My Ruin to You - Chapter 148

The way she constantly brought up her brother was also very Schnitzel-like, making Roseline laugh helplessly. Just as Schnitzel was scolding her, saying even her laughter was like an old woman’s…

“Miss Célodienne, over here for a moment.”

The guidance professor who had opened the door gestured urgently. It was that professor who had acted as Valen’s lackey in her past life. While there might have been reasons, the resentment was too deep to consider each one, so she had been avoiding meeting with the professor unless absolutely necessary.

“May I ask what this is about?”
“Just come out for now.”

A sense of foreboding washed over her. After hesitating for a moment, Roseline reluctantly moved her feet. Curious stares prickled her back, but they were completely cut off once the professor closed the door.

“His Imperial Highness the Grand Duke has come to see you.”

Damn it.

Roseline’s face contorted as if she had bitten into something terribly sour. The professor gave a warning, “Young Lady,” as if scolding her for being impolite, but her expression, once crumpled, refused to smooth out.

“Why… why is he looking for me?”

“That is something you should ask His Highness yourself when you see him.”

“No, but that’s…”

“He is waiting, so it would be best to hurry.”

“Ah, Professor! Wait, just a moment…!”

Whether a lackey once is a lackey forever, the professor grabbed Roseline’s arm and strode off purposefully. Roseline was dragged along, sighing heavily like a condemned soul seized by a reaper.

“I know you’re nervous, but perhaps you should smooth out your expression a bit. We wouldn’t want His Highness to misunderstand.”

The professor’s words went in one ear and out the other. She was beyond fear or dread now; she was getting angry at Valen for showing up so late. It’s not like he’s torturing someone. He vanished off to the Duchy just when I was fainting and being all cautious, and only now he comes to find me? What on earth does he think he’s doing?

Fine. Whatever. It’s not like I can avoid meeting him. I need to meet him at least once to figure out what that enigmatic man is thinking.

◇◇◇

Stopping before the VIP room door, the professor issued one more warning. She pointed out Roseline’s stiff expression, adjusted the shape of her ribbon, and tidied her clothes—she was exactly like a madam introducing a courtesan to a Duke. When Roseline defiantly messed up her ribbon again, the professor’s kindly eyes turned sharp.

“You should know that you are currently being disrespectful, Young Lady.”
“Yes.”

She only said ‘yes’ because she was told to ‘know it.’ The professor let out a sigh filled with displeasure. However, her profile as she politely knocked on the VIP room door was nothing but prim and proper. By the time permission was granted from inside and she carefully opened the door, she had perfectly transformed back into the respectable professor.

“I have brought the Young Lady, Your Highness. Please speak comfortably.”

The professor gave Roseline a slight push on the back to usher her in, then closed the door and disappeared. Left alone with Valen in the sealed space, her determined resolve to figure out his intentions flew away, leaving only anxiety behind. She could almost hear the thump-thump of her own rough pulse in her ears.

“Greetings to His Imperial Highness the Grand Duke.”

Roseline lifted the hem of her skirt with her ice-cold hand and bent her knee in a curtsy. Valen, sitting loftily in the seat of honor, slowly looked her over from head to toe. His gaze lingered a little longer on the tightly bowed crown of her head, the white knuckles clenched fiercely around her skirt, and the disheveled ribbon. The firmly set line of his mouth curved ever so slightly, as if on the verge of a smile.

“Sit.”

Roseline sat in the seat farthest from Valen, but closest to the door. Merrick, standing behind Valen, raised an eyebrow. In contrast, Valen laughed soundlessly, as if amused by the trivial distance Roseline had created.

“Lift your head.”

A subtle hint of laughter laced his voice. Roseline, who had been stubbornly staring at her own knees with her head bowed, reluctantly raised her gaze. However, her coral-colored eyes refused to meet Valen’s. She couldn’t bring herself to look at him directly, taking in only the large hand resting on the armrest. She was terrified that if their eyes met, he would whisper, ‘I missed you, Roseline.’

The silence stretched. Instead of chastising her averted gaze, Valen simply watched her at his leisure. He flicked a finger on the hand her eyes had landed on, making a sound, and didn’t miss the way her startled gaze darted around in confusion before their eyes finally met.

“……”

For a moment, her eyes widened as if a great disaster had occurred. But just as quickly, Roseline’s face crumpled and she turned her head away as if shunning him. He let out a soft laugh, as if he had anticipated this. The faint sound of laughter made Roseline’s already uneasy mood even more tense.

“I heard you were looking for me, Your Highness.”
“I was.”
“……”
“Young Lady.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”

It was the moment she felt a tiny bit relieved that he hadn’t called her by her name.

“Will you marry me?”