章節 36: Episode 36: While She Sleeps
Richard and Reuben waited for what she wanted to say first.
"How can you trust this man to guard me father?"
Reuben blinked before looking back at Richard.
Indeed, somehow they are giving such an important task to a complete stranger.
Richard thought back, not wishing to make this longer, to what Luna had been doing all this time.
"Promise of the stars," he suggested, his tone was not fast but not slow either.
The two were stunned. Most people do not desire to make use of that promise because of what it entails but this person was saying it as if it was nothing.
"Are you sure?" Reuben asked.
Richard nodded his head, "Yes, sir."
Not that it would be a complicated one.
"While she sleeps," he gestured towards Florence.
Reuben understood what he meant.
He will promise not to harm Florence while she sleeps. It has its restriction entirely during her sleep.
He looked at his daughter who was in shock.
"What do you think? We can give our trust to him with that."
Being so tired about everything, Florence had wished to get some real rest.
She had been feeling lethargic and could barely do anything other than her usual duties. Tea parties are limited as she gets even more tired while doing so.
Her life is not getting better at all and she didn't like that.
"I agree then. If he will go all out of his way to make use of that promise then I suppose we can trust him."
Richard stood to make the promise.
The father and daughter pair watched him do what he just said, the promise of the stars.
To think that such a promise where most ability users would avoid was being used by him like it was the most natural thing to do.
Reuben's lips twitched when he thought of Richard's words moments ago, 'I don't find it in me to waste my energy...'
It seems that he was doing this so willingly because trying to prove himself as someone who could be trusted is a waste of time.
'Just what kind of people have you found, prince Julian?' he thought just as the promise finished.
Reuben looked at Florence, "You have only rested for a bit right? How about trying it again?"
Florence indeed pushed herself to get up when she heard what happened a while ago. Someone who actually disappeared from her hearing.
She looked at Richard, "Why don't you follow me?"
Richard nodded his head.
'I'll just have him get tested by the knights later on,' Reuben thought.
Of course, as a guard, Richard needed to be capable of protecting Florence as well. Though Julian already spoke about his strength, Reuben needed to see it with his own eyes.
Servants and knights alike who are within the mansion that they would pass by would look at Richard with a curious look.
Who is this man that is suddenly following their princess?
Nevertheless, Florence needed real rest and she is wondering if she would be able to rest with this person in her room.
Because what made her notice him in the first place was because of his heartbeat.
It was beating differently from the rest of the people around her.
No fear, or nervousness. No exaggerated happiness or excitement. It was a calm beating despite being in a new environment.
She actually heard of it the very first time.
Most people around her are nervous because she snaps easily due to lack of sleep.
Others who came to their house for the first time, had this excitement of being acquainted with the people from the Longhurst dukedom.
And there are those who face her father with fear.
There are a few who will have a calm beating at first then they will start feeling impatient, Julian was one of the examples who can't really stay still.
From the get go since she woke up even when she suddenly barged inside the office, Richard had a calm beating in his heart.
Even while making the promise of the stars, there was no change on him.
He was accepting everything in front of him as they were.
It is not that there are no fluctuations in Richard's heart but that he barely has it that she perceives everything as normal. After all, she can't hear it to the deepest of emotions. Only the stronger ones.
Richard looked around the room while the servant with them started pulling down the curtains that stops the light from the outside to get in.
He stood by the wall as the servants moved around before stepping out.
Meanwhile, Florence went to lie down on the bed.
Seeing this, Richard took it as the signal for him to use his skill.
Florence started stopping the sounds from all over the house to be heard inside her room. The same thing she always did when she was a child.
This is also what she would do if she needed that rest even if it's just for a short moment.
Something she couldn't do at a longer period of time for the nightmare comes and she starts hyperventilating from the emotions she felt back then.
The cold blade in her throat, she felt like it would appear if she tried to stop hearing for a bit longer.
Her eyes snapped open when she suddenly felt like she was alone in the room after she had cut off everything from the outside.
Her head abruptly turned to where Richard was moments ago and he was still there.
Richard turned to her and saw this undeniable fear in her eyes, like she was suddenly all alone.
"Can I walk over, lady?"
Florence blinked but subconsciously nodded her head.
Richard walked over, taking off the tie in the hilt of his sword.
"Would you feel at ease if you hold one end of this while I hold the other? Just to make you know that there is someone with you."
He was used to looking after his siblings and most of the time when they were scared of falling asleep, he would either lie down with them or hold their hand. But he can't do that with this person, so he can only suggest something else.
Florence wanted to say that it was unnecessary and that she was simply shocked but somehow, she found herself reaching out to hold it.
She chose to just close her eyes and for some odd reason, she felt herself drifting to sleep without difficulty.
If Luna and the others are here, they would say that her and Reuben's reaction were normal.
Richard has this mature presence of being an older brother even towards those who are older than him. That they can give their full trust in him even if they just met one another.
He has this aura that makes you at ease and calm. That you will be protected no matter what.
Despite him always being silent, he is someone who can actually exude this kind of aura.
And somehow, Julian must have felt it as well other than his skill that he had suggested Julian would take this job.
Julian was standing at the side of the table while holding on to the other end of the tie.
He looked down at her and saw that she had actually fallen asleep.
He shrugged and simply looked around the room.
It has a simple design, nothing note worthy.
Must have been a place simply for rest.
He didn't bother anymore and just stood there wondering when she would wake up.
Reuben was walking back and forth in his office when three hours passed and he had not seen his daughter yet.
Not even the servants have reported that she had stepped out of her room.
He was still doing his work moments ago, that is until he realized the time.
Most of the time, Florence would only be able to sleep for an hour or two. After that, she would be up.
This is the first time that she has not stepped out of her room even though it has been three hours.
And when it turned four, he was already looking outside his office door.
"Sir?" Ezekiel chanced upon him in such a position.
"Oh, are you here for a report?" Reuben stood straight and welcomed him in.
Ezekiel looked around and found that he was alone in his office.
"The adventurer, sir?"
Reuben looked at him seriously, "He is with Florence."
"Sir??"
Ezekiel does not get it, he came here only today. They met him only today but the duke allowed him to stay by the princess' side already?
"Calm down. He made a promise of the stars," Reuben understood his worries.
All of Ezekiel's complaints were flushed down the drain when he heard that.
"He what?"
"A promise of the stars. And it was him who initiated it."
For someone to initiate such a promise.
"So, I think we can trust him this much. It has been four hours since Florence stepped inside her room with him," Reuben said.
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