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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 71
Chapter Title: Nanny's Misunderstanding
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I couldn't exactly tell how Harrison's feelings had changed while we talked.
What he'd gone through was too enormous to ask about lightly.
It felt like such a heavy topic, so I just didn't bring it up.
‘Harrison doesn't seem eager to talk about it on his own either.’
Still, his expression was much brighter than when he'd first entered the room, which put my mind at ease.
“More than that, aren't you hungry?”
“I'm fine...”
*Gurgle!*
While Harrison was answering, his stomach spoke up as if displeased with his response.
*Gurgle!*
Very loudly.
“Pfft!”
I knew I shouldn't laugh, but it slipped out reflexively.
No, even in a novel, the timing couldn't be this perfect?
‘Ah, right—this is a world inside a novel.’
Embarrassed, Harrison's face flushed bright red.
“Uh, um, I'm really not hungry...”
Harrison floundered, trying to make excuses.
*Gurrrgle!*
The sound boomed out loudly again.
Even more insistent than before.
Harrison's neck up to his ears turned scarlet, as if utterly mortified.
Apparently, this embarrassed him more than crying in front of me.
“I had a meal prepared before I came. It should be ready soon, so let's eat together.”
I said, forcing back my laughter.
“Thank you. I'm not usually like this...”
Harrison's voice shrank to a crawl.
“It's fine. It's probably because of the holy power treatment.”
I tried to convey that I understood completely, but his flushed face showed no signs of calming.
‘It doesn't seem like that big a deal to be so embarrassed about.’
Harrison kept sneaking glances at me.
With him acting like that, even I started feeling awkward.
“The meal is ready.”
Right on cue, Nanny wheeled in a trolley piled high with food, then froze at the sight of us.
Harrison flinched along with her.
“I'll set it on the table.”
As Nanny transferred the plates to the room's table, she kept stealing glances at Harrison.
Her gaze was blatantly suspicious, leaving Harrison fidgeting restlessly.
‘Why is our Nanny acting like this?’
I cautiously poked her side, signaling her to cut it out.
But Nanny ignored it and kept eyeing Harrison.
She endured my finger jabs with stoic resolve.
Harrison, clueless to it all, broke out in a cold sweat.
Nanny's eyes narrowed further.
“Are you perhaps too warm?”
“Huh? No. I'm fine.”
Harrison startled at her question and insisted he was okay.
Naturally, it only made him look more suspicious.
Nanny's gaze grew even more displeased.
“Then why's your face like that? Did you two do something naughty...”
“Nanny!”
I cut her off in horror.
‘I can't believe she's jumping to crazy conclusions about the guy who collapsed bleeding yesterday.’
I shot her a baffled look.
“No, miss! He's the suspicious one. What was he thinking first thing in the morning to have a face like that?”
This time, she rapid-fired the words before I could stop her.
“It's because he's embarrassed!”
I blurted it out to shut her up.
But it only stoked her suspicions further.
“Embarrassed? What on earth could he be thinking to feel embarrassed!”
Nanny cried out like a banshee.
She eyed Harrison with genuine wariness, as if ready to snatch me up and flee at any moment.
‘Nanny, what are YOU thinking first thing in the morning!’
Harrison froze in shock at her words.
He must have guessed the misunderstanding.
His face drained pale, as if his soul had been rattled clean out.
‘Billy was like that too, and now even Nanny.’
Looks like everyone in our household just doesn't mesh with Harrison.
* * *
I barely managed to explain it was all a misunderstanding and shooed Nanny away.
But Harrison's rattled soul showed no signs of returning.
“Suspicious...”
“Am I such a pervert...”
“Why...”
“I'm pure in my own way...”
He muttered nonsense under his breath as he ate his breakfast with vacant eyes.
He looked utterly out of it, yet he never stopped eating, polishing off every last bit of that mountain of food.
Impressive, in a way.
“Harrison, you okay?”
I spoke up when he kept stabbing at his empty plate with his fork.
“Y-Yeah.”
His mind didn't seem anywhere near returning.
“More food?”
“No, thank you. I'm full.”
“Then I'll head out. Someone will come clean up, so just rest easy.”
“Yeah...”
His state was so off that we parted ways right after the meal.
‘At least thanks to Nanny, he won't be brooding over yesterday's events.’
I decided to make a quick trip to the imperial palace.
Before leaving, I gave Nanny a stern warning.
“Nanny, he might seem tough, but he's actually really sensitive, so don't pick on him. Got it?”
“No, miss! He was the one acting suspicious!”
Nanny protested, insisting she'd never bullied anyone.
Sigh, everyone around me's a pro at dodging blame—must've learned from me.
“Anyway, he's not suspicious. Treat him nicely. No more weird misunderstandings. The guy's been seriously ill.”
“Understood. Take care out there.”
Only then could I finally set off with peace of mind.
* * *
I arrived at the palace in no time.
I carefully scanned the atmosphere from the entrance, but nothing seemed any different from usual.
‘Does no one know what happened to Luciano?’
Even if it went down outside, this was too much.
“Lu Chi! I'm here!”
I burst in shouting brightly on purpose.
“You're here?”
Luciano responded in a deeply subdued voice.
Unlike his usual self, he looked thoroughly dejected.
I trotted over and grabbed his cheeks.
Then I inspected him with exaggerated flair.
“Did you sleep well last night? Nowhere hurt? Nothing happened after you got back yesterday?”
I knew it wasn't what Luciano wanted to hear.
But checking on him mattered more to me.
Luciano blinked slowly once.
“Slept okay. Nothing hurts. Nothing happened.”
He answered straightforwardly.
But his reply didn't satisfy me.
“Really? Nothing at all yesterday?”
No way.
I glared at him, and he swallowed a sigh before answering.
“...Imperial Consort Isabel's attendant did stop by.”
“Ha!”
Practically confessing it herself?
Sarcasm bubbled up to the tip of my tongue, but I held it back with a snort.
With no word from the assassins about success, she'd sent them to check.
“What'd they say?”
“Nothing.”
“Nothing at all?”
“They said they forgot the message they were supposed to relay.”
At least no nonsense.
“Did they freak out seeing you alive?”
Luciano slowly shook his head.
“Truly impressive. Amazing.”
She must've spent the night stewing in rage upon learning he'd survived unscathed.
‘No, even so.’
“How could she do that?”
“Guess my face disgusts her that much.”
Only then did I realize I'd said his self-deprecating words aloud.
Must've blurted it out in anger.
“Nothing else?”
“Nothing.”
With that, Luciano looked at me.
Now he wanted the update he'd been after.
“Harrison's awake. Perfectly fine. Devoured a huge breakfast.”
I gave it to him straight, no more delays.
He wouldn't be able to go out for a while, so I'd rushed over first thing to deliver the news.
He must've been dying to hear it.
‘Must've been worried out of his mind.’
Sure enough.
“I see...”
Relief washed over Luciano's face, thick and heavy.
His voice trembled—he'd clearly been deeply anxious.
“Yeah. So don't worry.”
Luciano parted his lips as if he had more to say, then clamped them shut without a word.
‘Huh?’
Something about his attitude today felt off.
I considered prodding a little but dropped it.
‘After yesterday, who could act normal?’
Suddenly, Luciano yanked me toward him.
“Eek!”
I stumbled right into his arms.
I stiffened without thinking.
My heart pounded oddly.
I was always the one initiating hugs, so his sudden move threw me.
Luciano held me tight.
That jolted me back to my senses.
“Lu Chi?”
“Just a moment.”
His voice came out muffled as I wriggled.
“Yeah?”
“Just stay like this for a bit.”
At his whisper, I let the tension drain from my body.
Was emotion surging up again?
Remembering yesterday's terror?
He seemed to need some warmth, so the moment I moved to hug him back—
Luciano pushed me away, leaving us in this awkward pose with my arms raised.
‘This is weird. What's going on?’
His expression looked more composed than I'd expected.
“Espin.”
“Yeah.”
“Take care of him until he's fully recovered.”
Him?
“Oh, Harrison? Yeah. Don't worry.”
“I'm counting on you.”
He added it like a plea.
Geez, does he think so little of me?
Like I'd ignore someone recovering in my own home?
“I was gonna do that anyway—no need to get all serious.”
I shot him a playful side-eye, but Luciano smiled faintly.
“Thanks.”
His vibe felt so unfamiliar today.
Or maybe not.
‘Am I just embarrassed getting thanks like this?’
“No big deal.”
I mumbled awkwardly.
“I mean it. I've always been grateful.”
His faint smile deepened just a touch.
It was an odd smile, an odd greeting.
This uncanny sense of wrongness had been nagging at me since earlier.
And it wasn't until two months later that I figured out what it meant.
* * *
“Lu Chi! How dare you try to put distance between us?”
To my annoyance, Luciano started avoiding me.
I Thought I Was the Protagonist
