HPBLL - Chapter 49

It was a boy who appeared to be in his late teens. Although the age difference between them now was likely only about three years at most, considering her age before she died, he looked like a mere blood clot. An unknown child ran up to Stella as she was about to leave the drawing room.

"Please don't leave me behind."

The voice was so desperate.

"Please. Don't abandon me."

'No, when did we ever see each other?'

Stella frowned and looked at him. He explained why he had stopped Stella.

"I am Lady Stella's maid. If you just leave like this, I..."

He bit his lower lip tightly. His face looked very youthful, but his technique was incredible.

Stella asked with a frown.

“A servant?”

Stella was dumbfounded. What on earth was Lanedict's ulterior motive for gifting such a fox?

In the brief moment Stella was contemplating what to do with the child, the boy took something out of his pocket.

"This."

It was the Duchess's status card.

'Identity card?'

Only members of the imperial family, Dukes, and their wives were permitted to possess status badges. Furthermore, the person holding such a badge was to be treated as the representative of its original owner. In other words, causing harm to the person holding the Duchess's status badge was no different from causing harm to Madame Lanedict. That is to say, this child Lanedict.

"I want to be Stella's second groom."

***

Stella went all the way to Duke Lanedict's mansion. However, she found nothing.

"Duchess Lanedict is out. She is not at the Duke's residence right now."

Stella's mother, Sercia, had already anticipated her arrival and left the room.

"Make sure to tell them I will come back tomorrow."

Stella had no choice but to return to Adrian. It meant that she had no choice but to bring this boy into the Duke's mansion today.

"My name is Rincasta."

He followed Stella around.

'Kendrick would definitely make a fuss if he found out.'

Stella thought that she would go to the Duke of Lanedict's estate as soon as she woke up tomorrow morning. She quietly watched the child who had been following her around. When Stella looked at him, he blinked with an innocent gaze.

'Let me handle this on my end for now.'

Stella gave an order to the servant.

"Do not tell the Duke that this child has come."

Although the effects of the love potion seemed to be wearing off, Kendrick was still in danger. It seemed better for Stella to handle it herself, even if it meant explaining the whole situation.

"Can you stop following me?"

"You won't even go on dates with me. I want to be with you, Lady Stella, even if it's just like this."

Stella glared at the child named Rincasta. Even though it was Sercia's order, it was difficult for her to follow Stella around so actively.

"What on earth did my mother promise to give you?"

They must be doing this expecting something in return. Rincasta wore an innocent expression.

"There is no such thing. Lady Sercia was looking for Lady Stella's lover, so I applied."

"Why?"

"I like Lady  Stella."

"When did you see me?"

"I've seen you often. I saw you at Lord Skyle's banquet last time as well."

Rincasta smiled, raising the corners of his mouth. His deep dimples were striking.

'Then that means the child has been staying at the Duke's household for a long time.'

First of all, Stella wanted to focus on her work without worrying about this child. No matter how much he possessed Lanedict's identity card, he could not force his way into Stella's private space.

"Huh? Are you going in there? Then I'll..."

"You can't do it."

Rincasta's eyes drooped.

"This is my workspace. I have told the servants to prepare a place for you to stay, so wait there."

Stella closed the study door.

"I will be waiting here."

In that brief moment, Rincasta shouted.

"Until Stella comes out!"

Stella did not go straight to the desk but sat on the sofa. Roy was also the kind of person who spoke and acted in a way that could charm women. However, while Roy’s nature was a combination of his life studying abroad, Rincasta was somehow different.

'I get a strong feeling that he is acting thoroughly.'

The inside was pitch black.

Stella sat up at her desk. No matter how bothersome it was, she couldn't dwell on it. Her own life had to be her top priority. A long time passed. Feeling stiff, Stella opened the door to go for a walk near the fountain.

"Huh? Stella."

Rincasta stood in front of her, smiling without even sitting down.

"Is the work going well?"

"Have you really been here the whole time?"

"Of course. I was standing here praying for Lady Stella's work to go well."

His blue eyes curved.

To think he would spout such audacious words. It was clear he had grown up through many hardships at a young age.

Stella considered calling a servant to get rid of him, but it was difficult. Since the servants knew that Rincasta possessed an identity badge, they could not treat him disrespectfully.

Instead, Stella came up with another method.

"When you're at the door, it distracts me so I can't write properly."

"Then, may I go inside? I'll just sit quietly and watch you from behind. I want to cheer for your work to go well, Stella."

Stella shook her head. It was clear that he would act sweetly no matter how coldly she treated him. Stella recalled the fairy tale Cinderella she had read as a child.

'I didn't expect to play a villainess like this, though.'

She couldn't think of a better method than this.

"If you really want to cheer for me, instead of doing this here, could you fold a paper crane for me?"

It is, tying someone up by making them do something ridiculous.

"A paper crane? I've never folded one before."

"Are you having a hard time?"

"No! Would it be okay if I folded about a thousand?"

"I'd like you to fold about three thousand of them. Don't show your face until you've folded them all."

At her words, Rincasta seemed dejected, but then lifted his head cheerfully again.

"Yes."

'He'll probably get tired of it and quit on his own.'

"If it's really hard, you don't have to do it."

This statement could serve as proof that folding three thousand paper cranes was not an order given to Rincasta.

"No. I will work hard."

Stella returned to her bedroom. She had a servant escort Rincasta to his room and sent some fine sweets there. She also instructed that herbs that help with sleep be placed there. Folding paper cranes was an extremely exhausting and arduous task. Sometimes, trying to align the ends precisely would make her burst with irritation.

'At that rate, he won't be able to come near until tomorrow.'

It takes several days to fold a thousand paper cranes, but he requested three thousand. In that case, all she has to do is take him, buried in paper cranes, to Lanedict tomorrow and come back.

Stella calmed herself down and focused on writing the book. It seemed she could concentrate a little better after moving to a different location. Evening came, and Kendrick returned. For some reason, he didn't look very happy.

'Am I mistaken?'

Kendrick smiled brightly as soon as he saw Stella.

After exchanging a few casual words, the two prepared to go to bed. Just then, there was a knock. Stella hadn't changed into her pajamas yet. While she was looking for them, Kendrick answered the knock.

"Who is it?"

"I have finished folding the paper cranes you mentioned earlier."

'Paper crane?'

Stella was shocked without a sound. Kendrick, not knowing what was going on, frowned.

"May I come in, Lady Stella?"

At this, Kendrick looked at Stella.

"This is... that..."

Stella stammered at the extremely embarrassing situation. Kendrick opened his mouth with an expression that seemed to say he needed to confirm who that person was.

"Come in."

And so, Rincasta entered the bedroom. In his hand was a glass jar filled with paper cranes.

"It didn't all fit in one bottle, so I divided it into several."

'Are you saying you really folded three thousand paper cranes within that time?'

Stella glanced out the open door and saw several glass bottles filled with paper cranes in the hallway.

"Stella said I could come see you once I finished folding the paper cranes. So I worked hard on them."

Kendrick looked at Stella.

"What is this boy?"

Stella bit her lower lip as if crushing it. She couldn't have been more flustered. She hadn't done anything wrong, yet she felt like she deserved to be scolded. Before Stella could answer, Rincasta spoke first.

"Greetings, Duke Adrian."

At first glance, he appeared polite and well-mannered, but in reality, he was not. It would have been normal for Rincasta to try to avoid running into Kendrick.

"I am Rincasta, hoping to become Stella's second husband."

"Ha."

Stella placed her hand on her forehead. It was an unpredictable turn of events.

Thump thump. Thump thump.

A loud heartbeat was heard from somewhere. Stella looked up at Kendrick. It wasn't an unfamiliar sight. It had happened before.

'It must be because of the love potion.'

"Stella. How am I supposed to take what this person is saying right now?"

Kendrick's eyes turned frighteningly cold. Stella sighed and spoke to Rincasta.

"Go outside now."

Rincasta looked down at the paper crane with a dejected expression. Stella had no choice but to accept the glass jar of paper cranes he handed her. She didn't realize it, but in the process, Stella's hand and Rincasta's hand brushed against each other. Kendrick's eyebrows furrowed.

"...That is the situation. I decided to visit Duke Lanedict's mansion tomorrow."

She sent Rincasta out and explained the whole situation.

"So, you're saying you didn't bring that child in because you were craving another man?"

Stella chuckled and nodded.

"Surely I wouldn't do that. More importantly, Kendrick, try to calm your heart."

Stella patted his chest with her hand. It seemed as though his heartbeat would ring louder the more she did so, but she felt more at ease trying to calm him down. Pat, pat. She soothed his chest slowly. Kendrick pulled Stella into his embrace and sat her on his lap. His scent wafted strongly from her. When Stella lowered her hand, Kendrick shook his head.

"Give me more. More."

Kendrick, Adrian's lord, whom no one could easily underestimate, played a subtle tantrum, at least in front of Stella. Unable to refuse his words, Stella smiled faintly and patted his heart again. Suddenly, she remembered when he had proposed. Instead of staring strangely at the self-harm scars on Stella's wrist, Kendrick had comforted her. It was the day they first touched. Kendrick kissed Stella's forehead.

"I want to step up."

Stella looked up at Kendrick with a look that seemed to ask what he meant. However, Kendrick did not take his lips off her forehead; instead, he stroked the back of her head.

"It’s because it involves your family."

Stella understood what he meant. He must want to step in and deal with that kid, Rincasta, himself. It wasn't that Stella didn't know his feelings. She knew for sure through the pounding of his heart that she could feel it from her fingertips. The emotion of jealousy makes his heart beat even more wildly.

"I'll handle it myself for now."

If Kendrick were to handle this, he would end up dealing with it again when Lanedict provoked him. Stella wanted to break that vicious cycle.

"If things get too hard, I'll tell you, so don't worry."

She thought about the existence of parents while going through many experiences with playmates, Sia, and the orphanage. And she thought that the time had come to step out of the shadow of the Duke and Duchess Lanedict. It was time to sever ties with them.

"I'll take care of it tomorrow."

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