Night of Eden 80

 Chapter 80

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Ugh.

Tilly sighed.

He gazed at the outbuildings in the distance with anxious eyes, and then sighed again.

I can't believe you're doing this.......

He squatted down and sighed softly, then jumped to his feet.

Arghhhh!

A nobleman messing with a maid, what's the big deal?

Tilly rubbed his face and crossed his arms over his stiff back.

Now that this has happened, he would be more careful from now on.

Not letting a single rat get near his master.

Tilly fixed the lamp, thinking he could just stick to his job.

Unfortunately, he thought this stone path he was guarding was the only way between the main building and the mill. He paid no attention to the path that led out the back door.

Little did he know that the little maid who had returned to fetch the shawl had witnessed everything that had happened and was frozen in shock.

***

Crackle, crackle, the fireplace light gently caressed the naked bodies of the man and the woman who had not yet recovered from their passion.

Dana could feel the man panting on top of her. The hair at the nape of his neck was damp with sweat, and his breathing was ragged as it drifted over her body.

His body still felt so full inside her, even though it had been so long since they'd finished.

It's weird.

Dana thought in a daze.

She didn't feel the pain of torn limbs, nor the pleasure of stars.

And yet her heart felt like it was going to explode. Her whole body was pulsing with a beautiful fullness, like looking up at the Milky Way in the night sky.

It was a strange sadness that swayed with the waves. Her whole body was filled with tears, and she felt like they would spill out with a single touch.

He, on the other hand, buried his face in her neck and breathed heavily, still seemingly unable to recover from his passion.

Was it good for him?

Dana hoped he was satisfied. Maybe he was suffering every second of it. Maybe he was horrified at himself for wanting a maid when he had a fiancée.

Just as Dana was calmly gathering her emotions, he raised his head and tilted his upper body back slightly. Theodore's eyes were calm, unlike his aroused body, which seemed ready to continue the act at any moment.

"...hurt?"

Dana turned her head away from the man who asked such a question so casually. It felt heavy down there, like she was biting down on something too big to handle.

"You can't do this anymore, can you?"

She nodded, her cheeks flushing red.

Theodore gave her a rueful look and pulled his penis out. Dana rolled over, frowning in slight pain and foreignness.

She expected to simply get out of bed now that it was over, but instead he pulled her up from behind and held her.

Arms and legs slid over her sides. It was a solid forearm pushing under her head. His body entwined with hers, refusing to allow any distance.

Dana grew a little nervous. Her eyes darted to her watch.

There was still time.

She took a long breath and tried to calm herself.

He looked very languid. Theodore always had a hangover the day after a night of drinking, and he tended to sleep a lot. Dana had no doubt that would be the case this time.

An indeterminate amount of time passed. His breathing against her back had returned to normal, and his pulse had slowed.

She checked the time again.

It suddenly occurred to her that he might need to be held like a doll in order to pass out. Dana relaxed her body to become a fluffy doll.

Sooner or later, he would fall asleep.

It was even stranger that he didn't toss and turn, considering what he'd been through the last two days.

Dana held her breath and waited for the breathing behind her to become regular.

But it didn't come easily.

"Kreutz is my castle, all mine, old and elegant, and I think you'll like it."

His voice was crisp and pleasant to listen to as it traveled along his forearm, though Dana could never quite enjoy its tinny echo.

"I'll teach you to hunt as soon as we get there. You're a good learner, I'm sure you'll be able to shoot a grouse."

Why isn't this guy sleeping? His voice is clearly full of sleep.

"Wait a few days. I wish I could break off the engagement right away, but it's a family affair and I need time."

Break off the engagement.

Did he really mean it?

Strangely enough, it wasn't as shocking as it had first sounded.

He didn't really like the lady, and lately she seemed to be the same way.

"I don't want to be indebted to him like that. Our relationship should be equal.”

If the lady really liked her fiancé, she wouldn't have spoken the way she did when she lost Rothesandra.

If you really like someone, you should feel sorry first. Before pride or hierarchy.

Maybe, regardless of their feelings, the breakup was just an impulse born of the man's impatience.

He was a fickle man by all accounts and could change his mind at any moment. Besides, he was too drunk right now. Perhaps when he sobered up, he might want to punch himself in the mouth for talking nonsense.

Dana didn't trust Theodore.

No, in fact, his sincerity didn't matter at all.

It was none of her business whether or not they were truly broken up, and she would take this to the grave with her.

"You go to Kreutz first, I'll send Tilly with you."

“….”

Dana realized simultaneously that she was silent again and that he was waiting for her answer. She cleared her throat quickly.

"Yes, I will."

"There's a ruin near the castle called Antaropia, which means Temple of Blood, and we can ride there together as soon as I get there. The sky turns purple at night."

The scene of riding a horse with Theodore while looking at the beautiful scenery came to mind.

If this man was as talkative there, she thought, it couldn't be all bad. Dana laughed bitterly to herself.

"There's a small stream, too, though no play boats."

"...."

"That's a good thing. You're a terrible paddler, no matter what you think."

Dana caught the faintest hint of laughter in his tone and suddenly felt compelled to turn around.

The man was laughing.

Laughing along with him, Dana blinked diligently to wipe the smile off her face and checked the time.

There was still time.

If he didn't fall asleep, she could make up an excuse.

She could say she wanted to wash up at the washhouse, or that she needed to take care of business.......

It was a good thing Dorothy had taken the suitcase.

She sure she hid it as well as she promised.

It was strangely reassuring. If Dorothy hadn't been there, Dana wouldn't have been able to stand the fire.

Behind her, a muffled voice continued.

"There are some of my favorite paintings there, too. I recently picked up a landscape called Eighth Avenue, and I think you'll like it."

Belvida had paintings, too. But they were all portraits.

How could one paint a street scene? How could they capture people and carriages in motion? Did the artist tell them to stop?

Her curiosity was piqued.

Maybe Dodge had an art museum, and she should check it out, no matter how expensive it was.

"Or...."

His voice had grown so languid that she felt like she was about to fall asleep instead. That was the last thing she needed, so she pried her eyes open.

"How about we go on a grand tour together."

Dana froze a little.

"You know what that is, right?"

She nodded slowly. In honor of their coming of age, the more affluent noblemen embark on a journey across the continent. It's a long journey, half a year at the shortest, three years at the longest.

Theodore wanted her to join him.

Dana gulped at the strange sensation that stabbed deep into her lungs.

"Everyone else takes at least a year, including the colonies, and I'm only halfway around the world."

"..."

"There's an island in the Cecil Islands called Lugrang. The sand is white and the water is emerald."

Dana tossed and turned slightly, unable to answer.

Theodore assumed she was uncomfortable and removed his arm from around her waist. He turned over, propped his head up, and stared at the ceiling.

As Dana had guessed, he was close to falling asleep. In the midst of his drowsiness, he saw the white sandy beach in front of him.

He could see her standing with her feet in the sand. Her tea-colored hair shimmering in the sunlight, the hem of her dress blowing in the breeze...

He smiled quietly to himself, thinking that he should buy her a bunch of summer dresses.

He was about to close his eyes when a sudden, unbearable sleep overtook him, and a thought occurred to him.

"...Don't call me Master from now on."

"...."

"Are you listening?"

"Yes."

The quiet voice tickled her chest.

"Say something."

The faint echo of the voice never reaches his ears, scattering into the air. Theodore had fallen back to sleep.

***

Sunlight stung his eyes like awls. After a long time of lying there, shielded by his arms, Theodore slowly woke up. As soon as he did, he realized instinctively.

Dana was gone.

His eyes fluttered open. His upper body jerked up and the covers fell away.

Bright light leaked in through the cracks in the tattered shutters.

Theodore rolled over again and found the empty space next to him. As he looked at the rumpled sheets, a wave of drunkenness, climax, and intense satisfaction washed over him from the previous night. Even a mild, subtle pleasure stirred in his chest.

He raised himself up, feeling the corners of his mouth curl up involuntarily. His long, strong body filled the cramped room.

...Where did she go, anyway?

He felt a pang of emptiness as he expected her to be right next to him.

His eyes darted around, a little nervously.

The disheveled chair, the spilled liquor bottle, the vase with the dried reeds.

Everything was the same.

Then his reassuring eyes caught sight of something foreign.

A small note lying on the table.

Theodore slowly approached the table, feeling an unknown sensation. As he picked up the paper, the familiar words spilled out precariously.

[I'm going to Ponoa Square with a friend].

A short, sigh-like gasp escaped his mouth, and he smirked, realizing that he'd been nervous as hell. As he unfolded the paper fully, Dana’s neat handwriting glistened in the sunlight.

[I promised her earlier that I'd take her on an outing with me, so I'll be a little late when I'm done with work].

...Outing?

The hand that had been running through his hair paused at the crown of his head.

You've been kicked out, and you're going to work? With your ankle in a cast?

[While I'm at it, I'm going to see the village doctor and have my ankle looked at again].

His brows narrowed.

Does it hurt a lot?

It looked fine.

Maybe it's his fault.

His chest tightened at the memory of holding her ankles, shins, and thighs apart.

[I'm afraid she'll catch me with you, which is why I'm writing to you without waking you]

His body calmed down again.

Why did he keep forgetting?

How precarious their situation was?

After what happened yesterday, Theodore had nothing to fear. Instead of being afraid, he wanted to shout to the world.

Dana Bordon was his now.

But her position would be very different.

Theodore could feel the anxiety burning in her chest, just like his.

All the more so now that she hadn't gotten married yet.

A word he hadn't even known was in his dictionary tightened in his chest: impurity.

[Just let me finish my business and go to Kreutz, and if you'll give me one more day, I'll do whatever you tell me to do after that].

The last sentence sent a strange ripple through his chest.

He liked it and hated it.

Theodore now wanted her to stay by his side voluntarily, not because he told her to or ordered her to.

Even though he knew it was a ridiculous desire, he found it hard to control the raging emotions that surged through him.

I'll do what you say anyway....

Theodore pushed open the shutters. The sky was frighteningly blue. The clouds floating above it were cute and round, just like her handwriting.

When did she get up and write a letter, anyway?

The image of her tiny hands clutching the pen, thinking furiously about what to say to him, sent a tingle down his spine.

He unfolded the letter once more and read it slowly, mulling over each word.

He could hardly wait to see her. Should he just take her to Kreutz right now?

It was the last line of the letter, which came to him like a nurturing touch, that stopped the rising impulse.

[If you'll just wait one day, I'll do whatever you tell me to do after that].

She had asked him to wait one day.

Theodore scolded his childlike self.

He had to be different now.

He wasn't sure exactly what he wanted, but he didn't want to go back to the past. The small gesture of her chin lifting to meet his lips first was making him do just that.

It was like a gift to Theodore, even if he'd gotten it through blackmail. Once a man's appetite was whetted, it didn’t go away.

He wanted to receive that great gift every day.

To do so, he would have to break off the engagement. Edwin Hastings was the first gateway.

Theodore wanted to be free of the shackles of engagement as soon as possible.

Alimony would, of course, pay off the Hastings' debts.

Edwin, the de facto head of the household, was the mouse before the cat when it came to money, and Theodore had always enjoyed it. Ordinarily, he would have harassed him further and burned him to a crisp. The desire to get back at Liana Hastings was still simmering.

But that wasn't what mattered now. Dana was more important than anything else.

So, Dana,

Theodore smiled and folded the letter.

I'll wait a day or so, like a gentleman, as long as it takes.

****

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