"Mmm..."
Her eyes fluttered open, blurry and unfocused. It took a few seconds for Ardan to even feel aware of her own existence.
Everything before her was still dim, only the vague shapes of a white ceiling and a simple, unadorned hanging lamp visible.
A stiff, hard sensation came from beneath her. Even with a layer of cotton padding, the unyielding feel of the wooden boards underneath was impossible to ignore.
For a young lady like Ardan, raised in comfort and used to a soft mattress, this hard bed was genuinely difficult to endure.
But surprisingly, she had slept deeply, the quality of her rest exceptionally good.
Even though it wasn't light out yet, she felt no lingering sleepiness, her mind completely refreshed.
She lazily turned over, pulling the rough-woven blanket tighter around her. Despite the coarse fabric, it brought her a profound sense of comfort.
She sniffed unconsciously, drawing in a faint, sun-warmed scent.
This gentle fragrance wasn't aggressive, nor did it leave a strong impression.
But it soothed her body and mind perfectly, washing away her fatigue, even making her brain feel clearer. It was a scent that carried a deep sense of security and happiness.
'What is that smell?'
Ardan wondered, puzzled, her mind still slow to wake. She even subconsciously tugged the blanket in her hands closer and took a few light sniffs.
'This scent...'
The more she smelled it, the more familiar it felt. As she struggled to place it, a golden figure grew clearer and clearer in her mind.
"..."
Her movements suddenly froze. Disbelieving, she looked down, pulled the blanket away to look, then turned her head to scan the room.
Taking everything in, she silently slid her body further down.
She pulled the blanket up over her head, until she was completely, thoroughly covered.
A muffled, anguished groan seeped out from under the cotton quilt.
'Ardan, what are you doing?! What about the dignity of the Mejiro family? You can't be like this...'
After a long while, she finally crawled out, scolding herself, her shoulders slumped with dejection as she reached over and flipped the light switch.
The room, previously lit only by the faint light from outside, grew considerably brighter.
It was only then that Ardan noticed she was still fully dressed, hadn't taken anything off.
Oh, except her shoes.
Just a slight effort to remember brought back the events of yesterday, and her face grew even more awkward.
'I was the one who said I'd help Nearl with her documents, and yet I ended up falling asleep first? How embarrassing.'
'Did Nearl bring me back to bed? She must have. No one else would have. But she's so conservative! Even if she didn't change all my clothes, she could have at least helped me out of my outerwear! Just taking off my jacket—what's the point?'
She threw the quilt back and looked at the faint steam still rising from her body, her expression a mix of embarrassment and annoyance.
'Whatever. I'll go take a bath first. I feel really uncomfortable right now.'
Thinking this, she energetically marched into the bathroom, only for a confused voice to emerge a moment later.
"Which towel am I supposed to use for bathing?"
--+--
"Whew~~~"
Ardan emerged from the bathroom, a white towel wrapped around her head, dressed in casual clothes.
'Nearl is so thoughtful. She even put little white labels with notes on all the bathroom supplies and towels. I was worried I'd use the wrong one at first.'
After carefully getting dressed and borrowing Nearl's desk to tidy her appearance, Ardan had transformed back into her usual young lady self.
By the time she was done, the clock's hour hand had unknowingly moved a full notch. Outside, the sky was now hinting at the first light of dawn.
'I wonder how Nearl slept?'
This thought surfaced in Ardan's mind the moment she had her coat on. She was almost itching with anticipation to see what Nearl looked like asleep.
She slid open her room door. Since both Nearl's room and the reception room were on the first floor, Ardan quickly found herself standing before the doorway of the room that had left such a deep impression on her last night.
"Pardon the intrusion~"
She said the words softly, and gently pushed the door open.
Thanks to the rising sun, the room now had enough light to make things out dimly.
Ardan's eyes went straight to the sofa. But to her surprise, there was no sign of anyone there.
It looked so neat, it was a mystery whether anyone had slept on it at all last night.
"Huh?"
Puzzled, Ardan's gaze swept the room, finally landing on a familiar spot where she saw Nearl's figure.
Right there, on the same desk from last night.
Nearl was slumped over it, fast asleep, using her arms as a pillow to support her head.
Her usually tidy, ordinary ponytail had come loose and spilled down, giving her a charm completely different from her usual self.
'Did Nearl... sleep like this all night?'
Ardan's heart ached. She clenched her hands, then stepped forward softly, wanting to help.
But as she passed the desk, her eyes were involuntarily drawn to the documents on it.
'These documents... are they all finished? But there was such a huge pile yesterday?'
She skimmed through them, confirming that all the paperwork was indeed complete. Her heart ached even more. She couldn't even imagine how late Nearl must have stayed up.
She sat down in the chair she'd used yesterday. Gently, she lifted Nearl, guiding her to lean toward her.
Finally, she rested Nearl's head against her lower abdomen, using her own thighs to support Nearl's lower back so it wasn't suspended in air.
'It's a good thing this chair has a backrest, or this would probably be really difficult.'
Ardan thought with relief as she gently smoothed Nearl's golden hair.
Her gaze was tender as she looked at Nearl's face, patiently, strand by strand, brushing the loose hair away from her face and tidying it.
'So heroic-looking. She seems even more serious when she's asleep.'
Ardan sighed softly, looking at that face. While this impression had always been there, it was the first time she'd observed it so closely.
Nearl's first impression was never her feminine charm, but a neutral, heroic air—reliable, steady, and other positive notions. Only afterward would one notice the fact that she was a beautiful woman.
'Maybe you attract more gazes from girls than from boys, Nearl.'
Ardan was amused by her own sudden thought, but she forcibly suppressed her smile.
'This is so nice.'
As she gently rubbed Nearl's ear, Ardan thought, 'I wish time could just stretch on like this forever.'
Being so close to someone she cherished, Ardan could feel the satisfaction deep in her heart.
How she wished she had another pair of arms right then, so she could use a painting to preserve this moment for all time.
--+--
T/N: While I am an inexperienced Translator, I have a Patreon! While it may seem empty as of now, webnovel will get 3 Chapters Every Day, and advanced chapters will be uploaded on Patreon.
It may not seem worth it now, but maybe in the future. Who knows!
[email protected]/AspenTL
If you guys wanna check it out.