MHHC Chapter 24

What Doesn't Change

Despite having been received as a bride through a sham marriage, Adelheid was undeniably the Grand Duchess of Ansgar. Naturally, there was money allotted as her share each year.

Though still modest compared to other noblewomen, it wasn't so poor she had to live like a maid.

She wasn't unaware that it was Greta who had skimmed it off here and there from the middle, and that it was Hermann and Margaret who knew and left it alone.

"Actually, I've known for some time. I just left it alone because I thought it was alright."

"......"

"She wasn't always that kind of person."

Greta's affection, which had once cherished her like a niece, had dulled through years of persecution, changed to the pretense of caring, then at some point deteriorated into viewing her as a burdensome object difficult and tiresome to bear.

After being banished north together, Greta sometimes even forgot to keep up pretenses.

Unable to contain her anger, she'd scream that she suffered this hardship because of the young lady, then the next day, begging on hands and knees that she'd gone mad. Each time, the name on Greta's lips wasn't Adelheid but Laura—the name of the maid who had been her mother.

Adelheid's debt to Greta deepened with each passing year. Perhaps it truly was all her fault. If Greta hadn't pitied motherless Adelheid, she wouldn't have fallen from the Countess of Reichenau's favor. She'd still be enjoying the warm sunshine of the island.

She wouldn't have been sold north practically like chattel, banished along with Adelheid herself...

Besides, after each such outburst, Greta would become doubly kind for several weeks. She'd care for her attentively again, prepare meals, repeatedly warn her to be careful of men and watch her surroundings. She'd even secretly bring sweet treats.

That lukewarm warmth was all Adelheid needed to endure and persevere through anything.

'I don't want to be any lonelier here.'

So it didn't matter one bit how much Greta had skimmed while cleverly navigating between the butler and herself, or how she'd gnawed away at her reputation. People always changed. Just as Greta's foolish sincerity had changed, just as Margaret's indifferent attitude had changed.

So she only needed to remember how precious Greta had been to her at first.

'I just need to remain constant to the you who changes.'

Adelheid smiled deliberately at Margaret.

"Thank you for your concern. But it's truly fine. You needn't worry so much."

The fact that someone was worrying about her felt so awkward. She didn't know what expression to make or what to say besides smiling, so it was actually somewhat uncomfortable.

'I just wish I could escape this situation quickly...'

As she fidgeted with her fingers while thinking this, Margaret stepped back after finishing Adelheid's preparations with a complicated expression. Just as Margaret opened her mouth to say something, the bedroom door opened right on cue.

Adelheid looked at Valentin entering through the door, brightening involuntarily.

"Your Grace."

Valentin stopped walking momentarily upon seeing Adelheid smiling brightly at him.

Bewilderment, or perhaps fascination? The eyes looking at Adelheid lost their usual light, sinking murkily. It was momentary.

Even after Margaret tactfully closed the bedroom door and left, he stood still for some time like someone struck speechless, staring intently at her.

"......"

Unlike the morning when warm affection had dripped steadily, this was different. The quiet, intense gaze was unfamiliar. She could see human desire slowly settling into his face, perfect as a divine sculpture. His gaze slowly moved. Her cheeks and lips, her neck, collarbones, breasts and narrow waist, and below that...

His Adam's apple moved slowly up and down.

"......"

Adelheid stepped back hesitantly, clutching the front of her robe. For some reason, the thin garment beneath the robe felt acutely sensitive against her skin. When she finally couldn't bear the gaze and lowered her head deeply, a shadow fell over her, and Valentin, who had approached close, lifted her chin.

"Why..."

In eyes usually coolly subdued, she saw swarming sparks. He distorted his fine features slightly.

"Keep... avoiding... my eyes."

"......"

"Adelheid. Do you... hate... seeing me?"

"No, Your Grace. I truly didn't mean that."

Adelheid shook her head and hurriedly added more words.

"A-and, Your Grace. You mustn't be so formal with me."

"But Adelheid... you are."

"I'm younger than you, and besides, few nobles use formal speech with their wives. It would only be laughable."

"But I... like it. Being... the same... as you."

He narrowed his perfect eyes as he answered.

'The same.' A peculiar nuance. Adelheid didn't think his meaning of 'the same' was literally that he wanted to imitate everything about her. Rather, absurdly enough, it sounded like a will to live as the same kind of thing—human—whatever his original nature might be.

'Am I only thinking too positively?'

Perhaps she was interpreting things too favorably. She might have already become attached beyond recovery from the moment she began wishing Valentin were just a human blessed by Morig.

While Adelheid hesitated, his smile deepened a bit more.

"Let's go... to bed."

He lightly rubbed the tip of Adelheid's chin he held and lowered his head. He whispered playfully near her ear.

"We should... sleep. Together."

At those brazen words, Adelheid's pale green eyes went round. Could this really be the person who had forgotten even language just days ago? The way he spoke was far too strange to be unintentional...

"Adelheid."

At the voice calling her, she squeezed her eyes shut. Without even thinking of escape, half-swallowed by Valentin's shadow, she froze stiffly.

He chuckled softly at her innocent reaction. The breath escaping between his lips stirred her fine hairs. Adelheid barely regained her senses and pushed against his chest.

"I'm tired. I really need to sleep now. It's gotten too late."

"......"

"Um, Your Grace must be tired too, right? You breathed outside air after so long today."

As she pushed him, he yielded obediently, making a strange expression as if hearing something quite amusing.

"Adelheid seems... tired."

"I feel like I could collapse right now."

Adelheid answered calmly while glancing sideways at the basket hidden beneath the bed. Completely forgetting that what she thought she was hiding well might look quite clumsy to someone else's eyes.

"Go ahead and lie down first. I'll read a bit more before lying down."

"You said... you'd collapse."

"His Grace resting comfortably is what's important. You're only just recovering. You'd only be distracted if I were beside you."

No sooner had the words ended than he wrapped one arm around Adelheid's waist and lifted her up in one swift motion, as if he'd held back long enough. That he'd lifted her with both arms that morning was only out of consideration for others' eyes.

He crossed the room with long strides and laid her back-first onto the soft bed.

"What to do. I just... have no intention... of sleeping."

He grasped both of Adelheid's wrists and quietly trapped them beneath his body, looking down at her. Backlit by the fireplace, Valentin looked absurdly more sacred than anything.

Darkness from the entire world seemed to drape over her small body. Everything was pitch black, as if swallowed by an enormous shadow. In the lightless space, his golden eyes gleamed more yellowly, gazing at her steadily.

The moment she realized it, tension strangled her breath. Adelheid lightly pushed against his solid chest.

"Stop teasing."

"Not... teasing. Adelheid. Said... you'd be... by my side."

"Obviously I meant I'd place a chair or couch nearby."

"Before... we slept... here... together."

"That was because Your Grace held onto me then."

"Then... I'll do... the same... now."

Whatever she said was blocked at every turn. She truly felt like tears would trickle out. In fact, she wasn't even in her right mind. She hadn't imagined such a situation would arise. The resolve she'd vaguely made in the past was for 'someday.'

According to Padre's words, Valentin should have fallen asleep long ago. Perhaps the reason she'd been able to act calm until now was because deep in her heart, she was certain Valentin might be a demon.

Because he was a demon, because he'd been exposed to holy oil not just holy water, he'd surely fall into an unbearable sleep...

So this difficult situation at least wouldn't arise.

"...Ah."

Adelheid let out a short gasp. Before she knew it, Valentin's thick fingers had slipped between her spread fingers. He gripped Adelheid's hand so tightly that veins bulged on the back of his hand.

"......"

Fear? Could a heart pound this frantically from such a thing? It felt exactly like a small fish had entered her heart.

Adelheid squeezed her eyes shut.

"Adelheid."

He called her name soothingly. Adelheid's tightly closed jaw trembled. She felt the sensation of rough lips touching her forehead vividly. Eyebrows, temples, soft cheeks, and round ears followed.

Tender, or perhaps persistent.

"Adelheid."

Ah.

At that call, the moment she helplessly opened her eyes, golden irises captured her gaze. Valentin's sturdy back curved like a bow, and his head twisted as it approached close.

Hot breath scattered across her lips.