Chapter 54
Rosie quickly waved her hands and continued.
“Oh, but don’t worry. Recently the pain has gotten much better, and I’m doing fine. I think it’s because I haven’t been stressed lately.”
“No stress…? Are you certain about that?”
He had literally watched her get into a physical fight in the hotel lobby just moments ago.
Seeing Cliden’s expression say exactly that, Rosie flinched but tried to explain.
“That was… That was the first time anything like that has happened. I truly had no idea that the young lady would follow me all the way here and behave like that.”
Well, there weren’t many people who could predict something like that in advance.
Cliden let out a small sigh and shifted the topic again.
“Anyway, it seems you’ve gotten yourself caught up in some rather nasty rumors.”
At Cliden’s words, Rosie’s cheeks instantly turned red.
Even if she was used to this sort of thing, she felt embarrassed showing such an unfiltered side of herself to him.
It had been the same with Ainar, but it felt even worse now because she actually liked Cliden.
“Yes. That’s probably also because the young lady…”
“It seems there are some rumors she didn’t personally start.”
“Ah… that…”
The rumor that she was a noblewoman from another country—Rosie herself was curious about it.
But that wasn’t the only matter Cliden found important right now.
“I don’t think you spread those rumors on purpose… but impersonating a noble is a crime. If you don’t set the record straight, someone might make an issue out of it.”
Rosie looked slightly shocked at the unexpected warning and nodded with a serious expression.
“Yes… Thank you for the concern.”
Seeing her genuine reaction, Cliden smiled faintly. Still, he continued thinking about the rumors.
‘Rumors insulting her origin, and on the other hand, rumors hiding it…’
The source of the former was obvious enough, but the latter?
He truly didn’t believe Rosie would spread lies about being a noble.
Cliden considered whether both were spread by Lily Kikkert. Maybe Lily wasn’t just spreading shallow gossip—maybe she was trying to frame Rosie more strategically.
If so, she could’ve waited until the rumors settled, then reported Rosie to the guards and ensured she was punished.
But from what he had seen—both during their first meeting and just moments ago—Lily Kikkert didn’t seem clever enough to plan something so elaborate.
‘If not Lily… then who?’
Was there someone else who hated Rosie?
Cliden was stroking his chin when—
Knock, knock.
“Oh? Who is it? Just a moment.”
Rosie asked Cliden for permission and hurried to stand—
—or tried to.
“Please stay seated.”
Cliden stood first, blocking her as she tried to rise.
“…Huh? But…”
“Walking is difficult for you, isn’t it?”
His gaze had dropped to her ankle. Grateful for his attentiveness, she bowed her head slightly.
Cliden smiled and walked to the door. He assumed it was probably the staff bringing tea.
But when he opened the door, he frowned sharply at the unexpected face.
“…Well, well. Isn’t this Ian Zendro.”
Standing there was not the manager Ian Zendro of Vine Rose—
But Ainar Portlay.
During the previous investigation, Cliden had learned that the hotel manager was someone named Ian Zendro. But that was merely Ainar in disguise.
Ainar, too, smirked as if unwilling to lose.
“My, my. Kyle Eros. That’s not something you’re in any position to say, is it?”
Cliden Diego’s name had not been on the cruise passenger list.
He had been hiding his identity as well, so how dare he talk.
“More importantly, what are you doing here?”
Right after the commotion, Ainar had seen someone in a hood chasing after Rosie, so he quickly followed.
He heard them inviting her into a room around the corner and tried to intervene immediately, but Mei and Lily—screaming their heads off—had grabbed him and delayed him.
But he hadn’t expected the man in the room to be Cliden.
Ainar looked at Cliden—then past him, into the room.
“Since when does a mere manager oversee the personal guests of a hotel guest?”
But that line of sight was blocked by Cliden stepping in front of him.
Ainar’s sharp gaze glinted—
“Cliden, is something wrong…? Manager?”
Rosie, worried because Cliden hadn’t returned for a while, stepped out—
And spotted Ainar.
“What brings you here…?”
Seeing Rosie approaching from behind Cliden, Ainar felt a surge of irritation—
As if he were some unwelcome intruder barging into their private moment.
“I came because… I had something to say about earlier.”
He hadn’t come for that reason, but if he didn’t make up some excuse, he felt she wouldn’t welcome his sudden appearance.
Rosie immediately looked uneasy. After all, she had caused quite the scene in the hotel lobby.
Worse yet, she—a mere commoner—had grabbed a noblewoman’s hair.
Even if Lily had started it, no one knew how much that could excuse her.
“…Yes. I suppose so. Please go ahead.”
Her lips pressed tight, Rosie waited like someone prepared for punishment—
Even eviction.
Ainar almost laughed—it was so out of place—but held it back.
Instead of launching straight into conversation, he said:
“This isn’t something I want to say in front of someone else.”
“Ah…”
Rosie glanced at Cliden, flustered.
Cliden was about to step back so he wouldn’t make things difficult for her, but—
“Please wait.”
Before he could speak, Rosie grabbed him in a hurry.
Cliden blinked in surprise.
Rosie, polite and composed, continued:
“It’s nothing big, but I have something for you. Could you please wait just a moment until I return?”
“…Very well. I had something to think about anyway.”
Ainar’s eyes darkened with hostility at how readily Cliden agreed.
Wait for her.
Meaning—after speaking with him, Rosie would return and be alone with Cliden again.
Ainar glared at Rosie irritably.
“You really…”
But he never finished.
He wasn’t in the mood to tease like before, and he couldn’t possibly say something serious like “You’re the kind of woman who plays with men’s hearts” when she was already weighed down by vicious rumors.
So instead, he grabbed her wrist tightly.
To hell with it—he’d drag her away first and worry later.
“…!”
Rosie stumbled forward toward him, startled.
But before she was pulled too far—
Cliden grabbed her shoulder firmly.
“Be careful. She’s hurt.”
Ainar looked at him like What the hell are you talking about?
Lily had grabbed Rosie’s hair, sure, but that hardly counted as an injury worth fussing over.
In fact, Lily had seemed more traumatized by the experience.
Ainar ignored Cliden and tried to walk off with Rosie—
But Cliden blocked him again.
“…What now?”
Ainar glared.
The man was pretending to be gentlemanly, but it was obvious he didn’t like Rosie being taken away.
“I said be careful.”
“Explain yourself.”
“Her ankle. Don’t tell me you didn’t know?”
