My lady is being comforted
How much time had passed since then?
The daylight, which had once streamed through the window, had now faded, leaving the room dimly lit by a solitary candle while the rest was immersed in darkness.
In this quiet room, Isabella sat on the bed, her face buried in her knees. She had been crying continuously for what felt like an eternity, her tears now dried up, her throat stinging from the strain.
Despite the cessation of tears, the overwhelming feelings of despair and sadness continued to weigh heavily upon her chest. Suddenly, a knock came from the door.
"..."
"Milady, I've brought your dinner."
Isabella slowly raised her face, her eyes adjusting to the darkness, to see Crow standing outside the door, sounding concerned.
However, she had no desire to see anyone at this moment.
She believed that revealing herself in such a wretched state was worse than death.
"I don't need it. Leave."
"I see..."
Crow on the other side of the door seemed to grasp her feelings and quietly withdrew.
Once again, silence descended upon the room.
Isabella lowered her face, intending to retreat into the depths of her own world.
"Milady, I'm going to break down this door now, so please stay as far away as possible."
"Huh?"
Isabella was startled by Crow's words coming from the other side of the door.
What did he just say?
"Ready, set..."
"W-wait..... What are you really saying!?"
Suddenly, an unexpected countdown began, leaving Isabella flustered and making her forget her earlier sadness.
Exhausted from her continuous crying, her tired mind struggled to process the situation. Meanwhile, the countdown continued relentlessly.
"One."
"Please wait!"
"Zero. Here I go!"
As the countdown ended, the door exploded with a deafening crash, flying into the room. The splintered door bounced around the room, creating chaos as it destroyed the furniture in its path, including the table and sofa. It finally came to a stop, lodged in the wall. The room was now in ruins, illuminated by the light pouring in from the entrance.
Shocked by the devastation, Isabella could only gaze around in bewilderment.
Crow, who stood at the entrance, looked at her with an unusually serious expression.
◇◆◇◆
(I'll probably get scolded by the Head Maid for this later.)
The door was locked, so I attempted to force it open, but it appears I miscalculated the necessary force.
As I stared at the door, which had been blown off its hinges and caused quite a commotion, I couldn't help but have such thoughts. Can I be forgiven since it's an emergency? The Head Maid's lectures are usually long and relentless, and, to be honest, I'd like to avoid that.
...But that's probably wishful thinking.
"Wha...?!"
As I scanned the room, I quickly spotted My Lady Isabella. She was seated on the bed, her knees drawn to her chest, and her mouth agape in a shocked expression. It seemed she had been crying alone for a long time; her eyes were red and swollen, and her appearance was painful to behold.
Unconsciously, I clenched my teeth in anger, directed at the wretched person who had made Milady so sad and at myself for leaving her alone, despite following orders.
"Why on earth did you come here?! Didn't I tell you to leave me alone!?"
Milady, noticing my gaze, hastily wiped her eyes with her hand and glared at me. However, even in that emerald gaze, her usual confidence was missing, and at this moment, she appeared fragile.
Even in this weakened state, she was so beautiful that I couldn't help but be captivated. Yet, I still believed that Milady looked her best in her usual confident demeanor.
"Did you really think you could pull something like this without making me angry?"
"..."
"Whoa!"
I paid no attention to Milady's objections and climbed onto the bed, embracing her firmly. Despite her noble status, her body remained delicate, fragile enough to break with a little too much force. Even as a young noblewoman, she had her moments of laughter and now these painful times. That's why I believed that even someone like me could provide the support she needed.
"W-wha... W-w-what are you doing?!"
"..."
"Come on, say something! What's wrong with you, good grief..."
I continued to silently stroke Milady's back in a soothing manner. She had been shouting for a while, but as I continued to comfort her, she gradually relaxed and surrendered to my embrace. Feeling her heartbeat under her chest, I just held her quietly.
"Nh..."
After a while, as she began to calm down, Milady gently rubbed her cheek against me, seeking comfort. While running my fingers through her golden hair, I leaned in closer to her ear.
"As the daughter of the ducal family, and as someone suitable to become the next queen, Milady works hard every day. I know about her efforts. I am proud of such a master, and her efforts should not be denied by anyone."
Much like a graceful swan swimming frantically beneath the water's surface, Milady, who usually carries herself with confidence, diligently engages in various lessons and education daily to live up to her high status.
As the future queen, she's expected to meet high standards in a wide range of skills, from magic and martial arts to table manners and diplomacy. Achieving all of these requires relentless effort, almost to the point of exhaustion.
But she never complains, always wearing a graceful smile.
I've been watching her closely all this time.
"Is that so?"
"Yes, please have confidence."
This time, it was just a small setback, right? After all, Milady works so hard; she deserves success.
"But Father called me a disgrace to the family."
"... Well, I guess Lord Duke had to say that considering his position."
For a moment, anger clouded my vision, but when I thought about the presence I held in my arms, I managed to keep my composure. I let go of her and looked straight into her eyes.
"So, because of that, I want to praise Milady for all the effort she's putting in. My compliments might not be enough, but would it help to stop the tears?"
"I-I'm not crying! Isabella Valiaz would never cry!"
Milady responded, her eyes wide open, and they shone with even more nobility and beauty than anyone else's, which is why I adore her.
"Well, you're quite impressive, Milady."
"Why are you laughing?"
Milady regained her spirit and smiled happily. She didn't seem to appreciate my behavior and playfully protested by tapping my chest.
With this exchange, everything should be fine.
Suddenly, we heard a cute stomach growl.
"Ugh..."
When I looked at her, Milady blushed in embarrassment, her face turning bright red as she looked down.
"Shall we have dinner now?"
"Yes, please..."
I had forgotten that Milady hadn't eaten anything since waking up. It was no wonder her stomach was growling.
Unable to contain my laughter at Milady's reaction, I called Eins and the others who were waiting outside to bring some food.
"Um... Milady?"
"Yes, what is it?"
Milady is currently on house arrest. To make things easier for her, the maids brought her dinner in her room. Because I recently broke the furniture, including the table and chairs, she had no choice but to sit on the bed while eating.
However, a minor issue has come up.
"You can't eat like this, can you?"
For some reason, Milady, who's sitting next to me, has grabbed onto me and won't let go. She's holding onto me tightly with both arms, and I can't release her with my strength alone. I hope she doesn't resort to using body reinforcement for something like this.
"Why don't you feed me? ... Unless you don't want to?"
With her head against my chest, Milady looks up at me and gives a mischievous smile. But right after saying that, she seems to have second thoughts and looks at my expression with a hint of fear. She doesn't seem quite herself yet.
"There's no reason to refuse. Your happiness is my greatest joy."
I smile reassuringly, tear off a piece of bread, and bring it to Milady's mouth. She opens her mouth slightly and eats the bread. Then, she opens her mouth again, silently asking for another.
"My, my..."
Feeding her felt a bit like taking care of a baby bird. I continued cutting her favorite dishes into bite-sized pieces and feeding them to her.
These were dishes I'd requested the head chef, who runs the kitchen in the mansion, to prepare, even though it was a bit of a stretch. With each bite, her face gradually brightened as if the delicious food was healing her wounded heart.
I was delighted, and I kept feeding her as she asked, one dish after another, while the maids tidied up the room.
"Alright, Milady, I think I'm done..."
After finishing the meal and wiping her mouth with a napkin, I began to get up to clear the dishes.
However, she grabbed my arm.
"Milady?"
"Just stay here a little longer."
"But it's getting late, and it might be best for you to rest soon."
"Well, I know, but..."
Now, what to do?
Milady had just recovered from an illness, and crying had likely drained her energy. She might not realize it herself, with her emotions still running high, but it wouldn't be wise to keep her awake any longer. She needed rest.
However, I understood that ignoring her current vulnerable request wouldn't be right either.
I needed a way to grant her wish and let her rest...
"Um... how about... sleeping together?"
"!"
I said it without really thinking, but now that I think about it, didn't I get slapped in the face the last time I suggested that?
As I rubbed my cheek, I noticed Milady next to me looking at me as if she expected it.
... Seriously?
"I, uh, I was just joking..."
My words seemed to dim the sparkle in her eyes, and she slumped her shoulders. Even her distinctive vertical curls seemed deflated.
I didn't expect her to be this shocked, and I found myself at a loss.
"Please don't make that face, Milady. If that's what you want, I don't mind."
If she's looking at me like that, I have no choice but to agree. If it's something Milady genuinely wants, it's my duty to make it happen.
Plus, it's kind of like putting a child to sleep. I still have work to do, so I won't be able to sleep, but I can stay in bed with her until she falls asleep.
"Okay, I understand. I'll get ready right away, so wait for me! Eins, let's go!"
"Yes, Milady."
As soon as I agreed, Milady's eyes sparkled once more, and she left the room quickly with a few maids who had been working with her. She's probably off to prepare herself. With her being so lively, I'm starting to think that maybe everything's okay... Did I act too hastily?
"I think I'll take a shower too... I'll leave the rest to you."
Since I'll be in bed with Milady until she falls asleep, it's probably a good idea to wash off the sweat.
I entrusted the remaining tasks to the maids and headed to the servants' bathhouse.
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