32. Lies
“Why did you lie?”
Pollin, Levery Federway’s junior, asked on the way back from Brienne.
“The Count never made such a request to you.”
Levery merely smiled bitterly instead of answering.
His junior was right.
He had lied to Rosaline’s two siblings.
But even if the Count of Brienne found out about his lie, he wasn’t the type to scold him.
No one would question the Count’s own decision either.
No matter how powerful a Duke might be, there was no way to stop a Count from taking his own daughter.
Poor, tactless Rosaline seemed unaware of this fact.
“I can do that much, at least.”
It was still raining outside.
Though the rain had weakened considerably compared to earlier.
The disheveled hair, unkempt clothing, and desperate movements as if being chased were things he had never seen from her before.
He had thought despair capable of driving Rosaline to such a state didn’t exist in this world.
At present, the situation of the Brienne family was quite desperate.
With unreasonable fees, gift taxes, property taxes, as well as various loan interests, Brienne’s financial situation was heading toward the worst.
All this was due to the discord between Rosaline, who was trying to sacrifice herself for the family, and the Count of Brienne, who ultimately refused it.
The situation was so bad they had sold the mining rights and ownership of their long-standing family business. To make matters worse, the imperial heir who had been leading all sorts of businesses that had kept Brienne afloat had suddenly disappeared.
Naturally, all business had been suspended, and related industries that had drawn all kinds of funds for imperial commissions went bankrupt one after another.
In such a worst-case scenario, Rosaline had taken the bait offered by Duke Riverton.
When he heard the news that she had entered the lion’s den despite being warned, Levery regretted not questioning her previously triumphant attitude.
“By the way, I really don’t understand the Count.”
Pollin spoke to Levery again.
“Why is he leaving his daughter alone when he’s so worried? He could have stopped Miss Brienne countless times until now.”
“Ah.”
Levery shook his head.
“You don’t know.”
His eyes looked far beyond the window.
Looking at the mountainside where clouds were clearing and light was beginning to enter, Levery let out a deep sigh.
Pollin looked at him with a puzzled face.
❀❀❀
“How long are you going to follow me around?”
Usually, she has only one face.
“Are you monitoring me in case I run away?”
Should he be grateful that she still greets him regularly despite seeming very busy?
“That looks quite heavy. Need help?”
The moment Rosaline’s gaze shifted to where Levery had nodded, her face reddened. But some places hadn’t had time to redden.
Levery pretended not to notice the soot on Rosaline’s face that she hadn’t managed to wipe off.
In the place Rosaline quickly stood in front of to protect was a handcart piled with someone’s freshly discarded and messy men’s work clothes and heaps of black lumps.
The hot heat seemed to be felt momentarily from her face, which had turned red like a rose.
“Rosaline. Did you just curse with your mouth?”
Startled by Levery’s observation, Rosaline flinched.
“W-what!”
Levery clasped his hands behind his back as if it didn’t matter.
“I’m too scared to stay longer. Remember the deadline is tomorrow.”
“I remember, don’t nag……”
Slowly turning away from Rosaline, his side glance didn’t miss the slight trembling of her pink eyes.
Seeing the trembling wave of joy as if relieved not to be caught, Levery thought.
That since she had absolutely no talent for lying, there was no need for surveillance.
“Um, hey, Levery!”
“Hmm?”
When Levery responded half-heartedly, Rosaline seemed to hesitate for a moment.
She was clearly brooding over something absurd again.
“I’ll listen to anything as long as it’s not asking for another extension.”
At Levery’s casual remark, a sigh of relief was heard from Rosaline.
“It’s not that, what are you thinking! How do you see me!”
Her voice brightened again as if she had gained confidence. Levery fiddled with an innocent pen deeply inserted in his pocket while lowering the corners of his mouth that were trying to rise slightly.
“Um… if you have time, how about dinner at our house tonight?”
Levery’s fingers fiddling with the pen shaft stopped. The pen between his fingers slipped into the deepest part of his pocket.
“Um… Theo and Elaine said you seem busy these days. They might think we fought… no, I mean. If you’re really busy, it can’t be helped.”
“I’ll come.”
“Huh?”
Levery pulled his hand out of his pocket and brushed up his hair.
As expected, it was a trivial request.
But she was indeed sometimes a bold person.
Like when she noticed the mine manager embezzling assets and immediately went alone to that gang to recover what was lost.
The iron and banknotes covered in black soot would probably be enough to cover the current interest and serve as living expenses for Brienne for a while.
“You know how picky I am about food, right?”
Levery picked up the broken pen shaft in his pocket again.
The bright pair of eyes that met his again smiled at him as if in disbelief.
“Yes!”
“What kind of ‘yes’ is that.”
Levery grumbled with displeasure.
Rosaline couldn’t cook.
Terribly so.
If his taste were truly picky, he wouldn’t have been able to accept her invitations so often.
“See you later then, Levery!”
“Yeah.”
His footsteps moved again.
Inwardly, Levery hoped that Rosaline would call out to him again.
But unfortunately, that seemed to be all she had to say.
After finishing his work, he bought alcohol the Count would like and flowers the Countess would like. Right after, he bought sheet music and books for her siblings, but couldn’t choose a gift for the remaining one.
He knew well that Rosaline was quite a picky person.
No matter what he gave her, her reaction would be the same.
She would say mean things with a satisfied face.
Though they were incredibly sharp and blunt words, they never hurt no matter how many times he heard them.
Rather, her jumping reactions were quite amusing.
Because of this, he became careful.
He needed to find something that could elicit the most intense reaction from Rosaline.
However, nothing caught his eye.
His eyes showed no emotion, like those of someone who had seen all the splendid things in the world.
“Is this a ring that ladies would like?”
As if drawn to that voice, Levery’s gaze turned toward the counter.
There stood a tall man wearing a shabby robe.
Though the robe was strangely shabby, his elegant gestures and beautiful silhouette were perfectly carrying even that.
Rather, the dignity that couldn’t be hidden even by those old clothes was enough to make his conversation partner tense.
“……Oh.”
Due to that pressure, the bustling store instantly quieted into silence.
The clerk, as if momentarily stunned, answered a beat late that it was indeed so.
Even in the brief discomfort, the man never showed anger.
The man’s placing of several banknotes on the counter was calm and elegant.
“Is the tip not enough?”
“……Ah, well……”
Levery wasn’t the only one watching the man’s actions.
“No need for wrapping. I prefer to do it myself.”
Whatever expression he showed, the clerk blushed again with a dazed face.
The man put the ring box into his chest, fluttering his wide sleeves, then turned around without hesitation.
Perhaps he noticed Levery’s gaze. The robed man smiled at the corner of his mouth for a brief moment as he turned his head toward where Levery was standing.
The high bridge of his nose and flowing lines glimpsed under the shadowy robe revealed that he was quite a handsome man.
When the man left the store, people in the shop began to move as if released from a spell.
Everyone in the store cheerfully spoke together.
“Oh my, did you see that gentleman just now?”
“No, I couldn’t see properly because of the robe. His voice was so nice, I’m sure his appearance matched.”
“Phew, right? I’ve never seen someone with such a beautiful back view in my life.”
Indeed, the topic of conversation was about the mysterious man who had just been here.
