Stepmothers Are Not Always Evil Chapter 80

 Chapter 80

 

I woke up to the sound of rain hitting the window.

Rain water splashed through the gaps in the open windows, leaving the carpet wet.

I got out of bed, closed the window and lit a candle.

Helios, who had poured out all the suppressed emotions, was sleeping deeply as if exhausted.

I sat down on the bed, looked down at him, and gently brushed away his messy hair.

He must have had a hard time too.

It must have been hard enough to deal with an unwanted marriage and even a child, but the guilt must have been so severe when Charlet Melks kidnapped and tried to kill Lenia.

Furthermore…

 

‘What happened to Charlet Melks?’

‘… She took her own life.’

 

Charlet Melks died without paying the price, and even I, who barely survived, lost my memory, so I must have suffered a lot alone.

“Helios…”

I may not be the real Lenia Evelyn, but I think I know how you and Lenia felt.

“I forgive you for not telling me.”

Because I know you did it for me.

And… I’ve been deceiving you, too.

“… I love you.”

I’m not the real Lenia Evelyn, but I still love you.

Drip, falling drops of water wet the sheet.

The summer rain didn’t stop all night.

 

*****

 

The next day, a guest came to me, who had been locked up in the room on the pretext of my condition.

“Who are you?”

“You said Sirius Winternight.”

“…….”

He’s short-tempered.

After all the trouble he caused yesterday, I didn’t expect him to show up today.

Looking back at Helios in an awkward mood, I nodded.

“I’ll meet him.”

He didn’t seem very reluctant, but there was something I wanted to ask the man, so I put on a shawl and left the room.

“I’ll be right back.”

The man was standing in front of the front door. Instead of bringing him in, I went outside, hoping that the servants would hear the conversation.

“Lady Evelyn.”

The man who saw my face waved his hand as if nothing had happened.

As I looked at the bruised face, I replied back.

“Could you call me Duchess of Anthemion, not Lady Evelyn, Sir Peterson.”

“Oh no. That’s why I kept it a secret.”

The man who shrugged his shoulders nodded as if he couldn’t help it.

“If you wish. Duchess of Anthemion.”

“Okay, Sir Peterson. it’s a lovely day, let’s take a walk.”

I walked in the garden with him.

The petals soaked in the rain that fell last night exuded the fresh scent of flowers.

After walking for a while, looking at the long and short shadows created by the midday sunlight, I suddenly opened my mouth.

“Thank you for saving me.”

The man suddenly stopped walking.

When I realized that the shadows moving side by side had disappeared and turned my head, he looked at me with a strange expression.

“Why?”

“No, it’s kind of unexpected….”

“I know how to thanks, too.”

I was just a little rude, but I wouldn’t have done it if I had known sooner.

As I grumbled slightly in embarrassment, the man chuckled.

“Didn’t you fight yesterday?”

“Fight? My husband is not that narrow-minded.”

“Ah, then he’s the one with the short temper.”

He pointed to the corner of his bruised mouth and said playfully.

“The Duke’s fists are quite spicy.”

“That was a gentle slap.”

“Hah…”

He smirked at my answer.

Pretending not to know, he walked side by side.

“By the way, how did you find me?”

“While looking for a monster, I accidentally entered the cave and you were there.”

“A monster? Did you also go looking for the Magic Stone?”

“Because my goal is to dry the seeds of monsters.”

Come to think of it… Yesterday, Helios told me that this man was a monster hunter.

It’s also dangerous to meet monsters, but I couldn’t understand why you were looking for them on purpose, so I looked at him with puzzled eyes.

“My sister was attacked by a monster and died.”

“… Ah.”

“I can’t remember anything else because I was young, I only remember my mother hugging my sister and crying. That’s when I decided. I decided to become a monster hunter and avenge my sister.”

I thought he was a mean person… I see.

“I searched all the places where there were monsters, regardless of the mountains, fields, or the sea. That’s how I got to know Count Tilburn.”

“I see.”

“In fact… I thought you were my sister when I saw you in the cave.”

“…….”

“You have the same hair color and the same age…”

Stopping in front of the fountain, he put his hand on my head and pulled away a leaf stuck in my hair, saying

“Because my sister was just as pretty as you.”

A bitter smile lingered on his lips.

“I’m sorry I couldn’t save you right away at that time.”

“……”

“Yesterday, I couldn’t tell you because there were other people around, but… I tried to get you out after I chased away the monsters that were attacking you, but I couldn’t.”

“Because I was hurt too much?”

He shook his head at my question.

“Your body was tied with something like a black string, and no matter how hard I tried to untie it, I couldn’t untie it.”

“……?”

“I tried to cut it with fire and cut it with a sword, but no matter what I did, it didn’t work, so I went to the village to ask for help and you disappeared.”

A black string that can’t be cut.

It was an incomprehensible explanation.

“At first I thought you’re dead, but later, when I heard from a doctor I knew that he was treating a woman who was seriously injured by a monster, I thought it was you.”

“…….”

“I’m really glad you’re okay.”

The warmth in his round eyes made me smile in return.

“By the way, were there any traces of other people in the cave?”

“I don’t know. I haven’t seen anyone else… Ah.”

He replied as if he had remembered something.

“I thought it was strange because there were so many candles burning on one side of the cave.”

Candles?

Seeing that he was puzzled, it seems like a lot, but considering it’s a cave, it’s not unusual.

There was very little that I could guess from that alone, so I just nodded.

“Thank you for letting me know.”

“You’re welcome, madam.”

He answered politely and kissed the back of my hand.

“If you don’t like the Duke, come to me.”

“I’m afraid that won’t happen.”

“You never know people’s hearts, I’ll be waiting for you.”

“You’ll be alone for the rest of your life.”

His laughing voice was clear.

 

*****

 

“Are you in already?”

As I returned to the mansion and entered the mansion, Helios, who was walking around the living room, approached me.

“Yes. I came to see him off.”

“Why don’t you take your time.”

Jealousy was evident in the words he handed out as if he was caring.

I stared at Helios’s puffy face and burst out laughing.

“Do you realize how ugly you look right now?”

“Who am I to argue?”

“If you don’t know, look in the mirror.”

I shrugged and headed for my room, Helios following closely behind me.

He looks just like Escal at times like this.

I pretended not to see him and sat down on the sofa. Helios leaned close to me.

“It’s hot.”

“Do you want me to bring you something cold?”

“I think it would be cool if you got away from me.”

“Then just stay hot.”

Look what this man is saying.

“Do you have anything to do today?”

“No.”

“Any appointment?”

“No. I will rest at home.”

I was at a loss for words at the firm answer, as if he’s telling me not to even think about leaving.

I let out a sigh thinking that I would suffer terribly for a few more days.

“… Do you still hate me?”

Helios carefully looked into my eyes.

Even if it was a joke, he looked like he would collapse if I said so.

Because the world is so cold, and so fragile.

I wrapped my fingers around the back of his clenched hand.

“I wish I could hate you.”

“…….”

“I don’t hate you. How could I hate you?”

“… Lena.”

The voice calling me shakes violently again. I said it seriously, hiding my smile.

“If you keep showing weakness, I will get angry. If you are like this, who should I trust— Eup!”

Words were not able to be spoken because of the sudden blockage of the mouth.

Helios, who stole my lip, bit my lower lip painfully and slipped between them.

The sensation of sweeping the soft palate was overly stimulating.

I closed my eyes as if a moan was about to come out, and as I clung to him, Helios took a deep look inside my mouth.

The breath I had touched in a long time was excruciatingly hot. A hand digging into my clothes gently traced over the scar.

“Ah…”

It felt like my brain was melting.

As I trembled at the unbearable stimulation, he lifted his head and whispered in my ear.

“Say what you said last night, one more time.”

“What, what did I said?”

“What you said to me when I was sleeping.”

“What did I say to you when you were sleeping…”

 

‘… I love you.’

 

“Hey, were you listening to that?”

I thought you were asleep!

“Uh, tell me quickly.”

I can’t.

“I…”

It’s not the first time I’ve said it, but I couldn’t keep my mouth shut because he was staring at me.

Come on, I agreed to admit it.

I closed my eyes tightly and then opened them and confessed at once.

“I love you, Helios.”

“I love you too.”

He stole my lips once more.

The second kiss was much sweeter and hotter.