I couldn’t utter a single word. Alien scars on her pristine back. It was a wound unimaginable for a child to have.
“G-gross…”
The feeble voice of the girl pierced through me like a dagger. She avoided my gaze, fixating solely on the floor, suppressing her trembling body as much as possible.
Is this rising feeling in my chest anger or sadness? Tears welled up from uncontrollable emotions.
Without hesitation, I immediately embraced her. She snugly fit into my arms with a cute sound. Her warm skin transmitted through my clothes. I gently stroked her head without saying a word.
“A-Alice…?”
I didn’t know what to say. Could I dare to understand such a massive wound? Any hastily spoken words would only turn into worthless sympathy.
“I’ll… I’ll help you wash, miss.”
I smiled reassuringly at her. That’s all I could do now. Treat her the same, unchanged. Though a slightly subdued voice would inevitably slip out.
“… “
She bowed her head, surrendering herself to me. After undressing her, I guided her to the bathtub. She dipped her toes cautiously and then slowly entered the tub.
“Phew…”
Her relieved voice echoed from her lips. In that moment, the tension on her face eased, revealing a truly lovely countenance.
“Please relax and close your eyes. I’ll wash your hair.”
“Uh… okay… but, Ally…”
“Yes?”
A faint blush colored her cheeks as she struggled to speak. I waited with curiosity for her words.
After a long hesitation, she cautiously spoke up.
“Alice… aren’t you… taking off…?”
“Hmm?”
I chuckled in amusement at her innocent query.
Is she asking if I’m not undressing? Oh, could it be embarrassing for her to undress alone?
With a warm smile, I responded.
“Yes, I’ve already bathed earlier. Besides, I’m here to help you wash.”
Huh. Her expression seems slightly puzzled now. Not only that, but her gaze towards me feels a bit colder.
The lady submerged her face in the bathtub up to her nose, accompanied by a few muttered words.
Hm… What’s this?
I can’t figure out why the lady is in such a bad mood.
Although I felt the urge to ask, there was something more important at the moment.
Long strands of snowy white hair trailing under the bathtub.
I gently ran my hand through the dreamy smile on her hair.
The considerably tangled strands felt under my touch.
The lady, with closed eyes, was enjoying her bath in silence.
I rinsed the lady’s hair with the warm water I had prepared in advance.
Then, meticulously wrapped her hair with luxury beauty products made of natural ingredients, not just any soap.
Finally, I applied the oil given by Senior lani evenly to her hair and rinsed it.
Is expensive always better?
The previously frizzy hair of the lady became noticeably softer.
The pleasant fragrance was an added bonus,
With consistent care like this, it would improve quickly.
Was it the warm water that felt good?
The lady was dozing off in the bathtub.
“Lady. You’ll catch a cold if you fall asleep here.”
“I’m sleepy…”
I gently lifted the drowsy lady out of the bathtub.
I dried her body and hair with a towel.
I carefully wiped off the water without touching the scars as much as possible.
“Alice. Am I ugly..?”
“Don’t say such things again. It’ll make me angry.”
I spoke in a firm voice, almost reproachful.
It was a statement I could never tolerate.
If the lady were ugly, could there be anyone in this world who wasn’t?
With or without scars, the lady is the cutest person in the world.
“….Yess.”
There was no strength in the lady’s voice.
But a shallow smile lingered on her lips.
After drying her completely, I led the lady back to bed.
“You should sleep well, lady. I’ll be right here beside you.”
“Mm-hmm..”
Even as she responded, the lady was already dozing off.
It seemed she was very tired.
I gently laid her on the bed and covered her with a blanket up to her face.
The lady soon closed her heavy eyelids.
As I gazed at the adorable lady’s peaceful face, a faint smile crept onto my lips.
I continued to stroke her hair until she fell deeply asleep.
And when the lady finally drifted off to sleep.
There was no smile left on my lips.
Only an indescribable anger simmered within.
Thunk!
The office of the Duke located on the fourth floor of the Grand Duke’s residence.
I forcefully pushed open the door to the study and entered. Inside the study, the Grand Duke sat at his desk, conversing with the Knight Commander, whose body resembled that of a pillar. The Knight Commander furrowed his brow and looked at me.
“What kind of habit is this in front of His Grace, Alice?” he said.
I casually disregarded his words and looked at the Grand Duke. The blue eyes, so similar to the lady’s, also turned towards me.
“Did His Grace know?” I asked.
“I wish you hadn’t brought up a subject.”
“The scar on the lady’s back, did he know about it?”
At my words, the Grand Duke’s eyes flickered with hesitation. It seemed he knew after all.
The Grand Duke glanced at me for a moment, then raised his hand and spoke.
“Leave us for a moment.”
“…Yes.”
With a polite farewell, the Knight Commander turned and left. He shot me a sharp glance before exiting the room. Soon, the door closed, leaving only the Grand Duke and me.
“Of course, I knew,” the Grand Duke replied in a low voice. There was a hint of anger in his tone.
“When… did it happen?”
“It happened on the day the Grand Duchess died.”
The day the lady was kidnapped, perhaps. Anger surged within me.
While I processed this alone, the Grand Duke continued, gazing out of the dark window.
“It was when the Grand Duchess took her own life, and I was battling the demons. They thought it was futile to confront me, so they aimed for the Grand Duchess instead.”
“…She was injured then?”
“Yes. With so many of them rushing at me at once, I couldn’t react fast enough. In the end, a flame from one of their mouths passed me and reached the Grand Duchess.”
The Grand Duke clenched his fist with a pained expression.
Was the large scar on the lady’s back a burn mark? Even if it was a burn mark, it would be difficult to leave such a large one.
“Even so, if she had received immediate treatment, it wouldn’t have left such a big mark, right?”
Of course, it’s impossible to completely remove a burn mark. However, with advanced healing magic or treatments, the scar could have been significantly reduced in size. Unlike on Earth, there is magic in this world.
But the scar on the lady’s back was a mark that received no treatment at all. However…
“That’s…”
The Grand Duke hesitated for a moment.
If it were the usual Grand Duke, he would have answered emotionlessly. But now, his face seemed to be filled with agony.
After hesitating for a while and letting out a deep sigh, tainted with guilt, he answered me with eyes filled with remorse.
“Selena was taken by the demons, and I wasn’t in my right mind. I only confirmed Duchess safety at that moment and immediately pursued the demons.
“…. Did you really leave her burned like that?”
“Yes. Because I couldn’t bear to have Selena’s body taken away.”
I clenched my teeth involuntarily.
I squeezed my fist so tightly that blood dripped from my hands.
In my heart, I wanted to kick the Duchess in the face right away.
But I bit my lip hard to suppress my anger.
I couldn’t solely blame the Duke.
After all, all of this was initiated by the demons.
And I couldn’t ignore his feelings for losing his wife.
He couldn’t possibly be in his right mind after losing someone he loved right in front of him.
But of course, that doesn’t excuse what he did.
Leaving her like that is unforgivable.
How much pain must she have been in?
How much suffering must she have endured as her flesh burned away?
“Alice… Am I not cruel..?”
The painful past of the young lady vividly felt.
Tears welled up again in the rising sorrow.
I wiped away the tears.
This.
Is.
Unforgivable.
I opened my mouth with rage. The street is silent.
“……..3 days.”
Yes.
What do I want from the Duke?
I didn’t have any expectations of him in the first place.
Didn’t the young lady decide that I would take care of her?
I will take care of her.
The young lady will be my responsibility.
“Please give me a 3-day vacation.”
The memories of the young lady’s painful past.
The scars that vividly remain, tormenting her.
I’ll erase them all.
I couldn’t utter a single word. Alien scars on her pristine back. It was a wound unimaginable for a child to have.
“G-gross…”
The feeble voice of the girl pierced through me like a dagger. She avoided my gaze, fixating solely on the floor, suppressing her trembling body as much as possible.
Is this rising feeling in my chest anger or sadness? Tears welled up from uncontrollable emotions.
Without hesitation, I immediately embraced her. She snugly fit into my arms with a cute sound. Her warm skin transmitted through my clothes. I gently stroked her head without saying a word.
“A-Alice…?”
I didn’t know what to say. Could I dare to understand such a massive wound? Any hastily spoken words would only turn into worthless sympathy.
“I’ll… I’ll help you wash, miss.”
I smiled reassuringly at her. That’s all I could do now. Treat her the same, unchanged. Though a slightly subdued voice would inevitably slip out.
“… “
She bowed her head, surrendering herself to me. After undressing her, I guided her to the bathtub. She dipped her toes cautiously and then slowly entered the tub.
“Phew…”
Her relieved voice echoed from her lips. In that moment, the tension on her face eased, revealing a truly lovely countenance.
“Please relax and close your eyes. I’ll wash your hair.”
“Uh… okay… but, Ally…”
“Yes?”
A faint blush colored her cheeks as she struggled to speak. I waited with curiosity for her words.
After a long hesitation, she cautiously spoke up.
“Alice… aren’t you… taking off…?”
“Hmm?”
I chuckled in amusement at her innocent query.
Is she asking if I’m not undressing? Oh, could it be embarrassing for her to undress alone?
With a warm smile, I responded.
“Yes, I’ve already bathed earlier. Besides, I’m here to help you wash.”
Huh. Her expression seems slightly puzzled now. Not only that, but her gaze towards me feels a bit colder.
The lady submerged her face in the bathtub up to her nose, accompanied by a few muttered words.
Hm… What’s this?
I can’t figure out why the lady is in such a bad mood.
Although I felt the urge to ask, there was something more important at the moment.
Long strands of snowy white hair trailing under the bathtub.
I gently ran my hand through the dreamy smile on her hair.
The considerably tangled strands felt under my touch.
The lady, with closed eyes, was enjoying her bath in silence.
I rinsed the lady’s hair with the warm water I had prepared in advance.
Then, meticulously wrapped her hair with luxury beauty products made of natural ingredients, not just any soap.
Finally, I applied the oil given by Senior lani evenly to her hair and rinsed it.
Is expensive always better?
The previously frizzy hair of the lady became noticeably softer.
The pleasant fragrance was an added bonus,
With consistent care like this, it would improve quickly.
Was it the warm water that felt good?
The lady was dozing off in the bathtub.
“Lady. You’ll catch a cold if you fall asleep here.”
“I’m sleepy…”
I gently lifted the drowsy lady out of the bathtub.
I dried her body and hair with a towel.
I carefully wiped off the water without touching the scars as much as possible.
“Alice. Am I ugly..?”
“Don’t say such things again. It’ll make me angry.”
I spoke in a firm voice, almost reproachful.
It was a statement I could never tolerate.
If the lady were ugly, could there be anyone in this world who wasn’t?
With or without scars, the lady is the cutest person in the world.
“….Yess.”
There was no strength in the lady’s voice.
But a shallow smile lingered on her lips.
After drying her completely, I led the lady back to bed.
“You should sleep well, lady. I’ll be right here beside you.”
“Mm-hmm..”
Even as she responded, the lady was already dozing off.
It seemed she was very tired.
I gently laid her on the bed and covered her with a blanket up to her face.
The lady soon closed her heavy eyelids.
As I gazed at the adorable lady’s peaceful face, a faint smile crept onto my lips.
I continued to stroke her hair until she fell deeply asleep.
And when the lady finally drifted off to sleep.
There was no smile left on my lips.
Only an indescribable anger simmered within.
Thunk!
The office of the Duke located on the fourth floor of the Grand Duke’s residence.
I forcefully pushed open the door to the study and entered. Inside the study, the Grand Duke sat at his desk, conversing with the Knight Commander, whose body resembled that of a pillar. The Knight Commander furrowed his brow and looked at me.
“What kind of habit is this in front of His Grace, Alice?” he said.
I casually disregarded his words and looked at the Grand Duke. The blue eyes, so similar to the lady’s, also turned towards me.
“Did His Grace know?” I asked.
“I wish you hadn’t brought up a subject.”
“The scar on the lady’s back, did he know about it?”
At my words, the Grand Duke’s eyes flickered with hesitation. It seemed he knew after all.
The Grand Duke glanced at me for a moment, then raised his hand and spoke.
“Leave us for a moment.”
“…Yes.”
With a polite farewell, the Knight Commander turned and left. He shot me a sharp glance before exiting the room. Soon, the door closed, leaving only the Grand Duke and me.
“Of course, I knew,” the Grand Duke replied in a low voice. There was a hint of anger in his tone.
“When… did it happen?”
“It happened on the day the Grand Duchess died.”
The day the lady was kidnapped, perhaps. Anger surged within me.
While I processed this alone, the Grand Duke continued, gazing out of the dark window.
“It was when the Grand Duchess took her own life, and I was battling the demons. They thought it was futile to confront me, so they aimed for the Grand Duchess instead.”
“…She was injured then?”
“Yes. With so many of them rushing at me at once, I couldn’t react fast enough. In the end, a flame from one of their mouths passed me and reached the Grand Duchess.”
The Grand Duke clenched his fist with a pained expression.
Was the large scar on the lady’s back a burn mark? Even if it was a burn mark, it would be difficult to leave such a large one.
“Even so, if she had received immediate treatment, it wouldn’t have left such a big mark, right?”
Of course, it’s impossible to completely remove a burn mark. However, with advanced healing magic or treatments, the scar could have been significantly reduced in size. Unlike on Earth, there is magic in this world.
But the scar on the lady’s back was a mark that received no treatment at all. However…
“That’s…”
The Grand Duke hesitated for a moment.
If it were the usual Grand Duke, he would have answered emotionlessly. But now, his face seemed to be filled with agony.
After hesitating for a while and letting out a deep sigh, tainted with guilt, he answered me with eyes filled with remorse.
“Selena was taken by the demons, and I wasn’t in my right mind. I only confirmed Duchess safety at that moment and immediately pursued the demons.
“…. Did you really leave her burned like that?”
“Yes. Because I couldn’t bear to have Selena’s body taken away.”
I clenched my teeth involuntarily.
I squeezed my fist so tightly that blood dripped from my hands.
In my heart, I wanted to kick the Duchess in the face right away.
But I bit my lip hard to suppress my anger.
I couldn’t solely blame the Duke.
After all, all of this was initiated by the demons.
And I couldn’t ignore his feelings for losing his wife.
He couldn’t possibly be in his right mind after losing someone he loved right in front of him.
But of course, that doesn’t excuse what he did.
Leaving her like that is unforgivable.
How much pain must she have been in?
How much suffering must she have endured as her flesh burned away?
“Alice… Am I not cruel..?”
The painful past of the young lady vividly felt.
Tears welled up again in the rising sorrow.
I wiped away the tears.
This.
Is.
Unforgivable.
I opened my mouth with rage. The street is silent.
“……..3 days.”
Yes.
What do I want from the Duke?
I didn’t have any expectations of him in the first place.
Didn’t the young lady decide that I would take care of her?
I will take care of her.
The young lady will be my responsibility.
“Please give me a 3-day vacation.”
The memories of the young lady’s painful past.
The scars that vividly remain, tormenting her.
I’ll erase them all.
