Why Are You So Obsessed With Rejecting Affection? - Chapter 64

Before you read, (S)=Shushu, (D)=Deleign, (G)=Grand Duke, (W)=Wyndert, and (SV)=Servant

“Please take this.”

I was hoping to have a conversation with Lucas to make him give up, but it made me feel even worse.

I folded Lucas’ handkerchief into a square.

“I need to go back now.”

“Just take it with y… no, wash it.”

Lucas turned away from my hand and muttered quietly. I sat on the handkerchief for only a short time but now I have to wash it as well as return it to him.

‘Why would you be so attached to a handkerchief? You’re a Crown Prince with a lot of money!’

While it wasn’t a very difficult request as I won’t wash it myself, I somehow felt uncomfortable. Do we have to meet again so I can return it to you? Thinking that far, I realized that his intention was to ask for a second meeting.

“You must give it to me yourself. I will never receive it if you ask your maid or servant to return it.”

As I thought, Lucas spoke in a very strong tone, and fearing that I would reject his request, he immediately got up and disappeared.

I held the handkerchief engraved with his initials in my hand and stared blankly in the direction he disappeared. And when I turned back the way I came and headed towards the entrance of the main building, Franc ran to me with a tearful face.

“Miss! Where have you been? You disappeared suddenly so I had to look for you for a long time.”

“I went for a walk… Why are you looking for me?”

“The meal is ready but you were nowhere to be found……”

Uhm, is that time already?

Maybe it was because I’m still young and I have short legs that’s why it took me a long time to walk. I’m sure supper is all ready, and if I don’t show up now, the Grand Duke and my brothers will start a riot that will turn the mansion upside down. I felt a little sorry towards Franc.

“I thought I only went for a short walk… sorry.”

“Uh… no. First, let’s go to eat, Lady.”

Franc looked embarrassed by my apology, and then led me straight to the dining room. It really seemed like everyone had gathered.

(W) “Shushu! Come here.”

(D) “Ah, it’s Shushu! Sit down quickly.”

Wyndert greeted me warmly as soon as I entered the dining room. Beside him, Deleign was doing all sorts of things to get the attention of the dragon.

When I appeared, he hurriedly pretended that he was waiting for me without trying to play and shouted, ‘It’s Shushu!’ but I could already see the tiny cracks of curiosity in his facial expression. He looked puzzled when I gave him an inexplicable gaze, but eventually giggled along with me.

“Brother, earlier…”

“Huh?”

I wanted to say ‘I saw you in the garden earlier!’ to make fun of him, but I stopped when I saw his face full of affection for me.

I just shook my head and said.

“Earlier, I wanted to see you but I couldn’t find you so I was sad!”

“Ah… did you? Oh my gosh, your oppa wasn’t aware of our Shushu’s heart!”

“Uh… yes.”

Deleign must’ve been thrilled due to my words and he overreacted.

I sat down, trying to restore my neutral expression.

(G) “What about your Dad?”

(S) “Yes?”

(W) “What about me?”

The Grand Duke, who was sitting next to the dragon, asked in a solemn voice. Wyndert too. By any chance… are they going to ask me if I don’t want to see them (and only want to see Deleign)?

I looked alternately between them.

“O-of course, I also missed Dad and oppa!”

Then everyone looked satisfied.

I hadn’t even had one bite of food yet, but I already felt like I was stuffed. Well, it was just a feeling, and as always the meal was very tasty.

“Shushu, promise me you won’t do anything dangerous again.” Wyndert said to me with a stern face while I was drinking the cream soup.

It was his first reaction after I recounted what happened to me today.

“It wasn’t very dangerous…”

“What? The wall collapsed, why are you acting like it wasn’t dangerous at all?”

Wyndert had a face that said don’t-talk-nonsense when he asked me. Well, though you said it looked dangerous… I was fine, really.

(W) “But is that really a dragon?”

(S) “Of course. It’s really a dragon. Definitely!”

(D) “Do you have any evidence? He… it looks kind of shabby no matter how I look at it.”

Deleign asked, pointing at the dragon with the tip of his chin.

After all, dragons were known to be powerful creatures, but the dragon in front of him was so small and cute.

(S) “There is no evidence…”

(G) “That is a dragon.”

When I hesitated, the Grand Duke replied bluntly.

(D) “Really? But why is he so small?”

(G) “Because he is a young dragon.”

The Grand Duke answered Deleign’s question. Even though they were talking about the dragon, it was only looking at me.

(G) “Cahill found it in the archives. When they grow up, they become the kind of dragon we think they are.”

(S) “He found information sooner than I thought? It’s only been a few hours.”

To my sympathetic admiration, the Grand Duke replied with a nonchalant face.

(T/N: sympathetic admiration = warm respect, sensitive appreciation)

“There is only one ancient document about dragons kept by the family, and if he can’t find it, he shouldn’t be my aide.”

I suddenly feel pity for Cahill who had to do all the work. And because he’s pitiful… I will at least try to give him a raise someday.

(S) “How does it grow?”

(G) “There was not any specific information on that topic. But if it doesn’t intake any food, it will develop in a unique way.”

(S) “Ah! I want to give the dragon a name. We will be spending each of our days with the dragon from now on and we can’t just keep calling it ‘Dragon! Dragon!’”

(G) “So Shushu is interested in dragons?”

(S) “It’s cute.”

(W) “That’s cute? It could be dangerous, so I think it would be better to conduct a closed-door study (about the dragon).”

I was thinking of a happy life with a new friend, but Wyndert worriedly stopped me. It seems like he also has the same opinion as the Grand Duke.

(S) “What is a good name?”

As I was contemplating quietly, all of a sudden, the peas that Deleign had piled up like a mountain on one side suddenly flew away.

Beans were arranged in front of me, representing certain characters. It was his own name written by the dragon himself.

“Kai… den?”

Did he just show me his name through writing? Just now… it felt like there was some sort of spiritual power used. I almost thought I was just mistaken. It was spiritual power – an ability only used by the royal family.

“So it’s Kaiden! Uhm, it would be perfect to call you Kai!”

“Gyuu!”

I smiled at Kaiden after giving him the nickname. Kaiden seemed very satisfied, so he flew and sat on my lap.

“Father, isn’t it really dangerous?”

“Wow, that’s great! I wish you could bring me peas everyday!”

“Well…….”

While the two of us were having a friendly atmosphere, the Grand Duke and my brothers were muttering about something to themselves over there.

Ah, whatever. I scooped up some cake and took a big bite, nyam!

* * * 

Knock knock.

Something kept disturbing my sleep. I opened my eyes and looked to the side of the bed with blurry eyes.

“A ghost… no, it’s Kai.”

I met its pair of purple eyes. I thought it was the ghost boy who had woken me up but it was Kaiden. I guessed that it was probably around midnight judging from the darkness outside the windows. Why do I feel like it was making a fuss just now?

“…What’s the matter?”

Kaiden blinked at my question and shook its head.

Somehow, a warm feeling filled my heart. As if celebrating something, as if welcoming.

Kaiden, is it you? I wanted to ask, but my eyes kept closing.

I closed my eyes again. It felt like there was a lot of noise outside the door, but… whatever.

Hmm, I was sleepy so I went back to sleep.

* * * 

I was alone when I opened my eyes again. There was no Kaiden, no Nina – no one. What on earth is happening now?

‘Huh……? It feels like the sun is brighter than usual.’

As if possessed by something, I got up from my seat and pulled the string by the bedside.

“Oh, lady, are you awake already?”

“Already? I think I woke up later than usual…”

Coming in a hurry, Nina asked me as if she was so surprised and that I woke up so quickly. Seeing that I was confused, Nina immediately led me to the bathroom while shaking her head.

“N-no. Wash your face first.”

Stranger things happened next.

She dressed me up in a pretty dress just for me to have breakfast together with my family, but Nina was saying something completely different than usual.

“Hey, miss. Why don’t we eat in the sunroom rather than the dining room today?”

“Did my brothers say that?”

“N-no, both the young masters ate first today.”

“Ate breakfast first… so what, do I have to eat in the sun room if I am going to eat alone? I can just eat in the dining room quickly….”

“N-no! Look at how nice the sun is today. You need to see more sunlight.”

“Uh… is that so?”

Nina’s attitude was questionable today. I was very puzzled but I decided to follow along anyway.

“M-miss, how about walking this way for today?”

The quickest way to the sun room was through the stairs at the center of the mansion, so I didn’t understand why she was asking me to go the other way.

‘Huh?’ I tilted my head and looked at Nina.

“I-it will be good for your h-health to walk a bit more. Having some pre-meal exercise is perfect, it will be good if you go around.”

Unfortunately, Nina doesn’t seem to be the type to hide things well. It was as if she didn’t want me to go down to the main hall on the first floor.

“Why are you suddenly asking me to exercise first before eating my breakfast when you’ve never done it before? I just want to eat quickly.”

What was that weird noise? As we went down the stairs, Nina sighed, ‘Ah…’.

But still, as I ran down while avoiding her hands reaching out to me, I began to hear strange noises.

(D) “Aish, I won’t do it!”

(W) “Ahaha! What is that! Dell, you really can’t!”

A high-pitched scream of a child and a squeaky, sneering voice. It was a familiar voice – Deleign and Wyndert.

(SV) “M-master, before the lady comes down, can you quickly…! N-no, the cream is very thick…!”

Huh, cream? I walked quickly towards the sound as if I was possessed, ignoring Nina’s timid shout behind me saying, ‘N-no, you can’t…!’

‘But isn’t this the kitchen?’

It was a place I had never been to. In other words, I shouldn’t normally hear the Grand Duke’s and my brothers’ voices in this type of place.

(D) “Is that all you can do, hyungnim? You can’t stop me!”

(W) “Why are you mad at me for not being able to do it?”

My brothers were fighting for some unknown reason. Though I could hear their angry voices, it was noisy but enjoyable at the same time.

(S) “Dad? Brothers?”

I called carefully and opened the kitchen door. And at that moment, splat.

(G) “I can’t concentrate, so can you both be quiet… Shushu.”

Something hit my cheek and fell to the floor. The angry Grand Duke saw me and shut his mouth.