I’m Done With Unrequited Love - Chapter 37

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 37
It was inevitable that I’d run straight into Kiara the moment we four came down from the second floor.
‘According to Kiara, she did it because she was bored.’
I’d already planned to let Kiara and Habier play together while Sarubia finished her work, but meeting her like this without any mental preparation was another matter entirely.
Sarubia looked delighted, but Kiara gazed up at her with a blank face.
“Hmm, I suppose I don’t look much like you after all. You’re cute like a cat, but I look rather fierce.”
“That’s not true.”
It was then that Kiara spoke for the first time.
“Your sister is beautiful.”
“Oh my.”
“Very popular with the men—”
Thwap.
I clamped a hand over Kiara’s mouth faster than light.
I searched for words to explain myself, found none adequate, and simply apologized.
“My apologies.”
“Don’t worry about it! The child has good taste. I happen to be quite popular with the opposite sex, you know.”
True to her word, Sarubia was extraordinarily popular. Not just because of her station, but because she was renowned throughout the Empire as its most beautiful woman.
Sarubia smiled beautifully, as befitted her reputation, then gave a small sigh before pushing Habier forward.
“He’s my nephew. Don’t you think he looks like me? I thought it might be nice if you two introduced yourselves, what do you say?”
At Sarubia’s gentle suggestion, Kiara looked down at Habier, who stood there smiling awkwardly.
I tensed immediately.
‘Kiara, please use formal speech.’
Even among nobility, it was basic courtesy to use formal speech when meeting someone your own age for the first time.
‘And I haven’t taught her that yet.’
I’d only taught her manners toward adults, never explaining what she should do with peers.
Would Kiara, accustomed to street life, actually use formal speech with Habier?
Especially without even knowing he was royal?
Finally, Kiara’s lips parted.
“Hey?”
Thwap.
I covered Kiara’s mouth again.
* * *
These days, I feel the desperate need for a tutor.
And apparently Ernando feels the same way.
“She knows absolutely nothing.”
“Of course not. She was never even treated as a child, let alone raised as nobility.”
“Should I send an assassin?”
“To whom? Count Flora and his wife?”
Knowing it was a joke, I found myself laughing despite myself.
“Don’t even think about it. If they died now, you’d be the prime suspect.”
I gazed toward where the carriage waited. There, children laughed and chattered together.
Sarubia and Habier had hurried off, claiming they had urgent business.

Sarubia in particular had given me a sinister wink before disappearing. I desperately chose to ignore whatever hidden meaning lay behind it.
Just as I was about to head straight back to the estate, our plans were derailed by Rene, who came tumbling down from House Cleor’s carriage.

It turned out he’d been planning to head into town with Rene after finishing work at Ernando’s Office.
And so the four of us ended up traveling together.
I brought up a topic I’d meant to ask Ernando about earlier but had forgotten.
“The medicine seems to be working well.”
We stood beneath the spring sunshine.
Ernando wore no hat.
“As you can see.”
“It’s remarkable you actually trusted it enough to take it, given your nature.”
“Anyone can be fooled.”
“Hmm.”
Really?
I crossed my arms.
“In any case, you owe that to me, don’t you? Go ahead and thank me already.”
“Yeah, thanks.”
“Don’t mention it.”
* * *
We made our way to the Dessert Shop—the place Kiara had sung about wanting to visit.
The moment we stepped through the door, countless eyes fixed on us. I ignored them with practiced ease.
Kiara and Rene seemed puzzled by the attention, but I quickly redirected the children’s focus to the cakes in the display case.
“Cherry cake!”
“I… I’ll have the chocolate…”
It’s a good thing children have clear preferences.
According to Ernando, considerable effort had gone into cultivating Rene’s sense of taste. His speech patterns used to be “whatever” or “whatever you choose for me”—understandably, that required work.
‘He mentioned they’d slowly correct the stuttering too.’
I think as long as people can understand what’s being said, that’s enough. But Ernando clearly didn’t see it that way.
<We can’t leave room for others to find fault.>
That’s what befits the name House Cleor, he said.
‘If that’s the family tradition, so be it.’
I had nothing more to add on the matter.
After successfully placing our order, we claimed a table by the window on the second floor.
We began by catching up on recent affairs.
“Well, I’m… doing well.”
“I’m glad Fidellia isn’t conducting research here.”
The children were living satisfactory lives.
“Not bad.”
“I’m grateful for the chance to rest in the Capital, too.”
The adults were being less than honest.
After trading meaningless pleasantries, desserts and drinks arrived.
By then, Kiara and Rene had pushed their guardians aside and struck up their own conversation.
Ernando and I spoke quietly to each other.
“Does Rene know? About the lawsuit?”
“No.”
“It seems House Jonas keeps their servants’ tongues firmly in check.”
House Cleor was no different in that regard.
‘But Kiara knows about this sensitive matter—unlike Rene.’
There was no helping it.
‘Kiara is a force of nature, after all.’
She roams the estate all day searching for things to amuse herself with—which is how she found the Weekly Magazine Pippin had left on my desk, among other things.
‘Wait, hold on.’
“So how exactly did you persuade Rene to wait on the first floor of Ernando’s Office?”
“I told him I was going to meet a friend for a bit.”
“Just like that?”
“Just like that.”
My head ached.
“What about searching for Count Flora’s daughter?”
“It’s as you said.”
“What do you mean?”
“Apparently she’s shut herself away at the Papal Palace.”
“…All day long?”
Suddenly, I noticed the children’s voices had stopped.
When I turned, Kiara and Rene were staring directly at us.
‘What…’
What was that about?
There was no reason to feel caught off guard, yet I did.
The feeling of being found out.
Then, without warning, Kiara asked:
“Are you two, like… together?”
“…? What?”
“That kind of relationship? Do you like each other?”
Kiara’s eyes narrowed as she looked between Ernando and me in turn.
“….”
“….”
Neither Ernando nor I could respond immediately to that blunt question.
When would I ever hear such a direct question phrased that bluntly?
‘Except when talking with Ernando, I’ve only ever heard the speech of a noble young lady.’
Then the attack came from Rene’s side instead.
“But… it suits you…”
‘This madness.’
Tap-tap-tap-tap.
My hand holding the teacup trembled visibly.
It’s rather shocking. I never imagined I’d hear such words even from children.
As I sat there, Ernando stepped in and denied it.
“No.”
“Huh? You two don’t get along?”
“We don’t get along.”
“Sir, you’ll be struck down if you lie.”
Divine retribution? I have no idea where the child who declared God dead has wandered off to.
Soon the children began whispering to each other, glancing sideways at Ernando and me.
‘This feels ominous.’
Then, suddenly, Kiara pressed a hand to her forehead.
“Oh, my head…”
“K-Kiara.”
“All of a sudden dizzy? What is this? My head is spinning so badly!”
“……”
“……”
I stared blankly at Kiara.
‘What on earth is she doing?’
Why such an awkward performance all of a sudden?
“Ugh, I think I’m about to faint. Rene, is your house much farther from here?”
“Oh, no!”
“Thank goodness. Sir, I’m going to have to trouble you.”
“……”
“……”
Ernando and I regarded Kiara with expressions of disbelief.
Kiara was plainly about to collapse onto the floor and roll around.
And our Count Cleor, it seems, is hopelessly weak when it comes to the children.
“Get up.”
So we ended up heading to the Cleor Estate, and…
I stared at the chaos unfolding before my eyes.
Fluff!
Boom!
Whoosh-whoosh-whoosh!
“Kyahahaha!!”
Cotton stuffing burst from a pillow and scattered through the air.
I gazed blankly at the children bouncing across the bed.
‘How did it come to this?’

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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