Chapter 8 (2/2)
It was a thankful concern.
Leticia gave up getting on the bed.
Instead, she chose the next best option, which was to climb onto the desk and jump into the bed. But, as soon as she stepped on the chair, the bottom wobbled and tilted.
“Ahhh!”
Erden couldn’t pretend that he didn’t see. He caught the chair with lightning speed.
“Stop! Stop!”
He spoke in a startled tone.
“As expected, your uncle and aunt didn’t teach you how to jump, right? But you can’t just sleep on the floor, so we’ll have to do something about it.”
Erden took a footstep and put it on the bed, but that wasn’t enough either.
“Wait a minute.”
He went out and came back soon. He had a wooden board and tools in his hands.
‘Are you trying to make it yourself?’
Leticia was surprised.
There was a fresh feeling at Erden’s rattling figure.
How much difference do you have from that horrible first impression?
It felt very strange to imagine the face of a monster beyond the mask since he is so focused on building a foothold.
The Monster is scary.
But, as she thought, she should get used to it.
But how?
‘Why don’t we just keep talking?’
Leticia thought and started speaking.
“Erden.”
He was startled.
Leticia was more surprised by his reaction.
‘Did I do something wrong?’
Erden said quickly.
“Sorry, until now no one has ever called my name. Not even my parents…”
“Oh, I see. I have something to ask you, but I don’t know how to call you.”
“Do as you wish, just say it comfortably. What do you want to ask?”
“Isn’t it uncomfortable to live like that?”
“This is not a normal mask, there’s magic in it. I’ve never felt uncomfortable because of it.”
“Oh…”
“Anyway, it’s done.”
The foothold has been completed. Erden stuck it close to the bed.
“If you still use the method you used earlier to climb the bed, something wrong might happen and you might not be able to sleep on your bed. That is why you can use this from now on.”
“Thank you.”
Leticia greeted him politely and stepped on the foothold.
It was very stable, she could go up to the bed without falling.
“Okay.”
She unfolded the certificate she had put on the bed. She hasn’t even read it yet.
[The person who holds this certificate is the Lady of Halstead and my wife.
She can stay in Halstead Castle as much as she wants. So much so, she can leave Halstead as much as she wants. This is my will, so don’t stand in my way.
-Lord Erden Astar Lohine el Halstead.]
It was written with cursive letters.
Leticia read the certificate again and again until the candle burned out.
Soon the candle burned out.
“Ah, I really need to sleep now.”
Leticia laid in bed.
After reading it so many times, the contents of the certificate were even visible in her mind and on the dark ceiling.
She blinked her eyes and began to ponder.
‘As I thought, the spelling was off.’
It’s not supposed to be ‘[get on a horse]’* instead it should be ‘[to tell oneself]*. There seemed to be still a slight loophole in his writing ability.
He is quite different from the first impression he gave me.
Leticia suddenly thought.
‘What kind of monster is he?’
In the dark, all the expressions that would exist beyond the mask came to her mind. It might be insensitive, but on the other hand, it stimulated her curiosity.
‘What color are his eyes? What color is his skin?’
Leticia blinked and imagined.
She then slowly fell asleep.
At that moment, Gerick, the castle’s guard, approached the patrol and found the Lord. He approached him quickly with astonishment.
“What can I do for you?”
“Oh, nothing.”
Erden replied.
However, he suddenly heard a strange sound from nearby.
Gerick was in doubt of what he heard.
‘Did he just laugh?’
He stared at the Lord’s back, which was disappearing further with astonishment in his eyes.
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