I Made a Mistake in my Confession. Can I Cancel it? - Chapter 18
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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 18
‘If that’s not it, then it doesn’t make sense.’
It would have been understandable if he had flipped the dining table while asking what kind of nonsense this was. But fortunately, such a thing never happened in the end. When the nerve-wracking time was over, the Baron and Baroness rose from their seats. Lillian thought this was her chance and quickly followed them out.
“Oh my, this child really. We’ll go first, so you stay and have some more fun before coming home.”
“That’s right, we’ve stayed too long. Have a good time with His Grace the Archduke and come home slowly.”
“What? But I should also…”
Suddenly, the Baroness pressed down firmly on Lillian’s shoulder, making her sit. Her smiling lips felt like they were threatening that she wouldn’t let it slide if Lillian tried to follow.
In the end, the Baron and Baroness left. Only Lillian and Kartan remained in the reception room. Only then did Lillian let out a small sigh. It was because her parents had shown so blatantly what they wanted.
“We were truly rude today. Your Grace, I’ll try to persuade my parents again about what we discussed today, so please don’t be too angry.”
As she was about to bow her head, a hand suddenly came up over her head. The moment it was about to touch, startled Lillian squeezed her eyes shut. Soon, a long breath was heard from above her head.
“There’s dust on you. Did you clean a warehouse today or something?”
“What? How could that be?”
She had been groomed from head to toe all day, led by Mother’s hand. She had checked the mirror several times on the way here, so there was no way dust could have gotten on her.
“Is there a lot of it?”
“…”
Looking around the room, no mirror was visible. Unfortunately, she had left all her luggage in the carriage and didn’t have her hand mirror with her. Feeling frustrated, Lillian carefully brushed through her styled hair.
“That’s strange, there doesn’t seem to be anything… Is it not this side?”
“…Not there, next to it.”
Kartan, who had somehow put his hands in his pants pockets, answered as if annoyed.
“Is it here?”
“No, a bit more to the left.”
“Here?”
“No.”
At this rate, it seemed like she would never find the dust.
‘All the hard work I put into styling my hair is going to get messed up…’
Lillian had no choice but to decide to ask him for help.
“Um, I really can’t tell where it is, so could you tell me more precisely?”
Suddenly, he let out a snicker as if finding it absurd. Did he think she was being rude? It seemed like she would have to find someone else to ask.
‘Don’t tell me he thinks I’m dirty? That can’t be…?’
At the sudden thought, Lillian’s eyes widened. For a Count’s Daughter, the stigma of being dirty was tantamount to a death sentence. Before his opinion could solidify, she hurriedly began making excuses.
“I… I’m saying this in case you misunderstand, but I washed thoroughly. I’m not a messy person. I even took time off to come here today and worked hard to dress up. Really!”
He just laughed without answering, as if dismissing it as ridiculous nonsense. Feeling anxious, she clenched her fists.
“It’s true… Please believe me!”
Suddenly, Kartan’s gaze turned downward. Following his gaze, Lillian was startled and unconsciously let go of his collar that she had been gripping.
‘Am I crazy! In my urgency, I unconsciously grabbed His Grace the Archduke’s collar! He must think I’m being rude.’
“I’m, I’m sorry.”
Kartan took a step closer to Lillian, who was backing away, and lowered his head. Soon, the hand that came up over her head slowly brushed away the dust. His touch was warmer and more careful than expected.
‘Oh, what’s this. Did His Grace the Archduke have this side to him…’
I felt a strange emotion without realizing it.
“Your face is red.”
For a moment, feeling like my thoughts had been caught, my voice naturally grew louder.
“N-no, it’s not like that!”
“What are you talking about? It’s red, right now.”
He pulled out a hand mirror from his pocket, telling me to check for myself.
“Ah… you had a mirror.”
“Yeah.”
Was it just my imagination that his answering face seemed shameless? Even though I hadn’t asked, when someone is struggling right in front of you, you could at least show it to them.
“Don’t need the mirror anymore?”
“Yes…”
Though I was annoyed, I couldn’t bring myself to confront him about it. As I was pouting with my lower lip sticking out, I heard unexpected words from above my head.
“You worked hard today.”
To think I would hear such words from none other than His Grace the Archduke! But my surprise was brief. The one who really worked hard wasn’t me.
“…I’m truly sorry.”
To this, he asked in an indifferent voice.
“For what.”
“For everything. I didn’t know my parents would make such a rude request. And also…”
“So that’s why you’ve been acting like a criminal this whole time.”
“I’m sorry.”
Soon, a heavy sigh came from above my head.
“Do you know how many times you’ve said that now? My ears are going to get calluses.”
“Sor…”
As Lillian was about to apologize again, she suddenly remembered the blue diamond she was wearing.
‘I should probably return this at least. He already spent a lot of money because of my parents…’
When her thoughts reached that point, Lillian hurriedly unfastened the necklace.
“I’ll return this to you. It seems too extravagant for me to wear around.”
Of course, she knew that returning a gift wasn’t proper etiquette. But she thought this was the best solution since he could recoup some of his losses, and she could lighten the burden on her heart a little. Besides, she had nowhere to wear such a nice thing anyway.
But he seemed to have misunderstood her meaning differently. He said something completely unexpected.
“Should I give you a promotion along with it then?”
“What? No. What does that suddenly have to do with…”
She couldn’t understand the context of why the conversation jumped in that direction. But it seemed His Grace the Archduke didn’t understand either.
“Then I’ll change it to a different necklace.”
“What? No. I don’t mean I don’t like the necklace…”
If she told him her true thoughts, it would hurt His Grace the Archduke’s pride. How could she safely return the necklace without touching his pride?
Soon, Kartan let out a big sigh.
“Fine. If you don’t want it, give it here.”
Somehow, making all her worrying pointless, he already seemed quite offended. Taking the necklace, he threw it straight into the trash can.
Clang.
Did the last princess of the Rogman Empire know? That her necklace would be thrown into a trash can. At this shocking sight, Lillian couldn’t help but scream.
“Y-Your Grace!”
“It’s a useless object to me anyway.”
Even so! There are returns and exchanges are always possible, so did he really have to use such an extreme method?
“B-But throwing it away is…!”
“It’s my choice.”
At his cynical voice, Lillian couldn’t add another word. Because how he disposed of a gift she had rejected was not her place to interfere.
But even so, she couldn’t just stand there and do nothing. Lillian quickly rushed to the trash can and hurriedly retrieved the necklace. Then she earnestly rubbed and wiped the necklace, which was sticky with some unknown substance, with her skirt. Right now, she didn’t care whether her dress got dirty or not.
That’s when it happened. An irritated voice came from above her head.
“Why are you picking up something I threw away in disgust?”
“I work handling things much dirtier than this anyway.”
“….”
“I’m truly sorry for rejecting the gift. But when my parents are receiving financial support from Your Grace, I felt too ashamed to accept a necklace as well.”
For a moment, Lillian felt so relieved that she thought she should have said this long ago.
‘So this is what it feels like when a person reveals their true feelings.’
But she immediately regretted it.
‘Why, why is he glaring at me so frighteningly…?’
Did I perhaps make another verbal mistake?
A moment later, the sound of the door closing was heard loudly. Left alone, Lillian stopped wiping the necklace.
“He must surely think I’m an uncultured woman…”
Not only had she stuck her hand into the trash can, but she had also wiped it against the skirt she was wearing, so how much worse could it get?
‘Perhaps this time I’ll really be dismissed by His Grace the Archduke.’
The blue diamond in her hand seemed to smell like a foul sewer. But its characteristic brilliant light remained the same. Perhaps that’s why she felt upset.
“Maybe I should have just stayed still.”
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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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