Episode 12
Clatter, clatter…
Since the earlier question, Randel had remained silent.
With arms crossed, he gazed out the window, seemingly lost in thought.
Finally, at the coachman’s call that they had arrived at the mansion, he straightened his crooked cravat and jumped down from the now-stopped carriage.
“I was rude earlier.”
“Time may have passed, but not everyone remembers this place the same way. I overlooked that.”
Randel politely extended a hand to Autumn.
She took his hand and stepped slowly out of the carriage.
“Strange. It doesn’t feel unfamiliar. Is it because I’ve lived here once before?”
Returning to the Rosewood estate after a long time, she felt a vague sense of nostalgia and warmth.
A voice sounded above her head, his tall frame about a head and a half taller than hers.
“…This time…”
Perhaps until Rosalyn Kiss reappeared in the world, she would be staying here with him.
“I’ll show you around. Let’s go.”
Of course, she was nervous. But for some reason, it felt like many things would happen here.
With that anticipation, her heart beat just a little faster.
“…Let’s go.”
And so, she stepped into the Rosewood villa, one step at a time.
—
Only Randel and his secretary remained in the quiet space.
It had grown dark outside, and the room was decorated as blandly as the mansion in the capital.
Under the flickering candlelight, the only sound in the space was the soft clinking of Randel spinning his quill.
“Did you show Miss Kiss around the villa?”
“Well, she might know it better than you, young master. After all, she used to live here.”
Hurson, who had been organizing papers beside him, finally sighed and looked over.
“For heaven’s sake, master, could you please stop fiddling with that?”
“…Are you doing it on purpose?”
“Necessary?”
“She doesn’t remember me.”
Randel’s eyes were uncharacteristically vacant.
He kept muttering, as if speaking to himself, or perhaps addressing Hurson—his words devoid of emotion.
“Are you talking about Miss Kiss?”
“Did the two of you even meet before? You always stayed holed up in your study—so much so that even getting a proper greeting out of you was rare.”
Hurson scoffed at his master.
“We did.”
“What? You really did meet behind my back? So it wasn’t one-sided after all?”
At Hurson’s exaggerated tone, Randel’s expression darkened further.
“I knew it.”
Hurson continued his pointless chatter.
“I’ve never seen you show that much interest in anyone before.”
“When did I?”
“You smiled at her.”
Hurson mimicked Randel with both hands, lifting the corners of his mouth ever so slightly.
Seeing this, Randel’s face stiffened as if he had witnessed something horrifying.
“I didn’t know you were someone who could smile that much, master.”
“I didn’t.”
“Yes, you did. I’ve seen expressions from you that most people would never witness even once a year. I was so worried your face might cramp from the effort.”
Despite Randel’s growing annoyance, Hurson was oddly satisfied—at least it wasn’t the usual emotionless expression.
But to smile at a lady he’d only just met—that felt like betrayal…
Hurson kept grumbling on about his grievances.
“And judging by everything so far, it seems like this is just a lonely one-sided love…”
Randel raised his clenched fist.
“Oh—no, I just wondered why someone like you wouldn’t be remembered. It’s strange, that’s all.”
“…It’s not that.”
“But is it really right for me to dig up those memories again?”
“What are you saying? Creating a connection, even if it didn’t exist before—that’s the very foundation of relationships!”
“But… what if I’m part of a memory she wants to forget?”
Randel remained trapped in his own thoughts.
Watching him, Hurson shook his head silently.
Sigh… “No matter what I say, you’ll do whatever you want in the end anyway.”
He shook his head and left the study.
Left alone, Randel leaned back in the plush sofa.
He stared coldly into the air for a long while before murmuring in his signature subdued tone:
“I kept my promise…”
‘Let’s promise not to ignore each other when we grow up and become famous, okay?’
‘What’s with that face? You don’t believe me? Just wait and see! I’ll be a famous actor that even you can’t ignore!’
He closed his eyes.
In the now distant story of his youth, a boy who had forgotten how to speak left a note to a girl with golden eyes.
“I’ll find you again, I promise.”
“I guess it can’t be helped.”
He had known from a young age that nothing lasts forever,
But still, he wanted to be remembered for as long as possible.
And that desire hadn’t changed.
“I’ll make sure she remembers.”
—
The next day
“There’s someone here to see Miss Kiss.”
Just before heading down for breakfast, Autumn had slowly gotten out of bed after the exhausting journey.
A maid entered the room, bringing someone familiar.
“Miss!”
“Mary!”
Autumn’s eyes widened at the sight of Mary—her old maid from the Bechez household.
But behind Mary stood Hurson and several other staff members, watching.
Suppressing her joy, Autumn greeted her calmly.
“You finally made it.”
“I’m sorry. I had an urgent matter in the capital to take care of. I should’ve come from the beginning. I only just arrived…”
Autumn shook her head gently.
“It’s alright. Is everything settled now?”
Mary nodded with a meaningful look in her eyes.
“She’s gone.”
Rosalyn had left.
By now, she was likely crossing the sea under a different identity.
“Come on, let’s go to my room. You should stay in the room next to mine, Mary. Hurson, could you arrange that? She’s someone very dear to me.”
“Of course.”
Click.
The door closed, and Autumn quickly ran to Mary, embracing her.
“What happened?”
“The madam sent me. She thought you’d be more at ease if I stayed by your side.”
Seeing Mary’s smiling face, Autumn felt as though she had gained a strong ally.
Soon after, breakfast arrived.
Enjoying a comfortable meal with someone who truly knew her, Autumn asked Mary,
“How did she leave? Was it safe?”
“Yes. She left this for you.”
Mary pulled a letter from her bosom and handed it to Autumn.
—
[To Autumn—]
Or should I now call you Miss Rosalyn Kiss?
By the time you read this letter, I will be far from the Empire.
I promise to stand before you again, safe and sound, in one year.
If anything urgent arises, or you’re curious about something—go to Sir Brook through this girl.
Remember the gentleman who first delivered my letter? The one in the smart suit?
He will help you.
I will return before the curtain rises on your debut performance.
With love and care,
Diane Rosalyn Rosewood
—
Thank goodness.
If the letter had arrived safely, it meant she had escaped the Empire unharmed.
Autumn sighed in relief, though the weight on her shoulders felt heavier.
She was truly alone now, and all responsibilities moving forward rested on her.
—
“Baron Brook brought you here again today, miss! He’s outside now.”
Autumn, chewing on a crispy tomato, ran to the window upon hearing Mary’s words.
Near the front gate stood Baron Brook, returning to the carriage.
Sensing her gaze, he tipped his hat in greeting.
“So, she managed to escape with my identification. That’s one worry off the list.”
“Oh—hold on…”
Mary began rummaging through her bags.
“And the madam also left a note about something you should be careful of—”Episode 12
Clatter, clatter…
Since the earlier question, Randel had remained silent.
With arms crossed, he gazed out the window, seemingly lost in thought.
Finally, at the coachman’s call that they had arrived at the mansion, he straightened his crooked cravat and jumped down from the now-stopped carriage.
“I was rude earlier.”
“Time may have passed, but not everyone remembers this place the same way. I overlooked that.”
Randel politely extended a hand to Autumn.
She took his hand and stepped slowly out of the carriage.
“Strange. It doesn’t feel unfamiliar. Is it because I’ve lived here once before?”
Returning to the Rosewood estate after a long time, she felt a vague sense of nostalgia and warmth.
A voice sounded above her head, his tall frame about a head and a half taller than hers.
“…This time…”
Perhaps until Rosalyn Kiss reappeared in the world, she would be staying here with him.
“I’ll show you around. Let’s go.”
Of course, she was nervous. But for some reason, it felt like many things would happen here.
With that anticipation, her heart beat just a little faster.
“…Let’s go.”
And so, she stepped into the Rosewood villa, one step at a time.
—
Only Randel and his secretary remained in the quiet space.
It had grown dark outside, and the room was decorated as blandly as the mansion in the capital.
Under the flickering candlelight, the only sound in the space was the soft clinking of Randel spinning his quill.
“Did you show Miss Kiss around the villa?”
“Well, she might know it better than you, young master. After all, she used to live here.”
Hurson, who had been organizing papers beside him, finally sighed and looked over.
“For heaven’s sake, master, could you please stop fiddling with that?”
“…Are you doing it on purpose?”
“Necessary?”
“She doesn’t remember me.”
Randel’s eyes were uncharacteristically vacant.
He kept muttering, as if speaking to himself, or perhaps addressing Hurson—his words devoid of emotion.
“Are you talking about Miss Kiss?”
“Did the two of you even meet before? You always stayed holed up in your study—so much so that even getting a proper greeting out of you was rare.”
Hurson scoffed at his master.
“We did.”
“What? You really did meet behind my back? So it wasn’t one-sided after all?”
At Hurson’s exaggerated tone, Randel’s expression darkened further.
“I knew it.”
Hurson continued his pointless chatter.
“I’ve never seen you show that much interest in anyone before.”
“When did I?”
“You smiled at her.”
Hurson mimicked Randel with both hands, lifting the corners of his mouth ever so slightly.
Seeing this, Randel’s face stiffened as if he had witnessed something horrifying.
“I didn’t know you were someone who could smile that much, master.”
“I didn’t.”
“Yes, you did. I’ve seen expressions from you that most people would never witness even once a year. I was so worried your face might cramp from the effort.”
Despite Randel’s growing annoyance, Hurson was oddly satisfied—at least it wasn’t the usual emotionless expression.
But to smile at a lady he’d only just met—that felt like betrayal…
Hurson kept grumbling on about his grievances.
“And judging by everything so far, it seems like this is just a lonely one-sided love…”
Randel raised his clenched fist.
“Oh—no, I just wondered why someone like you wouldn’t be remembered. It’s strange, that’s all.”
“…It’s not that.”
“But is it really right for me to dig up those memories again?”
“What are you saying? Creating a connection, even if it didn’t exist before—that’s the very foundation of relationships!”
“But… what if I’m part of a memory she wants to forget?”
Randel remained trapped in his own thoughts.
Watching him, Hurson shook his head silently.
Sigh… “No matter what I say, you’ll do whatever you want in the end anyway.”
He shook his head and left the study.
Left alone, Randel leaned back in the plush sofa.
He stared coldly into the air for a long while before murmuring in his signature subdued tone:
“I kept my promise…”
‘Let’s promise not to ignore each other when we grow up and become famous, okay?’
‘What’s with that face? You don’t believe me? Just wait and see! I’ll be a famous actor that even you can’t ignore!’
He closed his eyes.
In the now distant story of his youth, a boy who had forgotten how to speak left a note to a girl with golden eyes.
“I’ll find you again, I promise.”
“I guess it can’t be helped.”
He had known from a young age that nothing lasts forever,
But still, he wanted to be remembered for as long as possible.
And that desire hadn’t changed.
“I’ll make sure she remembers.”
—
The next day
“There’s someone here to see Miss Kiss.”
Just before heading down for breakfast, Autumn had slowly gotten out of bed after the exhausting journey.
A maid entered the room, bringing someone familiar.
“Miss!”
“Mary!”
Autumn’s eyes widened at the sight of Mary—her old maid from the Bechez household.
But behind Mary stood Hurson and several other staff members, watching.
Suppressing her joy, Autumn greeted her calmly.
“You finally made it.”
“I’m sorry. I had an urgent matter in the capital to take care of. I should’ve come from the beginning. I only just arrived…”
Autumn shook her head gently.
“It’s alright. Is everything settled now?”
Mary nodded with a meaningful look in her eyes.
“She’s gone.”
Rosalyn had left.
By now, she was likely crossing the sea under a different identity.
“Come on, let’s go to my room. You should stay in the room next to mine, Mary. Hurson, could you arrange that? She’s someone very dear to me.”
“Of course.”
Click.
The door closed, and Autumn quickly ran to Mary, embracing her.
“What happened?”
“The madam sent me. She thought you’d be more at ease if I stayed by your side.”
Seeing Mary’s smiling face, Autumn felt as though she had gained a strong ally.
Soon after, breakfast arrived.
Enjoying a comfortable meal with someone who truly knew her, Autumn asked Mary,
“How did she leave? Was it safe?”
“Yes. She left this for you.”
Mary pulled a letter from her bosom and handed it to Autumn.
—
[To Autumn—]
Or should I now call you Miss Rosalyn Kiss?
By the time you read this letter, I will be far from the Empire.
I promise to stand before you again, safe and sound, in one year.
If anything urgent arises, or you’re curious about something—go to Sir Brook through this girl.
Remember the gentleman who first delivered my letter? The one in the smart suit?
He will help you.
I will return before the curtain rises on your debut performance.
With love and care,
Diane Rosalyn Rosewood
—
Thank goodness.
If the letter had arrived safely, it meant she had escaped the Empire unharmed.
Autumn sighed in relief, though the weight on her shoulders felt heavier.
She was truly alone now, and all responsibilities moving forward rested on her.
—
“Baron Brook brought you here again today, miss! He’s outside now.”
Autumn, chewing on a crispy tomato, ran to the window upon hearing Mary’s words.
Near the front gate stood Baron Brook, returning to the carriage.
Sensing her gaze, he tipped his hat in greeting.
“So, she managed to escape with my identification. That’s one worry off the list.”
“Oh—hold on…”
Mary began rummaging through her bags.
“And the madam also left a note about something you should be careful of—”
Just then, there was a knock on the door.
Startled, Mary quickly tucked the note back into her pocket.
It was Randel.
“Am I interrupting?”
In his hand was a cup of steaming coffee, today’s newspaper, and a small plate with a piece of toast.
Just then, there was a knock on the door.
Startled, Mary quickly tucked the note back into her pocket.
It was Randel.
“Am I interrupting?”
In his hand was a cup of steaming coffee, today’s newspaper, and a small plate with a piece of toast.
