Celine made way for Lucian to enter her room, silent like a mouse. She wrapped herself in a blanket, showing only her blue eyes.
Cute.
Lucian quickly shook the thought away and carefully entered the room. It was dimly lit, with only a single candle burning on the desk.
It was scattered with mountains of books and papers, and it seemed that the duke's daughter had been hard at work.
She blinked slowly at his hands.
Lucian held up the flowers, whispering, "A get-well-soon present. They symbolize good health and strength…so they should help you get better soon."
Celine looked around, her pointer finger pointing at herself, as if to say, 'For me?'
She didn't say anything, but she was quite expressive, so it wasn't that difficult to guess.
Lucian nodded. Being all wrapped up, she couldn't take the flowers, so he took the vase from the counter and filled it with water from the jug.
Celine just followed around, observing how he had made himself at home so casually. Well, she acted the same in his place, so why couldn't he?
He gently placed the flowers in the vase and put them on the counter, then turned around to leave, but Celine grabbed his sleeve.
Lucian's heart jumped to his throat, but he forced himself to calm down.
She led him to her desk, pointing at the books as if saying, 'Pick anything you want to read in exchange for the flowers.'
Lucian's face turned beet red, 'I can't read, only count,' he wanted to say, but it was embarrassing, so he couldn't say it out loud yet.
'They are about economics, physiology & theology (political science), and agriculture,' the voice said, ready to help him pick the useful ones, only for the kid to bust its attempt again.
"I can't read," Lucian admitted to Celine.
She looked surprised but didn't comment on it. Instead, she sat behind a desk and took a piece of parchment and a pen, writing down the alphabet on it and a picture of a thing that started with each letter: apple, bird, cat, dog…
Then she handed him a parchment with all the books. She seemed a bit sorry about what her identity had caused him, and this was her way to make it up to him.
Why didn't she speak to him, though? She could talk to the maid just fine, so why not him?
"Thank you," Lucian took the parchment and put it in his bag, together with the books. "I'll be going then," he said.
Celine nodded in understanding, walking back to her bed and curling up in her blanket.
Lucian's gaze moved to the porridge that was left on the tray, then back at Celine.
"..." he picked the bowl and spoon, bringing them to her bed.
"Open your mouth," he said, and she shook her head. "Come on, eat, you have to get better."
Lucian insisted, but Celine only pulled the blanket over her head, "What are you? A baby?" he taunted playfully, "Rich girls really can't take care of themselves, huh?"
She dragged down her blanket. Looking a bit irritated, she opened her mouth to retort, but her words got stuck in her throat. She couldn't utter them. Her fever seemed to have worsened too; her face flushed more, and her eyes got more watery.
"I will feed you, okay?" he scooped some porridge with the spoon, not minding her expression. He blew on the porridge to make it cooler before feeding it to Celine patiently.
She frowned but opened her mouth, letting him feed her the porridge. When she finished the meal, he placed the tray on the nightstand.
She looked exhausted, flinching from every little movement of her body. Making one wonder how she managed to get to this state to begin with.
Lucian couldn't do anything else, and it was for the best to leave her to rest. He grabbed his gifts and was ready to leave when she grabbed his hand with hers.
"Cheater..." she rasped out, "You are cheating...on your wife...I saw...you..."
"What..." Lucian gulped down when he saw her accusing stare, quickly coming up with an excuse, "B-bribes shouldn't count! I was only bribing them to get their favors and get information..."
"Oh..." Celine let go of his hand and sank back into the pillows, "I see..." a small smile spread on her lips.
Lucian stared at his wrist where she had held him. Her skin was burning hot, a sign of a terrible fever, "...Do you have a medicine to help with the fever?"
He didn't want to leave her in this state.
She shook her head, "I need to endure it...for a bit longer...Go," she said, "or you will…catch…it too."
Lucian bit his lip, "I'll be back next door," he said, not wanting to leave her on her own, "Call for me if you need anything."
She nodded, her eyes following him silently.
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Lucian returned to his room. Throwing off his shoes, he fell on the bed with his hands on his face, 'I can't like her. I can't like her. I can't like her.'
He leaned against the wall that separated them, his face in his knees and his heart beating rapidly in a painful way, 'I like her.'
Why couldn't she follow the rumors and just be the terrible person she was supposed to be? A spoiled rich girl who couldn't care less about anyone but herself?
After that day, they've crossed paths a few times, but she never talked to him again, just blushed and stuttered, which made it even easier for Lucian to misunderstand her and make him want to talk to her more.
'Give it a few more years and you'll get over her. By that time, you should be loaded enough to attract a proper wife for yourself,' the voice assured him.
'I hope so,' Lucian placed his ear against the wall, wondering if she had fallen asleep.
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The routine continued with Lucian building his brand name and trying to forget his crush on a duke's daughter.
It was a slow process, with his childish features working against him; he was limited in what he could do.