CH 243

Sebastian Explained How It Happened

“I’m sorry, Mr. Takumi. I suppose that is all we will be able to discuss today. But I did enjoy it.”

“Uh… Yes, I enjoyed it too.”

Ms. Claire said without turning to look at me. She kept her face directed at Mr. Ekenhart and the others.

As her ears were red, she must be quite embarrassed to have been spied on.

…Or…she was just really mad.

“Father! As the master of this house…!”

“Wa-wait, Claire! Yes, I was wrong! I apologize! Ahhh!”

“Your Grace… Be safe…”

“Claire, you’re scary…”

She shouted at Mr. Ekenhart and grabbed him by the collar.

Even though he was very tall, her slender arm pulled him down. I was so stunned that I couldn’t speak.

Was Ms. Claire a lot stronger than she looked?

Sebastian just closed his eyes, and Tilura looked scared.

“Haa…”

I had felt nervous ever since Ms. Claire entered the room. And now I was exasperated at the situation. And so I let out a heavy sigh.

“Are you tired, Mr. Takumi?”

“Tilura… No, that’s not it.”

Ms. Claire had gone off somewhere with her father, and now Tilura was back to normal.

She was looking into my face with a worried expression. But I wasn’t sighing because I was tired.

…Well, perhaps I was tired mentally.

“Still, why did he do such a thing…?”

“It is likely because I reported to him about you and Lady Anneliese.”

“You did?”

“Yes. I told him that she offered you her hand in marriage.”

“…And how did you know about that?”

Apparently, Sebastian knew about what had happened in the carriage.

Even though it was just us three inside.

I doubted that Ms. Claire would tell him… Perhaps it was Ms. Anne then?

“I was driving the carriage, remember? And you were all talking so loudly.”

“…I see.”

It was true. The window had been open so we could watch Leo and Mr. Ekenhart. And Ms. Anne had certainly been talking very loudly. So it was not too odd that Sebastian had heard.

I should have realized that sooner.

“After I told His Grace, he became very anxious about Lady Claire.”

“And so he wanted to see how she was doing?”

“Yes. But when he went to visit her room, he saw her leaving as if in secret.”

“…And yet she didn’t see him?”

“No… He was hiding when she came out of her room… Perhaps he was still thinking about what had happened at the store…”

So he was worried that she would get angry again…and hid himself.

After all, Ms. Claire had said that she would continue to lecture him after they returned to the mansion.

Though, I couldn’t help but think that it would be difficult for someone of Mr. Ekenhart’s size to conceal himself… But Sebastian knew every inch of the mansion, and was probably able to help him.

Still, why did they decide to spy on us…

“After that, we saw Lady Claire go to your room while looking very anxious. I suppose His Grace was hoping something would happen.”

“Hahh… Hoping… Why would anything happen?”

But then again, Sebastian had seen and heard it all, so I would not sound very persuasive.

In fact, Sebastian was grinning right now… It was a very villainous face.

“Well, I will not question you about what was said or done. …That is more interesting, anyway.”

“…Are you thinking out loud?”

“Oh, excuse me. …While we watched Lady Claire, we bumped into Lady Tilura…”

“Father said we could see something amusing, and so I went!”

“I see…”

Even though he had muttered something by accident, Sebastian was as calm as ever.

And apparently, they had met Tilura before reaching my door.

Perhaps she wasn’t able to sleep and was looking for someone to play with. Or she needed to go to the bathroom…

But to bring his own child along… Mr. Ekenhart…

“It was a good thing that the door was still open. Lady Claire must have been so nervous that she forgot to close it.”

Well, it wasn’t a good thing for me or Ms. Claire.

If they had tried to open it after it was closed, then Leo might have noticed them sooner.

In any case, Mr. Ekenhart was curious about Ms. Claire, and so he had taken Sebastian and Tilura and peeked through my door…

Even if he was a duke, he was a parent. So I could understand why he was curious about his daughter’s actions… But still…

“Well, I have bothered you for long enough.”

“Good night, Mr. Takumi and Leo!”

“Wuff-wuff!”

“Good night, Tilura. …Sebastian. You are just as guilty for not stopping him, you know?”

“Hohoho. What are you babbling about?”

“You can feign ignorance…but it will make no difference when I tell Ms. Claire tomorrow. ”

“…I am very sorry.”

Leo and I answered Tilura and bade her good night. I then reminded Sebastian of his role in all of this.

He chuckled innocently at first, but bowed once I brought up Ms. Claire’s name.

…He really was afraid of her…  Well, I understood why, after seeing her with Mr. Ekenhart…

Well, I suppose she could only act like that because they were family…