My Unrequited Love Is an Absolute Secret - Chapter 41

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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 41

Before leaving, the Police Officer rummaged through his pocket and handed Harry two caramel candies.
They weren’t specially prepared for Halloween—they seemed like snacks he carried with him regularly.
“I’m giving you these in exchange for taking your brother’s candy.”
With the mountain of sweets Robin had received throughout the day, one missing piece wouldn’t even be noticed.
Yet his thoughtfulness touched me deeply.
“…Thank you.”
Harry gazed at the candies and smiled faintly.
“Happy Halloween.”
“Happy Halloween.”
The Halloween that had been plagued by one mishap after another was gradually drawing to a close.

***

Harry’s parents returned home around 10 p.m. every night.
Until then, Aemerus remained at the house, waiting with her for her parents to arrive.
[Lili! There was a police officer outside—is everything okay?]
Her parents, arriving home at the usual time as always, were startled to see Aemerus.
They hadn’t expected to have a guest still in the house.
While waiting for her parents with Aemerus, Harry had calmed her initial shock and calmly explained the situation.
That Aemerus had come instead of Jessie.
That something suspicious had been mixed in with the candies Robin received.
And the commotion that had erupted in the middle of the night.
“Good heavens, what on earth happened?”
After hearing the full account of events, her parents took Aemerus’s hand and expressed their gratitude.
“Thank you so much for protecting our Lili and Robin, Aemerus.”
“They’re my friends, so I would have done anything I could to help.”
Aemerus clasped their hands in return and smiled courteously.
“Now that you’re here, I should be heading home.”
He stepped back, as if unwilling to intrude on the family’s intimate time, but was immediately held back.
“Leave at this hour?”
“Besides, they haven’t even caught the culprit yet.”
Aemerus’s House wasn’t far from here.
And since it was night, there would be no traffic, so it would take only twenty minutes by car.
Normally, Harry would have agreed with her parents’ concern and tried to persuade him to stay.
But after what had happened tonight, I was afraid to let him leave like this.
‘What if he gets attacked on the way home?’
It had been one of those days where nothing would have surprised me anymore, no matter what else happened.
In the end, I held onto Aemerus.
“Could you just stay the night? Just for tonight?”
“….”
“I’m anxious about it.”
Aemerus gazed down at my pale hands gripping his arm.
He would probably assume I was frightened like a child from the shock earlier.
It was fine to let him misunderstand.
As long as Aemerus could get through tonight safely.
“Then I’ll presume to impose on you for just this one night.”
“Good thinking. Make sure you tell your parents you’re sleeping over at a friend’s house.”
“Yes.”
Despite his obedient reply, Aemerus had no intention of informing his parents about staying out.
His parents weren’t even home at the moment.
They wouldn’t worry about their son not coming home—they wouldn’t even notice he hadn’t returned.
“Lili, take Aemerus to the Guest Room.”
Preoccupied with the thought of keeping him here, I suddenly realized a significant problem.
“Oh, but the Guest Room is in such a state right now….”
In the past, Jessie and his parents used to stay in the Guest Room frequently.
But since their visits had stopped, various items had accumulated until it resembled nothing more than a storage closet.
An awkward situation—I’d insisted he stay the night, only to have to send him away again.
Since I was the one who had actively asked him to stay, I was about to step forward and apologize.
“I’m fine sleeping on the Living Room sofa.”
Instead of saying he’d go home, Aemerus asked to use the sofa.
“But you’re a guest—the sofa is hardly appropriate….”
Could I really do that to someone else’s precious son?
Harry’s Mother expressed her hesitation.
But for Aemerus, the current situation felt nothing but welcome.
At first, he had been “one of Jessie’s friends I didn’t even know existed.”
Then he became my “decent friend,” and now he had been elevated to a “grateful benefactor” who had protected me.
His feelings about this transformation were naturally complex.
“I’m fine with the sofa. I’m the one asking to impose on you like this.”
Though it was actually my parents who had suddenly decided to let Aemerus stay, he acted as though he had been the one to ask first.
His attitude completely won over my parents’ hearts.
“How does he speak so beautifully? Aemerus’s parents must be so fortunate.”
Left unchecked, they seemed ready to adopt Aemerus on the spot.
I wrapped up the conversation appropriately.
“I’ll take care of Aemerus’s bedding. You two must be tired—go wash up and get some rest.”
“All right. Let us know if you need anything else.”
“Yes.”
I sent my parents to their room first, then gestured to Aemerus with my chin.
“I’ll get you a pillow and blanket. Take them from my room.”
“Okay.”
“What about clothes? If you don’t mind, I could lend you some of my father’s. Oh, I could probably find some of Jessie’s too if I look.”
The moment Jessie’s name left my lips, Aemerus’s expression froze cold.
Soon enough, he returned to his usual demeanor as if nothing had happened, smiling as he politely declined.
“I don’t want to make a fuss over just one night.”
His true reason, of course, was that he didn’t want to wear Jessie’s clothes.
Unaware of this, I nodded helplessly.
“Just let me know if you change your mind later.”
“I will.”
The two of us gathered spare blankets and pillows from my room and came back out.
Once we laid down the mat and arranged the pillow, it made for a reasonably comfortable sleeping space.
“This is quite impressive, actually.”
Aemerus reassured me as I watched his expression, then urged me to get some rest and sent me upstairs.
Aemerus must be exhausted too, I thought.
Unlike me, who could lean on Aemerus, he couldn’t do the same.
He alone bore the weight of protecting a child and a woman, and the pressure must have been immense.
Had I even thanked Aemerus?
I thought I probably had, but my mind had been so scattered that I couldn’t be certain.
I stopped abruptly in the middle of the staircase.
Should I tell him tomorrow? It’s too late tonight…
As I hesitated and turned around, Aemerus was there.
I was startled.
My heart raced, not realizing he had been watching me.
“What?”
“I just… forgot to say thank you. That’s all.”
“What are you talking about?”
Aemerus turned his head away and let out a soft laugh.
“All I did today was call the Police Officer. So don’t burden yourself with gratitude.”
That wasn’t true at all.
Aemerus had created a special Halloween that Robin would treasure for years to come.
He had held me close when I was terrified and soothed my fears.
Everything he had done for me today was anything but trivial.
“Aemerus.”
At my call, Aemerus straightened his head.
“You have no idea what you mean to me—what you’ve done for me today.”
Even if I were to confess an unrequited love to Jessie, I don’t think I’d feel this embarrassed.
I scrunched my nose trying to hide my flushed face, carelessly swept my hair behind my ear, and stammered out hastily.
“Sleep well.”
“…You too.”
I spun around hastily and climbed the stairs.
It probably looked like I was fleeing, but I couldn’t help it.
‘This is all because of Aemerus.’
Back in my room, I squeezed my eyes shut.
If he had boasted or made a show of what happened today, my gratitude would have been halved.
But instead, he told me not to burden myself, that it was nothing—and comforted me.
My gratitude only doubled.
How could I repay him?
“Buying him a meal doesn’t seem like enough.”
Even after turning off the light and lying in bed, my thoughts continued.
Should I repay him with a gift?
But what could I possibly give to a wealthy young master?
‘Rejected.’
I yawned widely and tossed in bed.
Sleep was beginning to creep in.
‘What can I do for Aemerus…? Catch the stalker?’
Now that I thought about it, I needed to find another suspect besides Faye.
I had no idea who it could be.
‘From now on, I’ll stay right by Aemerus’s side and keep watch.’
Before I knew it, I had drifted off to sleep.
But my consciousness was floating in the void when the sound of glass shattering jolted me awake.
“A dream?”
Cold sweat drenched my entire body. My heart raced.
Confused about whether it was a dream or reality, I strained to listen outside, but there was only silence.
‘I’m scared….’
I couldn’t bear to be alone.
I crept down the stairs barefoot, my footsteps silent.
The house was dark with all the lights off, but I found my way to the Living Room sofa without hesitation.
“Aemerus.”
Crouching in front of the sofa, I gently shook Aemerus, who was sleeping under a blanket.
He opened one eye and called out to me.
“…Lili?”
It was the first time Aemerus had called me ‘Lili’, but I didn’t notice it.
“Aemerus, didn’t you hear that sound?”
“What sound?”
“Glass breaking. I heard it again just now….”
My voice grew quieter.
From Aemerus’s reaction, it became clear that I must have misheard.
“I’m sorry. I must have heard wrong. Go back to sleep.”
Aemerus asked as she rose from her seat with a dejected expression.
“Would you like me to stay beside you?”

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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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