I Unintentionally Cured the Grand Duke’s Insomnia - Chapter 103
52. — A Fairy Tale Just for You (1)
I slowly stepped into his bedroom, embracing the storybook that had been in my arms once more.
The only light in the darkened room was the moonlight seeping through the curtains. Somehow, the sight of him standing with the moonlight on his back felt so dangerous that I regretted later that I should have just come early tomorrow morning.
“I, I didn’t come at this time because I have something else in mind!”
As I added my words quickly to ease the pricking feeling, he grimaced and undid the button that was tightening his neck. His appearance, now more relaxed than usual, made my heart unexpectedly thump nervously.
“I, uh, I mean…!”
I turned my head in surprise at my gaze unknowingly drifting to his hands undoing the button. As I continued to speak, my gaze wandered here and there due to the uncomfortable, pricking feeling, and I met Cain’s bloodshot eyes. Only then did I see him massaging his eyes with an exhausted face.
‘…He couldn’t sleep again? Why? Wasn’t his insomnia cured?’
As a sudden question crossed my mind, I carefully studied his face. He even took off the outer clothes he was wearing, hung them up and sat down on the edge of the bed.
“Why don’t you sit down?”
“Yes? N-no. Even if I can stand…!”
“Why, since it’s a story that’s perfect to tell in the bedroom, isn’t lying down the best way to tell it after all?”
I felt a surge of anger at his sarcastic words. Even though I wondered why he was speaking so unpleasantly, when I thought back, it was all my fault.
‘…Okay, be patient.’
It was my fault in the first place that I made Cain suffer from insomnia and molded him into such a grumpy personality, wasn’t it? After reflecting on my own karma for a moment, I locked eyes with him.
Cain’s red eyes had sunk deep.
I cautiously took a seat next to him on the bed. As if trying to figure out my intentions, he grimaced, but then he spoke while rubbing his forehead as if he was getting a headache.
“If you have something to say, say it.”
His voice was low.
I looked at his sunken eyes and opened my mouth carefully, hoping that my sincerity would reach him.
“What Your Highness said to me yesterday has been bothering me ever since.”
“….”
“You said no one wants you to be happy, right? And you wouldn’t be able to find such a story in any fairy tale.”
As he looked at me blankly, I held out the storybook I had been working on all night. His gaze naturally drifted towards the book I held out.
“So, I made it. A fairy tale where you can also be happy.”
I handed him the book as if passing it over to him, who couldn’t accept it or push it away. Then, I quickly got up from the bed and added to my words out of embarrassment.
“I, I came here to tell you that. Of course, I made it in a day and it’s my first time making a fairy tale, so it might be a bit sloppy, but please understand.”
Although I tried to run away quickly after greeting him, my arm was caught before he knew it. I looked back at him, regretting that I should have escaped sooner.
“D, do you have anything you want to say?”
“Read it to me.”
“…Yes?”
“You said it was a fairy tale for me. I want you to read it to me.”
Of course, it was true that I originally brought the book with the intention of reading it to him. I thought so until I walked into his bedroom. I quietly looked at him, meeting my gaze and let out a shallow sigh.
After shaking off his hand that was holding me, I realized that I would never be able to get away.
‘Yeah, this is what I’m good at. Human audiobook.’
I cleared my throat loudly and took a seat next to him again, and he handed me a storybook as if he had been waiting. The next moment, I placed the book he handed me on my thigh and slowly opened my mouth.
“A long time ago, in a small village, there was a little child living alone. In the child’s house…”
A long time ago, in a small village, there was a little child living alone. In the child’s house, there was a large stone statue. For the child, that statue was his only family.
The villagers believed that the large stone statue in the child’s house protected the village.
One day, a great flood hit the village. As people died and got injured, the villagers went to the statue, pleading for help. At the people’s request, the statue removed a jewel containing its life force from its right hand. The people who received the jewel from the statue were overjoyed.
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