The Beast That Licks Me - Chapter 2.13

“B-but…”

Rosette, who was about to make excuses about not having experienced romance because of her fiancé, realized she shouldn’t go further and quietly closed her mouth.

“And the man doesn’t do anything either. ‘Today you baked madeleines. They look delicious. Is it Mont Blanc today? You have good cooking skills.’ What is he, a food critic?”

“Well…”

Levit’s relentless words pierced Rosette’s heart like arrows.

“The part where she dies from flour getting into her lungs at the end was the most ridiculous.”

“But that was to maintain plausibility in its own way. It would be strange for someone who stays at home all the time to die from the flu, too.”

“It’s too pathetic. It’s not like dying fighting enemies on a battlefield. What is this? What was the man doing all this time that he only came to her tombstone to cry after she died?”

“Well, that makes it more tragic…”

“Anyway, this isn’t interesting. It won’t sell even if it’s published. With so many works starting with a kiss, who would read this?”

“Y-your perspective is… narrow-minded.”

Rosette chose what she thought was a sharp retort to hit back at Levit. Levit snorted in response.

“Ah, that might be true. But most people in the world are probably just as narrow-minded as I am.”

Rosette’s face showed complete defeat at Levit’s words.

“Could you… leave now? I want to rest.”

At Rosette’s dismissal, Levit made an expression of sudden realization. After his excited outburst, all that remained were an injured Rosette and a perplexed Evan. Levit cleared his throat and began backing away.

“Well then, enjoy the bread… and rest. I’ll be going now.”

“Okay…”

After Levit left, Rosette buried her face in the pillow and remained motionless. Evan looked at the round back of Rosette’s head with an awkward smile.

“Rosette, are you crying?”

“Mmph.”

It seemed to mean she wasn’t crying. Evan gently stroked the back of Rosette’s head and said.

“I told you it was fine. There will definitely be people in the world who will like your writing, Rosette.”

“….”

Rosette didn’t respond to Evan’s consolation. She seemed deeply hurt. As Evan was covering her with a blanket, Rosette kicked it off and sat up abruptly. Her determined expression gave Evan an uneasy feeling.

“Evan, I’ve decided.”

“What?”

“I need to try kissing.”

Evan asked awkwardly in response to Rosette’s shocking declaration.

“You need to… try kissing?”

“Yes. Levit’s words were a bit painful, very painful actually… but they made sense. How can I write a romance novel without experiencing romance?”

“Hmm… So?”

“Since getting into a relationship might become troublesome later, I should at least try kissing first.”

Rosette firmly pressed her lips together, making a statement that would make Sarhen grab the back of her neck if she heard it.

“Okay, so who are you going to kiss?”

“W-well. Someone who wants to kiss me…?”

“Someone who wants to kiss Rosette?”

“Yeah. Oh, of course, it should also be someone I want to kis,s too.”

Flustered by the detailed question, Rosette rambled somewhat incoherently.

“Then do it with me.”

“…Huh?”

“I said, do it with me. Rosette, you want to kiss me.”

Rosette’s cheeks flushed red at Evan’s direct words.

“W-w-what are you saying…”

While stammering, Rosette pinched her thigh, wondering if this was a dream. It hurt enough to bring tears to her eyes. Evan approached Rosette with a mischievous smile. Rosette’s body naturally leaned backward.

“E-Evan. But you’re a dog…”

Rosette said, grasping at her last thread of sanity. Evan wrinkled his nose at her words.

“You’re the only one who ever called me a dog, Rosette. Everyone else called me a divine beast or wolf.”

“Still, anyway…”

“But now I’m human, right? So, Rosette, don’t you want to kiss me?”

Evan asked with narrowed eyes. His appearance was so much like that of a seducer that Rosette swallowed hard, extremely tense.

“W-what about you…?”

“Well, what do you think?”

Evan approached gradually with a strange smile. Rosette looked at Evan with trembling eyes and slowly closed them. Her whole body trembled sweetly with tension. Rosette gripped the sheet tightly. Evan’s breath touched her lips.

“Ma’am! I just had a great idea!”

Levit burst into the room with an energetic voice. Just before their lips met, Rosette pushed Evan away forcefully. Evan, who had relaxed his muscles, fell straight under the bed. There was a thud as if he had hit his head.

Levit opened his eyes wide, seeing Evan lying upside down under the be,d looking back at him.

“Sir, why are you like that?”

“Because before you opened the door, Rosette and I were…”

Terrified by Evan’s unnecessary honesty, Rosette kicked him. Evan’s body, which had been precariously hanging on the edge of the bed, fell completely to the floor. Evan fell silent bitterly.

“I fell asleep and had a nightmare, so I must have pushed him. Right, Evanium?”

“Yes, Rosette is right…”

Evan said with a small groan. The place she hit seemed quite painful.

“It must have been a really scary dream.”

Fortunately, Levit innocently believed the story. Remembering his harsh criticism earlier, Rosette pouted and asked.

“What is it, coming in without knocking?”

“Oh, I’m sorry. But I really had a good idea. If this works out… ma’am, you could really become rich.”

“What is it…?”

Though she asked coolly, undeniable excitement began to show in Rosette’s eyes. Levit approached them with a confident smile and began to explain his plan.

***

Lunchtime, the second-class restaurant was always crowded with customers. Not only was the food delicious, but the view was excellent. The first-class restaurant was certainly nice too, but with such elaborate tableware and furniture, one tended to focus more on the interior than the view through the windows. In contrast, the second-class restaurant had floor-to-ceiling windows and simpler tableware and furniture, making it ideal for enjoying the outside scenery.

Rosette, guided by a staff member, sat at the best table in the second-class restaurant.

“Just one person?”

“No, two.”

Naturally speaking down to the staff, Rosette looked at the menu and asked.

“What’s today’s recommended dish?”

“Crispy sea bass with olive preserves and lemon juice.”

At the staff’s smooth response, Rosette closed the menu as if she needed to see nothing more.

“Then I’ll have two of those, please.”

“Yes, understood.”

The staff wrote down the order and left with the menu. While pretending to be calm, Rosette was actually trembling inside. This was because she was about to pull off a con. As she emptied half of the lemon water placed before her due to nervousness, Levit appeared.

“Ma’am, I’m late. I’m sorry.”

“No, I just arrived too.”

Rosette said with a bright smile. Levit blinked, looking at her. He knew already, but Rosette looked so different. Wearing her best clothes and with her hair neatly styled up, she looked proper and elegant. She was so different from her usual self, with freely flowing hair and sleepy eyes while eating bread, that it created a slight sense of distance.

“Mushroom soup and garlic baguette.”

The appetizer arrived. Rosette ate the soup following proper etiquette. Speechless at her perfect manners, Levit hurriedly began eating his soup, imitating Rosette.

“Ma’am, what brings you to second class?”

Levit spoke loudly enough for others to hear. After wiping her mouth with a napkin, Rosette replied.

“What do you mean? I’ve been staying in second class all along.”

“Didn’t my sister’s fiancé buy you first class?”

“I refused. When they get married, there will be many expenses, and I don’t want to burden him financially.”

“Oh, come on, what are you worried about? My sister’s fiancé is a nobleman who owns s-a-p-p-h-i-r-e mines.”

Levit’s emphatic tone was too stiff, perhaps from nervousness. Rosette continued, debating whether to caution him or just let it pass naturally.

“Still, frugality is also a virtue of nobility.”

“You’re really so modest. But I’m curious about something. What exactly did you teach her that made that lofty nobleman fall for my sister?”

Rosette pretended to drink water while scanning her surroundings. People were pretending not to listen while eagerly following Rosette’s story. It was certainly a topic of interest.

“What did I do… I just taught diligently. Your sister followed well.”

“No way. Before meeting you, my sister was, at best, a c-o-u-n-t-r-y b-u-m-p-k-i-n. But after meeting you, she completely transformed, and now our house receives f-l-o-w-e-r d-e-l-i-v-e-r-i-e-s every day.”

Levit’s speech was so awkward that Rosette had to bite her lip to suppress her laughter. Still, as they talked, the tension seemed to be easing, and things were gradually improving.