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~Chapter 36~
Lily was tired too, but honestly, the most sleepy person was Blake.
He hadn’t slept for days, so now that the tension was gone, it was only natural he was exhausted.
Blake clenched his jaw to hold back a yawn. Lily saw this and smiled gracefully, as usual.
“Let’s put off the contract and all the childhood stories until tomorrow. Let’s rest for now.”
“Mm, yes, let’s do that.”
Blake suddenly felt sleep hit him hard, rubbing his eyes.
Still, he gestured to walk Lily to her room.
“By the way, what’s that bowl of purée you’re holding? Were you going to throw it out? Hand it over. You didn’t eat any of it.”
“I promise I’ll have breakfast starting tomorrow. I’ll see you in the dining room again.”
“Ah.”
Blake almost said he’d also been eating his meals in his office since Lily stopped coming, but held his tongue.
It’s not like I’m in love or anything…
Definitely not love…
The word “love” kept floating in his head, but he tried to ignore it.
“Breakfast. Sure, got it.”
At her door, Lily said goodbye.
“See you tomorrow, then.”
Blake was about to leave when Lily stopped him.
“What is it?”
“There’s something I wanted to say, but I didn’t get the chance.”
Lily pulled Blake down by the arm so he’d lean close.
He thought she was going to whisper a secret, so he lowered his head—then was shocked.
Lily gave him a gentle, formal kiss on the cheek.
“Thank you.”
It was a gesture of thanks to a knight—a sign that Lily felt safe with him. Since their conflict was all about whether she could trust him, this was the perfect way to show reconciliation.
“See you tomorrow.”
Before Blake could reply, Lily disappeared into her room.
She stretched under the faint moonlight and looked around.
Lily thought,
Okay, I’ve said thank you…
I’ve rested enough. From tomorrow, I’ll help out at Winter Castle again—fill the hay in the stables, ask the maids if they need anything.
The air in Lily’s room was stuffy from the closed window. She hadn’t noticed until now, but suddenly it felt hard to breathe.
She threw open the window.
A cold winter wind rushed in and played with her hair. The winter smell made her feel better.
No more just lying in bed from now on. And for today, I’ll stop thinking about my ex-husband.
Lily yawned.
Sleep finally washed over her.
Blake was left alone in the hallway, now completely awake.
He didn’t look like someone who’d missed sleep for days. He just touched his cheek where her lips had been, in a daze.
What just happened?
He tried to remember, but all he could think of was the strong peach scent burned into his mind.
A moment later, his face turned red.
Damn, that girl…
Lily had acted like nothing happened, which only made his reaction funnier.
It’s nothing. Nothing at all. Nothing…
Don’t think about it anymore, he told himself and walked briskly through the hall.
But Lily’s eyes kept coming to mind. Whenever he looked into her blue eyes, he felt strange—almost shocked.
It wasn’t like war nerves. Her long lashes and blue eyes, when they looked at him and sparkled—
Stop thinking about it!
Blake slammed his fist against the wall.
That’s where the problem started.
His fist was as strong as it looked, and that spot in the wall needed repair.
A giant white brick came loose and fell down into the snow below. Luckily, no one was there, so it just disappeared into the snow.
“….”
Blake just stared at the cold wind blowing through the hole.
What the…?
He looked around, saw no one, and hurried away.
I know nothing. I saw nothing.
Back in his room, he loosened his belt but paused when he saw himself in the mirror.
Is this how I looked to Lily?
His black hair was messy, his eyes were sunken. He looked like a beggar.
Tomorrow, I need someone to fix my hair.
His shirt was wrinkled, and he needed a new belt.
He’d never cared about his appearance so much before. Without even realizing, he stared at himself for several minutes before sitting on his bed.
Thanks to someone with white-gold hair, all his sleepiness was gone, but he needed to try anyway. His insomnia felt like it was over.
Come to think of it…
As Blake put the locket in his drawer, he suddenly realized something important.
His late father—the former duke—had a reason for acting so strangely toward Lily.
I thought he was crazy, promising something to a noblewoman just because of spilled wine. Turns out, he remembered Lily Hedwick.
Unlike the children, the old duke would definitely remember Lily.
Damn, that’s why he risked the family’s honor to grant her a favor. He never told me a thing…
Blake became curious.
Did his father ever imagine Lily would come to Winter Castle one day, believing in that promise?
Probably not.
Blake was sure his father was just an optimist who thought, “If something happens, great; if not, oh well.”
That simple-minded old man.
Still, at least today, I should thank him.
He clenched his fist—then remembered the earlier accident and carefully relaxed his fingers.
The next day, the sun rose at the usual time.
Maid Gianna stretched and groaned, her body stiff.
Another maid, carrying a stack of knives, called out,
“Where are you going, Gianna?”
“I’m getting some new blankets.”
“Okay…”
Everyone at Winter Castle felt like they were dying inside. Life without Lily was just empty. Even though it was the same as before she came, it all felt hollow.
It’s like this: If you’ve never tasted strawberries, you don’t miss them. But if you’ve tasted them and then they’re taken away, it’s unbearable.
Gianna stood in front of Lily’s door.
I need to smile for Miss Lily.
When someone is down, you need to give them energy. Gianna threw the door open with a big, cheerful laugh.
“Miss Lily! Good morning! Did you enjoy the purée I brought yesterday? I brought a fresh, fluffy blanket too—”
Her famously loud voice faded.
Because Lily was nowhere to be seen.
Gianna looked under the bed, but found nothing.
With shaking hands and eyes, she searched the whole room, then ran into the hallway shouting,
“Miss Lily is gone!!!”
The news spread through Winter Castle in an instant.
“Miss Lily is gone?”
“You’re kidding, right? It’s cold as usual today—”
“Damn it, she’s really not in there!”
“Did she run away without a carriage? We have to find her before she gets lost.”
They searched every corner of Winter Castle, then formed a search party and rushed outside.
The knights crawled over the snow, finally spotting some faint footprints.
“This is it!”
They brushed the snow off the tracks, as careful as if they’d found evidence of a serial killer.
“See the weight is centered inward! The steps are deeper than an average woman’s, and especially, the big toe pressed in 0.1 cm more—these are definitely Miss Lily’s footprints!”
“Let’s follow them! Everyone, gather up!”
They all rushed toward the stables like there was a war.
Wait, the stables?
While everyone was confused, the wooden door creaked open.
“…Oh?”
With her hair tied up and arms full of straw, Lily Hedwick stood there.
She looked around at everyone with wide, round eyes.
“What are you all doing here?”
