GDTN 08

Chapter  08

Of course, whatever reason Selene might have had for smiling had nothing to do with him. Varas pulled his wandering thoughts back into place.

His goal was to possess her—not to make her laugh.

Selene, after hearing from Anna about her allowance, immediately withdrew money and went out to the market.

There was nothing lacking there: market stalls, snacks, a fountain, even the wind itself.

While enjoying all of it, she kept thinking about the sensation of Varas draping a cloak over her yesterday. When she had stood on her tiptoes and grabbed his arm, the solid strength of him—unchanged even when her weight rested on it—kept returning to her mind.

It made her smile again and again.

She had been lonely too. Living as Yumi, she had acted as her own guardian from a very young age.

When she felt cut off from the world, she sometimes wondered—was she destined to live alone forever?

But in this world, Varas’s loneliness was said to be predetermined. Perhaps that was why she had ended up by his side.

People said everything happened for a reason. Maybe there was a reason she had come into this world and become his wife.

Strangely, she felt she could live well here. She wanted to try getting along with him.

On her way back, Selene stopped at a corner of the market and looked at a bag woven from something like dried grass.

When Varas saw it, he immediately assumed she was preparing to run away.

It was slightly strange that she spent so long looking at the bag, but still—she should just need something sturdy, spacious, and suitable for carrying on her shoulder.

The bag she eventually bought, after a long inspection, was a small hand-carry type.

What an idiot of a woman.

Next she looked at leather shoes.

Yes. She would need shoes good for running—low heels, sturdy.

But after a brief glance, she moved on and returned to the castle.

Was she aware of Anna beside her? Was she secretly trying to buy low heels?

But as long as Anna stayed by her side, she wouldn’t be allowed to go out alone anyway.

Varas began assigning meanings to every single one of Selene’s actions.

After returning to the castle, Varas waited until around the same time as the previous day before heading to Selene’s room.

What if she had just come out of the bath again? The thought made him uneasy—but also carried a faint expectation.

He fidgeted with the gift he had prepared and stood before her door.

Just as he was about to knock, the door opened slightly.

Escape?

Without thinking, Varas hid behind it.

Selene came out without even looking around, lifting her skirt with both hands as she walked carefully.

He couldn’t help but laugh. What a ridiculous sight.

She had probably been struggling with a dress meant to trail on the floor, unlike the shorter ones she usually wore.

Varas watched her for a while, then followed from a distance.

Selene, struggling forward, went down a floor and stopped in front of a door.

From behind a pillar on the stairs, Varas narrowed his eyes.

As she straightened her dress, he realized whose room this was.

Damn. It’s my room.

Moving as quietly as possible, he rushed upstairs, considered entering through Selene’s room to reach his own—but stopped.

No… breaking in like that would be improper.

He steadied himself in front of her door, went into a neighboring room, opened the window, and leapt diagonally down to land on his own terrace.

A surprisingly agile movement for his large build.

Throwing off his cloak, he tossed the prepared gift onto the table and then opened the door leading out.

At that exact moment—

Selene was just about to knock.

No—she was hesitating before knocking.

Standing in front of Varas’s bedroom door, Selene peered into her small hand bag.

Inside were two red apples.

They had looked so delicious at the market that she had bought them without thinking.

She had considered waiting in her room, but decided it would be better to come directly. She had already asked Anna for the room location.

Since Varas had visited her room around this time yesterday, this shouldn’t be inappropriate.

Still, she worried—what if he thought she was trying to seduce him? What if he misunderstood?

While she hesitated, the door suddenly opened.

“Hic!”

Startled, she let out a hiccup like a thief caught in the act.

Meeting his searching gaze made her realize she might have been too bold coming at night.

Without saying anything, Varas simply stepped aside and opened the door for her.

As if inviting her in.

Still hiccuping, Selene sat down near the fireplace, glancing around nervously.

Varas remained by the door, as though guarding against intrusion.

After a moment of silent staring, Selene patted the space beside her.

She sat there with wide eyes, still hiccuping.

Perhaps something about her had changed over the past two days. She seemed to be softening.

And somehow, seeing her smile beside him made him feel strange.

Selene took out two apples and handed one to him.

When the large apple passed into Varas’s hand, it looked as small as a ping-pong ball. He bit into it—half disappearing in a single bite.

Selene burst into laughter again.

Before long, Varas was also laughing at her laughter. Perhaps she found his chewing expression funny.

Wiping away the moisture at the corner of her eyes from laughing too much, Selene finally began eating her own apple.

She took a bite as if she might swallow it whole, scrunching her nose—but it seemed she had only managed to peel off a bit.

Her mouth was so small. Everything about her was small—her height, her face, even the hand that had once grabbed his arm. Her waist had looked impossibly narrow. Her shoulders too. Even her silhouette suggested small hips.

His thoughts kept drifting downward until the gift he had prepared came to mind.

He stood up slowly. For some reason, he always moved slowly around her.

As if sudden movements might startle her.

Like the time she had opened a curtain and seen him, trembling in surprise.

Varas shook off the thought and brought the gift to her.

“What is this?”

Still chewing on her apple, Selene opened the box.

Inside were low-heeled leather shoes.

She examined them closely, clearly liking the engraved pattern.

“They’re… so beautiful.”

She kept staring at them for a long time.

Watching her, Varas suddenly wanted to see her feet.

Were they small too?

“Try them on.”

He immediately regretted saying it. She was wearing a heavy dress—how could she change them herself?

And he certainly couldn’t lift her skirt for her.

But Selene, as if it was a good idea, smiled and nodded, then gathered her dress awkwardly.

However, it was still impossible.

The barrier of fabric between her hands and feet was too thick.

After struggling, she stood up instead.

That would make it easier for her—but then he wouldn’t see her feet.

Varas simply watched as she fumbled inside her dress to change shoes.

Like a dog chasing a chicken that had already escaped.

When she finished, Selene lifted her skirt slightly, showing him the shoes.

Her ankles were so delicate, so pale. If the skirt went higher, he might even see her calves—but it dropped back down quickly.

He instinctively looked up and met her eyes.

She was already looking at him, smiling brightly.

“Thank you. I really love them.”

Her voice strangely echoed in his ears.

What is this woman?

Why did he feel so dazed whenever she smiled?

Varas quickly looked away.

Yes. Comfortable shoes are needed to run away.

Wait—if she succeeds in escaping, then what?

There was a worse problem.

If a woman with no ties in the harsh north ran away, it would mean she hated him that much.

Smiling gently in front of him… and then planning to leave one day?

Just imagining it made his chest feel heavy.

Selene sat back down beside him and picked up the apple she had left earlier.

From his perspective, she showed no intention of leaving that night.

In fact, she seemed even closer than before—so close he could feel her slightest movement against his leg.

Varas found it increasingly difficult to understand.

This innocent-looking woman, who smelled faintly sweet like sugar, what exactly was she trying to do?

Why had she given him apples? Why did she keep smiling at him?

And above all—why had she come to his room after sunset?

Did she truly have no intention of returning to the Duchess’s bedroom tonight?