The Countess's Body Has Disappeared - Chapter 45

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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 45
2-3. Secret Romance
“So, what day is it today?”
Cecilia had gathered Ruby and Nagi together in one place for the first time in a while. Standing atop the small coffee table in the living room, Ruby spread her two wings wide, their feathers gleaming with lustre, and answered.
Squawk!
“The day Cecilia goes to the forest to gather fruit for us!”
“Exactly. So while I’m away on the Back Mountain, how will you two behave?”
“Quietly! Don’t break any dishes! And don’t wake Grandmother Betty!”
“Good.”
Cecilia nodded approvingly. She tucked an empty basket under her arm, and before leaving the Cottage, she turned back one last time to give them a final word of warning.
“Good animals will have a generous reward waiting for them when I return!”
“Oh, a reward!”
The excited Ruby fluttered her wings so vigorously they trembled, while Nagi fixed her with a glare of golden eyes before slipping quietly out of the way.
Sunlight poured through gaps in the puffy clouds, and the breeze carried just the right amount of warmth. It was perfect weather for gathering fruit from the trees.
Walking up the Back Mountain with a light step, Cecilia came to an abrupt halt at the Stream Bank when she spotted a familiar silhouette.
As always, Davion was smoking.
When he noticed her, a smirk crossed his face.
His thick black hair tousled in the breeze. As if to show off the muscles glistening with sweat, his upper body was bare once again.
Before her gaze could linger on Davion’s bronzed chest, Cecilia hurriedly fled. Seeing her retreat, Davion burst into helpless laughter, grabbed his shirt from a nearby stump, and caught up to her with quick, long strides.
“Are you deliberately avoiding me right now?”
Yelp! Cecilia startled and glanced around frantically.
“What, was my kiss really that bad? You can’t even stand to look at my face?”
The memory of last night flooded back, and Cecilia’s face flushed crimson. She quickened her pace and spoke in a low voice.
“Please, just… leave me alone for a bit!”
“How are your feet? Are they alright?”
Matching her quickened pace, Davion glanced down at her feet, which were crammed hastily into her shoes, and asked with concern. Only then did Cecilia manage to calm herself a little and respond.
“They’re not torn too badly. After I apply some salve and a few days pass, they should heal.”
“What about your tongue?”
Davion’s lips curved into a playful arc.
“My tongue? Did I hurt that? From you biting me with your front teeth?”
“You’re terrible!”
As the blush spread all the way to Cecilia’s earlobes, Davion covered his mouth with his arm and quietly giggled to himself.
He caught up to her fleeing form with ease and tugged gently at the white hem of her skirt, pleading.
“Why do you keep running away, hmm? Can’t you just tell me? That way I’ll know to be careful next time.”
“Because it’s embarrassing! It’s embarrassing!”
“Are you about to run away again?”
Cecilia fixed him with a sharp glare, but she quickly adjusted her basket and took the first step toward the entrance to the Back Mountain.
In that instant, Davion grabbed her wrist in alarm. A long, tattered barbed wire strung between the trees seemed to send him a warning.
“Wait, Cecilia. You never know what might jump out in the mountains. Even the young master here doesn’t go into these hills.”
But Cecilia snorted derisively, wriggled free from his grip, and answered with a mischievous grin.
“Forget it. You chasing after me is scarier than any animal.”
Without giving Davion time to object, she strode up the mountain path with long, determined steps.
Naturally, there was no one nearby who could stop her. Davion quickly dressed, and reluctantly followed Cecilia deep into the forest.
Ruby and Nagi joked about calling themselves “Vegetarians.” Though they were creatures closer to carnivores by nature, living with Cecilia meant they ate only fish as their meat.
So Cecilia would often venture into the mountains to gather fruit and catch insects to sustain their flourishing vegetarian diet. The fruit fell to Ruby’s share, while the insects became Nagi’s.
Summer sunlight filtered through the dense canopy and settled onto Cecilia’s hair.
Upon discovering fruit ripe and appetizing, a soft smile bloomed at her lips. Watching her, Davion—who had been entranced—suddenly furrowed his brow and asked.
“Isn’t that poisonous?”
“Huh?”
Cecilia tucked her hair behind her ear and looked up. As their eyes met, Davion found himself looking away without meaning to.
His chest felt tight.
“I’m not sure if it’s poisonous or not…”
But her earlier caution proved meaningless. In the next moment, she tossed the fruit in her hand straight into her mouth. Davion’s face went ashen in an instant, and he quickly cupped his hand under her chin.
“Don’t eat it so carelessly! Spit it out right now!”
“Wow, you’ve never seen a wild strawberry before?”
Cecilia doubled over with laughter, clutching her stomach, and nearby birds scattered with a rustle of branches.
“Idiot.”
Her expression turned innocent. Cecilia licked away the bright red fruit flesh that had dribbled from the corner of her mouth.
The crimson tip of her tongue disappeared into her mouth. Davion’s ribs heaved heavily.
‘Damn it…’
He thrust both hands deep into his trouser pockets and fell into contemplation.
He couldn’t hide his identity from Cecilia forever. The lie had started as a way to grow closer to her, but now they’d become something that could reasonably be called a relationship, hadn’t they? Cecilia might see it differently, but at least in his judgment…… it was.
Yet before Davion could gather the courage to broach the subject, Cecilia spoke to him first.
“Oh, by the way—I heard something amusing from Kate this morning…….”
What a fascinating story it must be. As the corner of her lips twitched, Davion felt a creeping unease.
“Is it true that among the military deployment soldiers, this household’s second son is nicknamed ‘Chimney’?”
……
And the worries that had been tormenting Davion were suddenly relegated to second place.
He touched the back of his neck where sweat had dried stiff, and answered a few seconds later.
“Um, why would they call me that?”
“Obvious! Because you smoke like a chimney, what else?!”
This time her laughter was far more unrestrained than before.
With Cecilia giggling beside him, Davion clamped his mouth shut. Who on earth had come up with such a name? Several faces flickered through his mind.
……Just who had the nerve to pin that moniker on him?
“It seems the young master here must be an even worse chain-smoker than you. You’re no joke yourself.”
“I’m actually quite moderate, all things considered. How many chain-smokers are there in this world?”
“Sure you are.”
Cecilia rapped his arm with her small fist, chiding him. So Davion braced himself for a stream of nagging about cigarettes that he’d find thoroughly unpleasant.
But what came next was an entirely unexpected question.
“Oh, and I heard the young master here is going to marry an actress. Did you hear about that?”
This time, Davion was visibly flustered.
“What? Uh. What did you say?”
“I don’t quite remember her name, but apparently the actress just debuted and is already incredibly famous. From what I hear, she comes from quite a prominent family. Well, that’s only natural, but…….”
Trailing off, Cecilia looked up at him with curious, questioning eyes.
But Davion’s mind had gone blank—so blank he couldn’t even draw a breath. Cecilia tossed the wild strawberries into the basket and let her disappointment show.
“So you really didn’t know either?”
No, that couldn’t be.
Esmeralda Rene. The arranged meeting with the youngest daughter of the Rene Family had been set long before his military deployment. But he hadn’t given it much weight.
Whether or not marriage would actually happen was beside the point—among unmarried officers returning from deployment, meeting prospective brides during leave was a convention everyone took for granted. He’d simply forgotten about it in his preoccupation with Cecilia.
If that youngest daughter had taken a liking to him, the adults would surely push for marriage.
……How was he supposed to back out of the arranged meeting? Suddenly, as if cold water had been poured over his head, his mind snapped into focus.

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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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