HBTF 18

Chapter: 18

The Ghosts hear the Daylight Whispers (1)

Since turning sixteen, there hadn’t been a day as enjoyable as today inside a carriage. Classie hummed a tune as she gazed out the window, but her attention was entirely focused on Merran’s reaction.

Merran was fuming, not moving an inch. Her expression was blatantly scrunched up, and her cheeks were puffed out like a blowfish.

Classie had to keep pressing her lips against the back of her hand to stifle her laughter.

“But hey, didn’t you leave most of your eldest sister’s keepsakes at the main house?”

Feeling just a little guilty, she tried striking up a conversation, but Merran sharply turned her head away with a huff loud enough to be heard.

“I don’t want to talk to you, Auntie.”

Classie reminded herself multiple times a day that she wasn’t Merran’s mother. But still, maybe because she had raised her since childhood, she couldn’t help but find Merran’s sulking adorable.

After all, she was the only one Merran ever showed this side to.

“Suit yourself, then.”

Classie replied lightly. Merran grumbled under her breath before moving to sit beside Classie and clinging to her arm.

“You’re totally getting back at me right now, aren’t you?”

“Getting back at you? Do I seem that petty?”

“Yes!”

“You’re right.”

Classie laughed as she playfully pulled a few strands of Merran’s golden, thread-like curls. Merran swatted at Classie’s leg before burrowing into her embrace.

They bickered as they shifted positions, making the time pass quickly. Before long, the carriage came to a stop.

Merran immediately sprang up like a weeble toy and bolted outside.

Classie followed at a leisurely pace, watching Merran’s back with suspicion.

‘Is Merran really interested in Dernick? She’s never acted like this before.’

Entering the agreed-upon restaurant, a waiter in a formal suit asked for their name and then led them to a reserved room.

As the door opened, they spotted Dernick, who had arrived earlier and was admiring a large monstera plant. Hearing the noise, he turned his head, smiled at Merran, and then, upon seeing Classie, burst into a wide grin.

“This is great. I invite one beauty, and two show up.”

“Auntie insisted on coming along because she was worried about me.”

Merran mumbled sheepishly and shot a glare at Classie.

If this were in front of nobles, Classie would have refused to be seen merely as “Merran Kalashi Omel’s aunt” instead of “Classie Kalashi.” But in front of Dernick, she didn’t mind.

“My niece is just too lovely. I was uneasy letting her meet a stranger alone.”

Feigning the role of an overprotective aunt, Classie smiled smugly. If she laid this groundwork, she could get in the way of Merran and Dernick meeting a couple more times in the future.

But for some reason, the previously grumpy Merran suddenly grinned after hearing her words.

“Auntie really looks after me, doesn’t she?”

She even shook Classie’s arm playfully as she spoke.

A thought crossed Classie’s mind.

‘Could it be that Merran wants me to act like this? Like an overly devoted guardian who pours all their attention into their child?’

The sound of a chair being pulled snapped Classie out of her thoughts.

When she came to her senses, Dernick was already pulling out a chair for her. Merran was still standing there, dazed. Meeting Classie’s eyes, Dernick smirked and said,

“Auntie, please have a seat first.”

“……”

Classie nearly smacked his chin with her handbag.

‘This little punk, he’s doing this on purpose, isn’t he?’

Suppressing her irritation, Classie boldly took her seat first. Dernick then pulled out a chair for Merran before finally sitting down himself.

However, once they had settled in, the seating arrangement was downright ridiculous. Classie was sitting at the most prestigious seat, as if she were the family matriarch, while Merran and Dernick sat to her right and left, respectively.

It seemed that since Classie had been acting like an overprotective guardian, Dernick had decided to play along. It was an utterly unwelcome consideration.

Still, Classie couldn’t openly complain to Dernick. Their last meeting had led to a chilling suspicion that he might be of royal blood.

So, she simply feigned ignorance, let out a good-natured chuckle, and picked up the menu.

Merran, who had been silent until now, finally spoke while they waited for their food.

“Why did you call me here?”

“Oh, sister Mary’s daughter. I had something important to ask.”

“My name is Merran. Merran Kalashi Omel.”

“My name is Dernick. But more importantly, Sister Mary’s daughter, I heard you inherited all of Sister Mary’s keepsakes?”

Classie and Merran answered at the same time.

“Not all. Most of them.”

“Isn’t it harder to keep calling me ‘Sister Mary’s daughter’?”

Dernick glanced between them as if unsure who to respond to, then eventually directed his question at Classie.

“Then who has the rest?”

Merran’s forehead creased. Dernick, who had been addressing her like a neighborhood kid, was now treating Classie seriously. She clearly wasn’t pleased about it.

“My eldest brother-in-law… Marquess Omel.”

Merran cleared her throat. When Dernick turned back to her, she repeated herself.

“Sir Dernick, from now on, call me Merran.”

Dernick let out a short sigh before muttering awkwardly.

“But you are Sister Mary’s daughter.”

“That just makes it harder to say.”

“It’s fine. If I say ‘Sister Mary’ multiple times, I get to hear her name multiple times.”

“Then why don’t you call my aunt ‘Sister Mary’s sister’?”

He calls me Miss Weapons Dealer! Classie scoffed.

Meanwhile, Dernick looked caught off guard.

“That’s true. Why don’t I say that to Miss Classie? But… somehow, it feels wrong to call her that.”

Of course it does. Because you have to call me Miss Weapons Dealer! Classie scoffed again.

Dernick didn’t refer to Classie as Miss Weapons Dealer in front of Merran. Instead, he met her eyes and, as if they were sharing some grand secret, winked.

“We already have a better nickname, don’t we, Miss Classie?”

Yeah, right!. Classie was too dumbfounded to even respond.

However, it seemed Merran had misunderstood Dernick’s teasing remark toward Classie. The proud expression she had worn while watching Classie act as a proper aunt twitched slightly.

It was a barely noticeable reaction, but Classie immediately realized that Merran was deeply offended by what had been said.

Classie quickly cleared up the misunderstanding.

“When I first met Sir Dernick, there was a bit of an incident. That’s what he’s referring to. It’s not a nickname—he’s just teasing me.”

“An incident?”

When Merran asked, Dernick began explaining how he had abruptly hitched a ride in Classie’s carriage and the events that had unfolded as a result.

As he spoke, the waitstaff entered the room carrying their food. By the time the story was finished, they were already halfway through their meal.

Dernick was an odd character, but he was a great storyteller. He exaggerated and embellished the events involving Classie, himself, and Kishin, making the entire tale sound more dramatic. Throughout the storytelling, Merran laughed so much that she barely ate.

It seemed that whatever had upset her earlier had completely faded.

Meanwhile, listening to her own story being recounted by Dernick left Classie feeling embarrassed and awkward, so she simply focused on eating.

By the time the story ended, Merran, now in a good mood, finally spoke about the keepsakes.

“I inherited most of my mother’s belongings. But I only brought a few with me here—most of them are divided between Marquess Omel and Count Kalashi. Since they’re scattered in three different places, it won’t be easy to track them all down. So, just tell me exactly what you’re looking for.”

“…It’s not something I can easily talk about with others.”

“I’m not ‘others.’ I’m Mary Omel’s only daughter.”

“…But you’re not my daughter.”

At those words, Merran’s expression turned strange. It was a phrase Classie often said herself, but hearing it come from Dernick caught her off guard.

Unaware of this, Dernick simply crossed his arms and pondered for a moment before making a suggestion.

“Then, Sister Mary’s daughter, invite me to your home. I’ll check the keepsakes myself.”

“That’s…”

“If you’re worried I’ll take something, you can have someone watch over me. Or you can keep an eye on me the entire time I’m looking through them. How about that?”

After a moment of deliberation, Merran replied.

“I’ll think about it.”

Dernick grinned and stood up.

“Alright.”

Classie had been keeping her distance while the two talked, but when Dernick suddenly put on his coat, she looked at him in confusion.

“Where are you going?”

With a playful expression, Dernick answered,

“To find a gift that will make Sister Mary’s daughter change her mind.”

Merran burst into laughter and asked,

“What kind of gift?”

“I’ll be back in ten minutes. You, stay here and have coffee with your aunt.”

After checking his watch, Dernick disappeared without another word.

He really does whatever he wants. Classie clicked her tongue in exasperation.

However, Merran didn’t seem to mind his unpredictable nature. In fact, after Dernick left, she laughed as if she found him amusing.

Classie found her reaction strange.

Up until now, every man Merran had met was completely swayed by her. They listened to every word she said and obeyed her wishes without question. But all Merran wanted from them was for them to stay away from Classie.

Yet, despite Dernick doing whatever he pleased and treating Merran like an inferior, she was looking at him with more warmth than she had ever shown to any other man.

Classie was confused.

Does Merran like Dernick because of my connection to him? Or is she actually interested in him as a person?

Unable to hold back her curiosity, Classie asked,

“Do you like Sir Dernick?”

For some reason, that question seemed to strike a nerve. Merran, who had been flipping through the menu while choosing her coffee, suddenly responded sharply.

“What about you?”

“…Huh? Why are you asking about me all of a sudden?”

Classie was so taken aback that she laughed.

Pouting, Merran closed the menu and asked again.

“Have you already given up on Sir Kishin? You were so happy hugging the bouquet he gave you, and now you’re interested in Sir Dernick?”

She looked like someone wary and jealous, as if afraid Classie might develop feelings for Dernick.

Seeing this, Classie grinned mischievously and teased her.

“That’s right. I’m interested in Sir Dernick now. Didn’t you say it yourself? Sir Kishin misunderstood and insulted me, so I shouldn’t get close to him.”

“…Oh.”

Dernick covered his mouth with his hand and glanced sideways at Kishin.

“This isn’t the kind of conversation I intended for you to hear when I brought you here.”

* * *

(1) The chapter title “낮말은 기신이 듣고” (“The Ghosts hear the Daylight Whispers”) is a shortened version of the Korean proverb “낮말은 새가 듣고 밤말은 쥐가 듣는다”

It literally means:

“Birds hear what is said during the day, and mice hear what is said at night.”

This proverb warns that someone is always listening, so one should be careful with their words. The shortened version, “낮말은 기신이 듣고”, replaces 새 (bird) with 기신 (ghost/spirit), it is because “kishin” is almost same as the Korean word for ghost (기신) and in the end it was him who heard Classie’s words.