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Translator: Vine
Translated At: Nyx Scans
Chapter: 8
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“Aack!”

“What is it?!”

My scream seemed to startle **Jayden** even more, making him jump.

“You—you just popped out of nowhere.
You’re not a ghost, so try to make some noise when you walk.”

“Was this not enough of a presence?”

“Not at all.
Don't assume everyone is on your level just because you're a knight.”

To be honest, even another knight, someone less skilled like George, probably wouldn't have noticed him.

A crease formed between **Jayden**’s fine brows.
Is he angry? Come to think of it, I’m not in a position to be ordering **Jayden** around.

“Hahaha.
Forget what I just said.
It’s fine if someone doesn’t make their presence known.
It’s my fault for not sensing it.”

“……”

I’ve been caught red-handed in the laundry room at night, holding his pajamas.
Anyone would find this suspicious.

‘I did think the fabric felt too soft.
But why are his pajamas so simple for a noble?’

Since it was a plain design with no particular embellishments, I hadn’t realized it was **Jayden**’s.
It's not like I've ever seen him at night to know what kind of pajamas he wears.

I tried to blame someone else out of a sense of injustice, but the fact that the situation was against me remained unchanged.

If **Jayden** senses something is off and decides to search my room… in the worst-case scenario, the **Marchioness** could break my legs and lock me up.

**This is not some progressive world where an unmarried daughter caught with a man in her room gets off scot-free.**
Though, it was the same in my previous world.

I racked my brain as hard as I could to come up with an excuse.

“Well, I couldn’t sleep.
So I came out for a walk, you see?
Then, as I was passing by, I suddenly got curious about what the laundry room looked like.
It’s a place I’m thankful for, always providing clean clothes, but I’d grown so used to it that I’d forgotten my gratitude.”

I had no idea what I was even saying.
I just spewed out whatever came to mind.

“So I thought I’d take a look at the clothes while I was at it.
Oh my!
What do you know.
I found a piece of clothing among the laundered ones that wasn’t fully cleaned.
I thought it needed to be washed again, and when I looked closer, I realized it was your pajamas.”

It was a strange sight.
**Jayden** listened to my rambling with a serious face the entire time.

He wore an enigmatic expression, making it hard to tell if he saw through my bullshit and despised me for it, or if he was simply taking my words at face value.

“So… yeah.
That’s what happened.”

“I see.
It looks clean to my eyes, though.”

I dropped **Jayden**’s pajamas.

“Sorry!
My hand slipped!
But look closely.
There’s dust on it, see?”

“Didn’t it just get on there now?”

“No, it was there before.”

Is it just my imagination, or is this situation getting progressively worse?
I hope it is.

**Jayden** stared at me in silence.
Feeling guilty for no reason, I averted my gaze.

After a moment that felt like an eternity, **Jayden** leaned against the back wall.

“I understand.
I believe you are right, sister.”

“Really?!”

“Am I wrong?”

“You’re right!
It’s just surprising to see you agree with me for once.
It’s a bit strange for me to say this, but… you hate me, don't you?”

**Jayden**’s expression hardened.
I wondered if I’d said something unnecessary, but at least I had succeeded in diverting his attention from the pajamas.

“……”

Silence fell.
I grew flustered when **Jayden** didn’t react as I expected.

‘What’s gotten into him?’

According to the descriptions in the book and what people around me had said, he had always completely ignored his sister.
Nor was he the type to try and sugarcoat it.

So, the most likely response from **Jayden** to the question of whether he hated me would have been to ignore it, or at best, to honestly admit it…

Why was he just standing there, unable to say a word, looking abashed?
As if he had been admonished.

After a long pause, **Jayden** finally spoke.

“If you have finished your walk, let us go.
I will escort you to your room.”

“Huh?
No, it’s fine.”

“It is late, and one can never be too careful.”

“What could possibly happen inside the house!”

“No matter how many guards there are, a mansion this large will always have vulnerabilities.”

“What kind of gutsy thief would break into our house?
You worry too much.”

“…You no longer wish for my company.”

“No, that’s absolutely not it!”

Actually, he was right. I *did* want him to leave.
To be precise, I was afraid because I couldn’t understand why **Jayden** had changed.

But for the sake of my peaceful life, it wouldn't be good for my relationship with **Jayden** to worsen any further.
I needed to play along.

“I just have some things I want to think about alone right now.
Still, I appreciate you worrying about me.”

My cringey words made **Jayden** flinch.

“Sister, are you aware that you’ve been acting a bit strange lately?”

“I’ve been reflecting on my actions.”

“I never knew a person could change this much in such a short time.”

“I got a huge scolding the other day.”

“Ah, that time…”

It happened the day before I possessed this body.
**Cedric** found out that **Charlotte** was the one who had spread malicious rumors about **Aila**.

Enraged, **Cedric** exposed **Charlotte**’s misdeeds to the world and issued a warning to the **House of Marquis Lindsi**.
He had every right to be angry; the rumor claimed that **Aila**, a girl of humble birth, was using her parents' deaths to trap the **Grand Duke**.

**Aila**’s parents were loyal vassals who had served the **Hiklrid** family.
That was why she, a lower noble, was able to grow up as a childhood friend of **Grand Duke Cedric**.

How could he not be furious when the woman he loved, the daughter of his loyal retainers, was subjected to such talk?
The readers had been in an uproar, too.

**Comments flooded in, begging for that orange-haired girl to be killed**, and I think I also posted a comment like, ‘This commoner got lucky and became a noble, and now she dares to act up against our **Aila**, who was born a noble.’

‘And when **Cedric** coolly pressured the **Lindsi** family and punished **Charlotte**, it felt so cathartic.’

However…

It was an iconic scene when I read it in the novel, but from the perspective of someone who had possessed **Charlotte**, it was a complete disaster.

That was the incident that caused **Charlotte** to be truly hated and ostracized by everyone, and of all the times, why did I have to possess her the very next day?!

Was it punishment for posting a classist comment about commoners, even though I lived in a modern society where all people were equal?

In any case, because of that incident, **Charlotte** received a scolding far harsher than any she had ever had before.
She was also publicly humiliated in high society.

If there was one silver lining, it was that I now received fewer strange looks for acting like a changed person and living quietly.
It gave off the impression that I was finally reflecting on my actions.

**Jayden** also seemed to be reasonably convinced as he recalled the incident.

“That… was unfortunate.”

“Unfortunate?”

“Father said some harsh things to you then.
Disownment… I’m sure he didn't mean it.”

“Oh, thanks.”

Seriously, what is up with him?
He should be the one most eager to kick me out of this family.

Perhaps embarrassed by his own words, **Jayden** wore a pained expression as if he had thorns in his mouth, then turned away.

“I will take my leave now.
Please return safely.”

“Will you be alright without a lamp?”

“Yes, I came without one.
Good night.”

And he left.
Does being a knight also improve your night vision?

Once I thought **Jayden** was far enough away, I grabbed a pair of pajamas from the laundry room and left.
It wasn't **Jayden**'s, but a pair that looked roughly the same size.

‘That ghost-like guy might notice even if I return it after washing it clean!’

Goodness, what a hassle this is in the middle of the night.
I should have just let **Yugen** sleep in his outdoor clothes; I was being needlessly fussy.

“I’m back.
Huh?”

When I returned to my chamber, **Yugen** was nowhere to be seen.

“Here.”

Something suddenly shot out from under the bed, and I almost let out a scream.

I have to be careful.
Just because it’s night doesn’t mean all the servants of the marquisate are asleep.

Anyway.

“Why were you under the bed?”

“You told me to hide.”

“Ah, I said to hide if someone came.”

“But…”

**Yugen** said with a slightly proud look on his face.

“I remember now.
Your footsteps.”

The sight of him, a grown man, squeezing his body under the bed just because I told him to, was so amusing that a soft laugh escaped me.

“Yes, yes, you did well.
But please, no more hiding under the bed.
You’re covered in dust.”

I started to brush the dust from his brown hair, but then quickly withdrew my hand.

‘Oops, was I being too familiar?’

**Even with his childish side, he's a full-fledged adult and the Mercenary King.**
Just because he was gentle with the heroine, **Aila**, doesn't mean he'll be the same with me.

Fortunately, **Yugen** didn’t seem offended and simply examined his body.

“Can’t I sleep on the bed?”

Was it my imagination, or did he look dejected as he asked?

“No, it’s fine once you brush off the dust and change your clothes.”

“Really?”

“Of course.”

When I handed him the pajamas, **Yugen** casually threw off his shirt.
Faced with a festival of flesh, I quickly covered my eyes with my hands.

“Wh-what are you doing, suddenly taking your clothes off!
I can see everything!”

“You can look.”

This guy, he has no idea the trouble that could cause.
He probably just sees me as 'Member 1' of his mercenary group, but I’m not!
First the **Crown Prince**, and now him… why do these men keep taking their clothes off in front of me!

Just then, a devilish temptation whispered to me.

‘…But if he says it’s okay, can’t I take a little peek?’

With **Raynerd**, I was too scared to even think about it, but **Yugen**’s personality made him seem less intimidating.
And I did get his permission.

Just a tiny peek.
A really, really tiny one.

“I’m dressed.”

“…Good job.
You change so quickly.”

“What’s wrong?”

“I’m just starting to feel a little disgusted with myself.”

All I lost was my conscience.

“So fluffy.”

After we finished all our preparations, we lay down side by side on the bed.
**Yugen** seemed to like the feel of the blanket, rubbing his face against it.

The heartwarming sight warmed my heart.
So peaceful.
Yesterday, I was trembling in fear of being sliced up by the **Crown Prince**.
This makes sleeping in the same bed with him worthwhile.

“You have to wake up before my maid comes to my room tomorrow.
Got it?”

“Okay!”

For a conversation with a person of the opposite sex and my age while sharing a bed, it was completely devoid of tension, but I was more than happy with that.

After **Yugen** turned off the light and came back, the drowsiness that had temporarily receded came rushing back.
Finally, I can rest.

A strange feeling woke me up while it was still the middle of the night.

“…!”

I couldn’t help but gasp.
**Yugen**, who had been quite a distance away when I fell asleep, was now pressed right up against me.