CH 16

“Because there are people everywhere who like to talk nonsense.” Siella lightly responded as if there was nothing surprising about it, then glanced at Dennis. “By the way, won’t you say hello? He’s still a Count.” 

And you are still an employee who must respectfully serve the guests who visit the mansion. 

Only with Siella’s words did Dennis come to his senses, and then he slumped his shoulders at once and hurriedly opened his mouth. 

“G-greetings, Count Leroy. I am Dennis, a butler of the Duke’s mansion.” 

Dennis bowed his head even deeper, belatedly trying to show his respect. Leonard sneered and said nothing about accepting Dennis’ greeting, so Dennis stayed still and couldn’t lift his head. 

Camellia just then, who had been holding her breath behind Dennis until now, suddenly intervened. 

“Excuse me….” 

It happened even before Siella had time to react. Camellia suddenly jumped from behind Dennis, who was still bowing his head, and grabbed Leonard’s forearm. Just like at that time when she suddenly grabbed Siella with all her might. 

Leonard must have also been surprised by the sudden situation, as he looked down at Camellia who grabbed his arm. 

“Uh, so… I’m really sorry if we caused a disturbance, Count.” 

As Camellia spoke in a cautious voice, she slowly raised her gaze and looked up at Leonard. And just like that, Siella clearly saw how Leonard’s jet-black eyes widened the moment he met Camellia’s eyes. 

‘What is that?’ 

Something’s strange. But she couldn’t pinpoint what exactly was strange. Siella alternately looked at Leonard and Camellia with confusion in her eyes before she opened her mouth. 

“Miss Camellia.” 

“… Yes?” 

“Let go of him.” 

“Ah….” 

Camellia blankly blinked her eyes at Siella’s words but didn’t move. What on earth is she doing right now? Displeased by the situation at hand that she couldn’t understand at all, Siella spoke with a firmer tone once more. 

“I said, let go of him.” 

“Yes~.” 

Camellia dragged the end of her words before letting go of Leonard’s arm. Siella looked at Camellia with an astonished expression. But for some reason, Leonard seemed to be unwilling to point out Camellia’s actions. Leonard was still standing there blankly, like someone who’s out of his mind. 

“… Leonard?” 

Siella lightly grabbed the hem of Leonard’s sleeve and pulled him, not only to look at his eyes but also his face. Even though she was reluctant to have a skin contact with Leonard now, she felt that it was necessary to keep him as far as possible from Camellia. Leonard was helplessly dragged by Siella, as if the thread that controls him like a doll was broken. 

“Leonard, what’s wrong? Do you feel unwell?” 

Siella looked over at Camellia and asked Leonard in a low voice. Camellia awkwardly smiled as if she felt her watchful eyes, then she took Dennis and left the greenhouse. 

“Leonard, why are you suddenly like this…?” 

At that moment, Leonard let out a breath he had been holding for quite some time. Leonard’s eyes that were looking down at Siella with a slightly confused expression slowly regained its clarity.

Siella let out a sigh and released the hem of Leonard’s sleeve which she was lightly holding. And for the time being, she kept her mouth shut and looked at Leonard’s complexion. Leonard frowned and opened his mouth. 

“My head hurts.” 

Siella frowned at Leonard’s words, which he casually said. 

“Your head hurts?” Out of the blue? 

“Yeah. My head hurts so I will go inside first and get some rest.’ 

Frowning even deeper, Leonard hurriedly turned his body around as if he didn’t want to waste any time. 

“Let’s finish talking later.” 

“What?” 

Siella stood there blankly as she watched Leonard walking away with big strides, but she quickly caught up with him. 

“Leonard, what would happen if we suddenly ended our conversation like this….” 

“Let go.” 

Leonard shook off Siella’s hand that was holding on the hem of his sleeves with all his strength as if he was shaking off some filth. Siella, who almost got hit by her own arm when Leonard shook it off, stumbled greatly and it took her some time to regain her balance. But by then, it was already too late, and Leonard had disappeared, leaving Siella alone in the large greenhouse. 

(T/N: Let me guess: Camellia can control people when she touches them?)

∘₊✧──────✧₊∘

“No-noona!” 

When Siella returned to her bedroom in a confused state, the person who suddenly appeared in front of her was none other than Edwin. 

“Prince Edwin?” 

Siella looked down at Edwin with puzzled eyes. It looks like Edwin had been crouching in front of her bedroom all this time waiting for her. Putting aside the question of why Edwin had come to see her, Siella bent over and rubbed his leg. 

“Ah….” 

It was all that she did, but Edwin blushed in embarrassment. He couldn’t move, let alone pull his own leg to avoid Siella’s touch. It was because he couldn’t move his numb legs. 

Thanks to this, Siella was free to rub Edwin’s legs without any hindrance. 

‘He’s too skinny.’ 

She thought that he was thin when she saw him, but the truth was clearer when she touched him. Siella stared at Edwin’s thin legs with her downcast eyes, tightened her hands and repeatedly rubbed his legs. And at some point, she stumbled upon it. 

“… Prince Edwin.”

Standing while blankly staring at the air, Edwin heard Siella call him and reflexively looked down. Siella was sitting with one knee bent and with only her head raised, she looked up at Edwin. Her position wasn’t the problem but something else. 

“I-I’m fine now, so you can stop….” 

Taken aback when he saw Siella’s expression, Edwin tried to shake off Siella’s hand while he was stuttering. But Siella didn’t back down easily. 

“There’s a wound here on your leg.” 

“…” 

“Not only cuts, but there were also many scars that look quite old. They weren’t all caused by the fall, right?” 

Edwin just blankly opened his mouth as he was speechless. And Siella became more certain of her assumptions following Edwin’s reaction. 

She couldn’t have known if she hadn’t known what it was in the first place. It was because the texture of the scars on Edwin was the same as the scars Siella had on her body. 

‘Isn’t this too much?’ 

She felt terrible to the point that she was gritting her teeth at Eschert’s neglect of the child as if he had finished his job after his efforts of searching for him. It shouldn’t be like this no matter how indifferent he is. 

‘No, this wasn’t because he was indifferent.’ 

He didn’t pay attention to Edwin but was spending too much time with Camellia. The more she thought about it, the angrier she got. She was so angry that her cheeks flushed red. 

She tried to stay calm since Edwin was watching her, but her heart couldn’t calm down so easily. Siella let out a long exhale. 

“Prince Edwin, can you tell me honestly who hurt you like this?” 

She asked him in the softest voice possible. She thought that even if she approached him with great caution, she wouldn’t be able to get an answer so easily from Edwin. 

“Since Prince Edwin helped me, I also want to help you if I can be of any help.” 

“…” 

And then it opened. Edwin’s face contorted as he looked down at Siella with a white face. 

“So… so….” 

Tears filled Edwin’s big eyes as he slowly began to speak in a teary voice. 

∘₊✧──────✧₊∘

Edwin was abused by the man Camellia was living with before they came to the Duke’s mansion. He said that Camellia called the man Ted. He wasn’t a family member and Camellia wouldn’t tell him who he was exactly, but Edwin said that he was considered Camellia’s friend. 

‘Ted….’

Ted – he said his name was Ted. 

Siella continued to rack her brains, but she couldn’t remember anything related to him. He was a man Camellia, the female lead of this world, lived with until she met the male lead, Eschert. 

Ted – she couldn’t remember anything about him in the setting of the book. 

‘If it was Eschert, he could easily punish that man.’ 

However, Siella wasn’t willing to decide on what to do with this. She was worried if Eschert would step up for Edwin. I don’t know about the Eschert of the past, but if it is the current Eschert….

‘He’s just like a man who was completely obsessed with Camellia and can’t see Edwin.’ 

It was strange that no one had noticed the scars on Edwin’s body in the first place. Even the fact that Camellia hid this matter should never be overlooked. She didn’t tell Eschert about it even though he was now Edwin’s guardian. It was deliberately hidden from him. 

She must have washed Edwin herself without the help of the maids even after entering the Duke’s mansion. Otherwise, the maids would have discovered Edwin’s wound long ago and would have reported it to Eschert right away. 

Thinking that far, Siella stood up from her seat with a firm expression. Edwin was an innocent child. So even though she was barely able to live for herself, she could do something she could for Edwin. Even if it was very small, she would do it for him. 

(T/N: Edwin is just an innocent child. He doesn’t deserve to experience those. My heart T_T)