Chapter 273 "Please let me take care of you."...
The following evening, I showed the article to the handsome young man. He was the one who led me to find the material, so he was qualified to read it. "Can you read?" I asked. He nodded, and then I handed him the article.
After he finished reading it, he looked at me in surprise and said, "How could you write such a long piece, and write it so well?"
On this still somewhat ignorant continent, printed publications were scarce and expensive, literacy rates were low among commoners, and even among noblewomen, literacy rates were not high, let alone writing.
"Is it long? It's so-so," I said.
I could have written even longer, but considering printing costs, I kept it under a thousand words.
"How did you learn to read? Are you a nobleman?" I asked curiously.
“I am the illegitimate son of a nobleman,” he said tactfully.
So that's how it is. No wonder he has such a great presence and is so handsome. It turns out he has good genes and a good upbringing.
"Was the older sister you saw last time your biological sister?" I asked again.
“No, she is the daughter of my father’s sister.” He added, “My biological father was a commoner, and my mother was a noblewoman. My biological father passed away two years ago.”
"What's your name? My name is Nathan," he said, looking into my eyes.
"Aya." I can only use someone else's name.
"Aya, are you a noblewoman? Otherwise, how could you read?"
“No, I am neither a nobleman nor a commoner,” I said. “I don’t know how to explain this.”
He laughed. "No need to explain, I know." He probably thought I was an illegitimate child, which is why he said he was neither a nobleman nor a commoner.
From that day on, he often took me to find material. He took me to sneak into high-class taverns that required invitations to enter, where I would hide behind the door and eavesdrop on the nobles' laughter and conversation; he took me to disguise myself as a maid and "work" in the merchant guild's large canteen, listening to the merchants boast; he took me to the salons of the wealthy, where I would wander through crowded halls and listen to gossip coming from all directions.
We've been chased away by tavern thugs, kicked out by guild stewards, and chased into the streets by salon owners and their guards. In the cold midnight of early spring, we run through the deserted streets, laughing loudly. The biting wind blows against our faces and our sweaty, tightly clenched hands, yet we feel no cold at all.
Before the thin ice melted, he skillfully led me around it, preventing me from slipping; in the intricate street corners and alleys, he always managed to navigate them with ease. On a drizzly early spring morning, my long hair was soaked, clinging tightly to my neck. I don't know if it was because of his laughter or the way my hair was wrapped around me, but I felt a little suffocated.
I would occasionally reciprocate. Outside the city, by the caravan's campfire, I taught him how to grill meat skewers; the aroma was irresistible, attracting wave after wave of people.
Sometimes he would join the caravan members in dancing, and he danced quite well. I would clap my hands and laugh so hard I almost fell over.
I would also teach him how to make milk tea, but he never seemed to learn it and would spill it all over the ground. I had to teach him again and again until I saw the caravan members give me a hint and I realized that he had already learned it and was just playing a trick on me. I was so angry that I chased him around and around.
Before dawn, he walked me to the street corner, but I refused to let him walk me any further. I told him that my family had strict rules and it was inconvenient for him to walk me home. Deep disappointment flashed in his eyes, but he said nothing and silently turned away.
I circled around several street corners before slowly making my way to the carriage parked in a secluded corner, and boarded it to return to the palace.
During the day, I would take five or six hours of naps, and in the evening I would sit in the library writing articles. Sometimes I would go to the printing factory, and I would keep busy like this until midnight. I would disguise myself and leave the palace to meet Nathan to find material.
That night, I had just finished my work and was about to leave when Aurora suddenly appeared behind the door. I glanced at her and continued on my way.
In the deserted corridor, Aurora followed me at a leisurely pace. "Mother, King Bernot will be returning in a few days. You should be more discreet."
"Does his return mean I can't collect material anymore?!"
“You can have someone else handle it. Our people now know how you gather information from those places you frequent.”
I stopped in my tracks without turning around. "Mind your own business and don't overstep your bounds."
“Your dating men is a minor matter, but King Benoit’s anger is a major matter. King Benoit is currently paying for half of our royal city’s expenses.”
Why don't you try to make money yourself?!
"Making money is not that easy, let alone supporting a royal city."
"Since you are the master of the royal city, you must find a way to rely on yourself. Others will eventually leave."
I continued walking forward, and Aurora's voice drifted over from afar, "King Bernard knows about your affairs. The only reason he hasn't taken action is out of consideration for you. You'd better keep your distance."
I hesitated, unsure whether I should meet with Nathan again.
By the campfire of the caravan outside the city, I listened to the merchants gossiping while hesitating whether to speak, when I heard Nathan slowly ask, "May I know where your home is and who your father is?"
"Why are you suddenly asking these questions?!" I asked.
“My mother arranged a marriage for me a long time ago. Now that the girl has grown up, her family will come to discuss the marriage, but I would rather marry you.” Nathan’s face was flushed. “I want to talk to your father and hope that he will agree to let you marry me. My mother’s family has been in business for generations, but some members of the family have also married into noble families and have noble blood. The whole family is quite powerful, and I think your father would be willing to let you marry me.”
I was stunned for a moment before I said, "Marriage?! We've only known each other for a short time... and since your family is quite powerful, it's unlikely they'll agree to our marriage."
“I will try my best to persuade my mother, and if she disagrees, I am still willing to take care of you, if you are willing.” He said it subtly, but it was very clear—they could be together without getting married.
"You mean, if we can't get married, you'll keep me as your mistress?!" I asked in a trembling voice.
"Don't worry, I won't treat you badly. I'll give you all the money I earn, and my wife won't get any of my money."
My nose stung, and I suddenly felt like crying for some reason.
“I’ve had enough of being an illegitimate child, and I don’t want to have any more illegitimate children,” I said. “Our relationship ends here.”
I stood up and left immediately. He hurriedly followed behind, saying, "Tell me, Aya, who your father is. Maybe we can get married."
“I have no father,” I said, turning to him as I cried. “But I have several children, and there is absolutely no way we can get married.”
He was stunned. "What did you say?! Are you serious?!"
“It’s true, it’s all true,” I said, crying. “I’ve been with several men, and none of them wanted to marry me, but I had several children with them.”
“Then let me take care of you,” he suddenly knelt down on one knee before me, “I will take care of you and your child.”
My tears fell. "I don't need you to support me, I don't need to."
He himself looks like a child, how could I possibly let a child raise him?!
He hugged my waist—the most intimate thing we'd done in months—and said, "Please let me take care of you."
I gently stroked his face, then suddenly laughed through my tears, “Thank you for helping me find stories all this time. I’m so happy. I’ve never had such a joyful time.”
I'm telling the truth. Since coming to this other world, I've experienced death, bloody rebellions, riots, imprisonment, displacement, confinement, and escape, but I've never felt so relaxed and happy.
I shook him off and ran forward, very fast. He came to his senses and started chasing me. I panted and summoned my bodyguards, instructing them to intercept him discreetly. "Don't let him know who I am, and don't let him see where I'm running."
I rushed into the city, and after running around a few street corners, a low-key black carriage stopped beside me. I got into the carriage and burst into tears.
Summer has arrived, and the nights are getting warmer, but the car is freezing cold, making it hard for me to breathe.
From that day on, I stopped going out. I worked day and night on my newspaper, filling every spare moment so I wouldn't have time to think about anything else.
Sometimes I work through the night, afraid that if I fall asleep, it will take me back to that deserted street, where we run and laugh in the night wind, and when I wake up I laugh until tears stream down my face, soaking my pillowcase.
I often work with red and swollen eyes, and I don't even know what I'm busy with.
He would stare blankly for a long time until a maid gently reminded him that it was time to rest.
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Author's note: This is just a short message to express my feelings!
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