Nobert looked clueless. Ariella snorted at him.
Wasn’t he really underhanded?
Confessing to her with words sweeter than any proposal, yet not wanting or wondering about her own feelings. Making the absurd excuse that he wasn’t worthy of doing so.
Ariella wanted to say.
That you make me tremble. That you make me expect things I shouldn’t expect.
That you are a more wonderful and better man than any man I’ve ever met, and the only man who cherishes me for who I am.
That I have ended up harboring feelings for you, so stop talking about knowing your place and your station.
She wanted to forget all her circumstances and say that.
But there were too many tasks placed before her.
“Sister, do you know what kind of meat was used to make that meat pie you ate today? It was the meat of that dog you cherished so much. How was it, did it taste good?”
David’s voice echoed in her head. At his words that he had made a meat pie with the flesh of the dead Oliver, the Ariella of the past had vomited repeatedly.
After she had thrown up everything she had eaten and even vomited up sticky gastric juices, David chuckled, saying that he was just joking. Ariella couldn’t stand it and punched him in the face.
“To injure the face of the heir just because a mere dog died, are you out of your mind! Butler! Lock this insolent girl in her room immediately! If you don’t give her a single piece of bread for three days and starve her, she’ll know her place!”
The voice of Duke Bedford, roaring with anger when he heard the news, also echoed in her ears. And so, Ariella was locked in a dark room again, and starved for days with her stomach empty from vomiting so much.
Strangely enough, at that time, she wasn’t very hungry even though she was on the verge of starvation. Rather, she continued to feel nauseous. It was because the nausea she had felt when she thought she had really eaten Oliver’s flesh hadn’t stopped even after several days.
“That’s misfortune. It’s not misfortune to wear pretty dresses and eat good food, to cry because you were scolded by your father, to cry because a dog died.”
Finally, it was Lizzy’s voice that she had heard just a few hours ago.
The phantoms of Bedford took turns reminding Ariella of reality.
Misfortune is very easily contagious. Not to mention negative emotions.
Knowing that fact, she suppressed the impulse that surged up and smiled playfully at Nobert.
“You let me call you by your name, but Nobert keeps calling me ‘Duchess Bedford’? So it’s underhanded.”
“Ah, that’s…”
“Nobert, you said you were sorry for not being able to help me when I was having a hard time.”
Ariella slowly reached out her hand.
Tap, her fingertips lightly touched the back of his large hand.
The hand that had blocked the pouring sunlight. Remembering that sight made her laugh involuntarily.
I have someone on my side. Even if the dead Kaia cursed me, there is someone who will take my side.
This thought cleared away the guilt that had been blocking her throat.
“From now on, please call me by my name too.”
Ariella couldn’t bring herself to let him know that she had come to harbor feelings for him that were at least somewhat similar. Until she finished all her revenge, she probably wouldn’t be able to say it, ever.
“Not Arrie Bedford, not Lady Arrie. Just Ariella, please call me that.”
Perhaps by then, he would have given up on her and be looking at someone else.
It would be a shame, but she didn’t think she would regret it.
“I think that would be a great source of strength for me.”
“…May I, really?”
“Yes. I want you to, because it’s you.”
“I understand.”
At least, she had allowed the first man she had ever liked to call her by her name first.
“Nobert, I’m sorry, but could you cooperate with my revenge a little more? I still need your help.”
Because she could ask him for help, showing him her honest feelings without any doubt or wariness.
“Of course, Ariella.”
For now, that was enough.
While she emptied the sweet and sour juice, the two men and women had an honest and serious conversation.
The conversation wasn’t long, but it was impressive. Each word that Calsian calmly uttered gave Ariella great comfort.
Soon, when the glass was empty, Ariella got up without delay. Looking back with a calmer mind, she realized that her actions today were extremely rude.
She deeply regretted seeing Calsian, who hadn’t even buttoned up his shirt properly, welcoming her. She regretted it again when she unconsciously stared at the muscles that were slightly revealed through the open shirt.
