Lily went back to the room first, saying she was going to make the bed.
I trudged, wiping the water dripping from my head with a towel. Tiredness flooded my body from what had been happening non-stop throughout the day. With the yawns that came out naturally, now, even the tears fell out as well.
"Still, I'm relieved that it seems to have been resolved well. Now that this has happened, I should go on a leisurely trip and write a new book."
The bright moonlight shone across the large window in the hallway.
Hoot, hoo-
The sound of an owl calling and the rustling of leaves in the wind came through the window. Somehow, the eerie sound brought goosebumps on my arms.
"... I'm sure it's going well, right?"
Glancing at the moon floating blankly, Lily's face, crying and asking why did I show up just now, came up, so I hastened my steps.
Drops of water were dripping from my hair, which was not yet dry.
"Ugh, I'm really going to catch a cold."
I grabbed the doorknob while my body trembled as I seemed to have gotten chilly again. Without hesitation, I opened the door wide and saw an unfamiliar figure. I paused, flinching at the appearance that did not look like it was Lily.
The figure, with the long legs outstretched and wide shoulders, was the appearance of a full-fledged man.
As I was about to step back slowly at the appearance of a man, who did not seem to notice me coming in, though I could hear a creaking sound from the old hardwood floor.
Oh, I am doomed...
Perhaps, hearing the sound, the man who was standing looking at the rising moon gradually turned around. After studying the face of the man who turned towards me, I stopped the scream that was about to leak out.
"...Gran, Grand Duke?"
His red eyes gleamed darker under the moonlight. He quietly met my gaze and slowly opened his mouth.
"No matter how long I waited, you didn't come, so I was thinking if I should go to the bathroom to meet you this time."
"...."
"Fortunately, you came on time."
"Ho, how did you get here..."
My head was so surprised that I could not even utter the words properly. I could not figure out why he was here nor why he kept trying to disturb my peaceful life.
Meanwhile, Cain started approaching me, who had hardened in front of the door. Every time he took a step towards me, I could hear a creaking noise from the old wood floors.
Dry saliva ran down my throat as he got closer and closer.
Should I run away? Should I scream...?
When I glanced at the door that had not yet been closed, he approached me and wrapped his left hand around my waist. His feet, which had been stepping backward to widen the distance from Cain, were led closer to him.
"Wai, wait...!"
Surprised by the distance, I turned to him. Cain, who brought me into the room, naturally closed the door with his right hand and spoke.
"If I had known that Young Lady's hobby was running away at night, I would have sent a carriage here."
His red eyes slowly ran down my face, and I quickly fell from his arms. As if he had no intention of stopping me, he gently released his hand that was wrapped around my waist.
The figure of Cain standing in the moonlight was like a sculpture sculpted by God.
As he gazed at me with the corners of his mouth raised almost invisibly, my immature heart jumped loudly, forgetting the situation.
Calm down, this person is the male lead...!
If an extra like me is involved with the male protagonist of this novel, who would know when and where I would die!
"I, I think there's a misunderstanding."
"...."
"I didn't run away at night..."
"...."
"I, I'm on a trip...!"
It was me, not him, whose face was wrinkled at the reckless thrown words. Even if I made excuses saying that I was a writer, my head felt dizzy because I thought that this was all I could say.
"...Trip?"
"Yes, traveling! My wish was to travel while looking at the stars and the moon... A night trip at dawn!"
Contrary to how dizzy my head was, my mouth moved arbitrarily. It was already too late to take it back, so I smiled as if everything was going to be okay.
Cain replied with a smile at my appearance.
"The timing is truly amusing."
"...."
"As soon as I said I would send a carriage to the County, there was a trip."
"An, and coincidentally, that's what happened!"
"...."
"I've been planning to go on a trip for a long time, but it's my first time attending a debutante, so I forgot to tell the Grand Duke that. Haha-"
An awkward laugh echoed through the quiet room.
Despite all the excuses I made, he was staring at me with an expressionless expression. I thought it would not be strange if I would be suffocated to death right away in the awkward situation I had created.
The corner of his lips rose playfully as he watched me quietly swallowing my saliva.
"Then, I guess it was all my misunderstanding."
