Episode 45. You're so naive
"Sir Serun?"
Rose stared at Serun, her eyes wide as a rabbit's.
"Why is Sir Serun here?"
This alley was occupied only by Serviat mansions.
Serun answered Rose's words with a broad smile. His voice, as always, was laced with charm.
"I was out running an errand and got lost."
Serun answered, rubbing the back of his head in embarrassment.
"Oh, I see."
Rose believed Serun's words without a doubt. She was deeply relieved to find out that the person behind her was Serun.
"But why didn't you make a sound?"
Rose tilted her head and asked Serun. She had been truly surprised earlier. She thought he was a stranger.
Serun's eyes darkened slightly at Rose's words. With a mysterious look in his eyes, he asked quietly,
"So you knew I was following you?"
His mumbling voice resonated with significance.
“How did you know?”
Serun wondered. He hadn’t completely concealed his presence like someone stalking someone, but it was normal for most people not notice him, even if he was following closely.
Were Rose’s senses more heightened than others'? If so... could Rose, like him, be hiding something?
A seed of suspicion began to sprout. However, Rose’s next words instantly shattered his distrust.
“Ah. I looked at the ground, and there was another shadow.”
Rose smiled at Serun, explaining how surprised and scared she had been.
“Ah. I see. I’m sorry for startling you.”
Serun smiled brightly and closed his eyes at Rose.
“I didn’t expect to see Lord Serun here! I’m so happy. Such coincidences happen.”
Serun stared blankly at Rose, who smiled at him without any suspicion.
'Coincidence... how naive.'
Serun and Rose's encounter was no coincidence. Serun had come to Rose's place.
He had narrowed down where Rose might be and moved straight to the Serviat mansion. He had waited until evening, a good time to hide, before coming here.
'...Thank goodness. It wasn't Madam I saw that day.'
"Sir Serun?"
Rose stared at Serun, her eyes wide as a rabbit's.
"Why is Sir Serun here?"
This alley was occupied only by Serviat mansions.
Serun answered Rose's words with a broad smile. His voice, as always, was laced with charm.
"I was out running an errand and got lost."
Serun answered, rubbing the back of his head in embarrassment.
"Oh, I see."
Rose believed Serun's words without a doubt. She was deeply relieved to find out that the person behind her was Serun.
"But why didn't you make a sound?"
Rose tilted her head and asked Serun. She had been truly surprised earlier. She thought he was a stranger.
Serun's eyes darkened slightly at Rose's words. With a mysterious look in his eyes, he asked quietly,
"So you knew I was following you?"
His mumbling voice resonated with significance.
“How did you know?”
Serun wondered. He hadn’t completely concealed his presence like someone stalking someone, but it was normal for most people not notice him, even if he was following closely.
Were Rose’s senses more heightened than others'? If so... could Rose, like him, be hiding something?
A seed of suspicion began to sprout. However, Rose’s next words instantly shattered his distrust.
“Ah. I looked at the ground, and there was another shadow.”
Rose smiled at Serun, explaining how surprised and scared she had been.
“Ah. I see. I’m sorry for startling you.”
Serun smiled brightly and closed his eyes at Rose.
“I didn’t expect to see Lord Serun here! I’m so happy. Such coincidences happen.”
Serun stared blankly at Rose, who smiled at him without any suspicion.
'Coincidence... how naive.'
Serun and Rose's encounter was no coincidence. Serun had come to Rose's place.
He had narrowed down where Rose might be and moved straight to the Serviat mansion. He had waited until evening, a good time to hide, before coming here.
'...Thank goodness. It wasn't Madam I saw that day.'
He had been worried all along that Rose might have been kidnapped. So Serun wanted to check. Was Rose alive?
Rose misunderstood Serun's disappointment as he stared at her silently. She made an awkward, apologetic expression and said,
"You were very disappointed, weren't you? I left without even saying goodbye."
"Ah... of course! I was so disappointed."
Serun, lost in his own thoughts, came to his senses at Rose's words and acted. Serun, the fictional character he had created.
"I'm sorry."
Serun stared silently at Rose, who was sincerely sorry.
In truth, the one who should be apologizing was he, not Rose.
He wanted to apologize for deceiving Rose, but the thought of Rose turning her back like Jane made it hard for him to open his mouth.
Rose misunderstood Serun's disappointment as he stared at her silently. She made an awkward, apologetic expression and said,
"You were very disappointed, weren't you? I left without even saying goodbye."
"Ah... of course! I was so disappointed."
Serun, lost in his own thoughts, came to his senses at Rose's words and acted. Serun, the fictional character he had created.
"I'm sorry."
Serun stared silently at Rose, who was sincerely sorry.
In truth, the one who should be apologizing was he, not Rose.
He wanted to apologize for deceiving Rose, but the thought of Rose turning her back like Jane made it hard for him to open his mouth.
Three years ago, Serun had joined Count Wences as a trainee knight under Cedric's orders. Back then, he had observed Rose from afar while performing odd jobs.
He didn't hesitate to approach Jane to gather information about Rose, and he was faithful to his assigned duties.
'From afar, I thought she was just a dull person.'
Serun, who served Rose up close as a trainee knight, felt the opposite.
Rose was intelligent and bright, and unlike other nobles, she was considerate even to her employees.
Serun, who had merely been guarding Rose according to orders, soon realized he was truly protecting her. He was even keeping a secret from his master, Cedric.
"If we had met during the day, I would have bought you a meal, but it's too late. Oh, and by the way, did things go well with Jane?"
When Jane's story came up, Serun's expression became noticeably gloomy.
Serun lowered his eyes and shook his head. For some reason, a dark aura seemed to flow out around him.
Rose was taken aback by Serun's reaction.
He didn't hesitate to approach Jane to gather information about Rose, and he was faithful to his assigned duties.
'From afar, I thought she was just a dull person.'
Serun, who served Rose up close as a trainee knight, felt the opposite.
Rose was intelligent and bright, and unlike other nobles, she was considerate even to her employees.
Serun, who had merely been guarding Rose according to orders, soon realized he was truly protecting her. He was even keeping a secret from his master, Cedric.
"If we had met during the day, I would have bought you a meal, but it's too late. Oh, and by the way, did things go well with Jane?"
When Jane's story came up, Serun's expression became noticeably gloomy.
Serun lowered his eyes and shook his head. For some reason, a dark aura seemed to flow out around him.
Rose was taken aback by Serun's reaction.
'... Oh, I guess I said something wrong.'
It seemed Serun and Jane had not yet reconciled. Rose hesitated and looked at Serun.
"... I guess Jane is really angry."
This wasn't an act. Serun was deeply distressed by the rift between them.
It had started out as a mere attempt to use Jane, but his feelings had become sincere.
Both giving her the engagement ring and telling her he loved her were sincere.
A picture of Jane looking at him with a disgusted expression flashed through Serun's mind.
'Jane...'
Jane would probably never forgive herself.
'I wouldn't either... How can I trust someone who deliberately approached me and hid everything from me?'
Rose, who had been watching Serun's dejected state, cautiously spoke.
"What on earth caused you to be so wrong? Tell me. I'm pretty good at giving relationship advice, even though it's like this."
At Rose's voice, Serun raised his head and looked at her. Of course, his eyes were filled with distrust.
"...To Madam?"
In Serun's eyes, Rose was a woman wounded by blind love. Confiding his feelings to Rose might bring comfort, but it didn't seem like things would get any better than they were.
Rose smiled awkwardly at Serun, who was looking at her.
'Ahaha... Well, I wouldn't give relationship advice to the original Rose either.'
In the original, Rose was someone who only knew how to beg for love.
“Haa... It’s okay,”
Serun replied with a deep sigh. Rose’s pride was somehow hurt by Serun’s attitude, but she couldn’t get angry at a child.
“I’m the older sister. Let’s be generous and let it go.”
Rose smiled at Serun with a gentle, gentle smile like a saint and spoke gently.
“By the way, the title ‘Madam’ is a bit burdensome now. I’m not a Madam anymore.”
Rose had meant for her to be called comfortably, but Serun took it differently.
“Why are you throwing a tantrum in front of someone who just got divorced?”
Seryn froze, watching Rose’s reaction. Then he bowed his head at a 90-degree angle and apologized.
“I’m sorry.”
He was embarrassed for acting thoughtlessly in front of Rose, who was just as heartbroken as he was.
“...You probably haven’t been able to sleep properly.”
He slowly raised his head and studied Rose's face.
"No, I'm really fine."
Rose said brightly, waving her hand at Serun, who seemed to be misunderstanding her words. But even that seemed like a forced smile to Seren's eyes.
'If you find out tomorrow that Count Eric is remarrying...you might collapse.'
There are no secrets in this world, so it was bound to reach Rose's ears someday, but Serun wanted to keep it a secret if possible.
"It's true. I don't mind Eric remarrying."
Seren blinked at the word "remarriage" and looked at Rose.
"...How?"
Rose simply shrugged as Serun rolled his wide eyes at her.
"Hmm, well, I just found out naturally. The wedding is tomorrow, right?"
If she had told him she'd even seen Eric's wedding invitation, Serun's eyes might have popped out.
Rose closed her eyes into half-moons and looked at Serun.
Serun was utterly confused by Rose's appearance.
'Is she really okay? Then... All those recent behaviors weren't just a ruse to seduce Count Eric, but her feelings had truly grown cold?'
Serun was one of those who had hoped for Rose's love to come true.
Not because Eric was a good person, but because he felt sorry for Rose. He wanted to see her loved one fully cherish her.
"...Yes, the Count is getting married tomorrow."
Rose already knew the truth, so there was no need to deny it.
"Hmm, that's too bad. I wanted to go see it."
"Yes?"
Why her ex-husband's wedding?
Serun tilted his head, puzzled by Rose's intentions.
"It's just... there's someone I want to see."
To be precise, Doana, who was probably trembling with shame.
"Yes?"
Rose's words couldn't help but confuse Serun even more. She said she'd forgotten Eric, so what does 'want to see' mean? Serun looked at Rose with a complex gaze.
Just then, Rose's father, Daemon, appeared from afar. He frowned fiercely at the sight of his daughter with some strange man.
He quickly walked towards Rose and Serun. He then grabbed Serun's wrist.
"What are you doing?"
He examined Serun with a cold gaze, then tightened his grip and pressed Serun.
A normal person would have groaned under Daemon's pressure, but Serun remained calm. Daemon narrowed his eyes at Serun.
"Father, this is Sir Serun, who used to protect me at the Count's house."
Oblivious to anything, Rose introduced Serun with a bright expression.
"Greetings, Count. My name is Serun."
Serun pulled his hand out of Daemon's grasp and bowed politely.
"It's Count Serviat. But, why are you coming to see Rose at this late hour... What brings you here?"
All the men were dark animals with dark hearts. Except, of course, Daemon himself. He looked at Daemon with a wary gaze.
"He said he got lost while running an errand. I can't tell you how happy we were to run into each other!"
Daemon's suspicions deepened as Rose spoke with a snicker.
"Lost... at this hour?"
The shops had all closed long ago.
While this place was sparsely populated, it wasn't a maze. If he had intended to escape, he should have done so long ago.
Did he come to Rose with malicious intent, or did he have some other motive?
Daemon's gaze was burdensome.
'... I guess I should get out of here.'
Now that he had confirmed that Rose was safe, he could return to the mansion.
He had no intention of staying in this uncomfortable position. Serun bid farewell to Rose.
“I guess I should go now.”
“Oh, right. I’ll contact you, see you then.”
“Yes.”
Rose waved at Serun. Serun also bowed politely to Daemon, who was standing next to Rose, and hurriedly left.
After confirming that Serun had left, Daemon spoke.
“Was it by any chance that he changed your mind?”
“Huh? Ahaha. No.”
Rose shook her head at Daemon, who was looking at her with a very serious expression.
“Serun is the boyfriend of the maid I cherished.”
Despite Rose clearing up the misunderstanding, Daemon’s expression remained grave. He looked down at his right hand and thought,
‘...He wasn’t an ordinary guy.’
It seemed Serun and Jane had not yet reconciled. Rose hesitated and looked at Serun.
"... I guess Jane is really angry."
This wasn't an act. Serun was deeply distressed by the rift between them.
It had started out as a mere attempt to use Jane, but his feelings had become sincere.
Both giving her the engagement ring and telling her he loved her were sincere.
A picture of Jane looking at him with a disgusted expression flashed through Serun's mind.
'Jane...'
Jane would probably never forgive herself.
'I wouldn't either... How can I trust someone who deliberately approached me and hid everything from me?'
Rose, who had been watching Serun's dejected state, cautiously spoke.
"What on earth caused you to be so wrong? Tell me. I'm pretty good at giving relationship advice, even though it's like this."
At Rose's voice, Serun raised his head and looked at her. Of course, his eyes were filled with distrust.
"...To Madam?"
In Serun's eyes, Rose was a woman wounded by blind love. Confiding his feelings to Rose might bring comfort, but it didn't seem like things would get any better than they were.
Rose smiled awkwardly at Serun, who was looking at her.
'Ahaha... Well, I wouldn't give relationship advice to the original Rose either.'
In the original, Rose was someone who only knew how to beg for love.
“Haa... It’s okay,”
Serun replied with a deep sigh. Rose’s pride was somehow hurt by Serun’s attitude, but she couldn’t get angry at a child.
“I’m the older sister. Let’s be generous and let it go.”
Rose smiled at Serun with a gentle, gentle smile like a saint and spoke gently.
“By the way, the title ‘Madam’ is a bit burdensome now. I’m not a Madam anymore.”
Rose had meant for her to be called comfortably, but Serun took it differently.
“Why are you throwing a tantrum in front of someone who just got divorced?”
Seryn froze, watching Rose’s reaction. Then he bowed his head at a 90-degree angle and apologized.
“I’m sorry.”
He was embarrassed for acting thoughtlessly in front of Rose, who was just as heartbroken as he was.
“...You probably haven’t been able to sleep properly.”
He slowly raised his head and studied Rose's face.
"No, I'm really fine."
Rose said brightly, waving her hand at Serun, who seemed to be misunderstanding her words. But even that seemed like a forced smile to Seren's eyes.
'If you find out tomorrow that Count Eric is remarrying...you might collapse.'
There are no secrets in this world, so it was bound to reach Rose's ears someday, but Serun wanted to keep it a secret if possible.
"It's true. I don't mind Eric remarrying."
Seren blinked at the word "remarriage" and looked at Rose.
"...How?"
Rose simply shrugged as Serun rolled his wide eyes at her.
"Hmm, well, I just found out naturally. The wedding is tomorrow, right?"
If she had told him she'd even seen Eric's wedding invitation, Serun's eyes might have popped out.
Rose closed her eyes into half-moons and looked at Serun.
Serun was utterly confused by Rose's appearance.
'Is she really okay? Then... All those recent behaviors weren't just a ruse to seduce Count Eric, but her feelings had truly grown cold?'
Serun was one of those who had hoped for Rose's love to come true.
Not because Eric was a good person, but because he felt sorry for Rose. He wanted to see her loved one fully cherish her.
"...Yes, the Count is getting married tomorrow."
Rose already knew the truth, so there was no need to deny it.
"Hmm, that's too bad. I wanted to go see it."
"Yes?"
Why her ex-husband's wedding?
Serun tilted his head, puzzled by Rose's intentions.
"It's just... there's someone I want to see."
To be precise, Doana, who was probably trembling with shame.
"Yes?"
Rose's words couldn't help but confuse Serun even more. She said she'd forgotten Eric, so what does 'want to see' mean? Serun looked at Rose with a complex gaze.
Just then, Rose's father, Daemon, appeared from afar. He frowned fiercely at the sight of his daughter with some strange man.
He quickly walked towards Rose and Serun. He then grabbed Serun's wrist.
"What are you doing?"
He examined Serun with a cold gaze, then tightened his grip and pressed Serun.
A normal person would have groaned under Daemon's pressure, but Serun remained calm. Daemon narrowed his eyes at Serun.
"Father, this is Sir Serun, who used to protect me at the Count's house."
Oblivious to anything, Rose introduced Serun with a bright expression.
"Greetings, Count. My name is Serun."
Serun pulled his hand out of Daemon's grasp and bowed politely.
"It's Count Serviat. But, why are you coming to see Rose at this late hour... What brings you here?"
All the men were dark animals with dark hearts. Except, of course, Daemon himself. He looked at Daemon with a wary gaze.
"He said he got lost while running an errand. I can't tell you how happy we were to run into each other!"
Daemon's suspicions deepened as Rose spoke with a snicker.
"Lost... at this hour?"
The shops had all closed long ago.
While this place was sparsely populated, it wasn't a maze. If he had intended to escape, he should have done so long ago.
Did he come to Rose with malicious intent, or did he have some other motive?
Daemon's gaze was burdensome.
'... I guess I should get out of here.'
Now that he had confirmed that Rose was safe, he could return to the mansion.
He had no intention of staying in this uncomfortable position. Serun bid farewell to Rose.
“I guess I should go now.”
“Oh, right. I’ll contact you, see you then.”
“Yes.”
Rose waved at Serun. Serun also bowed politely to Daemon, who was standing next to Rose, and hurriedly left.
After confirming that Serun had left, Daemon spoke.
“Was it by any chance that he changed your mind?”
“Huh? Ahaha. No.”
Rose shook her head at Daemon, who was looking at her with a very serious expression.
“Serun is the boyfriend of the maid I cherished.”
Despite Rose clearing up the misunderstanding, Daemon’s expression remained grave. He looked down at his right hand and thought,
‘...He wasn’t an ordinary guy.’
He wasn’t even good enough to be a trainee knight...
Daemon knew full well that Rose’s escort knight was a trainee knight without any skills.
He pretended not to care about Rose, but he knew Rose's rumors better than anyone else.
"...Don't trust that guy too much. He's definitely got a dirty back."
Daemon warned Rose in a low voice.
"...I'm sorry, Mother."
Eric and Tercia sat across the table. He bowed his head in front of Tercia like a sinner.
"Son, Mom is really fine."
Tercia forced a smile at Eric, waving her bandaged right hand as if nothing had happened.
However, Eric's expression hardened further when he saw Tercia's hand.
Tercia had been wounded by the weapon he had swung. Tercia stood in front of Cedric. Tercia blocked Eric's weapon with her hand.
The dripping blood lingered in Eric's mind.
"Straighten up. What's with that newlywed face?"
Tercia asked Eric nothing. He simply repeated that it was okay.
"If it's because of your father, don't worry too much. I'll talk him out of it."
Tercia seemed remarkably calm about Eric's actions. Because she had already anticipated this would happen.
She had some sense that the anger within Eric would explode at any moment.
That was why she had told Cedric not to act like that.
Tercia looked at Eric with pity.
Her one and only precious son.
She wanted to raise him better than anyone else, but how could she have left him so wounded?
It was so hard to break Cedric's will to not interfere with his education. If she could turn back time, she would stop Cedric's parenting methods at all costs.
Tercia's eyes were filled with longing as she looked at Eric. She opened her arms to Eric.
"Come here."
Eric would never have gone, but today was different. The guilt of hurting his mother was overwhelming.
He slowly got up and approached Tercia. Then he knelt before Tercia.
He leaned his face against her lap as if he were a child.
“It’s okay, my dear. And don’t worry about the child you and Doana will have. Cedric will surely lose his mind once the baby is born. But I hope you and Lady Dikar will have a child too.”
Tercia gently patted Eric’s back as he leaned against her lap.
“Then you can have everything you want.”
Tercia whispered softly in Eric’s ear, her voice like a lullaby.
Doana’s child was useless. It was not of noble blood, but of the lowly commoner.
Any illegitimate child who threatened the legitimate heir would be eliminated before they ever saw the light of day.
But Eric didn't need to know that.
"This mother is really looking forward to tomorrow."
Tercia said, her voice brimming with excitement, her smile filling her face. She was thrilled to have a successor, but she also couldn't help but anticipate Doana's humiliation in front of so many.
Daemon knew full well that Rose’s escort knight was a trainee knight without any skills.
He pretended not to care about Rose, but he knew Rose's rumors better than anyone else.
"...Don't trust that guy too much. He's definitely got a dirty back."
Daemon warned Rose in a low voice.
***
"...I'm sorry, Mother."
Eric and Tercia sat across the table. He bowed his head in front of Tercia like a sinner.
"Son, Mom is really fine."
Tercia forced a smile at Eric, waving her bandaged right hand as if nothing had happened.
However, Eric's expression hardened further when he saw Tercia's hand.
Tercia had been wounded by the weapon he had swung. Tercia stood in front of Cedric. Tercia blocked Eric's weapon with her hand.
The dripping blood lingered in Eric's mind.
"Straighten up. What's with that newlywed face?"
Tercia asked Eric nothing. He simply repeated that it was okay.
"If it's because of your father, don't worry too much. I'll talk him out of it."
Tercia seemed remarkably calm about Eric's actions. Because she had already anticipated this would happen.
She had some sense that the anger within Eric would explode at any moment.
That was why she had told Cedric not to act like that.
Tercia looked at Eric with pity.
Her one and only precious son.
She wanted to raise him better than anyone else, but how could she have left him so wounded?
It was so hard to break Cedric's will to not interfere with his education. If she could turn back time, she would stop Cedric's parenting methods at all costs.
Tercia's eyes were filled with longing as she looked at Eric. She opened her arms to Eric.
"Come here."
Eric would never have gone, but today was different. The guilt of hurting his mother was overwhelming.
He slowly got up and approached Tercia. Then he knelt before Tercia.
He leaned his face against her lap as if he were a child.
“It’s okay, my dear. And don’t worry about the child you and Doana will have. Cedric will surely lose his mind once the baby is born. But I hope you and Lady Dikar will have a child too.”
Tercia gently patted Eric’s back as he leaned against her lap.
“Then you can have everything you want.”
Tercia whispered softly in Eric’s ear, her voice like a lullaby.
Doana’s child was useless. It was not of noble blood, but of the lowly commoner.
Any illegitimate child who threatened the legitimate heir would be eliminated before they ever saw the light of day.
But Eric didn't need to know that.
"This mother is really looking forward to tomorrow."
Tercia said, her voice brimming with excitement, her smile filling her face. She was thrilled to have a successor, but she also couldn't help but anticipate Doana's humiliation in front of so many.
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