The Gap Between You and Me - Chapter 7

What rudeness is this? Can’t you apologize right away?”

“Sister?”

Hugo turned his head and looked up at Herietta’s angry face. But he couldn’t understand why she was so angry with him. She was originally on the broad-minded side, but she was still kind to him.

“What do you mean? Why do I have to apologize to this slave? On the contrary, even if this guy asks for forgiveness, it would not be easy.”

“Stop! Can’t you stop?”

Herietta put on a stern expression and threatened him. Then she turned around and looked at Edwin, who was looking at the two of them and bowed deeply.

“I’m sorry. I apologize on behalf of my brother. He’s still immature, but he’s a good kid with a good heart.”

“Sister!”

Hugo screamed in surprise. He looked as if he had witnessed the sky fall.

“What are you doing now? Why are you bowing down to a mere slave? Father would have been angry if he had seen it!”

“Shut up! Do you know who this person is?”

“Who is he? Isn’t he a slave? He’s slave 11542!”

“No! He is not a slave…!”

Herietta, who was trying to reveal the truth out of agitation, stopped in the middle of her sentence. She felt as if she had suddenly taken control of something in her that was running rampant.

‘Can I reveal the truth like this?’

Edwin, the great and only heir to the Redford family, appeared as a slave in Philioche, out of nowhere. It was an absurd development that could not be imagined by any normal person. Aside from being told she was crazy, talking about it in front of the person itself felt a bit awkward.

As she hesitated the strange postscript that was written in a letter from Lilian not long ago came to mind.

A strange rumor has been floating around the kingdom lately.

Herietta sent a quick letter to Lavant, thinking that she might know something since her network was relatively wide and she’s socially nimble. But, unfortunately, she had not received a reply yet.

Shaaa. The leaves hanging from the branches danced in the strong wind from somewhere. Herietta turned her head to see the man standing in front of her. He was taller than she remembered.

Although she was by no means short for a woman, her eye level barely reached his chest. With his back against the sun, a dark shadow was cast on his face. His hair, which was roughly tied at the back, was hung over one of his shoulders, and it looked like gold thread.

Herietta’s gaze slowly moved upward along his hair. Wide shoulders and a thick, smooth neck. A clearly protruding neck leading to the tip of his slender chin. It was the moment when her gaze, which was gradually moving upwards, reached his red lips.

“Long time no see.”

The lips that had been tightly shut before began to move.

“I think it’s the first time we’ve seen each other properly since I helped you.”

It was a voice that felt stable enough without even trying. It’s not that different from the one in the memories she’s been holding for a long time.

Herietta’s eyes widened in surprise.

No way.

Herietta’s eyes wandered in his eyes. Beneath the long eyelashes, a wall deeper than the sea and blue like the sky was nestled. Eyes like glass beads. In those breathtakingly seductive eyes, her surprised look was reflected on its surface.

“Do, do you remember me?”

Nonsense.

“I, I thought, you, you wouldn’t, wouldn’t remember…….”

She was so startled that she couldn’t even utter her words properly. She didn’t even know what to think. That night, she thought he hadn’t seen her. She wasn’t even reflected in his eyes.

There was so much joy and hope that she couldn’t control it. The corners of her lips rose upwards, drawing a curve. On the contrary, Edwin frowned.

“My memory is not so bad that I can’t remember what happened a few days ago.”

‘A few days ago?’

The corners of her lips, which soared rapidly, stopped. No way. She noticed something was wrong with his expression and tone of voice.

“A few days ago…?”

“The day I first arrived here. Did you not lose your consciousness in front of the house? Don’t you remember?”

Edwin awakened her memory.

“I tried to not touch you as much as possible, but I had no choice but to do it. At that time, there was no one other than me who could move you from the spot.”

He explained in a calm voice. And Herietta’s expression, who had been listening to the story, gradually collapsed. Because she realized that he and she were talking about different memories.

“Then… You don’t remember?”

Herietta asked with a trembling voice. She had such a desperate look in her eyes that she seemed more like she was begging than asking a question.

Edwin looked at her quietly. His gaze was much more cautious than before.

“Have we met before?”

‘So you don’t remember.’

Herietta clenched her fist. Her heart was bitter and painful. It was like being pulled up to the highest place in the world and then being pushed back to the ends of the abyss. He didn’t do anything wrong. But even though she understood, she still couldn’t help but resent him.

Herietta took a deep breath, trying to regain her composure. She forcibly hid all the negative emotions from her face.

“No. Looking back, I think I was wrong.”

Herietta shook her head and frowned. But even after hearing her answer, Edwin continued to watch her. His gaze was much colder than before. But her mind was elsewhere and she didn’t realize it.

“By the way, I haven’t been able to say thank you yet.”

“Don’t worry. I just did what I had to do.”

“No. Still, you did help.”

Herietta did not back down and she made her point clear.

“Thank you. I owe you, though it was coincidental. Please let me know if there is anything I can do to help you in the future. Whatever it is, I will try to listen as much as possible.”

Herietta expressed her gratitude with sincerity. She tried to keep her smile as pleasant as possible.

Next to her, Hugo, who was watching the exchange, had a puzzled expression on his face. He didn’t like how his sister acted like a dragon that spits fire when she was interacting with him, but she was infinitely kind to a humble slave.

On the other hand, Edwin’s eyes narrowed as he looked at the sullen Herietta. He looked like he was trying to figure out something that wasn’t quite clear. His tightly closed mouth slowly opened.

“Perhaps.”

“Ah! Excuse me, but I suddenly remembered what I had to do.”

Herietta clapped her hands, interrupting him.

“My mother had called me to see her earlier, but I forgot.”

She said as she moved in a hurry. He looked awkward, but she didn’t even have time to care about it.

“I’m sorry, but let’s talk another time. See you later.”

“Sister. That’s not true. Mother is out for a while… Ouch.”

Hugo suddenly squeaked and jumped out when Herietta tightened her hold on his arm after blurting out something unnecessary.

“Sis, sister?”

“Hugo, would you like to go too? Come to think of it, mother told me to bring you too.”

“Huh? Me too?”

Herietta said calmly, ignoring Hugo’s gaze at her as if he couldn’t believe her. Wait a minute, sister, no! Hugo screamed bitterly as he was dragged by Herietta’s hand.

It felt like a storm had gone. The noisy surroundings became quiet, and the silence was so thick that even the sound of breathing could be clearly heard.

Edwin stood there for a long time even after the two had left, looking in the direction where Herietta had disappeared. His eyes gleamed coldly.