Translator and Editor: Lea and Aki
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Chapter 29
Both woke up pretty late in the morning, with Ian barely recovered from fatigue.
On the calm morning, it was April who first blinked her eyes open when sunlight poured over her eyelids. Feeling a little cold, she pulled up the blanket and turned to Ian.
‘He’s still asleep.’
He looked calm, but exhausted as if he had been suffering from a disease.
His dark hair was disheveled and his closed eyelids were immobile. His shoulder rose up whenever he took a deep breath.
‘Did it get fainter?’
The scent of his body, which used to remain heavy until the next day, was already gone, and everything seemed to have returned to the way it was.
Sitting up, her eyes first drifted to the bedside table. The medicine bottle that was placed there remained intact.
‘He didn’t take the medicine…….’
She quietly lifted the cover and reached out her hand to check the bottle, but Ian, whom she thought was asleep, wrapped his arms around her waist.
She fell into his arms, her eyes wide at him in surprise.
“W-What?”
He was so close. She swallowed without realizing.
With no shirt on, he chuckled right in front of her nose, which was much more dangerous than the night before.
“You were awake?”“Been a while, but I thought you’d stay down if I pretended.”“I have slept a lot, so I –”“If I had woken up, you’d have left saying you have work to finish.”
His grip tightened around her as he said this. His chest was so warm that she decided to enjoy it a little more.
“Come to think of it, Marquis.”“Ian.”“Ah, I-Ian…..”
When she called him by his name just as she did last night, his arms gave her a light squeeze. He smiled satisfactorily, sweeping her hair with his large hand.
“How did your fever go down so suddenly?”“It’s probably because of the imprint.”“Im….print?”“Last night. That’s what we call it.”
As Ian’s voice, which was a little hoarse in the morning, rang surprisingly sweet in her ears, April pulled the blanket up to her eyes.
She was embarrassed to show her flushed cheeks to him. The moment she heard him, it reminded her of his expression, voice, and gestures last night.
“If it’s imprinted…..would the condition get better?”“I don’t think so. But it’s getting more tolerable. It won’t be as hard as death.”“You didn’t choose the harder way because of me, did you?”“Not at all. I’m more worried about you, April.”
As he leaned in saying her name, she closed her eyes gently.
She felt his breath skimming her skin followed by his lips.
Clasping his shoulder, she savoured the sweet kiss. The question of whether she deserved this moment melted into her hands.
“I was having a fever because of my symptoms, and I didn’t even know when my chest felt upset. Even if it’s not because of the disease, it can’t calm down.”
His heart jumped inside his chest as he confessed his greed to her.
“Oh, Ian. The medicine.”“Huh?”“I’ve got a clue from the term companion. One can control the heat with the ardour of the person who resides in their heart.”“So this is your ardour?”“Yes.”
Her eyes shifted to her finger wrapped up by the cloth. The medicine was not supposed to cure the first type of fever, but another type. His eyes adored the bottle she handed to him.
“This must be helpful. You can’t solve it like that every time.”“Well….. That’s right. Actually, Klaus asked me to use it yesterday.”“I don’t think it would have helped. If you’d prescribed me this before the imprint, I would’ve gotten any kind of death.”“Because of me?”“If this had got in while I was already losing my mind about you…….”“Ah.”
She would have seen him gone crazier. Something unimaginable must have happened. When she realized, she turned her head with an embarrassing smile.
“Oh, anyway. The procedure is tricky, so I’ll have to look for some alternatives. I only used my blood yesterday.”“That’s not good…….”
He gently grabbed her hand and peered at her wound. The material would work best for Ian, but it would never be appropriate for April. He couldn’t let her stab her finger like this every time.
“I just hope I don’t need much medicine. Now that it’s imprinted, it won’t explode to the point that I’d collapse, and it’ll ease up over the years.”“Of course. I’ll do some research. Is there a way where it doesn’t need to be consumed?”
Hugging April, he buried his face in her neck. Her essence had always felt nice and soothing. It might not be strong for others, but it got pretty intense for Ian after he felt his affection for her. Sometimes it even brought impulses that were hard to suppress.
“It’s better to start the day now. I don’t think I’ll have enough time to hold you in my arms.”
He pulled away and placed a kiss on her forehead before getting up from his bed. April sat up, watching his thumb caressing the glass of the bottle.
“Shall we go down?”“Yes.”
Taking his hand, they left the room together. As soon as they stepped down to the first floor, they ran into Klaus, who was coming to wake his Master.
“Good morning, Master. And……”
He addressed, but he suddenly spotted the two holding each other’s hands. Noticing him while trying to hide her embarrassment, April thought she should let go, but Ian’s grip tightened.
“What’s wrong?”“Ah, nothing.”
Klaus quickly erased his dazed expression as if he had finally come to his senses. He seemed to want an explanation, but Ian didn’t say anything. Emphasizing that everything was in his sight.
“Today’s schedule.”“Ah, yes…. I’ve received a report from Sir Yuri. And there’s a request for a visit from Miss Fiora Rose. It’s not about anything else but the dealing of gunpowder.”
Klaus’ voice was slightly higher than usual, and he spoke a little faster as well. As if he expected April to ask the reason for Miss Fiora’s visit. But she remained expressionless.
“Klaus.”“Yes?”“Act as you used to. It’s uncomfortable for me to watch you like this.”“Yes……”
He seemed very shaken at encountering his Master coming out of his room holding hands with a woman in the morning for the very first time. Ian only smiled at him.
“Ian. Would you like to sit down first? I have something to say to Klaus.”“Sure.”
After he walked away, April approached Klaus. Perhaps because of what happened last night, Klaus was barely looking straight at her.
“I’m glad it worked out well. I apologize for the rudeness I expressed last night.”“I would have done the same if I were you, Klaus. It was an urgent situation.”“Thank you for understanding. And…. please take good care of us. Now and forever.”“I look forward to your kind cooperation.”
Klaus said while looking at her eyes. In that brief statement of his request, April felt a sense of responsibility.
“I’ve had the meal prepared, so please come to your seat. My Master will be waiting for you.”
As Klaus cleared the way, April headed to where Ian was waiting. In front of the same table as yesterday, he greeted April with a completely different demeanor. He looked pleased to his heart’s content, with nothing to hide.
‘Am I ready for this?’
Going by his side without her past being sorted out would be like handing out her luggage to him. As she got closer to him, April’s concerns about the past grew on one side of her mind.
***
Their relationship had changed, but not their daily life. Ian, with a burning heart, was again pacing back and forth in front of the detached house. He hesitated to go to her, who was confined in her lab, saying she was completing the backlogs of the research.
“Your shoes will be worn out, Master.”
Klaus said as he came back. Embarrassed, Ian turned away from the building.
“The Duke has come to visit.”“I shall be right there.”
Kane’s sudden visit was not unusual, but Ian didn’t hate it. He headed for the drawing room without saying another word.
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