ERTHMB Chapter 70

Knowing One’s Place

 

What broke the persistent stream of thoughts was Elai’s movement as he rose with a grunt.

 

“Well then, I shall take my leave.”

 

He lightly shook his hair, which had become even more curly from the moisture it held.

 

Ian frowned at the water droplets that splashed above his head. Elai pretended not to notice him and gave his advice.

 

“Whether you push forward or not is Your Majesty’s freedom, but nothing will change if you just sit here like this.”

 

He pulled out two gold-leafed papers from his chest and dropped them where he had been sitting. The papers, dampened thanks to someone, stuck to the rock wall with a slap.

 

Ian removed his hand from his brow and turned his head to check what they were. They were entrance tickets to the Black Tailed Clock Tower, a famous attraction located on the outskirts of Hyer.

 

“You managed to get these things well enough.”

 

“As a merchant master in name, you should also engage in some romantic ventures.”

 

Ian let out a small laugh. Though he had comforted himself with various reasons, in the end there had only been one answer from the beginning.

 

Elai had lit a definite fire to that core.

 

“Just do as you always have. I’ve never seen a person Your Majesty couldn’t win over when you set your mind to it. If this becomes an exception… that would be interesting in its own way too.”

 

Unlike his casually flowing laughter, his red eyes touched with moonlight held a glimmer of concern.

 

Ian also rose from his seat.

 

Push forward, he muttered to himself as he lightly patted Elai’s shoulder.

 

“If anything goes wrong, I’ll graciously blame it all on you.”

 

“If things go well, it’ll all be thanks to Your Majesty’s refined handling.”

 

“Don’t you dare wash your mouth later saying you don’t remember saying such things.”

 

“If you slander my pain like that—”

 

“Seems you have many places you’d like to hurt besides your head.”

 

Instead of answering, Elai narrowed his eyes into crescents. As Ian passed by him heading back to the guild, Elai casually threw him a farewell.

 

“Next time, let’s try to come with Aide Dion.”

 

Ian’s steps faltered for a moment. Ah, right, that chatterbox. What a sight it would be when they meet.

 

Already feeling like his ears hurt, he rubbed his earlobes needlessly and resumed walking.

 

“…I should avoid washing my ears.”

 

To block them up a bit.

 

****

 

The white room on the third floor of the Evergale East Manor, reached by climbing stairs made of polished birch. That room, used as someone’s bedroom, always displayed diverse beauty.

 

Exotic decorations, carefully chosen furniture, and antique wallpaper harmonized to maximize the beauty that the room’s owner valued above all else.

 

At noon like this, it was even more dazzling. When languidness seemed to float in the air, almost tangible.

 

In the center of it all, Natasha sat on the bed wearing only a white frilled negligee with flowing waves and a thin shawl, her feet in slippers.

 

She swept her blonde hair to one side to expose her nape, then tapped the communication device on the nightstand.

 

The communication device’s light flickered for quite a while before finally displaying the other person’s image.

 

“I contacted you three days ago.”

 

Eugene on the other side of the screen showed his tired expression without hiding it.

 

“Did something happen in the meantime? If it’s about Gordon again—”

 

“No, it’s not that, but…”

 

Natasha pretended to adjust her posture and subtly tilted her right shoulder. The negligee strap slipped down along the long line of her neck and shoulder.

 

Natasha continued by leaning her upper body forward. Her skin was revealed even more clearly beneath the loosely draped silk.

 

“I’m so lonely, Your Grace.”

 

Murmuring quietly, Natasha captured Eugene with her clear green eyes. All of this seemed to happen as if unintended, and that innocence added to the transparency.

 

It was a pitiful sight that could be conveyed even through the flat screen, but Eugene responded quite coldly.

 

“Is that why you contacted me?”

 

“…Do you need a better reason than that?”

 

“If necessary, do you have one?”

 

“…No.”

 

Natasha, who seemed to withhold her words for a moment, immediately added more.

 

“I have no reason, and I don’t have a single ally around me either. I’m not just lonely but heartbroken, Your Grace.”

 

Natasha’s eyes began to well up with tears as she sniffled once. Eugene absorbed the scene with an unwavering expression.

 

It had become a familiar situation. Whenever Natasha contacted him, there were few days when she didn’t cry.

 

Nevertheless, this time the tears seemed more concentrated, so Eugene squeezed out even a slight interest.

 

“If something happened, tell me right away, Natasha. I’ll solve it without you needing to waste time with unnecessary words.”

 

While saying this, Eugene’s gaze swept over Natasha’s body. It was to check if there were any injuries like the last time in Futuo, but her flawlessly smooth skin was just as he had seen it three days ago.

 

Could the problem be her left shoulder hidden under the shawl? Just as Eugene was about to open his mouth to point this out, Natasha, understanding his gaze, intercepted his breath first.

 

“Madam Christine always seems anxious to drive me away. She interferes with my daily routine in every way, and points out even trivial matters…”

 

“I told you there’s no need to waste time with unnecessary words.”

 

“—Couldn’t you come back now?”

 

At the true intention finally revealed, Eugene quietly sighed through his nose.

 

She was truly a woman who wanted much. And talked much too.

 

“…Helena was always quiet.”

 

“Pardon?”

 

Natasha, wiping away her tears, looked at Eugene with wide eyes.

 

Instead of comforting her, Eugene turned his gaze from the screen. Resuming the work he had been engaged in, he subtly pointed out her behavior.

 

“Mother wouldn’t have pressured you without reason.”

 

“She’s definitely doing it just because she doesn’t like me.”

 

“Making yourself likable is also your role. You need to understand that the aspects of you that I cherish might be thorns that irritate someone else, Natasha.”

 

At some point, pet names had stopped coming from Eugene’s mouth. Though Natasha’s face turned pitifully pale, Eugene continued to point out her attire without even glancing at her.

 

“What time is it now and you’re still dressed like that? If you wanted to please Mother, you should have shown sincerity in doing your work satisfactorily first.”

 

“I did my best in my own way.”

 

The hand that had been moving the quill pen smoothly stopped for a moment. Eugene only raised his gaze enough to wrinkle his forehead and told Natasha.

 

“Do your best for Evergale, not in your own way, from now on. I won’t even expect the very best.”

 

“…In the end, even Your Grace thinks I’m far inferior to the Madam.”

 

“—Natasha.”

 

“But you used to say you disliked that because it was boring.”

 

“…”

 

A moment of silence followed. The quiet that seemed like it would last long was broken when Eugene put down his quill pen.

 

“I’ve almost found everything. I’ll come soon, so wait.”

 

And the screen disappeared.

 

Natasha held the turned-off communication device and remained silent. Though the languid afternoon sunlight remained the same, the air around her seemed to have become winter ahead of time.

 

However, Natasha wasn’t worried. There was nothing to worry about. She knew she had already become his responsibility.

 

‘So even if you now come to love that woman again, you equally cannot cast me aside.’

 

Whether wanted or not, an existence that had already taken root couldn’t be erased in an instant. Eugene’s current appearance was the clearest evidence of all.

 

Natasha put down the communication device and collapsed onto the bed. She rubbed her body against the soft bedding, savoring its texture.

 

It didn’t matter how much time remained before she would be pulled out. That would be enough to complete her task.

 

****

 

[I love you.]

 

Soft, low, warm tone. Words that had been branded like marks on her cheek, nape, and ears.

 

The voice that had made her swallow her resolve to turn away countless times, that had ultimately made her throw away her everything.

 

[I love you.]

 

But that voice no longer turned toward her. Helena called out to him like a carved instinct, even knowing this.

 

“Eugene?”

 

Then Eugene, who had been turning his back, slowly turned around. She met his cold, unfeeling eyes directly.

 

Helena took a step to approach him closer. Disgracefully, she was blocked by a hand that firmly pushed her away.

 

“You surely didn’t expect those words were meant for you.”

 

“…Eugene?”

 

“Know your place, Helena. If I put you in that position, you shouldn’t expect my affection as well.”

 

Eugene turned his body as if to turn his back. Helena urgently grabbed his arm.

 

Her hand moved out of habit. She seemed to have become a wind-up doll manipulated to move that way.

 

Even knowing that the Eugene before her eyes was an illusion she had created, her body moved on its own. Creaking sounds came from joints that lacked proper oiling. Perhaps it was the sound from her own heart.

 

If only you would pour something into me, I would move properly. Like a new doll fresh from its packaging, like the day we held our wedding ceremony. I would keep repeating only words of love, continuously.

 

“You were the one who gave me the Evergale name. How does it make sense for spouses not to expect affection from each other?”

 

“This is why I’m sick of you.”

 

“What more do I need to do, and how much more, for you to be satisfied?”

 

“Nothing. So don’t try so hard, Helena. I’ll just give you one piece of advice thinking of our past affection. If there’s someone attached to you, get rid of them early. They surely want some price from you.”

 

Eugene removed Helena’s arm and turned around. Helena called his name repeatedly. She called and called until she screamed her throat raw. But no actual words came out as sound.

 

Her legs wouldn’t move as if nailed to the spot. She could only stand there and watch as Natasha’s red fingernails wrapped around his nape and pulled him close.

 

‘Don’t go. Don’t go, Eugene.’

 

Her vision began to waver. She was confused whether it was because of tears or because all of this was a dream.

 

It just hurt. It hurt and hurt again. Wondering if it would hurt less if she just tore out her heart, she clutched at her chest.

 

The heart she grasped was warm. It was so soft and comfortable that she wondered if such warmth remained in her.

 

‘Why…’

 

Consciousness gradually surfaced. Only after blinking three or four times did she realize it was someone’s hand. When she turned her head to the side, she saw silver hair as expected.

 

Just when had he been doing this? Fatigue could be read on the face that had fallen asleep leaning against the bedside.

 

As if he had taken away her fatigue, while she felt so refreshed.

 

Of course, the dim corners under his eyes didn’t harm his appearance.

 

The morning sunlight passed through the opaque window and combed through each of his sparkling eyelashes. Due to his distinct facial features, the boundaries of shadows cast over his face were clearly divided.

 

Helena turned her body to lie on her side. After admiring his sculpture-like face for a moment, she carefully reached out her hand.

 

Her slowly moving hand touched the sleeping Ian’s face with a light tap. It passed teasingly over his straight nose bridge and cheek, then gathered the hair that had fallen over his brow.

 

“Why are you so…”

 

Rubbing the gathered hair between her fingers, Helena felt her eyes reddening again.

 

Why do you make me so troubled? Why do you keep making me forget my place?