Chapter 116
Roseline glanced at the door, lowered her voice, and cautiously broached the subject. The young lady sat up straight and nodded as if she had been waiting for this. Her vibrant green eyes somehow looked solemn.
“Speak freely. I would gladly become your slave.”
“……Excuse me?”
“I mean I’m prepared to do anything. Please, go on.”
“Well, I’d like to discreetly deliver a letter to Lady Schnitzel. Would you…?”
“I shall serve you faithfully.”
Before Roseline could even finish, the young lady shot up from her seat and retrieved a quill and paper from the nearby shelf. After thanking her, Roseline quickly wrote down her message—a note assuring Schnitzel that she had safely left the castle with Valen and arrived in the Count’s lands, her regret at not being able to meet, and her hope to reunite in the capital.
“Are you finished?”
The young lady, who had briefly stepped away while Roseline wrote the letter, returned carrying a small box. For some reason, she looked flushed. After slipping the letter into an envelope and sealing it with melted wax, she fumbled open the box and pressed a seal firmly onto the wax.
“…To think this day would come.”
She seemed deeply moved as she admired the clear impression left on the red wax—a design of a donkey baring its teeth in a smile.
“It’s a little hobby of mine, you could say. I carved it stitch by stitch, thinking of you.”
Why would you go that far…?
Roseline, at a loss for words, awkwardly curved her lips into a smile. The young lady’s eyes sparkled with delight.
It was a strange feeling. She had been cursed at more times than she could count, but this was the first time she had ever been welcomed so warmly just for showing her teeth. It was bewildering, yet oddly touching.
“Thank you for thinking so highly of me, my lady. And of course, thank you for your help.”
“It’s nothing.”
Just as they were finally having a normal conversation—knock, knock—the parlor door opened. It was Valen.
“Not done yet?”
Leaning against the doorframe, he slowly scanned the room as if gauging the atmosphere. His mere presence seemed to drop the temperature in the parlor sharply. Roseline wasn’t the only one who felt it. The young lady, as if she had never shown a hint of eccentricity, rose calmly and bowed her head.
“Yes, I was just about to leave. The tea was lovely, my lady. Thank you for having me.”
“I should be the one thanking you for sparing your time. If there’s anything uncomfortable during your stay, please don’t hesitate to let me know.”
Her composed demeanor now exuded the dignity befitting a noble lady, a stark contrast to her earlier oddness. Roseline couldn’t help but smile. Suppressing a twitch at the corner of her lips, she gave a slight bow before heading toward Valen at the door.
He led her to the entrance. As he wrapped the cloak around her himself—retrieved from a maid—and tied the knot, his expression wasn’t exactly pleased.
“Did something happen?”
Roseline hesitated before asking. The crease between his brows deepened faintly as he secured the ties.
“Maybe.”
“What is it?”
Her mind raced through possible problems—had the Count suddenly reversed his decision about accepting refugees? Or worse, had an infected person been discovered in the estate?
The former seemed unlikely, and the latter would have warranted a far graver reaction from him. Roseline waited silently, but even after the knot was tied, Valen didn’t speak. It can’t be anything serious, she thought—until he finally muttered:
“Well. Maybe I was just disappointed you didn’t come looking for me.”
“……What?”
“Never mind if you didn’t hear it.”
Unlike Roseline’s cloak, which had been meticulously fastened to keep out the wind, Valen’s own was carelessly draped over his shoulders. He took her hand before she could dwell too long on his cryptic remark.
“Was I really gone that long?” she asked as they stepped out of the entrance.
Valen glanced back at her and let out a dry laugh.
“That too.”
“……”
“So, what were you doing?”
Roseline bit her lip, still stuck on the “that too.” Even if she avoided mentioning Schnitzel’s presence in the county, she wasn’t sure how much she should reveal.
“It’s fine, just tell me.”
His voice softened, coaxing, as he studied her conflicted expression. Roseline scratched the back of her neck before finally speaking.
“Your Highness.”
“Hm?”
“…Do I look like a donkey?”
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