“Are you saying it looked human… except for the eyes?” Aden tilted his head slightly.
“Yes, it may be difficult to understand, but…” Ilyin said softly and paused for a moment as if gathering his thoughts, “Maybe I saw it wrong when I woke up from the dream.”
“No, I believe you,” Aden said immediately.
'How could I not believe you?' Aden couldn't help but think as he brushed away the few strands of hair from Ilyin's cheek.
“Still, believing something without evidence…” Ilyin shook his head.
“The only time I need proof is when you’re trying to trick me,” Aden said, “and you don’t have a reason to trick me, do you?” Aden hit Ilyin's forehead playfully while Ilyin laughed.
“Of course not, but you always believe in me no matter what and I feel uncomfortable because if I'm wrong,” Ilyin murmured as he avoided Aden's softened gaze.
“It’s okay,” he smiled gently, “I believe in you, so you should do the same.”
Aden's kiss of desire landed on her pointy nose.
"I don't think I'll be able to survive the endless winter here without you.
What about you, Ilyin?" Aden asked before leaving, his question barely a whisper, Ilyin ignored the butterflies in his stomach as he looked into his searching eyes.
"Me too."
***
Master Aden of Biflten accompanied by the Delrose knights set out for the territory of Elo.
As he practically left almost when he returned, the people in the mansion were amazed at their master's miraculous endurance.
“And I heard that the Grand Master of Delrose can’t make it this time?”
“Right.”
It was the maids from other families talking to each other.
“I heard he got hurt on the way back with madam.”
"As?"
“He brought her back during the April storm.”
Mille's maid's eyes widened, "Oh my God, from the hot region to here?"
“Didn’t you see when the madam came back?”
“It wasn’t my turn…”
Ilyin couldn't help but feel that the gossip in the mansion was getting a little out of control.
“How dare they in Delrose territory.”
They were on the fifth floor when Etra was about to interrupt the gossiping maids in displeasure and Ilyin raised his hand to stop her.
As Etra was about to protest, Ilyin silently placed a finger on her hand as an indication that they should listen a little longer.
“So, what about the knights when we went together?”
“What about the master?”
The maids heard that the Grand Master of Delrose had stayed behind to protect the mansion while the master took some knights and staffs from Delrose and went to the hot region with the madam.
The maids shared the rumors they heard, trying to find out the truth.
“I heard that the Grand Master went to escort the madam.”
“Wow, with this cold?”
The maid's voice became very low, "That's why he had a fever afterwards.
Master was apparently very angry."
“Was that the reason he was paroled near the knight training ground?”
"I don't know."
How would they know about Delrose's case?
The Mille maids who were chatting slowly dispersed.
Ilyin, after hearing everything, waved to Etra, it was a signal to go to the seventh floor.
“It seemed like there were no strange rumors, thankfully.” Ilyin spoke as they returned to the seventh floor, a territory completely belonging to Delrose and Etra nodded curtly.
“Sir Adith is handling the rumors at the mansion,” she reported.
Oh.
Of course, rumors spread like wildfire if left unchecked and they must be nipped in the bud.
“Still, the atmosphere is quite turbulent,” commented Ilyin.
“It’s probably to distract from the Elo situation,” Etra said thoughtfully.
Ilyin nodded slowly: “It seems that there are almost no Elo people in the mansion.”
Anyone could tell which house the people in the mansion belonged to by the color of their clothes and accessories.
The sea of Elos yellow, Milles green and Blue North blue usually swarming around the mansion could not be found now and only Elo's maids were seen from time to time and even they looked worried.
"Yes.
I heard that everyone has returned to Elo's fortress," Etra replied as she prepared tea for Ilyin, whose body she noticed was a little cold.
As she brought tea leaves, the Delrose maids placed a kettle of hot water near Ilyin.
They were the maids who accompanied her to the hot region.
Normally, they would have disappeared after getting out of the water, but they spoke after a bit of hesitation.
“The Elo fortress is in two places.”
"Yes.
The place with the wall and the hidden place."
Etra, who returned with tea leaves, gave them a cold glare for interrupting their conversation making the two maids flinch.
“Etra,” Ilyin said calmly.
Etra once told Ilyin that she was worried that Delrose's maids would despise Ilyin if she continued fraternizing with them, but Ilyin, who lived in the Viscount mansion, knew just by looking into their eyes that they had no ill intentions and were filled with innocent curiosity.
“But madam-” Etra began, but was interrupted by Ilyin.
"That's good.
Are you bored?" Ilyin asked the two maids with a gentle smile.
The two maids looked at each other at Ilyin's words and quickly nodded, Ilyin picked up chairs for them personally.
“Sit down and talk.”
She also grabbed a chair for Etra, but Etra panicked and quickly moved to grab it for herself:
“I’ll do it, ma’am.”