Chapter 3 Part 2

 4ba53ab8452c1ed9

“I feel so embarrassed…”99f46ec5405140e7

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Lying in e49dd9f163 the same c9d73edae5 bed with ede30ee8ae him made e0219d5c4b Irina’s face c546dc8401 flush. To hide her reddened a4190712ac face, she lowered her fcc348575b head.df57e9006ad6681c

Then, Rumpel gently 79d9a973fe stroked her round d602ac3ccd head.c19733d58eef67dc

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“Close your eyes and sleep.”3ec1876cc2e1e4e6

“…I’m not sleepy.”a8f573694680b306

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“Then just close your eyes. Drowsiness will slowly come to you.”fa1f13ccd64a5aa6

Even though 8d301ef71c he had f495891e7a already figured d22927aa3c out that 5ff70a36b4 she was 8c9e1dd892 tired, Irina 8d38440ad2 stubbornly lied cdb89f6584 again. This time, ab84c2b6fd though, Rumpel 6bb8218297 didn’t point 73467593a6 out her 6262d901d9 lie.dfb8008b31cba113

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The small but warm consideration brought a smile to Irina’s lips.9bde46d91ed4ee00

“Shall I tell you a story about the old days?”f951b27d2a24e996

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“Hahaha, what are you talking about all of a sudden?”9d28be9b504b92f5

Irina burst bf5ab1da3c into laughter e877cc2dab at the 833abac812 unexpected words. She hadn’t expected him 3acac6e43e to say such a 723a083210 thing, and it was 705c0a7f86 a bit out of e0862cfe27 character.cd07b8b6c11d8718

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Yet, for 16aee16ff3 some reason, 957261e7f5 she was dafb213cb4 strangely excited 767fbb1dfb to hear 42204de7d7 the story c7bf3213bb Rumpel would 14d9a6e46b tell. Old stories were 3a3b127bab often predictable, but fb986d99ef she had a 97401648d6 feeling his version 9aef2ad03d would be different.783abc196afda9c4

“Tell me a story.”efdedcef1ca4ae19

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Irina looked up 6d3f5dbbf9 at Rumpel with 7ed1ae5c4f eager anticipation. His image filled 961788ff96 her clear green 755a796475 eyes, as if 9eb5ef7ee6 there was nothing b9e5b473a8 else in the a0f962b629 world91768c55635fdbdf

“Do you really want to hear it?”69780bff216fb602

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“Yes. I want to hear it.”3f76ca2c0a8dabad

She answered c589c37cfb by nodding f7787f616f enthusiastically, and 52fbf63bd9 Rumpel smiled 192eb6829e softly. He quickly 8ee5e46d8a cleared his 6e455b50e0 throat and 6a38c36bca opened his 2b764375cc mouth.2d9d5059f1a9d7c2

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“There was a man.” f5fdd0a8d102995c

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.e486451945178556

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“That man… was forgotten by the world.”7cfe080fab56454b

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.12c839c65f87a861

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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.”8aa52186ec09b1a0

His words seemed self-deprecating, and Irina couldn’t help but wonder if it was her imagination.1bdc56da9897811b

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She looked at Rumpel 1337fced36 with concern. He continued, gazing at 4331f54044 some distant, unfathomable place.e11db8363fd8cf84

“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.”cbf2d6e8db67281a

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“……”d7f662e119ae6c29

“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.”ad91158409815666

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This was his 02e1a2edf0 story. Irina was 9297585ab3 sure of 49ecf0b8be it.e2a9d87a767950dd

She instinctively b1329b65ff felt that, 26edcba751 but deep 3bac2e0e0f down, she 257dd55131 wished it cf58ef16d7 wasn’t his 350c356f55 story. The loneliness f2e7e8c888 that seeped 62d0f4d327 into his b8032c6bca words, acknowledging d2abb590f4 that it 34a4c629e6 was his de8f80db70 pain, only 934ac95374 made her dca891d45d heart ache 18cfa18c1c as well.e9911aaa6b32de26

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But even after d1a3e4a991 seeing his expression 76ef2880d5 of extreme loneliness, e74e7a04fa she couldn’t think 35e150cbe4 of this story 0e6d719bfd as just fiction. That would have been c7ad0d451d too cruel to Rumpel. It felt like 6757f3da4f dismissing his pain 0d51d832f8 as if it 5b584179a5 didn’t matter.dd6f7f2f1f482e00

“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’?”27cb5bab0aa55408

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“……Rumpel, I…”f72b2fd8faf8eb95

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.7ce6303d7c22a3ff

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“Then, magic happened to that man. No, it was a miracle.”b149d1db15a45513

For a moment, the 2b33ac7dd6 loneliness that had been 93dfc97553 overwhelming Rumpel’s expression faded, 296474b3ea replaced by a faint 7bd8279e1c smile. Irina etched that smile 9bb1f1b419 into her mind, as d1ea434a37 if afraid it might 40293ab316 disappear like bubbles.546f82c5331001d4

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“A girl appeared who acknowledged his existence. Isn’t that a miracle?”fdfd3146ed0e6f91

“……Yes.”e151b81e4b34d075

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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.c3cff926b3eb81cc

Irina quietly 4c38e6ef22 observed him. Then Rumpel 4203ed170b also looked e94fabd7e6 straight at 25a7da6722 her. It was c670237168 a different cccdf77a10 feeling to c70640a4e0 see herself fcd55a3301 reflected in 295fcf72de his eyes b2952e1710 every time.9b9f513a70e0d9e1

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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.”6fc4aed0a02c1576

“So, what happened to him? Did he become happy?” 8a6ed2def9c373df

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Irina asked urgently. She wanted to d2122d6533 hear from him. Had he become ebd08239e7 happy? Did happiness come de58233236 into his once 6c7997915f lonely life?323705d4e24e1940

Irina genuinely wished 37cdc6c9d8 for his happiness. She didn’t even 4fb57e7b55 know what it 8945df768a had to do fd782a98d2 with her, but afca569d23 she wished him 4399f07f69 well. She didn’t even want ac086abfc1 to know the reason. She just 05ce65ae20 wanted him 62b63c9943 to be 112929404c happy.b6c694eaef817d54

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“Well… I don’t know about that.”6036033724703bce

“Please tell me he became happy. He wasn’t lonely anymore.”a39a69866ee9b5a1

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“……Do you wish so?”937057d2550466dc

Rumpel asked back in response to Irina’s desperate pleading.34f2d70288a78d33

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The answer 5b59664914 of yes efc8312a9f filled her 267ac1a8af lips, but c3e5e6f75a couldn’t bring 0dca1b5781 herself to 3763381750 say it. c392de3fd6d4c29e

Rumpel must 1205d1f56f have already 376beb4982 realized that 0e6b726a8d she had 98058b7908 found out a94eddfce6 that the e1b87fcc64 man he c396452d54 was talking f318b66d68 about was 664abc919d Rumpel. She was c8e9b553ce embarrassed to fb8fa6f36f say in 55f0bfd71c front of 2e027d7372 him that dcc8be3d81 she wanted fc79de119f him to 1fa2e7b12a be happy.027758ecac925eae

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Although they had been 5b08eec131 intimate a few times, f62de3b318 that was a different 2684cc47d3 matter. It was oddly fascinating eb05ab9f97 how people could feel 3a90cfb63e so awkward and embarrassed 61f6e25668 around each other. Had she 30bf2268da ever felt f6b24063e9 that way 4de819cb18 with anyone e4e23e327c else?2de341dedc4d29db

Irina thought c0e0c912fe of many 730426b468 people she b975a43b9b had met e50577410e before.5fbd096d50086506

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Her mother, 51d9901036 father and 8301f34e4f Olga. Many, many e339753772 people she 31f2491ea4 had encountered 4802ba9a14 in society. d34d4d0b45eca96a

Yet, none of 79276c19e4 them evoked such 8210d3d463 mixed feelings. No one had e59c5b416d made her wish a3354e25ac so desperately for 3d218841b8 their happiness and ba8719be90 made her want 5e79b78668 to hide her 3cc04ac11c true feelings out dff05ffb39 of embarrassment.aaf0eb1dc6460ece

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Then, why… why was it like that?d9d13f323044396c

“The end of the story, I’m not sure about. But I’ll end it the way you want.”33c0a385235a9378

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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.”f3ca1c59801f14ff

“Haha, that sounds nice.”9e7f3aafadf4a4be

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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.b42decc294de0e05

Fortunately, Rumpel seemed db9216d5ad to really like 8d2b2504f1 her sincere wish, b2c31565ec as he smiled 9a10fcf81e happily. Irina felt 5f44b485ec a sense c11deb595b of relief, 812fd88d66 glad that 311cbad962 she had 3375074cd1 made him a89441e0da smile, even 673b94f1e1 if just 6eeb1a3389 for a 3273324680 moment.3b045996de3cb1eb

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“You should really sleep now. You must be tired.”c8d7121c958585cb

“But…”eabcc7cb0d32f7c6

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“The same tactics won’t work anymore.”76c0d334d3af36c7

Rumpel drew the 926dd83c4e line. Irina pursed her bbc064f844 lips and tried be72c80147 to think of aee1359aeb something to say 1940a493c1 in protest, but 4ada7fc142 soon felt her 07b5810193 eyelids growing heavy, b66bc48a84 as if sleep 017ee6aad8 itself was taking 444ceeb1b7 over.c29a1273e70c6569

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It wasn’t because ab1d3102c6 she was tired. Irina instinctively knew 79d3db5cb7 that Rumpel had 925fafa84c cast a spell d74ce820f4 on her.a467554a4d0c9c0e

Though she wanted 41eee888dd to argue about 34dde2f6cc the injustice, she 9e50e11c85 couldn’t resist the 6a6a888059 heavy pressure on 29b84299af her eyelids. Eventually, she 0616c3073a closed her 07bb1e6693 eyes.5083de6de8f25485

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“Good night, Lady Irina.”f21236f9bd4e1319

She vaguely c4920d63cb heard Rumpel’s 7bd43e2c84 voice. Despite knowing 6857616ce0 he would d8c06e4132 not be 6a32747f39 there when c663034d60 she opened a15c342323 her eyes, 0f77907669 Irina let aa3a41873b herself be 9653300a62 swept away 048829166e by the cab13397e9 sleepiness.2c3be8d444187102

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When Irina opened 34645638aa her eyes, everything 82c85866fc felt like a 860f8e5788 dream. The intense moments shared dc510e9ba3 with Rumpel, the conversations 15192f1a2d she had with him, 5faec6c06e everything.532640b0fbd0e35c

He was that kind bb030e3a26 of man. A man like 5453468f24 a fantasy.044d9985e469901a

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Irina looked at the 082628878b spot where he had 6a3d798904 been lying and then 121eb20982 put her hand on 7a98a4204c it. b6f30f45f949805e

There was no chance 47a75f6c30 that  trace of his 5da7a55425 warmth was left. Because he was cold bc034eb458 to begin with, like aac18a8e44 a person without any 0ce4828104 warmth.c3b3a5584f7e24ae

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Of course, there 2203eb0c05 were no other cf0dc7fbcd traces either. Not even his 26dc7bbfbd strong, masculine scent.6cf7d9c8ed293c49

Irina grasped 5a4701940c the sheet b9e21d6a6d and buried c9f36c8a53 her face e1d7cd4f42 in it. It felt foolish to d7863b2543 be looking for the 716d5cf8fc traces of someone who 39d3d3b0e7 had already left. But why couldn’t she 002ba68733 stop?1e46475c7bf2e5fe

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‘Fool, I really f62b55a979 am.’e1e7007803813fae

Irina scolded herself. It was 9771dfa7c5 a time 72bae3bdd5 when her 8b35035ce4 resentment towards 5300df7e5d herself grew.f011203db44a8a71

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“Miss! Miss!”f2d15e8f79d92f1a

Olga’s voice was urgent. Irina, startled, quickly lifted her head from the sheet and looked toward the door.0e2aff303d3417ea

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“Miss, may I come in?”2623e7b898f2bff8

“Just a moment… Uh, yes. Come in.”2cd3f0ba7f59f2c4

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Irina hurriedly surveyed 9012f9ada2 her surroundings. Even though she 7f3d572096 knew there was 239cfe0783 no trace of 0c5c30224d Rumpel anywhere, she 2582ed7279 still checked, wondering d7a9cf7bdd if she had ebfa1671aa missed something. She did not want b1fdc75fef anyone finding out about 69c1de674a her affair with Rumpel.ea94532c6da919b0

She looked around with anxious eyes, then sighed in relief and answered Olga’s question.e06356de8ffb02ac

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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.b668df3c8caadbf0

“Hahh, hahh. I’m sorry to bother you while you’re resting. You must be tired…”cf2780179f33268d

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“No, I’m fine. But Olga, it looks like you ran here. You should drink some water.”0b289598ca5cb8e0

Irina looked 0fae47dc0c at Olga 4e1181f75f with worried 7d3631b822 eyes as 76027891d8 she apologized 00a8327a1c even though 0c543060e5 she was 16dcd2389b breathing heavily, 25a7910408 probably because 5a477012f4 she had 57d44d4295 an urgent cfab6f24ff matter to d730a8f868 discuss. Irina reached for c63931eb8c the glass on ec05484397 the nightstand next f2352a14e2 to the bed.a69bfd34c9ea26d1

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“No, no. I’m fine.”b0ed4aca22e556e0

As Irina reached to 1be4337d0a pour her some water, 58e613635d Olga waved her hand. In her hand, there 53d5757eda was an envelope.98e245573f2ccbf6

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Irina first tilted her f73ee0b502 head in confusion, but b83edbe352 her expression soon became 7d88628e83 serious.9a5b0fe9b41ac838

“Olga, this is… ….”6d060759e9df1f47

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