Chapter 9

Morning came.

Laila, who had snapped awake, hesitated for a moment, wondering where she was. Then, gradually, she remembered yesterday’s events and turned around with a start.

It seemed that Julius had withdrawn his arms, which had been embracing Laila while he slept, and was now sleeping soundly with his arms folded.

He was sleeping with his face buried in Laila’s neck. Although his skin still looked pale and his eyes were sunken, it seemed he was sleeping well, which brought a sense of relief.

(Insomnia... Has it really been cured?)

When she gently touched his hand, it was warm. For some reason, it felt as if she had shared her warmth with Julius, making her cheeks flush.

At that moment, there was a hesitant knock on the bedroom door.

"Good morning, Master Julius... and Lady Laila."

"Hmm... hmm, uh..."

Reacting to Verneli’s voice, Julius stirred, turned over, and faced away from Laila. It seemed he wanted to keep sleeping, as he buried his head under the blanket to block out Verneli’s voice.

His behavior reminded Laila of a whiny child, and she chuckled. However, Verneli, using a key, entered without hesitation.

Laila quickly sat up and tilted her head when she saw Verneli standing dumbfounded at the door.

"Good morning... Verneli? Is something wrong?"

"...Master Julius is still sleeping."

"Ah, yes. Should I wake him up?"

"N-no, you don’t have to... oh!"

" Hmm... Laila."

It seemed that Julius couldn’t sleep any longer with the conversation happening nearby. He turned back to Laila and opened his eyes groggily.

"Good morning... Is it already morning?"

"Yes. Verneli has come to wake you up."

"... Verneli."

"Yes?"

"... I slept really well."

As soon as Julius, still groggy from sleep, said this, Verneli gasped and wobbled over to the bed, kneeling in front of Laila and Julius.

"R-really...!? How do you feel...?"

"Not bad. In fact, I feel lighter than I have in a long time. I could even fly, if I wanted to."

Laila inwardly thought that flying might not be a good idea, but Verneli’s face showed astonishment, and he groaned.

"... I never thought it would come to this... This Verneli is overjoyed!"

"A-ah...?"

"... Lady Laila. Thanks to you, Master Julius seems to be overcoming his insomnia."

Verneli, who had addressed Laila with a sincere gaze, stood up and bowed deeply.

"Thank you... really."

"Yeah, it’s all thanks to Laila. ...Thank you, Laila."

"Y-yes..."

Being thanked by both men, Laila looked from side to side, feeling a bit flustered.

(To really overcome it... But what does this mean?)

***

Breakfast that morning was served in the living room of the adjacent room, as Julius had requested.

(Ugh... I’m nervous...)

After returning to her room to change, Laila went back to the third floor and saw Julius sitting elegantly with his legs crossed at the opposite seat. She froze on the spot.

Although he was too thin, his height made his legs naturally long and slender. The line from his legs, encased in black slacks, to his narrow waist, and his unexpectedly broad shoulders made her feel incredibly embarrassed.

Julius, who had been drinking tea before Verneli brought breakfast, opened his sunken eyes slightly when he saw Laila.

"... Is that dress the one I gave you?"

"Yes. It was in the closet. ...How does it look?"

Laila twirled the hem of her skirt to show Julius, and her heart was already racing from the early morning.

The dress was made of a light blue fabric, with a simple, flowing design. As it was intended for indoor use, it was naturally simple, but the fabric felt very comfortable against her skin, and the lace at the neckline exuded both elegance and cuteness.

(I wonder if it looks too childish on me...)

With a mix of anxiety and anticipation, Laila waited for Julius’s reaction. After placing his cup down, he looked at her closely and smiled with satisfaction.

"... It suits you very well."

"Thank you!"

"Come, my very delicate fiancée. There’s a cup for you too, let’s have tea together."

"Y-yes..."

Suddenly hearing such sweet words and being complimented, Laila’s heart, which had been floating, started to race with tension and surprise.

(I-I’m surprised... Master Julius says such things so casually...)

Despite his illness, the voice Julius used to call Laila his "very delicate fiancée" was gentle, and his pale cheeks seemed to have a slight flush.

(... If I look closely, the dark circles under his eyes seem a bit lighter than yesterday.)

Following his suggestion, Laila sat down and observed him while drinking tea. Although his complexion and thinness couldn’t change overnight, the effects of a good night’s sleep with Laila were clearly visible.

Soon, Verneli brought a cart with breakfast for both of them.

As Verneli silently served them, breakfast began—

(Amazing... He really is from a noble family!)

Julius’s bony hands elegantly manipulated the cutlery, and even the way he wiped his mouth with a napkin and tore the bread was refined. Laila, as a daughter of the upper class, had learned basic manners, but the son of a noble family was in a different league.

Seeing a perfect example of cutlery use right in front of her, Laila cautiously cut her bacon with a knife. Upon closer inspection, the menu was the same for both Julius and Laila, and most of the portions were the same, but the crispy bacon was more abundant on Julius’s plate. He must like bacon.

"... It’s delicious."

Julius muttered.

Indeed, all the meals Verneli prepared were delicious, so Laila nodded without much thought.

"That’s true. Master Julius, you get to eat such delicious meals every day, don’t you?"

"... Verneli prepares meals that consider my health every day. But it’s been... how many years since I felt breakfast was this delicious?"

Laila’s knife clinked against the plate, but no one scolded her.

Under the gaze of Laila and Verneli, Julius chuckled.

"... For me, the night was a terrifying time, and the morning was a melancholic time. But today, I feel very good, and the food tastes delicious."

"... Is that so..."

"That’s right. ...Hey, Verneli. Do you have any more bacon?"

"... Any more would be too much fat."

"I see... That’s a shame."

Seeing Julius’s visibly disappointed look, Laila noticed Verneli’s green eyes waver slightly.