Chapter 21

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Translator: Harry Potta

Chapter: 21

Chapter Title: Tea Time with the Count (3)

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I was shorter than girls my age, and my body was scrawny. My hair, which reached my chest, was dry and frizzy, and my sun-tanned skin was on the darker side. My hair was a dead, pitch-black brown. My large eyes, the same nightshade brown as my hair, were upturned and sharp, and my small nose, dusted with freckles, turned up toward the sky at the tip. My lips were small and chapped, often bleeding.

An ugly dwarf.

That was what the boys my age used to call me back then.

In stark contrast, my younger sister Alicia had been a beauty since childhood. She was about my height, but her body was nicely curvaceous, with ample breasts. Her light brown hair, reaching her waist, gleamed with luster from diligent care. She avoided going out in the blazing sun, so her skin was fair. Her large eyes, straight nose, and full lips were so captivating that even a slight smile could enchant anyone.

Even to me, that girl was truly beautiful. So beautiful that her fame spread beyond the village. The village lord's son fell for Alicia and proposed to her. No, all the men were smitten with her. Thanks to that, even her bratty personality was seen as charming.

And whenever she was the topic, I came up too. The sister of the pretty Alicia was an object of curiosity. If the younger sister was this beautiful, how much prettier must the older one be? So plenty of people who had seen Alicia came looking for me. But eyes sparkling with expectation quickly dimmed to disappointment upon seeing my face. Some openly grimaced or even cursed. I'd heard "Are you really sisters?" more times than I could count.

He fell silent for a moment. As if imagining the maid who had dared to act so boldly toward him.

Would you despise me if you saw me? You might not want someone so ugly and unattractive by your side. Just like others had done. Maybe it was a blessing that he couldn't see. He didn't have to behold this hideous face.

Even if, by some miracle, Vincent could see, I didn't want to show him my true appearance.

I didn't want to get hurt. From the start, it had only been my voice, and the lies now had slipped out accidentally, but it wasn't so bad letting him keep his misconception. In life, if even one person remembered me as pretty, that would make me truly happy.

"She must be a beauty. Hard to imagine, though."

"I hear that a lot."

I gave a wry smile as I said it.

"Just a moment ago, you said she was plain."

"That was just politeness."

"Conceited, aren't you."

He shook his head and released the strand of hair he'd been toying with. His curiosity seemed satisfied. Thankfully, he couldn't see the tremor in my fingertips as I gripped the book.

"You're handsome too, Master."

"I know."

"Ah, that's a bit cheeky."

At my frank words, the corner of his mouth twitched up. Amusement flickered in his slightly curved emerald eyes. So... he could smile like that.

"You'd be easy to find."

Hmm, really? I'm not the woman in your head right now.

"Am I?"

"Yes. Just tell them to fetch the smallest person here."

It was unexpected. The smallest person...

"I'm not that short."

"You are."

"You're just tall, Master."

"You're so small, I could use you as a walking stick."

"I'm not short."

He laughed again at my sulky tone. Joy rippled across his relaxed face. I'd only ever seen him stiff or terrified before, so seeing him smile like this must mean he was really in a good mood. It lifted my spirits too. Before I knew it, I was smiling along with him.

"You're really mean."

"Takes one to know one."

As if we were competing to see who was meaner.

"Anyway, the wind's picking up."

"Don't change the subject."

"Aah, fine. Think whatever you want."

I surrendered and swung my feet idly. The wind whooshed in. Riding it came an itchy chuckle.

"The wind's still chilly, so let me know if you're cold."

"This is fine."

He took a sip of his black tea and turned his head. I fixed my gaze back on the book. I planned to resume reading from where I'd left off.

"Makes me want to walk."

The words slipped out casually. I looked up at him again. Vincent still had his gaze to the side. The wind tousled his hair. Today, he couldn't focus on the book. Not just because of the wind. And... neither could I.

"Shall we take a stroll then?"

"What?"

I set the book on the table, stood from my seat, and grabbed his arm as he startled.

"Let's. A walk."

The woods were quiet. Just as expected, no one was around. Located behind the annex, it wasn't too deep, but it retained its wild, untamed look. Fortunately, there was a path, making it perfect for a light stroll. Walking amid the chirping birds and rustling leaves felt like an adventure.

"The weather's really nice."

"It is."

He held my hand tightly, following a step behind me. Holding hands with a full-grown man was a bit embarrassing, but it felt like taking my little brother for a walk.

"Tell me if it's hard. I can carry you."

"Like I said last time, it's not my legs that are hurt."

"Still."

Having spent so long cooped up in his room, his stamina had waned. So I held his hand and walked slowly. Since the incident with Ethan, he'd started getting out of bed. He still mostly stayed in his room, but compared to lying in bed all day, it was progress.

The wind whooshed again. Reveling in the pleasant sensation, I tilted my head back. Strands of hair flew across my face, brushing my skin with coolness. Vincent's golden locks fluttered lightly in the breeze. The crisp sound of crunching forest floor was delightful.

"It might be good to come out like this sometimes."

"No need."

"Why not?"

"Running into someone would be a headache."

True enough. Though I sensed no one, I stayed alert, scanning the surroundings just in case.

"No one's here, but if anyone comes, I'll let you know right away."

"There won't be anyone."

"Really?"

"I used to come here a lot as a kid. With Ethan. And Violet."

"Um... I've been wondering since last time. Who's Violet?"

Ethan, the letters—it didn't seem like a simple relationship, so I was curious. His mood seemed good now, so this was my chance.

"My fiancée."

"Fiancée?!"

I was a bit surprised, but given his age, it would be stranger if he didn't have one. I'd heard nobles arranged engagements from childhood. I recalled Alicia scoffing at the village lord's son who boasted he'd dump his fiancée for her. Alicia disliked him for his ugliness, but he'd misunderstood, thinking she rejected him because of her own fiancé.

Right, they must love each other. That's why she sent those letters. Out of worry for him. It made sense of the thoughtful correspondence.

"She must love you a lot."

"It's not like that."

I'd been somewhat touched, but he cut it off firmly. I glanced at him.

"It's not?"

"No. So if she shows up at the mansion, send her away."

"Why? She's your fiancée."

"She doesn't know I've gone blind."

Ah... I'd heard he was keeping it secret, but I hadn't realized he hid it from his fiancée too.

"If she finds out her fiancé's a blind cripple, she'll want to break it off."

"No way."

"Whatever you're thinking, we didn't get engaged out of love. It was for our families' interests. So if one side becomes useless, the engagement falling through is natural."

"......"

"Can't hide it forever, but delaying as long as possible is best."

Ethan last time, and now this—everyone seemed to have ulterior motives in relationships. Noble life wasn't simple either.

"I'll keep that in mind."

I nodded in reply. Still, I was curious. What did his fiancée look like? I imagined a flower-like beauty.

"And you don't need to do this."

"Do what?"

"This is because of what I said last time. You don't need to comfort me."

"......No, it's not."

He pinpointed it, delaying my response. I tried to deflect, but it didn't work on him.

Truth be told, after that shocking confession, the atmosphere between us had grown a bit heavy. I'd started watching his mood more carefully, and he'd become even quieter. We hadn't been ones for idle chatter before, but now the air felt oppressively damp.

I'd wanted to cheer him up, but he'd seen right through my intentions.

"No need to lie."

"Really, it's not."

"I'll pretend to believe you."

Just play along then.

I pretended not to hear and focused on the walk. He fell silent too. In the quiet woods, birdsong chirped cheerfully. The sound soothed my heart.

Then, suddenly, a strong gust blew. The tablecloth clutched in my hand fluttered away.

"Whoa! Master, hold on!"

I set down the basket on my wrist and let go of his hand. I felt him flinch behind me in surprise. Telling him to wait a moment, I chased after the flying tablecloth. I thought it'd be easy to catch, but every time I reached for it, it'd slip just out of grasp, teasingly fluttering away. Before I knew it, I'd ventured deeper into the underbrush.

The tablecloth finally snagged on a tree and stopped. Seizing the chance, I dashed to grab it.

That was the moment. Before my hand could reach it, a large hand shot out from somewhere and snatched the tablecloth.

There was someone in the woods.

I hadn't sensed a thing, yet a strange man stood before me. Stunned by the sudden intruder, I froze. His brown hair whipped in the wind. With his back to me, I couldn't see his face.

Who was he? A servant here? But I'd never seen him. Of course, the estate employed many, and I'd only met a handful. Still, this man didn't seem like a servant. His attire and aura were too refined.

As I puzzled over his back, he turned to look at me. The face revealed was young. And, as expected, a complete stranger.