Instead of My Stepsister, I Have Become Engaged to the Son of a Marquis, Who Is Said to Only Have a Year Left to Live - Chapter 15

Chapter 15
Early Morning Walk

　Edith woke up to the chirping of birds echoing in a dimly lit room.

(Hn……?)

　Edith blinked in confusion at the unfamiliar sight of the room, but then she sat up and looked around, realizing that she was in her own room at the Marquis of Granvelle’s house.
　Outside the window, the sky was just beginning to lighten.

“I came back to this room and fell asleep…”

　Edith muttered, walking over to the window and opening the large window, breathing in the still-cool, crisp early morning air.

　Yesterday, Edith had watched Lionel sleep, and after talking with his father in the kitchen, she had returned to her room, put away her belongings, and then laid down on her large, fluffy bed. It was still evening, and with the setting sun streaming into the room, she had only intended to rest for a little while, but she had fallen into a deep sleep.

(This has rarely happened before. Maybe I was more nervous about the new environment than I thought, and I was just tired…)

　Edith, who usually kept a very punctual routine of life, was surprised at herself, but she quickly took a bath in the bathroom connected to her room and hurriedly got ready.
　Edith, having finished getting ready with ease, was stunned by the sight of the flowers in the courtyard, visible from her window, illuminated by the rising sun. Then, she saw a figure waving at her from the window across the courtyard.

“…Lord Lionel?”

　Edith looked into the window across the courtyard and saw Lionel smiling brightly.

“Good morning, Edith. You’re up pretty early.”

　Hearing his voice sound more energetic and clear than yesterday, Edith smiled with joy.

“Lord Lionel! Good morning. Did you sleep well last night?”
“Ah, thanks to you, I was able to sleep soundly. I’ve been asleep and just woke up.”
“How are you feeling?”
“I’m feeling much better than yesterday. Your medicine and the herbal porridge seem to have worked well.”

　Edith let out a sigh of relief at Lionel’s words.

“That’s good…! I’m relieved to hear that.”

　Lionel looked at Edith, his cheeks flushing a little, and asked hesitantly.

“I know it’s early in the morning, but if you don’t mind, could I talk to you for a bit?”
“Yes, I’d be happy to. Since it’s a bit far from here to you, Lord Lionel, can I come to your room now?”
“That would be helpful.”

　Edith immediately went to Lionel’s room. She knocked on the door, and when he answered, she opened it. She took a few steps closer to Lionel, who was sitting up in bed, and was stunned by his appearance.

(Huh……?)

　Edith hadn’t noticed when she saw him across the courtyard, but Lionel’s complexion and glow had improved, and his once gaunt face seemed a little fuller. His violet eyes seemed to sparkle more brightly than yesterday, and he smiled brightly at Edith.

“Edith, thank you for coming.”
“Lionel-sama, your complexion has improved considerably.”
“Yeah. It’s been a while since I woke up feeling this refreshed. …Plus, I got to see your face this morning.”

　As Lionel looked at Edith with a happy smile on his face, Edith’s cheeks turned a light red.

“I was surprised to see you at the window so early in the morning. Were you looking out into the courtyard?”
“Yes. The gardens of the Marquis of Granvelle household are well-maintained and beautiful. The courtyard was just lit up by the morning sun, and it was so beautiful that I couldn’t help but stare at it.”
“Well, then, would you like to take a walk around the courtyard?”

　Edith nodded happily at Lionel’s suggestion.

“Is that okay? If it won’t harm your health, Lord Lionel, then I would love to join you.”
“I’m fine. I’m in a wheelchair though, so I’m sorry to bother you…”
“Hehe, that’s absolutely no problem.”

　Edith moved the wheelchair closer to the bed, and Lionel shifted on the bed and, with Edith’s help, moved to the wheelchair next to the bed. Edith pushed his wheelchair through the door to the courtyard, squinting at the dazzling morning sun.

　Apart from Edith and Lionel, there was no one in the quiet courtyard, and the only sound was the high-pitched chirping of birds.
　Looking out at the courtyard, filled with colorful flowers blooming in abundance, Edith once again sighed in admiration.

“What a wonderful garden! It’s really beautiful…”
“The gardener always keeps it well-maintained. Since I can see it well from my room, he frequently changes the types of flowers to suit the season.”
“Well, that’s nice. And it smells good…”

　Edith was admiring the beautiful flowers blooming in the garden when she felt someone looking at her and turned to look at Lionel; instead of the flowers, he was looking at her with a smile.

“…The flowers blooming here are beautiful, but I think your smile as you gaze at them is far more beautiful.”
“No, no. I don’t think so…”

　When she had lived at the Oak Ridge House, Edith had been derided as plain by her stepsister and had never been called beautiful, so her cheeks immediately flushed red with embarrassment.

“…There’s no need for you to flatter me, Lord Lionel.”
“No, I think so from the bottom of my heart. You are beautiful, Edith. And when I see your smile, it brightens my mood too.”

　Edith’s face turned even redder at Lionel’s words.