Chapter 22
When she arrived at Aiden’s cell, the familiar sound of chains clinking greeted her.
Clank—
As she opened the door, she saw Aiden pacing near the entrance. He looked like a puppy waiting to greet its owner.
‘No… I shouldn’t think of him that way.’
After all, Aiden was a person.
“How… is your health?”
To her surprise, Aiden spoke first. Raylenne stared at him, taken aback, and his ears turned red.
“I know the Hayashin fruit doesn’t harm the body, but you… seem so weak…”
In the end, Aiden lowered his head.
‘Was he always this shy?’
Aiden seemed overly embarrassed. It was almost comical, like something out of the Joseon Dynasty, being so bashful just from being looked at. He didn’t seem like this in the original story.
Raylenne clicked her tongue inwardly and replied.
“Don’t worry. I’m fine.”
“That’s a relief…”
When Aiden looked up, his gray eyes seemed to sparkle for a moment. As she gazed into his clear eyes, Raylenne remembered she had something to tell him.
“I have good news. Helis won’t be able to come here anymore.”
As Aiden stared at her, Raylenne, feeling a bit embarrassed, cleared her throat and continued.
“I promise that what happened before won’t happen again.”
“…”
“But I can’t stop my brother or my father from coming here, so you need to be careful.”
Raylenne rummaged through the bag she had brought as she spoke.
“If my brother comes, do not provoke him under any circumstances.”
Helis had many flaws, so she could get through that situation easily, but Caverion was different. He was sharp and meticulous.
“Understood?”
“…Yes.”
Fortunately, Aiden agreed without resistance. She had worried he might act out like he did when she first visited his cell.
“Because of my defiance towards him, you ended up consuming the Hayashin.”
By “him,” he must mean Helis.
“…So if I defy Caverion, it could cause you trouble again, so I’ll refrain.”
Raylenne felt unexpectedly proud of Aiden. She reached out and patted his head, much taller than hers.
“Since you listened well, I’ll praise you.”
Aiden looked up at the white hand on his head, then lowered his gaze back to Raylenne.
“Sometimes, it seems like you… aren’t from the Ergen Duchy.”
Raylenne’s hand, which was patting his head, stopped.
“The Ergen and Bedeusian Duchies hate each other, without even knowing why, just because of the past.”
“…”
“But when I see how you act towards me… you seem like the only one who doesn’t think that way.”
It was a sharp observation. As Aiden said, she didn’t harbor that ingrained hatred, having suddenly possessed Raylenne’s body. But she couldn’t show that, not to her family or to Aiden.
“I hate the Bedeusian family.”
Raylenne withdrew her hand and spoke with forced firmness. Aiden slowly lowered his eyes.
“…Even me?”
For some reason, his voice sounded forlorn. Shouldn’t she quickly say, “Of course!” without hesitation? But the words didn’t come easily.
“…What about you?”
Avoidance was the best strategy at times like this.
Aiden might feel grateful towards her, but not hating her was another matter.
“I’m from the Ergen Duchy, and my job is to keep you here. So…”
“I don’t dislike you.”
Raylenne was momentarily speechless at his immediate response. Aiden slowly raised his eyelids, revealing his clear eyes.
“Rather…”
Aiden looked straight at Raylenne. It was rare for him to meet her gaze first.
‘Gulp.’
She felt tense. Why did it seem like he was about to say something he shouldn’t?
“I like you.”
Raylenne clenched her fist where Aiden couldn’t see. He finally said it. The words she absolutely shouldn’t hear.
Usually, Aiden was shy even about trivial things, but now he was being assertive and firm. Raylenne asked, trying to hide her flustered expression.
“Why… why is that?”
“Just… because I like who you are.”
Her heart pounded at the unexpected confession. He probably felt human affection towards her for caring for him and eating the Hayashin in his place, but hearing him say he liked her made her feel strange.
Raylenne cleared her throat and spoke as calmly as she could.
“Whether you like me or not doesn’t matter. I dislike you.”
“That doesn’t matter.”
Aiden looked unaffected, as if he had expected that response.
“And I’ve told you before, call me Lady Raylenne.”
“Yes, Lady Raylenne.”
At some point, Aiden had started obeying her too well, which made her uneasy.
“…What is that?”
Aiden’s gaze fell on the bag Raylenne brought. The handle of a broomstick was sticking out of the bag. That was what Haele had pointed out earlier.
Raylenne, trying to hide her flustered feelings from Aiden’s confession, stiffly surveyed the cell.
“I thought I should clean this place.”
She had lied to Haele, saying she was going to repair the cell, but her actual intention was to clean it.
“Even if I come here occasionally, I can’t stand the dirtiness.”
She wasn’t actually a neat freak, but the sanitary condition of the cell was definitely an issue.
The corners of the cell were covered in cobwebs, and the floor, neglected for a long time, was thick with dust. She had seen Aiden cough while sleeping last time. If he stayed in such a place all day, his lungs would soon turn black.
“Are you saying you’ll clean it yourself?”
“Yes. As I mentioned earlier, I have forbidden anyone else from entering.”
Raylenne glanced at Aiden. He still looked puzzled.
‘Tiresome fellow.’
Raylenne sighed and revealed the truth.
“The truth is, if I had said I wanted to clean here, my brother or Helis would have thought it suspicious, so I decided not to bring anyone else in.”
Raylenne placed her hands on her hips.
“But I can’t stand seeing it this dirty. So, I must clean it myself.”
“…”
“Of course, I don’t plan to do it alone.”
She took a rag out of the bag and handed it to Aiden.
“You didn’t think you could just watch while I cleaned, did you?”
Aiden looked at the rag in his hand for a moment before raising his head.
“What should I do?”
“I’ll sweep the floor, and you clean the walls.”
“Understood.”
Raylenne looked around the cell. The amount of dust made her want to open a window, but there were no windows she could open. After a moment of contemplation, she slightly opened the door. Aiden was shackled, so even if the door was open, he couldn’t escape.
Raylenne started sweeping the floor with the broom. However, she was unskilled, and dust flew everywhere without any sense of cleanliness.
‘I’m too used to vacuum cleaners; sweeping is quite difficult…’
She glanced at Aiden, and the walls where he had wiped with the rag were noticeably clean.
‘Even the male lead is good at cleaning, huh.’
Raylenne felt the unfairness of this world anew and gripped the broom harder.
“Let me do it.”
Seeing her struggle, Aiden put down the rag, approached her, and took the broom from her.
“It would be more helpful if you stayed still.”
Frustrated, Raylenne couldn’t argue and handed the broom over.
“Then you sweep, and I’ll wipe.”
However, Aiden grabbed her wrist.
“You’re shorter than me, so it will be difficult for you to reach the higher areas. Just sit and rest.”
At his firm words, Raylenne eventually set down the rag. She sat quietly on Aiden’s blanket and watched him clean.
Unlike her, Aiden moved the broom gracefully, gathering the dust without scattering it.
For a while, Aiden moved around the cell, sweeping and wiping.
“It’s done.”
Aiden announced he had finished cleaning. Raylenne inspected the floor with a critical eye and swiped her finger across it.
‘Hmm… acceptable.’
The cell was quite clean by her standards.
Satisfied, she stood up, but then she noticed a spider on the ceiling.
“The cobwebs there haven’t been removed.”
She pointed to a far corner of the ceiling.
“I saw them, but it’s too high to reach.”
Indeed, the ceiling sloped slightly, and the spot where the spider was located was just a bit higher than the rest.
‘But it’s not impossible.’
“Give me the broom.”
Raylenne extended her hand.
“It won’t reach.”
“I know, just hand it over.”
Aiden reluctantly handed her the broom. Raylenne stepped out of the cell momentarily and returned with a chair.
She placed the chair under the cobwebbed ceiling with a determined look.
‘I wouldn’t have said I’d do it if I wasn’t sure.’
Raylenne let out a huff and climbed onto the chair, extending the broom toward the ceiling, but it was still a bit short.
Raylenne’s face fell.
She had confidently said she’d do it, but now she would have to ask Aiden for help.
She lowered the broom and glanced at Aiden.
“It’s just a little… short.”
“I’ll do it.”
Aiden’s plain tone prevented her from feeling too embarrassed.
As she was about to step down, her foot caught on the broom.
‘Oh…!’
Raylenne lost her balance and closed her eyes tightly.
Crash—
The chair fell with a loud noise.
“Ow…” She opened her eyes to find herself against something solid and broad…
“…”
“…”
It was Aiden’s chest.
