Episode 5

‘Is it fun for you to see me?’

It seemed like she had become a spectacle. Although she almost felt offended, Rose decided not to complicate things unnecessarily.

It probably didn’t matter anyway. After limping on her sore ankle, sitting in the carriage brought great relief to her body. She could just think of it as receiving the kindness of a benevolent noble. Long live noblesse oblige.

After all, Jasper Conway was a person from a different world than Rose. There wouldn’t be much chance to see him once she graduated from the academy. What did it matter how he thought of her?

‘But…’

It was a little embarrassing to show herself untying her hair in front of the young man.

After hesitating, Rose spoke.

“Um… I need to tie my hair.”

“Sure.”

“Um. Could you… turn your head slightly to the side?”

If he refused, she had been prepared to accept it. If he found her presumptuous and felt upset, she was ready to apologize immediately.

“Ah.”

However, Jasper only raised an eyebrow and surprisingly shifted his gaze out of the window.

‘…Was he just thinking something else?’

Considering that, the direction of his gaze was too clear.

‘Never mind… Jasper must have had his reasons in his own way.’

Whether it was amusing or intriguing, or whether he was worried about the velvet of the carriage getting dirty. Even if she claimed to understand Jasper’s thoughts, it wouldn’t change anything.

Rose cut off her thoughts and quickly untied her hairband.

Her curly crimson hair puffed up and rose. Rose only moved her hands without saying a word. Gathering her hair to the left, she deftly braided it into a thick strand.

To maintain such beautifully flowing hair like this, one needed to spend a long time caring for it each morning. Regularly managing her hair was essential.

Walking around with her long hair undone was a testament to her family’s affluence. Every morning, Rose would braid her hair and leave the dormitory. During the vacations when she returned home, her mother would handle her hair care. The memory of adorning her hair with elaborate decorations was distant.

Once Rose finished braiding her hair as usual, she tied the hairband into a ribbon shape. Jasper was still turned towards the window. Rose cleared her throat softly and spoke, 

“I’m done.”

Jasper’s gaze returned to Rose. Suddenly embarrassed, she touched the end of the ribbon with her hand. 

“That was fast.”

“Yeah, well. I do it every day.”

Jasper glanced at Rose and playfully twitched one of his eyebrows. Rose tensed up noticeably. Her round shoulders were slightly hunched.

How many people wouldn’t be tense in front of Jasper Conway? Even without saying much, Jasper exuded an overpowering aura.

Rose’s heart raced like a rabbit before a predator.

‘I shouldn’t get involved with Jasper again…’

Today’s kindness was appreciated, but she felt that her heart wouldn’t survive being entangled a second time. Yet, she tried her best to maintain a tough expression, not showing her fear.

Then, Jasper’s low voice resonated in the quiet carriage.

“Looks like you hurt your ankle.”

Jasper gestured towards Rose’s ankle. Rose’s eyes widened at the unexpected comment.

“Uh, what?”

She was so surprised that her voice trembled.

“You weren’t walking well earlier.”

“Oh…”

Did he notice from inside the carriage? Rose felt her face growing hot.

“I twisted it a bit… rolled my ankle.”

Swallowing the dry saliva, Rose lied.

“Leave it, or do some first aid.”

“I’ll do that. Thanks for caring…”

Rose was unsure whether Jasper was genuinely concerned or not. Superficially, it seemed like he was, but his voice was cold. It even sounded like he was pointing out something bothersome.

It was when Rose took a shallow breath. Jasper rummaged in his schoolbag and took out a tie.

While it was a rule to wear a tie as part of the uniform, Jasper hadn’t been following it due to feeling stifled. He went further and unbuttoned his shirt’s top button. It seemed like he carried a tie just for the sake of appearances, in case a strict professor or a student council member commented on it occasionally.

“Try lifting the injured leg.”

“Why?”

“You need to tie it.”

Rose froze for a moment, not grasping the situation immediately. Jasper frowned slightly and added, “It will help if you immobilize it.”

“Ah.”

“Isn’t today the social dance test?”

“Yeah… Are you going to take the test too?”

“No. I watched it yesterday.”

Rose’s forehead throbbed. So many exceptional and extraordinary things had happened in the past few hours. Jasper spoke in his usual nonchalant tone.

“Bring your ankle here.”

“Oh, Jasper. But still, this is a bit…”

“My name, isn’t it?”

“Of course. Nobody at the academy wouldn’t know your name.”

“You’ve never called me.”

“No, that’s…”

Because there was no reason to call you? Rose’s lips quivered, but she swallowed her words. Jasper let out a small sigh.

“It’s just first aid. Don’t think of it oddly.”

“I, I didn’t think of it oddly.”

“Alright then.”

Jasper tilted his upper body slightly toward Rose. He extended a hand, a palm twice as large as hers.

“Put your foot here. Take off your shoe.”

Rose froze, her lips parted.

‘What’s happening now…?’

She was supposed to entrust her foot to Jasper Conway. Moreover, inside the carriage with just the two of them. If someone else had seen this, it would have become instant gossip.

“Quickly.”

Jasper urged, and Rose was on the verge of tears.

She wanted to escape from here, but the carriage was rapidly moving forward. Of course, thinking rationally, it was better to support her ankle with anything available. Even if it meant using Jasper’s school tie.

Rose’s plump lips trembled uncontrollably. Jasper’s piercing gaze was fixed on her. In the end, reluctantly, she reached her hand toward the shoe.

Clank, she unfastened the buckle of her shoes. As she carefully lifted her foot out of the shoe, everything felt utterly bewildering.

As she raised her foot slightly, the large palm quickly approached. Jasper grabbed hold of Rose’s ankle.

“Ah…”

Rose was startled and her leg twitched, but her ankle was already caught in Jasper’s grip.

Jasper began to tie the tie around her ankle calmly as if it were nothing. His long fingers brushed against her socks as he worked.

For Rose, it felt as if her Achilles’ heel was throbbing. Trembling slightly, she shifted her gaze around, not knowing where to look. She had no idea where to direct her attention. When Jasper’s golden hair entered her view, an intense wave of embarrassment rushed over her, almost making her lose her mind.

Finally, Rose chose to close her eyes.

‘Oh, it’s nothing. First aid, first aid… noblesse oblige… Jasper Conway is a benevolent noble…’

She repeated these thoughts in her mind, scolding herself. Even though she was telling herself that it was nothing, she remained tense and embarrassed.

In truth, Rose had never properly held hands with a boy before.

In recent times, the concept of free love has become widespread in the empire. There were many complicated love stories even within the academy. But they were all distant from Rose.

‘Maybe my thoughts are outdated… Yeah, I’ve come from the countryside…’

It wouldn’t matter to Jasper. Rose reproached herself while trying to calm her nerves.

Jasper had never been in a public relationship, but he was always surrounded by rumors. If Jasper’s significant other were to be revealed, it would likely make headlines immediately.

That was how much attention he garnered from many people. The gossip among the female students at the academy was that about half of them had harbored a secret crush on Jasper.

“That’s enough.”

At that moment, Jasper muttered softly. Rose hastily opened the tightly closed eyes. The tie was securely fastened along her ankle, alleviating some of the pain.

Jasper released Rose’s foot with a swift movement. Rose put her foot back into her shoe and said, 

“…Thank you.”

Jasper simply nodded without saying a word. His expression remained the same as before, showing no signs of agitation whatsoever.

Rose also maintained a composed demeanor, ignoring her heart that was still fluttering from the surprise.

“I’ll wash the tie and return it to you.”

“You don’t have to.”

“Ah… Right. I guess it might be a bit strange to use it again. I’ll buy a new one…”

“Never mind. It’s just a tie.”

Jasper cut off Rose’s words sharply. His tone was uncompromising and direct.

Rose almost crumbled in that instant, but she managed to gather her strength. That tie wasn’t just a trifling thing to her.

Academy uniforms were all expensive. Even buying an extra button felt like a burden.

When Rose enrolled, she received a scholarship that covered her uniform expenses. Since then, she had cherished and preserved them carefully. They were precious to her because it would be a big problem if they got damaged or worn out.

“Still, make sure you repay me someday.”

“What kind of repayment?”

“Anything…”

Rose let her words trail off.

‘Yeah, right. What could I possibly give to Jasper Conway?’

Nothing came to her mind in particular. Jasper seemed to have everything.

Just then, the familiar scenery outside the carriage began to appear. It was the road leading to the academy’s main gate.

“We’re almost there, I guess.”

“Yeah.”

Jasper’s response was curt. The coldness in his tone made it sound like he wanted to end the conversation.

‘Right in front of the academy now… If the others see us…!’

She hadn’t even considered that aspect. If news got out that she had ridden in the carriage alone with Jasper Conway, the entire academy would be turned upside down. And the co-passenger was none other than commoner Rose Bell.

And Rose despised being the center of attention.

Rose cautiously spoke, her nerves taut, 

“Then… can you let me off now?”

It seemed like she would still arrive at the test venue with plenty of time to spare if she walked from there.

“Why? Isn’t the annex the exam location?”

“It’s too much to ask you to take me all the way there.”

Rose’s mouth had gone dry.

“You would even walk with that injured ankle?”

“It’s okay. Thanks for the first aid. Really.”

Jasper stared at Rose with sharp eyes, then finally spoke, 

“Are you worried that unnecessary rumors might start if we get off together?”

Jasper had the same thought. Rose nodded her head in agreement.

“Yeah. It could cause trouble for you too, Jasper.”

“Well. Are you thinking we might start dating?”

Ha. Jasper let out a short, incredulous laugh. Then suddenly, he brought the carriage to a halt. Before Rose could prepare to disembark, Jasper had already opened the carriage door and stepped out resolutely.

“I’ll get off.”

“J-Jasper?”

“You can keep riding.”

Thud. Before Rose could protest, the door closed, and the carriage started moving again. Rose watched Jasper’s figure receding rapidly, her breath taken away.

‘Did I… make a mistake?’

Perhaps she had upset Jasper Conway.

‘Why, why is he acting like this…?’

Rose’s complexion turned pale. Even amid her confusion, the carriage safely arrived at the test venue.