Chapter 3.1 – Her Temptation

Four days had passed since that incident. Rosalyn, who always came to Elian to talk whenever something happened, had been quiet for several days, and Elian started to worry.

“Is she okay? Did she find another way? It’s strange for her not to come and chatter like usual.”

Just as he was thinking that, there was a sudden knock at the door. The visitor was Anna, the maid.

“What is it, Anna? What’s that?”

Having received permission to enter, she held a letter in her hand. Naturally, Elian’s gaze went to it.

“It’s a letter from the Aimond Earldom. Lady Rosalyn sent it to you.”

“Rosalyn? Why send a letter instead of just coming to talk?”

Rosalyn, who would normally come in person and tell him everything, had sent a letter—an unfamiliar situation that made Elian uneasy. He took the letter Anna handed him and sat down on the sofa.

“What in the world is she trying to say…”

Worried, he opened the letter. The beginning was an apology for what happened a few days ago. She explained she wanted to tell him in person but couldn’t due to her circumstances, and that she had been very sick lately. Lying in bed, she kept thinking about the things she’d done wrong to him.

“Rosalyn…”

Hearing news of Rosalyn, Elian hurriedly jumped up from his seat.

“Sir, what’s the matter?”

“Rosalyn seems to be very sick. I’ll go visit the Aimond Earldom.”

Anna, watching nearby, said she understood and saw him off.

As soon as he received the message, Elian rushed over. Rosalyn’s maid greeted him as if she’d been waiting.

“Welcome, Young Master Elian. You’ve come to see Lady Rosalyn, haven’t you?”

“Yes. I heard Rosalyn is very sick. Is she alright?”

“Well… She’s been very weak for a few days. She says she has no appetite… She’s grown very thin.”

Elian’s face showed clear worry at the maid’s words.

“I see… Where is Rosalyn now?”

“She’s in her room. I’ll show you.”

Elian followed the maid down the corridor to Rosalyn’s room.

“Are the Earl and Countess not home?”

“No, both of them are out today.”

“I see.”

Without further conversation, the two walked down the corridor and arrived at Rosalyn’s door. The maid knocked first and announced Elian’s arrival.

“My Lady, Young Master Elian is here to see you.”

“…Come in…”

A small, weak voice that sounded like it could break at any moment came from beyond the door. The maid bowed lightly and withdrew, leaving Elian at the doorway. Worried, he entered quickly. Rosalyn was lying on the bed.

“Elian…”

She weakly lifted her head to call him. She really did look thinner and more exhausted than a few days ago.

“Rosalyn.”

“You came… I knew you’d come.”

She gave him a faint smile and beckoned him closer. He obediently approached the bed where she lay.

“What’s going on? Are you alright?”

“First, sit down, Elian.”

At her words, Elian pulled over a chair and sat by her side.

“You came running as soon as I contacted you… Thank you…”

As she spoke, she slowly lifted herself up. Watching her, Elian reached out to support her back, but froze in place. The blanket fell away, revealing her body in a thin negligee.

“……”

Not only was it thin, but the material was see-through, making her white, lacy undergarments clearly visible. Elian, unable to find anywhere to look, bowed his head deeply. Regardless, Rosalyn continued speaking as she wished.

“You really are a good friend.”

She smiled softly and placed her hand on top of his. Elian flinched slightly.

“Elian…”

Rosalyn called him. As she leaned toward him, the negligee, apparently too large for her, slipped off her shoulder, exposing her rounded shoulder. Seeing it, Elian was struck dumb.

“Ahem…”

He quickly came to his senses and helped pull her sleeve up.

“So, where does it hurt?”

“Well, um… Ah, I feel dizzy. Oh, so dizzy.”

Rosalyn, making up an excuse as she went, collapsed against Elian’s chest. Her acting was so abysmal it was impossible to just let it slide. Even the way she fell was awkward.

“……”

The silence stretched, feeling like an eternity. Rosalyn, realizing her acting was poor, felt sweat trickle down her back.

“…Are you trying to seduce me right now?”

“Wh-What are you talking about? I, uh… fever. Yes, I have a fever in my head…”

Elian eyed her suspiciously, then placed his hand on her forehead.

“My hand is hotter than your forehead. How do you explain that?”

“Oh my, Elian, you must have a fever too. If you’re hotter than a sick person like me, it must be serious.”

“……”

Listening to Rosalyn’s nonsense, Elian slapped her forehead lightly with the hand he’d been resting there.

“Ouch!”

It didn’t hurt, but Rosalyn yelped in surprise. Elian stood up, unconcerned.

“Hey, wait. Elian, where are you going?”

“I rushed over thinking it was an emergency. I’m such a fool for worrying.”

Elian sighed deeply, looking down at her.

“You picked the day the Earl and Countess are out, wore a see-through negligee, and called me over with the excuse of being sick… You really went all out.”

“If you recognize my effort, you could at least play along…”

Rosalyn rubbed her forehead and glared at Elian.

“How bad does your acting have to be for me to fall for it?”

“For that, I have no excuse…”

Rosalyn admitted her lack of acting skill right away. Elian shook his head.

“To think you’d go this far… If the convent folks saw this, they’d be speechless and ban you from even setting foot near the convent.”

“That’s exactly what I want. I wish the convent people could see this too. But since you’re here, friend, why not testify about how depraved I am?”

“No.”

Elian coldly rejected Rosalyn’s suggestion.

“You’re awfully cold. That’s too much. Anyway, since you’re here, why not stay the night?”

Rosalyn grabbed his sleeve.

“What do you mean ‘anyway’? Don’t try to slip that in. Who knows what you’ll try to do to me?”

Elian crossed his arms protectively and stepped back.

“I won’t do anything. Just hold hands and sleep with me.”

Rosalyn clasped her hands together, pleading desperately.

“And then, when the Earl and Countess come home, we get scolded together?”

“Well, isn’t that the natural outcome?”

Rosalyn nodded at Elian’s words. Elian folded his arms and glared at her.

“Why should I get scolded for something I didn’t do?”

“If you don’t want to get scolded for nothing, you could always make it real.”

Rosalyn replied with a bright smile. The more Elian looked at his friend, the more absurd she seemed.

“No thanks. I don’t want that kind of headache.”

“Elian, are you really so scared of a little scolding? Where’s your noble dignity?”

Seeing her reasoning wasn’t working, Rosalyn immediately raised her voice and scolded Elian.

“And you call yourself dignified, dragging a friend over and trying to force s*x?”

“You said ‘s*x’? How could you…”

Rosalyn blushed at Elian’s blunt use of the word, having tried to avoid saying it herself. Imagining Rosalyn trembling in embarrassment if it ever came to the real thing, Elian sighed.

“You’re saying it yourself now.”

“When did I?”

“You just did!”

Rosalyn fanned her red cheeks, insisting she hadn’t said it. Two grown adults, one nearly in her underwear, were having a childish argument in the bedroom.

“Fine, I did! So what!”

Rosalyn, tired of the childish fight, finally admitted it and shoved Elian. She seemed to have decided to just go for it. As she approached in her nearly underwear-like outfit, Elian was even more flustered.

“What are you doing? Don’t come any closer.”

But Elian couldn’t really retaliate. Raised in a prestigious knightly family, he’d been taught from childhood never to threaten women or those weaker than himself.

Pushing Rosalyn back in response wasn’t an option. As Elian was pushed over, he felt something soft behind him—Rosalyn’s bed.

“Ahem… My Lady.”

“!”

“!”

Suddenly, a voice sounded, and both Rosalyn and Elian turned toward the door. Standing there was the butler of the Aimond Earldom, coughing discreetly into his hand. Behind him stood two other figures.