53. Her Scent Lingers on Him

Startled by the feeling of his breath near her neck, Roselia quickly pulled away, her voice betraying her confusion.

“Huh? What do you mean…?”

As her face flushed red with embarrassment, Klaus, who had been intently watching her, spoke calmly.

“This might sound strange, but you and Roselia always seem to have a distinct fragrance. It’s almost as if you both share the same taste in scents.”

Roselia had heard something similar from the Crown Prince before, and though she was unsure, she had to avoid raising suspicion about Antonio and Roselia being the same person. So, she quickly blurted out an explanation.

“It’s probably because we use similar soap.”

Klaus stared at her intently for a moment before reclining casually against the sofa, his eyes still fixed on her flushed face. After a pause, he spoke slowly.

“Has Roselia… said anything?”

Suddenly reminded of the events from last night, Roselia’s ears turned red once again. Yet, trying to maintain her composure, she responded coolly.

“She didn’t say anything.”

Hearing this, Klaus seemed disappointed, lowering his gaze.

“I see…”

There was a hint of melancholy in his voice that didn’t quite suit him. Roselia, noticing the sudden shift in his demeanor, tried to maintain her resolve and added matter-of-factly.

“Roselia will be busy for a while, so she won’t be able to visit the estate.”

Klaus looked at her, his face unreadable as he fell into thought.

“I just thought you should know.”

Klaus, his expression unreadable, was silent for a moment before he finally responded.

“Thank you for letting me know.”

Although his voice was more thoughtful than grateful, Klaus forced a neutral expression and continued.

“Do think about my proposal. It’s not a bad offer.”

Roselia remained silent, knowing there was nothing to consider. However, to avoid upsetting him, she merely bowed her head in acknowledgment.

“I’ll take my leave now.”

As Roselia left the room, Klaus sat for a while, staring at the door through which she had exited.

So, they use the same soap?

Could a simple soap really produce such a strong, sweet fragrance?

The scent had been so intoxicating that he had almost rested his head on her shoulder.

I must be losing my mind. Maybe the wine I drank last night still hasn’t worn off.

Realizing how far his thoughts had strayed, Klaus shook his head in disbelief and headed to his office to clear his mind.

* * *

Klaus buried himself in piles of documents, trying to forget the distracting thoughts, but his mind kept wandering back to Roselia, her image overlapping with Antonio.

She had seemed startled by the nonsense he had spouted last night under the influence of alcohol.

He could vividly remember her expression, wide-eyed and confused like a frightened rabbit.

Did she feel guilty for behaving that way with him, despite having a lover?

The more he thought about it, the more it bothered him.

After all, he hadn’t even touched her out of fear she might flee.

Just then, Klaus glanced out the window and noticed Antonio talking with Claucet.

Before he realized it, he was staring at Antonio absentmindedly.

Shaking himself out of his thoughts, Klaus forced himself to look away.

It must be because of how much Antonio resembled Roselia.

With that thought, Klaus made an effort to turn his attention back to his work.

* * *

Roselia, who visited Count Bernas’ estate almost every third day, was once again cleaning the house when she came across a pile of letters at the front door.

Seeing the letters covered in dust, it was clear no one had even noticed their arrival. With a sigh, she gathered them up and placed them on a table where the count could easily find them.

“Grandfather, I’ve placed the letters here on the table for you.”

From inside his study, where he was preoccupied with something, the count replied without even poking his head out.

“Is there anything from Eskivan?”

Eskivan was the name of the naval base where the Count’s son, Ashton, the Viscount, was stationed for his military service.

As she sorted through the letters one by one, Roselia responded bluntly.

“There doesn’t seem to be anything from Eskivan.”

“…I see.”

The count’s voice, usually gruff, sounded a bit subdued, and Roselia felt a pang of guilt.

Just in case, she scanned the letters once more, but still found no sign of anything from the Viscount. Feeling slightly indignant, she couldn’t help but wonder.

Why hasn’t the Viscount sent a single letter?

Doesn’t he know about the count’s dementia?

It wasn’t like they were in the middle of a war, so even with his duties, there should have been time to send a letter or two.

Since the treaty was signed with the Kingdom of Ebels six months ago, the military had been relatively stable compared to the past few years.

Still, Roselia realized there was no way for her to know the full circumstances of the Bernas family, so she decided not to dwell on it further.

Curious about what the count was doing in his study, Roselia headed toward the room.

The count, for some reason, was in the process of sorting through the numerous books piled up in his study.

Noticing the stack of books by the door, Roselia asked curiously.

“What are these books for?”

Without looking away from the bookshelf he was organizing, the count answered absentmindedly.

“These are just books that take up space, so I’m getting rid of them.”

It seemed that all the books piled near the door were meant to be discarded.

Opening one of the books and seeing it in relatively good condition, Roselia suddenly had an idea and blurted out to the count.

“If you’re going to throw these away, could I have them?”

The count glanced at her indifferently and responded curtly.

“Do as you please.”

“Thank you!”

Roselia quickly gathered a few books that seemed easy to read. Since many of them were still in good condition, she thought she could bring them to Erlin. Roselia had grown fond of Erlin and her father, Abelo. Erlin, in turn, had taken a liking to both Roselia and Antonio.

Humming a little tune, Roselia tied the books together with a string. She had picked out a mix of storybooks and easy-to-read history books, but the weight of the stack made it clear she couldn’t carry any more.

After asking the count not to throw away the rest, promising to come back for them later, Roselia bid farewell to the count and made her way to the village of Algricia.

Walking through the now familiar village streets, Roselia approached a house with a garden in full bloom. Just as she neared the entrance, a young girl ran out to greet her.

“Brother!”

“Erlin, how have you been?”

Erlin, Abelo’s daughter, ran up to her, smiling brightly and clinging to Roselia after only a few meetings.

“I’ve been great! What’s that?”

“These are books I brought for you, Erlin.”

“Wow~~!”

Erlin, who didn’t have many books, bounced around excitedly.

Behind her, Abelo, wearing an apron stained with paint, emerged from the house, likely having been working on a painting.

“Say thank you, Erlin.”

“Thank you! Brother!”

With that, Erlin grabbed one of the storybooks from the stack and ran back into the house, her small feet pattering across the floor.

Watching her fondly, Abelo turned to Roselia and gave her a warm smile.

“Have you resolved the matter with that person who was troubling you?”

Roselia blinked in surprise, then recalled the advice she had previously sought from him. She smiled awkwardly.

“Well… sort of…”

“Still ongoing, I take it.”

Seeing her trail off, Abelo gave her an understanding smile.

“Sometimes, time is the best remedy. It will eventually show whether this is a bond meant to last or one that will pass.”

Roselia pondered his meaningful words as she gazed at the budding flowers in the garden.

It has to pass. That’s what’s best for both of us.

In the original story, Roselia had died loving the Duke, and the Duke had been branded a traitor after using Roselia, ultimately meeting his end.

For both their sakes, their connection couldn’t continue.

* * *

After leaving Abelo’s home, Roselia was on her way to catch a carriage when she passed the construction site of the school, where work was being carried out under Klaus’ supervision.

This was where I first encountered Klaus while disguised as Antonio.

It was a strange twist of fate, or perhaps just a cruel joke of destiny.

As she thought back on it with a bitter smile, Roselia noticed something unusual.

In this world, construction workers typically stopped working before sunset due to the lack of electricity. However, a man was now entering the empty school site, long after the workers had left.

He was far too well-dressed to be one of the laborers.

Why would someone who isn’t a worker be entering the construction site?

Suddenly, a memory from the original story flashed through her mind.

Around this time in the original plot, an issue had arisen at the construction site, which was led by the Duke’s estate.

Illegal medicinal herbs were found hidden at the site.

The medicinal herbs, were banned by imperial law, and in the original story, Klaus had been arrested for involvement in its illegal trade.

This event marked the beginning of the rift between the imperial family and the Duke’s household, eventually leading to a series of incidents that pushed Klaus toward rebellion.

When I read the story, I just assumed the Duke was trafficking the herbs for profit.

But now that I think about it, there’s no reason Klaus would need to resort to dealing with illegal herbs.

If that part of the story was a misunderstanding, and Klaus had been framed…

Maybe I can uncover the truth and prevent him from walking the path of a traitor.

Resolving to investigate, Roselia headed toward the school site where the man had disappeared.

Finding him in the now-dark construction zone wasn’t easy. She searched for a while, ready to give up when she spotted the man emerging from a building that was still under construction.

They locked eyes, and both froze in place.

“Who are you?” Roselia asked sharply.

Without a word, the man suddenly turned and bolted.

Reacting on instinct, Roselia took off after him, sprinting with all her might.

“Stop right there!”

TL/N: The term hanyakcho (한약초) refers to medicinal herbs used in traditional Korean medicine. In the context of the story, it seems to be describing illegal or banned medicinal herbs, which might be considered harmful or restricted by imperial law in that fictional world. It may have a similar connotation to controlled substances in modern terms, though traditionally hanyakcho are herbs used for healing.