“Nobert.”
Red lips moved slowly, creating a soft voice.
“Why are you here?”
It was such a sudden question. But Ariella was really curious.
Why had chance taken her side? Why did she always have such absurd encounters with him? She couldn’t stand it because she was so curious.
“You must be busy with Ashbon’s affairs, so why haven’t you left the capital and continue to live in this townhouse? You even have a much larger and better mansion in the center of Edinburgh.”
It was absurd for Nobert that she had suddenly rushed in and said something like this.
But instead of distorting his face or interrupting her, he waited with a calm expression until Ariella finished speaking.
“If you have other business in the capital, you can stay there. Why are you here?”
“…I thought that someday, this kind of situation might happen.”
“…Yes?”
Ariella frowned and asked back. Because the sunlight was still pouring down on her, she was still squinting.
Nobert didn’t answer right away and walked down the stairs.
Soon, he approached Ariella and reached out towards her face.
Was he going to touch her face? Ariella momentarily flinched, but didn’t move away.
“I thought that someday, you might urgently need me.”
But unlike expected, his hand stayed higher than that. He raised his hand in the air next to Ariella’s forehead and continued slowly.
“So I’m here.”
His large hand created a shadow. Thanks to that, her eyes, which had been stinging, felt much better.
Only then did Ariella open her eyes properly and look at him.
Nobert was more disheveled than usual, as if he had come out in a hurry without even having time to prepare properly. The bangs that he used to neatly sweep back completely covered his forehead, and the top two buttons of his white shirt were undone.
‘It wasn’t a coincidence.’
Her meeting with him was not a coincidence. Not only today, but all the meetings so far had been inevitable.
The fact that he appeared at the most needed moment was all inevitable. Thinking so, she felt like her tense body was softening.
“The sun is strong. Please come inside first.”
Nobert led Ariella inside. Only after hearing his words did she realize that the rays of light shining down on her skin were stinging.
Following him into the townhouse, Nobert guided her to the coolest and most comfortable seat.
Then he immediately went to the kitchen and brought her a cold drink and a simple snack. It was something a servant would do, but he didn’t mind at all.
“All the servants who work here are on vacation today. I apologize for the somewhat inadequate hospitality.”
To send all the servants on vacation and live alone. In many ways, it wasn’t a normal thing.
But because she had seen so many strange things, this much didn’t feel like much anymore. She felt sorry for him serving her, but on the contrary, she felt more comfortable because there was no one to be aware of.
Thanks to that, Ariella opened her mouth without hesitation.
“Did you hear? About what happened at the Hotel Mercedes.”
“Yes, I heard about Countess Anabel and the Crown Prince.”
“Did you hear that the Crown Prince became impotent?”
“No, I didn’t hear that… So that’s what happened.”
“Yes. I did it, that.”
The reaction to the absurd declaration was just slowly closing and opening his eyes.
“To be exact, I made it happen. I set up Anabel and Aaron to harm each other. I gave Aaron an aphrodisiac and gave the Countess a weapon.”
Even with the addition, Nobert still showed no signs of a big reaction. Ariella urged him for an answer, frustrated by his calm appearance.
“What do you think?”
“…I think it’s fortunate that your existence wasn’t revealed and the matter ended safely.”
“Besides that? Don’t you think I’m too wicked, or despicable, or anything like that?”
“I don’t. There must have been a reason for your actions.”
The way he answered without even a moment’s hesitation aroused a strange feeling in Ariella’s heart. Her chest was strangely turbulent. The feeling wasn’t very good, so her voice sank.
“What if there’s no reason?”
“…I don’t think that’s likely. But even if that were the case, I have no intention of moving away from you.”
Why was this person so firm? Why did he like her so much?
As grateful as she was, she became afraid, and Ariella gripped the cold glass tightly with both hands.
“…I’m not normal in many ways. Did you know?”
She didn’t like this fear that often soared.
