CH 62

“Don’t meet Lord Sheffield.”

Yes… That was a good enough warning.

Lawrence’s ability had been proven by his business skills that made the brewery grow this much in three years, and his popularity could be seen from the friendliness shown by the people who worked for him when they interacted with him.

Even having a great amount of consideration– fulfilling the outrageous request of Ophelia, whom he met for the first time, without asking why.

In addition, he had a tall height, a solid body, and a likable face.

Wouldn’t it be perfect if he loved children too?

As if reading her thoughts, two children jumped out of nowhere and clung to his leg.

“Ywung mawster! Cwendy! Cwendy plweeze!”

“Candy! Candy please!”

“What is it, did you two leave the youngest somewhere?”

“Oh!”

Lawrence didn’t push or scold the clingy kids. Instead, he laughed merrily, taking candy out of his pockets and holding them out.

“Is this a secret as always?”

“Yes!”

He pressed his index finger to his lips, and the children smiled brightly, their cheeks bulging with candy.

Ophelia squinted at the dazzlingly refreshing sight.

There was no word that the esteemed son of Sheffield was married, let alone have a child, so those children must be the children of some of the staff.

Still, the children were not afraid of him at all and clung to him.

In the end, all in all, even if he didn’t have the position of the next Marquis of Sheffield, Lawrence himself was already complete.

“A first-class groom.”

Ophelia muttered involuntarily and then nodded.

‘That’s enough for a first-class groom. He is really a very nice young man.’

Of course, what Richard said meant the complete opposite– to keep away from Lawrence because he could be a bad man. No, he would have told her to stay farther away from a good man.

However, it was impossible for Ophelia to know Richard’s true intentions, then or now.

Someone tugged at the hem of her skirt while she stared blankly at the truly heartwarming sight.

“Yes?”

Looking down, she made eye contact with a kid.

“Odyo.”

“Follow?”

“Odyo! Ollo!

The child’s eyes were shining brightly as he shouted an incomprehensible word.

‘Uh, um… Ollo… Follow?’

Ophelia couldn’t help but look away from the child’s face, which swelled with expectations.

“Yes, yes.”

Smiling gently and stroking the child’s head, Ophelia glanced at Lawrence, hoping for help.

But perhaps her ‘speak with her eyes’ only worked for Richard, as Lawerence just looked at her and the child with a troubled expression.

‘Hey, I’m asking for help. What are you looking at?’

“Tta-aaa.”

Ophelia lifted the child up as the child tugged the hem of her skirt and whined.

For a moment, she was surprised by the heavier weight than she thought, and before she knew it, two more children appeared next to her.

They were the kids who surrounded Lawrence and ate candy.

The tallest of them thrust something at the child in Ophelia’s arms.

When Ophelia saw the candy in the child’s hand, she knew what the child wanted.

The child grinned happily as he held the candy, and Ophelia smiled as well, hugging the child.

“It must have been candy.”

“Sorry.”

The tall kid who handed him the candy bent over her.

“Please forgive him. The youngest is still immature, clinging to a precious person recklessly…”

“What, it’s okay. He’s so happy that even I feel good.”

Since she was dealing with children, she consciously whispered in a sweeter voice and smiled kindly.

At that, unlike when the children ran up to Lawrence and clung to him, they only wiggled their fingers with shy faces.

Ophelia, leaving the youngest in the care of the older child, gave an almost saintly smile and waved her hand at the children who huddled together.

The smile that remained for a while even after the children were gone disappeared in an instant when Lawrence’s voice was heard.

“Excuse me, Aide.”

He seemed to be watching her as she dismissed the children’s apology, as though he didn’t know why she let it go.

“I already told the children that it was okay. If the lord apologizes again, I will feel embarrassed, so don’t worry.”

There was black dirt on her skirt and shoulders, but she didn’t seem to care.

Somehow, inadvertently, Lawrence wore not a polite smile, but a twirling grin like Catherine’s.

He had wondered how Ophelia managed to coax and take advantage of his naive little sister into obtaining the absurd position of a person of destiny.

She didn’t seem so cunning or mean.

Even though it was their first meeting and the time they spent together was not long, the things she said towards him were plain sincere.

Besides, her attitude was the same towards the children, who clung to her with their grubby hands.

‘Isn’t there a saying that if you want to see someone’s true character, look at how they treat the weak?’

Besides, instead of trying to impress him, she was desperate to keep her distance beyond a certain point.

At this, it was clear that she wasn’t targeting Sheffield and approaching Catherine.

Well, it might be possible for her to hide her intentions so well and then stab them in the back.

It was something to keep an eye on until then.

“Okay. Then let’s go see the wine for real.”

The two eventually entered the wine cellar.

Taking her first glass, Ophelia let out a light sigh after taking a sip.

“This is good.”

“This is the one I’m most proud of, I’m glad you liked it. How about something a bit darker next?”

Just like that, Ophelia drank another cup. She nodded to herself.

‘Great. Well worth the investment. At this rate, the secret fund will steadily increase.’

The moment Ophelia was about to drink her third glass of wine happily, envisioning the savory profits that would come in every quarter.

“Stop.”

A familiar voice came from the top of her head, and at the same time her hands became empty.

Ophelia, who had lost her glass without her realization, widened her eyes, and Lawrence, who was a certain distance away from her, also widened his eyes.

“Even if you don’t drink a few glasses, you’ll get drunk right away if you drink while smiling.”

At the low whispering voice, Ophelia turned her head.

She almost called Richard reflexively, but she shut her mouth tight.

‘This is not a place where it’s just the two of us.’

‘I can’t call out his name.’

As she opened her mouth again, Lawrence moved towards Ophelia. Well, to be exact, he moved to Richard.

“I see Your Highness.”

Ophelia waved at Richard and pursed her lips as Lawrence approached her in an instant.

She was doing her best to tell Richard that this was not her fault, but Lawrence couldn’t help but look at her as if he was seeing something very strange.

As soon as His Highness the Crown Prince appeared, she trembled and waved her arms, unable to speak.

‘Could it be that she is afraid of His Highness even though she is an aide?’

‘I heard she’s a new recruit, but she must be the one who serves His Highness at the closest.’

Lawrence’s eyebrows dropped in a sudden sense of sympathy and gave her a slight nod.

Of course, Ophelia, having no way of knowing what he was thinking, was shocked.

‘What kind of expression is that? Why are you nodding your head? What? Why are you coming closer!’

The panic in her face was more pronounced than before, while Richard smiled and pressed her head.

“It’s okay. I’m here.”

Although Ophelia was greatly relieved by his answer, she paused.

Why was she being so fidgety like a woman caught cheating? However, that thought was just there, and Lawrence’s voice that soon followed distracted her.

“I apologize, Your Highness, but may I know why you’re here?”

‘Yes. Why is Richard here?’

“Of course.”

Making eye contact with Ophelia, Richard shut his mouth at the feelings that were about to spill out without his knowledge.

‘I came to see you.’

Any other reason was just a justification.

‘I can’t stand not seeing you right now, Ophelia.’

‘I, you…’

“Of course…?”

Without taking his eyes off Ophelia, who tilted her head, Richard brought out the untruthful justification.

“The locust swarm problem.”

“A swarm of locusts?”

“Yes. The third.”

Just by looking into Richard’s eyes, Ophelia knew that the ‘third’ he meant was not just about a swarm of locusts.

As her face hardened noticeably, Lawrence replied, not hiding his doubt.

“If it’s locusts, there are some found here too, but since it’s an annual, it should pass soon.”

“Even here?”

“Yes. We’ve been seeing locusts for a few days now, but we got rid of them before they did any major damage. We’re well prepared for any threat.”

Lawrence didn’t miss the opportunity and emphasized the brewery’s merits, but they all bounced off Ophelia’s ears.

As brewery investment or secret funds were not important right now.

The third. Earthquakes, floods and locusts.

‘Huh? What?’

It seemed like something very unpleasant came to mind.

Ophelia tilted her head even more, feeling as if she had forgotten her words and was cut off.

Earthquakes, floods, locusts. Where had she seen this combination?

Ame: I was half-expecting Catherine to pop up in all her magnificent jewel-filled glory, but plot called.

Dea: We have all gathered here today to witness Richard’s jealousy concern for the brewery, Ophelia’s denial regarding her feelings for Richard totally acceptable thought process and Lawrence’s obliviousness to the whole thing haha