Episode 92

Rose felt a bit embarrassed about getting scared by the ghost story all by herself, but seeing her two friends laughing made her feel good. 

The sound of thunder was drowned out by Rebecca and Briley’s laughter.

Afterward, they engaged in various casual conversations. Briley had a talent for making even trivial things sound amusing, so time passed quickly.

Drowsiness gradually overcame them, but they didn’t want to part ways and go to the guest room. Eventually, the three of them decided to sleep together in one bed.

Rose lay in the middle, her hands folded over her chest. On both sides, there were still chattering voices and pointless banter going on.

Listening absentmindedly to their banter, Rose suddenly thought.

‘Is this happiness?’

It was a novel joy. In reality, she hadn’t had the chance to laugh and chat with friends of her age for a long time. 

Whether she was a noble or in Quilts, she had always been too busy looking after her younger sibling to have time to play.

For the past few years, she intentionally avoided people and lived by herself. Being alone had been fine, but the kind of happiness she was experiencing now was something she could never enjoy on her own.

Feeling a sense of gratitude toward her friends on either side, Rose inadvertently muttered.

“I’ll probably be bored during the vacation when you guys leave.”

Briley and Rebecca moved closer. Briley mumbled with a subdued voice.

“Rose, we would have gone with you if you weren’t so busy.”

Rebecca sighed and spoke.

“Do you have to spend all summer experimenting? Doesn’t it get frustrating?”

Rose hesitated for a moment and then replied.

“Well, no. Immersing myself in contest preparations tends to erase other thoughts, which is a good thing. I’ve had a lot on my mind lately…”

Rose hesitated and alternated her gaze between Briley and Rebecca. Both of them wore curious expressions.

It had been a few days since she received Theo’s proposal to go to the Republic, and Rose found her feelings growing increasingly complex. She had kept this matter to herself, contemplating it alone, but she decided to share her concerns with her friends.

As she explained Theo’s offer, Briley responded positively. 

“Not a bad idea. I’ve lived in the Republic for a long time. It’s a much better place to showcase your skills than here.”

Briley’s tone was surprisingly serious, not typical of her usual self. Rebecca, after careful consideration, spoke up. 

“But… won’t you be lonely in the Republic? What if you don’t like the food there? The culture will be different, and you won’t be able to see your family and friends. Are you sure about this?”

Rose spoke with a troubled tone.

“I’m worried about those things too. Senior Theo will be going with me, but…”

“Having only one person you know might be the real issue. Relying too much on one person might not be a good idea. Is Theo Lixton a good person?”

Briley suggested that making new friends quickly in the Republic would resolve any problems, but Rose believed it might be difficult given her personality. Rebecca’s concerns were valid.

“He is a good person, yes. Going to the Republic together might bring us closer, right?”

“That’s right. Since it’s a man and a woman, who knows what might happen?”

“Not to mention that Senior Theo seemed to like me back when he was attending the Academy… So, I’m feeling a bit complicated about it.”

“Really?”

Rebecca expressed surprise, while Briley sat up straight, furrowing her brow in thought.

“Theo Lixton… What did he look like? Wasn’t he quite handsome? Seems like it was a proposal with some romantic undertones. Rose, do you have any feelings for that guy?”

“I can’t say I have any strong feelings for him as a romantic interest…”

“Life in a foreign place can get quite lonely, you know? Spending time together might naturally lead to affection.”

“Is that so…”

“Why? Is there something wrong? Is it because of Jasper?”

When Briley mentioned Jasper’s name, Rose suddenly felt her body shiver. Her face turned a deep shade of red. 

Rebecca, who had been watching Rose closely, whispered.

“Oh my, look at her.”

Rose swallowed hard and then slowly sat up. She felt the penetrating gaze of her two friends.

“Jasper is involved, but the thing is… it just wouldn’t work between us.”

Rebecca also sat up and, speaking in a hushed voice, said.

“Rose, you’re something.”

“Why do you say that?”

“Because I used to be like you. An individual like last year’s me. Judging people by their social status, believing that it’s not discrimination but rather a natural privilege, that we need to uphold our status.”

Rose looked at Rebecca with slight surprise. She had never expected Rebecca to be so open about her thoughts.

“That’s why I was rude to you last year. I wanted to feel superior, so I said those things. I’m sorry, Rose. I’m apologizing sincerely.”

Rose quickly waved off Rebecca’s earnest apology. 

“It’s okay. I thought you were just cute last year, regardless of all that.”

“Even when I was being mean?”

“Well… Rebecca, you tried to be mean, but you weren’t very successful. It was kind of subtle…”

Rose trailed off, ending her sentence awkwardly, and gave an uneasy laugh. While Rebecca had grown up with the sense of privilege that came with being a noble, she wasn’t inherently unkind. 

She might not have been very adept at being mean or concealing her emotions. 

‘Your attempts at bullying me were quite cute, in a way.’

Rebecca, with a touched expression, choked back her emotions and grabbed Rose’s hand firmly. 

“Rose… You are broad-minded.”

“Oh, no, it’s not…”

Rebecca seemed to think that she had been genuinely unkind all this time. Rose let out a forced laugh and patted Rebecca’s hand.

‘In any case, she’s a cute friend.’

Rebecca spoke with a pout on her face.

“That’s right, but… People from aristocratic families were different. I hoped for the best for you and Jasper, but now I’m worried.”

“Probably they won’t like me in Conway.”

It was a fact that Rose had already confirmed with her own eyes. She awkwardly smiled as she remembered Ethan Conway. Rebecca asked, her eyes moist.

“So… are you going to go to the Republic with Theo?”

“That’s…”

Rose couldn’t give an immediate answer. After several days of contemplation, the situation seemed clearer. From a rational standpoint, it seemed right to go with Theo. Yet, she kept hesitating, and the reason was…

Rose honestly revealed the reason for her hesitation. 

“Honestly, I can’t stop thinking about Jasper.”

Both Briley and Rebecca gasped and swallowed audibly. Rose muttered numbly.

“I… I like Jasper.”

Ah, after Rose confessed, her body stiffened for a moment. 

When she clearly articulated her feelings with words, the world felt like it shattered into pieces and was being reconstructed. The fragments of her previous world seemed to turn to dust and floated around her as she felt like the world was flashing before her eyes.

Is this how it feels when you confess your love? She wondered. Did Jasper feel like this when he confessed to her? Rose thought dazedly.

The brief moment of worldly concerns was forgotten, and everything around her appeared more beautiful. 

This is a whole new world, someone seemed to whisper in her ear.

Then, abruptly, while Rose was listening with interest to the conversation between herself and Rebecca, Briley unexpectedly pulled both of them into a tight embrace and exclaimed.

“You two have so much love! Overflowing. Hopefully, you won’t get hurt…”

Briley’s last words resonated softly in the dim bedroom of the late night.

* * *

If you were to name the most prestigious hotel in the port city of Valloch, everyone would point to the Oceans Hotel. 

It was famous not only for its reputation but also for its exorbitant room rates. It was where affluent businessmen and travelers arriving on luxury cruise ships predominantly stayed.

However, in one of the hotel rooms, a man far removed from the grandeur of the establishment was trembling with his hands bound. This man was George Bell.

George whimpered in a strained voice.

“Let me go. I won’t run away. The supervisor will come looking for me…”

Jasper sat on the edge of the bed, eyeing George attentively. 

“Why are you worried about the factory supervisor? You’ll be leaving here soon. Caleb’s gone to contact Redmark, he’ll be back to get you in no time.”

Capturing George was pathetically easy. 

Last night, George suffered a merciless defeat to Jasper at the gambling house. Despite his losses, he couldn’t give up and persistently begged for just one more round. 

Jasper gave him strong liquor and played cards with him until George was content.

George, intoxicated and desperate, became utterly feeble. Without the need for any violence, Jasper effortlessly clung to George’s heels and dragged him back to the hotel.

Only now, with the daybreak and a somewhat clearer mind, did George regain his senses. He wore a fearful expression. 

Jasper grunted in annoyance.

George Bell was an insignificant and pitiful individual. Yet, Rose Bell had suffered and shed tears because of this man. Jasper felt a growing, unrelenting anger that someone like George was causing pain to Rose. 

It was the first time he had ever felt his heart being torn apart because of someone else. Anger surged within him relentlessly.

With a tongue loosened by his fear, George muttered.

“Wonder Laquoi… Were you the one they sent from Redmark? You coward, you cowardly son of a…”

“Redmark? Nonsense.”

Jasper scoffed and continued.

“Have we ever met before? You seem to have avoided showing your face at gatherings.”

“What?”

“You might have heard the name Jasper Conway before.” 

“What do you mean?”

George paused midway through his sentence and wriggled his bound hands. He then looked at Jasper with a mixture of disbelief and fear.

“Jasper Conway? Do you mean the second child of the Conway family? No, that can’t be.”

“Doesn’t seem like it, does it?”

Jasper chuckled, and George’s complexion grew progressively paler.