PLOM Chapter 145

<Episode 145>

It was hard to open my mouth easily.

This was because the word ‘love’ that had come out of Rue’s mouth was both very unfamiliar and also not at all light.

‘Does Rue find it difficult to clearly define his emotions?’

It didn’t seem like that. Rather, it seemed like he was experiencing confusion because he could clearly define what he was feeling. He said his teeth felt itchy whenever he saw me, so it was only understandable.

“I…”

After much contemplation, I conveyed my most honest feelings.

“It sounds like a confession to me.”

So, even if it’s not love, it’s something close to that. I thought it was a reasonable answer, but I heard a difficult-to-understand response.

“Are you saying you want me to chew you up?”

“You’re not really going to chew me up.”

“But I really could do that.”

Please don’t do that. Something like that might actually happen.

“If someone else said something like that, it would have been unpleasant. But since it’s Rue, it’s okay.”

“So, what do you want to do to me?”

“Me?”

I…

Obviously, I was clearly aware of my feelings towards Rue. However, when faced with the question of “what I want to do,” I couldn’t come up with an answer easily.

An answer like, ‘I just want to be with you’ was sincere in my head, but if I received the response, ‘You can do that with family too, right?’ I would be left speechless.

Moreover, maybe because we were in such close proximity, his lips, as beautiful as a fox’s tail, were all I could see. No, it wasn’t that they were the only thing visible, they were just all I could focus on.

All I could see was his lips.

“Daisy.”

I recalled the warmth that brushed against my upper lip when we reunited at the Imperial Palace.

Was that something Rue deliberately did, or was it a coincidence? A mistake? Did he also remember our lips meeting like a mirage?

“I…”

“I?”

“I want to kiss you.”

It was all Rue’s fault.

Rue’s straightforward attitude gave me courage I didn’t have before. He planted the idea of treating lips so casually in my head, saying things like chewing on them. Anyway, it’s all because of Rue!

Rue stiffened.

He literally stiffened. In the middle of the stage. Thanks to that, I also became stiff. I became afraid that I would hear the answer, ‘Even if I like you, lips are a bit too much.’ so I wanted to take back the words I blurted out.

After a long sigh, Rue lowered his head and grabbed my shoulder. Then, as if measuring something, he lightly tapped my body with his long fingers before pulling me into his arms and tightly embracing me.

So tightly that it felt like my body was being crushed.

“Ouch. It hurts!”

“It’s good that it hurts a little… damn it, are you crazy? How could you say something like that without warning?”

“Ah, what?”

“No kissing. And from now on, don’t say such things recklessly in front of me.”

What? Not only is he saying no, but I shouldn’t even mention it in the future?

After struggling in Rue’s embrace for a while, I gave up on escaping and shouted with a mixture of frustration and resentment.

“Why not!”

“Because it’s not allowed.”

“But why?”

“It would become troublesome.”

“Troublesome for whom?”

“For you.”

At that moment, the arm that was holding me loosened. Seizing the opportunity, I moved away and looked up at Rue’s face, which was filled with complex emotions. He sighed again and stepped back, saying,

“No, it means I don’t think I can resist. In many ways.”

I am an adult who has grown up for a while now. I couldn’t help but understand the meaning of those words.

Even as the resentment melted away like snow, I couldn’t help but get irritated. Afterall, Rue had rejected my request for a kiss.

“Are you a pervert?”

“No.”

Rue, with a slightly uncomfortable expression, changed his tone subtly.

“Are you sure?”

In the meantime, I approached him, pulled down that high head of blue-hair, kissed him and ran away.

However, my escape was short-lived. I was caught by the wrist before I could take more than a few steps.

“Now wait a moment!”

“What’s the rush? Come here. The song isn’t over yet. You must taste the bitterness as well.”

Rue completely wrapped me up in his arms as I tried to break free and returned to the stage. Holding me in his embrace, he started dancing alone. I cried out, telling him to stop being silly, but he pretended not to listen.

His body swayed freely, and he occasionally flicked his hair, which was so amusing that I couldn’t help but burst into laughter. My hair and dress were a mess, but… who cares?

I think it would be okay to die like this.

For the first time, I thought such a thing.

* * *

I returned to the townhouse, fixed my clothes and hair, then headed straight to the palace.

It wasn’t too crowded in front of the palace, as most of the people had already arrived at the reception hall. However, when I got off the carriage, escorted by Count Serenier, dozens of pairs of eyes followed me from a distance.

“So, this time it’s Count Serenier.”

“I can’t believe she’s being escorted by a man with a grown daughter.”

“She’s truly an impressive woman, in many ways.”

“Wait a minute. This criticism is unfair. Viscount Weatherwoods is Count Serenier’s benefactor. She’s not the mature, cunning woman everyone is painting her to be. Besides, Viscount Weatherwoods is still unmarried despite being well past the age to be, while Count Serenier is a widower with a daughter. There’s nothing strange about it.”

“Hmm. You’re right, Countess. I’m looking forward to seeing Viscount Weatherwoods’ first dance partner. If that partner happens to be Count Serenier, it would be appropriate to see it as a pure connection, as you say.”

Rowayne was standing at the entrance of the banquet reception hall. Judging by how he was standing alone, he hadn’t brought a partner.

Was our combination that surprising? Rowayne widened his eyes when he saw the two of us, then walked towards me with an expression of disapproval.

“Viscount Weatherwoods.”

He bowed his head and lightly kissed the back of my hand, whispering to me.

“I thought you’d be coming with Duke Raphael, considering you hung the yellow handkerchief.”

“Why would I?”

Rowayne asked again with a puzzled look.

“Or was it first come, first served?”

“Are you talking about the gentleman who’d escort me? No. I chose my favorite.”

My answer seemed to complicate Rowayne’s feelings even more.

His expression twisted in a peculiar way.

Count Serenier, who had been quietly observing our interaction, intervened with a subtle smile of pure arsenic on his face.

“Young lord Rowayne must be displeased with the fact that a middle-aged man like me caught the attention of Viscount Weatherwoods.”

“No, that’s not true. I apologize if it sounded that way.”

“Oh, no need to be sorry. I must’ve been too blunt. Does Sir Rowayne have any other matters to attend to with the Viscount?”

“My mother ordered me to accompany the Viscount.”

“I see. Sir Rowayne is such a kind, and filial young man who listens well to his mother. I’m sorry to have taken your place. Your mother must be very disappointed.”

Count Serenier knew about the dealing between me and the Werkhord family. I’d already told him that I had to pay Rowayne’s ransom to them so we could move together.

‘And yet you’re sulking like this.’

I felt a bit guilty, so I kept quiet and led Rowayne to my other side. Count Serenier burst into admiration as soon as Rowayne stood beside me.

“Oh my, is Viscount Weatherwoods choosing to be accompanied by two men?”

Rowayne answered.

“I’m not sure about Astosa, but it’s not uncommon in Penrotta. Mature women often introduce and move around with male friends or relatives who are not their partners.”

“Hm, our kind and filial young lord Rowayne is not the Viscount’s family, so it seems he is the non-partner. Don’t worry, I’ll take good care of you.”

I’m clearly standing in the middle. Why does it feel like they’re having a conversation without me?

“Ah, but aren’t you a little embarrassed, Sir Rowayne? You’re in a position where you have to squeeze yourself into the partner’s position.”

As if unable to bear it any longer, Rowayne clenched his teeth with a stiff expression.

“I find it regrettable too. If the Viscount had partnered with a young, unmarried man who is of excellent character and doesn’t have children, then I wouldn’t have had a chance to squeeze in like this.”

“Are you angry at me, by any chance?”

“How could I possibly get angry at His Majesty’s esteemed guest?”

“You seem angry.”

At this point, I couldn’t help but wonder.

Was it really a good thing that Rue’s balance was disrupted?

Surely he wouldn’t go around picking fights with everyone he sees. I already had a cold sweat running down my back. It was the first time his status as a Count of Astrosa and authority as the Calepa of Rogue felt so unsettling.

What Daisy basically says is ‘Ah, I’m so happy I can die right now.’

They make me cry everytime.

I think the song ‘die first’ really suits Rue and Daisy, and this chapter.

And also ‘young and beautiful.’

I made a playlist for this series, so if anyone’s interested, I could post the link in the comments.

Also, Sarcastic Rue is one of my favorite genres aaa