Cura shrugged and raised her palms, then tilted her head thoughtfully.
“He’s a bit smaller than His Highness the Grand Duke in terms of build, but they share a striking resemblance. I’ve watched him handle flowers and herbs with such delicacy despite his physique; it’s almost amusing.”
Elena, without giving it much thought, asked, “Do you know him well?” But Cura’s reaction was unexpected, as she wrinkled her nose and frowned.
Elena felt uneasy, thinking she might have asked something inappropriate. She looked at Cura with an awkward smile, and Cura gently scratched her cheek with her index finger.
“In fact, he’s my older brother,” Cura revealed.
“What?” Elena was taken aback, nearly coughing in surprise.
Her already large eyes widened as she stared at Cura. Just receiving Cura’s attention had been overwhelming enough, but now learning that she was not just a maid but the sister of the leader of the Knights was even more unbelievable.
Elena couldn’t fathom why Kennard had placed her in such a peculiar situation.
Cura noticed Elena’s emotions and gave her a warm smile.
“His Highness the Grand Duke has given me a reason to stay here, so you don’t need to feel burdened,” she reassured Elena.
This piqued Elena’s curiosity. “A reason?” she inquired.
Cura explained further, “My older brother, Lord Serin, wasn’t thrilled about me coming here. He kept urging me to return to our hometown and was quite troubled by it. He even went against the Grand Duke’s orders to follow me here.”
Though Cura’s disapproval made Elena uncomfortable, her heart remained uneasy.
“But I’m not a noble,” Elena mumbled.
“Please don’t say that, Lady Elena. Thanks to you, I can stay here without being sent away by my brother. Your status doesn’t matter. For everyone here, the Grand Duke’s orders are absolute and take precedence. And despite his difficult personality, my brother is the most loyal among them.”
Cura gently dried Elena’s body with a cloth soaked in bathtub water, being extra careful around the wounded areas. Elena felt a bit uneasy but allowed herself to trust Cura’s touch and remained still.
Cura continued, “It’s not just because he’s my brother; honestly, in our Baruchella Empire, the Grand Duke and my brother are the most remarkable. When you see them together, it’s like a work of art, especially the Grand Duke. There are no words to describe him.”
Cura turned her gaze to the empty space while holding Elena’s hands together, ignoring the water droplets running down her own arms. It was clear that she was reminiscing about Kennard and Lord Serin.
Elena, still finding it hard to believe, remarked, “But it’s a bit strange how a sturdy knight can do delicate work like cultivating these small flowers…”
Cura couldn’t help but chuckle, covering her mouth with the back of her hand again.
Elena couldn’t help but think of Kennard, a man who was unfamiliar with flowers and herbs but had thrown himself into cultivating them, and it nearly made her burst into laughter.
Elena coughed, and Cura promptly handed her a cup of tea that had been on the table. Elena took a few sips and then placed the cup back on the table.
Cura seemed to assume that Elena’s coughing was related to her thoughts about Lord Serin’s appearance, and Elena didn’t feel the need to correct this misunderstanding. She certainly couldn’t admit that she was actually thinking about Kennard, a topic she couldn’t discuss.
“You’ll meet him soon,” Cura said with a bright smile. “His Highness has a castle and a domain, but he hasn’t been there and is currently here in Terra Demorte.”
Elena asked, “Why is that?”
Cura explained, “When it comes to His Highness, he doesn’t hesitate to go anywhere. Oh, the tea has cooled down. I apologize; I’ve been talking too much.”
With Cura’s support, Elena stepped out of the bathtub and stood on the soft cloth.
“I can manage,” Elena insisted, reaching out for the cloth that Cura had brought.
Cura was taken aback. She held onto the cloth tightly as if it would be a major problem if it were taken away.
Elena felt self-conscious. Cura had already seen every part of her while tending to her wounds. Furthermore, today, she had exposed her whole body during the bath, even if it was necessary for her well-being.
Although Elena had initially felt uncomfortable and embarrassed about revealing her body so openly to someone else, she eventually resigned herself to it.
Looking at Cura’s stubbornly pursed lips and narrowed brow, it seemed unlikely that she would change her mind.
