Chapter : 12
Lexian despised becoming the subject of gossip, but he knew that this woman’s actions had caused his name to fluctuate in social circles.
He didn’t know what her intention was. Normally, he should have been angry at being drawn into this, should have felt displeased—but for some reason, he didn’t.
“This is strange. We’ve barely talked before, yet you feel so familiar to me.”
Even to his own ears, the thought sounded foolish.
“Rosia.”
But that name felt overwhelmingly familiar.
“Rosia… Rosia.”
Lexian raised his large hand, wanting to brush her pale cheeks, but he couldn’t bring himself to touch her and lowered it instead. He watched the sleeping woman, her fingertips twitching slightly, without making a sound.
Was she dreaming? Tears welled up in her eyes and slid down her pale cheeks.
After hesitating for a moment, Lexian wiped her eyes with a towel, and the stream of tears continued as if it had been waiting for him.
Should he wake her?
After some deliberation, he reached out and touched her delicate shoulder. Her shoulder was far more fragile than he had expected. Hesitating only briefly,
“Lex.”
Rosia called his name with lips pale as if drained of color.
Lexian forgot about waking her and focused on her trembling lips.
“Please, Lex. Please… don’t do that.”
Since his parents’ death, no one had ever called him by a pet name.
Why was this woman—whom he barely knew—calling him so desperately?
Rosia clutched her chest as if in pain, gasping, then opened her eyes sharply. Her red eyes, still unfocused, looked vacant.
After blinking several times, she looked around and finally found Lexian.
“I seem to have been discourteous. I apologize, Your Grace.”
The calm and composed tone was a stark contrast to the woman who had just called out to him in anguish.
“How do you feel? The family physician said there’s nothing seriously wrong, but are you okay?”
“Yes, fortunately.”
Her indifferent attitude irritated him. She could at least show some signs of pain.
“You still look pale; it might be better to rest some more.”
“But I have to attend the party. How much time has passed?”
Rosia got up, and Lexian realized, at least partially, why he didn’t feel irritated by her.
She was struggling desperately to protect herself.
Her efforts to hide her weaknesses and arm herself with the “thorn of perfection” resembled him.
The past self, who had lost parents at a young age and had to protect his position from hyena-like relatives.
“The party only just started. And it seems only the two of us know that we are partners, right?”
“…Excuse me, but I only just learned about this. I clearly remember declining Your Grace’s proposal before.”
At her muted response, Lexian let out a quiet sigh.
He knew that many women in society were desperate to be linked to him.
But Rosia Levian’s family was too prestigious for her to be just another social climber, and she never approached excessively.
If she had personal motives, she could have taken a step further during the tea party and asked him to be her partner for the next ball—but she didn’t.
Lexian couldn’t decide whether he should feel pleased or annoyed.
“Then I suppose I needn’t worry about the partner issue. Resting a bit more would be better.”
“Thank you for your kindness. I will leave soon, so Your Grace may go ahead if you wish. You must be busy, right?”
“No, I’ll stay here.”
Rosia’s eyes widened in surprise, and Lexian, finding her reaction adorable, almost laughed without realizing it.
“…If Your Grace stays here, I think I’ll feel even more apologetic. Are you telling me to leave?”
“That’s not it. I’ll leave, so you should rest before leaving.”
“Thank you.”
As Lexian left the room, he frowned at her utterly straightforward response.
The sudden dance partner request and tea party invitation from earlier had indeed felt unnatural.
‘Why did she act like that?’
He realized there was something about Rosia that he didn’t yet understand.
In his preoccupation with her, he completely forgot about the strand of hair in the study’s safe.
My body sank into the water like a stone.
A tiny, insignificant pebble, tossed about by currents, unable to move on my own.
“…I really did pass out.”
Well, considering she had just realized she had reincarnated and had immediately attended multiple balls and tea parties, traveled back and forth across her estate on horseback, done paperwork, climbed mountains… and even encountered the Crown Prince, it was no wonder her body was overburdened.
“Phew…”
At least it was the Duke of Lissiansherces. That was a relief.
If it had been the Crown Prince, he would have just abandoned her; if someone else had seen her, strange rumors might have spread.
Looking into the mirror on the console, her face looked pale and sickly enough that anyone could think she was ill.
“I should go home today.”
She had wanted to figure out why the duke had requested her as a partner, but now wasn’t the time.
If anyone questioned her, she could simply say that urgent family matters had forced her to leave.
“I am Charles, the butler. Please do not hesitate to ask if you need anything.”
She almost acknowledged him by name but instead responded indifferently.
“Please prepare for my departure.”
“Weren’t you planning to stay here tonight, Miss?”
“That wasn’t my intention… Did the duke suggest it?”
“No, not at all. I overstepped. Please forgive me, Miss.”
The silver-haired butler bowed deeply, even kneeling to show his apology.
“Perhaps there was a misunderstanding. It’s okay.”
The butler thanked her and repeatedly asked if she needed anything else.
“There’s only one thing I want—my way home.”
“Understood. Everything is ready; I will guide you immediately.”
With the butler’s guidance, she reached the carriage without being seen by anyone.
“This is medicine prepared by the Duke’s physician.”
The silver-haired butler handed her a small pouch.
“The Marquis’ physician is also very skilled, but I hope you’ll accept this.”
“Thank you for caring for a mere guest. What is this medicine for?”
“For wounds inside the mouth,” he replied.
So she had been discovered.
Suppressing a sigh, she smiled instead.
“Please tell the doctor I will use it properly. Also, convey my apologies to the duke for leaving without properly greeting him and that I will visit again.”
“Yes, Miss.”
The butler bowed deeply, and the carriage soon departed.
The duke’s gaze had not been cold but gentle…
“Could it be that you remember something too?”
No, that couldn’t be.
The duke was just kind to the weak; he had shown mercy to her because she was sick.
“No, that’s how it should be. You must not feel anything for me.”
Her eyes warmed at the contradictory emotions—wishing the duke to remain indifferent, yet hoping he would be gentle.
Shaking her head, she dismissed the thoughts.
Fatigue washed over her, and she leaned back, drifting into sleep.
“Woah, woah!”
The carriage jolted, waking her. She opened the small window connecting to the driver’s seat once the movement settled.
“What happened?”
“A vagrant suddenly ran in front of the carriage… My apologies, Miss.”
“I’m not just a vagrant!”
“Get lost, you fool.”
“Wait!”
She stopped the driver from raising his whip, then opened the carriage door and stepped down.
“Miss.”
A man wrapped in cloth staggered toward her. She ordered him into the carriage.
“Drive slowly.”
“Yes, Miss.”
Inside the moving carriage, she broke the silence first.
“Luckily, you survived. I was worried since there were said to be no survivors.”
“I knew you would recognize me.”
The man lifted the cloth covering his face, revealing green hair singed at the ends and light green eyes.
“Miss Levian.”
“I was unsure after hearing your voice, but it really is you. Member of the Information Guild.”
“Technically, I am the guildmaster, Miss.”
He had known but pretended otherwise. If he knew that much, wasn’t it suspicious?
This man was Ted, the guildmaster of the Spiderweb branch of the Information Guild.
