Epilogue Episode 24. What happened on a midsummer night (1)
‘What on earth was that yesterday…?’
Erica, remembering what happened last night, no, this morning, rested her chin and drooled.
She kept thinking that maybe she wasn’t dreaming.
It was so unrealistic.
She was summoned by Emilia, so she waited in the room, and with a barrier between them, Schlus and Emilia did something like that…
“Lichtenburg.”
“······.”
What on earth were they thinking when they did that?
No, I thought I knew roughly what he was thinking.
She must have been trying to fulfill the shady desire to show off their relationship while taking care of the justification of directly teaching Erica knowledge in that field.
It was obvious.
Emilia didn’t seem to have any intention of hiding it either.
“Lichtenburg. I called for the second time.”
“······.”
After that, Erica couldn’t sleep at all.
As soon as she tried to close her eyes, she kept remembering the stark scene she had seen right in front of her, and her sleep was completely lost.
Even though she was panting frantically, whenever she regained her composure, the look in her eyes that Emilia was looking at never left her mind.
Erica, who had been mesmerized all day, just ruminating on the images that were automatically playing in her brain-
“I remember clearly announcing that if they called me a third time, they would kick me out. Lichten…”
“Ah, ah! Yes! Head professor!”
She instinctively sensed that she was alive and responded by jumping up.
As she quickly straightened her tangled hair and turned around, she found Professor Ludwig with a grim face as always.
“Submit your paper.”
“Yes? But the deadline is next week…”
“Isn’t it already finished writing?”
“That’s right…”
“Give it to me. I will edit it and return it to you.”
“Ah. Yes.”
“And… Take a shower. Get some sleep. Instead of going to the lab, go home and get some rest. I’ll give you 48 hours.”
“I understand…”
Ludwig took her thesis as if by snatching it, and his glance swept over Erika.
Her unwashed and matted hair, the deep dark circles that tried to reach down to her cheeks, the tips of her eyes that trembled from time to time, and even her lifeless pupils.
It seemed like she wouldn’t be able to stay here for another 24 hours, but it was clear that she wouldn’t be able to use it for long.
Ludwig clicked his tongue and turned around.
Even if she gave her 48 hours of vacation, she knew that if she were Erica, she would come back in less than 24 hours.
“Ah. It’s a mess, really.”
When Erica went to her dressing room, took off her white gown and looked in the mirror, she couldn’t help but sigh.
Her face was a mess.
Looking at the red marks left by her glasses, she began to cry.
“Let’s sleep first!”
Erika, who had changed into her civilian clothes, closed her cabinet with a thud and shouted loudly.
She was hungry, but she didn’t feel like eating.
First, go home, fall into bed, and think about the next thing after you wake up.
With the intention of quickly going home and passing out, Erica stumbled around, grinning as if her facial muscles were broken.
She almost dozed off in the carriage on the way to the Lichtenburg estate, but the noise of construction going on here and there prevented her from falling into a deep sleep.
“It’s completely destroyed…”
“Yes. That’s right, ma’am. They said the entire old town is going to be redeveloped, starting from District 1.”
“Agari. I didn’t ask.”
“Yes…”
The entire old town was in chaos.
I heard that recently, with the sudden development of new materials and advancements in construction techniques, the old town was chosen as a place to test construct new buildings.
Construction companies say that the old town will now be more sophisticated and clean than the new town, and that the economic center will move to the old town…
‘It’s all just a bluff.’
How far has construction technology advanced?
Construction is a field where progress has been so slow that buildings from hundreds of years ago are still used today.
No matter how much Schlus contributed, no significant progress would have been made.
Erica snorted as she looked out at the construction site, where a strange iron rod was stuck in the ground where the building had been destroyed.
“I can sleep… Finally, finally… I can sleep…”
Leaving behind the concerned employees, Erica trudged towards her room.
It was unclear whether her mother was away from her mansion or she was busy.
It seemed like the living room was a little noisy, but I just passed by and thought it was no big deal, assuming that the cleaning maids were chatting.
Her vision was already narrowing and her eyes were about to close completely.
When she finally reached her bedroom, Erica took off her clothes as if she was taking off her clothes and fell down on her bed, losing consciousness.
.
.
.
“Umm. Ugh. Ummm…”
Erica felt her whole body tense and she slowly opened her eyes.
She was still tired and tired, but her eyelids had become much lighter.
A growling sound rang out from her stomach.
Erica grabbed her stomach and struggled to raise her body.
It seemed like I had to eat rice first.
The light was on in the restaurant, as if the meal was in full swing.
Erica was shuffling down her hallway, scratching her neck.
“Mom. I’m starving, but I want food…”
“Hmm. Looks like you’re awake?”
“······.”
There was a completely unexpected person sitting at the table.
Erica froze in place as she looked at her dead, empty eyes.
Undergarments that looked like thin pajamas, not pajamas, with a strap going down one shoulder.
And still with unwashed hair and a face without any makeup.
Erica’s cheeks instantly turned red as she pictured her slutty demeanor in her head without having to look in the mirror.
“Ah. Ah. Ugh.”
“Come and sit down. I just started eating-“
“aaah!”
Erica covered her face with her hands and screamed as she ran away.
She was so embarrassed.
No matter how much she had promised to marry, the thought of Schlus showing that she only knew the residents of the mansion and her mother made her go crazy with shame.
Erica woke up from her sleep and went straight to the bathroom and looked into her mirror.
“A face like this to Schlus… No, it’s still pretty. It’s pretty, but… Ugh.”
Of course, it looks decadent and alluring and quite beautiful, so Erica kept looking at her mirror, making facial expressions from different angles and posing her.
She then made a decision.
She was something that Schlus had to show someday.
Erica looked at her dresser, then sighed and turned her head.
After washing her face with warm water and having her maid wash her hair, Erica put on her thin dressing gown and came out of her room again.
Now that she looked no different from the underwear she had shown to Schluss earlier, she thought about changing it again and coming out, but Erica sighed and clenched her fists.
I thought, what is there to be embarrassed about when I say I can stay at home in whatever I want?
She stomped confidently, pushed past her attendant, and slammed open the door. Erica was-
“Oh, you haven’t eaten everything yet?!”
“Then. I was waiting.”
“Uh oh…”
As soon as Schlus made eye contact with her, she broke down again.
Those eyes began to overlap with the sight I saw this morning.
Those eyes filled with joy while embracing Emilia, enjoying her changing expression and voice gradually becoming hoarse…
I have to forget it, but Schlus has no idea, so I have to forget it.
“What are you doing? Aren’t you going to eat?”
“Well, I’m going to eat it…”
It wasn’t easy.
Erica, who could not help but remain mute the whole time, walked hesitantly to the table, trying her best not to make eye contact with Schlus.
She flopped down and sat down across from her, and steaming food was served next to her.
“Mr. Schlus. Would you like me to heat it for you?”
“No, it’s okay, Erica. Shall we eat now?”
“Yes…”
The plate in front of the Schlus seemed cold.
All the food and dishes were clean, as if they had not been touched while washing, preparing, and leaving.
Erica, who had forgotten that Schluss could live without eating, felt sorry for her for a moment and slowly picked up her fork.
“Woah, what’s going on at my house?”
“I was invited to a meal.”
“Hmm.”
Did my mother invite me?
She was Erica, who tried to ignore her and ignore her-
‘Why on earth is my mother?!’
From Noble mtl dot com
Since she was stuck in the lab, she couldn’t think of a reason to invite Schlus to the mansion and have a meal alone while Erica was away, so she became confused.
But there was another strange thing.
Where on earth did the mother who invited Schlus go?
“But what about your mother…?”
“She was away.”
“Huh? Why?”
“I’ve finished talking with the lady, and now there’s only one thing left to talk about with you alone.”
“Huh. Hmm. What kind of story is that?”
“About Yulia. There’s something I need to tell you. There’s something you need to know… I’ve been hiding it all this time…”
“Ah. Ah.”
Erica, who had been listening to her story with secret anticipation, suddenly felt all strength leaving her body.
It was about Julia…
Her painful wound, which she had forgotten for a while, came back to life and she seemed to be poking Erica’s chest.
Erica smiled bitterly and shoved the tasteless food into her mouth.
In the meantime, I was so pathetically hungry.
“Huh. What have you been hiding until now?”
“I think it’s going to be a long story.”
“Listen slowly.”
Erica, who was trying to smile, felt like her chest was getting tighter.
Only then did her mystery seem to be somewhat solved.
As I touched skin with other women, I felt like I knew why I had not yet been touched.
Every time Schlus looked at me, I recognized the strange emotions in his eyes.
It was definitely a feeling of guilt.
Every time you see me, you think of Julia and that’s why you can’t bear to touch me.
That’s what Erica concluded.
“When will your mother return?”
“You’re not coming back today. You’ll be back tomorrow.”
“Do you have any work to do?”
“No. I asked you to vacate the mansion.”
“Why on earth…?”
“I’m going to go to your house for a little sleep tonight. Is that okay?”
“Of course it’s okay…”
Suddenly.
Erica’s hand, which was naturally moving her fork, stiffened.
They spend the night alone at the mansion while her mother is away…
In the past, I might have thought that she would spend the night wandering around and letting me sleep in her guest room.
But every time she looked into Schlus’s eyes, the sticky scene at dawn came back to life vividly. Erica, who was dizzy, now seemed to know what Schlus’ words meant.