The Countess's Body Has Disappeared - Chapter 48

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 48
Anyone who loves animals would naturally love dogs. Imagining Cecilia’s startled face at the sight of one, Davion’s chest swelled with a rosy glow of anticipation.
Blake, unaware of his intention, gave a lukewarm response and turned his eyes back to the newspaper.
“I can’t stand shedding creatures. If you’re so keen on keeping a pet, marry a proper woman quickly and build yourself a family.”
In that moment, Davion was grateful Blake couldn’t see his face.
Afterward, he gathered some matches and a cigarette pack from his bedroom, placed one between his lips, and wandered slowly through the field.
It was early Sunday morning. He hadn’t intended to meet Cecilia—though he certainly wished for it—but this time she appeared before him as if conjured, without warning.
Yet something about Cecilia’s clothing seemed slightly different from usual.
Davion stood rooted to the spot, creasing his brow as he snapped the cigarette between his fingers.
“Are you going out somewhere?”
He asked softly as he approached Cecilia, who was crouched among the flower beds.
A vast shadow fell across the ground. Cecilia stopped gathering pebbles in her hands and, wrinkling her nose, tilted her head up.
“It’s Sunday, isn’t it? I put this on to lift my spirits a little.”
Above the pale blue dress, her bare white shoulders caught the light. Davion forced himself to gaze out at the distant field, determined not to look at what seemed slightly more exposed than usual.
Cecilia rose and brushed the dirt from her skirt. For some reason, she suddenly grew restless and, stealing a glance, seemed to gauge his thoughts.
“Does it look cheap……?”
“What?”
“Grandmother sometimes says I look cheap when I wear clothes like this.”
Davion wrinkled his face and gently stroked her cheek, warm with the summer heat.
“That’s just because she’s old-fashioned. You look beautiful.”
“Really?”
Reassured by his words, Cecilia regained her confidence. She called out loudly to a crow that had been wandering alone through the field, then grabbed Davion’s wrist and eagerly pulled him into the cabin.
“You know, I want to show you one of my treasures.”
A treasure of this woman’s—how could one not be intrigued?
While Cecilia climbed onto a chair and retrieved a tin case from the shelf, Davion waited obediently on the bed. She gathered her long hair neatly over one shoulder and opened the lid of the tin case.
“I collect coins and pretty stones in here. Ruby loves these sorts of pebbles.”
Her blue eyes sparkled with anticipation for his reaction. When Davion spread his palm, she dropped the pebbles one by one and explained.
“Cute, right? This one is shaped like a rabbit.”
“Yes. It’s cute.”
“And this one is shaped like a turtle! Ruby loves this one the most!”
“It’s adorable.”
Truly, the treasure was charming. But as Davion smiled along with Cecilia, he glanced into the tin case and found himself frowning.
“Is all the money in here really your entire savings?”
At that, wrinkles appeared between Cecilia’s smooth brows as well.
“Why? Do you dislike me for being poor?”
“Of course not. I was just curious.”
“I haven’t been saving very long. Since I eat and sleep here, I had no reason to spend money. All of this was brought to me by mice passing through—they picked up dropped coins and brought them to me. Very honorable friends, they are.”
She retrieved the pebbles that had rolled in his palm and placed them back inside, then closed the tin case lid and added,
“Besides, my income has increased lately. Apparently your second young master has a habit of dropping coins.”
Davion gazed at Cecilia’s slender ankles as she stood on tiptoe at the edge of the chair, saying nothing.
Soon after, she sat at the desk and began humming a famous nursery rhyme while combing her hair down. Her transparent face, like watercolor, reflected in the round tabletop mirror.
Davion found even the shadows of her long eyelashes falling across her cheeks beautiful. It was foolish by his own reckoning, but if he could simply keep watch over this woman at his side all day—he would gladly sell his soul to the devil.
Then, by chance, their eyes met. She widened her eyes in surprise, then lifted her lips and smiled shyly.
…….
Davion quickly propped his elbows on both knees and bent forward. Blood was rushing, and his body was beginning to respond.
But for some reason, Cecilia’s smile gradually faded and her brows drew closer together. Soon after, she gripped the back of her chair and twisted her waist toward him.
“You…….”
Cecilia’s blue eyes gleamed like glass marbles in the sunlight.
“Your ear is pierced?”
Davion touched his left earlobe with an “ah” of recognition. Setting the comb on the desk, Cecilia quickly perched beside him and examined his earlobe closely, where a mark remained.
Davion prayed his ear wouldn’t turn bright red.
Damn. He should have shaved more carefully this morning.
“But it looks closed up?”
As Cecilia rubbed his earlobe between her forefinger and thumb, Davion started at the touch and roughly pushed her away.
Cecilia blinked rapidly in confusion.
Realizing his mistake too late, Davion cleared his throat awkwardly and reached out to touch a stray white hair that fluttered near her ear.
“If you touch it that hard, it hurts.”
“It hurts……? Really?”
“Yes.”
“Sorry. I didn’t know.”
I can’t believe it. She reads so many romance novels—how can she not know this?
Cecilia could be thoughtlessly oblivious at times, and somehow that kept pushing him to the edge. After exhaling a long breath as if steadying himself, Davion answered her earlier question.
“I had it pierced in school, following my friends around, but I didn’t wear it, so it closed up. Even if it hadn’t, I’d have had to remove it before deployment anyway—they won’t let you wear earrings. Says it’s dangerous.”
“Wow, you bastard…….”
Cecilia narrowed her eyes, her expression turning playful.
“So you were quite the troublemaker back in the day, huh?!”
Hearing that, Davion couldn’t suppress his laughter.
“Getting that treatment over a single pierced ear? Can you feel it? I’m genuinely hurt.”
“My grandmother said children who pierced their ears in school weren’t exemplary.”
“So you take your grandmother’s word as gospel?”
Cecilia shrugged. It was neither a yes nor a no—an ambiguous answer.
Davion drew her hand, which had been clenched into a fist on her thigh, toward his left ear so she could touch it. He’d begun to worry that she might misunderstand his earlier gesture of pulling away.
“Living here, going to school—has it ever crossed your mind?”
“I don’t know…….”
Cecilia stroked his dense stubble, falling into brief thought.
“Witches aren’t welcomed anywhere. Even in fairy tales that children read, witches are usually villains, aren’t they? Maybe we’re not as good as people think we are.”
She said this with a faintly melancholic air. Davion leaned down and pressed his lips to her cheek.
“Then I’m happy to stand on the villains’ side. I like witches.”
Cecilia bit down on her teeth and giggled softly.
“Idiot. You like me, not witches.”
“True. I won’t deny it.”
Cecilia closed her eyes quietly. But Davion, who she’d thought was about to kiss her, only laughed low in jest, then tickled her chin with the tip of his nose instead.
……He wasn’t going to? Confused, Cecilia cautiously lifted her eyelids.
Davion had already straightened up and was fanning away the heat with the front flaps of his shirt. Through the gaps where the buttons had come undone, bronze-toned chest was visible.
Cecilia’s gaze traced down his solid upper body.
There’s much she’s curious about regarding this man’s body, but right now…….
“So this one too—surely not from school……?”
Cecilia asked, touching the tattoo on his left arm with her fingertip. Davion could only roll his eyes in exasperation.
“Of course not. I got this done hastily before returning from deployment. A bomb went off and left me with burn scars. They were ugly, so I wanted to cover them up however I could.”
“A bomb?”
Cecilia couldn’t help but be startled by this unexpected answer.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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