Chapter 24

Chapter 24

The first thought that came to her mind was…

‘He is blonde.’

It may be an overly common idea, but Irene had never seen such bright blonde hair in her life.

At the same time, the afternoon sunlight that poured into the glass greenhouse made the blonde look really beautiful.

The color is like melted honey.

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So, the first time Irene saw him, she thought that she had misunderstood who he was. Because the grown-up Otis had blonde hair that was not as vivid as that. Nevertheless, the boy was not an unrecognizable face simply because his hair color was a little more vivid.

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‘It is the real Otis.’

Eyes raised up like a fox and lips protruding as if biting a slice of a well-cut apple—two cheeks with a good complexion that has not yet shed the baby fat yet.

“Why did you come in when I did not even call you? Get out now!”

…Even that arrogant and dirty way of talking.

‘If that is not Otis, then she would be Louise…’

‘I have come to the right place.’

What he said was right. Although Irene was a little surprised because she did not know he would scream like that. Even though she was not offended, it was not unexpected either.

Most of all, it was because she quickly realized why Otis was reacting so harshly like that.

“Young master, did you cry?”

The corners of Otis’s eyes were moist and reddened.

Anyone who saw it could tell that he was crying.

“Oh, I did not cry!”

Yeah, that is a regular line.

However, naturally, she understood him. Since Irene and Otis are the same age, he would not want to admit that he cried over his fifteen-year-old pride.

‘Well, I have no intention of provoking him.’

So, instead of prying into the boy’s tears, Irene shook her head roughly.

“If you say no, then I believe you. I thought you were crying because your nose and eyes were red. Young master, you are not sick anywhere, are you?”

“What, are you curious?”

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“Of course. If the young master is sick, I am worried.”

At Irene’s words, Otis let out a cold laugh.

“You? Why me?”

“Why not?”

“Do you know who I am? You only saw me for the first time today.”

“The second master of the mansion. Even though this is the first time you see me today, I know you.”

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By the time she answered with a shrug, Otis had gone beyond a cold smile. The expression he was wearing on his face was chilling.

“So, do you think that you, a servant, can do anything? What use would it do for you to worry about me?”

The words he said were too sharp for simply being caught crying. Perhaps, if it had been someone else, she would have been angry at what kind of kid he was.

But, Irene did not mind.

It was partly because of her indifferent personality. Above all, the biggest reason was that Otis was just a little boy who had been whimpering just a while ago.

Unfortunately for him, Irene’s eyes lit up with interest.

‘It is refreshing to see him like this after seeing his fierce personality every time.’

In the meantime, Irene became a chambermaid and started communicating with the male protagonists around the time they left for Lichpen as they grew closer. Therefore, her impression of Otis was also fixed after he became an adult.

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A humorist with a smiling face, whose hobby was to destroy the hearts of many people.

That was the impression she always had of Otis.

On the other hand, his childhood was such a feisty, crybaby boy.

‘It is pretty cute.’

Of course, if you listen to what he has to say, he is rather far from the word cute. Nonetheless, she had come all the way here and had no intention of leaving just like that.

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Above all, the lemon madeleine she brought was too much to eat alone.

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Thinking so, Irene opened her mouth again.

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“Don’t you want me to worry about you?”

“Yes. Sympathy is disgusting. You, too, like my mother.”

“If you feel sorry about her because you think she abandoned you, then why don’t you stop?”

Perhaps it was the nail on the head. Otis’s eyes were distorted.

“You know everything… Are you making fun of me now?!”

“I am not teasing you. Why would I feel sorry for you? You’re not very light-hearted.”

Otis’ eyes narrowed again in disbelief. But, he did not seem to want to shout at her like he had just a moment ago.

Seeing so, Irene continued quietly.

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“That is true, isn’t it? I have to work with soot on my apron to make a living. Who am I to feel sorry for?”

“… That is even weirder. Who are you worried about when you are in a difficult position with your job?”

“Even though it is hard, I am doing well, but I think the master is not doing well even though your life is not difficult.”

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At her answer, Otis’ face turned a little red.

Meanwhile, Irene continued, wondering if it was a little too hot in the greenhouse. “Everyone thinks that if they see someone in the rain, they will catch a cold, right? That is just how I feel.”

Sympathy is worrying about someone’s misfortune.

Worry is worrying about someone unhappy.

“If the young master is crying, I am worried about why he is crying. When the young master is sick, it’s not so strange to worry about why he is sick.”

“…There is nothing I can get from my mother by saying that to her.”

“I am just here to eat a lemon madeleine.”

Of course, it is half a lie.

At Irene’s consistent attitude, Otis seemed to have softened his vigilance a little. No… to be precise, it seemed that he did not fully understand what she was saying. Still, at least, he seemed to get a sense that she didn’t want to sympathize with him.

Instead of yelling at her to get out again, he finds himself laying on the garden tea table.

So, Irenea glanced at him.

“Can I stay here?”

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No answer came back. Maybe, he felt it was pretty pointless to argue with her.

Now, his ears are red.

‘Do not tell me he is shy…’

At that, she began to slowly approach him. As she approached, Irene took one of the lemon madeleines from the basket and ate it as well.

She had originally intended to use it as bait, but despite those ambitious plans, Otis didn’t seem in the mood for that.

She really could not help it, so she will just have to eat them.

‘He is not telling me not to go any further?’

Otis would not be so oblivious to what was coming. Still, he said nothing.

In the end, Irene spoke first.

“The people in this mansion do not seem to enjoy the greenhouse. Sometimes, they do not come unless it is tea time.”

“….”

“I come here often. Once after lunch, when I am done after washing the dishes. And, again, after dinner when dusk falls. It is nice to have a place where newbies like me can come and go.”

“…It is not lunch or dinner now.”

“Yes. It is past tea time.”

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Otis raised his head in response. He was lying on his stomach, and it seemed like he shed some tears again. It was because I noticed his black eyes, which were unusually shiny because they became moist.

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“Then, why are you here right now?”

“I told you before. To eat Madeleine. Do you wanna eat some, too?”

“What? You do not have a fork or a plate?”

“You can eat it with your hands.”

“It is dirty, and it gets on your hands.”

‘He did not have to say it in front of someone who was eating it with their hand.’

Well, that is, he wanted to make it so obvious like that.

Irene threw the madeleine she was holding into her mouth and pulled the water bottle out of her basket. Then, she poured the water from the bucket onto her hand.

“Wh, What are you doing?”

“Keep it clean.”

‘Have you ever heard of washing your hands?’

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After all, this is a greenhouse, so it does not matter if water falls on the floor.

After wiping her wet hands meticulously on a napkin, Irene raised her hands that were as moist as Otis’s eyes and said proudly.

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“Now, it is clean, right?”

“I get it, but my hands are clean.”

“Use my hand, then.”

Since it was the madeleines that were brought to give to Otis, so she thought she would hand over one of hers.

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If you do not have a fork, you at least have clean hands!

Irene held out an elongated, clam-shaped madeleine.

“Here you go.”

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In addition, she also gave him a smile that she does not normally do.

‘It is not poisoned, so eat it.’

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The lemon madeleines are delicious. It was already past tea time, so he must be hungry. Meanwhile, Otis seemed a little conflicted.

And, the moment his mouth opened…

“Gee, cut it out!”

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Slap. With a light force, Irene’s hand turned and the madeleine rolled over the dirt floor.

Otis was now completely red and inflamed. He then ran out of the greenhouse.

It was the day one precious madeleine was lost.