“Yes…?” Roselia’s heart sank. Closette seemed nervous, too; she stood frozen before her easel, swallowing hard.
In the ensuing awkward silence, the Count, who had been staring blankly at Roselia, suddenly turned his head and blurted out, “I’m hungry.”
His expression remained nonchalant, as if he had no recollection of what he had said only moments ago.
“No, didn’t you… say something else just now?”
“Me? What did I say?”
Faced with the Count’s genuinely puzzled expression, Roselia and Closette could only exchange silent, bewildered glances.
* * *
After spending the morning at the Count’s estate, Roselia sent Closette ahead to the Duke’s estate and headed toward Nadya’s house. Since Closette had instructed her to arrive as Roselia, it seemed another tray of dresses had been prepared. The prospect of being buried in fabric all afternoon made Roselia sigh in advance.
Soon, she reached Nadya’s house. Hearing the knock and verifying it was Roselia, Nadya opened the door wide and offered a welcoming smile.
“You aren’t posing as your brother today, are you?”
Taken aback by the teasing tone, Roselia asked, wondering if she had heard correctly.
“Pardon?”
“That look suited you well enough, though.”
“W-what on earth are you talking about….”
Feeling guilty for no reason, Roselia offered an awkward laugh and tried to change the subject. Nadya simply replied with a knowing smile.
“I’ve been dealing with men for over ten years. Did you really think I wouldn’t recognize a woman disguised as one?”
With those words, Nadya scanned Roselia from head to toe.
“I was half-doubtful when I first met you at the pub, but after seeing you as a woman and then seeing Antonio again, I knew right away.”
Given her profession—constantly meeting and assessing people—it had apparently been easy for her to figure it out. Roselia opened her mouth, her voice troubled.
“Nadya, I would appreciate it if you could keep this a secret for a while….”
At Roselia’s stiff tone, Nadya let out a soft, wheezing laugh.
“Why would I go around blabbing about something like this? Come visit me disguised as a man sometimes. It’s quite fresh and fun, so… *huff, cough, cough.*”
As Nadya began to cough violently before she could finish, Roselia’s eyes widened.
“Nadya. You are taking your medicine on time, aren’t you?”
“Of course. I’ve been going to the hospital diligently, too.”
However, contrary to her words, Nadya’s complexion looked poor. It suddenly occurred to Roselia that in the original story, Nadya had less than a month left to live. Yet here she was, undergoing treatment and taking her medicine….
“You aren’t feeling worse, are you?”
At Roselia’s anxious, concerned question, Nadya curled her lips into a smirk and replied nonchalantly.
“It’s nothing like that. I’ve gotten much better after the treatments. I’m just not in the best condition today.”
At Nadya’s easygoing response, Roselia forced herself to push away her unsettling thoughts and nodded. Perhaps she was just being too fixated on the contents of the original novel. With that thought, Roselia smiled back at her.
* * *
After delivering the sponsorship money to Nadya, Roselia went to the roadside to catch a carriage back to the mansion.
Just then, a sleek, well-maintained carriage pulled up with a loud rattle. Given the ornate decorations, it didn’t seem like an ordinary hire. While Roselia stared in wonder, the door swung open.
“Ms. Roselia.”
“Marquess Eucheliode?”
Roselia stared with wide eyes at the face of Johannes, who was beaming at her.
“Get in. I’ll take you wherever you’re going.”
“Oh… no, thank you. I’m fine.”
“If you refuse even this much, I’ll be quite hurt….”
As Johannes spoke with a look as gloomy as a rain-drenched puppy, Roselia couldn’t find the heart to refuse again.
“Then, I have business at the Duke’s estate, so please drop me off nearby.”
Sitting across from Johannes, Roselia stared out the window, trying to ignore his burdensome gaze. *Why is he staring at me so intently with that smiling face?*
As Roselia felt internally distressed, Johannes, appearing to remember something, turned serious.
“Are you on your way to meet Duke Baltezar?”
At his sudden shift, Roselia was flustered and stammered.
“Pardon? Ah, no… I’m on my way to see Lady Closette, and I’m also meeting Antonio.”
Since it might seem odd for a fallen noblewoman like her to have connections with Closette, Roselia casually threw Antonio’s name into the mix. Johannes muttered to himself, lost in thought.
“You seem close with your stepbrother.”
“Yes, well….”
*Since Antonio is me, well….*
Unlike Roselia, who had answered without much thought, Johannes’s heart was complex. In truth, after becoming convinced that Roselia was his younger sister, he had even considered taking her back to their home country. But upon reflection, he worried that it might be a sudden imposition on her, as she had lived her whole life here with a new family and foundation.
Moreover, although it hadn’t been revealed yet, he feared the thugs who had kidnapped his mother and Cecelia that day were not mere bandits, but agents of someone within the Empire. It might be better not to take Roselia until the circumstances were certain.
While Johannes was lost in these concerns, the carriage stopped in front of the Duke’s mansion.
“We’ve already arrived….”
“Thank you, Marquess.”
Unlike the reluctant Johannes, Roselia stepped out of the carriage without hesitation. Johannes followed her out immediately, causing her eyes to widen.
“Oh? You didn’t have to get out….”
“I’ll feel more at ease if I confirm you’ve entered safely.”
“There’s really no need for that….”
While Roselia wondered at his behavior, Johannes continued with a soft, irresistible smile.
“Roselia, if… you ever need help, please tell me anytime.”
“Me, asking you for help?”
At Roselia’s puzzled expression, Johannes showed her a warm smile.
“It’s because you remind me of my younger sister. So, don’t feel burdened; please seek me out if you ever run into any difficulties.”
*Could it be… is this man interested in me?*
Just as Roselia was buried in her own contemplation, a familiar voice cut between them.
“Did you come to meet Antonio?”
Startled by the sharp edge in the tone, Roselia turned toward the speaker.
Klaus had been unable to stand it the moment he saw Roselia standing affectionately with Johannes. Though his mind understood their apparent relationship, the sight of them giggling right before his eyes drove him to madness. He didn’t understand himself, but the only thing that mattered now was to tear apart these two who were offending him.
“Duke?”
“Antonio is out for a moment, so wait inside.”
Klaus, looking incensed, grabbed Roselia’s wrist and pulled her away from Johannes’s side.
“Ah, it hurts, Duke.”
Caught off guard by his immense strength, Roselia frowned, not understanding why he was angry. Johannes, watching the scene with displeasure, finally could not hold back and blocked their path.
“Is Roselia not uncomfortable?”
“That is not for the Marquess to concern himself with.”
At Klaus’s cold remark, Johannes delivered a retort he had been holding back.
“How can it not be my concern? I am Roselia’s suitor.”
Roselia was shocked. *How does the Marquess know about the excuse I made up to avoid Klaus?*
“I believe that is reason enough. I will not tolerate anyone acting rudely toward Roselia from now on.”
At Johannes’s aggressive tone, Klaus’s brow furrowed deeply.
“Ha….”
With a sigh, Klaus’s eyelids slowly closed and opened, an unidentifiable rage rippling within his gaze.
“Even if you are Roselia’s suitor, acting in a way that provokes me at the Duke’s estate does not seem like a very good idea.”
Under Klaus’s lethal gaze, Roselia was flustered. The Duke was one thing, but why was the passing Marquess joining in and setting his eyes on fire just like the Duke? Roselia, caught in the middle, could only roll her eyes in despair.
Not backing down an inch, Johannes added, “And is it acceptable for you to act so recklessly without even asking for Roselia’s opinion?”
Klaus’s brow crumpled. *No, why is a man who is usually so composed acting just like the Duke?*
Eventually, Roselia wedged herself between the two.
“That’s enough. Marquess Eucheliode, thank you for today. I’m fine now, so I think you should be on your way.”
Thinking that since this was the Duke’s estate, it was better to send the outsider away, she spoke firmly. Unlike the triumphant expression on Klaus, Johannes’s face sagged like a scolded puppy.
At Roselia’s resolute expression, Johannes took a reluctant step back and said in a low voice.
“Please, do not forget what I said….”
It seemed he meant his offer to help whenever she needed it. As he walked away after shooting a glare at the Duke, Klaus’s brow twitched.
“What did that man say?”
Seeing Klaus demand to know the hidden meaning behind the Marquess’s words, Roselia replied curtly.
“I don’t think there is any reason for me to share such private matters with the Duke.”
Unlike when she sent Johannes away, her colder tone toward Klaus made him stiffen his shoulders. The words of Johannes, telling him not to treat Roselia carelessly, echoed in his mind.
“Was it unpleasant because I grabbed your wrist too hard earlier?”
“……?”
At his words, which were uncharacteristically asking after her feelings, Roselia stared at Klaus, wondering if he had eaten something wrong.