After Putting the Slayer of the Night to Sleep, I Ran Away - Chapter 61

‘Ha?’

Leo was just as taken aback by the bed.

He’d expected at least two, but there was only one, and a single!

Ayla seemed equally flustered by the size of the bed, which looked barely big enough for one person.

‘I should probably leave.’

Leaving her alone was unsettling, but he could always assign a familiar to watch over her.

Just as Leo made up his mind and was about to speak, Ayla’s voice reached him.

“Would you like to wash first?”

“What?”

“I guess the sea breeze really does have salt in it. I feel like I need to wash, having been exposed to the wind so much.”

Ayla stepped inside without meeting his gaze.

Leo stared at her retreating figure, then sighed inwardly and closed the door behind him.

Even if he was going to leave, he decided he would wait until she had washed and settled down for the night.

“I’m fine, you should wash first. I’ll draw you a bath.”

“Yes? No! I can do it myself. I’ll do it, Your Highness.”

Ayla, who had been following Leo as he headed for the bathroom, startled like a frightened kitten at his words and scurried after him.

Amidst their bickering, they opened the bathroom door and stepped inside, only to freeze simultaneously.

A cloud of thick steam billowed out through the open door, engulfing them both.

As the dense steam cleared somewhat, a surprisingly spacious interior was revealed.

The tub, large enough for both of them to fit in, was already filled with hot water, and red rose petals floated on the surface.

‘So that’s what he meant.’

Leo recalled Brook’s words that all the necessary preparations had been made.

‘He went to unnecessary lengths.’

He moistened his lips, feeling awkward, when Ayla’s voice, filled with delight, reached him.

“There are clothes to change into? That’s a relief. I was worried.”

“Clothes?”

“I can’t exactly sleep in these clothes.”

Ayla nodded, her face clearly relieved, then hesitated, looking at him standing there blankly.

“Um…”

“What is it?”

“Unless you’re going to wash with me, it would be best if you left.”

Before Ayla could finish her sentence, Leo turned around.

He strode out of the bathroom with long strides, not giving her a chance to stop him.

Only after confirming that the door was firmly closed did Leo take a deep breath and exhale.

Unless he was going to wash with her, she had said.

He was dumbfounded, wondering if Ayla really meant what she said, but then he recalled the first night they had spent together, and it seemed plausible.

“Come to think of it. She was quite bold back then.”

Leo stood there blankly for a moment, then walked over to the sofa and collapsed onto it, running his hands over his face repeatedly.

He shouldn’t have brought up that day.

His heart was beating faster than usual.

How did this happen?

Lying in bed, staring at the unfamiliar ceiling, Ayla sighed deeply.

Realizing she couldn’t stay like this, she turned to her side and dimly saw Leo stretched out on the sofa.

‘He must be uncomfortable.’

The sofa was far too short for his height.

As a result, Leo’s knees were inevitably bent in half, and his protruding legs bothered her.

‘No, I should sleep on the sofa instead.’

She was shorter, so she wouldn’t be uncomfortable on the sofa.

With that decision made, Ayla abruptly sat up, and Leo narrowly opened one of his eyes, which had been closed.

“Why are you getting up?”

Leo’s eyebrows twitched slightly at Ayla’s behavior of finally leaving the bed.

“I don’t think this is right.”

“What isn’t?”

“Making Your Highness sleep on the sofa.”

Ayla, who had already approached the sofa, looked determined.

“I’d rather sleep here. I’m not as tall as Your Highness.”

“No. Go back.”

After rejecting her with a single word, Leo closed his eyes as if it wasn’t even worth arguing about.

The problem was that Ayla had no intention of backing down.

“I don’t want to. If you don’t switch, am I supposed to sleep on the floor?”

“…”

“I mean it.”

When Ayla lay down on the floor as if to prove her point, Leo sighed and sat up.

Looking down, he saw Ayla lying at his feet with her eyes tightly shut.

“Go to bed now. Or else I won’t get up from here.”

Seriously.

What was he supposed to make of this?

“Are you threatening me?”

Ayla’s eyes fluttered open at Leo’s question.

“How did you know?”

“You’re really threatening me?”

“Yes. So go to bed now. Or else I really won’t get up.”

“No, Ayla. This is how you threaten someone.”

Leo slowly leaned down, bringing his face close to Ayla’s.

“You’d better go to bed right now.”

His voice, resonating from his Adam’s apple, wrapped sweetly around Ayla’s ear.

“Otherwise, no one will be sleeping on the sofa.”

The threat seemed to work.

Her blue eyes were shaking violently.

But as if unwilling to give in, Ayla’s eyelids remained firmly shut.

Leo, feeling bewildered by her unwavering stance, let out a hollow laugh.

“So that’s how you want to play it.”

One of Leo’s knees touched the floor and then lifted.

He had scooped Ayla up in his arms in one swift motion.

Ayla’s eyes widened in surprise as she felt Leo’s solid chest against her cheek.

“No. Your Highness?”

“Be quiet.”

Leo’s low, deep voice echoed.

The room was too small for Ayla to say anything more. Soon, Leo reached the bed and lowered her onto it.

“If you get up one more time, you’ll see. Something really bad might happen.”

It was the strongest warning he could give, but it was difficult for Ayla, who didn’t understand the situation, to accept it.

She suggested in a disgruntled voice.

“We could just sleep together.”

“What?”

“I’m uncomfortable being the only one in the bed. It’s a little cramped, but it seems big enough for two people.”

Leo stood at the head of the bed, looking down at Ayla.

In the dim room, his red eyes shone with complex emotions.

After silently gazing at her, Leo sighed and replied in a low voice.

“No.”

“Why?”

“I’ll definitely fall asleep.”

His voice was indifferent, and the meaning was unclear.

Ayla closed her mouth, unsure how to interpret his words.

A strange tingling sensation ran through her chest.

“Since it’s night, isn’t it okay to sleep?”

She tried to ask casually, but Leo didn’t answer immediately.

Instead, he slowly reached out and brushed the hair that had fallen over her forehead, and only after withdrawing his hand did he mumble.

“For now. Because it’s a foreign land.”

She didn’t know if the reason for her disappointment was his words or the loss of his touch.

Hiding her complicated feelings, Ayla asked again.

“Do I make you sleepy when I’m next to you?”

Now that she said it, it seemed that way.

It seemed that he was especially prone to falling asleep when they were together.

That was the case on the first night they spent together, and it was also the case in the carriage where they had once sat side by side.

And now, too.

He quietly closed his eyes and then slowly opened them again. Then he took a step back and nodded.

“Yes.”

Leo’s words carried a weight as if they had been drawn from somewhere deep within.

“I get sleepy.”

“I see.”

Ayla’s eyes, looking down, trembled with agitation.

She had only wanted him to lie down and sleep comfortably. Why did she feel so disappointed by his answer?

Then she realized that she was being greedy.

Greedy? That was absurd.

She still had so much to repay, how could she be disappointed out of greed?

Ayla quickly composed herself and lifted the blanket beside her.

“Lie down.”

“Ayla.”

“Quickly.”

Despite her repeated urging, Leo remained silent for a while.

After the sound of wind hitting the window passed, Ayla asked in a wounded voice.

“Do you hate me so much that you don’t even want to be near me?”

“It’s not that.”

“Then please stay next to me. I’m scared alone.”

She changed her approach.

Leo sighed, knowing that, but finally slowly got into bed.

“I really can’t win against you.”

“I know, it would have been better if you had just lied down from the start.”

“I didn’t know you were so stubborn.”

“I guess you know now.”

“Let’s just go to sleep.”

“Yes.”

The goal was achieved.

A warm body heat was transmitted from Leo’s body, which was touching her left shoulder.

Ayla, who had resisted the urge to burrow into that warmth, glanced at him.

Leo was lying straight, with his eyes closed, but his chest was rising and falling irregularly.

‘What does it mean that he gets sleepy when he’s with me?’

A strange disappointment lingered, but she didn’t want to think about it anymore.

Since it was night, it was natural to sleep.

Ayla thought so and quietly closed her eyes.

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