Episode 105

Rose was momentarily lost in thought and gradually realized that her nervousness and trembling when seeing Jasper over the past few days were all signs of excitement.

‘I was getting excited about Jasper.’

Once she was sure, her embarrassment diminished somewhat. 

Rose’s eyes sparkled as if she had learned something new. It was an emotion she had never experienced before.

“I see….”

Rose muttered as if to herself.

“It’s because I like you.”

In an instant, Jasper, who had been staring at Rose intently just a moment ago, had his eyes waver. Jasper, who had been fairly composed and straightforward until now, was at a loss for words.

Jasper’s eyelashes moved quickly, and a tinge of red crept up to the tips of his ears. Jasper bowed his head deeply and then looked up as he spoke.

“Rose Bell, why are you… so unexpectedly…?”

“Huh?”

“Suddenly playing with people’s hearts…”

Jasper trailed off, then coughed. Seeing Jasper’s bewildered expression, Rose was also taken aback.

Rose pointed with a sideways glance and whispered.

“You used to do embarrassing things without warning…”

“That’s how I’ve always been, and you didn’t do this until now.”

“Don’t do that?”

Jasper answered quickly, shaking his head.

“No.”

“I just stated the fact. I indeed like you.”

Rose spoke in a small voice and nervously cleared her throat. The skin where she touched Jasper was gradually getting warmer, even though it was just the tips of their small fingers touching.

The sunset had just begun. The orange glow shimmered on the water, and the twilight settled on Jasper’s side profile.

Jasper looked down at Rose quietly with slightly trembling eyes. Rose couldn’t avoid his gaze and only twitched her fingertips.

In the awkward silence of the moment, they couldn’t take their eyes off each other.

‘Red looks good on him.’

Jasper, covered by the sunset, looked different than usual. His sharp blue eyes appeared somewhat gentle and soft.

In the growing silence, Rose didn’t know what to do but kept stealing glances at different spots on Jasper’s face. Occasionally, she’d shift her gaze to Jasper’s collar or ear, as if feeling a little embarrassed.

It was hard to believe that such a beautiful man could like her. It wasn’t just a simple attraction; he liked her enough to bring up marriage and convince her to date him urgently.

‘Even after years, that face will still be astonishing.’

As she daydreamed about the future, she felt like Jasper’s face was getting closer. Perhaps it was an illusion, but it seemed as if his breathing was more vivid than before.

Thump, thump. Her heart started to race again. 

Thump, thump, thump. Her heartbeat accelerated, and she felt a warm flush on her forehead. She didn’t realize that excitement could be so perilous.

With her lower lip trembling, Rose finally spoke.

“J-Jasper?”

Jasper only responded with an “Uh” at her soft call.

“It was the wind outside.” 

Jasper mumbled and bit his lip. Then, he seemed to hold his breath for a moment and quickly turned his head back. 

It was during this subtle silence that a familiar voice echoed from behind.

“Hey, guys!”

It was Briley.

Rose relaxed her tense shoulders and looked at Briley. She heard a faint sound of Jasper clicking his tongue next to her, but at least now, she was glad that Briley had come.

If she had continued staring into Jasper’s eyes, she might have fainted right there on the deck.

‘His face was so close. Could it be…?’

Rose couldn’t even bring herself to complete the word “kiss” in her mind. Her head was spinning, and she felt like she might get seasick at any moment.

Briley approached them quickly, waving her hand, and asked.

“What’s with the atmosphere?”

Jasper replied curtly.

“Playing pool with a young man from the South.”

“I thought my new love story would start at the West End Harbor… but never mind. He looked good from a distance but turned out to be a guy who hardly bathes. When I got close, the smell was so strong I nearly died. Ugh.”

Briley grimaced as if she could still smell it, and Rose took a step closer to her and asked.

“I see. Disappointing. Dinner?”

“I’ve lost my appetite, so I don’t think I’ll eat. But… did I interrupt something? I thought Jasper Conway was looking at me like he wanted to kill me. Was that just my imagination?”

Briley chuckled and glanced at Jasper. Jasper turned his head and mumbled in a low voice.

“If you knew, you should’ve backed off.”

“What? What were you planning to do on the deck where people come and go? Ignorant kid. If I hadn’t told Rose about your injury, we might not even be here right now.”

To stop the escalating argument between them, Rose quickly hugged Briley, her face turning red.

“Bry! Nothing happened! Let’s go to the cabin and have some tea.”

It took a considerable effort for Rose, who was smaller than Briley, to drag her along. 

Beyond Rose’s raised eyebrows, Briley and Jasper exchanged hostile glances. They were still the same as they were when they started their senior year.

* * *

Edwin struggled to lift his heavy eyelids. His throat was painful as if it was torn, and his body felt sluggish.

‘Where am I?’

He found himself on a luxurious bed in an unfamiliar room. 

Edwin rolled his eyes around, taking in the surroundings. There were stuffed tiger pelts, a shotgun hung on the wall, expensive porcelain, and a side table that seemed to have been imported from the East. 

Even though he didn’t know the room’s owner, it was evident that they had a taste for luxury.

‘What on earth happened?’

He had felt the poison injected by Jasper Conway spreading through his body and was certain that he would die. After a short while, his body had gradually stiffened, and he had lost consciousness.

‘Perhaps it wasn’t a lethal dose.’

He knew that Jasper was in a perilous condition, having been shot in the shoulder at the back alley in Valloch. However, he had no idea how the situation had turned in his favor, and this place was certainly unfamiliar to him.

Edwin struggled to move his body, which felt as heavy as a wet lump of cotton. There was a cord beside the bed that seemed to call for a servant. After several attempts, he managed to pull the cord, ringing the bell.

A while later, the door opened, and a man Edwin had never seen before walked in. He was a middle-aged man dressed in a black tailcoat and a formal suit.

“What the…?” 

Edwin’s voice cracked. The man removed his top hat and approached Edwin, setting it on a nearby stand. 

“You woke up sooner than I expected.”

Edwin squinted and examined the man’s face. Though they had never met before, he seemed oddly familiar. 

After some thought, Edwin recalled who he was. He had seen him in black-and-white photos in the newspaper. It was the son of the founder of Dom Industries and the current CEO.

Edwin was planning to sell stolen explosives technology to Dom Industries, intending to use the money to flee the Empire. This all happened without interference from anyone else, except for Jasper Conway.

Confused and with a hint of frustration in his voice, Edwin asked.

“How did you bring me here?”

The CEO checked his wristwatch and quickly got to the point. 

“I had a meeting at 3:25, so let’s skip the pleasantries and get to the matter at hand. If it weren’t for my people tracking you, things could have taken a very different turn.”

“You had me followed?”

“It’s common sense to vet someone when entering into a business arrangement. Thanks to that, you’re still alive. If the antidote had been administered even slightly later, you might not be.”

“So you were eavesdropping on our conversation while I was under attack?”

“I need to understand the situation first. Without that, I probably didn’t realize the technology you were selling us was stolen from the Lepti Empire.”

“…”

“And you have Royal blood in you.”

Edwin kept his lips sealed, finding it hard to determine whether the CEO was his foe or an ally. The air in the room felt chillier by the moment.

“Let me be frank with you, Mr. Edwin. Our company is facing some difficulties due to competition from Weir Company these days. That’s why we were hoping you could help us.”

Edwin couldn’t fathom how or why he could assist. 

“What do you want me to do?”

“We’ll discuss the details later.”

Edwin found businessmen to be utterly distasteful. Money-driven individuals who seemed to have something sinister lurking beneath the surface. 

Annoyed, he spoke with a hint of irritation.

“The Emperor wants me dead. Eventually, she’ll get me killed. My life is a mess, and I want nothing to do with anything complicated.”

The CEO spoke softly but firmly.

“I’m sorry, Mr. Edwin, but you don’t have a choice. We’re not asking for a favor; we intend to use you. Be aware of that.”

“What?”

“We will take good care of you in return for being used. Don’t worry; it will be a rather favorable arrangement for you. You can trust us.”

The CEO continued talking while intermittently checking his wristwatch. 

“If things go well, Mr. Edwin, you’ll be recognized as the legitimate heir to the Lepti Empire.”

“Why would I get involved in the Emperor’s power struggle? I have no interest in that, and I can’t lead such a conflict.”

“You’re right; you have no interest, and you cannot lead a struggle. That’s why you ran away from the Emperor, isn’t it?”

“Damn it…”

“In truth, whether you’re the Emperor’s nephew or not is not crucial. As long as it looks convincing, people will easily be deceived. We will handle everything, and you’ll simply play the role of a convincing figurehead. Do you understand? I’m busy now, so I must be on my way.”