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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 74
Chapter Title: Let's Play Together
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As soon as Eric and I stepped out of the carriage, the butler walked over like a tail-wagging puppy and opened the door for us.
“How was Madam Margaret's party? You didn't cause any more trouble, did you, Young….”
The butler chattered excitedly until he noticed the stiff expressions on my and Eric's faces, then tilted his head in confusion.
In that moment, Eric nimbly stepped down from the carriage and offered me his hand.
With an expression as stiff as Eric's, I took his hand and stepped down.
Then I turned to the butler and offered a smile.
“I didn't cause any trouble. Something major did happen… but the entire capital will know about it by tomorrow anyway, so I'm going to get some rest. Is that all right?”
The butler glanced back and forth between my and Eric's stiff faces, then cleared his throat and stepped back.
“Of course, it is. If you're feeling tired or unwell, I'll call the physician right away….”
“I'm fine.”
I answered curtly and, taking Eric's hand, entered the mansion.
Nina, also seeming to notice our stiff expressions, didn't ask any questions and quietly saw us upstairs.
She did add, however.
“The butler thought the Young Master's sleep schedule might not align well with the Young Madam's, so he had the guest room cleaned. When you have to wake up early, Young Master, you can sleep there.”
Eric, who was holding my hand, turned to look at Nina.
“...I see.”
*So we won't be sleeping in the same room anymore.*
I subtly let go of Eric's hand. He gazed down at my hand.
I smiled brightly at Eric and said.
“Then you can sleep in the other room, darling. You said you have training tomorrow, right?”
“...Ah, will you be doing that?”
Nina seemed ready to quickly prepare the guest room.
All Eric had to do now was say, ‘I will.’
*So we can stop this uncomfortable act and sleep in separate rooms.*
‘Let's just not play together!’
*So this kind nobleman can finally stop pitying me. Lending my mother money, saving me from Anthony... I know a young master who's lived a comfortable life has energy to spare for pretending to be nice, but I can't stand him trying to rub that kindness off on me.*
I'm not idle enough to waste energy on pretending to be nice.
‘...When did we ever play together?’
Eric's reply comes to mind.
‘We never played together in the first place. Go home.’
That was the entirety of our conversation.
So, we never played together before, and now, let's really not play together.
That's the conclusion. So now we should keep our distance….
“No, I won't do that.”
But Eric's answer, as always, defied my expectations.
“...?”
Nina furrowed her brow.
I, too, stared at Eric with wide eyes. He took my hand, which had moved away. Then he smiled slightly at Nina.
“It seems... sleeping apart from my darling would be difficult after all.”
“...Oh, my!”
Nina covered her mouth, her voice shy. I glared at Eric. He ignored both my and Nina's reactions and opened the bedroom door.
‘...?’
*What are you dooooiiing?*
✵ ✵ ✵
*Slam!*
As soon as the door slammed shut, I heard Nina quickly descending the stairs, followed by her voice calling for the butler.
“Butler! Butler! It seems they weren't fighting after all!”
*She seemed intent on telling the butler just how lovey-dovey Eric and I were.*
I stared at Eric, dumbfounded.
“What are you doing? This was our chance to finally have separate rooms!”
*You just blew it? Why! You're so worried I'm going to pounce on you, so why!*
“I just told you. I can't sleep without you.”
“Ha. It's the opposite, isn't it? You can't sleep *because* of me, right? Pinching me whenever I cross the line!”
I scrunched up my face and stalked over to the bed. Then I pounded on the covers and looked at Eric.
“What are you doing? Why do you keep playing with my feelings like thiiis?”
*This is wrong! I even told you just now that we shouldn't play together!*
If this keeps up….
‘This part will start to tingle. It might have already started tingling.’
*It'll be just like Mom said!*
Steeling myself, I repeated what my mother had told me to Eric.
“You gave my mother money, didn't you? Five hundred thousand gold. Do you really think my family and I are going to pay you back, Young Lord? Of course we'll stiff you! Who do you think we are? A family of swindlers! You knew that and still lent us the money? What, do you pity us? Is pitying people with money your thing? Ha, I mean, pitying someone with money, I'm actually really grateful for that, but….”
*Pitying someone with money.*
The moment I uttered that sentence, I felt a deep sense of gratitude welling up inside me.
*My anger is one thing, but my gratitude is another….*
When my thoughts reached that point, I was at a loss for words.
Eric, who had been leaning against the wall and watching me quietly, let out a small laugh.
“...Why do you keep laughing!”
“It's funny watching you trip over your own words.”
Eric ran a large hand over his face, as if washing it without water.
“Why do you only laugh at meee! You treat other women like they're invisible! But you call *me* pretty!”
But regardless of my anger, Eric continued to watch me, the fingers that had just wiped over his face now toying with his lips.
‘See this? This is what I'm talking about. It's so bewitching. I feel like this incubus has been draining my life force lately!’
“This is why I can't sleep….”
I muttered, glaring at Eric.
“Are you saying you can't sleep because of me?”
He even smirked slightly.
*So annoying... So...*
My eyes flashed wide. Seeing this, Eric flinched and wiped the smile from his face.
As if burdened by my gaze, he carefully picked up a nearby stool and brought it next to the bed. Then he sat down and stared at me.
“Let's play together.”
“W-what?”
“I said, let's play together.”
Despite his large frame, he looked at me like a small child begging his mother for candy.
“We haven't even tried playing together. It's irritating to hear you say we shouldn't.”
*Ha...*
*If he comes at me like this, I might just give in...*
*And toss aside the serious resolution I just made...*
“What are we going to play?”
*If you think I was going to ask that, you're dead wrong, dead wrong!*
‘...Ugh!’
I wanted to slam my own mouth against a wall. But Eric, once again, smirked subtly and said.
“How about we see a movie?”
*A movie?*
*Is he really asking me to hang out or what?*
“They call it moving pictures. I hear it's popular in the capital. They're showing one at the theater across from the department store.”
Eric took two tickets from his pocket.
*The Arriving Train*
I stared up at Eric.
“When did you get these?”
“Yesterday.”
“To see it with me?”
“Yes. To play with you.”
“My speech just now about not playing together—did you hear it with your nose? Your mouth?”
*This guy! You want to watch a movie with me, just the two of us, in a dark place? Do you have any idea what could happen!*
“I heard you with my ears. Anyway, Lily will be away tomorrow. So I have to stick right by your side, and it wouldn't be a bad idea to get some fresh air while we're at it.”
Looking stuffy, Eric unbuttoned the top button of his shirt.
*Please, stop doing that! Button that shirt all the way up!*
With the sole intention of enlightening our naive young master, I narrowed my eyes at Eric.
Eric furrowed his brow.
“...Why?”
“Watching a movie together in the dark... playing together all day... do you know what kind of people do that sort of thing?”
“...People who want to see a movie?”
*Exactly. Because he's this naive.*
This is the problem. It makes me feel like I'm the bad guy.
‘No... I was the bad guy to begin with, wasn't I?’
*So this guy, who keeps giving opportunities to a bad person like me, is the one who's wrong!*
*I need to take this chance to teach him a proper lesson. At this rate, he's going to get all his money slurped up by me and end up a beggar!*
Just as I made my resolution and my eyes widened, Eric placed the tickets on the table.
“If you don't want to, then don't.”
“...?”
*What the.*
I tilted my head, watching Eric strangely withdraw his offer so readily. But he stood up as if his 'let's play together' suggestion meant nothing.
Then he took off his jacket and vest in turn, hung them up, and lay down on the bed still wearing the rest of his clothes. He even neatly set up the cushion-line.
“If you don't want to see the movie, I have no intention of forcing you. Let's sleep.”
*Well, I never.*
For some reason, I found myself licking my lips as I looked at the tickets on the table.
‘...Is he giving it just to take it away....’
I didn't even have the energy left to argue, so I kept my mouth shut. But still, what's wrong is wrong.
‘I'm not going. If I go see something like that, I'll just get a taste of wealth, of the aristocratic life, and it'll only make things harder for me!’
