I Made a Mistake in my Confession. Can I Cancel it? - Chapter 10
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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Episode 10
“Come to my bedroom tonight.”
Startled, Lillian asked back.
“Wh-what did you just say?”
She hoped she had misheard, but there was no such luck.
“Are you deaf? I said stay and sleep here.”
His shockingly shameless attitude left her speechless. No matter that His Grace the Archduke had saved her life, this was unacceptable.
“Why, do you dislike it?”
The gaze she met in that moment seemed to say, ‘You’re rejecting me? Do you think you can survive after that?’ Looking into those threatening eyes, Lillian’s expression became troubled.
‘I can’t just refuse outright. But for an unmarried man and woman to sleep in the same room… that’s absolutely impossible.’
Lillian was torn between her fear of Kartan and her own beliefs. Then, deciding this wasn’t something she could compromise on, she struggled to speak.
“Well… my parents would worry…!”
She felt pathetic making excuses about her parents like a child, but she had no choice. Spending the night in the same bed as Archduke Kartan was impossible. But despite her firm thoughts, Lillian kept watching Kartan’s reactions.
“I’ll speak well to your parents about it. Is that settled then?”
“And, and also…”
“And also what?”
After flinching at his irritated tone, Lillian began to quietly voice her thoughts.
“And also… for an unmarried man and woman to be in the same room… especially sleeping together in a bedroom is unthinkable. No matter how much the world has changed… there are certain lines that must be maintained.”
Kartan, who had been listening calmly until Lillian finished speaking, snorted as if incredulous.
“So? Are you saying you’ll ignore whether the person who got hurt because of you suffers all night or not?”
“…!”
Lillian straightened up in shock.
“That’s not it at all! I just… well…”
She wanted to say that she had always lived properly, keeping to her duties and staying within her bounds, and had never done anything to feel guilty about. But when His Grace treated her like an ungrateful person, she felt so wronged that the words wouldn’t come out properly.
The corners of Kartan’s mouth curved subtly as he watched such a Lillian.
“Never mind then. I thought the Count’s Daughter wouldn’t be so shameless.”
“Yes…”
In the end, she gained nothing at all. She wondered if she should have just stayed home. She should have just sent a letter as usual.
Just then, the butler came from outside to announce that dinner was ready. Only then did Kartan get up.
“Well then, let’s go up to the room.”
“Yes… what?”
Lillian, who had almost obediently followed, looked up at Kartan with wide eyes. He shrugged his shoulders.
“Why, does the Count’s Daughter need time? Then I’ll go up first.”
Then he burst into laughter and left the reception room.
“I can’t live like this.”
Lillian belatedly clutched her head. The butler, who had entered the reception room at some point, cleared his throat quietly and said.
“Miss, I’ll guide you to your room.”
In the end, she had no choice but to follow the butler. Throughout their walk down the corridor, the butler continuously explained various aspects of the mansion. From which era and who created the hanging artworks, to how the overall management and expenses were handled.
“…His Grace the Archduke dislikes the mansion being bustling. Moreover, he finds the servants’ attendance bothersome, so we mainly bring meals up to his room. For me, it’s simply regrettable that there aren’t many opportunities to show these things.”
“Yes…”
As she kept nodding her head, a puzzled thought suddenly occurred to her.
‘But normally, wouldn’t you not tell visitors this kind of story…?’
She felt like a newly hired employee receiving orientation on her first day. The butler of the Archduke’s residence must definitely love to chat. Unable to tell him to stop, Lillian just looked out the window toward what appeared to be the corridor. Then the butler spoke.
“It’s a tree that His Grace the Archduke planted himself.”
“Pardon?”
Lillian’s gaze turned to the butler. The butler was lost in thought for quite a while before continuing.
“It’s a World Tree brought from the Imperial Palace. I heard that he made a special request to His Majesty the Emperor.”
“Yes… No wonder it looked so familiar.”
Lillian nodded in understanding. The World Tree was a very rare species that bloomed only once in its lifetime.
‘I heard there’s only one tree in the Emperor’s Palace garden, so His Grace the Archduke’s power really is impressive. But why… do I feel like I’ve seen the flowers that bloomed on that tree.’
Perhaps it was a mistake. She had only set foot in the Imperial Palace after getting a job as a gardener.
‘I must be mistaken since I saw so many rare species while working at the Imperial Palace.’
The butler, who had been watching Lillian with a strange expression, pointed to the door right in front of them.
“Here it is. Please get ready and come out. I’ll be waiting.”
Entering the room, Lillian let out a low sigh, thinking she had finally escaped from the chatty butler.
“Phew…”
Then she realized this wasn’t the time to feel relieved. She would have to go to His Grace the Archduke’s bedroom shortly.
‘What if that’s really what His Grace the Archduke wants?’
Having such a thought suddenly, she quickly shook her head.
“No, that can’t be. Why would His Grace the Archduke bother with me…”
Finding it amusing even to herself, she chuckled, but her face quickly turned pale.
“No, it really might be that! Otherwise, why would he specifically call me to his bedroom… and at such a late hour!”
Getting that far in her words, Lillian pictured Kartan in her mind. Imagining him approaching her, her breath suddenly caught. Lillian bit her lips and paced around the room.
“But I can’t just ignore him when he got hurt because of me…”
No matter how much she thought about it, no clever solution came to mind. The books didn’t explain what to do in situations like this either.
‘Maybe it’s not what I’m thinking. I might just be jumping to conclusions by myself.’
Then she stopped walking and checked if the whistle for self-defense in her pocket was still there.
“I’m so glad I brought this in case of emergency.”
Steeling her resolve, she opened the door. But as she got closer to the bedroom where Kartan was, her anxiety only grew. It felt like something tremendous(?) would happen once she entered the bedroom. For example, Archduke Kartan waiting for her completely naked, or doing this and that to her…!
Horrified by just the imagination, Lillian covered her face.
‘Wh-what should I do… Should I run away even now…?’
But her body was already standing in front of the door. The butler spoke toward the door.
“Master, the Count’s Daughter has arrived.”
“Come in.”
Archduke Kartan’s low voice came from inside the room. Lillian gulped. The door opened, but she couldn’t easily lift her feet.
“Please go in.”
Only after the butler urged her could she move her feet with difficulty. And at that moment, the door closed with a thud behind her. Lillian froze in place and squeezed her eyes shut first. She couldn’t muster the courage to face His Grace the Archduke directly.
‘What if he’s really naked? What if he pounces on me…!’
The tense Lillian clutched her skirt.
“What are you standing there for? Sit down.”
Contrary to her expectation that he would do something to her as soon as she entered, the voice she heard was utterly dry. Finding it somewhat strange, she carefully opened one eye.
“Ah.”
At that moment, Lillian was swept up in a feeling of emptiness. It was because the situation was so different from what she had imagined.
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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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