Chapter 5

“No,” Cura responded. “There was nothing else… If you’re not fond of it, should I consider something different?”

Elena gently shook her head. “No, it’s just a question.”

“In that case, I’ll go fetch some refreshments and herbs.”

With a warm smile, Cura tidied up the sheets and fur before stepping out of the room.

Elena stared at her hand once more.

“Could it have been a dream?” she whispered to herself.

The sensation of the fur, both robust and soft, lingered vividly in her grasp. No matter how many times she brushed the fur draped over her, it just didn’t feel quite the same.

So, what was it then?

She pondered whether it might have been a dream, but the realism was too potent for that explanation to suffice. Moreover, she faintly recalled hearing a sound, soothing and somewhat rhythmic.

On the other hand, considering her memory loss, distinguishing between dreams and reality wasn’t a significant concern.

Elena’s weary gaze drifted towards the snowflakes falling outside as she rested her head on the pillow, drained of energy.

Elena’s room felt like it reached to the heavens, its lofty ceiling extending beyond 20 feet. The walls were adorned with opulent gold and deep indigo, and a series of grand windows were aligned along them, connected by glass doors leading to a spacious terrace. 

At night, rich wine-red velvet curtains shrouded the windows, but Cura had left them slightly ajar during the day to prevent Elena from feeling claustrophobic. This thoughtful touch allowed her to bask in the serene spectacle of falling snowflakes through the window throughout the day.

As she reclined on the bed, her view was dominated by the gray expanse of the open sky, with snow gracefully descending, and in the distance, the oak forest.

Suddenly, she felt a fleeting whim.

She yearned to gaze upon the landscape that extended beyond those windows. Despite her belief that it might resemble the chilly and forbidding demeanor of the castle’s owner, curiosity compelled her.

Elena exerted effort to lift herself from the bed, using one hand for support.

A sudden surge of pain coursed through her body, starting from her bandaged head and cascading down her neck, spine, all the way to her fingertips and toes.

Elena involuntarily twitched, shutting her eyes tightly.

Would Cura come to my aid if I called for her? she contemplated.

With a determined shake of her head, Elena slowly pushed herself upright. No matter how diligently Kennard tended to her, she couldn’t grow accustomed to this way of life.

She bit her lower lip to suppress her groans as she finally managed to descend to the floor.

Perching on the edge of the bed, she took several deep breaths until the pain gradually subsided.

Elena clutched the bed with her hand and gradually hoisted herself back up. As she inclined her head slightly forward, her fiery red hair cascaded like a waterfall, draping down to her waist.

When Elena gently lifted the hem of her chemise from the floor, it unveiled a pale foot with protruding bones, appearing emaciated. Much like her hands, her feet bore the marks of calluses and assorted scars.

This sight aroused genuine curiosity within Elena about her own past. Where did she come from? Could she have been a slave or a captive? Had she somehow managed to escape in secret?

Regardless of how strenuously she wracked her brain, nothing surfaced, and it grew increasingly vexing.

Leto, Kennard’s personal physician, had advised her to persistently seek any triggers that might rekindle her memories, yet her efforts proved futile.

Like a starless night sky or pristine snow, her mind remained devoid of recollections.

With a sigh, Elena tentatively took a step forward.

Pain surged through her feet, as though needles were piercing the soft carpet beneath her soles. Nonetheless, Elena refused to yield. She moved onward, step by step, in harmony with the crackling sound of the fireplace, resembling a wooden figurine.

Finally, when she reached the window and pressed her hand against the wall, a sigh of relief escaped her.

It felt as though an eternity had elapsed.

Elena clutched the bed with her palm and painstakingly lifted herself once more. A wave of agony swept through her entire body, and cold beads of sweat trickled down her back and forehead.

She had momentarily felt like she was subjecting herself to needless torment by moving, but the instant she gazed out the window, all her pain dissipated.

More accurately, it was as though the shock she experienced was so profound that it made her pain vanish.

Beyond the broad terrace railing, a vast garden lay beneath a pristine white blanket of snow, spreading out like an expansive plain. The other castles flanking the garden on both sides appeared alien and fantastical.

It was a landscape that wouldn’t have seemed out of place if fairies had suddenly materialized from the surroundings.

Elena leaned in closer to the window and peered outside.

The oak forest she had observed while lying in bed encircled the colossal castle and its garden, acting like a protective barrier.

At the garden’s entrance, even in the heart of winter, a fountain continued to gush water. In the center, a grand gazebo stood, and on the opposite side, there stood a greenhouse.

Elena was left awestruck by the sheer size of the immense castle. As she stood there, gazing out the window, she felt as though she were tinier than a speck of dust.

“Just how big is this…”

Elena hastily suppressed the words she had been muttering to herself. The air within the room suddenly grew oppressive, making it feel as though she couldn’t draw a full breath.

As if all the fragrant flowers from the garden outside had been plucked and thrust directly under her nose, a dense and overpowering pheromone engulfed her senses.

“What are you doing?”

Sure enough, a chilling voice reached her ears, sending a shiver down her spine.

Elena slowly turned her head. In the flickering light of the fireplace, Kennard stood imposingly between the open doors.

Kennard was clad in a teal frock adorned with closely spaced golden buttons, cinched by a yellow sash.

Elena, who had been nervously swallowing her saliva while gazing fearfully at the figure glaring at her, momentarily swayed. A hazy image suddenly flashed in her mind.

The figure before her, with a massive silhouette resembling a shadow and eyes gleaming like inferno, seemed to be someone significant.

Simultaneously, a piercing headache and a high-pitched ringing in her ears overwhelmed Elena, causing her to press her forehead and curl her body in discomfort.

She felt like she might collapse and needed to grab onto something, even if it were the wall.

Her hand reached out into empty space, but instead of encountering a wall, Elena’s hand landed on something firmer than any wall – Kennard’s chest.

How could someone move so fast?

Elena couldn’t comprehend how Kennard had traversed the distance from the door to her side in an instant.

“I-I’m sorry,” Elena stammered, her surprise evident as she hastily withdrew her outstretched hand, feeling it audacious to touch the duke’s body.

Even though it had been just for a moment, the wolf pattern on the golden button left an indelible mark on Elena’s fingertips.

As Elena struggled to regain her footing, Kennard encircled her waist with one arm and firmly gripped her shoulder with the other.

Instead of putting distance between herself and Kennard, she found herself pressed firmly against his chest.

No matter how she attempted to stand upright, her head couldn’t quite reach Kennard’s shoulder.

It wasn’t just his towering height; the robust frame and muscles concealed beneath his attire fashioned an unyielding physique, leaving no room for escape.

Elena’s cheeks flushed at the sensation of Kennard’s warm body and solid physique, conveyed through the thin Shumiz.

“I, Your Grace, I’m fine…”

“Who moves about like this on their own?” Kennard interrupted Elena’s words like a sharp blade, his brow furrowing as he looked down at her. An unmistakable expression of displeasure radiated from his jewel-like, sparkling hazel eyes.

“What?”

Elena’s throat tightened as she caught a glimpse of her reflection in Kennard’s eyes.

Her heart raced as though it might leap right out of her chest. She fretted that he could hear the cacophonous pounding in her chest. 

“I don’t appreciate having to repeat myself.”

“What? Oh, I wanted to see outside, so…”

“So you moved on your own without Cura?”

Rather than offering a reply, Elena pressed her lips together and nodded. She was well aware that her actions could potentially exacerbate her condition, given the current state of her receiving excessive care.

“I’m sorry,” she apologized, lowering her head to evade Kennard’s piercing gaze. In this situation, neither excuses nor explanations would be of any help.

Her gaze remained fixed on the golden button adorned with the wolf pattern, but then her eyes suddenly drifted to the front of her dress, shocking her.

Her attire consisted of a delicate chemise, and even that was sheer enough to be translucent.

Fortunately, she had applied herbal remedies to her wounds and secured them with bandages, ensuring her body remained modestly concealed. Elena felt a sense of relief that her embarrassing appearance was hidden, even though she was held so closely by Kennard, as if she were his possession. She wished the ground would just swallow her whole.

To conceal her crimson face and modesty, she needed to extricate herself from this situation as swiftly as possible.

“Once again…” Elena began to speak.

“So, what are your impressions?” Kennard’s question interrupted her as she was about to mention returning to the bed, causing her to quickly tilt her head upward.

It wasn’t a query laced with anger or mockery. His expression remained almost inscrutable, icy, as he looked down at her, gesturing toward the window with a slight nod.

He sought her impressions of the world outside.

“The castle is remarkably expansive and grand, which took me by surprise,” she replied.

“Is that all?” Kennard inquired.

Elena shook her head swiftly. She wondered if Kennard expected a different response.

Should I express myself with more eloquent words? I’m still uncertain about my situation, and he has not only cared for me but also taken care of me. Shouldn’t I at least express appropriate admiration?

No matter how much she pondered it, she couldn’t come to that conclusion.Her acquaintance with Kennard was relatively brief, and today marked only their second encounter since she regained consciousness. She was confident that he wasn’t the type of person who anticipated such gestures.

Whether Kennard perceived Elena’s perplexed thoughts or simply disregarded them, his gaze was already fixed on the world beyond the window.

“It is indeed extraordinarily vast,” he mused.

Kennard’s eyes seemed to deepen as they focused on the distant landscape.