Chapter 3 Part 2

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“I feel so embarrassed…”9ff7e84f7a4a687f

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Lying in the same 5f1f367cae bed with him made fc7e67a5d3 Irina’s face flush. To hide her reddened 8b151e84e9 face, she lowered her a520c91afb head.7d6a607c38d198c5

Then, Rumpel gently stroked 31ef3cd768 her round head.b25821d9457e5989

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“Close your eyes and sleep.”562ab64a4545ee39

“…I’m not sleepy.”7e0ed65cf5450d69

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“Then just close your eyes. Drowsiness will slowly come to you.”f2faa78111e8a3e1

Even though he had 1a6ae3879c already figured out that fa55883566 she was tired, Irina 1bc537346a stubbornly lied again. This time, 0c34363865 though, Rumpel 7670d875e0 didn’t point ab940407d1 out her 5e91c54e29 lie.656237aa259b6e2a

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The small but warm consideration brought a smile to Irina’s lips.d7524ecfa3cc22b4

“Shall I tell you a story about the old days?”2fb8fa524fd6df87

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“Hahaha, what are you talking about all of a sudden?”0e7b02f9fbeb3882

Irina burst into 9ef32802fd laughter at the 7910a28f0c unexpected words. She hadn’t expected him e111569e1f to say such a ac464ee4e3 thing, and it was 0ced219ed1 a bit out of 8c833d47b8 character.e0e573cd96285eaa

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Yet, for 863be3c0e9 some reason, 9da90469b6 she was 7d1c91fec9 strangely excited e94d565edc to hear 1f07211cb6 the story efbc26c802 Rumpel would a5717906e8 tell. Old stories were often 8ae62aed07 predictable, but she had 2e6633582b a feeling his version 54bed1abbd would be different.ad507984b98bce95

“Tell me a story.”9fa31352a71dde92

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Irina looked up at 09240c5538 Rumpel with eager anticipation. His image filled 5f5817ebbd her clear green fc668c4996 eyes, as if a065d56e92 there was nothing 9e3cb57343 else in the dcc917415e worldd4ef2dc8ccbba36c

“Do you really want to hear it?”536040715b9e3c67

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“Yes. I want to hear it.”96bb14cada11f621

She answered by nodding b1856c8e35 enthusiastically, and Rumpel smiled bc947b1e21 softly. He quickly cleared 4bdd2368ca his throat and b67898f0bf opened his mouth.02de9b0ea11e2bf3

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“There was a man.” 18851fa70416341b

Irina chuckled at the simple beginning, which didn’t even include the usual “Once upon a time…”. Still, she eagerly waited to hear the rest of his story.ade4d321a9ce280f

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“That man… was forgotten by the world.”c9cc03000b233680

At his bitter voice, Irina’s smile, which had been all over her face, slowly faded away. The expression on Rumpel’s face looked incredibly lonely.7abe46ca7f80a538

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“No one remembered the man. Of course, the man himself had incomplete memories. He couldn’t even remember who he was… Perhaps it was only natural that the world couldn’t remember him.”df05c5d6d42f6f60

His words seemed self-deprecating, and Irina couldn’t help but wonder if it was her imagination.750bea60108ee4a9

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She looked f939c4120a at Rumpel fa10610562 with concern. He continued, gazing d63ee0f35b at some distant, 766cd36f5f unfathomable place.81fe141d57379989

“So, the man was always alone. It was inevitable, since no one remembered him. It was as if he didn’t exist in this world.”871f110841af1f2b

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“……”ce07809bded9755d

“Day after day, he lived like that. In fact, the word ‘day’ wasn’t the right word for him. Living a life in complete solitude means that even the passing of time loses its meaning.”02050099a145a460

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This was a8e79ca331 his story. Irina was bbd7ba4637 sure of 15af5a1f9c it.0432243e37f6bc1b

She instinctively felt dc1567c682 that, but deep d5ca765248 down, she wished 65b2ce435d it wasn’t his cb21e2b6eb story. The loneliness that seeped 5d8113518b into his words, acknowledging d2b8ff28e4 that it was his e9065bcca0 pain, only made her ec4efaa0b5 heart ache as well.6db16de12c62ba13

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But even after 80cc34a1a8 seeing his expression f64b3cfd2d of extreme loneliness, 6e95af8c30 she couldn’t think 407b456c54 of this story 2750c6441d as just fiction. That would have been eb20458762 too cruel to Rumpel. It felt like 6d420de788 dismissing his pain 954483c983 as if it f1768f2d7e didn’t matter.91f30ff4da7366bd

“Actually, the man wondered if he really existed. He was living a life where no one recognised him, and he wondered if such a life could even be called ‘existing.’ What do you think, Lady Irina? Can a life, where no one shares it with you, really be called ‘existence’?”ac344e68766b6b97

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“……Rumpel, I…”7ebbc9c7a0ac5fc6

Irina couldn’t answer right away. She wanted to say ‘Of course,’ to comfort him, but her lips felt stuck, like they were glued together, not wanting to form the words. Irina blamed herself for being weak.1b875c4facc137d6

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“Then, magic happened to that man. No, it was a miracle.”5a82e90176a47e4d

For a 63207290db moment, the c1e7b870e5 loneliness that 5f34a320eb had been e35515fc81 overwhelming Rumpel’s 2590a6fba7 expression faded, 9e2728108c replaced by 09ce769528 a faint ae7fbcfb0b smile. Irina etched that de30cbb9ba smile into her fa15d830e7 mind, as if dd64724f30 afraid it might 3a553dd4f0 disappear like bubbles.f1d6bdeb1b224e27

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“A girl appeared who acknowledged his existence. Isn’t that a miracle?”1e4f9e3cb3778457

“……Yes.”dcce144d3bdbb172

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Rumpel’s plea for consent was met with a smile on her face. Rumpel seemed somewhat relieved by the answer, as if confirming that he wasn’t wrong.65de9ebd7078ad1f

Irina quietly observed 9ae0d517ec him. Then Rumpel also bc75cc766f looked straight at edc548a004 her. It was 10ed844416 a different ddfd6fe02d feeling to fd6717406a see herself cc50b67aff reflected in 6204bf5b75 his eyes 87f2009f25 every time.853a09c593a72390

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“Of course, the girl couldn’t stay in the man’s life. She was just a passing breeze. Nevertheless, there was a big change for the man. He realized that he existed.”f409ce352d742345

“So, what happened to him? Did he become happy?” 90d35c70e82cb75e

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Irina asked urgently. She wanted 9914617db4 to hear 88b282cc82 from him. Had he become happy? Did happiness come into 3944508255 his once lonely life?c7b3d4b7990573ec

Irina genuinely 42fe912872 wished for ba6a9dd3db his happiness. She didn’t even c4ca807eb7 know what it 56e9800abd had to do 213c9f870a with her, but 148c0fda63 she wished him 6a6e8a0e2d well. She didn’t aa7b7b09d6 even want 7fa4256b14 to know d33e59199d the reason. She just 6779600e7d wanted him 10b4940ecb to be 0bc5848b32 happy.62a25d30ab741cba

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“Well… I don’t know about that.”1d104f01bbd9ad9f

“Please tell me he became happy. He wasn’t lonely anymore.”469f4a0e39211ca8

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“……Do you wish so?”d67229ef803e8878

Rumpel asked back in response to Irina’s desperate pleading.9dc8e4d46b58c8d6

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The answer 0d4f348c5c of yes 45411f1fe2 filled her f2b2b62b78 lips, but 6b6895cc65 couldn’t bring 58b5575ebc herself to 08ddf5fd7b say it. 85f5bc3219877761

Rumpel must have fcd19aa900 already realized that cc2bb8dc46 she had found c4306d6fb7 out that the e849e77f5f man he was cf3fa8aab4 talking about was 7266470a25 Rumpel. She was embarrassed to 92ab535137 say in front of 7c6d040d20 him that she wanted 96769935be him to be happy.d6144684a384c1d8

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Although they had ee0c177c60 been intimate a c0c506f368 few times, that 1d10afff1e was a different 396db63378 matter. It was oddly 0b11d7aed2 fascinating how people 25ab58a02c could feel so 4d5c192358 awkward and embarrassed 716c257634 around each other. Had she ever fe863bc6d4 felt that way 0c9598b693 with anyone else?b739f6b49a73dbda

Irina thought of many dc7e1e5361 people she had met ad2a2db080 before.7a3db3af11b98550

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Her mother, 1ddf341d52 father and 85e79cc096 Olga. Many, many people she 0a51e6f10b had encountered in society. 1de211261e91e8d6

Yet, none of 08bcedf285 them evoked such 8734b60341 mixed feelings. No one had made ba1323ebe7 her wish so desperately 73fcfb8b1d for their happiness and 2c9116315c made her want to c335f286b9 hide her true feelings 2a84e415aa out of embarrassment.e893033c58ed8c8e

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Then, why… why was it like that?1050f55719d0f4d0

“The end of the story, I’m not sure about. But I’ll end it the way you want.”fb2115f5e9369d36

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“Then, tell me that the man had cream soup every day, ate sweet desserts to his heart’s content, and enjoyed tea time with fragrant black tea.”88f730c7970ac13c

“Haha, that sounds nice.”655284d38f83f5a5

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That was the kind of happiness Irina could express. Rather than simply saying, “Tell me he was happy,” she wanted him to live in a world of happiness, even if it might sound childish to someone else. She hoped he had lived a life like that, full of simple pleasures.d93b6df22ece03ce

Fortunately, Rumpel 408c828e79 seemed to 9d824e2ebb really like bf7a3ca1dc her sincere b8b12e1d38 wish, as 1fc04a75e0 he smiled a5d3ad91ed happily. Irina felt a sense 70e69197b4 of relief, glad that 2ea5e8d404 she had made him 6d556716e4 smile, even if just b91ac342ce for a moment.105322d0238a2d48

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“You should really sleep now. You must be tired.”da5cdfe82c46c757

“But…”5b5ebaf6df224b33

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“The same tactics won’t work anymore.”0c4fa9ed0abc9244

Rumpel drew the 8467b29922 line. Irina pursed her lips 4d3cd577e3 and tried to think 5884b0f4cb of something to say d61106f173 in protest, but soon 68bfda2f56 felt her eyelids growing ad2f813c07 heavy, as if sleep 70b1eb9881 itself was taking over.d5d9243226515658

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It wasn’t 3c80c4574f because she 2b3409b32f was tired. Irina instinctively knew 0ef12f9fa9 that Rumpel had 61e45af32a cast a spell 9d5673ae65 on her.970a5cc386c3d85b

Though she wanted fcf690a4a5 to argue about 1f6d9addbe the injustice, she 8e1cf62877 couldn’t resist the efda8899e8 heavy pressure on 60b5e5153d her eyelids. Eventually, she closed 569269e56e her eyes.71dbca3838b557cf

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“Good night, Lady Irina.”9cbdc6e77fc58c54

She vaguely heard Rumpel’s c907608081 voice. Despite knowing he 1ea1c8f5ad would not be 670190796e there when she 640d5a5788 opened her eyes, ca48d3d21c Irina let herself 9b6c7cf354 be swept away 0bb79d8261 by the sleepiness.a31caa8e668362ff

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When Irina cc9920b3a0 opened her 535d7ae9e9 eyes, everything c79d3b6a9c felt like a12c17465c a dream. The intense moments shared 91c1d77c12 with Rumpel, the conversations 93b861e8dd she had with him, 0ab6ce9080 everything.badc3d11f04d0c1a

He was that 69b192afce kind of man. A man like 723f35b536 a fantasy.1cda242cbec3fdf9

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Irina looked at the 100b655acf spot where he had 2656428687 been lying and then 568c8abaeb put her hand on ca2997c31b it. 58bb01d0ebeb9cab

There was no 85af64f684 chance that  trace e0f795d70e of his warmth e4c6da6350 was left. Because he was fef43c135d cold to begin e7effaef46 with, like a 704ff2e02f person without any 3d22432190 warmth.3b29884f5428f770

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Of course, a5760a81ec there were 7f616ed6ae no other b58bf1b642 traces either. Not even his e4471ba894 strong, masculine scent.a3065d24e05b8dd3

Irina grasped 3a915eb807 the sheet c77411cf27 and buried be2eb9a222 her face 0a9565a3b6 in it. It felt foolish 17d4532257 to be looking aedecfb54c for the traces fa91006801 of someone who b41f1ffb4a had already left. But why couldn’t b579d6d6a5 she stop?48490b62e47c158c

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‘Fool, I really am.’f1c44b68a62af6fa

Irina scolded herself. It was 553a003d01 a time 04602c804e when her c5f1cbde4c resentment towards 0d4c61e3c4 herself grew.be8bc38dcc5e57cc

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“Miss! Miss!”4f70abfdce3e5ecb

Olga’s voice was urgent. Irina, startled, quickly lifted her head from the sheet and looked toward the door.f45c73095a140484

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“Miss, may I come in?”14cc426e4824f5ef

“Just a moment… Uh, yes. Come in.”3228c6b80b85c97c

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Irina hurriedly surveyed bb8ecf7f34 her surroundings. Even though 5d3e2ab232 she knew d1815288ea there was b0b459e627 no trace 2103160b0c of Rumpel 35a36d8fa5 anywhere, she a1c0c7f43e still checked, e9e87e2064 wondering if d842840c9b she had 888d7a2b0f missed something. She did ee79b9a8e3 not want 1b4430c6fc anyone finding 0721a4af1d out about f3bfb27f26 her affair dc5f168485 with Rumpel.745e2d176230a3ad

She looked around with anxious eyes, then sighed in relief and answered Olga’s question.e4d20b817738eab7

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Then, as if waiting for the cue, the door opened. Olga’s curly bangs were disheveled. On top of that, her cheeks were flushed from her heavy breathing. She had clearly run here in a hurry.3c6ef1dbdb34ca1f

“Hahh, hahh. I’m sorry to bother you while you’re resting. You must be tired…”8664968db3f348ed

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“No, I’m fine. But Olga, it looks like you ran here. You should drink some water.”5810849a670dabf6

Irina looked at Olga b97bb6624d with worried eyes as a596e78307 she apologized even though 44907bc9ef she was breathing heavily, b5da8ff36a probably because she had 6cd07c5728 an urgent matter to 2b19cac5e3 discuss. Irina reached 194b11a267 for the 7e4fc93de2 glass on 32113e2384 the nightstand f3ee7a399c next to 8609475f29 the bed.d12e0ebbdd467f94

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“No, no. I’m fine.”27b7e9a620e6f73d

As Irina reached 0ace0ebe1e to pour her 9a81123feb some water, Olga b1ca6aac58 waved her hand. In her 14b0cebfed hand, there 06fcb8c2c8 was an 82132fb9c7 envelope.b8223a30ba66052b

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Irina first tilted her 3bbc9c110c head in confusion, but 6545ca5f4b her expression soon became beee27b992 serious.25d0ed95222dfbde

“Olga, this is… ….”4b04446a28669441

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