The Return of Lilietta - Chapter 74

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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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Chapter 74

Rita took the history book and returned Grace to her crest form, then holstered her revolver back in the thigh holster.

Olivia, who had been watching this scene with a furrowed brow, glanced at Ethan. He had been trying to correct his slouched posture and stand properly like a footman, but was momentarily lost in thought.

Olivia picked up a cookie from the dessert tray and threw it at him. When something flew toward him, Ethan snapped back to attention, caught the cookie, and muttered a small curse.

“Ah, damn it.”

Oli glared at him, then turned back to Rita.

“Rita, I’ll make you a holster, so come to the salon and pick it up.”

As she finished speaking, Ethan stuffed the cookie into his pocket, changed his hair and eye color, and stood at attention. At that moment, a knock was heard at the reception room door.

“Excuse me. I have urgent news to deliver to Miss Lillieta…”

The owner of the nervous-sounding voice was Hanna. Rita stood up and opened the reception room door.

“What’s the matter?”

“I’m sorry to disturb you, Miss. Another guest has come looking for you.”

“A guest? Who?”

“Well… it’s the Duirebourg Noblewoman. She came without notice, saying she’s here for a sick visit and being quite insistent…”

Though Hanna spoke in a lowered voice, there was no one in this room who couldn’t hear her clearly.

Rita pressed her forehead.

‘Lavinia? If it’s her, she really would be insistent.’

Olivia, who had already gathered her basket, approached her.

“Rita, I’ll be going now.”

“Already?”

“You have another guest. And I have something urgent to make when I get back.”

Oli, who had been staring at her thigh area for a moment, smiled brightly.

“Well then, see you at the salon.”

“Yes, thank you.”

Olivia gave her a light embrace and left. Rita glanced back at the reception room with its disheveled dessert tray and awkwardly standing Ethan, then spoke to Hanna.

“Hanna, guide the Duirebourg Noblewoman to the garden house. I’ll head there shortly.”

“Yes, Miss.”

While answering politely, Hanna looked behind her at Ethan standing inside the reception room.

He had returned to his golden-brown hair and was covering his slightly reddened face with one hand while staring at the reception room doorway.

Somehow, it was an intense gaze.

However, that gaze didn’t reach Hanna at all. Their eyes didn’t meet.

‘…Ah.’

He’s looking at Miss’s back.

And taking away the refreshments meant for the reception room, that was also…

Hanna lowered her head, not wanting to think further.

“I’ll go guide the Noblewoman.”

“Yes, thank you, Hanna.”

The Miss, who had forgiven her sins and covered her mistakes, still gave unnecessary greetings in her kind voice. Hanna turned around with a dizzy feeling.

* * *

As soon as Lillieta entered the garden where colorful tulips bloomed brightly, she could see a pink mass sitting far away at the garden house suddenly stand up.

“What! You’re perfectly fine!”

“Were you hoping I’d be bedridden, Noblewoman?”

Rita replied indifferently as she entered the garden house and sat in a chair. Lavinia, who had been standing and fidgeting restlessly, stamped her feet and shouted as if wronged.

“I, I was worried!”

“Worried?”

“They said you were unconscious for three whole days! Of course I was worried!”

“You were worried about me, Noblewoman? Why?”

When she asked back in puzzlement, Lavinia’s face reddened and she plopped down roughly in her chair with a thud. Then she turned her head away and grumbled.

“Do I look so rude that I wouldn’t even worry about the person who saved me?”

“The person who saved you, ah.”

Rita belatedly recalled grabbing Lavinia when she almost fell into the water during the boat trip. She had completely forgotten about it after the Kraken appeared.

She nodded and answered.

“Yes, you do look that rude.”

“What, what? I…!”

Before the indignant Lavinia could shout something, she continued speaking.

“But I do know that you fell because you were trying to help me then. I was grateful for that.”

“…Ah.”

Lavinia’s face grew even redder. Rita added.

“Though in the end, you were more of a burden than a help.”

“…Hik.”

The pink-haired girl pressed her lips tightly together and trembled. With her chin quivering and her large eyes welling up, she looked like she didn’t know what to do with her embarrassment, indignation, and sorrow.

Rita thought with a calm expression.

Somehow it feels like teasing a child. Those drooping pink pigtails look like rabbit ears too.

“I, I… I didn’t mean to, I really wanted to help, but that…”

“I know.”

“Huh?”

“I said I understand why you did it. What does the result matter? Your intention to help me is more important. I meant it when I said thank you.”

Lillieta smiled brightly. Lavinia looked at her with a dazed expression, then hung her head low.

“Um, um, you know, Raskail Princess.”

“Yes.”

“That day, I saw everything… you fighting that monster, shooting the gun. It was really, really amazing. I even dreamed about it! Really, for days now I can’t get what happened that day out of my head…”

Rita was listening to Lavinia’s mumbling when she suddenly noticed her right hand gripping the tea table tightly and trembling.

Her index finger joint was swollen and red. And there was a faint smell of gunpowder.

‘No way.’

She reached out and lightly pulled Lavinia’s right hand.

“Ah! Ouch!”

Lavinia let out a small scream and quickly pulled her hand back, wrapping her wrist with her left hand. She glared at Lillieta with teary eyes, breathing heavily.

“What are you doing all of a sudden!”

“Your wrist seems uncomfortable?”

“…I, I sprained it! Um, uh, ah, the table! I bumped into the table!”

“Lies.”

Rita deliberately made an even colder expression and spoke icily.

“You’ve been holding a gun, Duirebourg Noblewoman.”

“…!”

“I clearly told you that you’re someone who shouldn’t be handling guns.”

“I, I never held a gun! Why, why are you jumping to conclusions!”

“That index finger.”

When she gestured with her chin, Lavinia quickly curled her hand to hide the reddened joint. Regardless, Rita continued dryly.

“When beginners pull the trigger with too much force, it often swells or reddens like that. And your wrist. Revolver recoil is quite strong. People who aren’t used to it can injure their wrists.”

“I said I sprained it!”

“Lastly, you smell like gunpowder.”

“What? That can’t be! I washed my hands!”

Startled, Lavinia put her nose to her hands and sniffed. Rita held back a laugh and explained.

“Gunpowder smell easily permeates the skin and doesn’t wash off easily. Soap won’t do it. You need alcohol.”

“Oh, I see…”

“So you did practice shooting after all.”

“Ah.”

Lavinia, who had been nodding while smelling her hand, froze in that exact position.

‘She’s so obvious it’s cute.’

Even thinking that, Rita spoke with a cold expression.

“It seems the Noblewoman doesn’t listen to me at all. Even lying. Do we really need to continue this conversation?”

“No, no! It’s a misunderstanding! A misunderstanding!”

“Thank you for visiting me. Farewell, Duirebourg Noblewoman.”

As Lillieta stood up from her seat, Lavinia hurriedly followed suit.

She quickly blocked Rita’s path toward the exit of the Garden House, then took a deep breath as if making a big decision and bowed deeply at the waist.

“I’m sorry!”

“…!”

“I’m, I’m really sorry, Raskail Noblewoman! Fr-from throwing a tantrum at the Fashion Atelier at first, to following Sister Anne here on my own and picking a fight, mocking the Noblewoman’s words, and also, uh, speaking rudely, and u-using my status to just beg you to teach me….”

Lavinia, who had recited all the things she had done wrong as if she had memorized them earnestly, lifted her head slightly to gauge the reaction, then scurried over to the table.

Then she stacked a small box on top of a large box, carried them together, thrust them toward Rita, and bowed her head again.

“Even grabbing the gun without permission, it’s all my fault! I’m sorry! I won’t do it again! I’ll reflect, I’ll reflect, and I’ll behave politely, so pl-please accept the gift! I prepared it as an apology!”

Rita blinked blankly, then said what came to mind without thinking.

“Is this this time’s ‘Just you wait!’?”

“Huh? No, what?”

“No, nothing.”

She smiled slightly and took the boxes that Lavinia held out with trembling hands.

She could see the light green eyes that had been sneaking glances widen into circles and her mouth fall open. The Noblewoman looked up at her with obvious delight.

“You’re accepting it? My apology?”

“Well, apologizing doesn’t guarantee forgiveness.”

“…!”

Lavinia made an expression as if struck by lightning. Rita continued while suppressing her laughter.

“But this time I won’t refuse the apology gift. Since the Noblewoman said she would reflect.”

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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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