Cura, helping Elena put on the robe over her chemise, muttered in a slightly hoarse voice, “But it’s really a relief.”
“What is?” Elena asked, her voice barely a whisper.
“That His Grace chose you, Elena. I don’t know what the future holds, but if His Grace had married someone like Miss Hazel…” Cura shuddered, her shoulders trembling.
Elena found no solace in her words; instead, she felt a wave of bitterness. “Even if it’s not Miss Hazel, His Grace will eventually marry a noble lady, right?”
Elena absentmindedly ran her fingers over the embroidery on the sleeve of her robe. “Or if he imprints on someone, he might choose that person instead.”
Just thinking about it made her chest tighten. She had braced herself for this the moment she took his hand in the greenhouse, but she wasn’t sure she could accept it calmly if it ever happened.
“Elena, have you perhaps imprinted on His Grace?” Cura asked.
Elena weakly shook her head. “Didn’t they say imprinting happens the moment you first meet?”
“Yes, those who are imprinted are instinctively drawn to each other, like the two of you now,” Cura replied.
“When I first regained consciousness here and met His Grace’s gaze, nothing like what you described happened,” Elena said.
Even now, she could vividly recall the day she first met Kennard. She had been lying in a strange place, injured and with no memory of how she got there.
The silhouette behind the thin canopy over the bed was enough to reveal his broad build, and the pheromones emanating from him were so overwhelming they took her breath away. His glossy black hair and those intense golden eyes that shone even in the dark.
When their eyes met, a chilling sensation shot through her entire body, and an inexplicable fear gripped her. That day remained seared in her memory, a day she couldn’t forget—one when her first instinct was to escape his cold gaze.
“I’ve never been imprinted, so I don’t know for sure. And I’m not certain if what I told you happens to everyone. But everyone says His Grace might have imprinted on you, given how obsessively he’s attached to you,” Cura said.
Seeing Elena’s face darken, Cura quickly added, “No, it can’t be.”
Elena forced a smile in response to Cura. She didn’t want to have any false hopes. It didn’t matter if they hadn’t imprinted on each other. Even if his obsession stemmed solely from a desire to possess her, that was fine. No matter what form his feelings took, as long as he wanted her and wished for her to stay by his side, she had already resolved to remain with him.
Elena averted her gaze from Cura, who looked at her with pity, and slowly walked out of the bathroom. Her legs still felt weak, making it difficult to walk, and her lower body was so sore that it was uncomfortable to stand upright.
When she opened the door that led directly into the bedroom, she noticed a familiar dressing table inside the room. It seemed that during her bath, Lassino had moved it there with the help of the maids.
Kennard’s bedroom was much larger and far more lavishly decorated than the one Elena had been using. At a glance, it seemed like a room where one could host a grand party. The bed was much bigger and higher than the one in her own room.
Though the room wasn’t overcrowded with furniture, it didn’t feel empty either. There was a high-backed armchair and a round table in front of the fireplace, and by the window, a desk and chair identical to those in the study had been placed. On the desk, various books and documents were neatly stacked without a single thing out of place.
Elena awkwardly sat on the edge of the bed, idly fussing with the bedding. She still felt uneasy, unsure if she was truly allowed to use this space. It was as if she had intruded into someone else’s home.
“Do you know where His Grace has gone?” Elena asked, glancing nervously at the door, half expecting Kennard to burst in at any moment.
“Soldiers from Montefiano arrived yesterday. They are going to be stationed at the border outposts, so my brother went with them to inspect the area,” Cura replied.
“The border?” Elena inquired.
“Yes, His Grace has been displeased because the White Fox Tribe keeps crossing the border. With the soldiers reinforcing the defenses, it should improve,” Cura explained.
Come to think of it, the place where she had been attacked by the White Fox Tribe was the Terra Demorte Forest.
“Will he be back tonight?” Elena asked.
“My brother said it would take about two or three days, so I don’t think he will be back tonight,” Cura replied.
