IHYWRM l CH 16

Chapter 16

“Ha-ha! I’ll bring in more fine accessories, so please stop by again!”

Not wanting to lose Charlotte, the merchant hurried after her.

Charlotte was about to leave the capital soon, but she nodded politely and turned away.

She could feel the soft ribbon ornament in her hand. She even recognized the slightly rough texture where the butterfly was embroidered.

Charlotte stroked the ribbon several times and smiled—or so she thought. In truth, her face was full of tears.

“I’m glad I found this, even like this.”

It was an ornament Charlotte had often worn in her past life. She’d made good use of the things Noctum had left behind, but this one she used every day.

She raised her hand to tie her hair at once, then paused. She’d forgotten she was wearing a hooded robe.

‘I’ll do it at home.’

Her heart was racing and she almost made a big mistake. She lowered her hand and tucked the ribbon carefully into her sleeve.

Rumble!

Thunder rolled across the dull gray sky. Startled by the sudden sound, Charlotte grabbed the edge of her robe.

‘I need to find my carriage quickly.’

She hated rainy days. They reminded her of Noctum’s funeral.

Charlotte hurried, her face growing paler. But before she reached the carriage, the rain began to pour.

Tap-tap.

She heard raindrops hitting her robe. Thankfully, it was thick, so the water didn’t soak through to her clothes—at least not yet.

Still, that wouldn’t last forever. She judged the distance to the carriage and let out a sigh.

‘It’s still too far.’

Every move she made became gossip in the papers, and most of that information leaked from the coachman.

He would tell the household about the lady’s activities for the day, and word would spread from mouth to mouth until it became a full rumor.

To stop that as much as possible, she had the carriage wait farther away. She hadn’t expected an emergency like this.

‘Is there anywhere nearby that sells umbrellas?’

Charlotte quickly scanned the shops, but most people had the same idea; where she was, umbrellas had already sold out.

She swallowed a small groan. The rain didn’t look like it would stop soon. She decided she’d have to run to the carriage and get wet if needed.

But right then—

“…Ahem. We meet here, Lady.”

A familiar voice came, and an umbrella opened over her head. Charlotte naturally looked up.

Her hood slipped down, but the large umbrella covered her shoulders completely.

Under the dark umbrella, invisible from outside the canopy, stood Charlotte and Noctum Afros.

“…Your Grace?”

She called to him in a dazed voice. She had never imagined he would approach and hold an umbrella over her.

Especially since about a week ago, the Grand Duke had lost his temper at her.

Noctum knew what she was thinking and cleared his throat awkwardly again.

“Ahem. I was just walking and saw a familiar hair color. I can’t just watch a noble lady stand in the rain.”

A lie. Normally, he didn’t care if a noble girl got rained on or snowed on. Even if they asked him to share his umbrella, he wouldn’t bat an eye and would keep walking.

‘Was I being nosy for nothing?’

Noctum clicked his tongue inwardly. But when he saw Charlotte being rained on, his body moved first.

Honestly, it had started even before that.

He recalled the moment just before he approached her.

He had been riding to the temple when he spotted Charlotte, hooded, on a busy street.

Just like last time, he recognized her instantly despite the robe covering her.

It amazed him even now.

He told the driver to pull the carriage to the side and got out.

At first, he didn’t plan to speak to her—only to watch from a distance, like in the fields before.

And to serve as her invisible guard again, since she seemed without an escort.

But after walking a while, she suddenly stopped at a peddler’s stall.

She crouched and touched some shabby eastern trinkets.

She even asked the price.

“This tiny thing is ten gold?”

Her voice held a little disbelief, but the way she gripped the ribbon accessory showed a wordless longing. If even he, from far away, could tell, how could the merchant miss it?

Sure enough, seeing her expression, the merchant spoke even more enthusiastically.

“Ahem. I’ll tell only you, miss—His Grace the Grand Duke is to marry, isn’t he? He has his eye on this very gift!”

Me? When did I— Noctum let out a hollow laugh. At least lie properly. Who would believe that nonsense and buy—

“I’ll take it.”

“She bought it?”

The words slipped out of him before he knew it. He quickly covered his mouth and ducked back into the shadows.

Thankfully, she hadn’t heard. He watched, shocked, as she even paid double the price.

That woman is supposed to be a notorious villain? She’s the one being taken advantage of.

Who could be scared of a woman like that? She was so naïve.

‘No wonder slavers chased her last time. And now she’s buying at ridiculous prices.’

He wished someone—anyone—would stop her. But passersby didn’t spare a glance for the merchant or for Charlotte.

He considered stepping in, but he saw a faint smile at the corner of her lips and stopped.

‘Right. I don’t need to interfere. What does this have to do with me?’

He was about to look away when—

Rumble!

Lightning cracked over the gloomy sky. While Charlotte clutched her robe, Noctum ducked into a nearby shop and bought an umbrella.

By the time he paid, raindrops were already falling. Fearing she’d vanished, he ran back to the spot.

But Charlotte was still there, standing in the same place.

‘Why so stubborn.’

If it rains, run to the carriage—or at least take shelter under a shop awning.

“Sigh…”

He couldn’t just leave her like that.

He walked over and held the umbrella above her, saying some corny line about not letting a noble lady stand in the rain.

Thankfully, she bowed and said thank you instead of refusing. Her face showed pure bewilderment.

“Ah. Th-thank you…”

Noctum felt himself softening at her gratitude and quickly hardened his expression, striding forward.

He disliked rain as much as she did, yet he tilted the umbrella toward her side.

Before he knew it, his pace had adjusted to match hers. Even though he found it ridiculous, his body moved on its own.

“…”

“…”

They walked in silence for a while. Just in case, Charlotte pulled her hood lower and walked a little faster than usual.

Noctum’s steps sped up just a touch to match.

Charlotte glanced at his feet and made a subtle face.

‘What is going on…?’

She didn’t understand why he was doing this for her—especially since he’d been angry the last time. And all because of Charlotte’s unbelievable mistake.

‘He didn’t believe me at all.’

Of course he didn’t. She had cried out “Noctum” in an empty field. No one would accept that with some “crazy villain” excuse.

If their roles were reversed and someone cried her name, she would also demand an explanation.

And she would get angry at nonsense answers, just as he had.

‘But then why is he doing this now?’

A sigh escaped her.

“What. Are you unwell?”

“N-no. I’m fine, Your Grace.”

She flinched at his sudden question and waved her hands quickly.

He raised an eyebrow, puzzled.

Just then, the heavy rain left deep puddles all along the street. He stepped into one by mistake and scowled at once.

“Tch.”

Luckily, water didn’t seep into his shoes, but it was still unpleasant.

Charlotte looked surprised again at his reaction.

‘So that’s the same.’

Though his looks, personality, and life were all different, his dislike of rain was exactly like her husband’s.

He had hated heavy rain, and he disliked puddles so much that he would scowl even if she stood beside him.

‘Though it was ridiculous how he insisted on coming to see me every time, rain or not.’

In fact, he’d tried even harder to meet her on rainy days.

Thinking of the old Noctum, Charlotte suddenly widened her eyes as the present Noctum bent toward her.

“Pardon me a moment.”

“Pardon…?”

He slipped an arm around her shoulders and pulled her close.

Her body went stiff in an instant. Even with her hood on, his breath seemed to tickle her cheek.

Her ears grew strangely hot. She did nothing, held in his arms, and he hurried to explain.

“There’s a puddle ahead. If you kept going like that, your clothes would be ruined. Forgive me.”

“Ah… I-I see. Th-thank you.”

But… was that really something to thank him for? Maybe she should have said it wasn’t necessary.

Her thoughts tangled, but something else shook her even more.

‘…For a moment, I thought he was my Noctum.’

Without meaning to, she had seen him and her husband as the same person for an instant.