Unlike Wood, who became depressed after opening his eyes and realizing that his money had been stolen, Mine, who had been looking at the street with a bright face, suddenly jumped up and down.
The place the little girl headed to without a moment's hesitation was none other than the tea house.
Beyond the sturdy iron gate, a neat and tidy garden and tables came into view as if a lot of care had been put into it.
Although there were no fancy or expensive structures or rare plants, it still had an atmosphere conducive to drinking tea.
It appeared to be a popular form of tea house influenced by aristocratic culture.
Dorothea's gaze turned to Mine, who was guiding her through the ivy-covered wall to the entrance.
“Did you come here often?”
There's no way the young girl could have come here alone, so it means that someone must have brought the girl here.
When they knocked on the door, a guide came out naturally and greeted the group.
"Welcome."
“I would like to drink tea here.”
“Can I give you a separate room?”
Mine, who caught Dorothea's gaze, opened her mouth wide and gestured.
“I think there’s a room that kid wants, so let’s go there.”
As soon as she entered the building and went straight up the stairs, Mine's steps did not stop.
Dorothea walked quietly, without saying a word, in the direction the child led her.
The child eventually stopped in front of the door at the end of the hallway.
Beyond the door with its strange black pattern was terribly quiet.
“It’s a very secretive place for a place to drink tea.”
Usually, tea time is held in a well-lit room or outdoors.
Kkiei.
The door that had been tightly closed opened easily just with the child's strength.
As if they had been waiting for this.
A beautiful tea set was placed on the table in the room.
“Oh my, this is my favorite tea.”
The consideration on the table did not end there.
As if he knew that Dorothea ate a big meal even during tea time, he made another small table next to her and filled it with snacks.
“Mine, you must be hungry. Don’t you want to eat something?”
Mine, her eyes sparkling at Dorothea's suggestion, came closer.
As if by habit, her small hand reached for the sugar bowl on the table, and soon a colorful cube of sugar popped into Mine's mouth.
Dorothea smiled at the sight of her bulging cheeks.
“You must have been so excited to eat that.”
A strange sense of uneasiness appeared on Wood's face as he gazed at the warm and beautiful sight as if it were a scene from a fairy tale.
'Tea house.'
No matter how much he thought about it, it was strange.
Although it was located at the end of an alley, the tea house was not a cheap space.
The very shy child was not only not surprised by the guide's appearance, but even took the lead and guided them to the room.
That must mean that Mine is very familiar with this place.
How on earth did a child who wanders the streets and does odd jobs end up in this place?
It couldn't have been anything but strange.
It was the moment when Wood, who had pushed the feeling of uneasiness into a corner of his heart, was about to sit down across the table.
Dorothea's voice stopped him.
“Sorry, Wood, that’s not your seat, so get out of the way.”
"What?"
He glanced at the two teacups on the table as if he found it absurd.
“That little girl doesn’t seem to drink tea without sugar, and your escort has never been in a relationship with you. So who gets to keep this tea?”
He knew she was a big eater, but now she's even greedy for drinks.
Dorothea shook her head slightly at the question that seemed absurd.
“That’s not what I meant. The teacup in front of you belongs to the owner of this room.”
The room, which was completely separated from the outside world, had a completely different atmosphere from the friendly image of a tea house.
The furniture and bedding that filled the room were all dark in color, making it difficult to find bright colors.
The skylight was covered with blackout curtains made of expensive linen, although they had a simple design and no patterns.
“Haven’t you noticed? This room is completely tailored to someone’s taste. It’s just not my taste. Then wouldn’t it be the taste of the person who invited me?”
As Dorothea said that, she glanced at the food on the table.
Everything in the room is not to her taste, but those foods are the ones she usually prefers.
If nothing else, it was clear that these dishes had been prepared for her.
If that's the case, then it must have been someone's intention that Mine brought her here and that the guide let the group into the room without saying anything.
Wood, who had been listening with a confused look on his face, suddenly hardened and opened his mouth quietly.
"Hey."
"Yes?"
“You came in knowingly.”
It was clear that he had ignored it even though he knew that it was giving off a suspicious smell.
In his experience, if she does this, he often gets caught up in something that will grab him by the neck.
From being a witness to a minimal murder to sometimes being involved in an ambush or kidnapping, on a very grand scale.
From the moment he watched the little boy running towards the tea house with a smile on his face, the conviction that he had already guessed that 'something was up' was strongly ingrained in his mind.
Dorothea smiled brightly.
“Even if you get pickpocketed in broad daylight with your eyes wide open, your sense of smell is still usable.”
“...”
Veins bulged out across Wood's forehead.
It was at that moment that he was trying to urge his master who had fearlessly rushed into his opponent's den.
Freed, who was leaning against the wall, quietly grabbed the sword at his waist.
Creak.
The face of the person who opened the door and came in with a clear knock was very familiar.
Dorothea greeted him with a smile, without a trace of surprise.
“Welcome, Count. I’ve been waiting for you.”
Kiel Spencer, who entered wearing combat boots, his long hair tied back in a ponytail, and a sword slung at his waist, gave off a different vibe than when they met at the Earldom.
Just like when the two first met, there was an atmosphere of rawness that was somehow dangerous and precarious.
As Wood sat there, his mouth open, frozen in a daze, Dorothea rebuked him again.
“Wood, the owner of this seat has arrived, so please step aside.”
“Ah, it’s okay. I just put it there to make it look nice, so who cares if someone drinks it? Just make a new seat.”
Kiel, who had been speaking generously, turned his gaze to Mine, who was hiding behind Dorothea.
“It’s been a while since I’ve seen this young lady. You’ve changed so much since I last saw you.”
From the moment he appeared, Mine hid herself and did not come out, but when she heard his voice, she started shivering and cowering.
Dorothea looked down at the tiny fingers desperately grasping the hem of her dress.
“Wood, take Mine out.”
Is it an instinctive fear or a fear learned from experience?
A small child might be fine for the man in front of him, but it would be different for Mine.
“Stop talking nonsense!”
“It’s okay. Really. I wouldn’t have come in here without a plan.”
“...”
Dorothea walked over and whispered in Wood's ear, who was resisting fiercely with his eyes wide open.
“Have you ever been at a loss when I was alone with someone? And Freed will be by my side. I wouldn’t want to leave Mine outside and give her a chance to take her hostage.”
Wood, who had been glaring at her for a while as if he was not feeling well, roughly closed the door and left with the child in his arms. Kiel shrugged.
“I don’t think I’ve ever behaved that badly in front of that guy.”
“You only do it from behind and not in front, so you should be more cautious.”
Dorothea picked up the sandwich on the table.
Kiel laughed as he watched her take a mouthful of the richly filled piece.
“For something like that, our young lady is so careless?”
Dorothea wiped the sauce off her lips, put down the rest of her sandwich, and spoke calmly.
“I had a guess. The secret that Fatima couldn’t reveal to the man she loved like her life. The reason she had to run away, leaving behind the body of the person she loved.”
Kiel crossed his knees silently and placed his clasped hands on them.
“The only thing I’m curious about is whether it was your intention for her soul to end up being used as someone’s tool instead of going to the right place.”
Are you such a cruel and horrible person as to punish her, who kept her faith without even mentioning her name while dying, by remaining in a state of neither death nor life forever?
“What’s the conclusion?”
At the soft question, Dorothea looked down at the sandwich she was halfway through eating and hmmmm, taking a deep breath.
“There’s a sense of unease I felt in the Earldom. Those bastards who were clearly looking down on our family are clearly acquainted with you, but you’re a bit different from Dover Spencer, who actively followed their orders.”
Kiel smiled broadly at her subsequent words.
“The reason I was able to outwit them was because they were stupid...”
Dorothea's blue eyes sparkled for a moment.
“It was also because they underestimated my abilities. I never hid anything, but they had no idea. Is it because you played a trick in the middle?”
“You said you would repay the favor, but I think you’ll be ambushed before that. Then it would be a huge loss for me, who owes you a debt.”
Dorothea slowly leaned back against the back of the chair and replied languidly.
“Yes. I don’t treat people who treat me well badly, so I’ll trust you.”
“I feel like I’m only losing money.”
"Lie."
Dorothea lightly scolded Kiel Spencer, who smiled sheepishly.
“Thanks to the fact that I have put all the charges against the Third Prince, I have gained time to sort out the remaining traces within the territory. You know very well that His Majesty does not wish to leave a ‘stain’ on the royal family.”
Surely any part of it that Richard is thought to have been 'involved' will be brushed aside, and the evidence will surely disintegrate in mid-air.
Even if someone were to dig into the matter in the future, they would not be able to find out the truth.
“Richard was the one who suffered the loss, if you will.”
“Well, I remember our young lady wanting to do that instead. Since I used you, I should give you a chance to use me too.”
Dorothea blinked and remained silent for a moment before admitting it coolly.
“That’s true.”
Meanwhile, Kiel chuckled as he watched her faithfully finish her sandwich and reach for the pancakes topped with scrambled eggs.
“That’s really amazing. Anyone who sees it would think it’s an empty stomach.”
It seemed like he had been following her every move ever since she came out onto the streets with Mine.
Dorothea swallowed the food in her mouth and asked quietly.
“So, what’s your business?”
“They want to meet you over there.”
“Ah, I told you to come find me and treat me with the utmost care, but you guys are trying to kidnap me?”
“The evaluation is harsh.”
Dorothea, who had lowered her eyes, pushed away the empty plates that had suddenly piled up again and replied coolly.
“I guess it’s because I’m disappointed. There’s nothing much to see.”
“There’s nothing you can do about it. Those who have enjoyed life from the beginning are slow to grasp the situation and the topic.”
Kiel, who seemed to have heard her voice, placed a plate with a cake made of soft cream and sheets in front of Dorothea.
“So next time.”
His voice lowered even further.
“You’d better not throw away your body to deal with them.”
Dorothea, who was looking down at her plate, looked up and saw Kiel, who was looking quite serious.
It was Dorothea who broke the silence that had fallen between the two people who had been staring at each other for a long time as if exploring each other.
“It would be better for the benefactor not to associate with those people.”
She added, taking Kiel's advice into account.
“It’s always been said that you have to be careful about who you keep by your side. If you play with someone and end up falling to a similar level, I think I’ll be disappointed.”
The man whose lips had been twitching finally burst into laughter.
He seemed cheerful and kept laughing for a long time, but after some time had passed, he nodded and wiped away the tears that had formed in his eyes.
“Yes, I’ll try my best not to disappoint you.”
Dorothea, who had been staring blankly at the man who was laughing out loud, added at last.
“And there is one condition.”
"Hmm?"
“Even if you were the one who wanted to meet, it’s up to me to meet you. I’ll decide the location so that we don’t play around with each other.”
Kiel asked, his eyes sparkling with interest.
"Where?"
Late in the evening, Cosette went downstairs, puzzled by the news that a guest had arrived, and unexpectedly encountered a handsome man with long hair.
The man, carrying a bouquet of fragrant flowers in his arms, smiled brightly and greeted her politely.
“Nice to meet you, Ma’am.”
“Yes? Yes.”
“My name is Kiel Spencer and I will be indebted to Sir Colin. Please call me Sir Kiel.”
“...”
While she was too flustered to continue speaking, she heard someone urgently coming downstairs.
Colin, whose complexion was three or four times paler than usual, stood over Cosette.
Kiel, not caring about the gazes that seemed to want to kill him, handed the bouquet of flowers he was holding to Colin.
“I would appreciate it if you could assign my room as close to Sir Colin as possible.”
This crazy guy.
Colin was able to experience, for the first time in his life as a human, what it felt like to have a sore throat.
The place the little girl headed to without a moment's hesitation was none other than the tea house.
Beyond the sturdy iron gate, a neat and tidy garden and tables came into view as if a lot of care had been put into it.
Although there were no fancy or expensive structures or rare plants, it still had an atmosphere conducive to drinking tea.
It appeared to be a popular form of tea house influenced by aristocratic culture.
Dorothea's gaze turned to Mine, who was guiding her through the ivy-covered wall to the entrance.
“Did you come here often?”
There's no way the young girl could have come here alone, so it means that someone must have brought the girl here.
When they knocked on the door, a guide came out naturally and greeted the group.
"Welcome."
“I would like to drink tea here.”
“Can I give you a separate room?”
Mine, who caught Dorothea's gaze, opened her mouth wide and gestured.
“I think there’s a room that kid wants, so let’s go there.”
As soon as she entered the building and went straight up the stairs, Mine's steps did not stop.
Dorothea walked quietly, without saying a word, in the direction the child led her.
The child eventually stopped in front of the door at the end of the hallway.
Beyond the door with its strange black pattern was terribly quiet.
“It’s a very secretive place for a place to drink tea.”
Usually, tea time is held in a well-lit room or outdoors.
Kkiei.
The door that had been tightly closed opened easily just with the child's strength.
As if they had been waiting for this.
A beautiful tea set was placed on the table in the room.
“Oh my, this is my favorite tea.”
The consideration on the table did not end there.
As if he knew that Dorothea ate a big meal even during tea time, he made another small table next to her and filled it with snacks.
“Mine, you must be hungry. Don’t you want to eat something?”
Mine, her eyes sparkling at Dorothea's suggestion, came closer.
As if by habit, her small hand reached for the sugar bowl on the table, and soon a colorful cube of sugar popped into Mine's mouth.
Dorothea smiled at the sight of her bulging cheeks.
“You must have been so excited to eat that.”
A strange sense of uneasiness appeared on Wood's face as he gazed at the warm and beautiful sight as if it were a scene from a fairy tale.
'Tea house.'
No matter how much he thought about it, it was strange.
Although it was located at the end of an alley, the tea house was not a cheap space.
The very shy child was not only not surprised by the guide's appearance, but even took the lead and guided them to the room.
That must mean that Mine is very familiar with this place.
How on earth did a child who wanders the streets and does odd jobs end up in this place?
It couldn't have been anything but strange.
It was the moment when Wood, who had pushed the feeling of uneasiness into a corner of his heart, was about to sit down across the table.
Dorothea's voice stopped him.
“Sorry, Wood, that’s not your seat, so get out of the way.”
"What?"
He glanced at the two teacups on the table as if he found it absurd.
“That little girl doesn’t seem to drink tea without sugar, and your escort has never been in a relationship with you. So who gets to keep this tea?”
He knew she was a big eater, but now she's even greedy for drinks.
Dorothea shook her head slightly at the question that seemed absurd.
“That’s not what I meant. The teacup in front of you belongs to the owner of this room.”
The room, which was completely separated from the outside world, had a completely different atmosphere from the friendly image of a tea house.
The furniture and bedding that filled the room were all dark in color, making it difficult to find bright colors.
The skylight was covered with blackout curtains made of expensive linen, although they had a simple design and no patterns.
“Haven’t you noticed? This room is completely tailored to someone’s taste. It’s just not my taste. Then wouldn’t it be the taste of the person who invited me?”
As Dorothea said that, she glanced at the food on the table.
Everything in the room is not to her taste, but those foods are the ones she usually prefers.
If nothing else, it was clear that these dishes had been prepared for her.
If that's the case, then it must have been someone's intention that Mine brought her here and that the guide let the group into the room without saying anything.
Wood, who had been listening with a confused look on his face, suddenly hardened and opened his mouth quietly.
"Hey."
"Yes?"
“You came in knowingly.”
It was clear that he had ignored it even though he knew that it was giving off a suspicious smell.
In his experience, if she does this, he often gets caught up in something that will grab him by the neck.
From being a witness to a minimal murder to sometimes being involved in an ambush or kidnapping, on a very grand scale.
From the moment he watched the little boy running towards the tea house with a smile on his face, the conviction that he had already guessed that 'something was up' was strongly ingrained in his mind.
Dorothea smiled brightly.
“Even if you get pickpocketed in broad daylight with your eyes wide open, your sense of smell is still usable.”
“...”
Veins bulged out across Wood's forehead.
It was at that moment that he was trying to urge his master who had fearlessly rushed into his opponent's den.
Freed, who was leaning against the wall, quietly grabbed the sword at his waist.
Creak.
The face of the person who opened the door and came in with a clear knock was very familiar.
Dorothea greeted him with a smile, without a trace of surprise.
“Welcome, Count. I’ve been waiting for you.”
Kiel Spencer, who entered wearing combat boots, his long hair tied back in a ponytail, and a sword slung at his waist, gave off a different vibe than when they met at the Earldom.
Just like when the two first met, there was an atmosphere of rawness that was somehow dangerous and precarious.
***
As Wood sat there, his mouth open, frozen in a daze, Dorothea rebuked him again.
“Wood, the owner of this seat has arrived, so please step aside.”
“Ah, it’s okay. I just put it there to make it look nice, so who cares if someone drinks it? Just make a new seat.”
Kiel, who had been speaking generously, turned his gaze to Mine, who was hiding behind Dorothea.
“It’s been a while since I’ve seen this young lady. You’ve changed so much since I last saw you.”
From the moment he appeared, Mine hid herself and did not come out, but when she heard his voice, she started shivering and cowering.
Dorothea looked down at the tiny fingers desperately grasping the hem of her dress.
“Wood, take Mine out.”
Is it an instinctive fear or a fear learned from experience?
A small child might be fine for the man in front of him, but it would be different for Mine.
“Stop talking nonsense!”
“It’s okay. Really. I wouldn’t have come in here without a plan.”
“...”
Dorothea walked over and whispered in Wood's ear, who was resisting fiercely with his eyes wide open.
“Have you ever been at a loss when I was alone with someone? And Freed will be by my side. I wouldn’t want to leave Mine outside and give her a chance to take her hostage.”
Wood, who had been glaring at her for a while as if he was not feeling well, roughly closed the door and left with the child in his arms. Kiel shrugged.
“I don’t think I’ve ever behaved that badly in front of that guy.”
“You only do it from behind and not in front, so you should be more cautious.”
Dorothea picked up the sandwich on the table.
Kiel laughed as he watched her take a mouthful of the richly filled piece.
“For something like that, our young lady is so careless?”
Dorothea wiped the sauce off her lips, put down the rest of her sandwich, and spoke calmly.
“I had a guess. The secret that Fatima couldn’t reveal to the man she loved like her life. The reason she had to run away, leaving behind the body of the person she loved.”
Kiel crossed his knees silently and placed his clasped hands on them.
“The only thing I’m curious about is whether it was your intention for her soul to end up being used as someone’s tool instead of going to the right place.”
Are you such a cruel and horrible person as to punish her, who kept her faith without even mentioning her name while dying, by remaining in a state of neither death nor life forever?
“What’s the conclusion?”
At the soft question, Dorothea looked down at the sandwich she was halfway through eating and hmmmm, taking a deep breath.
“There’s a sense of unease I felt in the Earldom. Those bastards who were clearly looking down on our family are clearly acquainted with you, but you’re a bit different from Dover Spencer, who actively followed their orders.”
Kiel smiled broadly at her subsequent words.
“The reason I was able to outwit them was because they were stupid...”
Dorothea's blue eyes sparkled for a moment.
“It was also because they underestimated my abilities. I never hid anything, but they had no idea. Is it because you played a trick in the middle?”
“You said you would repay the favor, but I think you’ll be ambushed before that. Then it would be a huge loss for me, who owes you a debt.”
Dorothea slowly leaned back against the back of the chair and replied languidly.
“Yes. I don’t treat people who treat me well badly, so I’ll trust you.”
“I feel like I’m only losing money.”
"Lie."
Dorothea lightly scolded Kiel Spencer, who smiled sheepishly.
“Thanks to the fact that I have put all the charges against the Third Prince, I have gained time to sort out the remaining traces within the territory. You know very well that His Majesty does not wish to leave a ‘stain’ on the royal family.”
Surely any part of it that Richard is thought to have been 'involved' will be brushed aside, and the evidence will surely disintegrate in mid-air.
Even if someone were to dig into the matter in the future, they would not be able to find out the truth.
“Richard was the one who suffered the loss, if you will.”
“Well, I remember our young lady wanting to do that instead. Since I used you, I should give you a chance to use me too.”
Dorothea blinked and remained silent for a moment before admitting it coolly.
“That’s true.”
Meanwhile, Kiel chuckled as he watched her faithfully finish her sandwich and reach for the pancakes topped with scrambled eggs.
“That’s really amazing. Anyone who sees it would think it’s an empty stomach.”
It seemed like he had been following her every move ever since she came out onto the streets with Mine.
Dorothea swallowed the food in her mouth and asked quietly.
“So, what’s your business?”
“They want to meet you over there.”
“Ah, I told you to come find me and treat me with the utmost care, but you guys are trying to kidnap me?”
“The evaluation is harsh.”
Dorothea, who had lowered her eyes, pushed away the empty plates that had suddenly piled up again and replied coolly.
“I guess it’s because I’m disappointed. There’s nothing much to see.”
“There’s nothing you can do about it. Those who have enjoyed life from the beginning are slow to grasp the situation and the topic.”
Kiel, who seemed to have heard her voice, placed a plate with a cake made of soft cream and sheets in front of Dorothea.
“So next time.”
His voice lowered even further.
“You’d better not throw away your body to deal with them.”
Dorothea, who was looking down at her plate, looked up and saw Kiel, who was looking quite serious.
It was Dorothea who broke the silence that had fallen between the two people who had been staring at each other for a long time as if exploring each other.
“It would be better for the benefactor not to associate with those people.”
She added, taking Kiel's advice into account.
“It’s always been said that you have to be careful about who you keep by your side. If you play with someone and end up falling to a similar level, I think I’ll be disappointed.”
The man whose lips had been twitching finally burst into laughter.
He seemed cheerful and kept laughing for a long time, but after some time had passed, he nodded and wiped away the tears that had formed in his eyes.
“Yes, I’ll try my best not to disappoint you.”
Dorothea, who had been staring blankly at the man who was laughing out loud, added at last.
“And there is one condition.”
"Hmm?"
“Even if you were the one who wanted to meet, it’s up to me to meet you. I’ll decide the location so that we don’t play around with each other.”
Kiel asked, his eyes sparkling with interest.
"Where?"
***
Late in the evening, Cosette went downstairs, puzzled by the news that a guest had arrived, and unexpectedly encountered a handsome man with long hair.
The man, carrying a bouquet of fragrant flowers in his arms, smiled brightly and greeted her politely.
“Nice to meet you, Ma’am.”
“Yes? Yes.”
“My name is Kiel Spencer and I will be indebted to Sir Colin. Please call me Sir Kiel.”
“...”
While she was too flustered to continue speaking, she heard someone urgently coming downstairs.
Colin, whose complexion was three or four times paler than usual, stood over Cosette.
Kiel, not caring about the gazes that seemed to want to kill him, handed the bouquet of flowers he was holding to Colin.
“I would appreciate it if you could assign my room as close to Sir Colin as possible.”
This crazy guy.
Colin was able to experience, for the first time in his life as a human, what it felt like to have a sore throat.
Support Novellate!
Comments
Post a Comment