Chapter 4
“If word gets out that she laid a hand on me, that opportunity will disappear in an instant. …Ha. This is interesting.”
Roem bit his lip looking tense.
Killian was right.
The noble council had already been reluctant about Adelaide’s adoption. If today’s incident became known, they would undoubtedly seize upon it.
“Please… I’m begging you. Keep it a secret.”
Killian raised a brow. His gaze drifted toward the room where Roem had just taken the girl.
“Whether I keep it secret or not is up to me. Move. I’ll decide after I speak with that girl myself.”
A mere commoner daring to lay hands on a noble, trembling in fear yet still stepping forward to defend Roem.
The appearance of such an intriguing little creature made Killian’s eyes gleam like stars.
* * *
Inside the room, Adelaide paced restlessly.
“Today, you must not step outside under any circumstances. Do you understand? It’s the madam’s order. You must follow it, miss.”
The head maid’s voice echoed in her ears. But she hadn’t had a choice.
How could she stay inside when she could hear Roem struggling outside?
“A messenger from the imperial palace will be visiting today. I told you your adoption process hasn’t been finalized yet, didn’t I? This is to avoid any unforeseen issues, so even if it’s uncomfortable, please endure it for a little longer. Understood?”
A few days ago, the noble council had rejected her adoption.
The reason was her lack of refinement and noble upbringing.
It was Roem who had comforted her, telling her there would be a re-evaluation, that she just had to prepare well until then.
“So stop calling me ‘young master.’ Call me Brother.”
Until the adoption was complete, Adelaide wasn’t truly part of the Eport family. And yet, from the very moment they met, Roem had treated her warmly, kindly a real younger sister.
She had been told that today’s visitor was someone of very high standing within the imperial palace. If she made even the slightest mistake, the noble council would use it as grounds to deny her adoption entirely.
Though she tried not to show it, Adelaide had been secretly counting down the days until the re-evaluation.
Because she wanted to call Roem not young master, but brother…and the kind countess not madam, but mother.
But now, thinking she might have ruined everything, Adelaide felt as if the world had gone dark before her eyes.
Bang. The door burst open.
Startled, Adelaide turned around and saw the boy she had pushed earlier standing there.
The boy was even taller than Roem. Though still young, his figure was striking enough that she had to tilt her head back to meet his gaze.
His hair was as black as polished obsidian. His violet eyes resembled the boundary between dusk and night.
The moment she recognized him, Adelaide froze.
“Hey.”
At his voice, she flinched. Killian stepped closer, his tone heavy with intimidation.
“A commoner, daring to hit a noble?”
“I never—”
“This. You did this, didn’t you?”
He tapped his cheek, where a bruise was beginning to form.
For a moment, she was scared, but then disbelief made her gasp.
“I didn’t! Don’t lie!”
She had been wrong to touch him. But all she’d done was push him away to stop him from threatening Roem. Her voice trembled with indignation.
A slow, deep smile spread across Killian’s face.
“You’re right. It is a lie.”
The answer was so absurd Adelaide almost doubted her ears.
“Not you. That ‘young master’ of yours did it, didn’t he?”
“Don’t lie! I saw you, you were hitting your own face like a madman…”
“Did you? Do you have proof?”
His voice was light, almost delighted. He liked this—her trembling body, her tightly pressed lips, the way she couldn’t speak despite the injustice.
Then why did she even step in? A mere commoner.
“Accusing someone of being insane without evidence… I guess your etiquette teacher hasn’t gotten that far yet.”
Bending slightly, Killian lowered himself to Adelaide’s level. Her large eyes brimmed with tears, ready to spill at any moment.
And yet, the way she glared at him was sharp.
Killian let out a low laugh. What could she possibly do, glaring like that? He didn’t look away, his expression turning even more mocking.
“Go on. Choose. Was it you who caused this injury… or that idiot?”
He already knew the answer. What choice did she have?
Did she think she could protect Roem? That kind of foolish righteousness only worked when one had nothing to lose.
A commoner, on the verge of being adopted into a noble family, there was no way she’d throw that away over something this trivial.
He expected hesitation. And then eventually, for those small lips to spit out a lie, betraying Roem.
He would laugh at her for it. And leave.
But, what reached Killian’s ears next was something he had never anticipated.
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