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nChapter 37

nTo be held in Lloyd’s arms, to feed her medicine, and to take care of her with sincerity.

n‘Is it a dream?’

nIt must be a dream.

nWhere does the dream start?

n‘It doesn’t seem like a dream until I overheard Lloyd and Vincent’s conversation.’

nThen it seems like a dream after that.

nAria stretched out and looked around.

nAt the same time, the black eyes met hers.

n“You’re up.”

nLloyd was right in front of her, pressing his forehead with a tired look on his face.

nAria rolled her eyes as she lowered the arm that was outstretched up above her.

nShe felt embarrassed because she dreamed of being cared for by him.

n– Hi.

nWithout realizing it, she reflexively greeted him.

nThe boy raised his eyebrows silently.

nAnd after being silent for a long time, he said in a voice that was slightly submerged because it was morning.

n“Hi.”

nIt became even more awkward after they finished greeting each other awkwardly like someone who had met for the first time.

n– When did you come?

nAria flapped her lips.

nThen she paused for a moment, with Lloyd frowning at her, and he replied a beat late.

n“… just now.”

nIt was a dream too.

n‘Well, it’s not that Lloyd doesn’t have a thing to do, he’ll be busy with his successor class, and he can’t care for me all night.”

nThen, she thought Vincent had stopped by from time to time to check her condition.

nAria nodded her head, drawing a reasonable conclusion inside.

n– How long have I been sick?

n“A week.”

nIs that so?

n‘Somehow, from the moment I got up, my body was droopy and I had no energy.’

nShe was so starved that she swept her stomach, when she couldn’t even feel hunger now.

nThen she glanced at Lloyd’s complexion.

nHis condition looks very bad.

nShe doesn’t know if he was so busy with work these days that he hasn’t slept properly, but it seems like his nerves are sharp.

nEven under his eyes, it was black.

n– You look tired.

n“Anyone who stays up all week long…”

nLloyd continued his words, but then he suddenly stopped, stiffened, and shut his mouth.

nThen Dana appeared and broke the silence .

n“I brought a meal… Hyuk!”

nDana looked at the awake Aria and hardened as a stone as she opened her mouth.

nIt was like seeing Medusa, a monster in myths.

nAria realized it too late that she had taken off her mask.

n‘Ah.’

nShe had a sad expression on her face.

nLloyd was so consistent in putting on and taking off her mask so she forgot.

nIn her previous life, she had seen how others reacted when she showed her bare face. She felt a little sad at the thought that Dana might not be smiling like before. But Aria had no intention of wearing the mask again.

n‘Because Lloyd didn’t reject me.’

nNo, it’d be right to say he didn’t care what she looked like. Thanks to that, it felt like her mind was pierced and she was refreshed. Aria felt like she had escaped from the shadows of the past that had been following her the whole time.

nHowever, Dana’s reaction afterward was unexpected.

n“Where did the Lord bring you such a lovely fairy?”

n“…..”

nMaybe this is making fun of her?

nAria thought seriously. But no matter how she looked at it, it wasn’t the tone of mockering. Because Dana looked really happy.

n“Now you can sleep well without the rabbit mask friend!”

nShe slept well from the beginning.

nDana looked at Aria and blushed her cheeks as if enchanted as she kissed her on the forehead.

n‘…her lips touched.’

nAt first she thought it was soft.

n‘Strange. I’ve never felt this way before.’

nWhen Aria was a Siren, she received many kisses. Because everyone was so anxious that they could kiss the back of her hand or the back of her foot. But Aria only felt creepy sensations as if worms were crawling around.

nIt was unlike this tickle that reaches her heart. Aria clasped her forehead with both her hands. She was realizing why Lloyd had rubbed his cheek after brushing against her lips.

n“Hoho.”

nDana laughed as Aria was being adorable.

n“…you’re not really a fairy, are you.”

nIt was a small mumble. It was also something she would never hear being said to her.

nBut Aria shrugged her shoulders and turned her head. And her eyes met Lloyd, who was leaning against the window sill.

n“…”

nAs if observing her, the obsidian-like eyes staring at her widened slightly in surprise. They averted their gaze at the same time.

n“Oh my.”

nDana looked at the two of them alternately and burst into an exclamation that they did not understand the meaning.

nLloyd threw a blunt word to Dana, who was smiling wide.

n“What.”

n“Hoo, it’s nothing.”

n“She’s got a weird habit because you’re constantly fiddling around without hesitation.”

n“Oh, what’s the habit?”

n“…..”

nLloyd fixed his gaze out of the window, annoyed till the back of his head, and then abruptly turned his head away.

nAnd with eyes squinted in suspicion, he gently flapped his lips.

n“You heard me.”

nAria shook her head.

n“I think you heard.”

nAria shook her head and crossed her arms to make a cross.

n“Oh my, did the rabbit hear it too?”

nNo, how did he figure that out?

nShe was in a cold sweat.

nThe gap between Lloyd’s eyes, who stared at her tenaciously, gradually narrowed and his brows began to wrinkle little by little.

n‘You’re doubting me……’

nHowever, what had already happened was unavoidable.

nInstead of acting suspiciously, Aria tilted her head with an innocent expression on her face. And she smiled faintly as she looked at the flowering tree outside the window.

nBecause the flowers are pretty.

nOut of her old bag, she pulled out the card that she had shown Dana before. It’s as if Lloyd wasn’t listening, he was just staring at the flowers outside the window.

n“…”

nAnd she smiled once more at the silent boy. Then he nodded his head.

n“Alright.”

n“…”

n“Have a meal.”

nAria nodded her head. Lloyd made sure she was awake, so he returned as if with no regrets.

nNo, he was going back.

nClink-

nIf Aria had just not picked up the spoon improperly and dropped it.

n‘Oh.’

nAria stared at her trembling fingertips in trouble because of the lack of strength. Because she was starving the whole time she was sick, her body did not have any energy.

n“…”

nLloyd let out a sigh.

nThen he dragged the chair and sat in front of her, was handed a new spoon from the servant, and picked up the bowl of soup.

n“Ah– come on.”

nIt was an order, no, it was a threat. He kept calling her a bunny, and it seemed like he was really feeding the bunny.

nAria stared at Lloyd’s face and the outstretched spoon that he held by himself alternately. She was flustered.

nShe was more embarrassed than that.

n‘I keep thinking of my dreams….’

nThe dream of her being held in Lloyd’s arms like a child, and taking her medicine, kept tickling her mind.

n“Open your mouth.”

nThe way he talked was the same.

nIt was around the time when she thought that her dream reflected reality very well.

nDana carefully pointed out his actions.

n“Grand Prince, be a little kinder.”

n“I’m kinder now than ever.”

nLloyd raised his eyebrows, perhaps if Dana was asking for more here.

nIs this the kindest he can do?

n‘Well, I wonder if the Grand Prince has ever given food to others in his lifetime.’

nAria suddenly remembered when Lloyd gave her the bath. An expressionless face and a more blunt tone than that. But even though it was clumsy, the consideration was clearly felt.

nWithout realizing it, the corners of her lips rose.

n“Why are you laughing.”

nHe asked with a sullen face.

n‘Because it’s cute.’

nAria thought so, but never spit it out of her mouth.

n“You seem to be having unpleasant thoughts.”

nLloyd muttered suspiciously. Aria pretended not to understand, and she put her hand on his. For a young age, his big, rough hands trembled.

n“What are you doing?”

nNo, just.

nShe always thought he was blunt and rough, but in fact, she thought maybe he just didn’t know how.

nAria opened her lips.

n– Just so you know.

n“What.”

n– Act as oneself says?

nLloyd frowned.

nHe looked like he had no idea what Aria was trying to do.

n“Let go. It’ll hurt you.”

nHowever, it was difficult for him to shake off Aria’s hand.

nBecause his hands were trembling uncomfortably.

nWhile considering what to do, Aria brought the boy’s hand to her mouth with a spoon.

n“What….”

nWith her other hand she placed her hair behind her ear, her eyes half closed and then raised up.

nAnd their gaze met.

nA smile formed on her lips as the soft soup seemed to warm her stomach.

n– I want you to do it like this.

n“…”

n– Because Lloyd is kind.

nShe called her by his own name, but would it be okay?

nAria looked at Lloyd’s reaction.

n“…..”

nThe boy, who had been silent for a moment, avoided her gaze at an angle, frowned, then scooped out the soup again and offered it out.

nHe’s definitely a bit more kind than before.

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