Somehow, his face had come very close.
Close enough that with just a little movement, he could touch her nose or lips.
‘Ugh!’
Eugenia‘s eyes widened, and she froze as if forgetting how to breathe.
He was so focused on Eugenia that it felt like he wouldn’t let anything, not even a look or a gesture, get away from him.
“Us.”
Then, as he parted his lips, his gaze moved.
His blue pupils descended slowly, leaving a trace as if he were delicately sketching Eugenia‘s facial contours with his eyes alone.
Why was that?
When his gaze briefly touched her skin, a heightened sensitivity surged through her.
Eugenia thought, swallowing dry saliva.
‘This man is not ordinary. He’s a noble.’
As the man observed her, Eugenia naturally analyzed him.
Although he seemed casually dressed, it wasn’t the case.
Leather suspenders that seemed of good quality, a shirt with a well-ironed collar, and cuffs.
‘Both fabrics look exquisite.’
His walk was discreet, and when dealing with others, he naturally exhibited a condescending attitude.
Not a single moment seemed like he had ever found someone difficult to deal with.
When she thought that he might be a high noble, Eugenia involuntarily held her breath.
Unlike Eugenia, Enrique never blinked.
Unlike a while ago, his focus wasn’t on her eyes but Eugenia still felt like she was being continuously observed.
In a low and secretive voice, he continued.
“It seems like I’ve seen you somewhere. Don’t you think so?”
Once again, his gaze met Eugenia‘s directly.
“Miss Eugenia.”
Even though she had done nothing wrong, her mouth inexplicably felt dry.
Eugenia finally exhaled a breath she didn’t realize she had been holding.
It should have been a brief moment, yet for some reason, it felt like an eternity had passed.
‘Ah, I’m nervous.’
Yes, this man had that talent, even if he seemed completely unaware of it.
Eventually, Eugenia, finding it a bit difficult to meet Enrique’s gaze, subtly lowered her eyes and spoke.
“As far as I remember, there is no Enrique. So, it might be difficult for me to answer if you ask me.”
“Well, maybe. It seems so.”
Despite the questioning tone, he nodded as if understanding too easily.
Then, at a slow pace, he covered his face again.
Tap, tap. Using his long fingers, he tapped his lower lip and muttered.
“It definitely feels familiar.”
Enrique continued to scrutinize Eugenia.
Eugenia felt as if she were sweating cold for no reason as if she were a rabbit thrown into the den of a predator.
‘Where on earth might he have seen me?’
Eugenia breathed quietly.
She couldn’t delay the tension at all.
After a while, Enrique’s shoe heels, which had been tapping the floor rhythmically, stopped.
“Ah.”
It was Enrique. Though it was merely a short exclamation, Eugenia could easily guess that he had remembered something about her.
Because of that, she involuntarily tensed her shoulders and neck.
“Yes, that’s it. I remember where I saw you.”
Gulp.
Enrique, looking at her, smirked and let out a dry, humorless laugh before muttering.
“You were a child kidnapper.”
…?
What did he just say?
For a moment, Eugenia seemed frozen, as if time had come to a halt.
When Enrique, again, started to move slowly, she belatedly regained her composure and opened her mouth. It was a reflexive question.
“What did you just say? What did you say about me?”
Blink, blink.
However, due to the unexpected words she heard, Eugenia’s reaction was slower than usual.
‘Who? Me? What did I do?’
As she deconstructed Enrique’s words and pieced them back together in her mind, she soon completely understood their meaning. Then, her eyelid movements became noticeably faster.
With narrowed eyebrows as if her eyelashes were touching, Eugenia looked up at Enrique.
“A kidnapper? Me…?”
She struggled to squeeze out her voice.
‘No way, could that be true?’ she thought with a glimmer of hope.’
But just like discarding that fleeting expectation, Enrique’s head moved too easily up and down.
“The person in question seems unaware. I’m telling you she’s wanted.”
“W-what? That’s ridiculous… Is it really…?”
Eugenia, with an incredulous tone, mumbled in confusion.
The Enrique, who had been circling her like a predator, suddenly stopped, stood still, and stared down at Eugenia with a clenched fist and a twisted gaze.
“Unbelievable.”
Eugenia’s eyes widened, and she covered her open lips with both hands.
After a while, as she regained her senses, she raised her head again.
Then, facing Enrique with a demanding tone, she asked.
“W-what! What kind of absurd and disgraceful accusation is this? How could such a dishonorable charge… Ha! It’s absurd.”
Eugenia looked quite flustered.
Enrique, who had been keenly observing her reaction, finally shrugged and nonchalantly spoke.
“Are you asking me that now?”
“Ah…”
Eugenia still feebly clutched her hand, her face unchanged, and the trembling at her fingertips was evident even in the darkness.
Momentarily taken aback by Enrique’s question, she soon lowered her head, as if suppressing her emotions.
“No, I didn’t ask a question. What I just said was just my own thoughts. I apologize.”
With a gesture indicating her apology, Eugenia slightly bowed her head towards him.
‘She’s good at controlling her emotions.’
Enrique’s lips loosened a bit and then tightened again.
Eugenia raised her head again and, with an unwavering gaze, looked at Enrique, stating firmly,
“But I swear, I’ve never done such a thing.”
Enrique’s eyes narrowed slightly at Eugenia’s assertive attitude.
‘Hmm.’
Facing him, she had quite a decent amount of spirit.
‘Not bad at all.’
However, it couldn’t help but be somewhat regrettable.
‘It’s a pity, but there’s no need to take unnecessary risks in this land.’
The decision was made the moment he recognized her.
“I’m not the one to judge the truth of the charges you carry.”
But what was this bitterness?
On the other hand, as Enrique delivered his stern words, Eugenia bit her lower lip slightly.
“You’re right.”
Even with her obedient acceptance, Enrique couldn’t shake off a sense of discomfort.
Originally, he might have left the conversation there, indicating the exit to her.
But somehow, as if a pebble had lodged in his shoe, a tiny hesitation gripped him.
Feeling reluctant, which was quite unlike his usual self, Enrique added a word of explanation, as if justifying.
“It seems more comfortable to avoid potential issues.”
“….”
Her small hands, clasped on her thigh, created large wrinkles as she gripped the fabric.
Enrique felt somewhat uneasy.
Normally, he would have ended the conversation there, signaling the way out.
But like stumbling on a pebble, a trace of hesitation held onto him.
In an almost unwilling and unpleasant mood, Enrique added another word, as if explaining.
“I’ve decided to cancel the employment.”
“Enrique, I understand what you’re trying to say perfectly.”
“Ah…”
Contrary to him, Eugenia had accepted the situation positively.
Enrique suppressed the unsettling thoughts and concentrated on banishing any lingering curiosity about her.
At that moment, Eugenia’s voice reached him.
“Well then, I’ll take my leave.”
Enrique nodded without saying anything in response.
Eugenia, who had been at the brink of a final employment offer only to face disappointment, and had unexpectedly learned about the warrant, would undoubtedly feel dizzy.
“Thank you for your time. Also, thank you for letting me know something I didn’t know.”
Even in such a situation, she folded her hands and showed courtesy until the end.
Despite the turmoil she must be feeling, the grace was deeply ingrained in her.
‘Quite skillful in dealing with nobles.’
He guessed she had experience dealing with upper-class nobility.
Unconsciously continuing his thoughts, Enrique paused.
His eyebrows were slightly furrowed. He had unconsciously noticed the subtleties of Eugenia’s qualities.
‘Well… Stop thinking about it. There’s no reason to meet her again after this.’
Thinking that focusing more on her would only be a waste of time, Enrique deliberately dismissed the growing curiosity.
At that moment, Eugenia’s voice reached him.
“I’ll be going now.”
Enrique nodded without responding, allowing her to leave the room.
Eugenia, with slumped shoulders, looked back at him with a complicated expression as she headed towards the door.
Thunk, thunk.
However, her steps unexpectedly stopped without warning.
After a moment of hesitation, she turned back to face Enrique, who was now standing by the door.
Even with a bewildered expression, she seemed to have something to say.
Enrique raised an eyebrow, curious about why she halted.
“Is there something you’d like to ask before I leave?”
“What is it?”
Enrique nodded as if encouraging her to speak.
However, despite obtaining permission, Eugenia hesitated, seemingly unable to part her lips.
Her repeated actions of moistening her dry lips, as if her mouth had gone parched, showed her reluctance.
After several attempts of biting and releasing her lower lip, she finally mustered the courage to speak. Her voice, now noticeably shaky, broke the silence.
“Um… Do you, by any chance…”
She swallowed another gulp of dry saliva, looking at Enrique with slightly fearful eyes.
Then, with closed eyes, as if ripping the words out, she asked with a quivering voice,
“Are you going to report me?”
—————————————————————
Translator Note:
This chapter was translated by Gon. Next post will be released on May, 9.
If you like my work please support Gon on Coffee.
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