# 40
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Hearing the sound of birds chirping, Devrin's eyelashes twitched. Soon his beautiful blue eyes, as clear as the sea, gradually revealed themves.
There was a different smell in the bed. He looked more comfortable and warmer. Realizing that he was not in his bedroom, Defrin opened his eyes fully.
He was lying on a canopy bed. Startled, he quickly sat up.
He soon realized. This was Evelyn's bedroom. But the room owner was nowhere to be found.
“What's going on...?”
He remembered that he drank a lot yesterday. He drank a lot because he was in a good mood for the first time in a while. He usually didn't enjoy conversations at the dining table, thinking they were noise, but yesterday it wasn't like noise at all.
No…seeing Evelin and his father talking made him feel cheerful. A warm feeling spread from his chest and spread throughout his entire body.
It wasn't simply because Evelin was loved by his father. This was not the case because his father adored his wife.
He simply loved seeing the two blend together so naturally. He felt as if even he, sitting next to them, was cloy connected to them.
He continued to drink, using the voices of Evelyn and his father as accompaniment.
“…I don’t even remember how many glasses I drank.”
But something was strange. With the amount he drank, he should have had to insert several headache pills down his throat to ease the pain, yet he felt refreshed and his mind was clear as if he had had a good night's sleep.
Moreover, he felt as if a sweet smell remained in his mouth, as if he had eaten some sweet fruit.
“Did I eat some fruit in my dream?”
Devrin made a ridiculous guess and traced his memories from yesterday.
In his memories, he saw Evelin's flushed face vaguely. Her excited breathing, her restless movements, and her slightly furrowed eyebrows.
He slowly moved his eyes to look at his fingers. There was a light pink cream on his thumb. Suddenly, memories flowed like a waterfall.
As the vivid memory of Sharing Breath returned, his body temperature rose in an instant.
But soon he also remembered a conversation he didn't want to remember.
“Were you planning to end the Duchy of Yeonuk?”
“Who said he wouldn't touch me and that we would use separate rooms?”
“…An heir is a different matter.”
Dyffrin covered his face with his hand.
...What an idiot.
Defrin rarely felt sorry for himf. He apparently muttered something and ended up kissing her.
He had felt the need to kiss Evelin over the past few days, but he never expected that he would actually do it.
This was the result of anxiety and anticipation.
When he looked at Evelin, a part of his heart shook anxiously, like a sailboat floating on crashing waves.
He compared it to a canary in a cage that might fly away into the sky, but that was not an accurate expression. She wasn't trapped in a cage. She can leave whenever she wants.
Unlike before, the energetic Evelin easily won people over to her side and handled everything smoothly.
So, even outside Leonok's fence, you will live a good enough life.
But recently, he had a little hope. As he tried to be gentler, Evelin's face began to show more smiles. His smile was a little different than before. He felt like she was really enjoying herf.
Moreover, the maid’s words that Evelin was happy when he treated her kindly served as an incentive.
...But he ended up kissing her.
A combination of confusing emotions and curiosity about what those soft, tender lips might feel like led to the incident yesterday.
He seemed to be talking nonsense about wanting her to stay by his side and not leave.
These were his true, undeniable feelings. For some reason, he felt that only by having Evelin by his side could he maintain peace of mind.
But at least the current Dyffryn wanted to strangle himf. To kiss her hard like that.
How could he face Evelin now?
Hoo. Devrin let out a deep sigh but found solace in the fact that Evelin had not rejected him yesterday.
Knock, knock.
At that moment, there was a knock on the door.
“Sir, if you are awake, please come downstairs. Breakfast is ready.”
Devrin washed his face with his hands and got out of the bed covered with pink canopies.
* * *
Evelyn left the still unconscious Dyffrin in bed and went downstairs alone to help the maids prepare breakfast.
Since one of the elders of the house was still staying in the mansion, she couldn't afford to sleep with Devrin.
Everyone drank too much yesterday, so it was best to prepare a refreshing soup for the headache, but unfortunately, such a dish did not exist in this world.
Instead, I had them prepare a light seafood soup for a refreshing taste. And some soda with lemon. Combined with some simple muffins, it should be enough for breakfast.
When the table was almost set, Dyffryn appeared.
When she saw him, Evelin remembered yesterday's events. The memory of their hot breath made her ears burn in an instant.
'He was quite drunk yesterday, but he should remember, right?'
The thought that they knew what happened yesterday made Evelin's voice stiffen as if she had swallowed sand.
“How do you feel...?”
"Perfectly fine. And you?"
“...I'm fine too.”
An awkward conversation ensued.
She was so embarrassed that it felt like a cold wind was blowing between them. If someone passed by, they might mistake it for the South Pole.
At that moment, Dunswell entered the dining room, grimacing with a hangover.
“Ah… my head still hurts.”
said Dunswell, looking at Evelyn and Dyffryn who were standing awkwardly.
“Why are you standing there? Sit down.”
Evelyn and Dyffrin sat up late. Sensing the strange atmosphere, Dunswell emptied his glass of water and asked,
“…Did something happen yesterday?”
“Of course not. Nothing happened.”
Since Dyffrin didn't answer, Evelin stepped in to answer.
Dunswell said he was concerned they had gotten into an argument after he first left the room.
Fortunately, as I started a simple conversation, the icy atmosphere began to melt.
Differin picked up a spoon and asked Dunswell,
“Dad, are you leaving for the estate this afternoon?”
“I would like to stay a few more days to see what decision the Equestrian Competition Association will make, but there are many matters to be resolved, so I must return to the property soon.”
“I understand.”
Dunswell stared at Dyffryn's indifferent reply.
“You never said you'd miss me, even as a courtesy.”
“Didn't you say you were busy? Asking you to stay would only be a burden.”
Dunswell clicked his tongue inside. He was upset by Defrin's calm demeanor, but he also blamed himf for raising him this way.
In fact, he felt guilty. If Chloe had been alive, and if he had taken care of Devrin when he was young, he wouldn't have grown up so cold.
Dunswell turned his gaze to Evelyn. The f-blame and complexity in his eyes quickly subsided.
If there was one big gain from this visit, it was his beautiful daughter-in-law.
'It was right for me to judge her myf.'
The difference between what he heard from Amelia and reality was like night and day. Contrary to what he was told, what a smart and wise daughter-in-law!
However, Dunswell understood Amelia.
Perhaps Amelia had some prejudice against Evelyn. She must have been disappointed because Devrin's marriage prospects were not what she had hoped.
'Of course… I have to ask about the crab soup incident.'
With this thought, Dunswell finished his meal.
After preparing to leave, Dunswell climbed into the carriage with his servants.
“Differin, take care.”
“Travel safely.”
Dunswell exchanged a dry farewell with Dyffryn and then turned his attention to Evelyn.
“If Devrin bothers you, be sure to tell me. I will reprimand him severely.”
“Then I will have to send you letters every day.”
Evelyn replied with a slight laugh. Dunswell's eyes crinkled with an affectionate smile, as if he were looking at a grown daughter.
“See you next time.”
With those last words, Dunswell left.
The house that had been noisy for days became quiet.
“I have to get ready for work.”
Dyffrin said as he left first. Evelyn didn't try to continue the conversation either.
Talking now will make them squeak like broken machines.
At that moment, Merlin approached Evelyn, who was standing motionless.
“Ma’am, there is a rather strange message addressed to you.”
“Strange message…?”
“Yes. There is no sender’s name on it. But the envelope looks very luxurious...”
Unlike the bewildered Merlin, Evelyn immediately thought of someone.
“Give me the message.”
“Yes, there it is.”
Evelyn left the letter in the bedroom and opened it as soon as Dyffryn left for work.
[To my dear lifesaver.]
Evelyn realized that her guess was correct.
There was only one person who would start a letter with such a strange greeting
Fenris.