bother Me

Around 8 o’clock in the morning, when darkness retreated from the world and the sun rose, people began their daily routines one by one.

“Miss! Miss Eileen! I’m sorry, but it’s an emergency so I’m coming in!”

With an urgent knock, Mary opened the door and entered.

“Hello, Mary.”

Contrary to expectations that she would be sleeping, Eileen greeted her with a haggard face.

“Miss, did you stay up all night again?”

“Yes, I couldn’t sleep.”

Eileen scratched her cheek in response to Mary’s question.

For a week now, Eileen had been unable to fall asleep easily, spending each night wide awake.

“Should we call a doctor after all?”

Mary asked worriedly.

“No, it’s fine……”

If a doctor could solve the problem, she would have called one long ago. However, what disturbed her sleep wasn’t something a doctor could fix.

‘Please, get out of my head……!’

It was none other than Aaron de Monston, both her target for revenge and the person who saved her life.

‘This is driving me crazy, really……’

Although she had been suffering because Aaron invaded her thoughts since the accident at Etoile Hill, lately it had become too serious.

‘Am I showing how much of a lifelong single I am?’

Even in this important moment of lamenting, her mind unfailingly replayed the scene from a week ago when Aaron kissed the back of her hand.

“Aaargh!”

I’m crazy, I’ve gone crazy!

Eileen shook her head vigorously to drive away the thoughts.

“Oh, M-Miss. Why are you suddenly……?”

“I’m just going to get up. I need to get up and work.”

Nothing was better than work for driving away distracting thoughts. Eileen rose and got out of bed.

“Oh, right! The reason I came looking for you was to deliver work-related news!”

“Huh? Work-related?”

Eileen frowned slightly and tilted her head.

Then, Mary said with the corner of her mouth lifting:

“We received a message from the Berg family that Young Master Eden has returned to Renet and wants to meet at Lake Bonita today.”

* * *

“This place is always amazing, isn’t it? Right, Daniel?”

“Yes, Miss, it really is amazing. I can see why people call Lake Bonita the eye of Renet.”

Thanks to the sun shining brilliantly in the middle of the blue sky, the rippling waves looked even more beautiful.

“Miss, there are swans floating over there!”

“Daniel, are you in a good mood because you got to skip training today thanks to me?”

“Would you keep it a secret? The captain would be hurt if he heard.”

“Depends on what you do?”

Eileen’s laughter spread gently along with the waves. Her green eyes, which had been hollow from lack of sleep, now sparkled in the sunlight.

“Lady Eileen!”

After a few minutes of enjoying the rippling lake and flying swans, a familiar voice called out to Eileen.

When she turned her head, Eden was walking toward her with his usual warm smile.

“Young Master Eden! Have you been well?”

Perhaps because they hadn’t met for several weeks, seeing Eden after a long time made her very happy. Eileen greeted Eden with a voice pitched higher than usual.

“Yes, I’ve been well thanks to…… E-Eileen! Why is your leg……?”

Eden’s eyes fell on Eileen’s appearance as he was greeting her happily.

His lips parted gradually at the sight of bandages wrapped tightly around her right foot and her crutch. She appeared to be quite seriously injured.

“I went to Etoile Hill recently and accidentally fell off a cliff.”

“Off a cliff?!”

Eden looked back and forth between Eileen, who was awkwardly laughing as if she couldn’t believe it herself, and Daniel, who was sighing deeply, looking upset.

“A-Are you all right elsewhere?”

“Yes, I’m fine!”

Unlike Eden who was full of concern, Eileen’s answer was liveliness itself. Eden was reminded of his youngest brother who would cause accidents and then smile carelessly, making his head hurt a little.

“Really, Lady Eileen……”

Unlike their somewhat stiff first meeting, the more he got to know her, the more she felt like a thoughtless little sister, making him smile without realizing it.

“If I had known this would happen, I should have gone alone today.”

Eden lowered his knees slightly to meet Eileen’s eyes.

His eyes were filled with worry and apology.

However, Eileen hurriedly waved her hands at his words.

Her voice revealed urgency, fearing Eden might tell her to go home even now.

“No! I wanted to see the paintings too. And most importantly, I need to work!”

She couldn’t bring herself to say that she had insisted on working despite Duke Kyle’s concerns in order to drive away thoughts of Aaron.

“That’s right! Let’s work, Young Master Eden!”

Eileen urged Eden while glossing over her words.

“By the way, Young Master Eden, may I ask why you chose Lake Bonita as our meeting place?”

Eileen asked a question to divert his attention. Eden responded in a gentle voice, as though she shouldn’t ask further questions.

“I heard there’s a talented painter at Lake Bonita.”

“Really?”

The interesting answer sparked Eileen’s curiosity. She blinked slowly, waiting for Eden’s next words.

“Yes, he has set up a small space by Lake Bonita where he sells his paintings, and they say his skills are quite remarkable.”

“Then he’s perfect for our business!”

The clear sound of clapping hands seeped between Eileen and Eden.

“But we’ll have to walk quite a bit to get there. Will you be all right?”

Eden asked with a voice dripping with concern.

“I’ll be fine, you don’t need to worry so much.”

When Eileen gave a slight nod, Daniel returned to the carriage and brought back a wheelchair.

“I brought a wheelchair just in case!”

“As expected of Lady Eileen. You’re thoroughly prepared!”

Her raised chin and upturned lips were like a child waiting for praise. Eden began to compliment Eileen with a slightly exaggerated voice.

“And I ate a hearty breakfast too!”

“Really? Then we can work more today?”

“Yes, and I wore comfortable clothes!”

Excited by Eden’s praise without realizing it, Eileen began listing even the most trivial things. Their conversation, incomprehensible to others, only ended when Eileen snapped back to reality, her face turning bright red.

“Shall we go then?”

“Yes.”

“This way.”

After traveling some distance, Eden pointed to a small tent set up in one corner of Lake Bonita.

“Here it is, Lady Eileen.”

Eileen got out of the wheelchair, leaned on her crutch, and followed Eden into the tent.

“What do you think?”

Swans gracefully swimming in the emerald Lake Bonita, people walking around the lake with fluffy brown dogs, and many other paintings were showing off their presence.

Among them, a painting of the dawn sky adorned with brilliant stars immediately caught her eye.

“If I were the sun, I would see this painting and hide, thinking it was night.”

“Haha, thank you. That’s truly the highest praise.”

The painter, who had been listening to Eileen’s appreciation, burst into cheerful laughter.

“Ah! There are many more paintings outside that the young lady might like. Would you like to take a look?”

“Of course.”

By now, Aaron de Monston who had been rummaging through Eileen’s mind had disappeared, and the paintings had taken his place.

I’m glad I came out to work!

Eileen nodded gently.

Just then, a messenger from the Berg family ran up to the two people who were busy looking at paintings, breathing heavily.

“Young Master! An urgent letter!”

Judging by the messenger’s urgent appearance, it seemed like an important matter that needed immediate attention.

“Lady Eileen, I’m truly sorry, but may I excuse myself for a moment?”

“Yes, Young Master Eden.”

Eden sent an apologetic look, and Eileen nodded with a smile on her lips. Eden then followed the messenger who had come looking for him.

Not long after, the painter left briefly to package the painting Eileen had purchased, and Daniel left to load the painting into the carriage.

“Wow! This painting is so pretty too!”

Left alone in the space filled with paintings, Eileen hummed a tune as she slowly walked one step at a time, leaning on her crutch.

“Shouldn’t you still be resting instead of walking around?”

But Eileen’s cheerful singing stopped abruptly at the pleasant low voice ringing in her ears.

“D-Duke Aaron?”

When she turned her head toward the sound, Aaron was looking at her with a crooked smile.

“You should rest properly to recover quickly.”

Aaron, who had come out to Lake Bonita for a brief respite, unconsciously wore a gentle smile at his unexpected encounter with Eileen.

“I-I’m fine now?”

I just managed to drive away all thoughts of you!

Of all things, to run into the real Aaron here.

Eileen’s face began to turn bright again because of the pink scenes replaying in her mind.

“Hmm? Are you feeling unwell?”

Seeing Eileen suddenly turning red, Aaron tilted his head and asked in a languid voice.

“I’m not sick!”

“That’s good.”

With a low chuckle, Aaron’s fingers lightly brushed against her cheek, making her heart start to beat hard.

“But did you come alone? It’s dangerous without a maid or knight escort.”

Aaron slightly frowned.

“No. Today……”

“Oh! Aaron!”

Before Eileen could finish her sentence, Eden approached the two, waving his hand happily.

“……Eden.”

“Aaron, what brings you here?”

“A walk. And you?”

Unpleasant feelings enveloped Aaron when he saw Eden standing right next to Eileen with a bright smile.

“I told you before that I’m doing business with Lady Eileen, right? I’m here for that.”

“To me, it looks less like business and more like a date while having fun.”

Perhaps because of the unpleasant feeling increasingly weighing down on his chest, words with unusually sharp thorns flew out of Aaron’s mouth.

However, Eden seemed to take his words as a mere joke, tilting his head and just smiling.

Instead, he played along and said in a playful voice,

“Is that so? Do you think so too, Lady Eileen?”

“Now that you mention it, it does seem that way.”

Eileen also burst into laughter and agreed with his opinion.

“……”

Aaron ground his teeth at the sight of the two.

What is this irritating emotion?

When Eileen broke into a clear laugh toward Eden, a dark anger began to rise from deep within Aaron’s heart.

“Oh! Young Marquis Eden, you’ve returned? Could you come here for a moment? There’s something I need you to confirm.”