Chapter 55
At Cliden’s words, Ainar’s eyebrows shot up sharply, as if he couldn’t comprehend what he had just heard.
Cliden stared at him for a moment, then jerked his chin toward Rosie’s ankle with an expression that asked how he could be so oblivious.
Only then did Ainar finally look down at Rosie’s ankle—
and his expression slowly cracked.
Thin lace socks covered them, but even through the fabric, the difference between her two slender, pale ankles was clear.
One of them was distinctly swollen.
“…Why is it like this.”
Ainar stiffened, staring at Rosie as if he’d only now realized something had gone terribly wrong.
“Um… this is, really, it’s nothing…”
Rosie avoided his eyes, speaking timidly.
She felt embarrassed that the attention of both men had suddenly fallen on her ankle, and burdened that such a small injury had turned the atmosphere this tense.
The pain was barely noticeable now that she’d taken painkillers.
“Why… No, when did this happen? And why didn’t you tell me?”
Ainar looked truly shocked—
as if the fact that he had failed to notice her injury was the most unacceptable thing of all.
Rosie quickly added, as if making an excuse:
“…On the cruise. But it’s really fine. It doesn’t hurt much. More importantly, we should go talk about—”
“The cruise? Her foot has been like this since then?”
Ainar muttered in disbelief, staring at her ankle.
So for all that time—
while she ate with him, watched the opera, went shopping, laughed without a hint of discomfort—
her foot had been like that?
…She really hadn’t seemed like someone in pain.
As he stood there stunned, Cliden clicked his tongue and cut in.
“From the looks of it, you didn’t notice until now. Don’t you dare try to blame her for that.”
“And you—how did you know her ankle was injured? Don’t tell me you were the one who caused it?”
This time, Ainar’s anger turned toward Cliden.
Rosie, startled, hurriedly intervened between them.
“N-No! It wasn’t like that at all! Lord Cliden only helped me when I was in danger—!”
She couldn’t let Cliden be misunderstood because of her.
But oddly, Ainar’s expression darkened even more.
Cliden said flatly:
“Planning to take out your anger on the wrong person, Ainar?”
“Shut up, Cliden Di—”
“Why are you so angry? What is she to you, exactly?”
“That’s…!”
Ainar, who was about to snap back, froze mid-sentence at Cliden’s question.
His lips parted—
as if he had something to say—
but no words came out.
Yes, he had often told Rosie to consider meeting him. Sometimes jokingly, sometimes sincerely.
But she had never once accepted that suggestion.
Their relationship… wasn’t anything he could clearly define.
Seeing Ainar fall silent, Cliden continued in a smooth, knowing tone:
“Then take her properly where she needs to go and deliver the message. That’s the job of a manager, isn’t it?”
Rosie felt as if sparks were crackling silently between the two men.
She tugged lightly on Ainar’s sleeve, worried that leaving them together any longer would lead to a bigger fight.
“Right… Let’s go. You said you had something to tell me.”
Reluctantly, Ainar tore his glare away from Cliden.
Rosie let out a tiny, invisible sigh of relief.
From what she’d seen earlier, it wasn’t hard to guess that the two men knew each other—
and were definitely not on good terms.
I should make sure they don’t run into each other again.
She thought that as she stepped out of the room with Ainar.
They’d barely turned toward the office down the hall when—
“Kyaa!”
The moment the door closed behind them, Ainar silently swept Rosie up into his arms.
“You said it hurts. Hold onto me.”
“What? W-Wait—! No, really, it doesn’t hurt!”
Rosie flailed in his arms as if he must be joking.
Ainar looked down at her once, annoyed, then clicked his tongue.
“Rosie. You don’t realize this, but my mood is absolutely terrible right now. So could you please just stay still for the moment?”
“…Oh.”
Rosie looked up at his face.
He really did look far more tense than usual.
It must be because of Lord Cliden…
She closed her mouth obediently.
Ainar shifted her slightly in his arms and strode across the hotel.
Once they reached the office, he gently lowered her onto the sofa.
They did pass other people along the way—
but Rosie could only think:
Well… whatever. I’m probably going to get kicked out of the hotel soon anyway.
With her reputation already in shambles, she could only watch Ainar with a mixed expression.
Soon, Ainar casually poured her tea and brought her snacks.
“Did you go to the hospital?”
“…The hospital?”
Rosie had expected him to talk about what happened earlier, so she blinked in confusion when he instead asked about her injury.
Still, she answered honestly.
“Yes. I went a few days ago. But earlier, you said you had something to talk about.”
“And what did they say at the hospital? Did they say it was bad? It’s been a while, so why is it still swollen?”
“They said I should avoid using my foot. But earlier—”
“You shouldn’t put weight on it? Tch. I’ll have to keep an eye on that.”
“…Manager?”
Rosie tilted her head, watching Ainar ignore everything except her foot.
He seemed strangely hesitant to bring up the previous incident, which made her worry—
maybe it was even worse than she’d imagined.
Only after she directly called him did Ainar finally sit back against the sofa and speak.
“Alright. The earlier incident. I said I’d talk about that.”
“Yes… I’ll accept whatever you say.”
Rosie braced herself.
Knowing Lily’s personality, Rosie doubted Lily would have just let things end quietly.
She might have created even more trouble for Ainar after Rosie left.
Maybe Rosie would be forced to check out of the hotel—
or face even greater consequences.
But oddly enough, Ainar didn’t look grim at all.
If anything…
He looks… annoyed?
Rosie quietly waited.
Ainar let out a short laugh.
“There’s nothing serious. Lily Kikkert is being removed from the hotel—so don’t worry about it.”
“…Removed…? Miss Lily is?”
Rosie’s eyes widened like lanterns.
She had never expected that.
If someone had to leave the hotel, she’d assumed it would be her.
Regardless of who started it, Lily was still the precious daughter of the Kikkert Count family.
But Ainar spoke with genuine bewilderment.
“What? You thought you would be kicked out? Why would you think that? From what I heard, Lily was the one who started the argument and threw the first punch.”
“T-That’s true, but…”
“No ‘but.’ That’s the fact. And apparently Lily had already been causing problems—harassing staff, picking fights, that sort of thing.”
Rosie fell silent at that.
Ainar continued—back to her injury again:
“So, how long are you supposed to avoid using your foot? And besides that, did the hospital give you any other treatment?”
