Chapter 58: Chapter 58

however, rosemary knew the circumstances. it was after she clearly saw him deceiving luna.

“no! it’s true! i really thought my master was uncomfortable, so i did that! she said she hated not knowing things, so i reported everything as she said, and she made me this way!”

upon this, carlton made an excuse, but rosemary’s eyes were cold.

“there’s no way. you judged arbitrarily without even asking whether it was uncomfortable or not, now whom are you blaming?”

carlton was cornered by rosemary’s rebuttal, recalling the time. rosemary’s factual rebuttal seemed more credible than his emotional claims.

“what on earth did you do to get fired? until the contract, she didn’t know the large mansion well, and she even asked to continue contracts with all the mansion’s servants.”

it was a favor for the servants, but since it was luna’s first time in the large mansion, she couldn’t suddenly fire the servants.

so rosemary, quite stirred up, blamed carlton.

at this, the marquis, who had been watching the situation, intervened. he seemed to finally come out of the shock.

“it’s not right to judge by hearing only one side, it would be good to meet lady peils too.”

of course, this wasn’t to solve carlton’s issue. after all, his issue wasn’t particularly important.

more than that, they were curious about the person dating their abandoned son. upon this, the marchioness agreed.

“i think so too. since antes is involved in this matter, it would be good to meet and hear the story.”

ultimately, they wanted to see both antes and luna. however, with no way to contact both, the marchioness looked at rosemary, seeming to suggest she should arrange a meeting.

but the still angry rosemary just pouted:

“when were you going to lift the outing prohibition?”

“i apologize for that. it was wrong to interfere so much, especially now that you’re an adult.”

the outing prohibition was going to be lifted soon anyway. especially given the arduous studies taxing on her, they didn’t want to grow distant from their only remaining daughter.

it was quite a high-handed attitude, but when the marquis apologized, rosemary’s mood had to soften a bit.

“i’ll think about it.”

yet, she wasn’t so compliant to simply say ‘yes,’ and with a curt farewell, rosemary left the reception room briskly.

carlton was somewhat relieved by the marquis and marchioness, who now wished to meet luna, though he didn’t understand why. he was still convinced that he could flatten the nose of the foolish household.

* * *

thanks to the absence all this while, it wasn’t a big inconvenience that there were no butler and servants. the mansion didn’t crumble just because it wasn’t cleaned well.

what was inconvenient was the bandage wrapped around the hand. although it was only one hand, it was very inconvenient since it was the right hand.

“put it in your mouth?”

antes, sitting opposite, held a cookie and asked.

just leaving him alone would have sufficed, but why did it turn out like this after slapping the face several times?

but soon luna, frowning her lips saying violence wasn’t good, firmly declined his unwanted favor.

“it’s not like both hands are injured, right? eat plenty on your side. besides, the imperial family said they would review the gold?”

“yes. those folks are obsessed with gold. i’ve got all the necessary documents, so just show them.”

as he handed over the documents to luna, antes blasphemed the royal family nonchalantly.

“and although it’s late, i have a gift for you.”

while luna was reviewing the documents, he placed a box on the table.

“a gift? what is it?”

when she gestured to open it as her hand hurt, antes opened the lid of the box and took out the contents. it was a wine glass made of gold, falsely claimed to be a gift for the crown prince before.

“is this glass made of gold from my mine?”

“don’t worry, it’s not embezzled gold. i’ve recorded the value accurately.”

the suspicion was very brief, but noticing it, antes nipped the misunderstanding in the bud.

feeling awkward, luna coughed and changed the subject.

“hmm, hmm. thank you. we’ll drink wine later. i feel a bit sorry because i am the only one drinking from a pretty cup.”

“don’t worry. i have my cup too.”

antes responded and showed luna a cup that was identical to the one he had gifted her. wait, what is this? a couple cups, what?

“are you crazy? what if someone sees this!”

“so what if someone sees. now, more people know that we are dating than those who don’t.”

it wasn’t quite to that extent, but anyway, due to the last party, those who should know, now knew.

“hey, we had a good time that day.”

with a misconstrued statement, and a sarcastic laugh, antes made luna blush.

“what are you talking about now! it’s disgusting!”

“it meant it was a really good party, why? what were you thinking that you blushed?”

“…”

it was quiet for a moment, but it started again. regardless of the situation, luna avoided the conversation.

“let’s drop it. anyway, the documents seem fine, so let’s wrap this up. i have to go out.”

“going to hire some servants?”

“yes. i am going to see it myself. now i realize how important the right servants are.”

once familiar with the work, she planned to hire only gentle people who wouldn’t harm her or her family.

“i will accompany you.”

antes responded as he organized the documents.

“are you not busy? is it okay?” for a moment, she was worried. whether it was safe to entrust her precious gold mine to this man.

“it’s okay. i’ve been working like a madman for a month, so a break for two or three days is fine. besides, don’t you lack a carriage driver?”

having fired everyone including the coachman, now there was none.

the former driver, henry, had left for the peils estate with the baron a long time ago. so, indeed, as antes said, there was no one to drive the carriage.

if she refused his favor, she would have to either ride a horse or walk. luna smiled gently as if she never declined his offer before.

“i was just asking in case you were busy. i shouldn’t hold back a busy person, so i was just checking. thank you for your consideration.”

at the quick change of attitude, antes chuckled lightly.

despite the potentially hurtful words, he knew that she meant no harm, and it was only endearing.

thanks to antes, luna safely found a coachman, and as she sat opposite him leisurely looking out the window, she furrowed her brows.

“didn’t you say you would drive the carriage yourself?”

“me? is it necessary for me to drive the carriage?”

it was antes’ coachman who was driving the carriage. there was no point in antes accompanying her. she could have just asked to borrow the coachman for a while.

“ugh, to trust again after being fooled once…”

she was fooled before when she went to throw checks at seira.

at that time, antes lied saying the guild would only listen to orders from him and the guild’s people, so he had no choice but to accompany her.

and today, saying he would accompany her as a driver would be needed, she readily agreed, but the actual carriage was being driven by his coachman.

“don’t get so upset. it’s better for me to be here since it’s your first time hiring servants.”

he didn’t seem to refute the accusation of deception, rather, antes was appealing his strengths to calm luna down.

he was such a man, who annoyed first, then helped, leaving no room to get angry.

“why are you wasting your time following me around? it’s not like i am paying you.”

it wasn’t a budding romance nor a solid relationship, nothing like over, six over, seven over, or eight over.

“that… “

in response to that question, antes, who always handled smoothly, stared at luna for a moment and remained silent. he hadn’t thought about it and didn’t know, he also didn’t know why he kept wanting to follow luna around.

indeed, as luna said, it was a waste of his time. it would have been more beneficial in life to sleep, work, or do other things during that time.

“it’s fine. just don’t be unhelpful.”

as antes no longer spoke, luna turned her head as if to say to do as he pleases and stared out of the window.

antes, who had been gazing at luna blankly, now shifted his gaze to the scenery outside the window, following her.

the unexpected emergence of concerns slightly furrowed his brows.