Chapter 26
He hadn’t said it because he was offended and wanted her to go back to speaking formally.
It was just… her sudden switch in tone made it feel like she had become a different person, so he simply asked.
Ainar let out a quiet chuckle, pulled a chair to the bedside, and sat down.
“If it makes you uncomfortable, I’ll speak formally again, Lady Rosie.”
It was strange.
He was speaking formally, but maybe because of his eyes, or because of the confidence he’d already regained, his tone felt slightly arrogant and rough.
Almost as if he were mocking her somehow.
Rosie, dumbfounded, let out a hollow laugh.
“It’s fine. Speak however you’re comfortable.”
“Alright, I will.”
Ainar didn’t hesitate for even a second before crossing his legs and responding.
Before she even had time to react to his change in attitude, he asked:
“Why did you jump into the ocean? You can’t possibly claim you didn’t know it was dangerous.”
Rosie glanced at him nervously.
“…No, I really didn’t think about it.”
It was true.
The ocean was beautiful, and even little kids dove in without hesitation. She had never imagined it could be so dangerous.
Ainar sighed and spoke.
“Unbelievable. Even children know better.”
“…That—!”
Rosie almost snapped back but shut her mouth.
Whatever she said would only sound like an excuse. She was the one who’d jumped in without thinking and nearly gotten herself killed.
“I mean, when I found this I thought at least you understood the ocean was dangerous.”
While Rosie fell silent, Ainar pulled something from his jacket pocket and placed it on the bedside table.
A luxurious paper envelope—soaked from seawater.
“…What is that?”
“A cruise ticket.”
Rosie blinked in confusion.
Daisy and Tom both said it was nearly impossible to obtain a ticket to the cruise where the shipboard party was held. She shouldn’t expect much.
But he’d already gotten one…?
Inside the damp envelope were two tickets stamped with the departure time and seal for a ship leaving from Baidos Port.
Rosie lowered her blanket to look more closely, but Ainar clicked his tongue, walked over, and pulled the blanket back over her shoulders.
“Don’t stare at it like that. You can’t use it anymore.”
“…What? Why?”
“It’s for tonight. And right now…”
“It’s only around noon.”
Rosie cut him off anxiously.
Ainar looked at her for a moment before continuing.
“…Right now, you’re sick.”
Rosie’s eyes widened.
“I can’t put a patient—one who doesn’t even understand how strong the sea breeze is—on a cruise. Rest quietly today.”
“What? I—I’m not sick…”
Rosie protested desperately, looking up at him.
But Ainar only shook his head, as if he’d known she would argue.
She murmured in disappointment:
“…I heard those are really hard to get. It’s a shame to waste it.”
Ainar let out a short laugh.
“Hard to get? That’s what people say when they desperately want to get into high society but can’t. That doesn’t apply to me.”
His arrogance left her mouth hanging open.
His tone and demeanor made him seem like a nobleman of high rank.
But if he were that amazing, there was no way he would be working as a hotel manager.
Seeing her open her mouth as if she wanted to say something but couldn’t, Ainar continued:
“I didn’t expect you to enjoy things like this, though.”
“…Things like what?”
“Cruises. Shipboard parties. Lavish, extravagant noble banquets.”
Her cheeks flushed at his bluntness.
Drinkers mingling with similar people, dancing, and then slipping away to balconies with someone new each time—
It was the kind of noble party she’d witnessed while working as a maid.
“If you like that sort of thing, there are plenty of parties that can replace a cruise. I can get you invitations. There’s one in our hotel every week.”
“N-no! That’s not—!”
Rosie frantically shook her head. It was bad enough she had a terminal illness; she didn’t need to be mistaken for someone who enjoyed wild parties too.
Just then, the staff member who had stepped out returned.
“The hot bath is ready. Should I tell the physician to come after your shower?”
“…Physician?”
Rosie snapped her head up.
With everything happening earlier, she hadn’t processed it—but a physician?
“I’m fine. Please send the physician away.”
She felt sorry for the doctor who had come all the way for a house call, but she didn’t want to be examined in front of these people.
She’d end up revealing her condition.
But Ainar had no idea what she was worried about.
“Stop being stubborn and get checked. You were freezing earlier. Your trembling was severe too.”
Rosie stared at him silently.
His tone was gruff, but there was clear concern in his eyes. She wasn’t used to this kind of care.
He tilted his head, puzzled.
“Do you have something else to say?”
“…No.”
“Good. Go warm yourself up.”
He gestured toward the bathroom with his chin.
“…What about you, Manager?”
She asked awkwardly.
No matter how indifferent she was, going into the bathroom while a man stayed outside was impossible.
“I see your mind is always on things like that.”
“W-what?! That’s not—!”
Ainar laughed in disbelief, and Rosie’s face turned red as she flailed in protest.
Shaking his head, he stood up.
“I’ll head out. If your condition changes, call the physician immediately.”
“…I said I don’t need a physician…”
Ainar smirked at her stubbornness.
She looked obedient and gentle at first glance, but she was surprisingly headstrong.
‘Maybe that’s why I keep paying attention to her.’
Everyone around him was excessively obedient and blindly loyal.
Maybe that was why someone who didn’t know who he was—who kept doing things that bothered him—caught his eye even more.
He brushed off the thought and turned away.
Whether she saw the physician or not was up to her now.
At that moment, Rosie spoke to his back.
“But… why are there two tickets?”
To think he had brought not one, but two of such hard-to-get tickets!
But they were for tonight. There was no one he could share such expensive tickets with on such short notice.
“Ah, that.”
Ainar glanced back with an indifferent expression.
“One of them is mine.”
“…What?”
“No matter how sudden it is, I can’t let a lady attend a party alone without an escort.”
Rosie blinked in surprise.
Did he mean… he was going to escort her himself?
Ainar caught her expression and his lips curled into a confident, arrogant smile.
“If the physician confirms you’re well, I’ll come escort you later.”
