Anastasia felt suffocated, tears welling in her eyes. She tried her best not to keep her mouth closed, but she had no choice but to chew and swallow the piece of bread. She couldn't help it, even if she ended up biting the fingers he had pushed deep into her mouth.
Fortunately, Mikhail soon withdrew his fingers from her mouth. He then placed the water glass that had been on the table into Anastasia’s hands. He seemed to be gauging something as he watched her clutch the glass with both hands, gulping down the water in a rush.
*Gulp, gulp.* The water she had swallowed so desperately pushed away the tightness in her chest.
"Haa..."
Once her breath returned, a long, relieved sigh escaped her. She intended to say she was fine, promise to take her medicine, and then thank him for the gift. But before Anastasia could say a word, his hand, having torn off another piece of bread, approached her again.
"Again, say 'ah'."
His voice was like one soothing a child. A wave of shame washed over her, wondering if she truly appeared that incompetent. Nevertheless, Anastasia opened her mouth as he commanded. She held onto the expectation that he would feed her again.
To be fed at her age—she knew how absurd and shameful it was. Yet, Anastasia could not refuse. Or rather, she did not want to. Never in her life had anyone cared this much about her meals. Let alone care, no one had even stayed by her side.
Like a fledgling bird, Anastasia eagerly accepted whatever Mikhail offered, not even checking what it was, as if it didn't matter so long as it came from him.
The strange meal continued for quite some time. Once she had finished everything he brought, Mikhail wiped his hands on a cloth with a look of lingering regret.
"Now, it is time to take your medicine."
"..."
Anastasia could not easily say she would. If she took the medicine, she would fall asleep again. By the time she opened her eyes, the sun would likely be high in the sky, and Mikhail would have already left the manor.
*I want to say goodbye, too.*
The maids had said they were all waiting for the dawn to prepare for his departure. They said almost everyone in the manor would come out to see him off. If so, couldn't she just hide behind them and say goodbye? And if she returned to her room immediately after... wouldn't that be alright? If that wasn't possible, she at least wanted to see him one last time.
"Miss Anastasia. Is something troubling you?"
"..."
"You seem to have almost fully recovered, yet your expression is not good."
At his words, Anastasia realized he had been observing her face. After bowing her head low again, she mumbled, struggling to ask.
"Um... I..."
"Please, speak freely."
As if she could speak freely. Even the fact that he was addressing her with honorifics, just as he did with Elizabeth or Catherine, was burdensome enough. Still, it felt good. Somehow, it made her feel as if she had truly become a young lady of the Lauderdale family.
"When you leave this time... will you not be coming back?"
Mikhail was silent for a moment at Anastasia’s question. Then, he bowed his head slightly. His face, illuminated by the lamp, wore a complex smile.
"Would you like me to return?"
Mikhail answered her question with another. Anastasia, who had been about to keep her mouth shut, answered with a look of determination, as if she had made a great resolve.
"Yes."
Mikhail’s eyes widened slightly, as if surprised by her answer. Was her response strange? But Anastasia truly wanted to see Mikhail again. She did not want to lie to him. So, she had simply answered honestly.
"I see."
Anastasia felt a sense of desolation at Mikhail’s returned answer. It was difficult to discern any emotion in his reply.
"Then, I shall return."
"Are you certain!"
At the news that he would return, Anastasia jumped up from her chair. His face was close, yet it was still a head taller than hers. Anastasia realized anew just how tall he was. And how his body, too, looked incomparably larger and firmer than her own.
This person was a man. Therefore, she should be afraid. As she always had been. She should have been...
Mikhail stepped one pace back from Anastasia. A distance that was quiet, not overly rude, yet not too far away. When she occasionally peeked through the window, he walked at this same distance from Elizabeth. Knowing this was the proper distance, Anastasia still felt a sense of longing.
Mikhail reached out and looked at the box placed on the table. It looked as though it had been handled, with fingerprints visible all over the velvet-covered surface.
"Stay healthy until then. Do not get hurt."
Having said that, Mikhail reached out and took Anastasia’s hand. Though she flinched in surprise, Anastasia did not pull her hand away. Mikhail, holding the hand that had been left to him so listlessly, lifted it, lightly kissed the back of her hand, and then released it carefully. A faint, languid breath escaped from Anastasia’s slightly parted lips.
After letting go of her hand, Mikhail picked up the medicine bottle from the table, scooped a full spoonful, and said to Anastasia.
"Now then... shall we open up once more?"
"Ugh..."
As Anastasia could not hide her expression and winced at the thought of the bitter powdered medicine, the sound of Mikhail’s low laughter echoed in the room. In the end, Anastasia had to take the medicine, which seemed to have been scooped in a larger portion than usual, into her mouth and swallow.
Mikhail emerged into the hallway and descended the stairs with quick, purposeful strides.
After he announced that he would be returning early the next day, dinner was prepared in a rush, yet it was an extravagant affair. He had told the Countess that, as it was his last night, he wished to dine with all the young ladies of Lauderdale, but as expected, Anastasia was nowhere to be seen. Mikhail did not give that fact much thought. He had assumed it would be that way, after all.
Following dinner, he spent time in the parlor conversing with Elizabeth. Over the past week, Mikhail had put in a great deal of effort by his own standards. Had he ever in his life devoted this much time to a single woman? He hadn’t even sat this long when dealing with Larisa Kabaeva, who claimed to have put a leash around the necks of every man in the capital.
He hadn’t just spent time with her; Mikhail had treated Elizabeth with every ounce of care he could muster. Thanks to this, Elizabeth’s expression had gradually softened, and now she would smile whenever their eyes met. She likely hadn’t realized it herself, though.
It wasn’t just Elizabeth who was caught in the spell of his smiles. Everyone in the manor, with the exception of Catherine, was happy, waiting for the prosperous future that seemed to be drawing near.
As he descended to the first-floor hallway and passed the servants’ lounge, he saw Igor surrounded by servants, with Catherine sitting alongside them. It seemed that by Catherine’s presence, the servants had been granted the privilege of sitting in the lounge to listen to his stories.
"And so, it was truly difficult when we were building Pier 3, but then Sir Mikhail..."
At the sound of Igor’s voice drifting through the door, Mikhail shook his head. He had wondered what kind of stories were keeping everyone occupied, but to think he was selling off his own past. Mikhail signaled to Igor through the gap in the door and returned to his room. A while later, a weary-looking Igor and Yuri returned together. As soon as they entered the room, they collapsed onto the sofa and gulped down water.
"Whew."
Igor caught his breath and grumbled at Mikhail.
"I have no idea what this is all about. I’m not some grandmother telling bedtime stories, you know."
"Why? You were doing well. You should consider that as a career after you retire."
"Don't mock me! I really don't understand why I have to do something like this..."
Igor pounded his chest as if he felt wronged. Just then, Yuri walked in. Like Igor, he collapsed into a seat with an exhausted face, drank some water, and then looked at Mikhail with resentful eyes. Mikhail, suddenly the target of their aggrieved gazes, gave a bitter smile.
After dinner, he had intentionally ordered the two of them to keep the servants occupied. While the Countess and Elizabeth, who cared about appearances, would return to their rooms, there were simply too many people wandering the manor afterward.
The two had grumbled about being made to do all sorts of things, but they had followed his orders, and thanks to that, Mikhail had been able to visit Anastasia without being spotted by others.
However, when he went up, he couldn't help but let out a dry laugh at the silence of the space where she stayed. It was, by any measure, a discarded space. He probably didn't even need to order the two of them to keep people away; it seemed unlikely anyone would have wandered there anyway.
"So, did it go well with Miss Elizabeth?"
"Ah."
At Igor’s question, Mikhail gave an ambiguous answer. The two of them thought Mikhail had asked them for a favor so he could meet with Elizabeth in private. But Mikhail had gone to see the girl who was picked up, not the eldest daughter of Lauderdale.
He looked at his fingers. How could she just open her mouth so obediently, not even knowing what he might be feeding her? He thought of her small mouth, red lips, and pearly white teeth that he had seen under the dim light of the lamp. To think she would accept it so well with a mouth so small it seemed incapable of biting into anything properly. If only he had more time, he would have liked to sit there for a long while and feed her all sorts of things.
"Anyway, you’ve done well. As planned, we’re returning to Sokolov tomorrow, so make sure you finish all the preparations for our departure."
At those words, Igor stood up and replied.
"Yes, yes, I understand. Then, as soon as we return, should I prepare a villa on the outskirts of Sokolov? Or perhaps a mansion inside Sokolov or the capital..."
"Why?"
"Why, you ask? You’re going to bring Miss Elizabeth over, aren't you?"
Igor looked at Mikhail with eyes that seemed to ask why he was even questioning it. Wasn't the whole point of this ridiculous charade for Mikhail to properly bewitch Elizabeth? Though, in truth, it seemed that young lady was already full of the desire to marry him without him having to do any of this.
"No need. Leave it."
"What are you talking about? Don't tell me... you aren't going to marry her?"
"I am."
"Then why..."
"The people of Lauderdale don't seem to know the true value of things."
"……."
At Mikhail’s cold words, Igor and Yuri fell silent. Mikhail was right. The more courteous Mikhail acted, the more arrogant the Countess became. Especially as she watched Mikhail spend time with Elizabeth every single day, she seemed to have concluded that he was head over heels for her. While drinking tea with Mikhail, the Countess had even asked about the marriage in a roundabout way.
'And she tried to get everything she could while she was at it.'
The Countess had brought up stories of her own youth, talking about the most magnificent and beautiful places in the Empire. She had mentioned the grand mansion known as the Summer Palace of Rogevik near the capital, or the magnificent and ornate cathedral in the resort city of Plaisir.
Yuri had been deathly pale the entire time he listened. As the one in charge of accounting, he must have been feeling sick at the thought of the sums he would have to settle, as every single one of those places would cost an astronomical amount of money. Yet, Mikhail had simply smiled and said how beautiful those places were. Far from stopping the Countess, he had even mentioned that one of his ships brought flowers from as far away as Flanre, only fueling her imagination further.
In the Countess’s mind, a wedding more extravagant than that of the imperial family was already taking place. A wedding that no one could ever mock, even if he had married a commoner.
"Have I ever made a deal where I came out at a loss?"
"...No, you haven't."
"As long as you know that, it's fine."
Mikhail sank into his chair. On a chair that might have been expensive once but had long since gone out of style, Mikhail spoke in a calm tone.
"Let's give the people of Lauderdale some time to learn."
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