Try Crying Prettier - Chapter 159
Damia had no choice but to bring Akkard into her mansion, even though she didn’t hold the slightest inclination to face him. It was destestible if he dared spit out an apology when he had so openly despised her and reduced her to a woman with only her body.
‘We can just push him out as soon as he gets better,’
she thought, trying to comfort herself as she closed her eyes to get back to sleep. If she didn’t go down to the first floor, they wouldn’t be able to encounter each other even if they were in the same mansion.
That’s what she said to herself, but Damia couldn’t relax even if she tried to go to sleep.
His presence right downstairs was just as annoying as a thorn’s splinter under her fingernail.
***
Amongst the aristocracy of Pelmonium there was an overwhelming opinion, especially and passionately espoused by noblewomen as an irrefutable fact:
Akkard Valerian was a terribly attractive man.
Women blushed just by being grazed by his lascivious gaze and in turn stared at his face in admiration and his perfect muscular body in longing.
So, when Akkard requested anything with his bright purple eyes glimmering under his long light eyelashes, he was never rejected—
“I’m sorry, but no. I cannot.”
A maid who worked for over ten years in the Primula family, flatly refused him again with a determined blank face. At her resolute rejection, Akkard clenched his teeth tight so that his jaw muscles bulged out.
“Move.”
However, Damia’s maid took in the sight of Duke Valerian, the loftiest landowner in the South, and the commander of the royal knights— and instead, her eyes and estimation of his were rather cold:
‘This is the trash that made our lady cry.’
Her assessment of Akkard was very harsh. That day, it was she who prepared Damia’s bath water, upon returning from the palace full of tears, and afterward combed her hair.
Therefore, Akkard, the main culprit of all this, could not look good in her eyes, nevermind beautiful. No matter how much suppressed his temper, grovelled and begged, or grew angry, the maid did not raise an eyebrow.
“The second floor is our lady’s private space. So, guests are not allowed to go up to the second floor without permission.”
I was sick of hearing the word of refusal dozens of times already. In the end, Akkard couldn’t resist his temper and started yelling.
“So, you can tell Damia! I want to talk to her!!”
“The lady’s will has not changed. She doesn’t want to talk to the guest.”
He had heard it dozens of times, but every time, it hurt anew. Without knowing it Akkard’s face contorted horribly.
The wounded and defenseless face of a handsome man would typically elicit the maternal instinct to protect and lovingly codel. But instead the maid’s eyes narrowed in anger and suspicion, scanning Akkard up and down her.
“Our young lady clearly instructed me to see the guest out as soon as his health was restored. But seeing that you’re so boldly rude… … I suppose you are all better?”
Do you want to get kicked out of here?
The maid’s intentions were clear. If she found out he was fooling them she had the drive to wrap him up and force him out in an instant.
Naturally, Akkard’s mouth shut. Even though they were under the same roof, it didn’t seem he would be able to catch a glimpse of her hair.
So he was going to go crazy. He gazed up at the second floor where Damia would be, with eyes full of tenacity and affection. But even that gaze was soon coldly blocked by her maid.
“If you have nothing to do, please go back to your room. That way, you will quickly recover.”
A maid gestured with her chin, even though her words were polite. Then the two servants who were barricading the stairs going up to the second floor approached.
It meant that if he didn’t go on his own, he would be dragged out and locked in the guest room. When Akkard saw this, his hands trembled in anger.
‘Damn, I must admit… … !!’
Of course, there was no way he, as the Commander of the royal knighthood, could be subdued by only two servants. But this was Damia’s house, and he was a guest.
‘I am a sinner.’
In such a situation, if Damie’s employees were beaten down and he made a commotion, then it was really over. Akkard knew this instinctively.
The other girls knew he was trash, but they couldn’t let him go. They had been anxiously desperate to hold on to him for even one second more.
Taking advantage of their anguished obsession, Akkard acted as selfishly as he could. He took it for granted. He was very attractive in ability, status and appearance.
They were all in his hands. So he thought he could act like an arrogant tyrant. Rather, he thought that he was getting what he deserved, his own ‘ransom’.
However, his unruly, dictatorial logic and irresistible charm did not work for one woman.
Damia Primula was a woman who had no problem abandoning him. And unfortunately, because Damia was such a woman… … .
‘I’m doomed.’
Akkard had no choice but to admit it. Damia was different from other women. She wasn’t someone he could sleep with a few times and be thrown away when he got tired of her.
‘Just this time. Just once.’ The relationship that he kept dragging on to maintain a connection a little longer had already crossed the line. Akkard finally recognized the thick line Damia Primula drew between them, had been drawn in the middle of his heart.
It was too late to erase that line as if it never existed. So Akkard was forced to accept it. He knew that he had feelings for her in some form.
‘Why didn’t I realize it a little earlier?’
Akkard had a headache. It was because he remembered countless stupid things he had done in the past.
He boasted that he was experienced with women. So he didn’t think that there were still emotions he didn’t know of.
So, he didn’t know he was going to be like this. He was currently so full of fear and regret from hurting someone, everyday he could not be forgiven was another day he would die from the anguish.
‘Crazy bastard.’
Akkard swore at himself. And instead, he found himself willing to do something even more insane, as he ran out into the garden, which had a direct view of her room.
***