Chapter 23

Translator: Nabi

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Chapter 23

“…I beg your pardon?”

I doubted my ears for a moment.

Huh…?

Dating? What now?

The ticklish word ‘love,’ and the man in front of me were foreign substances that could not coexist, like fire and water.

“You would like to date me?”

A languid voice escaped from his mouth.

“Why not?”

Saying that, Cassius looked genuinely puzzled.

The thought of trying to explain to him popped up in my head, though I soon gave it up. It was because the chances of making him understand were close to zero, anyway.

“What if I refuse?”

“That is all right.”

He replied so calmly that it felt strange.

“I do not mind keeping the shell of the Young Lady by my side.”

At his words, I stumbled and fell to the floor. My head was dizzy. If the person speaking was not Cassius, I would have thought it was a joke.

However, he is Cassius Brudenell.

The dangerous gaze of a man who seemed to be stuck by my side, even if I refused him to the end, gazed over me.

“But, it will not be all right for Young Lady.”

“….”

I closed my mouth.

Maybe… This could be his own consideration. I could be dragged away by force, but the consideration that he would not do so—the consideration to give me a chance to ‘go out’ with him.

I looked straight at Cassius. Well, if I could not avoid it, I had to dive into it head-on.

“Where is Ophelia?”

“….?”

Cassius frowned before opening his mouth.

“Is that the only thing you are curious about right now?”​​“That is…!”

“Miss Ophelia is doing well. I guarantee it.”

He slowly continued, spoke slowly. “The Duke is treating her with respect, so you do not have to worry about her.”

“… That is a relief.”

I muttered a little.

To be honest, I was a little surprised at first to hear she was with the Duke of Brudenell, but if I think about it, it might have been better off than going back to the Count of Garneid.

Because my parents were never the ones who would let Ophelia, who helped me escape, be free.

A little relief filled my heart.

“Do you have any other questions?”

That was good news because the most important thing I must hear from him remains.

“Do you intend to force me off this ship?”

Hearing my question, one of Cassius’ eyebrows rose.

“There is no way. Evelyn, again, I would like to have a relationship with you. Of course, your wishes come first.”

It could not be denied that Cassius had a talent for making people faint with just normal words.

My wish is the number one priority…

It was not a word that could come out of Cassius Brudenell’s mouth if he had a conscience. But, for now, I have to accept it.

“I had already expected that you would want to stay on the ship. So…”

Finishing his sentence, he then pulled something out from his arms. Upon closer inspection, it was a boarding pass.

…It is also exactly the same grade as the one I bought!

In other words, he was given the right to sail freely on this ship for a year or two years, just like me.

I’m at a loss for words.

A man, who is having a hard time even with a mooring ship, is getting a boarding pass like this?

“Are you going to stay on this ship?”

My voice rose spontaneously.

“Of course.”

He said, nodding his head. “Otherwise, how can we be in a relationship?”

“….”

I touched my forehead and muttered softly.

“How could the heir of the Duke of Brudenell act so leisurely…”

“Fortunately, it has been a while since my parents corrected me.”

He added nonchalantly.​​“Aren’t you also the heir of the Count, Evelyn?”

“….”

At that, I had nothing to say.​​In the end, I slowly got up from the floor. Cassius reached out his hand, but I had no intention of taking it.

Instead, I gazed straight at him.​​“…Let’s do it, dating.”

I did not say it out of desperation.

Cassius bought the boarding pass in order to ‘date’ with me. So, it meant that I could stay on the ship, at least as long as I followed his suggestion. In other words, I will be able to return to the Dukedom controlled by Cassius a little later.

Rather than go quietly like this and marry him, shouldn’t we be struggling?

A faint smile flashed across Cassius’ lips.

“Excellent.”

* * *

Ophelia stood at the doorway as if she was waiting for someone.

She told herself that because it was already time for her lunch, and David was the one who brought food for lunchtime. Hence, since they knew a little bit about each other, so naturally, she could not help but wait naturally.

No, at least, Ophelia tried to think so.

She told herself she was not waiting for David Marquell because of his well-groomed appearance or upright demeanor…

“Miss Ophelia.”

Ophelia’s beautiful amethyst eyes widened. It was the first time David had spoken to her since she was half imprisoned in the Duke’s.

“I have something to talk to you about.”

“Come on in.”

And so, she led David into the accommodation.

His gaze fell on the drawer Ophelia had been cleaning a while ago. Then, it went to the floor she had been cleaning earlier, to the hallway she had been cleaning in the morning, to the small living room she had been cleaning the day before…

Ophelia felt somewhat uncomfortable.

The nobles thought that cleaning was the job of the maids.

The thought of David, who also might think of her as an idiot, taking the job of a maid after being held captive, made her feel anxious.

However, the words that came out of his mouth instantly calmed Ophelia’s anxiety.

“You are so diligent.”​​“Because it’s my home now.”

“Still, It must have been difficult.”

David’s face grew serious as he spoke his following words. “I remember very well what this house was like…”

“How was it?”

“It was probably abandoned for about a decade. There are even rumors that ghosts are here…”

She lightly shrugged her shoulders.

“It must have been a false rumor. There were no ghosts.”

“Fortunately, that seems to be the case.”

Ophelia could not believe the situation right now.

She is talking casually and amicably with the head of the Duke’s knights, who imprisoned her. What is even more unbelievable to her is that she was very happy with her conversation with David.

And, the moment she realized that…​​A small alarm sounded in Ophelia’s heart.

‘I have to be careful. He may have come to get something out of me.’​​Only Ophelia knows Evelyn’s whereabouts. Therefore, it may be David’s insidious feat, trying to convince herself to figure out where Evelyn has gone.​​But, why…?

David did not look like he was trying to deceive her at all.

Rather…

‘Does he want to be friends with me?’

However, Ophelia let the speculation slip, thinking that she was being stupid. A handsome knight commander like David Marquell would have as many friends as stones rolling down the roadside.

Then, all that’s left…

It was then—

“…Miss Ophelia.”

David called her in a determined tone.

Hearing that, Ophelia swiftly raised her head as well. A nervous expression was evident on the face of the young knight commander.

“I will send you home.”

* * *

As I told her that I had suffered from the robbery disturbance the day before, Mrs. Ned gladly granted me sick leave.

I thought maybe I should go to work to avoid Cassius, but I could not find the energy to work. So, instead, I went out on deck to watch the ship set sail.

As the sailors untied the ropes that tied the boat to the harbor one by one, the ship began to slide with the wind.

“Here you are.”

At that moment, Cassius approached me. In the morning sun, he looked even worse than yesterday.

“…Are you all right?”

“It is… I am okay.”​​Saying so, his eyes were fixed on me, not the sea.

I sighed.

No matter how crazy he was, seeing him look so sick did not make me feel at ease at all.

“You had better go back to your accommodation. You do not look very well.”

“Are you worried about me?”

I was speechless for a moment. It was because Cassius seemed genuinely pleased. But, at the same time, a small glimmer of hope began to appear.

“Of course.”

I tried to reply brightly.

“So, go in and get some rest. At this rate, I might cut off the generation of the Duke of Brudenell if this goes on.”

If Cassius rests in his dormitory, I can roam freely by myself. Because of this, it is now possible to prepare countermeasures against him. Then, I can go find Gabriel, who was probably on board as well.

However, he answered in a stiff voice.

“You are here. How am I supposed to go in by myself?”

“….”

I had nothing to say.

It was because I realized that my intentions had been revealed in his tone. Nevertheless, I could no longer feel the fear. I was convinced that Cassius Brudenell would not hurt me.

Well, at least for now.

Still, I had no choice but to give him the answer he wanted.

“I understand.”

The moment he heard an answer acknowledging his existence, Cassius’ golden eyes, filled with joy, shone brightly under the sunlight.

At that moment, I had a hunch.

…This is not love.

Love can’t be such a dangerous feeling.

In the novel, Cassius Brudenell’s obsession, lust, and love with Ophelia were intertwined, but this was something far more plain compared to that. Even so, it still felt dangerous.

Even though I thought I should restrain myself, my tongue moved on its own.​​“You do not love me. Why are you pretending like that?”

“….”

Silence passed.

During that time, he stared intently at me. That gaze hurts so much that I tried to turn my head away.

“How did you know?” He whispered softly.

I swallowed dry saliva.

There were dangerous emotions in his golden eyes.

The moment when I tried to say something to help out with the thought that I have to get out of this situation somehow, he opened his mouth again slowly.​​“Young Lady is right. I am not in love with you.”

As he uttered those words, Cassius steadily strode towards me.

“I want to have you.”

I instinctively tried to avoid him. Unfortunately, there was no place to retreat further because of the pillars behind us. Our distance grew closer again.

…So close that I could hear the sound of his breathing.

“From that day, from the moment I saw that letter…”

His hair gently tickled my cheek, and soon, I could feel a hot breath brushing softly against my ear.

“I thought I must have you, Evelyn.”

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