Episode 5
“Hm. Well, it seems the young lady is feeling better now, so shall we head back?”
Count Holland, who had been watching, cleared his throat and stepped in to separate the two. When Ruth turned his head away with an annoyed expression, the count pretended not to notice and looked elsewhere. Though they were friends, the count should have been higher in rank, yet somehow their dynamic felt reversed.
“Um, then… would it be alright if I invited both of you to dinner tonight? I know it’s sudden, but I’d like to repay you for saving my friend.”
The one who suddenly spoke up was Pamela. Perhaps afraid this connection might end here, urgency showed on her face. Eva, on the other hand, darkened as she realized the impropriety.
Hadn’t Cecile taught her? When inviting other nobles, one should send an invitation days in advance, ask for their intentions, and wait for a reply.
No matter how rushed she felt, inviting them for dinner the same evening was against etiquette. They didn’t even have food prepared for guests, and the kitchen staff would suffer for it. In the end, it meant Eva would be running around all afternoon in chaos.
“Thank you for the offer, but…”
“Sounds good.”
As Count Holland was about to decline, Ruth quickly cut in with an answer.
“Ruth!”
“It’s not polite to refuse a lady’s invitation, is it, Count?”
“…That’s true.”
Faced with Ruth’s insistent tone, the count answered reluctantly. Though he glared at Ruth with a forced smile, there was no real malice—suggesting they were closer than expected. Or perhaps Ruth held something over him.
“Can you walk? If it’s difficult, I can escort you.”
Ruth turned his attention back to Eva, his tone showing more than a simple offer—he clearly intended to do so.
Now that she felt steadier, Eva found his offer burdensome. Accepting help meant she would have to repay it, yet she had nothing to give. She had already received more kindness than she deserved. Besides, their coachman Paul was supposed to pick them up. If they left like this, he might make the trip for nothing.
“No, that won’t be necessary—”
“Would you? Our house is quite far, so it would be hard for her to go in that condition.”
Once again, Pamela interrupted tactlessly. The reason for her lie was obvious—she wanted to leave Eva with Ruth and ride with the count herself. There was no way she would miss such a chance.
Eva stopped herself from refusing again and decided to go along with it. If she ruined Pamela’s plan, she’d suffer for it later. More than anything, she didn’t have the energy to argue anymore.
“Then, Count, you can escort Miss Pamela.”
“Fine. Do as you please. Anything else you want to order me to do?”
The count let out a dry laugh, looking resigned, though a flicker of suspicion crossed his gaze as he looked between Eva and Ruth.
Ruth gestured toward the horses, signaling him to leave. The count twisted his lips subtly before leading Pamela away on horseback.
“Shall we go as well?”
“Yes.”
Eva replied quietly, feeling strangely awkward.
“Do you know how to ride?”
“A little.”
“Relax your body and keep a natural posture. I won’t go too fast, but if you’re scared, shout.”
“You can go fast…”
Eva answered softly. In truth, she was quite skilled at riding. She had learned since childhood and loved it dearly. She even had three horses of her own.
Though she hadn’t ridden since coming to Pamela’s house, she still remembered the posture—and the feeling. The wind rushing toward her as she rode at full speed, the freedom and exhilaration.
She wanted to feel that again.
“…Alright.”
After watching her briefly, Ruth smiled as if he understood.
With his help, Eva mounted gracefully. But when he climbed up behind her, she swallowed nervously—their bodies were far closer than she had expected. Unable to avoid it, she fidgeted, while he remained completely composed.
“Hold on tight.”
As she instinctively steadied herself, he urged the horse forward with his heel. The horse began to run.
At first, she felt awkward and uneasy. His chest pressed against her back, their arms brushing, his breath near her ear—it all made her tense.
Worried her hair might bother him, she gathered it to one side. But in doing so, she lost her balance.
Before she could even gasp, a strong arm wrapped around her waist, pulling her securely against him. Even while holding the reins with one hand, he rode effortlessly, as if holding a small doll.
“It’s okay.”
His voice mixed with the wind, as if telling her to forget everything and enjoy the moment.
Regaining her balance, Eva looked ahead. Sunlight and wind rushed toward her, making her half-close her eyes.
The horse ran along the riverbank, through a green forest, and across a wide plain. As she had wished, Ruth didn’t slow down.
It felt as though the tightness in her chest had burst open. As if everything she had endured today existed just for this moment.
She was happy, reminded of the past. And so, a few tears fell.
—
“Thank you so much for today, Sir Ruth.”
After dismounting, Eva smiled shyly and bowed. Perhaps because they had spent so much time together, her awkwardness had faded into familiarity.
“It was a pleasure meeting you, Eva.”
He smiled warmly in return.
“I’ll return your clothes.”
“Keep them. They’re not fully dry—you should stay covered.”
As she tried to remove his coat, he stopped her and closed it around her. Glancing down, she noticed damp patches revealing her skin.
Startled, she quickly pulled it closed and turned her head.
“Th-then I’ll wash it and return it properly.”
“Alright. See you tonight.”
With a slight tilt of his lips, he mounted his horse and rode off after giving her one last look.
Only then did Eva lift her head to watch him leave. It was strange—why did she feel a sense of loss as he disappeared? Why did the scent of him lingering on the coat make her heart flutter?
—
After washing and changing, Eva stood before Cecile’s room, taking several deep breaths. Cecile was perceptive—Eva worried she might notice her lingering excitement.
She knocked gently and entered.
“Cecile! Are you alright?”
Seeing her, Eva hurried over and sat by the bed. Cecile, unusually, was sitting up instead of lying down.
Cecile raised a hand to stop her from coming too close, covering her mouth with a handkerchief.
“I told you not to move so recklessly, miss. *Cough.* While I was resting, did you study your Latin? And Reims language too, *cough cough.*”
Though she coughed between words, her complexion looked better than before. As always, the moment she regained some strength, she began nagging again.
She had always been devoted to Eva’s education—teaching flower arranging, social dancing under moonlight, and speaking only foreign languages before bed.
Even if Eva sometimes wondered what the point was, she couldn’t neglect it knowing Cecile’s dedication.
“I did, so don’t worry. But why are you up?”
“Because I can be. What did you do today? Did the baroness work you all day again?”
“No, I went out briefly with Pamela.”
“Went out? Where?”
“We happened to meet the new lord of Veil Castle—Count Holland. He even raised our family’s flag.”
“Count Holland… came? And with the Macy family crest?”
Cecile’s eyes trembled unexpectedly.
“Yeah. We met him and his friend—they helped us. His friend is a knight, and he was really impressive.”
Eva hesitated, recalling only Ruth—his voice, his gaze, his smile.
“Miss?”
“Oh! So, um… they’ll be coming for dinner tonight. Pamela invited them.”
Flustered, Eva continued, her face flushed.
“Hm… that knight… what’s his name?”
“Ruth. I don’t know if that’s his first or last name.”
“What did you say?”
Cecile stopped coughing and asked again, her expression suddenly serious.
