TCBCVF 74

~Chapter 74~

“How was it today? Did you have fun? Was it nice?”

Three questions in a row made Dietrich forget he was supposed to be angry, and he answered without thinking.

“Huh? Oh, yes, I did have fun.”

“That’s great!”

Evangeline clapped her hands and asked again,

“Did Lady Ansie wear the earrings today?”

“She didn’t. So I asked her about it, and she said it’s not because she doesn’t like them…”

With all the fast questions, Dietrich just kept answering.

Evangeline looked horrified.

“Wait, you actually asked her? That’s so lame!”

“Is it really that bad?”

“Of course! Now it’s obvious you care! The only things good about you are your face and your calm attitude—if you start acting nervous, what’s left?!”

Evangeline nagged loudly.

“No, it’s not like that… wait.”

Dietrich tried to defend himself, but then he glared at his sister.

“Hey, what exactly happened here?”

“What?”

“You told me just to say hi to Miss Morgan. Why was Lady Ansie sitting next to me?!”

Evangeline shrugged her shoulders annoyingly.

“Well, I made plans with Lari first.”

“What?!”

“So? Did you not want to see Lari?”

“….”

Dietrich shut his mouth right away.

She got him.

“No, it’s not that…”

“Then it’s fine.”

“What do you mean, fine?!”

Dietrich raised his voice, frustrated.

But Evangeline just stared at him, not bothered at all.

“Anyway, I have a favor to ask.”

“How can you ask for a favor right now?”

“Just listen. I had a reason for sending you to Lady Ansie yesterday.”

Evangeline got serious.

“It’s about Young Lord Gusto. He keeps bothering Lari.”

“…Lady Ansie’s ex-fiancé?”

Gregory.

Just hearing his name made Dietrich’s face go cold.

Evangeline nodded.

“Yeah. Remember at the party at the Ansie house?”

“Of course.”

How Gregory scared Lari and insulted her…

And how Lari just accepted it all quietly.

Dietrich’s mood got even worse.

“I thought he’d leave her alone after that, but he’s bothering her even more.”

Usually, Dietrich would have scolded Evangeline for speaking roughly, but not this time.

Instead—

“Bothering her? How?”

He asked about Lari’s well-being.

Evangeline frowned slightly.

“He sent Lari an invitation as soon as he got back to the capital.”

“An invitation?”

“Yeah. I’m trying to watch out for her, but Gusto is a guy. It’s hard for me to get involved every time.”

She looked carefully at Dietrich.

“So, could you help Lari?”

“Me?”

“Yeah. Gusto wants to get back with Lari. But if you stay by her side, it’ll show him he doesn’t have a chance.”

Dietrich stared at her as if to say, “Go on.”

Evangeline chose her words carefully.

“What if you stay close to Lari for a while?”

“Hmm.”

“If you’re with her, Gusto won’t dare approach her, right?”

Dietrich stayed silent for a moment.

Evangeline watched him nervously.

‘Please, don’t refuse after I asked this much, right?’

After a while—

“If you insist… fine.”

Dietrich sighed and nodded.

‘Alright!’

Evangeline made a fist in silent victory.

“Thanks! I’ll tell Lari about it.”

“Okay.”

It seemed like the talk was over, but suddenly,

Dietrich glared at Evangeline.

“By the way, you.”

“Y-yeah?”

“Don’t act on your own like this again, understand?”

“Okaaay—”

Evangeline dragged out the word and crawled under her blanket, meaning she didn’t want to hear more nagging.

Dietrich glared at her one more time, shook his head, and left.

Click.

The door closed.

“Sorry, brother.”

Evangeline poked her head out of the covers and stuck out her tongue at the closed door.

She was set on helping the two become closer.

To do that…

‘First, I have to keep Lari and my brother together as much as possible.’

But she planned to hide everything from Laritte.

If she told the truth,

‘That’s so rude to bother someone as busy as him!’

…Lari would refuse right away.

So her “I’ll tell Lari” was a total lie.

“Hehe…”

Evangeline laughed slyly and flopped on her bed, her head buried in her pillow, thinking deeply.

‘Anyway, my brother is being so gentle with Lari.’

To listen so easily to a request like this—

That’s not normal for Dietrich.

Usually, he’d say something like,

‘Don’t bother me with such useless favors, your brother is already busy enough.’

All with a smile.

‘He definitely likes Lari.’

Evangeline’s mouth curved in a big grin, thinking about a rosy future.

‘Maybe someday, Lari really will be my family?’

The next day.

“Lari!”

Early in the morning, the Lady (Eva) came to the Ansie townhouse.

“How was the opera yesterday? Was it fun?”

“….”

I looked at her suspiciously.

Then I asked,

“Eva, were you really sick yesterday?”

Right then, I saw it.

The Lady visibly flinched.

She put her hand to her forehead and fell onto the sofa.

“Ah, I suddenly feel dizzy because you don’t believe me…!”

“….”

It was obviously fake.

I looked at her coldly and sighed.

“So, which do you want—mocha roll cake or chiffon cake?”

“Why do I have to choose?”

The Lady instantly sat up, eyes shining.

“Why not eat both?”

“….”

I was speechless.

“Eva, didn’t you say your headache was bad? You seem fine enough to pick desserts.”

When I questioned her, the Lady stiffened a little.

“Ah, my headache…!”

She fell back onto the sofa again.

I spoke playfully.

“If you’re that sick, maybe we should call a doctor instead of having snacks.”

“Actually, I think… eating dessert and tea will cure my headache…”

Sigh.

I told the maid to bring both cakes and tea, then sat beside the Lady.

She slowly opened her eyes and asked,

“So, did you not have fun?”

“….”

For a moment, I was at a loss for words.