Nightmare Came to The Place I Escaped - Chapter 41

Ian sat down on the sofa and tapped lightly on the seat next to him.

 

Rachel looked alternately at Mike and Ian. If she sat by Ian’s side, she wondered what Mike would do.

 

“Don’t worry about me, Rachel.”

 

Mike offered Rachel the seat as if he didn’t care, and set down the glass of wine he’d brought for her on a small side table.

 

“Please take your time, Your Majesty.”

 

Then he moved to the opposite end of the balcony.

 

“I missed you.”

 

Ian spoke up, as if he wanted to direct Rachel’s gaze towards himself.

 

“I almost visited you. I tried really hard to be patient.”

 

Ian whispered softly.

 

Then he stared at Rachel, as if to make up for the time he hadn’t seen her.

 

“Well…”

 

Rachel mumbled quietly, as she turned her head away from Ian, who was staring at her.

 

“Hmm? I’m sorry, I couldn’t hear you.”

“Then why don’t you come visit me then.”

 

Rachel said with a small shrug.

 

As if it didn’t really matter.

 

“…but you don’t like it.”

“I don’t? What?”

“If I visit too often.”

 

Rachel blinked in dismay at Ian’s remark.

 

“Ah…”

 

Rachel sighed in exasperation at Ian’s unexpected answer.

 

She couldn’t believe that was the reason why he hadn’t come to visit her lately.

 

“Did you choose this dress yourself?”

 

Ian quickly changed the subject, worried she would put more restrictions on him.

 

Rachel nodded silently. However, there was no way to hide the fact that her ears were turning red because of the revealing dress.

 

“It looks perfect on you.”

 

Ian looked away from Rachel for a moment.

 

He looked off into the Imperial palace’s garden, and spoke slowly.

 

“Rachel, if I asked you to dance with me, would you refuse?”

“No.”

 

Rachel shook her head slightly.

 

Ian smiled at her words.

 

“How can I refuse?”

 

But Rachel’s subsequent reply caused his smile to weaken.

 

“Oh, I see.”

 

Ian gave a small nod.

 

Rachel wasn’t very interested in him yet.

 

Also, if he danced with her, she would be troubled because of him again.

 

So, this way was the most suitable.

 

He could see her face, and speak with her a little bit.

 

“Then we can dance later, that would be better.”

 

Ian’s lips were stretched out in a smile again.

 

“The wind feels good.”

 

Rachel’s scent wafted over to him on the autumn breeze.

 

Sweet and tender.

 

He felt a little relieved by her nervousness.

 

“I can’t stay away long, I’ll have to leave in a minute.”

 

Ian explained to Rachel, as she glanced at him uncomfortably.

 

The attention of those gathered today were focused on Ian, the Emperor.

 

Which family he favored, and which family the unmarried Emperor would look to for his Empress. Ian couldn’t easily pretend to know Rachel in the midst of all the attention.

 

Even with Mike here, he couldn’t stay long.

 

Empress.

 

He was sure that Rachel wouldn’t want such a burdensome title.

 

“….”

 

So even though he knew he had to get up.

 

He just wanted to sit like this in Rachel’s sweet scent.

 

He was afraid that Rachel would be taken away by someone else, and that she would like someone other than him.

 

So he would rather dance with Rachel, and show it to the people who gathered at the venue.

 

But Rachel wouldn’t like it.

 

“I really must go now.”

 

Ian sighed softly, and stood up.

 

“Have a good time.”

 

He was always greedy for his pretty Rachel, but he forced himself to walk away.

 

“…Um, Your Majesty.”

 

Rachel’s quiet voice stopped him in his tracks.

 

“Well…”

 

Rachel hesitated, as if she had something to say.

 

“When will you come to the house?”

“…Monday. Is that alright?”

 

Ian asked Rachel, who didn’t answer right away, and he immediately felt regret.

 

What if she said no?

 

“I have something to discuss with the Master Oates… so I have to stop by that day.”

 

Ian made a hasty excuse before Rachel could tell him not to come.

 

It was funny to see himself like that, but the moment Rachel nodded her head he felt happy for a moment.

 

He was relieved.

 

“But…”

 

Rachel hesitated, as if she had something more to say.

 

“Speak freely, Rachel.”

“I’m bored.”

“Hmm?”
“Being in the mansion. I’m bored.”

“Oh…”

 

Ian sighed softly at Rachel’s unexpected response.

 

“You like reading books, don’t you? Should I send more books if you don’t have enough to read?”

 

Rachel shook her head softly.

 

“Well, do you want to learn to draw? I’ll send a teacher over. I’ve heard that oil painting is all the rage with noble daughters these days. How about that?”

 

Rachel only shook her head again.

 

“Or do you want to learn something else…”

“….”

“What about having a tea party? I think it’d be fun to hang out with young ladies around your age…”

 

However, no matter what Ian said, Rachel showed no interest in any of it.

 

Ian was scared that Rachel would leave him again.

 

“Well…”
“Your Majesty, if you’re available tomorrow.”

 

Ian waited quietly for Rachel to finish her sentence.

 

“Will you stop by?”

“What?”

 

However, Ian couldn’t understand Rachel’s words all at once.

 

Even though he put all of his energy into it.

 

She had no choice, but to ask him again since he was acting like a fool.

 

“I’m sure you’re busy. It’ll be too difficult, won’t it?”

 

Rachel shook her head slightly as if there was nothing to be done about it.

 

“I’m sorry, I was just bored.”

“No.”

“What?”

“No, I’m not busy.”

 

His voice lowered.

 

“I don’t have work tomorrow.”

 

He shook his head as if it were true.

 

“I’ll be there tomorrow. I’ll be there for sure.”

 

Just in case Rachel changed her mind, he gave a definitive answer.

 

“I have nothing to do, so I’ll be with you all day. Then you won’t be bored.”

 

Rachel gave a small nod.

 

Her fine hair swayed slightly with the movement.

 

“Well, I’ll go now.”

 

Ian smiled quietly, and then turned away from Rachel. If he stayed a little longer, he would really want to stay next to her forever.

 

Ian exited the balcony, and found Harmond in the hall. In the midst of all this, nobles approached him as if they wanted to exchange a few more words with him.

 

Ian shut them up by saying that he was busy. He left the banquet hall with Harmond in tow after giving a farewell speech.

 

He had no choice, but to finish what he had to do tomorrow by tonight.

 

***

 

“Rachel.”

 

Mike and Rachel left the hall halfway through the banquet.

 

So far, they have achieved all of their goals for today.

 

Rachel’s social debut was also a success.

 

However, many people had inquired about dancing with Rachel, so they wanted to go back to the mansion.

 

“But I’d like to ask you a question.”

 

Mike opened his mouth as he took Rachel’s hand so she could get into the carriage.

 

“Go ahead.”

“Did the Emperor give you that necklace?”

 

He was so curious that he couldn’t resist asking, as he closed the carriage door.

 

“Yes, His Majesty gave it to me.”

 

Mike’s face froze a little when he heard Rachel’s answers.

 

“Oh, I see.”

 

He couldn’t get over the awkwardness. From the time he saw it, he thought it looked just like the Lucky Necklace.

 

There was no way.

 

“When did he give it to you? Did he say anything special while giving it to you?”

“I just got it, and he didn’t say anything special about it.”

 

But Mike was still sure.

 

That necklace was the Lucky Necklace.

 

Once again, he realized how sincere Ian was about Rachel.

 

“Now that the banquet is over, I’m afraid our father will be returning to the Oates territory soon.”

 

Mike hesitated for a moment, then changed the subject.

 

“I’ll probably be here for a month or so.”

 

Mike would’ve normally followed his father back to the estate, but he decided that it would be better to stay with Rachel for a while.

 

He was sure that Rachel would be getting a lot of invitations starting from tomorrow.

 

She would need some help adjusting to the social scene.

 

“Have you looked at the presents you received from our father yet?”

“Not yet.”
“Really? You haven’t seen any of them?”

“No.”

 

Mike blinked for a moment at Rachel’s answer.

 

She was busy preparing for the banquet, but he thought she’d at least had time to open some of them.

 

“Did you not like them? Or do you feel pressured?”

“No! It’s not like that.”

 

Rachel shook her head in surprise at Mike’s question.

 

“I just wanted to keep them a little bit longer.”

 

Even the colored ribbons were so beautiful that it was a shame to untie them.

 

“I didn’t want to open them because it would be a waste.”

 

She didn’t understand why they would give her so many gifts, even though they didn’t know what she looked like.

 

She didn’t know what the Duke meant by giving her those things, but Rachel felt very grateful.

 

It was the first time she’d received so much.

 

She didn’t even do anything.

 

Things that were given to her for no reason.

 

Mike’s kindness, and the Duke’s gifts.

 

“I see.”

 

It was all terribly unfamiliar to Rachel.

 

“Father has been collecting them for two years, waiting for the day he’d finally meet you. Of course, there was the Emperor’s request that we add you to the family register.”

 

Mike patted Rachel on the head.

 

“Because we accepted you as family before that. Rachel, I think you’ll receive even more gifts then you already have. So, you can take your time opening your heart.”

 

Rachel nodded silently at Mike’s friendly smile.

 

Still, what he said was incomprehensible to Rachel, and his touch was unfamiliar, but she nodded anyway.

 

He thought that they could really be family.

 

Rachel nodded, thinking that she really didn’t want to lose this strange feeling.