This was not it. This was not happening, not at all.
She had somehow maintained her reason. To be honest, she was proud of herself for not falling for that face and that body. But was it really necessary to be pushed into such an ordeal? That was blasphemy. Blasphemy! If God really existed, wasnât he just too cruel to her?!
âArenât you taking a bath?â
Leone asked. And she barely came to her senses.
The moment she wanted to say she was going, Leone began unbuttoning his shirt buttons one by one. Big, long fingers touched the end of the button and unfasten it, slowly revealing the firm and wide chest.
âNo, Leone. Please do not take it off.â
âWater. Go in.â
âOkay. I know itâs uncomfortable to wear a shirt when youâre in the water.â
The red light of the candle, the angular muscles visible through the buttons loosening one by one⦠No. He would rather take it all off.
âNo, just take it off. Take it off.â
âTrixie. Whatâs the matter?â
After Leone asked clearly, he took a step closer. The white shirt catches red light, revealing the lines of Leoneâs body. Really, didnât he grow taller? It looks great. much more than before.
Thump, thump, thump.
Her heart runed so much that ached.
In the dark, an intense figure as if engulfed in flames, with burning eyes was waiting for her. It was too much.
âTrick-â
The moment Leone raised his hand and tried to touch her faceâ¦
âWhere is Sir Leone?!â
A familiar shout came from a close distance.
ââ¦ah.â
She barely came to her senses but Leone looked towards the door and frowned.
âAh, isnât that Mr. Adler?!â
The scene was like this. In that crazy couple onsen, she was in a gown, and Leon was pulling off his shirtâ¦! If Adler even saw this, she would almost certainly be scolded to the point of bursting into tears. So she hurriedly moved her feet.
âOops. Leone. We have to get out- heck!â
She forgot the fact that this was a slippery bath and ended in th floor.
âAh. My head is gonna break.â
Could it be a concussion? Or would she die in vain like this? How much she worried about her life, but she was destined to die in the bathtub. After all, that was what being an extra was.
âAre you okay?â
She heard a voice close by, as if it was startled to catch her breath and barely spit it out. Something hot was enveloping her. When she opened her tightly closed eyes, Leone was in front of her.
âLeone⦠You saved me again, thank you.â
Thank god. She didnât die. Although it was very embarrassing to be hugged by him.
âHey, get up-â
âSir Leone!â
Oh, this time, of course. It couldnât be in another time.
ââ¦Damn you, knight.â
Cooong-.
The door opened with a loud sound and bright light poured in.
âWhat, what is this?!â
âHo Ho. I prepared it to boost the relationship between Miss Bella and her lover.â
She was sweating at the servantâs voice, which seemed to be asking for praise from Adler.
âBetweenâ¦? What are you doing?â
âYou are hot.â
âNo, please stop. Iâm really dying.â
What day was it today? Was it the day of misunderstandings? Was it like a superstitious day that only she didnât know about?
âT-, no. Bella. youâ¦?â
Adlerâs lips trembled.
She hurriedly raised her body from Leoneâs embrace. In the meantime, she almost slipped once more, so Leone held her back again. Thanks to this, Adlerâs eyes were even more eerie.
âI⦠Say this⦠Iâm telling youâ¦â
âAdler, this is not that. Itâs a misunderstanding.â
Adler finally grabbed him by the back of his neck. Perhaps his muscles were stiff, so he squeezed her neck with his hands and squeezed his mouth shut. It was evident that he was struggling to maintain his rationality.
âYeah, misunderstood⦠listen Why are you in a coupleâs hot spring with Sir Leone, and why are you two cuddling?â
Itâs more scary when he said it calmly. Of course, his anger was understandable when he listed his misunderstandings. He must be thinking the servant who he took to work was being treated as a âcoupleâ at his villa with his son Leone?
She got out of Leoneâs arms.
âNo big deal! This is because workers misunderstood! They thought Leone and I were lovers! Why, itâs easy to be misunderstood as a couple because of Leoneâs age and me. Right?! So, I was just about to get pushed in and out, but I slipped and Leone caught me! Please donât misunderstand!â
It was the first time in her life that she had spoken so quickly. Moreover, she spoke loudly and clearly. She spoke so quickly that she was out of breath when she finished speaking.
âRight.â
Although he still had a disgruntled expression on his face, Adlerâs anger seemed to have subsided a little.
âYes. Please donât misunderstand me!â
âTherefore⦠There was something that made them mistaken you for lovers, is this?â
ââ¦yes? No, thatâsâ¦â
It was true that there were misunderstandings. Itâs not wrong, but itâs not because they do something strange. It was unfair. Itâs not her whoâd get scolded, wasnât it Leone? She must have looked after all the beds and quietly returned to the room to sleep, but it was that puppy that hid in the bed.
âSir Adler. Calm down for now. There was no such thing as Mr. Adler thinks. Leone came to my room and fell asleep, but thatâs because he follows me so much. You know?â
âThey misunderstood you as a lover because of that?â
âA man and woman were in the same room, so of course she misunderstands.â
âNo matter how much you two were in one room, do they have to prepare a couple hot springs?â
That⦠She had nothing to say. Not only did Leone come to her room and fall asleep, but he was hugging her on the bed, so this insidious situation was created.
âIs there any reason why you misunderstood the two of them as lovers?â
While she was trying to pick a word that wouldnât touch Adlerâs wrath, he pointed out one of the servants and asked. It was very admirable to show respect to others politely even though he was speaking in anger.
âOh thatâ¦â
The servant came out and looked at Adler alternately. Adler straightened his hardened face and soothed the servant with a soft voice.
âPlease be honest. It wonât do any harm to you.â
âThat isâ¦â
As if he had roughly grasped the situation, the servant made a puzzled face. No matter how you say it, it becomes a hack. Besides, when he asked in front of them, it seemed even more difficult to say.
âTell me.â
ââ¦â
The servant finally shut his mouth and lowered his head. She was grateful, but the silence chosen by the attendant made everything more suspicious.
âHe also shuts up on me, yo.â
A growl came from Adlerâs jaw.
âLooks like something big happened, Bella?â
âOh, no. Mr Adler. This happened because we misunderstood-â
The servants who hurriedly dealt with it were grateful to the point of tears, but Adlerâs anger soared even more.
âSir Adler, calm down firstâ¦â
If he didnât calm down, what could she say? He looked at her so terribly!
âUnbeknownst to me⦠Since when has it been like this? The two of them, since whenâ¦!â
Adler shook his body. With Leoneâs arms out of the way, in his head, she thought she would be the mean fox who seduced the ignorant Leone.
âItâs unfortunate.â
When she woke up, Leone was there, and he just pulled her into his arms. How could that happen? She turned to Leone. She didnât think that kid could understand this situation and do something, but she felt like grabbing at least a straw.
âYou are also responsible, Leoâ¦! Say something.â
Leone, who was looking at Adler with his emotionless face, turned his head as if he felt her gaze. The purple eyes she met were as clear as if they were trying to pierce her. Leone looked at her like that for a while.
âYou two, you two now. Are you exchanging glances?! This, whatâ¦!â
It seemed that Adler would soon collapse. She turned her head and touched his hand.
âAdler, thatâs not it.â
âI canât. This, this is the worst. This is unbelievable-â
âStop.â
Leoneâs determined voice became an awl and pierced the tense air. Everyoneâs eyes moved to Leone.
âDamn it, knight.â
âHuhâ¦?â
A fairly natural voice, even the timing of Adlerâs words being cut off.
âNoisy.â
Leone visibly frowned. The expression on his face, which rarely expresses emotion, was unfamiliar.
âI-I did.â
Leone said something even more surprising to her, who was in a daze of surprise.
âYesâ¦?â
It seemed that Adler was further stunned by Leoneâs shocking confession.
âI, next to Bell, went.â
When did he develop like this?! She was dumbfounded. He wouldnât understand this workshop? How could he take sides so accurately?! The appearance of Leone, who said that he was responsible for all this series of events, was very dignified.
âOh my godâ¦â
Adler seemed to be taken aback by Leoneâs words, and became calmer than before. Embarrassment was greater than anger!
âNow, just now.â
It was time for clarification!
âSir Adler. There was no such thing as misunderstanding. The real story is that Leone came to my room and fell asleep, but he just slept on top of my bed!â
âOn the bedâ¦?â
âYes! Thatâs what the workers saw in the morning and misunderstood! But even when we were at our mountain mansion, Leone often fell asleep next to me! Adler knows! Since these people donât know the circumstances, they have no choice but to misunderstand!â
ââ¦yes.â
Adler replied slowly, very slowly. It seemed like he could hear her talking now.
âMaybe it was because Leone came to a far and unfamiliar place and was scared! Why? When Leone started sleeping comfortably, I was always by his side instead of sedatives!â
She hastily explained.
Leoneâs fear of coming to a far and unfamiliar place was an excuse she made up because she was worried that Adler might become more like him while explaining separation anxiety.
âScared? I?â
Leone looked at her with disgruntled eyes and asked. What was he complaining about! If itâs separation anxiety, there must be some scary feelings! It was true that the more a child learns, the more difficult parenting became.
âHuh. Leone. You came here to me because you were scared at night, right?â
She winked at Leone so Adler couldnât see it hoping he just move on.
âNo. It is not so.â