TMLLT 24

Chapter 24

Can I Ask You Something?

The woman was wearing a bright lemon-colored dress, one side of her mask ribbon undone as she slept.

Roitz sat on the sofa, looking down at her from behind.

Even from here, the scent of wine lingered in the air.

He couldn’t tell who she was.

‘I should call for an attendant to take her back.’

Roitz moistened his lips with a sip of wine and was about to rise from his seat.

But then, the woman lying there slowly opened her eyes.

Green eyes, hidden beneath her lids, were revealed.

There was a certain captivating atmosphere about her—not flashy, but striking.

Her gaze immediately locked onto Roitz.

After scanning her surroundings, her eyes landed back on him.

“Ah.”

Blinking at him, the woman soon sat up.

Roitz’s gaze naturally followed her.

In the moonlit room, her movements were not graceful but casual.

Yet Roitz stood still, wine glass in hand, staring only at her.

Soon, her pale, slender hand touched the back of the sofa.

There was an unreadable emotion in the woman’s eyes as she looked at him.

‘What is it? Why is she looking at me like that?’

Suddenly, she cupped both of Roitz’s cheeks with her hands.

Though her hands were slim and pale, they were slightly rough—perhaps she was someone who trained with weapons.

Roitz, unaccustomed to anyone touching him like that, froze, slightly flustered.

“Wow, you finally showed up.”

Her turquoise-green eyes made it impossible to read her thoughts.

“What… are you doing?”

She stared at him, then broke into a bashful smile.

He hadn’t said anything funny or flattering.

Her left hand reached for Roitz’s mask.

She untied the ribbon, and the mask slid down from his face.

“Let me see your face.”

“Why should I?”

“Because…”

Moonlight bathed her playful smile, and Roitz’s eyes caught it.

“I’ve been looking for you.”

Me? Why?

When he tried to ask, the woman simply snatched the wine glass from his hand.

She didn’t care about his baffled expression and chugged the wine.

Watching her unpredictable actions, Roitz let out a faint laugh.

What baffled him more was that he didn’t feel the urge to stop her.

‘Am I drunk too? Well, I did drink more than usual.’

Roitz reached out for the glass.

Just then, she pulled it back quickly.

With a clink, some wine spilled.

Red wine stained her lemon-colored dress.

The woman looked at the spill and nonchalantly said:

“Who cares? It’s a dream anyway.”

She must have thought she was dreaming.

Maybe that’s why she was acting like this.

Roitz thought about returning her to her party.

“This isn’t a dream.”

“Yes, it is.”

“No, it’s not.”

“I’m telling you, it is.”

Stubborn woman.

As she kept insisting, Roitz gave in with a sigh.

“Fine, let’s say it is.”

Even that was something the usual Roitz would never have done.

He averted his eyes with a tired expression.

The woman reached out and gently touched the corner of his eye with her finger.

It was strange. It was clearly rude, but it didn’t feel that way.

Perhaps it was her eyes—like she had waited for him a long time.

She gazed tenderly at his face and stroked his cheek for a while.

Then her hand moved to the badge on his chest.

“You’re in your fourth year now?”

The small badge on his jacket indicated he was a fourth-year at Yudelln.

She pinched it between her fingers. Roitz instinctively pulled his shoulder back, but—

Rip.

The badge tore off with a soft sound.

“Wow, are you giving this to me?”

She looked at it curiously, holding it between her thumb and index finger.

That wasn’t a gift. It tore off… But she didn’t care.

She dug through her bag that had fallen on the floor.

“This is nice.”

Then she took out her own badge.

“Here. Now it’s fair.”

She pressed it into Roitz’s hand. It indicated she was a first-year at Yudelln.

She looked up at him with mysterious turquoise eyes.

Even Roitz, used to being stared at, felt overwhelmed.

He didn’t think of himself as someone easily swayed.

Yet her gaze was… almost desperate, unwavering.

He was surprised to realize he kept meeting her eyes, almost involuntarily.

Who is she? What did she mean by looking for me?

“Who exactly are you?”

At his question, she tilted her head with a knowing “Ah,” and replied:

“Just someone passing by.”

“You didn’t just pass by. You even took my badge.”

Roitz motioned toward the badge with his chin.

Whether she heard him or not, she smiled and kept examining his features.

Then she said:

“Let me give you some advice.”

Advice?

Roitz raised a brow as if to say, “Let’s hear it.”

She smiled faintly with a tinge of sadness and said:

“If you ever see Serdin Bibi, avoid her at all costs.”

“And who’s that?”

The name sounded vaguely familiar.

He might have seen it in one of the many letters he received.

“By now, she’s probably looking for you everywhere. Just avoid her. No matter what, don’t get involved.”

His eyes filled with confusion.

But she continued in a soft but firm tone:

“Don’t meet her. And if you do, don’t even look her way.”

There was a warmth in her eyes.

Roitz stared into them, frozen.

It really felt like these eyes were taking me somewhere.

Her strange behavior, the odd advice, the gaze—everything about her felt like a dream.

‘How many glasses of wine did I have again?’

Her smile—loving and bittersweet—lingered in his thoughts.

He didn’t know if it was truly like that, or if he only felt that way.

‘Am I dreaming?’

While he was lost in her gaze, she ruffled his hair and gripped his collar.

“Can I ask you something?”

“What is it?”

“Just listen. I’ve been waiting forever.”

“…Alright, go ahead.”

She beamed brightly.

“Can I hug you?”

Then she looked at him with teasing turquoise eyes.

Roitz laughed.

He thought he understood why she’d been looking for him.

Even though we just met, it doesn’t feel wrong to say yes.

“As you like.”

She wrapped her arms around his neck—and hugged him so tightly it felt like she might break him.

It was almost violent, but it didn’t feel like an attack.

She stayed in his arms for a long while.

Her soft, rosy hair brushed against his cheek.

“Remember, avoid Serdin Bibi. Just pretend you don’t know her.”

She murmured softly.

“…Alright.”

“One more thing.”

“What is it?”

“Please, just one more.”

She let go, resting her hands on his shoulders.

Roitz felt himself being pulled into the strange warmth of her playful gaze again.

“I’m only asking because this is a dream.”

What now?

She bit her lip, then smiled and asked:

“Can I kiss you?”

Her voice wasn’t playful—it was soft, dreamlike.

This should be the part where I say no…

That’s what Roitz would usually do.

But this time, he didn’t.

He pulled her toward him, as if entranced.

I must be crazy.

The woman cupped his cheeks and smiled sweetly as she closed her eyes.

But in the next moment—

She slumped forward.

Her curly, soft pink hair landed on his shoulder.

He heard the soft sound of her breathing.

She had fallen asleep.

Roitz chuckled quietly.

“…Ha.”

It had felt like he was under a spell.

‘I really must be insane.’

Her pink curls draped over his tuxedo.

He hadn’t even asked for her name, and now she was fast asleep.

He lifted her and propped her gently on the sofa.

Then sat across from her, resting his chin on his hand, and stared for a long time.

Those affectionate eyes… It felt like she’d loved me for a long, long time.

Even now, hidden under her sleeping eyelids.

All he knew was that she was a first-year at Yudelln with soft pink curls.

That her expression and eyes were quietly beautiful under the moonlight.

And that even though she seemed drunk—

She asked if she could kiss me upon first meeting.

And somehow, it felt like she really had fallen for me.