Elena was left awestruck by the sheer size of the immense castle. As she stood there, gazing out the window, she felt as though she were tinier than a speck of dust.
“Just how big is this…”
Elena hastily suppressed the words she had been muttering to herself. The air within the room suddenly grew oppressive, making it feel as though she couldn’t draw a full breath.
As if all the fragrant flowers from the garden outside had been plucked and thrust directly under her nose, a dense and overpowering pheromone engulfed her senses.
“What are you doing?”
Sure enough, a chilling voice reached her ears, sending a shiver down her spine.
Elena slowly turned her head. In the flickering light of the fireplace, Kennard stood imposingly between the open doors.
Kennard was clad in a teal frock adorned with closely spaced golden buttons, cinched by a yellow sash.
Elena, who had been nervously swallowing her saliva while gazing fearfully at the figure glaring at her, momentarily swayed. A hazy image suddenly flashed in her mind.
The figure before her, with a massive silhouette resembling a shadow and eyes gleaming like inferno, seemed to be someone significant.
Simultaneously, a piercing headache and a high-pitched ringing in her ears overwhelmed Elena, causing her to press her forehead and curl her body in discomfort.
She felt like she might collapse and needed to grab onto something, even if it were the wall.
Her hand reached out into empty space, but instead of encountering a wall, Elena’s hand landed on something firmer than any wall – Kennard’s chest.
How could someone move so fast?
Elena couldn’t comprehend how Kennard had traversed the distance from the door to her side in an instant.
“I-I’m sorry,” Elena stammered, her surprise evident as she hastily withdrew her outstretched hand, feeling it audacious to touch the duke’s body.
Even though it had been just for a moment, the wolf pattern on the golden button left an indelible mark on Elena’s fingertips.
As Elena struggled to regain her footing, Kennard encircled her waist with one arm and firmly gripped her shoulder with the other.
Instead of putting distance between herself and Kennard, she found herself pressed firmly against his chest.
No matter how she attempted to stand upright, her head couldn’t quite reach Kennard’s shoulder.
It wasn’t just his towering height; the robust frame and muscles concealed beneath his attire fashioned an unyielding physique, leaving no room for escape.
Elena’s cheeks flushed at the sensation of Kennard’s warm body and solid physique, conveyed through the thin Shumiz.
“I, Your Grace, I’m fine…”
“Who moves about like this on their own?” Kennard interrupted Elena’s words like a sharp blade, his brow furrowing as he looked down at her. An unmistakable expression of displeasure radiated from his jewel-like, sparkling hazel eyes.
“What?”
Elena’s throat tightened as she caught a glimpse of her reflection in Kennard’s eyes.
Her heart raced as though it might leap right out of her chest. She fretted that he could hear the cacophonous pounding in her chest.
“I don’t appreciate having to repeat myself.”
“What? Oh, I wanted to see outside, so…”
“So you moved on your own without Cura?”
Rather than offering a reply, Elena pressed her lips together and nodded. She was well aware that her actions could potentially exacerbate her condition, given the current state of her receiving excessive care.
“I’m sorry,” she apologized, lowering her head to evade Kennard’s piercing gaze. In this situation, neither excuses nor explanations would be of any help.
Her gaze remained fixed on the golden button adorned with the wolf pattern, but then her eyes suddenly drifted to the front of her dress, shocking her.
Her attire consisted of a delicate chemise, and even that was sheer enough to be translucent.
Fortunately, she had applied herbal remedies to her wounds and secured them with bandages, ensuring her body remained modestly concealed. Elena felt a sense of relief that her embarrassing appearance was hidden, even though she was held so closely by Kennard, as if she were his possession. She wished the ground would just swallow her whole.
To conceal her crimson face and modesty, she needed to extricate herself from this situation as swiftly as possible.
“Once again…” Elena began to speak.
“So, what are your impressions?” Kennard’s question interrupted her as she was about to mention returning to the bed, causing her to quickly tilt her head upward.
It wasn’t a query laced with anger or mockery. His expression remained almost inscrutable, icy, as he looked down at her, gesturing toward the window with a slight nod.
He sought her impressions of the world outside.
“The castle is remarkably expansive and grand, which took me by surprise,” she replied.
“Is that all?” Kennard inquired.
Elena shook her head swiftly. She wondered if Kennard expected a different response.
Should I express myself with more eloquent words? I’m still uncertain about my situation, and he has not only cared for me but also taken care of me. Shouldn’t I at least express appropriate admiration?
No matter how much she pondered it, she couldn’t come to that conclusion.Her acquaintance with Kennard was relatively brief, and today marked only their second encounter since she regained consciousness. She was confident that he wasn’t the type of person who anticipated such gestures.
Whether Kennard perceived Elena’s perplexed thoughts or simply disregarded them, his gaze was already fixed on the world beyond the window.
“It is indeed extraordinarily vast,” he mused.
Kennard’s eyes seemed to deepen as they focused on the distant landscape.
