Chapter 42

Only then did I figure out the identity of this damn rabbit.

No way.

“Ru-Rupert!?”

“That’s right.”

“Ha.”

I was so surprised that harsh words came out of my mouth.

“Crazy! Why would a man who doesn’t need to hide his hideous face do such a thing! I’m scared to death!”

“Are you scared?”

He looks confused.

“But this is a rabbit. Isn’t it a harmless herbivore?”

I shouted, “You thought it wouldn’t be scary if you only wore a rabbit costume!? How ridiculous!”

Now I understand why there was such a strong sense of intimidation even though it was a cute rabbit costume.

It was all because Rupert is inside!

“Why are you dressed like that……?”

I slumped and muttered. I thought Rupert would never walk around like that.

“I didn’t mean to scare you,” said Rupert regretfully.

It pissed me off even more because he actually had no malicious intent at all.

I looked up at him and shouted angrily, “Take off that doll costume right now!”

“……I’ll do it.”

Perhaps he was feeling guilty, he obediently took off his mask and doll costume.

Now he is only wearing a light shirt and black pants.

I looked at him suspiciously.

“Why did you dress up like that? Did someone threaten you? But there’s no way you’d go along with this kind of threat.”

“Of course.”

“What did you really eat wrong? Did you suddenly get an incurable disease? You’re not the type to wear this even if you die……!”

“Right, absolutely not. But that’s what you thought, so you didn’t expect me to be a rabbit, even when I was right in front of you.”

“Did you just do this to outwit me?”

“There’s a reason.”

It means there are other reasons.

I had no idea what the hell he was thinking.

‘If you had caught me in the ballroom earlier in the first place, it would have been all over!’

It was like he letting me go on purpose.

Why did you do such a troublesome thing? Really, it was full of things I didn’t understand from one to ten.

There are more than one or two problems to think about. Rupert’s complicated behavior made my head hurt.

In the end, I shouted and asked, “What the hell are you thinking……?”

Rupert looked confused at my expression.

Anyway, it seems like he didn’t really mean to bother me.

“I was just trying to change the image of myself in your head.”

“Yes?”

“You must have thought I wouldn’t be active enough to play this game, and that there was no way I would want to take you and Leah to the mansion to the point that I did something I wouldn’t normally do even if I died, and……”

That was the point.

“And?”

He hesitated for a moment, then opened his mouth.

“……I wanted to let you know that I was serious enough to wear this strange thing. Otherwise, you wouldn’t believe me, would you?”

Rupert finds it awkward to say something like this.

“Because of what I’ve talked about before, you won’t hear it seriously if I say this now. I want you to come back.”

“……”

“So, just like you in the past, I want to show you that I have changed too…… sigh……”

He suddenly sighed and ruffled his hair.

“Damn, I’ve never done anything like this in my life, so I don’t know if this is the right way. I feel like I’ve become an idiot. Anyway, that’s my original reason. Noel, did you get it right?”

“……”

I nodded my head blankly.

This is an unexpected development.

“Seriously, do you want to start over?”

“Yes. So Noel, now decide. Do you want to go back to the mansion?”

Rupert looked at me seriously.

I was so confused.

“But I’m already caught, right? You won the game.”

“No, I haven’t ‘caught’ you yet.”

Well, physically he hasn’t touched a single finger of mine yet.

“There are ten minutes left.”

He spoke as he showed the pocket watch he took out.

“I’m afraid you might misunderstand, but I didn’t mean to force you. So it doesn’t matter whether I win or lose this game.”

I understand his intentions.

It means that Rupert will respect my opinion.

‘He didn’t intend to win this game from the beginning. He just needed an opportunity to show his sincerity.’

Why are you showing this side of you now?

He sat on one knee, making eye contact with me, who was still sitting down.

“My attitude was bad last time. I sincerely apologize, Noel.”

Hesitating, he quietly held out his hand.

“Can you forgive me?”

I bit my lip.

You acted oppressively as if you would never reflect for the rest of your life. Why are you suddenly giving up your pride?

“I hope we can go back home together.”

If he continues to show his selfish attitude, I won’t be this worried.

“……”

Rupert didn’t urge me to answer, and the surroundings are quiet. As if only the two of us are left in this world.

Only the sound of music and the singing of grasshoppers awakens the sense of reality.

ding-

At that moment, the bell rang amidst the silence.

ding-

It was the bell of the clock tower signaling the end of our game.

ding-

Slowly, I stretched out my hand.

“……okay.”

Will this be the right choice?

ding-

I don’t know right now.

“Let’s go home, Rupert.”

I held his hand.

***

After that, I asked Rupert some questions.

“Where did you get the rabbit costume?”

“Leander Ernst.”

“Wait, why does the Duke have such a thing?”

“For security at the masquerade, he put knights on patrol in costumes too.”

“Oh, it’s to stop playboy like the guest I saw.”

There are plenty of rude people among the guests.

“Yeah, he really hates such things.”

“Then the bear next to you was also a knight of the Ernst family?”

“That’s Liander Ernst himself.”

“……why did the duke wear it?”

You’re the famous Duke, so be the main character of the party!

“Well, at the masquerade, if your identity is easy to reveal, you can be easily attacked. What’s more, he’s not married yet.”

Hmm, I guess he wanted to hide from the young ladies who approached him.

After thinking about it, I paused for a moment.

“Wait a minute. Do you mean the Duke lent the doll costume to you? Is it a lie that the two of you have a bad relationship?”

If that was the case, then Leander was interfering with my victory……!

Rupert furrowed his brows.

“It’s nonsense. We met by chance earlier. Besides, I never get any help from him. I’ve made some annoying deals only for the doll costume. Little punk.”

“What deal?”

“At least I won’t be able to cut up the thief’s corpse and dump it at the border.”

Apparently, Leander took this opportunity to solve some troubling problems.

“……Rupert, in any case, it is true that you conspired with the Duke. Well, I also had a conspiracy with Mrs. Rizé, so I can’t say anything.”

“It is not a conspiracy.”

That’s a conspiracy.

I feel betrayed by Leander.

I thought he would be on my side.

‘You took all the benefits that you could take in the middle!’

It seems that he has the title of duke not without reason.

“Because I don’t have a doll costume unless I borrow one.”

Rupert doesn’t want to admit his conspiracy with Leander until the end.

“But the two of you worked really well together when it came to dealing with the drunkard earlier. Maybe you two could become friends.”

I frowned as I saw his displeased expression.

“Never, even if I die, it will never happen.”

Because they have completely opposite tendencies, I don’t think they can get along very well.

I have another question.

“Wait, people dressed like me were hanging around the ballroom, didn’t you get confused?”

“Ah, that……”

He recalled something and answered.

“You might think I was confused, but I wasn’t.”

I asked suspiciously.

“……that’s ridiculous. It will be difficult to tell them apart if they don’t take off all the masks one by one.”

‘I even use the same perfume as them!’

“There is a simpler way.”

“What is it?”

He looked down at me for a moment, then shook his head.

“I have no intention of telling you.”

“I’m more curious. What is it?”

“I don’t know.”

Does Rupert have a hidden ability that I don’t know about?

‘Are you a clairvoyant?’

No matter how much I ask, he doesn’t answer this easily.