With a quiet sigh, Hailey approached the door and opened it just a fraction.
Through the narrow gap stood Ken, Lord Damian’s exclusive butler, his posture as straight and composed as ever.
By now, he was no longer a stranger to her.
"Mister Ken. Good morning."
"Good morning, Hailey." His eyes flicked briefly past her shoulder. "Where is the young lady?"
"Miss... um." Hailey hesitated, fingers tightening slightly around the doorknob. "She must be very tired from yesterday’s picnic. She hasn’t been able to get up from her seat."
"Oh." Ken nodded in understanding, though a trace of regret crossed his calm expression. "The young master was looking for the young lady. It seems he was planning to go into the city together today, especially since the room arrangents were changed. What a pity."
He gave a polite bow. "I’ll inform him."
"Ken—!"
Before Hailey could stop herself, a voice rang out from behind her.
"Damian! Where should I go?!"
The door suddenly swung open.
It was Elena.
She stepped out as if she had been standing there all along, her snow-white hair still slightly tousled, as though it had just finished drying. Yet her dress was perfectly arranged, not a wrinkle in sight, and her expression was bright and alert.
It was certainly not the appearance of soone who had supposedly been unable to rise monts ago.
Hailey froze.
Ken, too, widened his eyes slightly at Elena’s sudden appearance.
"Miss..."
Elena tilted her head, blinking once as she looked between the two of them.
"Oh? Mister Ken, you’re here already?" she asked lightly. "Good morning."
"G-Good morning, Miss Elena," Ken replied after a brief pause, quickly regaining his composure. "I was just inford that you were unwell."
"Unwell?" Elena repeated, glancing back at Hailey with a puzzled look before smiling. "Ah... that."
She waved her hand dismissively.
"I was tired earlier, but I feel much better now. So, Damian is looking for ?"
"Yes," Ken answered. "The young master wished to take you into the city today. He was concerned you might be dissatisfied with the sudden room change."
Elena’s eyes lit up.
"The city?" she echoed. "That sounds fun."
She turned eagerly toward Hailey.
"Hailey, you’ll co too, right?"
Hailey opened her mouth, then closed it again.
She could only stare at Elena, her thoughts tangled.
Hailey knew.
She knew what had just happened was Elena’s magic.
Although her young lady had never spoken openly about it, Hailey understood very well that Elena possessed the ability to perform such miracles—instantaneous, effortless, and flawless.
Still...
A strange feeling stirred in her chest.
Seeing Elena appear so perfectly put together, achieving in monts what took Hailey hours of careful work, left her unsettled in ways she couldn’t quite na.
No.
She hoped that was the reason.
---
In the end, Hailey decided not to co.
Knowing that Elena wanted so alone ti with Damian.
And she was right. She wanted so alone ti with him.
Right now, they were inside the carriage.
It was the sa carriage as yesterday, but if there was one difference, it was that only the two of them were here.
’I don’t even know what kind of expression I’m making right now. No... I must be smiling.’
Until this morning, Elena had been feeling uncertain. Her thoughts had been tangled, her heart restless. But now, just being alone with him made her feel as though sunlight was pouring into her chest.
Even if she tried to pretend she was calm, or act like nothing was different, her face betrayed her. It was honest in a way she could not control.
She slowly turned her head and looked at the man sitting across from her.
Damian was gazing out the window, his brows faintly drawn together. His expression looked troubled, as though sothing weighed on his mind.
Was sothing bothering him lately?
The issue with Alphonse should have been resolved completely yesterday. Everything had gone well. So why did he look like this?
Yesterday, when they had parted, he had smiled more brightly than ever before.
But now... his expression seed darker.
’Could it be... that I’m the cause?’
Just as Elena was about to ask him what was wrong, Damian spoke first.
"I’m sorry, Elena."
His sudden apology froze her thoughts for a brief mont.
But she recovered quickly, her mind racing faster than the speed of light. The reason for his apology beca clear almost imdiately.
In fact, it was obvious.
"I heard from Ken that you were feeling tired because of yesterday’s events," Damian continued, his voice low and sincere. "And I’m sorry for using our family plans to force you to co with us."
’Ah... I see.’
He knew.
He knew that she had wanted to go on a picnic with just him.
But he had chosen to go with Alphonse and Count Kraus because they were precious people to him.
Just like when he had rushed to his father after realizing there was a problem between him and Alphonse, Damian always prioritized his family matters.
Elena smiled at him, as if nothing was wrong.
"No. Yesterday was fun for too."
It wasn’t a lie.
She had genuinely enjoyed herself, even though she had sulked a little after they returned.
Damian turned his gaze toward her, clearly unconvinced.
"...Are you sure?" he asked. "You don’t have to force yourself to say that."
Elena hesitated for a mont, then let out a soft breath.
"I was tired," she admitted honestly. "And maybe... a little disappointed."
Damian’s shoulders stiffened.
"But," she continued quickly, lifting her head to et his eyes, "I don’t regret going. Seeing you reconcile with Alphonse, watching you laugh with Count Kraus... that mattered to ."
He fell silent.
"If you had left behind and gone without ," Elena said quietly, "I would have been much sadder."
Damian’s eyes softened.
"...I never ant to make you feel that way," he said. "
Elena blinked, surprised.
"Really?"
"Of course."
At those words Elena let out small smile.
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