A Wise Life in Captivity with the Mad Duke - Chapter 11

I must’ve lost focus after my boredom reached its limit.

Otherwise, there was no way I’d be waiting for a man who made me uncomfortable just by being in the same room.

“Maybe I should hang out with Joel instead.”

Joel was a kid who never stayed still, always running around the lounge, making it impossible to get bored. Thanks to his restless nature, he knew every little thing happening in the ward.

‘But if I stick with Joel, people will definitely swarm around us.’

For someone like me, who hated crowds, that was the biggest problem. Just attempting it required a huge amount of resolve.

Still, if I didn’t do something, I might end up so consumed by boredom that I’d start waiting for the moments when I could talk to Eden.

‘That’s absolutely not happening.’

Just as I made up my mind and pushed myself up to find Joel, there was a sudden knock followed by Eden opening the door and stepping inside.

Oh, my heart.

Caught off guard, I froze and grabbed my chest, startled by the sudden appearance of the man I’d just been thinking about.

Eden entered carrying a small round stool on his shoulder. When he saw me standing near the door, he tilted his head slightly.

“Were you going somewhere?”

“No. I was just stretching since my body felt stiff.”

I didn’t know why a lie came out so naturally, but I trailed off and sat back down on the edge of the bed.

Eden walked in and set the stool down on the floor.

“What’s that for?”

“I wanted to stretch my legs and relax. The chairs are too low, so it’s uncomfortable to sit for long.”

Sounding almost like he was grumbling, Eden dragged the stool over to his usual seat and placed it in front of him. Then he sat down and naturally rested his long legs on top of it.

‘…They’re long.’

I knew he was tall, but seeing his legs stretched out straight like that really drove it home. He always sat with his legs crossed, so I thought that was just his preferred posture, not that he had no choice.

“You’re slowly accumulating furniture.”

The words slipped out in a sarcastic tone, but Eden replied calmly.

“Yeah. I’m bringing a blanket tomorrow too. I get cold easily.”

A man who could control fire getting cold easily? Since there weren’t any other fire-type mutants around, there was no way to verify if that was true.

‘Now that I think about it, all I know about this man is his name and his title.’

It was strange that I’d willingly given him a corner of my room when, by all accounts, he was no different from a total stranger. Normally, I’d never do something like that.

‘Maybe this is just another example of Eden’s skill at charming people.’

I stared at his face as he rested with his eyes closed.

At first, I’d been trying to find flaws, but as I took in his sharp nose and red lips one after another, my initial intent faded.

‘I hate to admit it, but objectively speaking, he really is handsome.’

And with power, wealth, and influence on top of that, of course everything in the world must’ve felt like it belonged to him.

“Still staring at my face?”

Suddenly, Eden turned his head and smiled faintly. Startled by our eyes meeting, I quickly looked away and pretended to be uninterested.

“If you’ve got something to say, just say it. I like hearing your voice.”

Every time Eden said something that direct, I never knew how to react.

They said noble society valued subtlety, but did he act like this outside too?

Taking advantage of the moment, I decided to ask about something I’d been wondering for a while.

“Why do you hang out with Duris?”

“Duris? The blond caregiver?”

When I nodded, Eden’s smile vanished instantly.

“Why do you remember that caregiver’s name? Do you like that guy?”

Again with that. Every time I brought someone up, he asked if I liked them. And why did he look so unnecessarily serious about it?

“Of course not. I wouldn’t take garbage like that even if someone offered him to me.”

“That’s right. Garbage exists to be thrown away.”

Satisfied, Eden leaned back against the chair with a relaxed expression.

“I hang around him because he’s useful. As long as he’s there, I don’t have to get involved.”

That probably was convenient. Since Eric Duris handled all the dirty work, Eden didn’t have to waste energy dealing with patients himself.

Still, lately, Duris had been lashing out at anyone he could get his hands on. Couldn’t Eden at least stop him when he went too far?

“Eden, doesn’t it bother you when you see how that guy acts?”

“Why should it?”

Once again, I hit another wall I couldn’t understand. Knowing he wouldn’t get it no matter how I explained, I awkwardly shook my head.

Noticing my expression, Eden playfully shrugged.

“Lately, my head’s been completely filled with thoughts of you, Rosetta, so maybe I just can’t think about anything else.”

Watching him smile brightly, I swallowed dryly. Anyone could tell it was an empty line meant to make me feel good, yet somehow, just from those few words, my cheeks grew slightly warm.

He always acted like he knew exactly how to talk to people, how to make them like him, how to look his most attractive, and the problem was, it worked even when I knew what he was doing.

…At this point, it didn’t feel like I’d brought a hunting dog into my room, but a fox.

***

The next day, Eden showed up just as he’d said he would, carrying a large blanket. Wrapping himself tightly in it, he closed his eyes for a while, then left without hesitation after saying, “Rest well.”

It kept happening like that afterward. Maybe that was why I didn’t feel as uneasy being in the same space with him anymore.

If anything, when Eden fell asleep for short stretches, I would quietly read a book by my pillow, passing the time peacefully. For those moments, unlike the noise outside, the room felt calm.

I thought I’d never get used to it, but somehow, I already had.

“It’s already mealtime.”

Feeling hungry, I headed to the cafeteria as soon as the lunch announcement ended.

Joel, who’d arrived earlier, spotted me and waved exaggeratedly toward the seat across from him.

As usual, we sat face-to-face and started eating when Joel suddenly brought up something I’d completely forgotten.

“Hey, Noona. If you get hurt, do you not bleed? Since you’re immortal, you can’t die even if you’re seriously injured, right?”

“Why are you asking that all of a sudden?”

“I was just curious! I asked before, but you didn’t answer me.”

It would’ve been nice if I really were immortal, but the only reason my body had been fine that time was because my soul had switched under special circumstances.

I couldn’t exactly explain that to Joel. Even I barely understood it myself, so there was no way he could.

‘Why did I have to get caught by the one kid with endless curiosity….’

Deliberately making noise, I tapped my spoon against Joel’s tray.

“Let me make this clear again, I’m not immortal. I bleed when I get hurt. A lot. So stop asking weird questions and just eat.”

“Tsk. That’s weird. You didn’t bleed at all last time, though. You looked fine.”

Joel, still unsatisfied, pouted as he shoveled food into his mouth.

I sighed in relief as he gave up surprisingly quickly. Maybe it was because there wasn’t much to remember about life here, he probably just wanted to cling to one unique experience.

Right then, an announcement echoed through the cafeteria, conveniently changing the subject.

[Since the weather’s nice today, please stay outside on the playground for about an hour before returning. Caregivers, please guide your patients.]

Haa. I wanted to take a nap, but so much for that.

In the end, I had no choice but to finish my meal and wander around the playground.

There must’ve been a lot of children on the waiting list this time because in just one week, I saw many unfamiliar faces.

As I watched the kids run around and play, Eden came across the field with long strides, leading the group of patients.

Just then, a few girls who’d been arguing caught sight of him and, with determined expressions, waved eagerly.

“Caregiver! Over here!”

“Which one of us is the prettiest?”

“Please pick who you think is the prettiest!”

The girls pushed and nudged each other, trying to show off in front of him. No matter how young or old, it seemed everyone had the same eye for good looks.

Thankfully, Eden didn’t ignore them. As the girls had asked, he looked over each of their faces one by one, then smiled brightly.

‘That smile… something about it feels ominous.’

Sure enough.

“Isn’t there an error in your question? There’s no pretty one among you.”

He was a man who could be painfully honest to a fault.

He could’ve told a harmless lie and said, “You’re all too pretty to choose,” but no, he had to hurt their feelings instead.

“Then who do you think is pretty, huh?”

One little girl, unable to accept it, clenched her tiny fist and shouted back.

“Hmm.”

Eden let out a low hum and suddenly glanced around.

The moment our eyes met—because I missed my chance to look away—his red lips curved into a grin.

“There she is, the pretty one.”

Following his long, outstretched finger, all the girls turned toward me with jealous eyes.

‘…Don’t go making things difficult for me again.’

Not wanting to become the public enemy, I quickly pretended not to notice and hurriedly slipped away.

Behind me, Eden’s quiet laugh lingered like an afterimage, heating the edge of my ear.

After that, I worried over how to react the next time I saw Eden. I didn’t want to seem like I was consciously thinking about what he’d said.

But to my surprise, Eden didn’t show up in my room for the rest of the day.

‘Did he get embarrassed after saying that?’

Come to think of it, that was the first time Eden had openly complimented me in front of others.

The kids had been pestering him to pick the prettiest person, and he’d just smiled faintly and pointed straight at me.

Remembering that moment made the corners of my lips twitch uncontrollably.

Back when my fellow actors dated popular idols, I used to wonder why they’d publicly reveal their relationships, risking their image. But now, I felt like I finally understood.

Just being chosen by someone admired by everyone made me feel as if my own worth had risen too. Maybe that was why a small, boastful feeling welled up inside me.

“There she is, the pretty one.”

Once again, Eden’s playful voice echoed in my mind like a faint ring.

When I was still an actress, I heard the word “pretty” so often that it stopped meaning anything, but maybe because I hadn’t heard it once since coming to the monastery, my heart stirred strangely at the sound of it now.