Chapter 4
Evan looked flustered, caught off guard by her unexpected agreement.
“What do you want to do?” Riette asked.
Evan rolled his eyes around in thought and then exclaimed,
“Hide and seek!”
“……”
“You don’t want to…?”
As Evan watched her anxiously, Riette was about to snap, “Do I really have to run around hiding and looking with you?” — but instead, she shook her head.
She had already decided to play along with the kid, so she might as well go along with it moderately.
“No, fine. Let’s do it.”
“Yay! I just know it’s going to be fun! Our mansion is huge and there are so many hiding spots!”
Evan’s face lit up with excitement as he eagerly explained.
His usually droopy features now beamed brightly, and… he actually looked kind of cute.
‘No way!’
That sudden thought startled her. Like a snake slithering over a wall, she had unconsciously started thinking that little brat was cute.
Riette steadied herself and said to Evan,
“Alright. I’ll hide, and you find me.”
“Okay!”
After telling him to come look for her in 10 minutes, Riette left the library terrace.
She considered hiding in the garden, but the mansion was spacious enough inside with plenty of hiding places. She crept down to the second floor.
As she glanced around, she noticed a door with a golden handle.
It was slightly open, so Riette naturally peeked inside.
Most of the objects were covered with white cloths, but at a glance, it looked like a storage room for ornaments.
Lifting one of the cloths, she found plaster models and glass decorations. All looked like expensive items.
As Riette slowly scanned the room, she found a perfect spot to hide.
‘This looks good!’
She headed toward a luxurious wardrobe made of deep mahogany.
When she opened it, the space inside was big enough to fit two children.
Being careful not to knock over the nearby glass ornaments, Riette tucked herself into the wardrobe.
She crouched down comfortably.
It was dark and cozy inside. Feeling like she’d hidden perfectly, the corners of her mouth lifted in satisfaction.
At first, she meant to go easy, but now she didn’t want to lose to Evan.
Little brat! I’ll make you cry because you can’t find me!
Firm in her resolve, Riette fumbled around the floor to settle in.
But then—
‘What’s this…?’
She felt a cold object beneath her fingers. Looking down, she saw a silver necklace, slightly tarnished.
But the necklace was oddly shaped.
There was a large green gem set in a silver chain. Though the gem looked valuable, the design was so tacky she wouldn’t wear it even if someone gave it to her.
Tap, tap, tap—
Footsteps echoed in the hallway, and Riette quickly tossed the ugly necklace aside and held her breath.
Creeeeak—
It felt like she was a character in a horror movie.
Her heart pounded. Riette realized how immersed she had become.
Through the crack in the door, she could see a small silhouette stroking its chin.
“Hmm… where did Riette hide?”
As expected, he couldn’t find her. Riette smirked to herself, basking in victory—
But suddenly!
“There you are, Riette!”
“Waaah!”
Evan flung the wardrobe doors open, and Riette, startled, screamed.
But even more startled by her reaction, Evan screamed louder.
“Waaaah!”
He stumbled back, elbowing the glass ornament in front of the wardrobe.
“Hey! Watch out!”
Riette jumped out of the wardrobe and pushed Evan away in panic.
CRASH—!
But it was too late. The glass ornament shattered into pieces.
“R-Riette…! You’re bleeding!”
Shards of glass had cut her foot. Riette looked down at her bloody, ruined foot and squeezed her eyes shut.
“A-Are you okay, Riette…?” Evan asked with a pale face as he approached.
A sharp pain surged through her.
Looking at Riette’s injured foot, Evan began to cry heavy tears.
“Huuh… Riette… it’s because of me… because of me…”
“Be quiet… go call the butler or something…”
Normally, she would’ve shouted, “You idiot! This is your fault!” But the pain and fear overwhelmed her.
Riette suddenly remembered the traffic accident before she entered the book.
‘I bled a lot back then too…’
Just like that day, dark red blood trickled down her leg.
The memory made her head throb and her breath catch.
She didn’t actually think she’d die from this, but—
‘Why do I feel so dizzy…’
Her eyes fluttered, and then—
Thud—
She collapsed onto the floor.
“Riette! Riette!”
Through her fading vision, she saw a boy with a ghostly white face.
His skin was so pale and delicate, she thought he must be an angel.
‘Wait… since when did angels have black hair?’
Looking closer, he didn’t have wings either…
“Waaah! Riette, you can’t die…!”
As he sobbed, Riette sighed internally.
Ugh, I must be crazy. Mistaking Evan for an angel?
She braced herself, trying to focus. Soon, Evan’s tear-streaked face came into clear view.
“Riette…? You’re awake!”
Tear marks still clung to his cheeks, but he gave her a goofy smile.
“Ugh, my head…”
Riette held her head and looked down at her foot. A white bandage was tightly wrapped around it.
“The butler gave you first aid. You bled a bit, but it’s not serious…”
Just as he said, the pain was much less now. It really had only been a cut from the glass.
Passing out from a memory overlap with her past life—how embarrassing.
As she sighed, Evan fidgeted and spoke again.
“Riette… I’m sorry. If I hadn’t asked to play hide and seek, this wouldn’t have happened…”
Sigh…
Looking at his guilt-ridden little face, Riette let out a long sigh.
‘Should I just smack him in the head?’
She considered it but shook her head. She remembered the promise she made to the duke.
If she did that, this overly sensitive boy might really dig himself a hole to crawl into.
“It’s not your fault.”
Riette’s unexpectedly gentle voice left Evan stunned, but he quickly shook his head fiercely.
“No! It is! I wasn’t careful enough… and Riette, you even saved me!”
This brat? She’d been trying not to yell, and he was raising his voice instead?
Riette lost her patience and shouted,
“Then fine! Think it’s your fault, you idiot!”
She expected him to burst into tears again, but Evan just sank into a corner looking gloomy.
“Riette… do you hate me more now?”
“No. I already hated you as much as possible. Can’t hate you more than that.”
Evan pouted at her firm response.
“That’s a lie… if you hated me, you wouldn’t help me all the time.”
“No, I wouldn’t.”
It just sort of happened like that. It’s not like she meant to help him. This time too, she’d just acted on instinct.
She thought about trying to explain but didn’t have the energy. Let him think what he wants.
“Then Riette… what kind of person do you like?”
He kept asking unexpected questions.
Riette rested her chin on her hand and decided to show this frustrating boy some harsh truth.
“Someone like the duke.”
“The duke…? You mean my father?”
“Yeah.”
“Why…?”
“He’s smart, kind, and handsome—unlike you.”
She meant it as a jab, but it was also true.
The Duke of Croyt, in Riette’s eyes, was the ideal adult.
A proper posture, gentle features, refined tone and manners, consideration for others, and despite his age, a face that hadn’t lost its handsomeness.
He was the very image of a perfect middle-aged man.
‘If only I were a bit older, I’d have tried to win him over somehow.’
She sighed wistfully and looked back at Evan. His usual timid expression looked a little different.
“Then what about me?”
“You? What about you.”
“I-I’m smart, and handsome, and kind too…”
Even as he said it, his face turned beet red. Tsk, why say something so embarrassing?
Still, there were a few things she couldn’t let slide.
“You think you’re smart?”
“You saw it, Riette… I can memorize anything after seeing it once!”
She wanted to say no, but… he was right. She couldn’t argue. Riette frowned and moved on.
“You think you’re handsome?”
“Charlotte from next door and Jane from across the street… they follow me around every day…”
Hmm. She had seen some girls sneaking around the mansion whenever he visited—those must be the ones.
He was still just a kid, so it felt weird to say he was handsome, but he was definitely very cute and pretty.
And she already knew what his future face would look like, from the novel’s description.
Riette hated to admit it, but she couldn’t deny it again.
But one claim remained.
“You think you’re kind?”
“I… I want to be nice to you, Riette… but you always get mad when you see me…”
“That’s the problem!”
Finally having something to refute, Riette’s voice gained confidence.
“You’re too timid!”
“……”
“You speak slowly, cry at the drop of a hat, and can’t even look me in the eyes!”
Riette looked at him proudly. By now, his eyes should be tearing up again, looking pitiful…
‘What’s with that look?’
Evan clenched his fists and stared at her.
But his expression looked… sharper than usual.
As if he’d made up his mind.
“…If I change, will you like me then?”
“Sure—wait, no! At least I’d get mad at you less!”
She nearly slipped. Nearly answered yes to Evan’s question—for the first time, Riette was flustered by his words.
She quickly returned to her usual haughty expression and stared him down.
But something was definitely different.
His usual droopy brows were gone, and Evan gave a faint smile.
Between his now sharp eyes, his black irises shone brightly.
“…Alright. I’ll become the kind of person you want, Riette.”
