CH 14

Returning to the ducal house from the cabana, Citrina could not hide her mixed feelings. Desian was a very courteous escort…

‘Good, I’ll think of it like Prince Maker. We are starting out in teenage delinquent mode where sensitivity is still developing and morality is in the negative.’

As Citrina recalled the game ‘Prince Maker’ from her previous life life, she bit her lips hard.

I don’t know how it happened, but it seems as if Desian has developed a degree of feelings.

Besides, he seemed to have some affection for her.

‘I think he likes me a little, so now I need to figure everything out.’

Citrina didn’t trust people’s hearts. Their feelings were shallow and could easily get swept away.

Desian’s kindness that could be hanging by a thread needed to be resolved quickly. Citrina’s job now was clear.

‘I’ll use storytelling that moves people’s hearts. Let’s try to curry Desian’s favor by turning the story around in a roundabout way.’

But she couldn’t do it alone. Desian needed another partner that he believed in. So Citrina decided to call in some backup.

Her backup was Aaron Pietro, the male lead.

‘I should ask Aaron and Desian to have dinner with me, and then meet in the drawing room after we eat.’

She was feeling a bit impatient as she organized her plan.

There’s a saying known as ‘The Butterfly Effect’. The original work had changed, so she didn’t know what the duke’s situation would be. Things have already changed, so I don’t know at what time the duke will appear or what else will happen.’

As it was summer, the sun lingered in the sky for a long time. However dinner approached quickly. At last, it was time for dinner.

-knock knock-

After the knock, her door opened before she could respond.

“Dinner is served.”

A servant brought in some dishes on a tray.

With Desian’s mind control magic used on the attendants, she was used to seeing their empty eyes all the time.. Dinner had been brought from the main house once more.

‘If the mind control magic was released, would it become a problem?’

Seeing those empty eyes all the time gave her goosebumps. Citrina responded while rubbing her arms.

“Yes, thank you.”

Anyway, they wouldn’t be able to hear it.

The attendant left without answering.

Citrina was lost in thought as she looked at the meal set on the table in her room.

“Thank you for the meal.”

Just as before, there was no response.

Citrina raised her hand.

Today’s dish was some fat shrimp skewers with apple juice and a waffle with apple jam for dessert.

Since entering the duke’s household, she had become quite the glutton.

She had a bite of the apple and drank the apple juice, so she was quite full.

After a quick dinner in her room, she headed to the drawing room.

She thought comfortable about some stories with lessons to share.

-tap-.

The touch was as light as a bird’s wing. A slightly hard and rough fingertip touched the soft skin under her eye.

Citrina breathed out a little without realizing it.

His fingertips touched her.

That was all. His hand hovered above it.

“What……..”

“You cried.”

Desian said. It was a rare cold tone.

“…Ah.”

‘I guess my eyes turned red because I was tired a while ago.’

“I didn’t cry.”

“People cry when they are sad.”

“They also cry when they are happy or tired.”

At Citrina’s words, Desian’s hand moved slowly. His rough fingertips slowly slid around Citrina’s eyes.

It was a short time before he pulled his hand away.

‘How do I change the mood?’

Despite Citrina’s worries, the atmosphere changed rapidly.

“What are you two doing?”

It was Aaron, looking at them with an oddly embarrassed face.

‘It’s moral instruction under the guise of an interesting story to be more precise.’

Citrina had done countless things. And the more professional work she had done was the work as a governess.

Citrina Foluin had encountered many children. Since the data was perfectly stored in her mind, she could recall those stories perfectly.

‘You can’t live a bad life. I need an example that shows that.’

She first talked about the adverse effects of moral wrongdoing.

“On the baron’s estate where I came from, many farmers lived there even though there lives were tough. But the territory was ruined.”

“Gasp!…Ruined? Why?”

‘… I’m sorry for making you fail all of a sudden’

Actually, it hadn’t failed. Though all of the land was sold to other nobles, they were able to barely make ends meet.

However, a bit of seasoning was needed to make the story more dramatic.

“Because someone had embezzled money. Many people suffered because of his moral failings.”

“That’s a very sad story.”

Aaron’s eye’s drooped in frustration, but unfortunately Desian had no response. He seemed completely insensitive to others’ suffering. He was looking at Citrina with the same eyes as Aaron, but the attitude was completely different.

‘The first story was a failure. Then let’s go to a different tactic.’

Citrina chewed on her lip until it was about to bleed. At that moment he spoke.

“Citrina.”

“Yes?”

“The blood, it’s about to drip.”

It was clear where his eyes were focused. It was on her blood-colored lips.

Citrina relaxed her lips as if she were possessed. Desian relaxed and the corners of his mouth slowly curled up.

“Yes, thank you.”

‘I don’t know if he is smiling because of the blood or he is worried because I’m sick. I hope it’s the latter, but there are many possibilities…….’

Citrina recalled the touch around her eye. It baffled her thinking about that moment.

Then Aaron, who had been listening silently during their talk, broke the silence.

“Citrina, aren’t there any more stories to tell us?”

“Ah! Yes, I have some.”

“Then tell us a story!”

“Yes!”

She began to tell them a fairy tale she had prepared for this evening. Aaron’s eyes began to gradually sparkle.

“…then the prince in the beautiful tower who was virtuous but cursed and the wonderful princess lived happily ever after.”

“Wow…….”

Silence fell after Aaron spoke. Citrina tried to gauge Desian’s reaction. Desian was still languid and expressionless.

“The princess who found the cursed prince……..”

Aaron didn’t seem to be able to get over the rumors that he was cursed. He focused on the word ‘curse’.

Was that why? Unlike Desian, Aaron looked really impressed.

“It’s a man who can protect me. Like a black knight. Saving me from death and helping me- that type of person.”

To be more accurate, it was a supportive man who would save her from death, would help her achieve her dreams, and make lots of money. To be honest, not many people like this exist.

‘I need to protect my body.’

In other words, Citrina was emphasizing both offense and defense votes.

“Oh, cool! You will definitely meet.”

However, Aaron who had never dreamed that Citrina was trying to cover all of her bases, clapped quietly.

“A friendly and kind man who can protect you?”

Desian murmured very softly. It was an unfamiliar tone that seemed to have more life in it than usual.

Aaron was the only one who heard Desian’s voice. Aaron turned to Desian and grinned.

“I hope my older brother has an great ideal type as well.”

“I hope so too.”

‘Cause that will help with Desian’s rehabilitation.’

After Citrina responded, the drawing room became quiet.

After that, Citrina told one of the other stories she had prepared for the evening. That story ended roughly like this.

“…and so the virtuous warrior succeeded, becoming stronger and handsome.”

“What if he was weak and moral? Is it possible he could still succeed?”

Aaron was constantly impressed by her words.

‘As a matter of fact, according to the story, he had to be strong…..’

Citrina glanced at Desian’s expressionless face and replied, nodding vigorously.

“Yes. If you are nice, society will accept you.”

“Then I will just have to be nice.”

Aaron replied energetically.

‘It feels like something went wrong. Am I misunderstanding something?’

It felt as though the male protagonist who was originally good, became endlessly good.

“…”

Desian, on the other hand, seemed to be thinking of something, but he did not seem impressed by her words.

Now Citrina had to admit it.

Storytelling hadn’t helped with the rehabilitation at all!

‘Should I show you have people actually live?’

Desian hadn’t met many people yet. If he met a lot of good people, he would think differently.

Today she had failed, but she could look for another way tomorrow.

But she had learned that this method did not work.

It wasn’t a bad harvest.

The atmosphere continued for a while. It was night when the long story ended.

On that slightly humid summer night, the wind blew endlessly through the open windows. Crickets chirped outside.

They leaned on the padded chairs and swapped friendly stories with one another.

Memories piled up one by one.

The wind blew through the drawing room and Aaron spoke in a sing-songy voice.

“I’m the happiest person in the world right now.”

“Really?”

She knew he was having fun, she did not think it was the best in the world. While she was living in this world, she felt removed from them, which left her a bit embarrassed.

“Yup! Citrina, Brother, are you happy too?”

No one responded to the question.

Desian deflected Aaron’s gaze. There was only one person in his view- Citrina.

The gaze contained more curiosity, interest, and obsession than before. But since she did not notice, she closed her eyes and felt the wind blow through the drawing room.

Citrina had become ‘friends’ with Aaron and Desian as she had hoped. It would take more time to make Desian good, but it was a friendly day with a strange air.

Fortunately, everything was peaceful.

Except for one thing.