The day it rained
The day the Duchess collapsed was a hot summer day.
On a still night, the sound of singing grass bugs sings a lullaby, and on a cool morning, a clear summer day filled with chirping birds.
That day, when they had not even dreamed of the misfortune that would befall them in the future, Elizabeth and Kiern went to the valley to cool off from the heat.
In the scorching heat, I was busy fanning myself. Unlike Elizabeth, Kiern hitched up his pants and was already half submerged in the valley water.
Elisabeth hesitated to stick her toe in and just reached in and out of her hand, then Kiern moved closer to her.
"Ellie, are you really not going in?"
"I'm a little embarrassed."
To be honest, I didn't know if I had jumped in the water more than ten times already. The coldness of the water that my hand touched will instantly remove the current heat.
Even so, he hesitated because his summer clothes were thin.
I thought that if I wet my feet, I would want to wet my body too, and if I did, I would get wet. So I prefer not to get into the water.
Kiern held out her hand and said.
“You brought a change of clothes anyway. Dip your feet in.
Elizabeth stared at her trembling hand. The rays of the sun under the shade of the trees fell on his hands.
It seemed to glow, so Elizabeth held out her hand as if possessed. And at that moment, the cold pierced my toes.
The hem of the dress touched the water and was dyed a dark color. At the same time, the sweltering heat flew away in an instant.
Elizabeth shuddered in surprise, and Kierne put her arms around her shoulders.
"Oh, it's cold."
"What do you think? Were you able to get in?"
He bowed his head and closed his eyes. Her smiling face caught the eye like a beautiful woman in a famous painting.
Elizabeth nodded blankly as he slowly guided her deeper.
As expected, the desire to soak my feet collapsed within a few minutes.
Elizabeth walked with him into the depths, using the excuse that she was already wet and couldn't help it. His pants were dyed a dark color like hers.
There was no one around. Of course, since this forest belonged to the Agafel family, no one could enter it without the permission of the family.
This allowed me to act more boldly. When the water reached her waist, the hem of her dress blew up like a balloon.
It was a light summer dress, so the flowing chiffon shone like fish scales.
It felt like being a mermaid, so she fearlessly released her hand and splashed around.
Kiern, who was watching from afar, said a word.
"I heard you don't come in when."
“When I went in, I changed my mind.”
"It will be OK?"
Kierne smiled and began to swim after her.
Unlike me, who kept her upper body upright, Kiern's actions were unstoppable. To the point of looking at Kiern drenching her entire body as if she were diving.
Casually swimming with clothes on was quite nice. Perhaps he felt more comfortable when he was with her.
Because of the belief that he will rescue you if you ever fall into the water.
It was time to play with him for so long. I was careless and fell backwards on a slippery rock.
"Elizabeth!"
I was startled and struggled in the water, but someone grabbed me around the waist and pulled me up.
Elizabeth, who had surfaced safely, managed to grab onto Kiern's shoulders.
In the midst of the fight, he had reached a rather deep place. The fear of not being able to touch the ground slowly eased with Kiern at her side.
Elizabeth coughed as she leaned into Kiern's shoulder. I swam with just my lower body so as not to get wet, which actually caused me to get wet.
I laughed because I was stupid even thinking about it myself. After that, Kiern also laughed out loud.
"Oh, what are you laughing at? Make people's hearts fall."
At his scolding, she pursed her lips and tried to hold back her laughter, but she couldn't stop the laughter that broke out again.
At last, Elizabeth's voice, which had burst out laughing, resounded clearly around her. how much did you laugh
Elizabeth later noted that she was very close to him.
The hand holding her waist tightly gave her a sense of stability and a strange pressure at the same time.
Elizabeth, who sometimes felt a subtle sense of intimidation from him, found it difficult to control her expression.
The laughter gradually faded and there was a feeling of tension.
Kiern's eyes looking at her were also a little uncomfortable, as were Elizabeth's.
His blue eyes were as clear as the sky reflected in the valley's water. At the same time, it felt like heat was being transmitted, like scorching heat.
Now let me fall
Elizabeth, who whispered softly and pushed her chest, was startled.
It was because his bare skin, visible through the wet shirt, was too bare.
The fact that I had been casually touching it until just before was too late for me.
"Quickly."
Embarrassed, I pushed the back of my hand with the back of my hand and Kiern let out a giggle.
Water dripped from her wet hair and drenched her cheeks.
It seemed somehow too dangerous, so Elizabeth fought.
"Okay, so please stay still."
Kierne began to swim back to where her feet landed, calming her like a child. For some reason, her shoulders seemed a bit stiff.
* * *
It was time to leave the valley. A downpour began to fall from the sky.
Seeing the valley's water rise in an instant, the two of them headed for the carriage without even changing their clothes.
Elisabeth and Kiern, who climbed into the carriage with dripping water, only coughed for nothing in the strange tension.
Elizabeth rolled on the blanket and played with her wet hair for no reason.
Then he remembered what had just happened. The feeling of floating in the water leaning on him was not bad.
Compared to the cold water, his body was very hot. Especially in the hot summer, the body is extremely hot.
Elizabeth looked at Kiern. He was wet and staring at the ground. I don't know why his ears are so red.
Suddenly I rolled the blanket over him so that all my bare skin was visible behind the wet apron.
She kept wanting to stab his eyes with the upper part of her body.
So I looked outside and the coachman said.
“Boss, it looks like I'll have to stay in the village for a while. The rain falls suddenly and the roads are messy and the wheels don't listen.
"Do it."
After permission was given, the carriage headed straight for the nearest villa. It seemed that we would have to be locked in the villa until it stopped raining.
As soon as they reached the villa, Elizabeth and Kiern went to their respective bathrooms.
When I lazily warmed up in the warm water and went outside, the rain stopped and there was a rainbow.
He laughed at the capricious monsoon rain and looked out the window.
The sky with the rainbow was so pretty that I thought I should show it to Kiern inadvertently.
And, putting that thought to shame, I watched Kiern climb into the carriage with a contemplative face outside the window.
And the carriage sped off, leaving only Elizabeth in the villa.
Startled, she belatedly stepped out into the hall, but the carriage had already disappeared.
Left alone, Elizabeth stood there blankly as the villa caretaker said.
The Duchess suddenly collapsed.
Shortly after hearing the sad news, it started to rain again. Elisabeth prayed that Kierne had made it home safely.
The torrential rain did not stop. As a result, Elizabeth, without carriage or horse, was completely stranded in the villa.
It was because they couldn't move on foot due to the rising water.
Elizabeth waited silently for Kiern to return from the villa.
At the same time, he fervently prayed that the duchess would be safe. Because that would be Kiern's wish.
The Duchess was weak and often collapsed.
When I thought back to Kiern's nervousness at the time, it was understandable that she would leave me and rush back.
I hoped it wasn't a big problem as usual. The duchess would quickly recover as if she had collapsed.
After that, I thought Kiern would remember me, whom I had left at the villa, and send a carriage.
However, contrary to Elizabeth's idea, no carriage arrived at the villa after three days.
He was just getting tired of the rain. Elizabeth thought that the carriage did not come because of the rain.
But even after the rain stopped, no carriage came to the village. As time passed, the sinisterness and nervousness crept in.
He wondered if something was wrong with the duchess.
And when the rain has completely stopped and the ground is full of puddles. Isabel could wait no longer for the carriage and left the villa.
Hot and capricious summer weather with the sun shining down as if it had rained.
Elizabeth fought to suppress her restlessness and walked and walked.
The hem of her dress was caked with mud, but she kept walking without stopping. The ominousness rose to the top of her neck.
It was when he arrived at Agafel's Castle, constantly brainwashing himself so that nothing would happen.
“Manyim! Wow!
Elisabeth's heart sank at the sound of music that was heard everywhere. All the workers were crying profusely.
No one asked Elizabeth where she had been. They all seemed crazy.
'No. I do not think.'
Elizabeth pushed her way through the weeping servants to the duchess's room.
Then someone grabbed Elizabeth's wrist.
"Ellie, where have you been?"
It was Estela. Her eyes were red from crying so much.
Elizabeth asked, holding his shoulder, leaving the sinister behind.
“I was in the cabin. It rained too much and I had no carriage, so I couldn't go back right away."
“Oh my God! So you, did you walk all the way here?
It was then that Stella was horrified to find Elizabeth's mud-stained shoes and hem.
Elizabeth didn't care and asked what intrigued him the most.
“Rather than that, where is the lady? What about Kiern?
At Elizabeth's question, Stella seemed to clamp her lips together and then began to sob with teary eyes.
“Sigh, Ellie. don't be surprised Lady... … .”
"What's up. Stop crying and talk to me, mom.
“He passed away this morning. The day it began to rain heavily, it suddenly collapsed, but it was gone."
"That?"
“Yesterday I woke up for a while and spoke normally, so everyone was relieved, but this morning suddenly… … .”
Stella was speechless and cried bitterly as she hugged her. Elizabeth stood there in shock, speechless.
“You told me yesterday to take good care of the duke. How can you feel sorry for my mistress?
Stella said with a dangerous look, but Elizabeth was more worried about Kiern at the moment.
“… …What about Kierne? Mom, where is Kiern?
At his words, Stella sobbed and pointed her finger somewhere. It was the duchess's room.
After calming Stella down for a moment, Elizabeth cautiously entered the Duchess's room. When I called, there was no answer, so I went inside.
Kierne was sitting by the empty bed. Nothing had changed except that the duchess was not present in the neatly arranged room.
He heard a laugh, but there was no response. It was as if his soul had escaped.
Her eyes were dull, like jewels that had lost their shine. It was a strange look.
The clear and warm eyes that I saw in the valley disappeared without a trace.
Despair, regret, remorse, sadness, misery, shame... … .
It seemed that his eyes were filled with all sorts of negative emotions that he couldn't bring himself to describe or even feel.
Seeing that miserable appearance, Elizabeth could not easily offer comfort.
She didn't know how to console the loss she had suffered.
Elizabeth closed the door, blaming herself for how arrogant she had been when she thought she could easily comfort him.
A terrible sadness filled the room, and there was no place for her to pass.
