Episode 101
A few days later, what awaited Roweena, who had regained her strength, was a floral fragrance she had not enjoyed in a long time. After Damian and Cedric's boating accident, she had been living in the mansion with all the curtains drawn, as if residing in a cave, so the scent felt foreign.
As she rubbed her eyes and rose, a maid who had just drawn back the curtains greeted her.
"You're awake. Good morning, madam."
"Ah…… yes."
Roweena nodded absently and lifted her heavy body. When the bright sunlight poured into the room, her brow furrowed involuntarily.
"I'm sorry, but could you close the curtains again……"
"You're awake!"
Hardly had she spoken when there was a knock and the door opened. A woman in flamboyant attire burst in.
"We have much to do today, so we'll be busy."
"What?"
"Come, come. Hurry and prepare."
At two claps, women in uniforms flooded in. Startled, Roweena glared at them warily, and only then did the woman who had first opened the door bow at the waist.
"That's right. My greeting is late. I am Dalton Rozé of Rozé Atelier, in charge of your adornment today. I look forward to working with you."
After that, a hectic process ensued. As soon as one seamstress took her measurements, another seamstress skillfully altered a prepared dress and presented it to Dalton.
It was a bright yellow dress that would suit fresh young ladies who had just debuted in society. Roweena thought it might not be appropriate for her age, but standing before the full-length mirror, it suited her truly well.
"My goodness! You look so young. I would believe you if you said you were nineteen. Shall I paint your lips a little redder?"
"So there's no nee—"
"Come, come, sit here."
Roweena, who had not eaten properly for several days and lacked strength, was no match for the veteran. Dalton seated Roweena before the vanity as if soothing a child and commanded her subordinate staff in an orderly fashion.
Led by many hands, she was thoroughly washed in the bathroom, and after coming out with oil applied to her dry blonde hair, hairstyling and makeup proceeded simultaneously.
Once she was even dressed in the gown, the two-hour adornment reached its final stages.
"Your complexion was so pale that I was worried about how to bring vitality to your face, but with just a little touch, your beauty springs right to life!"
Dalton, sending continuous praise, brought Roweena back before the full-length mirror. Her haggard cheeks and dry hair had transformed in an instant into a vibrant face and glossy hair by the expert's hands.
Blinking her eyes at her own reflection, which she faced after a long time, Roweena heard a knock from outside the door once more.
"If you are ready, he asks that you come out."
"We are coming right away!"
Answering in Roweena's stead, Dalton finally decorated her hair by fastening a pearl hairpin.
"I'm envious. How can you have such a kind husband?"
Husband. At the suddenly heard word, Roweena spaced out for a moment, then started in surprise and gathered her senses.
"He's not my husband."
"Excuse me?"
"He's my paramour. Though it's not me who has one, but him."
While Dalton blinked her eyes vacantly, doubting her ears, Roweena opened the door. A waiting maid guided her to the entrance hall.
As soon as she came out to the entrance hall, someone was standing before the carriage. Roweena stopped when she recognized him.
"Long time no see, Sir Jenok."
"It has been a long time."
Jenok bowed his head in greeting and opened the carriage door.
"Please get in."
"What is all this about? I don't know what it is, but do I look like I'm in any condition for this kind of thing?"
She had been swept along until just now but was determined not to be swept along anymore. When Roweena, arms crossed, pressed the question, a shadow fell over Jenok's face. Before she could ask what he meant, he opened his mouth heavily.
"He asked me to tell you that this is the last time."
"The last time?"
"Yes. So I would be grateful if you would comply."
"……"
It was something she had not expected. Hesitating, Roweena confirmed his words.
"Are you saying he will let me go? Did he really say that?"
"It would be best if you asked him directly."
"……
Understood. Let's do that."
After deliberation, Roweena nodded and got into the carriage.
* * *
Where the carriage slowly stopped was, unexpectedly, not a luxurious theater or restaurant, but a small villa. It was a quiet and modest villa located quite far from the capital. Before the villa surrounded by the forest, the horses came to a halt.
"We have arrived."
"This is……"
Roweena, who had quietly watched the ever-changing scenery outside the window while the carriage rode along, looked around with unfamiliar eyes. While she did so, Jenok, who had gotten down first, extended his hand to Roweena.
"Please get down."
"Ah, yes."
Taking Jenok's hand and getting down from the carriage, soft grass was underfoot. At the same time, the fresh and cool scent of the forest permeated Roweena's nose. The smell of the forest, which she encountered after a long time, made her feel as if her head was clearing. As she took a deep breath, someone approached from behind.
"Roweena."
"……
Killian."
She called him neither 'Your Excellency' nor 'you.' At his own name, called after a long time since that urgent day, he quietly gazed at the woman before him.
"Where is this place? Why did you bring me here? And what is all this since this morning?"
The last question was about the atelier.
"I told you before. I was thinking about what I would do if I could turn back time."
"Isn't that already in the past?"
"Because it is the last time."
The word spat from his own mouth tasted as bitter as chewing on an unripe plum. In his eyes, Roweena's appearance was no different from when they had first met about ten years ago. She was just as pure, beautiful, and fresh. Even in recent days when she had crumbled and broken, she was still beautiful.
"Let's go inside."
Hesitating for a moment at Killian's somehow unusual demeanor, Roweena followed him into the villa. The modest interior was exactly like an ordinary citizen's home. Across from the narrow entrance hall, stairs leading to the second floor were visible, and with those stairs between them, the living room and kitchen were divided.
As Roweena looked down at the ornament cabinet bearing fingerprints and the hand-woven carpet, as if someone had been living there until yesterday, Killian, who had entered the kitchen, held out a glass of water.
"You must be thirsty."
"Thank you."
Roweena received the glass and gulped it down, her eyes following traces of people.
"Where are the maids?"
"There are none."
"What?"
"Today it's just you and me. There is no one else."
It meant he had brought the water poured from the kettle with his own hands. Doubting her ears, Roweena brushed past him as if that couldn't be true and entered the kitchen.
To her shameful realization, there really was no one. Frozen in place, Roweena muttered without realizing it.
"Really……
it's true. There's no one."
"I told you so. Are you hungry?"
"……
A little."
"Wait."
Killian seated her at the dining chair and began washing and cutting the potatoes and mushrooms he had taken out beforehand.
Roweena watched that side profile without blinking an eye. She had grown somewhat accustomed to this man acting unfamiliar by now, but at this moment, it went beyond unfamiliarity to the feeling of witnessing a bizarre spectacle. It felt as if something else wearing the mask of the familiar man was standing there.
"Are you really His Excellency Count Killian Maximilian Devonshire?"
At the sudden question, the hand that had been chopping without hesitation stopped.
"If not me, who do I look like?"
"That's……"
"Sit still. You may look around if you want."
Killian, speaking softly, started cooking again. He lit the hearth, put in clean water, ingredients he had just cut, and soup powder.
"Whose house is this?"
"A friend's house of Jenok's. I rented it for a day."
"…
Why?"
"Because I wanted to do this with you."
"So why, exactly?"
As Roweena raised her voice, foam began to overflow from the pot that had started bubbling. Killian skimmed it off with a ladle and tasted the seasoning with a small spoon.
"Not bad for a first attempt."
Muttering in satisfaction, he took out two bowls and divided the soup into them. Placing soft bread and pickled radish together, a decent meal was completed.
"Try it."
"……
Alright."
Since he had said it was the last time, it seemed better to go along with him today. Roweena, picking up the spoon with doubtful eyes, changed her expression in an instant.
"……
It's delicious?"
"I told you so."
Whether because she had gone to bed without dinner last night or because the soup she spooned up was tastier than expected, Roweena unknowingly emptied the bowl before she knew it.
Doing the dishes was also Killian's task.
Having been refused even when she offered to help, Roweena awkwardly went and sat in the living room, and warm tea came out.
After taking a sip of tea, Roweena finally asked what she was curious about.
"What sort of whim is this, exactly?"
"After hearing what you said last time, I thought it over carefully."
"About what?"
"Whether it's better to keep you by my side like this, or to let you go."
"And?"
"The answer didn't come out. I even thought it would be better to kill you and die myself than let you go."
"……"
It was raw, unfiltered words. Selfish, dogmatic, and arrogant, but because it was so like Killian Devonshire, she felt relief instead.
Roweena relaxed her shoulders and asked quietly.
"But then?"
"I had never thought about you dying and leaving me behind. The moment I faced it, hell unfolded."
His tone was calm but heavy and scorching. Roweena recalled what had touched her cheek that day. She had denied and turned away from it, but it was certainly……
She couldn't continue the thought.
"So I am letting you go."
"Killian."
"Because it is better for me to remain alone and writhe in agony than for you to die."
Killian smiled very briefly. It was the moment Roweena was trying to rub her eyes.
"Mommy?"