Bridal Lessons - Chapter 6
Huff…! She filled the glass and took a deep gulp, the burning sensation in her throat making her cough for a while.
Usually, he would have taken the bottle away before she could even touch it. He had always been overly protective of her. The only time Rosen was severely scolded by him was the day after she returned heavily drunk from a party, not knowing her limits just after coming of age.
It was the first time she saw Iscarion that angry. At the time, she felt it was unfair that he was so harsh, but she thought it was because he cared for her that much. Looking back, however, it might have been because he couldn’t bear the thought of his clumsy young fiancée tarnishing his reputation.
Now that they were nothing to each other, he probably didn’t care whether she got drunk or not. Such a small change truly confirmed that they had become strangers. As Rosen kept coughing, clutching her thin neck, he patted her back with his large hand, unable to stand watching her anymore.
The sharp tang of the alcohol quickly spread through her body, making her head spin. As she barely managed to stand, her vision swirled. Iscarion, who had moved quickly to her side on his long legs, caught her swaying body just in time. Rosen mumbled, feeling her words slur.
“I will… repay you.”
“For what?”
“For… raising me.”
Ah. He looked down at her with a face that seemed to ask what nonsense she was talking about and slowly nodded.
“Yes, I will make sure to collect your dues.”
His definite response, without even a token refusal, stung her heart, but Rosen felt that even resentment was too much of a luxury for her now. Feeling as if a fog had descended over her eyes, Rosen walked with Iscarion’s support.
“Ouch!”
Rosen was lifted into the air just as she was about to trip over her long dress.
Finding herself unexpectedly in Iscarion’s arms, Rosen slowly blinked her round, rose-colored eyes. His intense gaze pierced her from above, and if it weren’t for the recent breakup, his unrefined, intense look might have made her face flush. The fervent gaze, filled with unrefined emotion, seemed to burn her cheeks.
“Miss Rosénia?”
The maid who had been sweeping the corridor outside the parlor exclaimed in surprise at the sight of her almost being carried by Iscarion. He carried Rosen to her room and stepped inside. His eyes landed on the luggage bag she had packed beside her bed.
Rosen had planned to go to her friend’s house tonight. Staying in the home of her ex-fiancé was shameless, and she didn’t have the courage to face him daily until the papers were finalized. But given her current state, leaving immediately seemed impossible.
I’ll leave early tomorrow morning. Considering our bond, surely Brother will understand if I stay one more night at the grand duchy…
“…”
Iscarion placed Rosen on the bed, glanced at her luggage, and then left the room. Naturally, there was no kind bid goodnight or wish for sweet dreams.
After he left, Rosen lay on the bed and wept silently. Their relationship ended too easily, making all her previous anxiety seem futile. By the time she woke up tomorrow, everything would be different.
The thought that she might never see him again made the soft sheets endlessly damp with her tears.
Although she knew their breakup was inevitable, facing the reality made her feel even more sorrowful. The tight dress, which was already uncomfortable, made her chest feel even more constricted, but she couldn’t bring herself to change or wash.
As she cried quietly for a long time, the door opened, and someone came in.
“Miss Rosénia.”
“Hic, ah, hic.”
“This is a candle made with herbs to soothe the mind and help with sleep…”
The maid, who spoke softly and lit a candle by Rosen’s bedside, was not a familiar face.
A new maid… Who is she?
Before she could even think, deep drowsiness overcame her. Her heavy eyelids closed, blocking her constantly dizzy vision, and with that, her consciousness faded.
“Uh, ugh…”
When her awareness faintly returned, Rosen was being moved to another place. Her body, too relaxed to think clearly, was laid down somewhere.
With her head buzzing, the soft sheets embraced her back.
“Shh, you should take this off to sleep.”
A familiar, pleasant deep voice whispered in her ear. Gentle, skilled hands removed her long silk gloves…
“Rosie.”
“Hic, ah…”
“How can you be crying already?”
A low chuckle accompanied the feel of a firm hand wiping away the tear marks on her smooth cheek. Her mind was foggy, as if shrouded in a thick mist. A sweet voice echoed distantly.
“…You’re going to cry a lot more from now on.”
Rosen tried to open her eyes, but her heavy eyelids felt like they were weighted down and wouldn’t lift. She felt the gentle touch of a large hand stroking her head.
“Sweet dreams, Rosen.”
Embracing the pain of her first love and the sorrow of her first breakup, Rosen sank into a deep, distant sleep.
