Translator and Editor: Maru and Aki

────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────

Chapter 10

When rain meets with mud. That’s how his voice sounded like. It was muffled and deep.

Perhaps because of the wooden door between them, his voice sounded even more despondent.

But before she could think about it, Ravia was surprised by the uninvited guest and bounced off her bed.

“Tidwell?”

“Yes. It’s me. I came because the light is on. Are you still awake?”

What’s wrong with him? Ravia gave a chilly voice to his calm reply.

“Well, I’ll go to bed soon. Would you like to come in if you have business with me?”

“No, I won’t.”

His rejection came in haste. Did he find it difficult to step into a woman’s room recklessly this late at night? Or is it because it was bothersome for him?

‘You’re not really here to say hello, rather, your purpose is to monitor me.’

She told Herod that she wanted to get along well with Tidwell, but she didn’t mean anything like brotherly love.

When she said ‘I want to get along well’, it was more like minding each other’s business and being casual, rather than being in a close relationship.

Tidwell came in with the thought of killing her from the beginning. Therefore, it was best to say that she wanted to get along well with him like a fish who met with a rabbit. Since her existence alone was a threat.

Ravia blew out the lamp beside her so she could send him off with ease. In an instant, half of the room turned dark.

“I was reading a book and didn’t realize it’s already late. I’m going to sleep now. Are you going to stay there?”

She kindly explained what she was doing to Tidwell and indirectly told him to leave if he had nothing to say.

He must have only been interested in what I was doing anyway, so he would leave without saying much. She thought so.

“I wanted to have tea with you last time. Do you remember that?”

The response from the man behind the door was unexpected. Tea? All of a sudden?

Ravia closed her book and crumpled her blanket, blinking blankly.

“I remember. Didn’t we take a walk because you don’t like tea that much?”

Actually, Ravia was the one who took him out for a walk because Tidwell said he didn’t enjoy tea, so it was quite brazen of her. But he didn’t deny her words.

“I’d like to have a cup of tea with you since I couldn’t do that last time.”

He just whispered in the dark.

“I’ll see you at the Orangerie tomorrow at tea time.”

It was a brazen reply to a brazen remark. Tidwell spat out his words before Ravia could answer anything and walked away.

‘Why on earth?’

Thanks to that, Ravia was restless and couldn’t sleep all night.

Did I do something wrong? Did I get caught going to the party? Or is it a warning to stay still?

She couldn’t know for sure. So Ravia waited anxiously for today’s lunch. Not because she was hungry, but because she was curious about the message she would receive in between.

She wanted to check if Tidwell had noticed anything, but there was nothing special. Everything was going according to the original story.

‘I don’t know.’

Ravia turned her head and looked at the sky. The sun was going to sink beyond the western hills. Tea time was between 3 PM and 4 PM, which meant their meeting should happen at 3 p.m.

‘I have to go now.’

In fact, it didn’t matter to her whether she attended the appointment or not. No one would criticize her for not attending the sudden tea session without notifying the other party first.

Of course, it was different for Ravia since she wanted to get along with Tidwell.

Ravia turned her gaze and glanced at the white building at the end of the rose garden called Orangerie.

Seeing the maids come and go like ants carrying candy a while ago, it felt like a grand tea party.

‘What should I do?’

Ravia raised one of her knees, extended her arms, and leaned over them. Under the shade, the wind scattered her blonde hair, and her indifferent gaze ran through the saturated garden.

It hurt her pride to just go to Orangerie like this, but she worried about her friendly relationship with Tidwell.

Hmm. Ravia thought for a moment and stood up.

***

The symbol of Leontine was a rose. To match that, the Orangerie was filled with a variety of modified roses. From the white marble building to the table, they were all decorated with colorful and fancy roses.

Tidwell looked at the tea party venue that he had arranged with a troubled face. It wasn’t because he hated the luxuries.

“Where’s my sister?”

“She wasn’t in her room. We don’t know where she is either…”

Rather, it was because the one who should be here with him didn’t show up. When Ravia left the banquet last night, he vaguely remembered that he lost his reasoning. He was so distracted that he even asked Herod if he also ate the dark flower.

That’s how embarrassing it was.

His sister said that she didn’t hate him and would leave Leontine forever…

‘Sister.’

Why do you keep bothering me? Tidwell leaned against the back of the chair with a frown on his face.

In fact, Tidwell was going to crush his interest in Ravia after his walk with her in the rose garden.

Those two wouldn’t get along with each other anyway, so as long as Ravia got married and didn’t pose a threat to him, Tidwell wouldn’t intend to kill her.

The same was true with the strange feeling he felt on their first meeting. All of that would be buried together.

What does it matter if I feel something? Ravia would hate me anyway. He thought so, but…

‘I don’t hate him.’

She said.

There was no way she didn’t hate her circumstances, but she didn’t hate him, and she wanted to get along well. Ravia wouldn’t have known that her words would leave such a huge effect on him.

Tidwell was frozen in place as if he was struck by something, and eventually, he returned to his residence to visit Ravia.

Not because he had a purpose to see her. But by the time he came to his senses, he was already in front of Ravia’s room.

The rustling of a blanket and a book flapping was heard, and Tidwell suddenly realized where he was standing.

In front of Ravia’s room.

A word that barely dug out something unknown from his heart that was like a muddy pond came out.

-Sister.

Funny enough, it became easy after that.

It was because as soon as he heard her voice, a road suddenly appeared in the midst of what seemed to be an endless sea.

If Ravia catches my attention, why can’t I do what I want? Is there any reason not to act as she led me to?

It was his sister who kept intriguing him, who had initially thought of keeping his distance and spare her life. So it wasn’t his fault.

‘I need to find out more about how my sister knows about Herod.’

So he needed to do this.

Tidwell came to his own conclusion and invited her to a tea party. At that time, he regained his composure and straightforwardness.

So he made today’s appointment on his own accord.

But 15 minutes had passed after the initial appointment time, and Ravia hadn’t shown up.

‘I already anticipated that she might not come, but..’

Tidwell tapped the armrest with his index finger and held his chin. At the end of his gaze was an expensive teacup made of bone ash, which has the same price as a house for one set.

It was the result of asking the servants and butler to make this tea party suit Ravia’s taste as much as possible.

-With all due respect, young master, are you having a tea time with our lady?

-Yeah. Does my sister dislike tea, butler?

-No, that’s not true.

He said no, but the butler looked quite surprised. It was the same expression he had when he saw Tidwell perfectly adapted to his role as a Young Duke just a day after entering the residence.

It meant he wasn’t surprised in a good way. In Tidwell’s view, the butler’s devotion towards Ravia was quite unusual.

-I’m sorry, our lady certainly enjoys tea, but she doesn’t like to get caught in uncomfortable situations.

The butler said in a roundabout way, but what he meant was ‘Don’t approach her for no reason’.

Since Tidwell and Ravia didn’t have a good relationship, it was natural for the butler to raise his guard. In this mansion, only the butler had this kind of vigilance.

‘You know my sister very well.’

Then Tidwell smiled and shook his head as the situation with Ravia had reached a new conclusion.

-I just want to get along with my sister….. We’re family anyway.

When he tried to replicate what Ravia said with his own lips, he was terribly embarrassed.

Not even crocodile tears, what the hell is this? Obviously, anyone with a properly working head would point a finger at him and mock him for being a despicable bastard.

Tidwell was known as a bastard who couldn’t distinguish his ways and means. Which is probably why he was so guilty after saying it.

The rim of his ears turned red unknowingly. Even though he didn’t realize it.

────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────

Buy individual advanced chapters on our shop!

Rate the novel on Novel Updates.

Join our discord to receive the latest updates as soon as possible!