Nightmare Came to The Place I Escaped - Chapter 57

“It’s much more beautiful than I thought it would be.”

 

The sea was so dazzlingly beautiful, to the extent that the worries she had last night were overshadowed.

 

Rachel, who’d said that, looked a bit excited. Her lips were slightly parted, and the corners were upturned. Her eyes glistened like they did in her younger days.

 

“I know.”

“What?”

“Pretty.”

 

Rachel’s face turned red at Ian’s words. Somehow, she felt embarrassed that he was staring at her.

 

“The sea.”

 

Ian backed away from her a few steps as Rachel awkwardly rubbed the back of her neck.

 

“Would you like to eat first, and then go sightseeing?”

“Yes.”

“Let’s go.”

 

Rachel quietly looked down at his hand as he reached out to her.

 

The dining room was just a few steps down the stairs.

 

Why was he reaching out? Rachel hesitated for a moment because there was no reason to take it. Then Ian dropped his hand helplessly, and began to make a small movement with his chin.

 

“Did you know? It’s just the two of us here.”

 

Ian said with a small smile.

 

At those words, Rachel looked around a little bit.

 

Rachel was also wondering if maybe they were the only ones here.

 

When they arrived at Ian’s mansion last night, she thought it was strange that no one came out to greet them. If there were any servants, she was sure they’d all come out to greet Ian.

 

However, the mansion was well maintained. Curtains, window frames, and even the floor, it was clean with no dust. It was clear that someone was caring for it.

 

“Why?”

 

Why was it just the two of them?

 

“Aren’t there servants caring for the mansion?”

“Yes, but I thought it would be better if it was just the two of us.”

 

Rachel couldn’t understand why Ian thought so.

 

Ian was always the same with, or without, a servant. It didn’t matter whether she was alone with Ian, or if there were servants added to it.

 

“So the meal will be simple.”

“I don’t care.”

 

After saying that, Rachel looked around the dining room they’d entered.

 

She thought she’d have to prepare the meal if there were no employees, but the table was already served with soup and bread.

 

“Rachel, sit down.”

 

Ian pulled Rachel’s chair out.

 

Rachel would’ve had a hard time with Ian’s consideration towards her if it had been their usual place, but now she didn’t even recognize that he had pulled out the chair for her.

 

“Didn’t you say that there were no servants?”

“That’s right.”

“Then this is…”

“I used to make soup, but I can only make it simply.”

“Why are you doing this for me…”

 

Rachel frowned slightly.

 

Ian gently rubbed Rachel’s wrinkled brow slightly, then helped Rachel sit in her chair.

 

“Why? Why would I let you do it?”

“Because you’re His Majesty, and I’m a maid.”

“Maid? You’re Rachel Oates.”

 

Ian said this with a slight shrug of his shoulder. However, Rachel kept her mouth shut as if she was holding back a sigh, and looked down.

 

“People who didn’t know me would think so. But you know, your Majesty, that I was the maid of the Imperial palace.”

 

No matter how much she became a member of the Oates family, it was funny for a maid to pretend to be a noblewoman.

 

Especially in front of Ian, who knew everything.

 

“What about it? Whatever you were in the past, now you’re the lady of the Oates family. I was a prince who fled for his life, but now I’m the Emperor.”

“That!”

 

Rachel tried to retort back quietly, but she shut her mouth.

 

He became Emperor purely because of his ability and hard work. So, Ian had earned what he had.

 

But what about her? Wasn’t it all his will?

 

At the very least, Rachel didn’t want to look ridiculous.

 

He had dressed her in shining clothes and she was wearing them, but she didn’t want to treat them as if they were hers. She didn’t want to be vain and foolish with something he could take away from her again at any time.

 

Rachel knew better than anyone else.

 

“Yes, Rachel.”

 

How the things that Ian gave her didn’t suit her at all.

 

“I did it because I wanted to. I let you sleep a little bit longer because you looked tired, and I prepared it just in case you were hungry. Regardless of whether you’re a lady or a maid, I did it because I like you. That’s all that matters, right?”

 

Ian, who was sitting to her right, said this and put some bread on Rachel’s plate.

 

Rachel didn’t know what was going on, but she couldn’t look at Ian any longer and tore a piece of the bread off and shoved it into her mouth.

 

“Rachel, for the three days wer’re here, I just want to be Ian. Can’t you just treat me as Ian, regardless of whether I’m the Emperor or not? After all, there are no servants here, and there are no eyes to see.”

“I don’t know what that means.”

“Well, I’m just asking you to call me Ian.”

 

He smiled gently, then he urged her with an insistent look.

 

“Can’t you please?”

 

Ian asked, as he tilted his head slightly.

 

“Rachel.”

 

Rachel’s ears turned red.

 

“Ian.”

 

Soon after, Rachel lowered her head so that Ian couldn’t see her face. She closed her eyes, and heard a laugh. The laughter felt somewhat comforting.

 

“Yeah, that was good.”

 

Ian lengthened his words as if praising a child. At his teasing tone, Rachel raised her head.

 

“So, you’re going to call me Ian while we’re here?”

 

Rachel stared at Ian’s purple eyes.

 

It was thanks to his slightly curved eyes, which were nice to look at, but she wanted to know his true feelings. It was a teasing question, but Rachel knew that he was really hoping.

 

She didn’t know why he wanted it.

 

Rachel nodded silently, and the corners of his eyes folded up beautifully.

 

She bit her lip to suppress her anxiety.

 

But no matter how she felt, Ian’s smile was still beautiful, and soon Rachel’s lips raised up in a smile.

 

***

 

“Let’s go.”

 

Ian wore a robe to hide his head.

 

Then he reached out to Rachel as they left through the front door of the mansion.

 

Rachel looked down at his hand, and immediately put her hand on his.

 

Ian carefully wrapped Rachel’s hand, and moved on.

 

The mansion was on a cliff, and when they walked down the road, they found a white sandy beach. Ian kept pace with Rachel’s steps.

 

“It’s nice, isn’t it?”

 

Although the wind was stronger than the capital and Ravenna, Rachel nodded.

 

“Rachel.”

 

Ian’s voice was as relaxed as the speed of their walking. Uncharacteristically, he hesitated before he slowly opened his mouth.

 

“I told you I liked you, but it was a lie. It’s love back then and now.”

[Baset: Apparently I’ve been mixing up like and love in the translation. Sorry (￣▽￣*)ゞ]

 

Ian clasped Rachel’s hand more tightly with his own.

 

“I guess it was a lie that I just wanted you to stay with me. I want you to look at me, like me, and eventually love me.”

 

Because of the robe, most of Ian’s face wasn’t visible. She could only see him stretching his lips a little bit.

 

“If I work hard and wait, will that day come?”

 

Rachel looked at her hand that he was holding. They were in close contact with each other, and she could feel the strength in his firm hold, but it didn’t hurt.

 

“If I’m as careful as I can be, can I win your heart?”

 

It was as if, if she tried to pull her hand out with a little effort, he would let go without any special restraint.

 

She could have let go if you wanted to. She could do something about it if she wanted to.

 

Strangely enough, he was giving her that choice.

 

“Does my answer matter to you?”

“What?”

“You can have me by your side if you want. Just like now.”

 

Ian’s hand, that was holding Rachel’s, lost some strength.

 

Did he think that Rachel was questioning him?

 

“Did you force yourself to come because of me? You didn’t want to come?”

“…I wanted to see the sea.”

“Or do you not like me coming to see you?”

 

Ian’s voice sounded pitiful.

 

“That’s not it. Originally, when you brought me to the capital, it was all up to you.”

“Because otherwise I wouldn’t be able to see you anymore.”

 

He wanted to do something, and he had to.

 

“I’ll never know. If I’d approached you, you might’ve accepted.”

 

He was trying his best to pretend he was calm, but the feelings he couldn’t hide were revealed, so he looked more pathetic.

 

“But even then, I was afraid. I’m afraid I’ll be hated by you, I’m always afraid. I could force you to stay by my side if I wanted.”

 

Rachel looked up at him quietly.

 

“But then you’ll be unhappy. It would be hard for me, I would have no choice but to let you go.”

 

She couldn’t believe he was letting her go.

 

It was what she wanted.

 

Not that long ago.

 

Before she’d gotten to know him again, she would’ve wanted to go back to Ravenna. But when she thought he was going to let her go, she felt bad.

 

His hands were warm, his laughter was pleasant, and she was relieved when his voice called her name.

 

It was all the things she hoped for one day.

 

Ian was laughing with her. He was calling her name.

 

“I don’t know.”

 

She liked Ian, but that didn’t mean she wanted anything to do with him.

 

“But I want to stay like this for now.”

 

Rachel squeezed Ian’s hand, which seemed about to fall away from hers soon.

 

Just like he did.

 

“For now. Just don’t ask me that for now.”

 

She just wanted to stay like this for now.

 

No matter what the future held.

 

Regardless of the past.

 

Regardless of whether he was the Emperor or she was a maid. For now, she wanted to hold his hand.

 

The sun was dazzling, the sky was blue, and there were only a few clouds above.

 

“Ian.”

 

The emerald colored sea, the white sand of the beach, and the wind blowing with all its scents, were perfect.

 

“While we’re here, I’ll call you that, so please listen to my request.”

“Yes, I will. Okay.”

 

Ian nodded his head.

 

His face was still obscured by the robe, but the corners of his lips, which had risen, were still dark.

 

Ian gripped Rachel’s hand again.