Chapter 32
“…Was that a malicious letter?”
Judging by how serious Lou looked, I wondered if there were curses written inside. Kids these days are scary—putting nasty letters inside cute pink envelopes with hearts and teddy bears.
Luckily, it didn’t seem to be a malicious letter. Lou shook his head.
Then he carefully folded the letter and put it in his pocket.
“…?”
“…What.”
I looked at Lou, and he just muttered casually. He even took the letter away from me?
I hadn’t cared much about it before, but now I was curious. I reached out my hand.
“Give it here.”
“Give what?”
“The letter.”
Lou stubbornly pressed his lips together. Why hide it so much? I got up and approached him.
“Not giving it?”
“You just spoke informally to me?”
“Then give it quickly if you have a problem.”
“….”
Lou stood up and grabbed a stone from the windowsill.
And in an instant, he disappeared.
“Wow…”
I couldn’t believe it. He teleported away just to hide a letter. It was so childish it almost gave me goosebumps.
I glared at the empty space where Lou had been before leaving the room.
“Already here?”
At the laundry area, Deriksha was spreading out bedding. She blinked when she saw my empty hands.
“The box? Did you throw it away?”
“Of course not.”
No matter how indifferent I acted, I wasn’t the type to throw away a gift. I rolled my eyes and said,
“…Young Master Lou took it.”
“…?”
Deriksha stared at me like I was talking nonsense. It sounded like a lie, but it was true.
“Oh, Lily-unnie! You’re working here today?”
I turned at the familiar voice. It was the black-haired maid I’d seen that morning.
“Good afternoon, Deriksha-unnie!”
“Hello, Katie.”
Deriksha smiled and returned her greeting.
Katie… Katie… That name sounded familiar. I thought for a moment, turning it over in my mind.
“Katie.”
“Yes?”
I looked at her and grabbed her shoulder firmly.
“Do you want to die?”
“Oh, I’m being threatened!”
Katie pouted and looked at Deriksha. Of course, Deriksha stayed neutral and just smiled, enjoying the show.
I sighed and said,
“Hurry up and go tell people it’s just a rumor.”
“A rumor?”
Katie tilted her head with innocent curiosity. She looked like a child who knew nothing.
“Oh, the rumor that Lily-unnie is dating Young Master Lou! It’s already spread to the main mansion, now you just need to tell the annex!”
Had she chosen the wrong career path? Seeing her spread a false rumor so quickly, she’d probably be more successful in a job other than being a maid. I exhaled and said to Katie,
“I’m not dating Young Master Lou.”
“What? But…”
“Are maids’ jobs easier these days?”
“I’m sorry…”
Katie bowed her head, looking upset but also slightly unfair.
She opened her mouth again, then lifted her head and said,
“But when I asked, Young Master Lou himself said some things…”
“…Young Master Lou?”
I blinked. Katie wasn’t the only one behind this rumor.
“This is starting to get interesting.”
Meanwhile, Deriksha was watching us with amusement. Why was she enjoying my suffering over a rumor?
I glanced around and noticed the other maids listening to us were all smiling. These commoners found happiness in mere gossip. I even felt a little sorry for them.
“…What did Young Master Lou say?”
“That he likes Lily-unnie…”
“Stop right there, Katie.”
Deriksha covered Katie’s mouth before she could say more. What kind of nonsense rumor was this? I couldn’t even guess how far it had spread.
Deriksha smiled and said,
“Then we should ask Young Master Lou himself to settle it. Where did he go?”
“He teleported away…”
Deriksha looked at me like I was talking nonsense again. I felt so frustrated…
“Well, since it’s like this, I’ll give him the letters.”
Katie rummaged through a laundry basket and pulled out a bunch of letters.
What now…? I stared at Katie in disbelief as she handed them to me.
“The maid friends asked me to give these to you!”
“Why you…?”
“Because I have connections,” Katie said proudly. I looked at her coldly before taking the letters.
Like the ones I got this morning, the letters had heart stickers or pink envelopes, all looking very affectionate.
“What is this?”
“You already read some, so you’d know.”
“I didn’t get to read the ones from this morning because Young Master Lou took them.”
“Pfft.”
Deriksha burst into laughter at my words. She laughed for a long time and wiped away tears before saying,
“Looks like Young Master Lou was in a hurry too.”
“…In a hurry for what?”
Could these really be malicious letters? Maybe Lou took them away to protect me. That would be thoughtful, in a way.
Deriksha still had a smile on her face.
“These are love letters.”
I blinked. Suddenly, I was receiving love letters?
I stared at the letters in my hand, then put them in the laundry basket hanging on my arm. I’d read them later at the dorm.
Right now, there was something more urgent than reading love letters.
“Go tell everyone it’s a false rumor.”
“Y-yes…”
Katie answered gloomily to my firm words. Since the rumor spread in just a few hours, it would disappear by the end of the day. I felt relieved and left the laundry area.
I headed to Lou’s room.
This time, I barged in without courtesy. Lou was sitting in the same place as before, acting as if nothing had happened.
“Are you joking?”
“Why? It was fun.”
Lou said boldly. I couldn’t believe it—the accomplice spreading the rumor that I was dating him was him.
He leaned his chin on his hand, smiling at me.
“I thought the kids were bored these days.”
“You spread a rumor just because you’re bored…? You’ll block your own marriage prospects like that.”
“Then it’s good for me.”
Good for him? I shook my head. Lou tried to defend himself.
“I didn’t lie, at least.”
“…Then why did a rumor start that we’re dating? Come up with a proper excuse.”
“It’s true. That’s how rumors work. They get exaggerated and spread.”
It was technically true, but I frowned anyway.
Lou pulled something out of his pocket and put it on the table. The love letter he had stolen earlier.
“You’re popular.”
“….”
I let out a dry laugh at how he repeated exactly what I had said before.
I walked over and picked up the letter from the table.
“Thank you for letting me enjoy my vacation.”
“You’re welcome.”
Even with my sarcasm, Lou smiled brazenly. I gave up talking and left the room.
As soon as I left, the next door opened—it was Able’s room.
“Oh, Lily.”
Able came up to me.
“I was actually looking for you.”
“I’m not dating Young Master Lou.”
“What are you talking about all of a sudden?”
Able looked surprised. Luckily, he hadn’t heard the rumor.
Then why did he call me? I tilted my head.
“You’re going to the mother’s mansion with Lou, right?”
“Yes.”
“Can you find someone for me while you’re there?”
Someone? I looked puzzled. Able continued.
“A boy, around five years old… with black hair.”
“…How am I supposed to find him with just that?”
Even near the duke’s house, there were plenty of black-haired kids. If he were blonde, it’d be different, but black hair was common.
Able seemed to realize he hadn’t explained enough and added,
“His name is Enoch… If you can’t find him, it’s okay. There’s no need to force it. I’m just telling you, just in case.”
It didn’t seem that important. Able sighed briefly.
“I never found him before, so he might not be there. But since you get along with the main kids, I thought I’d ask just in case.”
Was he someone related to the original story too? How could such a young child living far from the duke’s house matter? The story probably revolves around Deriksha and Odin.
I put my curiosity aside for now and asked,
“…What am I supposed to do if I find him?”
“Just deliver a message.”
Able tilted his eyes and flicked his finger, probably planning to whisper it so the nearby servants wouldn’t hear.
I nodded, ready to do as he said. After he whispered, I made a shocked face.
“…What?”
“Yes, it’s ridiculous, I know. But it’s an important message, so deliver it if you meet him.”
Able seemed aware of how absurd it was. If I said it to a stranger, I’d probably look crazy.
Seeing my face, Able blushed slightly. He seemed embarrassed for even saying it.
“I’m just giving a warning. You don’t have to go out of your way if you don’t want to.”
Since I wouldn’t be leaving the mansion for work anyway, I probably wouldn’t have to find him. Judging by Able’s reaction, it didn’t seem necessary.
I nodded to show I understood.
