Snuggling in Bed!

(Katarina’s POV)

It hurts… It hurts… It hurts…

My heart felt like it was being sliced by a thousand knives, torn by sharp claws, twisted and crushed.

The pain never stopped; even breathing became a luxury.

I don’t want to lose her. I don’t want her to leave me.

Clutching Ailena’s hand, my body trembled uncontrollably.

A sense of powerlessness seeped into my blood like ice water, leaving my entire body stiff and cold.

This was the first time I knew that a person’s hand could be so cold.

This was also the first time I knew that a person’s heart could ache so much, a pain that pierced my very marrow.

…No, perhaps this wasn’t the first time.

This feeling was somehow familiar.

I couldn’t say why. In my memory, no one close to me had ever left, yet I truly had this feeling.

…It was the same with Ailena.

The more time I spent with her, the more familiar she felt.

Though it had only been a short six months, it felt as if we had already known each other for over a decade.

I couldn’t understand it.

But more important than any of that… was Ailena waking up.

“The cause of the illness is unknown. At least, with current medical techniques, it is completely undetectable… If the root cause cannot be found, then even I am powerless.”

There it was again, that feeling of powerlessness.

My hands and feet turned to ice.

How utterly frail I was.

In a single night, the two people most important to me were both harmed by a demon, and my mother’s condition had even reached an irreversible point.

And yet I had noticed nothing, only barely realizing what happened after it was all over.

How weak! How pathetic!

“That is because you have no power.”

My swordsmanship teacher’s words suddenly echoed in my ears.

That’s right… I am too weak.

Without power, I cannot protect anyone.

Always being the one who is protected will only lead to more of my important people getting hurt.

‘I must become stronger…’

Regrettably, I have no talent for magic… The only thing that can become my strength is the sword in my hand.

Even though it is unheard of for a noble lady to learn swordsmanship, even though it will consume a great deal of my energy and time, even though it means I must sacrifice the last moments I have with my mother…

To protect the many important people in my life, I must harden my heart and forsake this precious final time.

My mother’s withered face replayed in my mind.

Countless times I wanted to throw down my sword and run straight to her room… but I crushed that impulse, time and time again.

—So that I would not have to feel regret ever again.

He walked further and further away.

No matter how I chased him, I could not close the distance between us.

In the end, all that was left was a rough and cold hand.

“Don’t leave me, ■■!”

I shot up, my right hand half-raised in the air, as if trying to grasp something.

A cold sweat had soaked through my entire body, drenching my cute pajamas.

‘Was I having a nightmare?’

Pressing a hand to my forehead, I tried to recall the dream, but I couldn’t remember a thing.

‘It’s still the middle of the night…’

Looking out the window, the moon hung high in the sky.

Go back to sleep… It seemed I couldn’t fall asleep alone anymore.

My heart felt heavy and stifled.

Just as I was fretting, moonlight spilled onto my bedside.

For some reason, I thought of that silver-haired girl, a year older than me, to whom I felt an unconscious closeness.

In the end, I made up my mind.

Hugging my pillow, I tiptoed and snuck into the room next door.

…You ask how I got into the room next door? As the young lady of a ducal house, is it strange for me to have a key that can open most of the doors in the estate?

I smoothly unlocked the door, and her beautiful face came into view.

She was already a very beautiful girl, but bathed in the moonlight, she appeared even more sacred and pure.

…I couldn’t look away.

I quietly slipped into her quilt.

When I looked at her face again, we were only a few inches apart.

Perhaps she was too exhausted from a long day to open her eyes, or perhaps she was simply a heavy sleeper… In any case, she did not notice my infiltration.

In her sleep, her small mouth was slightly parted.

With every breath, her cherry-colored lips trembled, making one’s heart itch just looking at them.

For some reason, every time I saw her like this, I felt a strange impulse.

…Then again, it wasn’t that strange. Her charms have grown immensely lately.

My gaze shifted downward, where I could clearly see the distinct rise and fall beneath her thin nightgown.

‘At least a B… no, it must be a C cup, right?’

I looked down at my own chest, which was completely flat, and was suddenly struck by a sense of emptiness.

We’re only a year apart, why is the gap between the rich and the poor so vast?

‘…I really want to squeeze them to vent my frustration.’

‘No… I must overcome this impulse, or Ailena will definitely hate me…’

‘…Wait a minute.’

‘Ailena is fast asleep right now… which means, no matter what I do, she won’t find out, right?’

I once again studied her sleeping face.

The dark parting of her small mouth was like a black hole, sucking my gaze in completely.

“Gulp…”

My mouth was dry, and I couldn’t help but swallow.

‘Should I do it?’

‘No, no, no…’

My thoughts seemed to split into two little figures, one an angel and one a devil.

One was desperately trying to persuade me against it, while the other was desperately trying to tempt me.

“You can’t do that! Ailena will definitely hate you for it! She might distance herself from you in the future!”

“She won’t necessarily find out if you do it now, right? Besides, an opportunity like this might never come again!”

Both sides had a point…

“Mmm…”

Just as I was hesitating, Ailena suddenly let out a low hum.

“…!”

‘Did I wake her up!?’

I quickly scrambled to the edge of the bed, not daring to even breathe.

However…

“Mrow~”

Ailena just rolled over.

“Haaah…”

My heart, which had been in my throat, finally settled back down.

Unfortunately, she had turned to face the wall, so I could no longer see her lips.

‘Well then… I’ll do this.’

I quietly got up and brushed aside the strands of hair scattered across her face.

I seized the opportunity and quickly went for it!

“Chu.“

Although it was just a little peck like a bird, my chest felt like a little deer was trapped inside, jumping nonstop.

Thump-thump… thump-thump…

Ailena didn’t move. It seemed she hadn’t noticed…

I breathed a sigh of relief, while also feeling a tiny bit disappointed.

But…

Gazing at the mark I’d left on Ailena’s face, I broke into a satisfied smile.

Then I slipped back into the quilt, inhaling the fresh scent of Ailena’s hair, and peacefully fell asleep.

I snuck back before Ailena woke up.

Fortunately, Ailena didn’t seem to have discovered that I had secretly entered her room last night.

‘In that case… maybe tonight I’ll…’

“Lady Katarina, you seem to be in good spirits today. Did something good happen?”

“I do?”

After hearing Knight Captain Eric’s words, I touched my own face.

“Haha, you don’t have to keep such a straight face. A smile suits you better.”

After a pause, Knight Captain Eric continued:

“Before, it was probably because of the Duchess’s situation that you always had such a solemn expression… I’m very relieved to see you looking more cheerful now.”

“…Is my expression that easy to read?”

The captain didn’t speak, only raising an eyebrow.

His noncommittal attitude made me even more nervous.

‘…If my expression is really that obvious, could Ailena have seen right through me?’

“Lady Katarina!”

‘…Am I hearing things? Why do I hear Ailena’s voice?’

I followed the sound, and when I looked, I got a shock.

“Ailena!?”

Ailena was lifting the hem of her heavy maid dress, running toward me at full speed.

“Shouldn’t you be working at the mansion at this hour?”

“That doesn’t matter right now… More importantly, Young Miss, I have a very important question to ask you!”

Her expression was grave, as if she had something very important to ask.

My heart began to pound wildly.

‘Could it be… that she found out I snuck into her bed last night?’