Side Story: The Green Fairy (6)

When Liam saw Yvonne in the light of day, he noticed something he hadn’t during their encounter in the dark garden: her eyes were a pale brown.  

There was something unfamiliar yet fascinating about them. It was remarkable how even such details were reflected in this dream.  

While Liam stared at Yvonne as if spellbound, Philip busied himself explaining the situation to her. Throughout his explanation, Philip repeatedly emphasized that Liam was the “third son of the Conrad Family.”  

‘He’s really trying hard.’  

The intent behind Philip’s repeated emphasis was painfully obvious. Liam smirked at Philip’s antics but couldn’t help feeling a little anxious.  

Finally, Philip asked Yvonne directly.  

“Yvonne, it’s your choice. Will you follow this man, the third son of the Conrad Family, or stay here?”  

Even in his final words, Philip made sure to highlight Liam’s status as the third son. It was a petty and shameful tactic.  

Instead of answering right away, Yvonne stared intently at Liam.  

For a moment, Liam wanted to avert his gaze but resisted the urge. Doing so would surely destroy the fragile trust he had barely earned.  

Instead, he met her gaze with sincerity, silently pleading for her to follow him. And it was the right choice. After a brief silence, Yvonne spoke.  

“Yes. I will go with him.”  

Before hearing her answer, Liam had been deeply nervous. He had feared that Yvonne might change her mind, especially given his notorious reputation.  

But when her words reached his ears, Liam felt both surprise and relief. On the other hand, Philip, unable to accept her decision, began to interrogate her.  

“Are you out of your mind?”  

In his agitation, Philip forgot his manners entirely and openly referenced Liam’s infamous deeds.  

“Yvonne, you know the rumors about the third son of the Conrad Family, don’t you? Then why would you agree to go with him?”  

“Because I want to. Do I need another reason?”  

“You… You! You’re just like all the other women! You’ve fallen for his face and the fame of the Conrad Marquisate, haven’t you? I thought you were different! But you’re just like the rest of them!”  

Philip’s despair was palpable as he shouted. He looked like a man who had lost everything, consumed by bitterness. But his venomous words directed solely at Yvonne were far from pitiable—they were simply disgraceful.  

Liam considered silencing Philip but decided to prioritize taking Yvonne away first. His reputation was bad enough; showing violence in front of her would only worsen her opinion of him.  

Instead, Liam smiled gently and said,  

“Don’t mind what Monsieur Bertrand said. His words aren’t worth listening to. They’re just the ramblings of a man consumed by jealousy.”  

“I’m fine. Thank you for your concern.”  

Young as she was, Yvonne was strong. Her composed demeanor revealed a quiet resilience that Liam hadn’t noticed before.  

Ironically, the unstable one was Liam himself. He shared Philip’s doubts and hesitated before finally speaking.  

“But… can you really trust me?”  

“I must. You asked me to trust you, didn’t you?”  

“But surely you’ve heard the rumors about me.”  

“I have heard them, but… Monsieur, you don’t seem to have any interest in me.”  

To Liam, her words were shocking.  

No interest? Based on what?  

“Why… Why would you think that?”  

“Well… I hope you don’t find this rude, but yesterday, Monsieur, your attitude felt genuinely kind. So I thought it might be worth trusting you.”  

“….”  

“Besides, there are far more beautiful women in the capital than me. I doubt I would even catch your eye.”  

“What nonsense is that? There’s no one more beautiful than you.”  

“Pardon?”  

“No, I mean…”  

D*mn it. 

He had messed up.  

Liam realized his mistake instantly but struggled to salvage the situation. After all, Yvonne had agreed to follow him because she believed he wasn’t romantically interested in her.  

“I mean, here. I haven’t seen anyone more beautiful than you here.”  

“I see.”  

“Exactly! And as you said, there are plenty of beautiful women in the capital. I’m quite popular, so they…”  

The more Liam spoke, the deeper he dug his own grave.  

Yvonne’s expression shifted as he rambled on—a mix of confusion and amusement. She seemed aware of her own reaction, judging by the embarrassed look on her face.  

Still, Liam couldn’t help but find her endearing. How could she be so cute, even when flustered?  

“Anyway, don’t belittle yourself. You’re quite lovely, even by capital standards. You should have more confidence. I promise you, it’s true.”  

“Thank you.”  

Yvonne replied calmly, as if the matter had been settled.  

Though things seemed to have worked out, Liam couldn’t feel entirely relieved.  

***

After appointing Yvonne as his personal maid, Liam had her quarters moved from the servants’ dormitory to a room near his own bedroom.  

Liam knew that the other servants would gossip about his actions, but he didn’t care. After all, he was planning to leave the estate with Yvonne soon, and he feared that something might happen to her when he wasn’t watching.  

Yvonne also willingly moved her quarters. Philip constantly summoned her and harassed her, so she felt anxious about what he might do next.  

Thus, Liam managed to resolve the situation to some extent, allowing himself to finally sleep peacefully. Since Yvonne had agreed to leave with him, even if he woke from the dream, he felt reassured.  

At the very least, this fact alone would allow him to wake from the dream with a sense of relief. It was something he had always wanted to set right.  

When Liam woke up, however, he was still inside the dream. He realized this upon seeing the figure of a woman sleeping uncomfortably, slumped over a chair beside his bed.  

The woman, dressed in a maid’s uniform, was the younger Yvonne. While the real Yvonne was still in her early twenties, this Yvonne seemed especially youthful—perhaps because she hadn’t yet endured the hardships of life.  

Looking at this fragile and young woman, Liam felt a pang of guilt. He had wronged her in ways he should never have, causing her to suffer. He truly was a bastard.  

‘But why is she sleeping here like this?’  

As soon as the thought crossed his mind, he remembered asking Yvonne to stay by his side until he fell asleep. He had even gone so far as to lie about having insomnia and anxiety, just to convince her.  

Even though Yvonne would still be by his side when he woke, Liam had stubbornly insisted on seeing her untainted face, driven by irrational desires.  

‘You’re insane.’  

He had acted like this, thinking he wouldn’t see her again once he woke from the dream. But now, still stuck in the dream, it had become something he needed to deal with.  

Liam debated whether to wake Yvonne or not, but ultimately decided against it. He concluded that he couldn’t reach out to her first. Instead, he pretended not to notice her and tried to fall asleep again, reasoning that she would leave on her own once she woke.  

When Liam woke up again, Yvonne had returned to her quarters and was no longer by his side. Thankfully, she didn’t mention his strange request.  

***

Two days later, the day to leave Rivette Estate arrived. Liam waited patiently as Yvonne said her goodbyes to Emma.  

Emma appeared uneasy about Yvonne leaving with Liam but respected her decision.  

As the head maid, Emma treated Liam with dignity and grace. The other servants shared similar opinions of her, describing her as strict but kind-hearted and trustworthy.  

Seeing Emma behave so differently from the trembling, fearful woman he remembered was both surprising and guilt-inducing for Liam. If it weren’t for him, Emma could have lived out her days peacefully here, rather than facing a lonely death at the Debroge Family’s summer villa.  

“I know it’s presumptuous of me, but please take good care of Yvonne.”  

“Don’t worry. I will.”  

That’s why Liam was able to respond generously to Emma’s request. Gabriel, standing nearby, was visibly shocked by Liam’s behavior, his mouth hanging open in disbelief.  

But Liam pretended not to notice. Gabriel continued to be astonished by Liam’s actions—his uncharacteristic nervousness around Yvonne, his efforts to treat her well, and his complete lack of interest in the women they encountered during their journey, even when they tried to seduce him.  

Gabriel, baffled by Liam’s drastic transformation, seriously wondered if Liam was possessed by a ghost. However, he quickly grew accustomed to the change.  

***

After leaving Rivette Estate, their journey proceeded relatively smoothly. Instead of heading straight to the capital, Liam unexpectedly announced that they would go to Verno. Gabriel was puzzled but soon complied with Liam’s decision.  

Perhaps Gabriel found Liam’s behavior amusing—his constant care for Yvonne, as if she might break or fly away at any moment.  

During the journey to Verno, Liam meticulously reviewed and refined his plans. Once they reached the Debroge Family, he revealed that he was the grandson of the Arthus Family and entrusted Yvonne to their care.  

Marceau, in exchange for taking care of Yvonne, demanded guaranteed rights to use the canal. Knowing that he would soon inherit the title of Earl of Arthus, Liam agreed to the terms.  

Though the condition required him to wait until the following summer, Marceau was willing to endure the wait and trust Liam. Despite his greed, Marceau had a knack for seeing future opportunities in business.  

Thanks to this, Liam successfully prevented Jeanne’s arranged marriage to Earl Marlon, which had originally been set for the following year. Jeanne, unwilling to marry a man old enough to be her father, would have chosen to elope with her tutor in the future. Liam’s intervention erased that possibility.  

Unaware of her altered future, Jeanne warmly welcomed her newfound cousin.