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Chapter 14
If You Want It, As You Wish (5)
“…Of course.”
“But I’m not okay.”
“What?”
“I can’t fall asleep well unless I’m with someone I’m used to. Trisha, you’ve heard the stories, so you know.”
Of course, she knew. The maids who had unknowingly entered Astein’s room before—how they had come out.
Astein didn’t do anything particularly violent. Yet every one of them came out trembling as if they’d had a seizure.
There was only one reason: he was so terrifying that they couldn’t bear to go near him. Some even had nightmares for days afterward, begging in tears to be reassigned anywhere else—working the night shift was fine, as long as it wasn’t guarding Astein’s room.
But that was in the past.
Trisha lifted her chin and said,
“I’m fine.”
“It’s actually easier for me if you’re here, Trisha. To be honest, Lucy pushed herself a bit too much today. But if I’m going to sleep, I have no choice.”
“……”
“Will you stay by my side all night?”
His red pupils shimmered under his gently slanted eyes.
Seeing those eyes, Trisha’s expression sharpened. His whole act to cling to the lady felt blatantly brazen and impudent.
‘What a cheeky brat.’
Whatever she said, it was clear Astein had no intention of letting Elluciana go.
‘Hmph. Do you think I’ll just let you have your way? Not a chance.’
But before Trisha could say anything, Elluciana gently tugged on her arm.
“Trisha. I’ll just stay.”
“My lady…?”
“I’ll sit for a bit and then leave. You know, right? Astein falls asleep quickly when I’m around. So, please understand. Okay?”
Elluciana’s gaze drifted to Astein’s foot. Trisha, already nursing a dull pain, now felt it throb harder under that stubborn, determined gaze.
Her lady already carried a sense of guilt. So if it was Astein asking, she’d want to grant anything.
And that little devil knew it all too well.
That her soft heart would sway like a wildflower at the smallest plea to “stay.”
And that Trisha herself wouldn’t be able to ignore it.
“Trisha, okay?”
“…Do you really want to stay that much?”
“Yeah.”
“Haa… Fine.”
Reluctantly nodding, Trisha threw a sideways glare at Astein.
As she expected, the boy had a sly, siren-like smile tugging at the corners of his lips.
“If you get tired, come out right away, my lady.”
“Mm. I will.”
“Astein. Don’t bother her too much. She had a hard day with lessons today, so go to sleep quickly.”
Trisha left after warning Astein curtly.
Startled by her cold demeanor, which she had never seen before, Elluciana widened her eyes.
“Sheesh, Trisha worries too much. You know that, right? Even if she talks like that, she’s always been concerned about you.”
Worried that he might mistrust Trisha, Elluciana made an awkward excuse.
But Astein responded disinterestedly.
“I know. She cares about me a lot.”
“You… know?”
“Enough of that. Sit here, Lucy.”
“Hmm, should I?”
Annoyed by his unusually sweet tone, Elluciana sat beside the bed where he gestured.
“Will you hold my hand?”
“Your hand?”
“When I couldn’t sleep, my mom used to hold it.”
“Ah, um, okay. I’ll hold it.”
He even brought out the ultimate cheat code: “mom.” Elluciana couldn’t refuse and held his hand.
It had only been a few months, but the once-small hand had grown to be almost her size.
‘Right… he used to be two years older than me.’
Astein was so small and slight that she often forgot that fact. When Elluciana smiled faintly, he asked,
“Why are you smiling?”
“Hmm?”
“Right here. Your lips are smiling.”
Astein slightly lifted his torso and reached out to brush her lip corner.
It was nothing unusual.
Just a fleeting touch.
But the moment his fingers brushed her skin—when their smiles met like blooming cherry blossoms—Elluciana felt a dizzying jolt, like a bolt of electricity.
‘You’re too beautiful, Astein.’
The way he softly smiled with his eyes, the tender gaze he’d never shown before—it was all too beautiful.
For a moment, Elluciana was utterly entranced.
‘No, no!’
Startled, she quickly removed his hand from her lips and placed it over his eyes.
The boy’s face, smiling just in front of her, was beautiful enough to make someone fall at first sight.
Radiant, almost blinding.
“Lucy?”
“…Just go to sleep.”
“Why are you covering my eyes?”
“Tsk. I said go to sleep. Or I’ll leave.”
Astein chuckled. His smoothly curved lips stole her gaze once again.
‘Ugh. Not good for my heart.’
Elluciana tightly closed her eyes, as if denying reality. Whether he noticed or not, Astein asked playfully,
“You’ll stay until I fall asleep, right?”
“…Y-Yeah. I will.”
And not long after, Astein drifted off to sleep.
Only then did Elluciana breathe a sigh of relief.
‘That was close. I almost hugged and kissed him.’
Watching his chest rise and fall gently, she pouted.
‘You sleep so peacefully… not even knowing the terrible thoughts I had.’
Shaking her head in exasperation, she murmured,
“How do you fall asleep in less than five minutes?”
Elluciana lowered her arm that had covered his eyes and smiled faintly.
‘I was worried, but I’m glad… he’s gotten a lot brighter.’
Still cold and curt, but he had changed a lot compared to before.
He spoke more, and even smiled sometimes.
‘No, quite… frequently now?’
Elluciana’s brow furrowed slightly, and she tilted her head.
“Seeing him today, I’m pretty sure.”
Well, smiling is a good thing.
Lightly tapping Astein’s nose, Elluciana stood up.
“Goodnight, Astein. And… thank you for today.”
Leaving behind those words of gratitude, she stepped out.
Left alone in the room, Astein slowly opened his eyes. Stroking the spot on his nose where her finger had touched, he smiled lazily.
“I should be the one thanking you, Lucy.”
***
‘This is so boring.’
Elluciana, who had canceled all her weekly plans, was slumped over the table, staring out the window since morning.
‘I shouldn’t have told him to rest.’
As if ruining his foot wasn’t enough, she’d also drugged him with a strong potion and made him faint. Ridden with guilt, she’d forced Astein to rest.
He had insisted he was fine, but she used it as an excuse to cancel all his tightly scheduled lessons—what a beautiful ending.
But the joy was short-lived. By the third day, the boredom was suffocating.
“My lady, why are you so down?”
“There’s nothing to feel up about.”
“Are you bored?”
“You already know, so why ask?”
Like a melted ice cream in the heat, Elluciana slumped lazily—then suddenly jerked her head up.
“Why? Do you have something fun?”
Trisha, who had been arranging flowers, set them down and smiled meaningfully.
“Maybe?”
“Really?”
Elluciana’s crimson eyes grew wide like lanterns, sparkling with anticipation.
“What is it?”
“Fufu. Follow me. Brace yourself. You might forget time exists for a while.”
“You’re making me suspicious with that tone.”
Trisha’s overly confident tone made Elluciana glance at her warily.
“Trust me, my lady. At the very least, it’ll be more fun than this.”
“…Hmm. Fine. I’ll trust you.”
With a bright smile, Trisha led the way. Elluciana, sensing something fishy in that smile, followed anyway—she had nothing better to do.
And in front of a familiar door…
“This place…”
Elluciana sighed and looked at Trisha. It was the same room she had visited yesterday, the day before, and the day before that.
“You didn’t turn my dressing room into a playroom or something, did you, Trisha?”
“Playroom? What a ridiculous thing to say. Ten playrooms wouldn’t compare to this. Just go in and see for yourself, my lady. You won’t say that again.”
Before she could refuse, Trisha grabbed her wrist and pulled her into the dressing room.
“Oh my! Look at this, my lady. A bag made from mermaid scales!”
Trisha let go of Elluciana’s hand and picked up a shimmering bag, its colors changing beautifully.
“Look at the colors! This is a rare item—there are only a few even in the royal palace. Where on earth did the viscount find this? Oh! Th-this is a fairy wing!”
Ecstatic, Trisha held a sheer piece of fabric in her hands, looking completely enchanted. Then she dashed off deeper into the dressing room, searching for the next treasure.
“It’s just a piece of cloth. What’s the big deal?”
Elluciana, shaking her head with disinterest, looked around the dressing room with a bored expression.
