-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Vine
Chapter: 24
Chapter Title: A Close Call and a Secret Errand
-----------------------------------------------------------------
“Huh?”
At Jayden’s bewildered voice, my heart felt like it was shriveling into nothing.
‘I’m screwed.’
Of course he’d be confused. The sister he thought was being threatened by an unknown intruder hiding in the mansion was, in fact, the perverted criminal herself.
Looking at the situation, it would appear as though I had abducted some handsome man off the street.
‘…I should just confess everything.’
This was a crisis where my social standing would be utterly annihilated, no matter how well I explained that this wasn't a crime.
The commotion from my explanation would draw a crowd, and then my family and all the servants would find out about this whole situation…
Being misunderstood by everyone for having peculiar tastes and never being able to escape the suspicion that it might have been a real crime VS. just telling him the truth about the curse.
‘The latter, no matter what.’
The truth about the curse didn’t seem like it would be a huge problem as long as I hid the fact that I was transmigrated and anything related to the comments.
No, even if it did cause problems, choosing the former was the last thing I wanted to do, second only to death.
Even if I fled to another country, I would have to live the rest of my life in torment and shame.
Alright! I’ll confess!
“J-Jayden!”
Having made my decision, I called out Jayden’s name in a trembling voice.
“You see, what happened was…!”
I was about to lead with the assertion that I was not, in fact, a pervert. But then.
“My apologies.”
Jayden turned to me with an awkward expression.
“Just as you said, sister, no one is here.”
Whaaaat?!
I quickly peeked out from behind Jayden and looked at the bed.
Just as Jayden had said, there was no one there. I couldn't find any trace of Yugen anywhere in the room.
“You were so adamant about not letting me in that I thought something terrible had happened.”
“Oh… right.”
“Still, since I’m already here, I’ll check the terrace as I originally intended.”
“I’d appreciate that.”
While Jayden went out to the terrace, I scanned every nook and cranny of the bedroom.
But Yugen, who had been completely unable to move, had vanished without a trace.
I felt like I’d seen a ghost.
A few minutes later, after meticulously checking the not-so-large terrace, Jayden came back into the room.
“No problems here. I looked down below, and there wasn’t even an ant in sight.”
“See? I was right, wasn’t I? I told you that you saw wrong in the first place.”
“…Perhaps so. Besides your chambers, I’ve checked almost everywhere else, but I couldn’t find anything suspicious.”
“The rustling in the bushes was probably just the wind. Or maybe a cat running by.”
“That could be it.”
Jayden, agreeing with a less-than-convinced expression, suddenly tilted his head.
“But why were you trying so hard to stop me, sister? That part was still a bit strange.”
“My, you find the oddest things strange…”
I scrambled for a plausible excuse and blurted one out randomly.
“Because I just don't like you!”
“Pardon? Me?”
“The other day when Mother was nagging me, you chimed in and were being so obnoxious.”
“You’re still holding a grudge over that?”
“Yes, I’m petty! What are you going to do about it?”
“…”
“That’s why I didn’t want to let you in my room! It was a matter of pride.”
“Well, I understand.”
Since Charlotte was known for having quite a temper, Jayden seemed to accept my excuse more or less.
“I’ll be going now. Sleep well, and I was wrong about that time, so please don’t be angry anymore.”
“Well, since you were just pestering me out of concern for my well-being, I’ll let it slide this once.”
“Yes, yes, thank you for your generous pardon.”
And with that, Jayden left my room.
I waited until the sound of his footsteps faded away before letting out a sigh of relief.
“That took ten years off my life…”
That boy, Jayden. First, when he found Kirie’s hair on my bed, and now this. I don’t know why he keeps putting me on edge.
I dragged my exhausted body over to the bed and flopped down.
“Such an infuriating brat.”
“Still, it’s a relief he’s gone.”
“You’re right, it’s a relief he’s…”
Wait. Who am I talking to right now?
I turned my heavy head to look down, and something shot out from under the bed.
“You scared me!”
“Charlotte, it’s me.”
“Y-Yugen?”
That’s right. The large figure that popped out from under the bed was the man who had vanished like a ghost.
I tried to calm my pounding heart as I asked.
“Were you under the bed this whole time? How did you get in there? And where are the ropes?”
In response to my question, Yugen waved the ropes with his now-free hands. The ropes that had bound his feet were also nowhere to be seen.
“You untied them? How?”
In stark contrast to my utter shock, Yugen was perfectly calm.
“I just used a little strength and they came loose.”
“What? That easily? You said you could barely move earlier, didn’t you?”
“That was…”
Yugen avoided my gaze.
“I couldn’t tell you the truth.”
“Why?”
“You were tying them so diligently. I was afraid you’d be disappointed.”
I let out a hollow laugh in disbelief.
“I appreciate the sentiment… but you should have told me. I tied you up so you wouldn’t move. If you could move, then it was all for nothing.”
And what did that make me, after all the trouble I went through to keep Jayden out?
I chewed on my lip, imagining the worst-case scenario.
“…Sorry.”
But seeing Yugen apologize with his head bowed, I no longer felt the urge to reprimand him.
“It’s fine. It’s not like you did anything wrong.”
“You forgive me?”
“It’s nothing that grand.”
I chuckled and patted the bed.
“It’s late, let’s just get some sleep.”
“Okay!”
“Wait! You need to dust yourself off.”
“Ah, right.”
“Stay there. I’ll come dust you off.”
With meticulous care, I brushed off the dust that had gotten on Yugen from hiding under the bed.
“There’s not as much as last time.”
It was a good thing I had instructed the maids to clean under there more often after Yugen emerged covered in dust the last time.
Yugen obediently let me tend to him, and once the dust was gone, he lay down on the bed.
“So fluffy.”
He looked just as delighted by the bed’s softness as before, which made me smile.
I was tired, but the aftermath of the whole commotion made it unlikely that I would fall asleep right away, so I struck up a conversation with him.
“Yugen, I’ve been thinking. About the curse.”
“Yeah.”
“Since it started again even after you slept in my bed once, I don’t think this is going to be a permanent fix.”
“I think so too.”
“So, what do you think about this from now on? Since you need to sleep in my bed periodically…”
Just as I had promised Raynerd, I proposed that Yugen meet me every one to two weeks.
Yugen asked if it was really okay, then thanked me repeatedly.
“Come to think of it… they say you should repay a favor.”
“Did a comrade tell you that?”
“Yeah. But how do you repay a favor?”
“I wonder.”
“Is there anything you want me to do?”
“I’ll think about it. For now, let’s sleep.”
“Let me know when you think of something.”
“I will, I will.”
It was truly a warm and gentle conversation.
Aside from the incident with Jayden bursting in, the night was several times smoother than the one before with Raynerd, where we had both hidden our true intentions.
‘It would be great if Raynerd were more like Yugen.’
I entertained the futile hope as my consciousness drifted off to sleep. A short while later…
“Agh!”
Waking up as I fell to the floor, I found Yugen occupying my spot, just like last time.
An angelic sleeping face, but far from angelic sleeping habits.
“Should I just tie him up…?”
I take back what I thought before falling asleep. Raynerd is fine just the way he is.
* * *
“Aah!”
“My lady, you’re very tense right here.”
“That hurts! A little gentler!”
“Now, now, we have to work out the knots properly.”
The next day, after finishing breakfast, I returned to my room and was getting a massage from one of the maids.
My aching body, sore all over thanks to our dear Margrave Mont, was being healed by the maid’s skillful hands.
“It hurts, but you’re really good at this.”
She had the skill to back up her confidence when she stepped forward after I asked the group of maids if any of them were good at giving massages.
“Thank you for the compliment! I used to massage my mother and father a lot when I was young.”
“What was your name again?”
“It’s Mei.”
“Right, Mei. You did a good job. You can stop now.”
Lying on the bed, I sat up and took another look at Mei’s face.
Brown hair and freckled cheeks. She had the classic look of a maid from a romance fantasy novel.
‘She seems quite diligent.’
Thinking that this girl probably wouldn’t commit an indiscretion like secretly opening her superior’s letters, I reached for the bedside table.
My pouch of gold coins was there, and I took one out and offered it to Mei.
“This is a reward for the excellent massage.”
“Oh, no, my lady!”
Since this single gold coin was more than Mei’s monthly salary, she waved her hands in alarm.
“I can’t accept something so valuable!”
“It’s fine, take it.”
“But…”
“You can just give me another massage sometime. Besides, I have something else I need you to do.”
Fortunately, Mei wasn’t entirely without a desire for money. She cautiously accepted the gold coin and held it tightly in her hand.
“Just tell me what you need!”
That eager look in her eyes was great.
“Could you deliver this for me personally?”
I reached for the bedside table again, this time handing her a letter.
Mail leaving the Lindsi estate was usually gathered once a day by the head butler, who would then sort and send it out.
However, I hoped this letter would not pass through the head butler’s hands.
Because if the head butler found out, there was a high chance it would go straight to Marquis Lindsi’s ears.
