Chapter 121
“When did I ever say I brought Lady Floria here as a replacement for another young lady?! And, Young Master, for you to make it sound like I wanted you to bury your head in her skirts?! Where did you even learn to say such things? More importantly, are you looking to start a fight with her family? Why are you making things up…!”
After listening to Lady Floria’s tearful reproaches for so long and working so hard to clear up the misunderstanding, Clovin was exhausted. Declan had no doubt timed it perfectly so Clovin would have to deal with this mess.
Grumbling, he walked back into the room.
“It’s not like you’re wrong. I don’t know why you brought that thing who looks like Estira here, but it’s unpleasant, so let’s drop it. I can only play along so much.”
Not even ‘that person’, but a ‘that thing’…
Declan had grown so cold in just a few weeks, it was as if he’d frozen solid. Puberty must have hit for sure. His rebellious streak, already strong, seemed to have gotten worse ever since meeting Estira. Maybe it was those two men he’d been with. Maybe jealousy had just driven him a bit mad.
Clovin seriously stared at Declan’s head, as if trying to peer right into his brain.
“But I didn’t expect you to stab me in the back like this, Young Master. After saying all that, you just leave me behind! The Duke and I rack our brains, struggling for your sake!”
“Stop with the nonsense.”
Nonsense, he says…
Clovin felt his heart sink. Was this what a mother felt when her child, after being raised so well, just slams the door when asked how school was? After everything I do for you…
Clovin pretended to wipe away nonexistent tears and started whining.
“Nonsense? Do you know how much I’ve—”
“Just stop all that stuff about following Estira around and begging to be sent to Dongguk.”
“All that worrying and hard work… What?”
Clovin quickly asked again, thinking he must have misheard.
Did he just say he’d stop chasing after Estira?
With eyes lighting up and flaring his nostrils, Clovin waited. Declan, in a flat voice, repeated himself.
“I said I’m not doing it. No more making a fuss about going to Estira.”
“So… now you’ll forget Miss Estira and enjoy your bright future…”
“I’m not forgetting her. So just get rid of whoever’s watching Estira and, sometimes… just sometimes, let me know how she’s doing.”
“…Ah. So you’re not forgetting her. If you’re only going to hear about her once in a while, why not just forget her completely? I mean, that would really be for the best.”
“……”
“Ah. No, never mind.”
When Declan simply stared at him in silence, Clovin quickly backed down. He looked so much like his father. When he stared without a word, it honestly sent chills down your spine.
“Since it’ll make Estira uncomfortable, just stop with the surveillance.”
“If you want me to stop, why do you still want news about her? Why can’t you just let go?”
“Because I’ll see her again. No matter how many years it takes.”
“……Uh. See her again, you say…”
Clovin swallowed the rest of his words. Now was not the time to push. If this stubborn brat says he’s going to forget Estira, the least he could do is support it.
Especially since it looked like that girl was planning to settle in Dongguk for a long time, surely Declan would eventually forget her if they spent enough time apart.
Memories always fade, and time is the best medicine for forgetting someone.
“Yes, yes! That’s a wise decision. I’ll cancel the tea times right away. The physical fitness and romance classes… Should I cancel those, too?”
“Yes. Cancel everything. Add more swordsmanship training and physical exercise.”
“A very wise decision.”
Clovin quickly pulled out his notebook, mentally overhauling Declan’s schedule to keep him so busy he wouldn’t have time to think about girls.
“I’ll do my utmost to make you the perfect duke.”
“Return all the books except that one.”
Declan ignored Clovin’s flattery and pointed with his chin. Clovin, without protest, picked up the book Declan indicated and handed it to him. The title was The Fine Line Between Friends and Lovers.
It seemed he really was planning to read every book with ‘friend’ in the title in the mansion. That monster of a boy had really read every single one. Even the old librarian seemed to be aging faster these days, all thanks to Declan’s ridiculous orders.
He had ordered Clovin to find every phrase in the books that talked about ‘friends’ between men and women.
At first, Clovin thought it was pointless busywork. But now, seeing Declan suddenly saying he’d let go of Estira, maybe he’d come to some realization after reading all those books.
Curious, Clovin asked,
“So, did you come to any conclusions?”
“…If I keep acting like this, I won’t even be able to win over someone who only looks like Estira.”
“Oh…”
Maybe the old sages were right when they said you could find all the answers in books. For him to see through it all so cleanly.
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