WAYSOWD 13

Chapter 13

“I have a song I like, Noah. When things are hard, just look at the sky.”

After saying that, I tapped the spot next to me.

“I’ll let you use my lap as a pillow. Just this once.”

“You look like you didn’t even think I’d say no, Miss Rotten.”

“You caught me. But think carefully, Noah. If you say no, you might never get this chance again…”

I was joking, but Noah looked serious.

It seemed like he was thinking about whether he was allowed to be ‘rude’ with me.

“I think it would be rude.”

Noah put his hand on his chest as he spoke. It was just like him to refuse politely, so I laughed.

But then…

“I will be rude then.”

Noah slowly got up and walked over to me. After a short pause, he bent down and rested his face on my lap.

Noah lay on his side, just blinking. He didn’t say anything, just stayed like that.

“Don’t be nervous.”

I gently pressed Noah’s stiff shoulders, helping him to relax.

Noah had trained with swords for a long time. Even though his health was bad this year and he stopped, he still liked to move around. He even joined the knights’ training because he asked me.

Right now, Noah looked very healthy. I had watched him for about forty days, and he hadn’t fainted or had any seizures.

‘In my past life, he often had high fevers or sometimes seizures.’

Noah didn’t take any special medicine, just fever medicine when needed.

When he had trouble breathing, he would ask everyone to leave and rest alone.

‘He used to take something from the royal family every six months…’

In my sixth life, Noah said it himself when he had a fever, but I never learned what it was. I knew it was because of experiments.

I did my best to relax Noah’s stiff shoulders. I hid my bitter feelings with a smile.

“You can relax more. There’s no one here except you and me, Noah.”

I spoke softly and stroked his hair.

My gentle touch felt strange, not like myself.

‘Am I the one changing Noah, or is Noah changing me?’

When I looked down to ask, Noah already had his eyes closed.

He turned his head to face up. Sunlight fell on his face and made him look like a painting.

‘Wow… he’s really handsome.’

I thought it every time. I raised my hand over Noah’s sleeping face to block the harsh summer sunlight like a shade. Noah’s face looked softer and more peaceful.

‘You sleep like a baby.’

Seeing Noah sleeping so calmly made me feel strange.

When he’s awake, he’s a cool and distant boy, but when he sleeps, he looks like a pretty child.

I wondered if Noah would grow up someday, in body and in heart, even though I had stopped growing. If that day came…

Noah woke up about three or four hours later.

The bright white sun had turned red, and purple light filled the sky.

It was already evening. Noah sat up and froze.

“…!”

Solia was sleeping right in front of him.

They were so close that Noah couldn’t move. He thought about waking her up, but decided not to.

He listened to her soft breathing as she slept deeply. Noah didn’t blink as he looked at her.

Her golden eyelashes cast shadows over her eyes, and her lips were slightly parted as she breathed.

‘I remember sleeping with my head on Solia’s lap…’

But how did we end up facing each other like this? He couldn’t ask, so he just sighed.

He carefully turned over and looked up at the sky.

The sun was bright, so he covered his eyes with his hand and rested, his mind busy.

‘Why? Why is Solia here with me?’

If I hadn’t woken up, she could have just left me. Did she wait for me to wake up before going?

Noah never told Solia, but he had insomnia.

Ever since his parents died in the carriage accident, he had trouble sleeping. Even after leaving the Lenister mansion, nightmares still chased him.

Every night, he saw his dead parents’ faces, and his uncle’s shouting echoed in his ears.

Nightmares waited for him to be alone and swallowed him up.

He couldn’t even die unless the Emperor allowed it. That helplessness, that loneliness, almost drove him crazy.

If there was someone he loved, maybe he could endure anything, even hell.

If such a person existed, Noah could survive anything.

When Solia was near, the nightmares stepped back.

He couldn’t see it, but he knew:

“The cold loneliness that trapped Noah like a cage faded whenever Solia came close.”

Even though he knew it was selfish, Noah wanted Solia, her warmth, and her smile.

He couldn’t sleep at night, or even during the day. But next to Solia, he fell asleep without knowing it.

He even used her lap as a pillow. He hesitated at first, but didn’t want to miss the chance.

Now, the bigger problem was,

‘I don’t want to lose Solia anymore.’

‘She’s the daughter of a rich businessman, and I’m just poor.’

Even worse, the Emperor and Duke Benzo were involved in his marriage.

Solia didn’t know that. Baron Rotten seemed to have an idea.

If he truly cared for her, he shouldn’t marry her, no matter what the Baron said or did.

“If you marry me, your life will get harder.”

Noah whispered while feeling Solia’s warmth as she slept.

He couldn’t look at her, afraid her breath would tickle his forehead.

“I can’t marry you, Miss Rotten. That way, Solia…”

She could marry a better man. It was enough for Noah to be treated like a breeding horse.

‘I hope you never get treated like me, Solia.’

Just as Noah tried to get up—

“Mm…”

Solia made a sleepy sound, and her arm wrapped around his chest.

She even threw a leg over him like he was a cushion. Noah was truly surprised.

He tried to move to wake her up, but then stopped.

‘I don’t deserve to want more…’

He thought so, but he didn’t want to leave either. The cool wind made him think this might be the last time he’d be with Solia.

Noah gently moved Solia’s hand off his chest.

Then, he lay down a little farther away, made a pillow with his arm, and let her lean against him comfortably.

‘She let me use her lap as a pillow, so I want to do something for her too.’

That was all.

A strange guilt squeezed his heart. Noah let out a slow breath.

“Please forgive me for being rude, Solia.”

“Please allow me… to be greedy, just this once.”

Like a priest praying, Noah was desperate.

Luckily, Solia was asleep and didn’t see how deep his feelings were.

When I opened my eyes, it was almost night.

“Let’s go inside now.”

A cold hand touched my cheek. I blinked sleepily and saw Noah.

His black hair was more messy than usual. His neat bangs were down over his forehead, and his blue eyes looked at me.

“…Yeah.”

I replied without thinking, and followed Noah as he led me.

“Take a warm bath and rest well tonight.”

“Okay, I will.”

Noah held my hand and walked back the way we came. I noticed his thin jacket was around my shoulders.

“Your jacket?”

I thought I should give it back. While I was thinking, I saw the main building in the distance.

“You should go back alone from here, Miss Rotten.”

Through the leaves, I saw the mansion’s lights.

I nodded and held onto Noah’s jacket. The cold wind made me wake up.

“What about you, Noah?”

“I’ll rest in the garden for a while before going in.”

Noah answered, looking down as if he was thinking.

‘Maybe it would be a problem if we went in together. Maybe for Noah’s reputation.’

As for mine… it couldn’t get worse anyway.

I looked at him for a moment, then turned and said,

“Go in early, Noah. Don’t catch a cold.”

His jacket was warm on my shoulders, different from his cold hand on my cheek.

Noah answered a little slowly.

“I will, Miss Rotten.”

That’s how our summer picnic ended.