Chapter 10
“…?”
I was startled when those rough words—so unlike Llewellyn Lasiane—left his lips.
I looked around, trying to figure out who he meant by those bastards.
Besides the couples and families eating in the restaurant, there were also two groups of three or four men.
He probably meant them.
They looked to be in their late twenties or early thirties at most, with the youngest appearing to be around my age.
They kept glancing this way—
Or rather, at me—
While whispering among themselves.
Then, the moment our eyes met, the young man who looked about my age flushed bright red and quickly lowered his head.
His innocent reaction made me chuckle without thinking.
Once again…
People had fallen for my face at first sight.
Well, I had to admit…
My appearance really was my greatest asset.
‘Thank goodness Adrian isn’t here.’
If my brother had been present…
He would’ve started shouting about gouging those men’s eyes out.
…
Just imagining Adrian’s terrifying psychopathic tendencies made me shiver.
At that moment—
A chill suddenly came from beside me.
I slowly turned my head.
Llewellyn Lasiane was staring coldly at the young man…
A faint, icy smile resting on his lips.
“…”
I could only stare at him with wide eyes.
Come to think of it…
This was the first time I’d ever seen him angry.
Why was he angry?
Because that young man blushed after looking at me?
‘But why would that make him angry…?’
Even after realizing it, my brain refused to process the conclusion.
Then it suddenly clicked.
‘Ah… I see!’
‘The strict Duke Lasiane simply can’t tolerate people blushing over the opposite sex in public!’
That had to be it.
I nodded to myself in satisfaction.
Llewellyn quietly watched me.
When I glanced back…
The coldness in his eyes had already melted away.
‘See? He’s such a generous person.’
I smiled brightly at him.
For a brief moment, he seemed slightly taken aback.
Then he smiled back.
Reaching out…
He gently tucked the loose strands of hair by my cheek behind my ear.
“You said you were hungry.”
“Shall we order?”
“Ah, yes.”
I nodded and picked up the menu.
Adrian and I came to this restaurant often, so I already knew what was delicious.
“Hmm…”
“The olive clam stew…”
“Oh, do you like shellfish?”
“I eat just about anything.”
“Really?”
“You seem like you’d be a picky eater.”
He smiled softly.
“As long as I’m with you, Rose…”
“Everything tastes good.”
“I-Is that so?”
“Yes.”
“Although…”
“I still haven’t tasted the thing I want most.”
…What does that mean?
The way he said it sounded strangely suggestive.
But I couldn’t understand what he meant.
‘Maybe it’s just one of the Duke’s sophisticated jokes.’
I tilted my head.
Then looked back at the menu.
After choosing a few more dishes and drinks…
I asked for his opinion on each one, just in case.
Every single time…
His answers were things like—
“If you’re feeding me, Rose, I’ll eat anything.”
Or—
“Whatever you like is what I like.”
I couldn’t tell whether he genuinely meant it…
Or if he was simply being considerate.
Feeling rather confused…
I placed our order.
After waiting for a while…
The waiter brought out steaming hot dishes.
Watching the table gradually fill with food…
I swallowed hard.
The seafood from this region was incredibly fresh.
No matter how it was cooked…
It was always delicious.
The tomato and cheese salad was excellent too.
And the sparkling drink made with crushed wild raspberries, honey, and soda water…
No matter how much I drank…
I never got tired of it.
‘I wonder if Llewellyn has ever tried this before.’
Sneaking a glance at him…
I took a sip.
Sweet.
Refreshing.
The wonderful flavor spread throughout my mouth.
‘It’s so good…!’
Little by little…
I melted with happiness.
All the worries and confusion Llewellyn had been causing me disappeared.
My heart became completely occupied by nothing except delicious food and drinks.
Without caring about anyone around me…
I enthusiastically ate and drank.
Only after I was mostly full…
Did my senses finally return.
‘…Oh no.’
‘I got completely absorbed in eating again.’
Adrian always teased me about this habit.
‘This is kind of embarrassing…’
I cautiously raised my head to look at the man beside me.
Our eyes met immediately.
Apparently…
He’d been watching me the entire time.
His utensils and plate were still completely untouched.
‘Wait…’
‘He hasn’t eaten anything?!’
‘Was he seriously just watching me this whole time?!’
Was watching me eat really that entertaining?
Did he actually enjoy it?
A wave of embarrassment rushed over me.
My face turned bright red.
Lowering my head…
I fidgeted with my fingers.
“Aren’t you going to eat, Your Grace?”
“…”
His reply came a moment later.
“I was too busy watching how adorably you were enjoying your meal.”
“…?”
What?
I blinked at him in confusion.
Smiling leisurely…
Llewellyn reached toward me.
Then…
He gently wiped the corner of my mouth.
Before I could react—
He brought the thumb stained with sauce…
To his own lips.
My eyes widened.
His tongue slowly slipped between his pale lips…
And lightly licked the sauce from his thumb.
For a second…
I nearly fainted.
After licking it clean…
He looked at me with strangely alluring eyes.
“…Delicious.”
…
That definitely didn’t sound like he was talking about the sauce.
A shiver ran through my body.
I tightly clasped both hands together.
* * *
I couldn’t even tell whether the food was going into my mouth…
Or my nose.
That was how distracted I was as we finished our meal.
Even after leaving the restaurant…
My mind remained a complete mess.
Because a suspicion had begun growing inside me.
‘Is Llewellyn…’
‘Trying to seduce me?’
N-No…
He’s not in his right mind.
Maybe that was why he kept acting like this.
But…
If he continued behaving this way…
I honestly wouldn’t be able to handle it.
Should I just contact House Lasiane?
But what if they misunderstood everything?
‘Ugh… This is driving me crazy.’
Was this how soldiers felt when trapped with no way forward and no way back?
No matter how much I thought about escaping this hopeless situation…
There wasn’t a single good answer.
It truly was hopeless.
Then I remembered something my previous life had taught me.
When humans found themselves in a situation with absolutely no solution…
There was only one truly reasonable response.
‘Life gets easier once you give up!’
‘Haha… Whatever.’
‘Let’s just have fun for now!’
I tightly grabbed Llewellyn’s hand…
And headed toward the beach.
As we walked side by side…
Matching each other’s pace…
I found myself smiling brightly.
(I’d apparently reached a complete mental singularity.)
Llewellyn smiled back at me just as beautifully.
‘Well…’
‘Since things have already turned out like this…’
‘I might as well enjoy staring at the handsome male lead as much as I can.’
I grinned while admiring his face.
Looking pleased…
He asked,
“Do you like my face?”
I nodded enthusiastically.
“Yes.”
“Of course I do.”
Who in the world wouldn’t like Duke Lasiane’s face?
Even picky Adrian would have to admit Llewellyn was extraordinarily handsome.
Absolutely.
For some reason…
After hearing my answer…
Llewellyn shyly brushed a hand across his lips.
The corners of his eyes were slightly red.
And somehow…
He even looked proud.
Suddenly curious…
I decided to ask out of simple interest.
“What about me?”
“Do you like my face, Your Grace?”
“…”
It was the first time I’d ever asked anyone something like that.
Oddly enough…
I felt a little excited.
Thanks to inheriting good genes from both my parents…
I was considered pretty.
But…
I wondered what someone like Llewellyn Lasiane thought.
After all…
In the original novel…
He was famous for possessing exceptional aesthetic taste.
And there had only ever been one person who captured his eyes at first sight.
The heroine—
Sierra.
She possessed beauty so overwhelming it could topple kingdoms.
Yet…
Rather than dazzling…
She was pure and graceful.
Like a delicate lily of the valley.
Perhaps…
That was exactly why Llewellyn had fallen in love with her at first sight.
Among countless blooming roses…
A single lily of the valley naturally drew every eye.
‘If I had to compare myself…’
‘I’d definitely be the rose.’
Even my name meant rose.
Well…
More precisely…
It meant Rose Garden.
Rosenia.
Mother had dreamed of a garden overflowing with vivid pink summer roses while she was pregnant with me.
So…
She gave me that name.
‘How romantic.’
Of course…
The original novel never explained what Rosenia’s name meant.
In the story…
Rosenia existed only as the younger sister of the villain Adrian.
‘Basically…’
‘His accomplice.’
But unlike the original Rosenia…
I remembered my previous life.
Instead of helping Adrian commit evil deeds…
I always tried to stop him whenever he began walking down the wrong path.
I’d learned long ago…
That appealing to Adrian’s conscience was completely useless.
So instead of saying things like,
“Brother, what you’re doing is wrong.”
I’d say—
“Brother… can’t you stop for my sake?”
Or—
“Brother… you’re scaring me like this.”
And that approach worked wonderfully.
Because Adrian—
With his severe sister complex—
Was pathologically terrified of having his little sister hate him.
‘Honestly…’
‘Even I never expected Adrian to grow into such an extreme sis-con.’
Well…
It certainly made controlling him much easier.
I quietly looked at Llewellyn…
Waiting for his answer.
Quite a while had already passed.
Yet…
He simply continued gazing silently at me.
‘Could it be…’
‘My face just isn’t his type?’
‘Is he trying to think of a way to answer without hurting my feelings?’
That would be exactly like the considerate Duke Lasiane.
He could just answer honestly.
I wouldn’t get hurt.
Really…
‘…Wouldn’t I?’
‘Maybe just a little.’
If Adrian ever called me ugly…
I’d simply kick him and tell him to shut up.
But somehow…
Imagining Llewellyn saying something similar felt strangely different.
The excitement I’d felt after deciding to just give up and enjoy myself gradually faded.
For some reason…
Everything suddenly became awkward.
Especially…
The man beside me.
The one who still hadn’t let go of my hand.
I quietly tried pulling my hand free.
But the instant I did—
His large hand tightened firmly around mine.
“…!”
