Be Careful with Confessions – Chapter 2
The reason I sought out my uncle wasn’t simply because he was the closest relative nearby.
Although I could count on one hand the number of times I had seen him, my uncle—my mother’s younger brother—was the only family member who had ever treated me kindly.
I still remembered the affectionate way he would occasionally visit, bringing me books and gently patting my head. Our contact had nearly been cut off by the time I turned ten, but the moment I left home, I knew he was the only person I could rely on.
At the very least, I felt certain that he wouldn’t pretend not to know me as I was now.
So I dug up an old letter he had once sent and came here, blindly following the address written in it.
“…You’re really alright? Victor said your fever has gone down.”
Holding a thermometer, my uncle pressed a hand to my forehead and asked with concern. I lowered my gaze and nodded.
I had apparently regained consciousness only after an entire day had passed since I collapsed in front of the marquis’s residence. When I opened my eyes, I was dressed in clean, soft clothes, and a doctor named Victor told me to get plenty of rest before leaving the room.
“Yes…”
After I finished my soup and sipped warm tea, my uncle watched me kindly before speaking.
“I don’t know what brought you all the way here… but stay here until you recover, and then go back home. I’ll take you myself.”
“N-no.”
I had been quiet just moments ago, but at his words, I trembled and shook my head. My uncle seemed to realize something was wrong and swallowed.
“I want to stay here. Please… please. I don’t want to go home…”
Whether I returned in a few days or after a year, nothing about my situation would change. And I had no intention of staying in that house while being treated that way ever again.
Seeing my wavering eyes, my uncle sat down and asked carefully,
“…Did something happen?”
My throat tightened with emotion, but I forced myself to speak. The discrimination I had endured growing up, being forbidden from attending school simply because I was a girl, and my parents ordering me into a marriage I didn’t want.
As I explained everything in a trembling voice, my uncle spoke.
“…I see. So that’s what happened. But remember this—none of it is your fault. You did the right thing by leaving. You’re incredible.”
He ran a hand through his hair as if choosing his words, then gently patted my back to comfort me.
“My sister… in the end… Haah. Still, I never thought she’d go this far, even with her own child.”
“……”
“I thought it wouldn’t do her any good to keep borrowing money from me. Then when I didn’t hear from her for years, I assumed things had gotten better…”
Guilt filled his green eyes. Stroking my head, he spoke softly.
“I’m sorry I didn’t realize sooner.”
“……”
It wasn’t his fault. How could he have known about the affairs of a family he had already cut ties with?
He had cared for me when I was younger, but my parents kept asking him for money. After lending them large sums several times—only for them to avoid repayment with endless excuses—he had no choice but to sever ties with our family.
At least now, I felt relieved that he wouldn’t tell me to go back home.
Then suddenly, he asked,
“If you’re alright with it… would you like to live here?”
“…Is that really okay?”
Honestly, I had thought I’d be lucky if I could stay for just a few days. Even if we were related by blood, taking in a young niece was a different matter entirely. I had even prepared myself to do manual labor on the streets if he refused me. Anything would be better than returning home.
“Yes. I’ll speak to the Marquis.”
As if he wasn’t just saying it lightly, my uncle added that with a small smile. A sense of relief washed over me, as though my heart had finally begun beating normally again.
I quickly raised my head and met his eyes, clinging to the opportunity.
“I—I can do a lot of things. I can sew, and clean, and cook…”
Now that I thought about it, they were all things I had been forced to do at home. Not things I liked, but things I had no choice but to learn.
Trailing off, I hesitated before adding,
“I’m also good at studying.”
The moment I said it, my face flushed slightly, realizing how foolish it sounded.
It really was absurd. Who was I to ask to be educated? Even though more women were entering administrative roles, it was still incredibly rare for someone like me—a poor commoner girl with nothing—to study and rise to a well-paying position like my uncle’s as a noble’s aide.
At a time when I should be holding a broom and cleaning the mansion halls, how could I possibly afford books and ink?
Overwhelmed by sudden gloom, I lowered my head.
Seeing this, my uncle patted my shoulder.
“Alright, alright. You don’t have to decide that right now. Let’s get some sleep. Take your medicine.”
I accepted the medicine he handed me, grimacing at the bitter taste before lying down on the soft bed.
As the warm blanket covered me, I felt at ease. At home, I had used the same thin blanket regardless of the season, often shivering myself to sleep. But this one—thick and filled with soft cotton—was warm and comforting, lulling me toward sleep. I didn’t know whose clothes I was wearing, but they fit perfectly and felt comfortable.
As drowsiness overtook me, my lips moved faintly.
“I can read… I always ranked first at school. My teacher said I was a genius…”
“Wow, that’s impressive.”
Though he responded cheerfully to my mumbling, my uncle looked at my bruised face with a pained expression.
His gentle hand brushed over my injuries, easing the pain, and sleep began to claim me.
“I read books I got from somewhere because my mom wouldn’t buy them… They were really hard, so it took me about a month to understand…”
“I see.”
“And last year…”
My voice grew faint as I rambled on through the night, half-asleep. My uncle listened without the slightest sign of annoyance until I finally fell asleep
“Mm…”
When I opened my eyes, the room was dark. Perhaps the sun had already set. My uncle was nowhere to be seen.
Only a single candle flickered in the room, making it feel eerily quiet. I tried to fall back asleep, but my throat was unbearably dry. I could barely swallow.
I reached for the bedside table, but the herbal tea my uncle had given me was already gone, and there wasn’t even a cup of water left in the room.
Unable to endure the thirst any longer, I pushed aside the blanket and carefully got out of bed.
I planned to step into the hallway and ask a passing servant for some water. My uncle had told me not to leave the room, but surely it would be fine for just a moment.
Quietly opening the door, I stepped outside, recalling what the maid at the gate had been wearing earlier.
The long, narrow corridor was engulfed in darkness, and the silence made it unsettling.
Swallowing nervously, I raised the candlestick in my hand.
Even though I was barefoot, the thick carpet beneath my feet was so soft that it didn’t hurt at all. After climbing a couple of stairs and walking for a few minutes toward a faint presence, I spotted a room with light coming through a crack in the door.
A maid must be cleaning, I thought. Nobles would already be asleep at this hour.
I decided to just peek in and ask for water.
“Excuse me…”
I spoke in a small voice and carefully opened the door.
“…!”
There was no one inside.
Instead, the room was filled with bookshelves packed with books.
I stepped in slowly, my mouth slightly open.
Judging by the expensive-looking wooden desk and chair, this was clearly a noble’s room. Yet instead of leaving immediately, I felt an urge to sit there.
Perhaps I was still half-asleep, or perhaps something had drawn me in—before I knew it, I was standing in front of the desk.
On it lay a thick book and sheets of paper covered in problems. The scribbled formulas and notes looked as though the owner had tried to solve them but gave up in frustration.
“….”
I didn’t know who owned the room, but I assumed they were either very young or not very good at studying.
After all, I had already solved these when I was ten.
Glancing around nervously, I picked up the pen from the ink bottle.
The problems came easily.
Since I couldn’t waste expensive paper, I tore off a small scrap and wrote tiny formulas in the corner as I worked through them.
I became so absorbed that I didn’t even notice someone approaching the door.
I had solved around twenty problems when—
“…Who are you?”
“…!”
Startled, I turned toward the voice.
A figure stood in the darkness—a boy about my age.
Even in the dim light, his sharp, upturned eyes and vivid teal irises shone clearly. His pale skin, carefully maintained, gave him an air of high status.
His shirt buttons were carelessly undone, and his pale blond hair was messy—but more than anything, he was the most handsome boy I had ever seen in my life.
As I stared blankly, he approached, half glaring at me, and looked down at the problems I had solved.
“…Did you do these?”
“Huh? Y-yes.”
From his luxurious clothing and arrogant attitude, it was obvious—he was the owner of this room, the young master of the mansion.
I had seen how my loud, overbearing father would bow and scrape before a noble count. Because of that, I knew well how nobles treated commoners like me.
Even if I was related to his aide, if I angered him, there was no telling what he might do.
Under his scrutinizing gaze, I lowered my head and awkwardly clasped my hands behind my back. Having been born and raised a commoner, I knew nothing of noble etiquette. Better to stay still than give him a reason to find fault.
“I-I’m sorry… I’m sorry, I apologize…”
As I stammered, he muttered under his breath,
“What are you even saying?”
Seriously? Getting picky just because I stuttered? What a twisted guy. Is a pretty face all he’s got?
My evaluation of him plummeted instantly. I turned my head slightly to hide my expression.
“……”
After scanning the formulas I had written, his expression shifted to surprise. Then he looked over my clothes.
“Hm. Not a servant’s uniform… Ah, you must be Harold’s niece.”
“Yes.”
“Then you’re a commoner.”
“…Yes.”
He looked back at the paper and muttered—loud enough for me to hear.
“Wow, how strange. I thought all commoners were stupid.”
Well, this is my first time talking to a noble too—are they all this twisted?
My eyebrow twitched slightly as I replied,
“No, I’m just smart.”
“……”
At that, he stared at me as if I had grown a second head.
“You can read? You used advanced formulas for this, right?”
Instead of answering, I nodded.
It was true—among commoners, very few could read at this level. And coincidentally, I had solved similar problems in a book I read after I was forced to stop attending school.
