Translator and Editor: Lea and Aki
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Chapter 34
It was a little early, but April opened her eyes to the sound of rustling. The curtain was so effective in blocking the morning sunlight that it felt like it was dawn.
Meanwhile, there was a faint appearance of a man. Blinking her heavy eyes, she fixed her gaze there.
“Ian.”
When she called his name in a slightly hoarse voice, the man turned around and began approaching her in the dark. His shirt was slightly hanging loose on his figure as he was halfway up doing the buttons.
Nevertheless, he sat on the bed, bent over, and kissed April on the forehead.
“I woke you up. We should have slept separately.”“It’s okay. I was going to wake up early and see you off anyway. After that, I have to pay a visit to the pharmacy.”
She sat up and caressed his cheek. Being so breathtakingly close to him, she couldn’t hold back and crashed into his lips.
She felt his lips moving as her arms snaked around the back of his neck. Perhaps because of the regret of the brief separation that was coming soon, his hot breath seemed to heat up her whole body.
“Haah….”
Ian exhaled heavily as they parted. With one hand wrapped around April’s waist and the other hand on the bed, he seemed to have angled forward over her.
But it wasn’t like that. He just took a small breath, controlling his desire to cross the line.
“I can’t do it. Not today.”“Are you okay? Don’t tell me the symptoms suddenly…..”“It’s not like that.”
When April asked anxiously while looking around his body, Ian quickly retorted. He wanted her to know that this desire, which came from time to time, was not due to the fever.
“Too bad. I want to hold you all day long.”
April smiled gently as if she had been waiting for those words. Then, she buttoned up his shirt.
“I guess it has become my occupational disease. Seeing as I got worried about your fever first.”
While he finished dressing up, April changed into her casual outfit and got ready to head out. It was a dress Ian had tailored a few days ago.
“That dress…..”“I was going to save it, but I didn’t want anyone else to see it first.”
When she said this, Ian couldn’t help but chuckle at her sweetness.
“The more you do that, the more difficult it gets.”
He reached out his hand towards her, and she gently placed her hand on his palm. The two, holding hands, walked toward the carriage. Klaus, who was taking care of the ride, walked over and bowed down to greet them.
“Klaus. Be sure to take care of the mansion and April while I’m gone.”“Noted, Master. Please be careful on your journey.”
Klaus briefly stated before retreating back tactfully.
Ian gave April a large hug before he got in the carriage. He breathed in her scent and swept his hand down her silvery curls.
“Ian. I’ll miss you.”“I’ll be waiting for you.”
Ian heavily stepped inside the carriage, keeping mind of his scheduled arrival there.
Soon, the carriage jolted to a start. April stood in the same spot until the carriage disappeared around the corner.
“It’s a gift from the Master. Is it to your liking?”“Of course. Doesn’t it look good on me?”“Yes. It does.”
She asked half-jokingly to which Klaus replied back. At first, he used to be awkward around April, but now, he doesn’t seem to feel any pressure.
“This way, Lady April.”
He gently pointed his palm forward to show the way. They walked through the garden before the mansion.
“Today is the day the medicines need to be delivered to the pharmacy, am I correct? The servant….”“I’ll be going there in person today. We don’t have a lot of orders this time. I can carry it by myself.”“Would that be all right?”“Of course. Actually, I was hoping to meet Dahlia before heading east.”
Perhaps because April was kidnapped by Carl the last time she went alone, Klaus seemed to feel uneasy at her decision. But he couldn’t stop her from meeting her old friend, so he reluctantly agreed.
“But please let one of the servants accompany you, just in case.”“Uh…..”“Master is worried. He has asked me to make sure nothing happens to you while he’s away.”“Uhm… I can’t help it considering Klaus’s position. However, I’ll only let them follow me from afar. So that the people in the market don’t get so conscious.”“Yes, Lady April.”
Klaus replied, brightening up a little. April bowed to him lightly before turning away.
‘He has clearly made note of it before leaving.’
After Carl’s visit, April had also become more vigilant than ever. She smiled to herself, thinking of Ian who still was worried about her.
***
April packed a couple of prepared orders and medicines in her bag, and went on her way to the pharmacy. Like on the day of the gathering at the Duchy, her long hair was tied up to the side, and she had a wide-brimmed hat on. She thought Klaus would be relieved if she didn’t show her face much.
‘This wouldn’t be too obvious.’
By the time she was almost at the pharmacy, she stopped and looked back.
The man Klaus had appointed was nowhere to be seen. Perhaps he was behind her or had lost her. Thanks to this, she could feel a little content with not being disturbed.
“Let’s see if the orders are correct……”
As she was checking the things inside the bag with the chain slightly opened, she heard some murmurs nearby.
She hurriedly looked up. The sound came from the side of the pharmacy. People passing by stopped and took a glance at the entrance of the building.
‘What is it?’
April crept near the store. An aristocratic woman in a wide-brimmed, lace-drenched hat bowed her head at the pharmacy and turned around. She couldn’t see her face, so she made an attempt to stand up on her toes, but it didn’t help.
April turned her head sideways just in time to find a carriage pulling up at her side. Surprised, she staggered back.
“Ack!”
In the open bag, the vials bumped into each other. Luckily nothing broke, but April struggled to check them again.
“What the hell….”“What are you doing!”
When she started checking the contents of the bag again, almost panicking, a shadow of a person suddenly appeared before her.
April looked up to find the same woman from the pharmacy approaching her. She walked to April after giving a scolding to the horseman.
“I apologize.”
April froze the moment she saw the woman’s face. The woman was definitely Fiora Rose. Fiora bowed her head first before identifying April.
“Ah, no. It’s fine.”
April pressed her hat down in bewilderment and tried to cover her face. When Fiora spotted the bottle in April’s bag, she asked with her eyes wide open.
“Oh my, do you use it, too?”“Pardon?”“The cosmetics from that pharmacy……”
Fiora smiled awkwardly and backed away as April quickly shut the bag.
“Oh, I’m sorry. I was rejected and was on my way back. Please excuse me. I’ll go scold the coachman.”
Fiora hurried back onto the carriage. April looked up to find it was because some people had gathered around her. And the moment the carriage door closed, it brushed past her ears.
“That’s funny.”
A short murmur from Fiora.
‘What?’
April got chills down her spine. The carriage curtains were already draped down, so she couldn’t even look at Fiora’s face.
‘Does she know me?’
She nervously bit her lip. She was curious, too. She had seen Fiora staring only at Ian at the Duke’s gathering. She still remembered it.
‘I’m sure it’s fine.’
She obviously had something to do with Ian striking a deal with her after the potion incident. Thinking Fiora’s words didn’t mean much to her, she decided to forget about it.
She murmured.
“Dahlia.”
She took a breath and entered the pharmacy. Dahlia was walking around the store with her hands on her waist, and when she heard April’s voice, she sprinted to the entrance.
“Rill!”
Half-surprised, she rushed to April and gave her a welcoming hug.
“What’s the occasion?”“I got this for you. And I wanted to come in person today.”“It’s so great to meet you, but of all days, today….”“Has Miss Rose been here?”“You bumped into her.”
April nodded. Dahlia asked April to sit at a table, and then filled two cups of warm tea.
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