The Beast That Licks Me - Chapter 4.6

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Rosette pretended to read while secretly looking around the first-class cabin. She had thought the second-class cabins were quite neat, but first class was on another level. It had a bedroom, drawing room, and even a toilette room, and the bathtub in the bathroom she had briefly visited was delicately crafted from marble. It was similar to or slightly less luxurious than Rosette’s home, making her think it truly was a cabin designed for nobles.

“Your mother is late. I wonder if she got lost?”

Rosette said, looking worriedly at the door that hadn’t opened. Silvia, who had been quietly reading, turned her gaze and stared at Rosette.

“Hmm? What’s wrong?”

“Mother… has run away.”

“Run… away?”

“She’s very interested in my studies, but she can’t stand sitting at a desk.”

“Ah…”

“She’ll be back around when the lesson ends.”

“I-I see. I understand.”

“I’ve memorized everything.”

“Really? Shall we take the test then?”

Silvia sat with perfect posture and picked up her pen. She was definitely different from Ariel or Levit. Are all noble children like that? But I was a noble child, too. Except for loving books, I was actually closer to Ariel. With these thoughts, Rosette began the test.

“Wow, a perfect score.”

Rosette clapped her hands and cheered. Silvia showed surprisingly little reaction. Feeling awkward, Rosette cleared her throat.

“If you’re this good after just one day, we’ll get through the rest of the books in no time.”

Rosette said, tapping the pile of books on one side of the desk. Silvia, looking at the books, suddenly asked.

“…When I learn all this, what good will it do?”

“Well… You’ll be able to speak more politely in conversations, you’ll be well-regarded in high society, and then you might marry a good person and live well…”

Rosette felt somewhat frustrated that this was all she could answer to Silvia’s first question. Silvia slightly furrowed her delicate brow and spoke.

“If I marry well… will it really be good?”

“Well…”

This time, she was truly at a loss for words. Marrying well would probably be good. It’s better to eat than to starve, and better to eat something delicious than just anything. But is that really all there is to it?

When Rosette struggled to answer, Silvia looked apologetic.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable.”

Rosette smiled slightly at the apologetic gaze.

“I can’t give you an answer to that right now, but there’s one thing I’ve recently realized. It’s good to learn whatever you can.”

“Ah…”

Rosette hesitated, then lowered her voice with determination.

“Would you like me to tell you a secret?”

Silvia carefully nodded at Rosette’s offer.

“This is a real, real secret, even from your parents. If I tell you, can you promise to keep it?”

Silvia nodded, showing a rare expression of tension. Judging by the emotions still visible on her face, she was still quite young. Finding this cute, Rosette smiled subtly.

“Actually, I ran away from home. Because I didn’t want to get married.”

She never thought she’d first confess this to Silvia. Somehow, it felt right to tell her. She was a child who wouldn’t say a word during the entire two-hour tea time unless prompted, and she knew how to use discretion.

There were many other circumstances, too, but this was the fundamental reason. Rosette didn’t want to get married.

“It feels a bit strange to be teaching my student how to marry well after that, but anyway, what I want to say is that anything you learn will be useful.”

Rosette lowered her voice and spoke almost in a whisper.

“Who knows? When you grow up, you might end up running away for some reason and teaching these things to someone else.”

“….”

Silvia, who seemed like she would flatly deny ever running away, remained silent for a while. Her eyes moved slightly upward, as if imagining such a situation. After finishing her imagination, Silvia smiled faintly. It was the first genuine smile Rosette had seen from her. The child’s smile was so pretty that Rosette was dazed when Silvia put her hand to her mouth. As Rosette moved closer, Silvia whispered in her ear.

“I’ll tell only you, teacher. Actually, my dream is…”

***

“Rose, fancy meeting you here.”

After finishing the lesson and stepping outside, Rosette encountered Laub. Despite her immediate scowl, Laub approached Rosette with a bright smile, completely unfazed.

“What brings you here?”

“I had some business and stopped by briefly.”

“This is first class. Something good must have happened to you.”

“I don’t see any obligation to tell you that.”

“Come on, don’t be so stiff. What’s good is good. If something good happened, let me know, too.”

There was no getting through to him. Rosette was about to walk past Laub when she stopped and took out her wallet. She pulled out two silver coins and tried to hand them to Laub.

“This is for the popoco fruit you bought me. Please let me know if it’s not enough.”

“What should I do? I don’t intend to accept it.”

When Rosette tried to force the money into his hand, Laub raised both hands up high. When she couldn’t reach it no matter how hard she tried, she became annoyed. Seeing this, Laub burst into laughter.

“This isn’t funny. Please stop.”

“That’s too bad. I was having fun.”

Perhaps thinking he shouldn’t tease her anymore, Laub lowered his arms. However, he still wouldn’t accept the money Rosette was offering.

“Then how about this? Let’s have dinner together tonight.”

“Are you asking me to buy you dinner?”

The popoco fruit only costs about the price of one or two croissants. But dinner? That was complete profiteering. When Rosette frowned, Laub waved his hands and said.

“Of course not. I’ll pay, naturally. I made a reservation at a restaurant tonight…”

“And?”

“I got stood up.”

“Then just go eat by yourself.”

Serves you right, Rosette thought as she turned around, but Laub said.

“With just one person?”

“What?”

“Didn’t you tell me that? To love just one person if possible.”

Did I say that? Rosette searched her memory.

“And I’ll presumptuously give you some advice: if possible, love just one person. Ultimately, that’s the path to happiness.”

“….”

She might have said something like that.

“Yes, but what about it?”

“I want you to be that one person.”

What on earth is this person saying? Rosette’s mouth fell open in disbelief. Didn’t he just say he made a restaurant reservation and got stood up?

“I’m serious. No one has ever spoken to me so sharply. Since then, for some reason, my heart races whenever I think of you. So I decided. If I happened to meet you again, I would bet my life on you.”

If an objectively handsome man like Laub said this much, someone else might have considered having dinner with him just once. But for Rosette, who had written countless love letters for Laub, it had no effect whatsoever.

“No.” “…That hurt my feelings.” Laub looked at Rosette with moist eyes. Good, be hurt.

“Since you won’t accept the money, I’ll donate it to the charity fund for the poor in the central area. I hope this donation reduces your bad karma, even just a little.”

“Are you thinking about me? I’m touched.”

Not wanting to deal with him any longer, Rosette began striding past him. Laub cheerfully called out to her back.

“See you again, my one and only.”

***

“…?”

Rosette opened her eyes wide at the unexpected visitor standing in front of her door. Yvonne was leaning against the wall with her arms crossed, looking out the window, when her eyes met Rosette’s.

“Why are you so late? I’ve been waiting for a long time.”

Rosette looked puzzled at Yvonne’s sharp words. She was a bit late because she had stopped to put money in the donation box, but she had never made any appointment with Yvonne in the first place.

“When did we make an appointment?”

“I came all this way because you keep refusing to accept the jewels.”

Yvonne complained about how dirty second class was. Rosette sighed quietly. I’m meeting a lot of tiresome people today.

“Why on earth do you refuse money even when I offer it? Do you hate money?”

Yvonne asked with a frown. The woman had come looking for her several more times after that. Each time with increasingly expensive items. Rosette had returned all the jewels that seemed to say, ‘I’m giving you this much, how can you refuse?’ When Yvonne realized that wasn’t working, it seemed she had decided to come in person this time.

“Of course not. Who hates money?”

“Then why won’t you accept it!”

Yvonne shouted loudly. Because of this, several people standing in the corridor peered over curiously. Rosette, not wanting to attract attention, sighed and opened the door.

“Please come in first. Let’s talk inside.”