✿𝐏𝐀𝐑𝐓 𝐈✿
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Asdion set his teacup down on the table with unconcealed irritation. The cup clattered against the saucer, threatening to shatter.
Sniffling, I sluggishly extended my hand from beneath the blanket to pick up my cup. Steam rose from the yellowish liquid. I poked my face out slightly from between the blankets to savor the aroma, took a quick gulp, then set it back down. As I turned down the corners of my mouth, Asmil, sitting across from me, spoke with an amused tone.
"So you're not going back?"
"…No."
I was currently cocooned in blankets, hiding out in Asmil's hideout. I'd left the Barthes duchy in anger at Karhan, but with nowhere else to go, I ended up flying around before finally coming here.
When I transformed back naked, Asdion thankfully threw me a blanket. Upon seeing my bare body, Asdion's face twisted as if he'd spotted vomit on the street.
Resting his chin in his hand, Asmil looked me up and down in my blanket cocoon state. His gaze moved languidly before fixing on my head. I subtly tightened my grip on the blanket and wrapped it more securely around my head. Asmil's lips curved into a deep smile as his eyes narrowed to slits.
"Can't I see too?"
"No!"
I squeezed my eyes shut and cried out. Though we weren't particularly close, the reason I was entrusting myself to Asmil's hideout was because of what had happened just hours ago.
On what had been a peaceful day, feathers started gradually falling from my bird form. At first I didn't think much of it, but the feather loss grew worse over time. I simply thought it was molting season, but it wasn't something to be taken so lightly.
With a growing sense of unease, I looked down at my reflection in the mirror to find my crown completely bare. My mind went blank for a moment. I stared blankly at the mirror, holding my breath, before reality sank in. My breathing grew rapid and my hands started trembling.
Me, going bald?
Though I wasn't human but rather a bird-folk, this was a matter of personal dignity. Devastated by the revelation of hair loss, I spent all day in bed wrapped in blankets like a cocoon.
When I stayed in my room all day covered in blankets, Karhan, who had heard about it, came to my room early in the evening. When I didn't turn around at the sound of the door opening, he approached and sat at the edge of the bed, quietly watching me.
I peeked just my head out from under the blankets to look at Karhan. As I blinked silently, Karhan slowly reached out to grab the blanket.Gasp!I inhaled sharply and yanked the blanket hard.
"No!"
Seeing him about to pull it off, I cried out desperately. I couldn't show him such an unsightly appearance.Going bald… I never thought this day would come in my life.My heart pounded frantically. Karhan furrowed his brows, likely hearing my racing heartbeat with his sensitive hearing.
"Are you ill?"
My hair is what's sick…
Unable to answer, I just hung my head with a pitiful expression. When I started sniffling loudly, he seemed worried about my condition. Karhan's strong hands began unwrapping my blanket cocoon.
"I said no!"
Seeing me act so unusually, Karhan grabbed the blanket more firmly with an increasingly concerned expression. Not wanting to yield, I also gripped the blanket tightly. The poor blanket stretched taut between us. I glared at Karhan with fierce eyes.
"Don't."
"You don't need to hide it."
"This is about my dignity."
I warned him to stop while wrinkling my nose bridge. Karhan gave me an odd look, then took advantage of my momentary distraction to spread the cocoon wide open. My hands, which had been trying so hard from the inside, were swept away like sand before waves and the blanket flew open.
Huff, huff, harsh breaths escaped me. Moisture gradually welled up in my eyes until heavy drops formed at the corners and rolled down.
I could feel Karhan's gaze, higher than my eye level, naturally moving toward my crown. Shocked, I froze like a statue, not even thinking to cover it.
"…I hate you!"
I told you not to! I said no! Why didn't you listen to me!I reached out and quickly pushed against Karhan's chest as he sat right in front of me. Though he clearly wasn't one to be moved by my strength, Karhan backed away willingly, seeming to know he was in the wrong.
With tearful eyes, I transformed into a bird. Not just my head, but my whole body was losing feathers, making me feel colder than usual. In my current miserable state, I didn't want to see Karhan. I roughly flapped my wings like a great eagle and flew outside.
After wandering aimlessly, I ended up at Asmil's hideout. Finding the situation amusing, he didn't chase me away. Glancing up, I saw Asdion standing stiffly behind Asmil, glaring at me with stern eyes. Though he still disliked me, he refrained from doing anything, perhaps because of Asmil.
Does he hate me that much? Though Asdion was the one who had wronged me, I was always the one avoiding him. Too timid to engage in any tension with Asdion, I lowered my gaze. As I sat with my head down, thoroughly wrapped in blankets, I started feeling drowsy.
"Can I sleep here tonight?"
"Who said you could—"
"Sure. Asdion, would you prepare a room?"
"Yes, understood."
I'm pretty sure he was about to say 'who said you could.'But Asdion, Asmil's devoted servant, bowed deeply and brushed past me on his way to a distant room. Watching him enter the room far away, I asked Asmil:
"Are you two close now?"
"We always were."
He smiled warmly while touching his teacup.
What does he mean they were always close? I almost died because of their lover's quarrel. My chest still aches remembering getting shot. But thinking of how Asmil suffered for my sake these past two years, I couldn't say anything. His still-shining pink eyes were proof of that.
"So, how long are you planning to stay?"
"How long?"
"Were you planning to go back after just one day?"
Asmil's eyebrows quirked upward.
"If you give in so easily after your first fight, you'll end up under his thumb forever."
Asmil's voice lilted upward, either trying to provoke me or tease. Looking at his expression, it was full of amusement. His lips curved up and his eyes crinkled mischievously, creating plump folds.
Though I could see he was up to something, Asmil's words made sense when I thought about it. This was our first fight since dating, and it probably shouldn't be resolved so easily. Especially since Karhan was in the wrong this time.
I should use this opportunity to teach Karhan a good lesson. Make him learn to listen to what I say properly. I nodded and looked at Asmil.
"Can I stay for a few days?"
"As you wish."
Asmil leaned forward and propped his chin on the table. His pink eyes glinted sharply between his narrowed lids.
I looked down at my teacup. My solemn expression reflected in the rippling tea surface.Alright. Then I'll sleep as much as I can before going back.
…And so I left the hideout after sleeping for two days.
Not seeing each other for two days should have given Karhan plenty of time to reflect, right? Maybe it was because I hadn't seen that handsome face for so long, but there was a heaviness in one corner of my heart.
With Asmil's kind send-off, I took to the skies. The cool breeze flowed through my sparse feathers. I wonder if wigs exist in this world? When I get back to the mansion, I should look into getting a wig first.
Riding the wind, I arrived at the mansion and rolled through a slightly open window. The room was quite dark with not a single light on. As I transformed into human form and walked lightly toward the bed, I startled and jumped when I saw a large dark figure standing in the corner.
"G-goodness, you scared me…"
I thought no one was here since it was so quiet. Why are you standing in the corner with the lights off? My startled heart thumped wildly. I carefully pulled out a blanket and wrapped it around my whole body.
His silver-gray eyes gleamed sharply each time they closed and opened in the darkness.Is he angry…? No, what right does he have to be angry after seeing my bald spot without permission?
Thinking I needed to be firm this time, I turned my back on Karhan and sat on the bed. It was quite cumbersome to sit with the thick padding of blankets around me. As I quickly steadied my wobbling body, I heard footsteps approaching with large strides, cutting through the chilly silence. I gulped and kept staring down at my pillow.
When Karhan sat on the bed right next to me, the mattress sank deeply. I nearly fell backward but managed to maintain my balance. When I still wouldn't turn around, Karhan reached out first and embraced me.
His long arms wrapped around me from behind, holding me completely still. His pointed chin rested on my shoulder, tickling me. I felt his hot breath on my ear as he drew close.
The arms restraining me pulled me even tighter. Despite my rigidly straightened back, I had no choice but to lean back into Karhan's embrace. Karhan let out a deep sigh and spoke.
"Where did you go?"
"…Just went out for some fresh air."
Perhaps because I'd been gone for the long time of two days, Karhan's voice lacked energy. My heart started to soften despite myself, so I gently bit my lip. I can't forgive him for seeing my bald spot without permission.
I pressed my lips together firmly and asked Karhan in a stern voice:
"Did you reflect a lot?"
Perhaps because of my scary voice, Karhan's breath trembled slightly. The arm muscles holding me tensed and hardened, and I heard hesitant breathing by my ear. After opening and closing his mouth several times, he finally let out a deep sigh.
"Yes… I'm sorry for forcing you to show me."
"I'm not someone who forgives easily."
When I spoke in a firm voice, Karhan gently nuzzled his head against my shoulder. He somehow reminded me of a large dog.
"What must I do to receive your forgiveness?"
"Uh…"
I hadn't thought that far ahead. My eyes widened at the sudden question. What should I make him do? What would both maintain my dignity and make Karhan reflect? As I rolled my eyes around thoughtfully considering it carefully, I suddenly remembered a scene that always appears in dramas. The corners of my mouth twitched upward.
"Wash my feet."
"Feet?"
"Yes. You know, like washing feet in a big basin and such."
I remembered seeing loving couples do that in dramas when I lived at my aunt's house. The scene of them soaking their feet in a large basin and washing each other's feet stuck with me. They would gaze at each other with loving eyes in that state – it looked so warm and tender.
Just imagining it made my heart flutter, and I squeezed the blanket wrapped around me tightly. Karhan stared intently at me like that before nodding his head.
In an instant, a servant brought in a basin filled with warm water. Only after the servant left did Karhan kneel down. Looking up at me from below, he smiled subtly while rolling up his sleeves and reaching out his hand.
With my heart fluttering wildly, I cautiously extended my feet from within my tightly wrapped blanket. His large hands gently held my foot and slowly dipped it in the water, testing if it might be too hot. My heart felt like it would leap out of my mouth, making me bite my lower lip hard.
While softly holding and pressing my foot, Karhan asked:
"Is this what you wanted to do?"
"Mm-hmm."
My voice trembled with embarrassment. Not wanting to reveal how much I was shaking, I deliberately kept my response short. With his head bowed while washing my feet, I couldn't see what expression he was making.
"I can do this for you anytime."
"Really?"
"Yes, Seol, if that's what you want."
"Then can you do it for me every single day?"
I asked with an unknowingly bright voice, filled with joy. Perhaps because of my excited tone, I heard Karhan's soft laughter along with the splashing water. Feeling embarrassed, I cleared my throat with ahem hem.
After finishing one foot, Karhan carefully soaked the other in water. Along with the splashing sounds, he spoke:
"Don't worry about your head. Once the molting is over, it will grow back quickly."
"Molting… right?"
What if it's actually balding? When I asked with round eyes, Karhan shook his head.
"Many animals molt during this season. Bird-folk are no different."
I see… So this is happening because I'm bird-folk. Wait a minute. Then why didn't Asmil and Asdion tell me about this? Asdion is bird-folk, and Asmil has lived long enough to know such basic information.
I frowned deeply and lowered my head.Asdion wouldn't have told me since he dislikes me, and Asmil probably… most likely didn't tell me because he found it amusing. Those jerks. Did they enjoy seeing me wrapped in despair that much?
As I was letting out sharp breaths, Karhan stopped washing my feet. After maintaining silence for a moment, he spoke:
"Have you forgiven me?"
If it's just temporary molting and not balding… then it's not such a big deal. I slowly nodded and answered:
"…Yes."
When I answered softly, I heard Karhan's amused breathing by my ear. As if forgetting about washing, he remained kneeling while continuing to fiddle with my foot. His touch was strangely ticklish, making my toes wiggle. When I tried to pull back slightly, his large hands wouldn't let go.
"I'm glad you're no longer angry."
Somehow Karhan's voice sounded bitter. I swallowed hard while gripping the blanket tighter. Karhan still wouldn't look at me, keeping his head down.
"Where did you go for those two days?"
"Um… a friend's place…?"
"Which friend?"
Somehow it felt like Karhan was interrogating me. I hesitated slightly, lips quivering, wondering if I should tell the truth or not. Thinking I shouldn't be too open with Karhan about everything since I need my own privacy, I pressed my lips firmly shut.
When I didn't answer, Karhan's hands stopped moving. There was a squeaking sound as skin shifted sideways. As a heavy silence flowed between us, Karhan asked in an even lower voice than usual:
"After waiting those two days without a word from you, do you have nothing to say?"
My hands involuntarily tightened on the blanket. I could guess what words Karhan wanted from me, but my lips wouldn't open. I stubbornly turned my head to the side.
"No."
"No?"
Why is he scarily repeating my words? My mouth went dry from tension. Karhan, who had been looking down at my feet, slowly raised his head. One eye narrowed as he examined my face. His expression seemed to ask if I really had nothing to say. I straightened my back firmly and met Karhan's gaze.
As I stared back stubbornly, one corner of Karhan's mouth curved up slightly.
"Very well. You can tell me whenever you think of something to say."
I'm not going to say anything though…?Karhan's tone was full of confidence that he would hear my apology. His expression also looked annoyingly smug. Feeling uneasy, I tried to pull my foot back again, but his large hands wouldn't release me.
"L-let go…"
I unknowingly stuttered. Feeling my voice trembling finely, Karhan smiled faintly, making me blush for no reason. I quickly covered my mouth with my hand and barely managed to steady my wavering gaze.
Karhan, who had been gently stroking the top of my foot with his thumb, quietly spoke:
"There was a time before when you tried to tickle me."
He must be talking about when I went to Asmil with Doel to prepare for the three days of Atlena. With an anxious heart, I slowly nodded while watching his reaction. Contrary to my feelings, the smile on Karhan's lips grew even deeper.
"Seol."
"Yes…?"
"Are you very ticklish?"
Why is he suddenly asking that?Like a goldfish, I opened and closed my mouth before shaking my head. An intense intuition told me I absolutely must not let him know how ticklish I am. But making my feelings futile, the sound of my gulping echoed loudly in our quiet space.
…He heard that, didn't he?
I glanced up at the ceiling while lightly biting my lip. Karhan, watching me from below, pressed his thumb firmly against my sole as if giving a pressure point massage. After pressing soothingly for a moment, he suddenly raised his nail and dragged it upward.
"Eep!"
The ticklish sensation made me slightly bend my knees and curl my toes. Opening my eyes that I had squeezed shut from the sudden sharp sensation, I looked at Karhan to find him wearing a positively devilish smile.
Foreseeing what was about to happen to me, I hurriedly opened my mouth:
"D-don't—eek!"
Karhan was truly a merciless, cold-blooded human. Before I could finish speaking, his fingers displayed dazzling movements. The hand gripping my ankle was like a carnivorous plant with a will of its own. No matter how much I struggled, it wouldn't release my ankle and instead gripped even tighter.
"Hee-eek! Hnng, ugh!"
I can't take anymore!I reached out and grabbed Karhan's well-groomed hair, trying hard to push him away. But it seemed ineffective as Karhan continued tickling my soles with all his might without even frowning.
I wanted to shout "Stop!" but the ticklish sensation rising from my soles sealed my mouth shut. My mouth only burst out with unseemly laughter, forgetting it was meant for speaking. Letting go of Karhan's hair, I grabbed the blanket to cover my face and screamed:
"J-just… hic… a moment… eek!"
My breath not only caught but completely stopped. Only when I was trembling and nearly dying did Karhan finally stop. But his large hands still gripped my ankles, so I couldn't relax.
Breathing heavily from the sweet relief, I slowly said:
"That's not fair! I didn't tickle your feet back then!"
My loud voice was wet with tears. I must have started crying from being unable to endure the tickling. When I sat up and frowned fiercely at Karhan, he gazed at me steadily. Despite my fierce anger, Karhan's silver-gray eyes watched me without wavering.
"Then I should do exactly the same. To be fair."
Perhaps hurt by my calling him unfair, he added those words. Karhan, who had been gripping my thin ankle in one hand, finally released his strength and let me go. Glancing down, I saw red marks had been left behind.
Karhan slowly rose from his seat and reached out to firmly press down on my shoulders. As the soft bed embraced my back, unease crept up from my toes. Karhan naturally climbed on top of me after laying me down, his cool silver-gray eyes gleaming.
Bending down to press his lips against my ear, he quietly spoke:
"Do you still have nothing to say to me?"
Karhan was interrogating me. Tears of fear gradually welled up. I raised my hands to push against Karhan's shoulders, but his heavy body didn't move even a nail's width. His solid arms slowly moved toward my sides.
Karhan was demanding an apology for my leaving without a word and not returning for two days. Though I understood his feelings, perhaps due to my meager pride, my lips wouldn't easily open. My mouth moved hesitantly before firmly closing. At that, the long fingers that had finally reached my sides moved brilliantly.
"Kya-ah!"
I flopped around like a fish on land. A different kind of ticklish sensation from what I felt on my soles now radiated from my ribs. The fingers rubbing intensely against my thin skin scratched hard at the protruding parts before lightly brushing the dips in between.
With the attack coming from both sides and Karhan's solid thighs crushing my body, I had nowhere to escape. Swallowing my breath withkkeuk kkeuksounds while flailing, I finally covered my face with the blanket again. Shamefully, it felt like drool might start dripping from the corners of my mouth.
"Hua, hee… st-op, ah!"
I don't know what's happening on this bed. In my briefly passing vision, I caught Karhan's cool smile. Seeing that face, I became certain that if I didn't surrender here and now, I wouldn't survive.
Barely parting my lips contorted from tickling, I shouted loudly:
"I-hic-'m s-sorry!"
At last, the hands tormenting my sides stopped. I desperately exhaled my held breath. Hot breath filled the blanket covering my face. Judging by the wetness around my mouth, I must have drooled while suffering from the tickling. Covering my face with the blanket had been a genius move.
Karhan's large hands slowly rubbed my wrists. Rising up my skin with gentle touches that didn't hurt, he removed the blanket covering my face. The face I met wore an elegant smile. Narrowed eyes and lips curved in a refreshing line – not a single flaw to be found.
"Explain what you're sorry for."
"Th-that… um… not contacting you for two days?"
"And what else?"
"Um… is there something else…?"
Nervously watching for his fingers to return to my sides, I asked carefully. Finding my wariness amusing, Karhan's body shook with quiet laughter. Then he relaxed completely and fully crushed me beneath him. I could feel his firm, hot muscles squirming.
As I lay with my arms spread helplessly, the fingers lightly holding my wrists gradually moved up to tickle my palms. His warm hands slipped between my fingers to intertwine them.
"In the future, I'd like you to at least leave a message when you go somewhere. I couldn't sleep from worry."
"…Alright. But in return, don't do things I tell you not to do."
"I'm sorry for looking without permission, but I was worried you might be ill."
Karhan lifted his head to look at me. After staring at my face for a moment, he lowered it again to press his lips against my eyelids. The lightchusensation that pulled away was soft.
"It's been quite a while since we last did it."
He murmured quietly while burying his face in my neck and shoulders. When Karhan took a deep breath, I felt his ticklish breath. Without realizing it, I slightly curled my toes and tensed my thighs. Knowing what Karhan meant, my face quickly turned bright red. My ears burned.
"Is now alright?"
"Um… it's fine, but after we wash?"
When I indicated permission, Karhan grabbed my wrist and rose from his seat. As I stood up awkwardly from embarrassment, Karhan swept me up in his arms. Suddenly lifted into the air, I flailed in surprise before reaching out to grab his firm shoulders and bury my face against them.
The bathtub was already filled with warm water, though I didn't know when he'd prepared it. What's this? Did he prepare this before I came here? I looked up at Karhan with suspicious eyes, but he just maintained a subtle smile without saying anything.
Still fully clothed, Karhan held me close and entered the bathtub. The warm water soaked through our clothes, making them heavy. He sat me between his thighs and reached around from behind to make me lean against his chest. Through my small wings, I could feel his warm chest rising and falling with each breath.
After binding me with his strong arms like a seatbelt, his lips lightly bit my shoulder. While squirming, Karhan slowly began undoing his pants ties. Though I wondered what I should do about this creature harboring lecherous thoughts, I wasn't exactly thinking differently myself, so I quietly watched before relaxing my body.
It seems we might have an encounter before actually washing.
Arthur and I, now what people commonly call "best friends," sat side by side in the outer garden, chatting intimately. Afraid that Karhan might hear with his abilities, I pressed my lips close to Arthur's ear and whispered in a voice as tiny as an ant's footsteps.
"Show me quickly."
"Wait a moment."
At my urging, Arthur slightly raised the corners of his mouth while fumbling in his pocket to pull out a small box. Though it seemed no bigger than my palm, I could tell that what was inside cost more than what several of me could afford.
When he pressed the lock on the front, the box split open sideways with aclick, revealing its contents.
"Wow… it's so sparkly. It's really beautiful…"
"Hmph. Do you know how hard it was to get this? The craftsman was incredibly picky, and even making an appointment was difficult."
"Wow…"
Only sounds of admiration kept coming from my mouth. What emerged from the small box was an accessory like a brooch meant to be worn on a jacket lapel. It was a silver deer that would match perfectly with Karhan's silver-gray eyes, with blue gems set in the deer's sharp eyes.
"It's really beautiful…"
"Quick, show me yours too."
At Arthur's words, I gently lowered my head to look at my hands under the table. There lay a small box. Though similar in size to Arthur's, its contents were incomparably shabby.
After much hesitation, I placed the gift box on the table with uncertain movements, very slowly. Then I carefully untied the ribbon around the box and lifted the lid.
"…What is this?"
Looking somewhat taken aback, Arthur quietly examined my item before asking in a voice full of doubt. After silently observing for a moment, he picked up the bracelet inside the box and examined it from various angles.
"Is it really weird…?"
I asked carefully while watching his reaction. Arthur's eyebrows curved as he contemplated his answer before speaking.
"No, it's not weird, just… hey, did someone scam you? Who made this? How much did you pay?"
At Arthur's words about being scammed, my shoulders slumped. My head, already looking down at the table, dropped even lower. Perhaps because of my demeanor, Arthur's expression grew serious. His heavy hand hesitated before landing on my shoulder.
"Don't worry and just tell me. I've grown up a lot now, so I can easily catch scammers like this."
Arthur's words stabbed my heart like daggers. I steadied my trembling lips and carefully said:
"I'm… I'm the scammer."
That bracelet that Arthur was carelessly dangling with his index finger was actually Karhan's birthday present that I had made by hand. Arthur and I had promised to meet the day before Karhan's birthday. That promised day was today, and my birthday present was in this sorry state.
Seeing my utterly dejected expression, Arthur, who had blurted out the harsh words about scammers, started to panic. He carefully gathered the bracelet he had been holding carelessly in both hands and placed it in the box, making sure not to scratch it. Then, moving his hands frantically, he spoke in a high voice:
"The more I look at it, it's actually quite charming and cool! Like, this leather, the scratches kind of make it look stylish…!"
"Those happened when I accidentally dropped it…"
"O-oh, really?"
Arthur's attempts at comfort only made me feel more miserable. Though it looked like that on the outside, the materials themselves were actually quite expensive. Without accepting any financial help from Karhan, I had prepared good materials with wages earned from helping other servants, but what came after was the problem.
When I visited a craftsman famous among nobles, the price was absurdly high. When I asked if he could give me a special discount, the craftsman coldly shook his head. I could only stand there blankly holding the thick leather strap and beautifully shining yellow gem. Despite my thorough preparation, the fact that I couldn't complete it left me at a loss for what to do.
Perhaps seeing how pitiful I looked, the craftsman looked me up and down before saying he would let me use his tools if I paid a small fee. At those words, I eagerly handed over the money and struggled to make it with my clumsy skills, knowing nothing. Of course, I was only able to complete it because the craftsman's apprentices taught me how to use the tools and stayed by my side to help prevent any accidents.
That's how this flimsy bracelet came to be. The once-beautiful gem was scratched all over, its luster dulled, and the joints were clumsily pressed here and there. It was no wonder Arthur called it a scam. Holding back a deep sigh that threatened to escape, I asked:
"Does it look really strange?"
"No, no! It's fine! If I were brother, I'd be really happy!"
"Really?"
"Yes!"
It was a lie. Arthur wasn't the type who could say things he didn't mean. The corners of his mouth were quivering, and his eyebrows were moving up and down violently. These were the side effects of his effort to maintain a bright expression.
I closed the box lid again and tied the ribbon prettily. I tucked it against my chest to hide it and stood up.
"I'll go first…"
I said goodbye in a lifeless voice and left the garden. I could sense Arthur's restless, busy movements behind me, but I had no energy to worry about him. I had no strength left, thinking that this gift in my arms wouldn't satisfy Karhan.
"I should have just borrowed money from Asmil."
Hing.I let out a pitiful cry. The reason I hadn't borrowed money from Asmil was because I didn't know what he might say later. Though he had become somewhat kinder after cleaning up the mess Asdion had made, his temperament remained the same. He might have demanded interest higher than a loan shark if I borrowed money from him. That's how wicked and vicious he still was.
"Should I go for quantity instead?"
Returning to my room, I searched through all my drawers. What came out were the beautiful accessories and jewels Karhan had given me, along with a very small amount of money that remained.
If I sold all these accessories, I could probably give Karhan something flashy and expensive instead of this shabby-looking gift. But doing that…
"I can't do this."
I hated it.
In the duke's mansion overflowing with expensive items, no one would notice if a few jewels like these disappeared. Even the clever Karhan probably wouldn't remember these properly. But even so, I couldn't sell them.
While these jewels might be worthless to Karhan as a duke, they held different weight for me. If they had been given by strangers that would be one thing, but I couldn't part with a single gift that Karhan had given me. They were all mine.
After carefully examining the jewels, I pushed them aside. What remained was only enough money to fit in one hand. This money couldn't buy gems and could only afford small accessories sold in the town market.
For a birthday present, giving something like that wouldn't be right, would it?
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