Did Merran deliberately get rid of Claisey? Was it because she wanted to meet this gentleman alone? Anna grasped the situation at once.
She clicked her tongue inwardly. *To think that the young lady, whom I always thought was so naive, has already learned to scheme like this!*
‘Merran, really. If she likes this man and wants to go on a date alone, she should just be honest about it. Would Claisey really try to sabotage her date on purpose?’
However, regardless of the truth, she could not let her lady be embarrassed in front of this gentleman.
“Claisey said she had an appointment, so she went out. She didn’t mention having any other engagements. It seems there was a misunderstanding along the way.”
“I see.”
Dernic narrowed his eyes and smiled in agreement.
The way his expression seemed to say, ‘I know what’s going on, but I’ll let it slide,’ made Anna’s heart sink.
It was then. A clear, melodic voice drifted down from the stairs.
“My aunt went out to have fun, Sir Dernic.”
It was Merran, speaking as she descended the stairs.
Dernic turned toward her and held out the basket of candy he had brought. Merran, who had approached with the light gait of a butterfly, took the basket and smiled brightly before signaling to Anna with her eyes.
It was a sign for her to leave, but Anna did not budge. It was because Claisey had instructed her to stay by Merran and Dernic’s side.
When Anna continued to follow them even as Merran led Dernic to the parlor, Merran tried to close the door, but she couldn’t hold it in any longer and asked, “Anna, are you going to stay here the whole time?”
“I must remain here to serve the two of you.”
Anna feigned ignorance and made an excuse. Dernic smiled and stood by the window with his hands behind his back.
Merran stood with her back to him and made a threatening face at Anna. Even when Anna still wouldn’t leave, Merran turned red with anger.
“Anna, do you have to treat me so ridiculously in front of a guest?”
“Ridiculously? How could I ever treat such a precious young lady that way?”
“Then why aren’t you following my orders? What will Sir Dernic think of me?”
“He will surely think you are a person protected as preciously as gold and jade.”
“Anna. Leave. I’m not a child.”
“But Miss, he is a stranger.”
Merran suddenly felt a surge of rage. Anna was her aunt’s person. No matter how good their relationship was, she was employed by the Kalasi Family after all.
That was why she was ignoring her like this. If her aunt had given the order to leave, would Anna dare to ignore it?
“Anna. Get out.”
Merran’s voice became low and cold.
Anna was equally flabbergasted. It had been a mutually agreed-upon promise that Anna would stay by Merran’s side while she met with Dernic.
Merran had begged Claisey, ‘I want to invite Sir Dernic on the day Aunt goes out,’ and Claisey had agreed to that on the condition that Anna stay with her.
In other words, Anna staying here was an instruction from Claisey, but it was also a promise between Claisey and Merran. Yet, Merran was acting as if such a promise had never existed.
However, with Claisey away, it was difficult for Anna to keep ignoring Merran’s orders.
As Anna was pushed out, Merran slammed the door shut. Dernic watched as she leaned her back against the door and breathed heavily.
It was only after a long moment that Merran steadied her breathing and stumbled over to the sofa. Dernic did not help her but asked instead.
“Marie-nunim’s daughter. Should I call a doctor if you’re feeling unwell? I can come on another day.”
Merran leaned her arms on the back of the sofa and shook her head.
“I’m not feeling unwell. I’m just angry. I’ll be fine soon.”
Dernic sat on the windowsill and burst into laughter.
“No need to be angry. Youngest ones are always overprotected. Besides, I have no ties to the Kalasi Family.”
Merran rested her forehead on the cold sofa leather and replied.
“It’s not overprotection; it’s because they treat me like I’m not part of this house.”
“Why wouldn’t you be part of this house? You’re the niece of the owner.”
“But I’m from the Omal Family, not the Kalasi Family. And Anna is my aunt’s person, not mine.”
Dernic looked around the parlor, filled with a luxurious yet soft atmosphere, and asked.
“You seemed to have a good relationship with your aunt. Is that not the case?”
“Sometimes it’s good, but other times it’s bad.”
“I’m the same with my parents. It’s usually like that for everyone.”
Merran recalled Claisey’s request to ask which family Dernic belonged to. But after things turned out this way, she didn’t want to follow Claisey’s orders.
Besides, although she liked Dernic, Merran hadn’t decided whether she would seriously date him yet. Was there any need to ask about his family background right now?
Merran brushed aside Claisey’s request and rose from the sofa. She was angry because of Anna, but she couldn’t just talk about unpleasant things after going through the trouble of inviting a guest.
“Never mind. Let’s go into the room. I’ll show you the memento.”
Dernic got down from the windowsill and approached her. His movements were so light and quick that Merran widened her eyes before she knew it.
In the blink of an eye, Dernic was close to Merran and asked.
“By the way, Marie-nunim’s daughter. Where did Claisey go?”
“She went to hang out with friends. I don’t know exactly where she went. My aunt doesn’t really talk about her daily life with me.”
“Does Claisey know that I’m here?”
“She does.”
“And yet she went out?”
“Is that not allowed? My aunt doesn’t really like you, Sir Dernic.”
As Merran opened the bedroom door, she felt Dernic’s presence so close behind her that it was as if he were touching her back, and she bit her lip, feeling shy.
However, once they entered the room, Dernic stepped away immediately. He was looking around like a goldfish released into the water, not even approaching Merran’s side.
“Is there something to see in my room?”
When Merran asked, dumbfounded, Dernic grinned and nodded.
“You can see a person’s character by looking at their room.”
“You’re observing my character?”
“You’re Marie-nunim’s daughter. You must have some similarities with Marie-nunim, right?”
Merran usually liked stories about her mother. Her mother remained only as a good memory to her.
But it felt extremely strange to have a man she liked talk only about her mother.
“What kind of great favor did you receive to admire my mother so much?”
“A great favor.”
“Did my mother save your life or something, Sir Dernic?”
Dernic gave a secretive smile and refused to answer.
“If Marie-nunim didn’t tell you, there’s a reason. I don’t want to talk about things Marie-nunim didn’t.”
“Maybe it’s just because I was too young and she hadn’t gotten around to it yet.”
“How old are you?”
“Twenty.”
Dernic smiled brightly.
“Then it’s probably not because you were too young.”
“Why? I was only eleven when my mother passed away.”
“I was fourteen at that time.”
“!”
Merran opened her mouth in surprise. Although he looked to be around her age, Merran had assumed he was much older than her due to his way of speaking. To think there was only a three-year age gap!
“You’re twenty-three?! So you’re three years older than me and you’ve been treating me like a child?”
Dernic laughed it off with a ‘What of it?’ look and asked.
“More importantly, the memento?”
Merran felt annoyed. She wanted to chase him out without showing him the memento.
But thinking about it from another perspective, she didn’t exactly dislike Dernic’s attitude. He had only asked about her age, and he hadn’t asked about Claisey’s age at all.
If Dernic had asked how old Claisey was, Merran would have had to tell him that there was only a two-year difference between Claisey and him. She didn’t want that.
Merran didn’t want Dernic to think of Claisey as a noble lady of a similar age. She just wanted her to be ‘Merran’s aunt.’
Feeling better once she came to that conclusion, Merran said cheerfully, “The keepsakes are in that small room over there. Come this way.”
“A secret room?”
“No way! It’s just a small room I use as my personal storage.”
Merran brought over three boxes she had kept stored in a corner of the storage room and held them out to Dernic. Dernic carefully took out the items one by one and laid them out on the floor.
Merran watched him, filled with curiosity. What in the world could the keepsakes Dernic was looking for be?
* * *
Claisey was taking a walk alone in the square when it started snowing toward evening, so she returned home. She hadn’t brought an umbrella.
Having already been caught in the middle of the snowfall on the promenade, her clothes and hair had turned white.
“Oh my, Miss, you’ve come back as a snowman!”
Anna brought a thick towel and made a fuss, brushing off Claisey’s hair and cloak.
“I thought I was going to freeze to death.”
Claisey hugged Anna, trying to thaw out from the cold. Anna, who had come from the kitchen, was filled with warmth and the scent of baked bread.
“Oh my! Are we going to freeze to death together, then?”
Anna cried out while still hugging Claisey back. Claisey laughed and let her go.
“That won’t do. Our Anna has to live. Anna has grandchildren, after all.”
Anna burst into a hearty laugh. Claisey handed her cloak to Anna and asked, “Where is Merran?”
Anna’s expression stiffened.
“Why?”
Claisey immediately realized that something had happened and asked.
Anna hesitated. The behavior Merran had shown today wasn’t very good. But she didn’t want to tattle on every little thing, as it felt like she was needlessly driving a wedge between a close aunt and niece.
When Anna couldn’t answer, Claisey simply went straight to find Merran. When she knocked on the door, it opened slowly, and Merran stood there.
Merran’s face was flushed with a strawberry-like hue.
“Aunt, when did you get here?”
Claisey felt a little relieved. Merran’s expression was soft and she seemed to be in a good mood. It didn’t look like she had fought with Dernic.
“I just arrived. How about you? Did Sir Dernic have a good time before he left?”
At that, Merran’s face turned even redder. A yellow light went off in Claisey’s head. What was this? Was it beyond just having a good time?
“It seems things went very well with Sir Dernic?”
When Claisey asked, Merran hesitated, then nodded and muttered.
“Talk of marriage came up.”
“!”