The Count’s Secret Maid - Chapter 37

The Count’s Circumstances (6)

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Desserts made in the kitchen recently were in large quantities. The impact of the pound cake taught Paula a great lesson. So she immediately asked the chef to make a large pound cake.

 

[“It must be too much for Master to eat?”]

 

[“Perhaps eating alone gets lonely, Master keeps inviting me to eat with him. Even though I say it’s okay, he keeps insisting… How can this mere maid reject her Master’s words? If this can comfort his loneliness, I’ll gladly eat with him without hesitation.’]

 

Paula put her hands on her chest and spoke a blatant lie. The chef was moved and promised to make something delicious. That was the result obtained. Thanks to that, Paula had been waiting for more of his desserts lately. She truly experienced many delicious things in the world during her stay here.

 

The cake plate quickly went down. Delicious things disappear quickly. Paula looked at the empty dish with regret, still savouring the taste.

 

“Eat this too.”

 

Lucas took just one bite and handed Paula the leftover cake.

 

‘You angel!’

 

Paula was thrilled and asked if it was okay. At the same time, her hand was already reaching for his dish.

 

Vincent’s gaze immediately landed on the side. His plate was also empty. Paula caught him off guard as she brought the plate to her.

 

“This, Sir Lucas gave it to me.”

 

“Who said what?”

 

He said arrogantly and threw the fork aside. Instead, he picked up the teacup. But then he made a puzzled expression and removed the cup from his lips. Paula then turned the cup upside down, but nothing was in it. She got distracted by the cake and forgot to pour the tea.

 

His disgruntled gaze was fixed on Paula, and she was startled. Lucas instead picked up the teapot and poured the tea into his cup.

 

“Brother, drink.”

 

“I don’t know who’s spoiling who here.”

 

Vincent put the glass to his lips. Paula put the fork down.

 

“I suddenly lost my appetite. Would you like to have more?”

 

“Don’t lie and finish eating.”

 

“Weren’t you the one who wanted more? I thought you were grumpy because I ate more.”

 

“I’m not that petty.”

 

“I can’t believe that.”

 

Vincent loved sweets, and now that Paula had grown fond of sweet flavours, she sometimes found herself dissatisfied with the portion of desserts. Depending on the type of dessert, this feeling grew stronger.

 

As a result, each time, a strange tension arose between Vincent and Paula. Of course, Vincent was always the first, but occasionally, Paula managed to take a little more than him. Just a tiny bit more, without him noticing.

 

But, having lost his eyesight and sharpened his other senses, he remained vigilant. He always sent her a knowing look when she took more. Honestly, it was a bit scary every time he did that.

 

‘Just how much do you love sweets?’

 

The more Vincenet reacted that way, the more shameless Paula became. She made concessions in such a way that she would like more whenever he gave her that kind of look. Of course, she knew he would refuse. His pride won’t force him to give back what he gave to his maid.

 

So this time, Paula pushed the plate, saying she would give it as much as he wanted. Vincent waved his hand. He refused to eat anything with her saliva on it. Paula insisted that she had only taken a little bit and pushed the plate more towards him, but Lucas suddenly burst into laughter. His gaze was fixed on the plate.

 

“The more I look at you, the more interesting you get.”

 

Lucas might have praised Paula, but she pretended not to understand and put the dish down. She momentarily forgot there was another companion. Vincent gestured with his eyes, asking what that was about. Paula fervently wished that Lucas would shut his mouth.

 

Lucas, who laughed again, fortunately, said something else.

 

“The two of you get along well.”

 

“That is not true.”

 

“There is a misunderstanding.”

 

The answer came at the same time. Vincent and Paula saw each other at the same time. Paula blinked, he wouldn’t be able to see her, but he had his eyes open wide as he could.

 

Lucas added that it seemed like Vincent and Paula got along well. Vincent didn’t respond and simply sipped his tea, while Paula tidied up the empty dishes. In the meantime, Lucas’ laughter echoed through the garden.

 

Paula quietly took out a book. Paula decided to ignore the strange laughter. Vincent seemed to agree, and the topic smoothly shifted.

 

When Paula adjusted her posture and sat down, Lucas gave her a puzzled look.

 

“What are you going to do?”

 

“I’m going to read you a book.”

 

“A book?”

 

Lucas’s gaze landed on the book in her hand. Paula cleared her throat. Vincent calmly sipped his tea. Lucas’ gaze shifted from Vincent to Paula again.

 

“Are you going to read it out loud?”

 

“Yes.”

 

‘You can tell just by looking that I’m going to read it. Why ask??

 

Paula opened the book and skillfully began to read the sentences. It was a sudden start, but Vincent heard her voice as if he was used to it.

 

It was a mid-sized children’s adventure story. Long books were hard to read. If the content was long, it was hard to concentrate. Paula recently realised that short and simple content was easier to read and more enjoyable to listen to.

 

Paula had carefully chosen the book. Lucas was amazed by the story flowing through her voice. He looked openly at Vincent, but Vincent didn’t show any attention to Lucas. He was solely focused on Paula’s voice. So, Paula concentrated even more on reading the book. Even a little distraction might lead to Vincent pointing it out, so she had to stay focused.

 

As Lucas observed them, his surprise gradually diminished. Then, at some point, he quietly pulled a chair closer to Vincent and sat down.

 

“Why are you sticking so close?”

 

“I want to listen, too.”

 

The two men sat side by side, listening intently to her voice. Normally, it was just Vincent, so Paula hadn’t realised how tense it would feel to read to someone else. That tension affected her voice, causing it to falter a few times. She saw Vincent’s stern expression, but quickly read the next part, pretending not to notice.

 

Lucas’ eyes sparkled like a child’s. Whether he found this situation amazing or whether he was amazed that she could read, Paula wasn’t sure, but he gave her a burdensome look that made her scalp tingle. It was like reading a fairy tale to his younger siblings.

 

Moreover, he actively participated.

 

“So, what happens next?”

 

“What? Oh, so what happens next is…”

 

He wasn’t just passively listening. He occasionally asked questions or inquired about her opinions. Sometimes, he chattered about stories he had heard elsewhere. It was a trivial conversation, but he acted like he was having fun. Vincent frowned, but he did not restrain the conversation. Thanks to that, only Paula, who became the conversation partner, was bewildered.

 

“It’s about the camaraderie and love gained through adventures. A story with a good lesson.”

 

After finishing the book, Lucas didn’t forget to add his views.

 

“Yes. Did you enjoy listening?”

 

“I really enjoyed hearing it. Maybe it’s because you read it comfortably, so it’s easy to hear.”

 

“You flatter me. I’ve learned a lot from someone.”

 

As Paula said that, she glanced at Vincent. A man who used to sigh deeply over even the slightest displeasure while she read was now leisurely sipping his tea. Even though the tea must have cooled by now, he still sipped it sip by sip, acting as if he didn’t feel her gaze.

 

And his words were something else.

 

“Better than before.”

 

“Yes, yes.”

 

‘I knew he’d say that.’

 

‘At this point, shouldn’t we give compliments such as “I read well” and “I have nothing more to point out”?’

 

The praise was too stingy.

 

But on the other hand, Lucas thought the praise wasn’t enough.

 

“There is no resistance to listening, and he reads smoothly. It was the first time I knew someone’s story could be so good to hear. I felt a sense of caring for the other person listening. His voice was so good… No, I just think it was all too good.”

 

“I was just reading. Please let me know if you know any good books.”

 

“Really? I’ll pick one next time.”

 

Paula laughed, and Lucas subtly secured the next opportunity to attend.

 

“It’s fun. Isn’t it, Brother?”

 

“Well.”

 

The only problem was that another attendee was too cold. But Lucas, accustomed to Vincent’s attitude, didn’t care.

 

“I didn’t know my brother liked sweets so much. How have you been hiding it all this time?”

 

“I didn’t hide it.”

 

“You didn’t eat like this.”

 

“I haven’t eaten like this. It’s not like I haven’t eaten.”

 

Lucas nodded his head. That made sense.

 

“Still, if I had known in advance that you liked sweets, I would have bought several cakes. I know a lot of famous places.”

 

“There is no need for that.”

 

Vincent flatly refused. Then he added, asking what trust he had in Lucas. It was a statement with a lot of room for misunderstanding, but Lucas just laughed it off. He even teased back, saying he knew Vincent would enjoy it if he brought some.

 

For a moment, a peaceful atmosphere passed between the two.

 

“Oh, by the way, I ordered the tea leaves you like. It’ll be here tomorrow. You still enjoy it, right? Novelle’s black tea.”

 

“Yes.”

 

“You’ll accept it, right?”

 

“If it’s sincerely offered, then I will.”

 

Paula hadn’t been able to get it out since she had run out of tea that the golden letters had sent her. She wanted to ask Isabella to help her when Vincent loved having that tea. When Novelle’s black tea ran out, Vincent became disappointed. But Paula knew Vincent. And she knew the joy hidden beneath the blunt attitude.

 

‘Are you doing this on purpose because he is your brother?’

 

Lucas, who knew nothing, just enjoyed it.

 

“Brother. I was honestly relieved.”

 

“What do you mean?”

 

“You seem relaxed. When I heard about it before, I was worried. Even when I saw you with my own eyes, I was still unsure. But now that I’ve stayed here, I understand. You’ve been really well. I’m glad.”

 

“…”

 

“I didn’t even know you liked sweets. I didn’t know you could go for a walk, read a book, and live peacefully like this.”

 

Lucas chuckled softly. It seemed happy, but I could feel the bitterness permeating it. The look in his eyes at Vincent was desperate. He was glistening with water as if he would shed tears even if he blinked his eyes even slightly.

 

“It’s so reassuring.”

 

There was relief in his voice.

 

Come to think of it, Lucas said that he blinded Vincent. If so, it means that Lucas already knew about Vincent’s condition. Perhaps he already knew about the ‘something’ Vincent was hiding.

 

The image of the two people talking in the room came to mind. What was contained in that image was probably heavier than Paula could imagine. That was why she felt like she somewhat understood Lucas’ feelings toward Vincent at the moment. His concern was probably genuine.

 

For a moment, Lucas looked different. The way he looked down at the floor, his eyes glistening with emotions, was quite moving.

 

But the emotion was quickly broken. Unfortunately, that sadness didn’t reach its recipient. Vincent clicked his tongue.

 

“That’s weird.”

 

“Is it?”

 

The sadness was quickly erased. It was a swift change. It was so fast that Paula wondered if the change was welcomed.

 

‘No, isn’t the sadness too short?’

 

Lucas’ bright smile took Paula aback.

 

“This must all be because of her.”

 

This time, Lucas’s attention turned to Paula.

 

Paula blinked in surprise at the sudden compliment.

 

‘Me?’

 

“Thank you for being by my brother’s side.”

 

“Oh, no, it’s nothing.”

 

“Of course, I should be thankful.”

 

His retort was quick.

 

‘What?’ 

 

Paula looked at Vincent in bewilderment. He didn’t correct his statement.

 

Well, yes, it’s a reasonable thing to be grateful for. But…could it be that he was a little grateful too?

 

‘Hmph!’

 

Paula openly snorted.

 

Still, Vincent didn’t even pretend to hear it.

 

‘Such a brat!’ 

 

Paula was angry, so she gulped down the hot tea roughly.

 

Her throat was dry.

 

“Well, of course. With such a beautiful person by your side, you must feel cheered up.”

 

Paula sprayed the tea she was drinking.

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