Confession Should Be Made Carefully – Chapter 3
“Well, anyway. You’ve got something to say to me, don’t you?”
The boy crossed his arms and looked me up and down with a sharp gaze.
Since I did feel somewhat guilty, I lowered my head and muttered,
“…I’m sorry for coming in without permission and touching your things.”
“So you do know.”
The boy scoffed, set down the paper he had been holding, and stared straight at me.
It was my first time seeing teal-colored eyes, which I found fascinating—but even more puzzling was why he was looking at me like that.
With an arrogant expression, he continued,
“If I tell them you barged into my room and messed with my belongings, not only you but your uncle might get kicked out of here.”
“…!”
If it were just me being thrown out, I could endure it—but if it involved my uncle, that was a different story.
Swallowing hard, I fidgeted with my fingers behind my back and mumbled,
“…I’m really sorry.”
“That’s enough.”
The boy answered briefly, as if he truly didn’t care.
…If that was the case, I had no idea why he tried to scare me in the first place.
Anyway, encouraged by his response, I picked up the candlestick from the desk.
“Then… may I go?”
“…Do as you like.”
He frowned and muttered irritably. I had no idea what exactly annoyed him.
Dealing with nobles was truly difficult.
I wrinkled my nose and turned to leave when the boy called out from behind me.
“Hey.”
“Yes?”
He waved the paper I had written formulas on and gave a crooked smile.
“If you don’t want anyone to know about this, come back here tomorrow.
Morning sunlight seeped through my closed eyelids.
My uncle, already awake, drew back the curtains and greeted me brightly.
“Did you sleep well, Raven?”
I barely opened my drowsy eyes and nodded. He smiled gently and patted my head. It looked like he was preparing for work—he wore neatly pressed clothes and glasses attached to a chain.
“You must’ve been very tired.”
Unlike me—often told I looked sharp and sensitive due to my features—my uncle had a warm appearance that put others at ease.
Like mine, his black hair was always neatly combed, and his eyes were a light shade of green. A small mole on his cheek added to his gentle demeanor.
However, unlike his tidy appearance, the dark circles under his eyes suggested he had stayed up all night working—likely because he gave me his room.
Feeling awkward, I raised my hand timidly.
“Um… Uncle.”
“Yes?”
“Is there a young master here… around my age?”
“…What did you say?”
His shoulders flinched for a brief moment—small, but unmistakable.
He quickly turned around, the chain of his glasses clinking softly, and grabbed my shoulders tightly. It was unlike his usual gentle self.
“…Don’t tell me—you met Young Master Enoch?”
Enoch. So that was his name.
Startled by my uncle’s sudden change in demeanor, I nodded slowly. He immediately rolled up my sleeves, checking my arms for injuries.
“You’re not hurt anywhere, are you?”
“Huh? N-No…”
He asked again, as if to confirm,
“Nothing happened, right?”
“Yes… we just brushed past each other.”
In reality, we had spoken—and I had even been threatened—but I nodded firmly so he wouldn’t worry.
“The young master has quite a violent and arrogant temperament. Considering his family situation, it’s somewhat understandable.”
He explained that the lady of the house had passed away long ago, and the marquis was not a particularly affectionate father.
That kind of attitude didn’t come out of nowhere, after all.
Still, his family circumstances were none of my concern. What did concern me was how unpleasant he might be when I met him again tonight.
“You can stay in this room today as well. Feel free to read books from the shelf or play with the pens. I’ve asked Miss Jane to take care of your meals, so don’t worry.”
“Okay, I will.”
“If you need a snack, you may have the candies on the desk.”
Even while busy getting ready to leave, my uncle didn’t forget to smile warmly at me.
I nodded diligently with my hands clasped.
Candy? I liked sweets, but wasn’t he treating me a bit too much like a child?
Still, he was incredibly kind. Even though I had shown up unannounced and taken over his room, he didn’t show the slightest discomfort.
“Oh, and it seems you’ll have your own bed soon.”
“…Thank you.”
I bowed my head politely.
“Have a good day, Uncle.”
“Take care.”
He gently patted my head once more before leaving the room.
Soon, the door closed, and I was left alone.
There was a pleasant woody scent lingering in the room.
After sniffing the air for a moment, I pulled a book from his small shelf and began reading.
Before long, my stomach growled. When I checked the time, it was already lunchtime.
After waiting a few minutes, just as my uncle had said, a maid knocked on the door with a tray. I think her name was Jane.
“Hey, eat quickly.”
She practically tossed the food at me and stayed in the room, urging me to hurry. I was already a slow eater, and her presence made me so uncomfortable I felt like I might get indigestion.
Judging by how she blushed while looking around the room, she seemed to have feelings for my uncle.
And the way she kept glancing at me, she probably thought I was a rude little brat.
As she left with the empty dishes, I stuck out my tongue behind her back.
You’re not getting my uncle.
“….”
After confirming the door was firmly shut, I lay down on the neatly made bed.
Tick, tock—the sound of the clock filled the quiet room.
I was bored.
Oh right—the rude young master told me to come again today. When should I go?
I blinked and stared blankly at the ceiling.
Time passed slowly.
Eventually, Jane returned with dinner. Though I didn’t want to eat with her watching, I was too hungry to refuse.
A day with nothing to do felt incredibly long.
After dinner, the sky outside had already darkened. My uncle still hadn’t returned, which meant he’d be working late again.
Just how much was that marquis paying him to work him like this?
I suddenly found myself disliking the unseen Marquis Cherner.
Although my uncle told me to stay in the room, I decided to keep yesterday’s promise.
Glancing at the clock as it struck ten, I picked up the candlestick and stepped out.
The corridor was dim, almost ominous, as I climbed the stairs.
Finding the familiar door, I knocked softly.
“Come in.”
The same insolent boy’s voice answered.
I opened the door carefully.
The pale, blond boy leaned crookedly against a bookshelf.
Enoch.
As I fidgeted, he gestured toward the homework spread out on the desk.
“Do it.”
“…Pardon?”
“I said, do it.”
He pointed at his homework and sneered coldly.
“I heard you’re smart, but you can’t even understand that?”
What kind of tone was that? Was he always treated like royalty, so his arrogance reached the sky?
Suppressing my irritation, I calmly picked up the pen.
As I silently worked on his homework, Enoch watched me with a strange expression.
“I’ve been thinking since yesterday—what’s with your expression?”
“…My expression?”
Caught off guard, I looked up blankly. He frowned and tapped between his brows.
“Why are you frowning?”
I twisted my lips slightly.
“See? You’re doing it again. Is what I’m saying hard to understand?”
“…So you’re asking me to do your homework?”
I replied with a hint of sarcasm.
Crossing his arms, he leaned back lazily.
“How impudent. I’m graciously giving it to you.”
Giving it to me? What a ridiculous way to put it.
“You just don’t want to do it yourself,” I thought, but said instead,
“My eyesight is bad, so I have to squint to see clearly.”
“Then wear glasses.”
“They’re expensive.”
“….”
He studied me, then said as if realizing something,
“So you’re not just a commoner—you’re dirt poor.”
“….”
“Then how do you know so much? You’re good at math and history.”
“It’s nothing.”
I answered bluntly and continued writing.
The assignment was history. It looked somewhat difficult, but not to the point where someone his age wouldn’t know it—unless he simply couldn’t be bothered.
Watching him lazily feed fish in a tank, I concluded that was likely the case.
“I was never suited for studying. Swinging a sword is much better than moving a pen. My master even said I have talent. Want me to show you sometime?”
As I did his homework, he rambled on, fiddling with the swords hanging on the wall.
Before I could decline, he plopped down in a chair.
“Ah, this is so comfortable. The academy gives too much vacation homework. Good thing I didn’t kick you out. Not bad for a commoner.”
There he goes again with that “commoner” nonsense.
“…Yes.”
“Since I’ve taken you in, you should work hard to repay my kindness.”
“…Yes.”
It was my uncle who took me in, not you.
But I held my tongue.
“You’re awfully quiet. I was expecting more since there’s no servant my age.”
He stared at me and tapped my shoulder.
“Say something.”
“…What?”
What kind of request was that?
“…Never mind. You don’t seem to want to.”
“Thank you.”
Afraid he’d give me another strange task, I quickly finished the rest and stood up.
“Come again tomorrow.”
“…If my uncle comes back early, I might not be able to.”
“Idiot. Then come during the day.”
“…Alright.”
Seriously, what terrible manners.
I nodded vaguely and left.
Though I hadn’t done anything physically tiring, exhaustion washed over me the moment I stepped out.
Draining someone’s energy like this was a talent in itself.
Fighting heavy eyelids, I staggered down the hallway.
I just needed to sleep.
