Chapter 20

“Lord Roger.”

“…”

“Lord Roger Blake?”

“Wh, what?!”

“Are you really alright?”

“Of course I’m alright…”

Elvin’s warning rang over Roger’s head as he nervously responded.

「You’ll have to be very careful from now on.」

Flinch.

“It’s alright. I’m all right, Lady Irene Webber.”

His polite speech that crept up from nowhere.

Irene stared at his face again. Something hardened… It was very awkward.

He didn’t look any good in the least.

“What happened?”

“Nothing happened.”

“Why are you speaking like that?”

“What’s wrong with my way of speaking… Why do you ask, Lady Irene Webber?”

What’s wrong with you, you sound exactly like a subordinate. I decided to disregard Roger Blake’s bizarre manner.

“Why aren’t you visiting the library as of late?”

“Of course it’s because you’re in the library…! No, uh, that’s not it.”

“You didn’t come because I was there? Why?”

“Ah, that’s not it!”

Roger adjusted his posture repeatedly as he clamored continuously.

“…Absolutely not, Lady Irene Webber.”

“Absolutely not?”

“Yes, never.”

“Well, I keep witnessing your friends inside the library. Is it alright for you to leave them alone?”

As I mentioned his friends, Roger’s face turned pale once again.

“Wh, what did they say to Lady Irene Webber…”

If they’ve done anything rude, it will be over.

I recalled the time Roger stepped confidently and said, ‘I should trouble that kid a little.’

“We don’t even greet each other.”

Phew. Roger sighed with relief.

“However, it’s disturbing when they gaze at me from time to time.”

“I’ll pull those cheeky eyes right away, Lady Irene Webber.”

“Yes?”

“…Nothing.”

He averted his eyes as he clattered the teacup.

“Are you sure you’re okay? You seem sick.”

At this point, Irene was sincerely worried for Roger.

His complexion improved a little more than before. Nonetheless, he still seemed uncomfortable, and his fingertips, grasping the teacup, were trembling constantly.

Does he have a fever?

“Are you truly all right? Your complexion seems poor.”

Irene stood up from her seat and approached Roger.

“Don’t you have a fever? When I caught a cold in the past, my body also constantly trembled. “

“No!”

“But you’re shaking to the extent you’re producing sound effects with the teacup.”

“N, that’s not it!”

Roger unconsciously dropped the teacup Irene had mentioned to the floor.

Fortunately, the teacup did not break. The cozy carpet had been layered on the floor, and the cup itself was sturdy.

“It’s okay. It’s really okay!”

He waved his hands hurriedly as Irene walked to him, disregarding the glass that had just fallen.

“But…”

Irene, worried, reached for his forehead.

As her hand drew closer, Elvin’s voice, which rang in Roger’s ear, increased in volume.

「You’ll have to be very careful from now on.」

“Ack!”

He hurriedly stepped back to the other side of the sofa, as if he had witnessed a monster.

“Are you sure you’re okay?”

His shaking indicated many concerns regarding his health.

Irene observed Roger, her hands on both sides of her waist.

He covered his face with both arms and begged earnestly.

“It, it’s okay. As long as you don’t come near. No, please don’t come near me. Please.”

“Why shouldn’t I approach you?”

“That’s…”

Roger Blake, who had been muttering all this time, suddenly jumped up from his seat.

“I will be his majesty’s assistant in the future!”

Therefore, Roger shouldn’t do anything that would make the Crown Prince feel unpleasant. He probably will not have another chance.

If Irene was offended further, he would not be able to become a candidate as his aide.

“What does that have to do with me?”

“It matters for me! So I hope that nothing happen between us in the future… Please.”

“Well, it doesn’t matter to me.”

Irene sat back down. The glass situated on the floor was still rolling atop the carpet.

“But, are you sure you’re going to be the Crown Prince’s assistant?”

“Yes.”

“No matter what?”

“Well, yeah! It is a dream!”

Oh, what should I do? I just thought of a nice, evil technique.

Find a scapegoat and replace him for brother Benjamin.

If someone else were to say, ‘I want to be the Crown Prince’s aide,’ Irene would have stopped him while packing his lunch box.

Even if the person was a stranger.

However, Roger Blake was a different story.

The same boy who spread hateful rumors about her brother and attempted to bully him.

‘I was told not to hold malice against people even if they have sinned.’

In addition, magnolia, which symbolized Webber’s name, meant ‘nobility.’ The people of the Webber family were always obliged to maintain a noble figure.

So Irene…

“I’ll be cheering for you, Roger Blake.”

She decided to show her nobility by supporting his dream.

Even if it is a direct train to hell, since it is his dream, he will somehow manage to survive.

In fact, people of his kind do exist.

Even though I sat in one place from morning to early next morning and wring out the manuscript of the novel.

“This is my lifelong dream. Let’s hang in there a little longer. I can still write more… Ugh, I don’t want to write this manuscript, no, that can’t be. This is my dream, my dream…”

People who think like so.

“I think it can be done. Becoming the Crown Prince’s aide.”

“R, really?”

Roger gazed at Irene, his eyes shining.

As if he’d never heard this statement before.

“Yes, I’m sure it would come true if you’re that desperate for it.”

“But…”

Roger seemed anxious.

“Everyone says your brother will be his aide.”

Irene clenched her fists as she shouted uncontrollably.

“Who’s uttering such nonsense! Who!”

Roger stared at Irene, in astonishment and fright.

That’s what everyone said.

Benjamin Webber is the smartest boy of anyone his age. That is why he will later become the Crown Prince’s assistant and the future Emperor’s right-hand man.

“This is ridiculous. In the first place, my brother doesn’t even think of becoming the Crown Prince’s aide as a dream. That’s why Sir Roger is the most compatible.”

Her logic was perfect bullshit.

However, it seems to have worked well for the young Roger. He gazed at Irene with a deeply moved face.

A face that seemed to have acquired a deep realization.

So far, no one had truly supported Roger’s dream.

Even his parents told him ‘If the Crown Prince refuses, our family’s name will be ashamed, so don’t think of such useless things.’

So did his friends.

On the surface, everyone pretended to support Roger. However, they secretly admitted that Benjamin Webber is the greatest genius.

Nevertheless, Irene Webber cheered for him as soon as she listened to his story. She bore no sign of ridicule, and it felt quite sincere.

“…I think I know why the Crown Prince cares so much about Irene Webber.”

“What?”

Irene doubted her ears.

I think I just heard something ridiculous.

“That means Irene Webber is a good person.”

“Wait a minute, Lord Roger.”

“There is no need to address me as lord. Roger is enough.”

“No, it’s not that. His Highness the Crown Prince…?”

“I think I know why he cares so much for Irene Webber.”

“Me?”

“Oh, yes. He seems to favor you. Since when have you become so close? Is that also because of Benjamin Webber’s influence?”

“Are you talking about me?”

“Yes.”

“And his Majesty the Crown Prince?”

“Yes, he seems to care for you a lot.”

“His Highness, to me?”

“Yes. Ah, now that I know everything, there’s no need to pretend in front of me anymore.”

He grinned confidently.

The fear and anxiety which took over Roger’s train of thought slowly subsided.

It was all thanks to Irene.

“I know too. During the time when I visited the palace.”

Irene blinked her eyes, unable to understand what he was trying to say.

“No way, you don’t believe me? I mean it!”

Roger exclaimed.

“I know that the country boy who followed Benjamin Webber around was actually the crown prince!”

“What?”

“…Huh?”

“…?”

“…”

There was a cumbersome silence between the two. Roger anxiously observed Irene.

She seemed quite surprised.

Why do you look like you don’t understand English…?

At that time, an unpleasant thought circled Roger’s mind.

Irene Webber in reality, had no idea regarding the identity of the Crown Prince.

“Uh…”

Roger opened his mouth, feeling the need to say something in order to clear up the awkwardness.

What do I say? How the hell am I supposed to handle this?

While he contemplated the right use of words, Irene shifted away.

“I’m heading back now.”

Her smiling face turned chilly.