CIBLN | Chapter 4

“If you keep standing there, your legs will hurt, so come here and sit down.”

“Yes.”

Rosalyn approached the sofa.

There were cookies and drinks prepared on the table for the child to eat.

“Do you like cookies?”

“… Yes, I do.”

“That’s good. They’re all yours, so you can eat as much as you want.”

“Thank you.”

Rosalyn immediately expressed her gratitude, but her eyes just rolled around nervously.

She didn’t touch them because she couldn’t afford to make a mistake while eating cookies in front of Young Duke Arcas.

“You are not eating them. Do you perhaps not like cookies that much?”

“No! I like them.”

In fact, she actually liked them very much.

Snacks were very precious at the orphanage.

Emma, who always struggled with finances, always strictly managed the children’s snacks.

“Then… I’ll eat them well.”

Rosalyn carefully picked up a beautifully wrapped cookie.

It was a cookie with chocolate on one side and biscuit on the other.

Crunch, crunch.

As her small mouth bit into the cookie, the sound of crunching echoed through the reception room.

Savoring his tea, Deon thought to himself.

‘She really does resemble a hamster.’

Her cheeks were puffed out, and the way she puckered her lips reminded him exactly of that.

“Was the journey difficult?”

“No, the Young Duke sent a carriage, so it was very comfortable.”

“That’s good to hear. Berta didn’t bother you, right?”

When Deon asked with a somewhat mischievous expression, Rosalyn took a deep breath.

She knew he was teasing her, but…

She wasn’t used to this kind of teasing.

As she nervously clutched the cookie she was holding, Deon chuckled softly.

“I overheard your conversation outside the reception room and thought you two seemed to have gotten quite close.”

He tilted his head slightly as he spoke.

“I think I’m the one who’s supposed to be close to you, but I’m having a hard time. How can we become close?”

“……”

“From now on, we two are the only family in the world. Who would think of you as my daughter if you act so distant?”

Family.

Rosalyn felt a pang in her chest at those words.

Though she didn’t know the exact reason why Deon Arcas had adopted her, she could tell that there was no affection behind it.

Rosalyn had that much insight.

The day she first met Deon, Rosalyn felt it clearly.

“I’ll decide on this child.”

His eyes looked at her as if he was evaluating an object.

There was that distinct coldness to it.

But, ironically, the word ‘family’ was engraved deep in her heart right now.

Even though she knew she shouldn’t be deceived, it was a magical word that made Rosalyn hope.

“Right?”

As Deon smiled and sought her agreement, Rosalyn found herself nodding unconsciously.

“Yes.”

“You’ll be staying at the Duke of Arcas’s house from now on. Do you have any questions?”

Questions…

Rosalyn lowered her gaze and looked at the cookie in her hand.

There were so many things she was curious about.

Among them, there was one thing she really wanted to ask.

But was it okay to ask something like this?

When Rosalyn showed signs of hesitation, Deon’s eyes narrowed.

“I see. Feel free to ask.”

“….. I.”

Before she knew it, the chocolate had melted and was staining Rosalyn’s hands.

Rosalyn fidgeted with the stickiness on her hands.

However, Deon still didn’t seem to notice what Rosalyn was feeling uncomfortable about.

That just showed how much Deon was disinterested in Rosalyn’s affairs.

Understanding this, Rosalyn decided to swallow the question inside her head.

‘How long can I stay in this house?’

She was afraid of how Deon’s expression would change the moment she asked this question.

However, she knew one thing for sure.

‘The Young Duke wants us to become close and look like a family.’

In other words, Rosalyn just had to act according to what he wanted.

Then she could become the daughter Deon liked, and stay in this house without being abandoned.

Even if it was just a family in name only.

“I want to be a family with the Young Duke.… So that I can make you happy.”

Deon, who had been staring at Rosalyn, then smiled softly.

“You’re saying such admirable things, Rosalyn. I, too, sincerely hope that day will come.”

* * *

After Rosalyn left the drawing room.

Berta sat in her place.

“Hmm, as expected. The cookies in this house are the best. But they’re staining my hands.”

As Berta said this, he let out an ‘Oops’, realizing his mistake.

“Did Miss Rosalyn eat these cookies too?”

“Yes.”

“Oh dear, I suppose there’s chocolate all over the Young Lady’s hand.”

Berta took a tissue and wiped his hands clean.

Deon recalled Rosalyn from just a moment ago.

He couldn’t quite remember how the child was sitting or how she had eaten the cookie.

If Berta hadn’t mentioned it, he probably would have never known.

“Is she the type who does not speak up when she’s uncomfortable?”

“Yes? Oh, you mean Young Lady Rosalyn. Hmm, even the adults find it difficult to deal with the Young Duke. It’s probably the same for Young Lady Rosalyn.”

“No, that’s not what I meant.”

Rosalyn wasn’t like that.

It wasn’t that she was simply shy…

‘She’s too quick-witted.’

How many times had she been abandoned?

Perhaps because of that, Rosalyn seemed to be able to quickly understand what others disliked.

It wasn’t that she didn’t speak up about being uncomfortable; she had realized that if she acted like a child, Deon would find it bothersome.

In that brief conversation.

‘That’s interesting.’

Deon’s lips curled up into a smile.

He quite liked that aspect of Rosalyn.

Surely, the child would continue to act like that in the future as well.

“What are you going to do now?”

“What?”

“We have brought the Young Lady into the family, but if the Duke opposes it… it would be a waste of effort.”

Given Kaimon Arcas’s temperament, he would never let it slide so easily.

“When will the Duke be back?”

“According to the schedule, he should return in a week.”

Currently, Kaimon was away from the mansion, briefly inspecting the Arcas estate.

He had entrusted all other family affairs to Deon, but when it came to overseeing the estate, he never handed that responsibility over.

“Then I should work diligently to become close with Rosalyn by then.”

Deon looked down at the window and leisurely sipped his tea.

Berta couldn’t hide the worried expression on his face.

If something were to go wrong, not only would Deon lose his title, but Rosalyn would be cast aside without hesitation.

Because Rosalyn would no longer be needed by Deon.

“Do you know, Berta?”

Deon said, as if amused.

“The Duke has always been soft on the weak.”

Rosalyn would surely sense that weakness right away.

Because she was more desperate than anyone else.

* * *

“Hello, Miss Rosalyn. My name is Rona.”

As soon as she left the reception room, Rosalyn was guided by the maid who was waiting in front.

The maid introduced herself as ‘Rona’.

With her red hair neatly tied into a single braid, she appeared tidy and composed without a strand out of place.

‘People working at the Duke’s estate, even the maids, are so elegant.’

Throughout the walk down the hallway, not a single sound of Rona’s footsteps could be heard.

Realizing this, Rosalyn began walking carefully.

Rona smiled brightly when she happened to see Rosalyn walking carefully with her heels raised.

“You can walk comfortably, Miss Rosalyn.”

“But…..”

Rosalyn glanced around.

No matter how much she looked, the only person making any noise with their footsteps was herself.

“We’ve been trained for a long time to move without making any sound. But you don’t need to do that, Miss. You are one of us here.”

“….. Ah.”

“The training we received is all about doing our best to ensure that those we serve are never uncomfortable.”

Therefore, not even the sound of footsteps should be made.

In case it would offend the members of ‘Arcas’.

Rosalyn immediately understood the meaning and nodded.

Then, she lowered her feet that were raised like a magpie and walked comfortably, Rona smiled softly at the sight.

“Miss Rosalyn’s room is in the middle of the right corridor on the third floor. The corridor doors all look the same, so it might be a little confusing at first.”

Rosalyn walked alongside Rona, focusing intently so as not to miss any of the explanation.

“As you can see, there aren’t many people on the third floor, right?”

“Yes.”

Rosalyn nodded.

Compared to the floors below, the third floor was certainly very quiet.

“The third floor of the mansion is reserved only for the direct descendants of the Arcas family. Only those with permission are allowed to come up at designated times.”

“Then…. Does the Duke and the Young Duke also live here?”

“Yes, of course.”

Rona nodded in agreement.

As they entered the third floor, she turned to the right, just as Rona had explained.

“The Duke usually stays on the fourth floor, while the Young Duke stays on the third floor. In fact, the two of them don’t have the best relationship.”

Rona let out a deep sigh.

Rosalyn, unsure of how to respond, simply glanced around nervously, her eyes darting back and forth.

Is it really okay to say so openly that the two of them don’t get along?