My Ruin to You - Chapter 203

It was her way of telling him to get a hold of himself, as this was not the time for a private conversation. It was also a polite refusal, indicating she did not wish to continue the discussion.

Valen neither granted nor denied permission, merely staring intently at Roseline.

“……”

Roseline also met his gaze without flinching. Just as Merrick had said, his complexion was rough, as if he hadn’t slept properly. His eyes, clouded with fatigue and anguish, were entirely red, the whites bloodshot, and his tightly pressed lips and hardened jawline were stark with sharp tension.

Wasn’t he a man who could only be satisfied when everything passed through his own hands? Simply watching over me, who wants for nothing, must be torture in itself. Serves him right.

“Then, I will assume I have your permission and take my leave first.”

Roseline offered a bright smile and lifted the heavy bucket. Her fingertips tingled, but she didn’t show it. Because that man must be aching inside.

As she trudged away, the water in the bucket sloshed, wetting the earthen ground. Valen, who had been watching the long trail of water, suddenly turned his head. His gaze went straight to the Section Head. Even the most oblivious Section Head couldn’t misunderstand the meaning in that intense glare, sharp enough to split a skull in two. It was then that the Section Head hurriedly stepped forward.

“Let me, I mean, I will carry that for you…!”

“…Pardon?”

“Please, give it to me.”

The Section Head, practically snatching the bucket from her, strode briskly towards the healing center. For a moment, Roseline alternated her gaze between her own reddened palms and the Section Head, who was already quite far away. Then, she slowly turned to look back at Valen. When their eyes met, he merely raised an eyebrow indifferently.

“What? Do you have something to say to me?”

He seemed to be the one with something to say. No, it seemed like he was waiting for her to say something. Perhaps to ask him to stop the Section Head, since his intervention was inconvenient, or even to report Mür’s behavior.

“No.”

Having not the slightest intention of playing along with his expectations, Roseline merely bent her knees slightly in a faint curtsy before turning away coldly. How ridiculous. If someone else wants to do the work, it’s easier and better for me, so why not?

“Se-Section Head…!”

When the Section Head appeared at the healing center, Mür looked visibly flustered, unsure of what to do. The Section Head simply put the heavy bucket down with a thud, and Mür rushed over, sputtering unprompted excuses. He used every justification he could muster, saying it was part of her training, or that he was disciplining her because she had caused trouble today.

“I have nothing more to hear from you. Where is the Chief Knight?”

However, Mür’s excuses held no weight. The Chief Knight was in charge of the healing center. Not seeing him around as he happened to be away, the Section Head crossed his arms and stood firm, ordering someone to fetch him immediately. Mür, his face pale, whipped his head around to glare at Roseline, as if demanding she say something.

Roseline pondered. If she stayed quiet here, it would only work in Valen’s favor. Stepping forward to defend Mür was unappealing, as she could clearly picture him becoming even more insufferable. Whichever she chose felt unsatisfactory.

“Um, I have something to tell you, Section Head.”

“Please, speak freely.”

The Section Head, now firmly convinced that the Grand Duke and Roseline were in a secret relationship and that this young lady would become the Grand Duchess once the war was over, pulled his thick lips into a wide, earnest smile. Despite his good intentions, his patchy beard and blunt features made him seem somehow more intimidating. His unwavering stare was equally burdensome, so Roseline took half a step back and began to speak.

“Thank you for your concern, but I have no objection to Sir Mür’s discipline. Regarding today’s incident, I made a serious mistake and was punished for it.”

“You are a trainee. How can you be expected to be perfect and without error?”

“I broke a taboo.”

“……”

The Section Head’s pupils shook noticeably. Seemingly at a loss for words, he blinked his large, intense eyes for a moment. Then, he let out a pointless, forced cough—”Ahem!”—and pretended not to have heard, feigning ignorance.

“However, I do not wish for my mistakes to cause hardship for my colleague. I would be grateful if Lady Malsen could be transferred to a different team.”

“Hardship? Are you saying another trainee is being punished as well?”

“Yes.”

The Section Head swept a gaze full of utter disappointment over Mür, as if to say he was really something else. Just as the previously defiant Mür was about to start making excuses, Schnitzel, who had been leaning against the wall observing the situation, intervened.

“Please assign me instead. I will join Sir Mür’s team.”
Schnitzel, who had raised her hand brightly, stepped right up to the Section Head and added her introduction. “I am Elsie Schnitzel.”

Then Malsen also cut in.

“No. I will stay. If you think about it, the reason we’re receiving this ‘education’ is due to my own lack of skill. I can’t just escape on my own.”