The Beast That Licks Me - Chapter 1.7
“Rosette, what’s going on?”
Countess Sarhen had arrived as well. Rosette intuitively felt that she couldn’t prevent her parents from entering. Rosette made a relatively cool-headed judgment.
“Please wait a moment. I’ll open it soon.”
After speaking loudly enough for the people outside the door to hear, Rosette immediately called Judy.
“Judy, get some clothes from that drawer over there.”
“Oh, clothes for you to wear, my lady?”
“No, clothes for him to wear.”
Rosette said, pointing at Evan. Judy looked even more flustered.
“Ah, my lady. Who is that person? Is he not… an intruder?”
“No. No need to worry. He seems to be someone I know.”
“Y-you shouldn’t do that!”
“What shouldn’t I do?”
Rosette looked at Judy incredulously and asked. Judy rolled her brown eyes nervously and said.
“W-well, you received a proposal yesterday. You’re about to get married soon, so you should cherish your body.”
Aha. She seemed to have completely misunderstood. But Rosette didn’t have time to clear up that misunderstanding.
“It’s not like that, so hurry and bring it.”
“Don’t you feel sorry for Lord Stefan, my lady?”
At those presumptuous words, Rosette’s expression hardened. If it had been Becky who brought the washing water instead of Judy, Evan would have been fully dressed by now. No, she wouldn’t have even screamed. Feeling her patience snap, Rosette said coldly.
“Since when did you become so interested in your employer’s affairs? Even if he really were my lover, what right do you have to say anything to me?”
“…I’m sorry, my lady. I was wrong.”
She seemed to have understood properly. Judy bit her lip and rushed to the wardrobe to start looking for clothes. They were all Rosette’s clothes, so they would be too small for Evan, but after searching through the entire wardrobe, she managed to find something usable.
“How about this?”
Judy held out a lace nightgown that was too big and rarely worn. Rosette looked back and forth between the lace nightgown and Evan, then sighed.
“Fine, bring that.”
Taking the clothes from Judy, Rosette approached Evan.
“Evan, get up.”
“Why?”
“You need to put this on.”
“Is it time for breakfast?”
“Yes, that’s right. You need to wear this so we can have breakfast and everything else.”
Evan raised himself up as if he had no choice.
“Now, raise your arms.”
“Rosette, isn’t this your nightgown? The one that’s too big for you, so you don’t wear it much.”
“…That’s right.”
It must really be Evan. Rosette sighed and pondered how to resolve the current situation. Why did this happen in the first place? After dressing him completely, Rosette pressed her forehead. The frilled shoulder part was too tight, making him look quite ridiculous.
“Um… can you stand up once? Ah! Sit back down. Sit and don’t move an inch from the bed! Understand?”
“Mmm.”
Rosette, who was trying to see how the clothes fit, quickly turned her head away from Evan’s center, which was barely covered by the nightgown that only reached his thighs. My goodness. Her face instantly turned as red as an iron kettle.
‘Why is that so big? What was Evan like when he was a dog? No, don’t think about it. No, that looks like a white snake! My goodness, how can someone with such a cute face have such a monstrous thing… Rosette Alpaine!’
To stop her thoughts, Rosette slapped her already bright red cheeks hard. Evan looked at Rosette with round eyes.
“Rosette, are you crazy?”
“…I think the clothes are fine for now. Judy, I’m going to talk with my parents now. Leave when I give you the signal.”
“…Yes, I will.”
“And don’t forget to keep quiet about everything you’ve seen.”
Rosette warned Judy sharply. Judy nodded with a cowed expression. This should be enough to scare her. Rosette moved toward the door. It seemed no one had left, as she immediately sensed their presence.
“Father, Mother. Are you there?”
“Yes. Daddy’s here, Rosette! Your mother, too.”
“I have something important to tell you both. Please send away everyone else except you two.”
“Is it not dangerous?”
“No, it’s not a dangerous situation at all. So please do as I say.”
“…I’ll do that.”
Benedict must have sent people away, as the sound of footsteps receding could be heard. Rosette waited until the footsteps turned the corner before opening the door. Click, the door opened, and Rosette awkwardly greeted the two.
“Good morning, Mother. Father.”
Rosette waited for them to enter and then signaled to Judy. Judy anxiously looked at the water-soaked floor before carefully leaving with proper etiquette. With just the four of them left, it was Sarhen who first noticed Evan’s presence.
“Who, who is that man?”
“…This might be hard to believe, but I think it’s Evan.”
Benedict and Sarhen were simultaneously shocked. They say couples grow to resemble each other, and the surprised faces of the elegant Sarhen and the passionate Benedict were remarkably similar. Though the reason for their surprise probably wasn’t that they actually believed Rosette’s words.
“What do you mean, Evan? What are you talking about?”
“Daughter. If you’re going to lie, at least make it plausible.”
“I didn’t know at first either. But it seems to be Evan. Of course, you two are more likely to think that I didn’t like Stefan and brought in some strange man last night, but that’s not it.”
Benedict made a startled expression, as if that was exactly what he had been thinking. Rosette asked Evan, who was still sitting on the bed wearing the lace nightgown.
“Evan.”
“Yes?”
“Can you prove that you’re Evan?”
“How?”
“Like turning back into a dog…”
“That’s not possible.”
Evan unexpectedly gave a firm answer. Rosette asked again, a bit taken aback.
“Not possible?”
“No. Not possible.”
“Why?”
“It’s difficult.”
It was a straightforward answer. Rosette held her forehead and said.
“Then you have all your memories from when you were Evan… when you were a dog?”
“I have all of them. I’m smart, you know.”
“Do you have any memories that only you would know?”
“Hmm…”
Evan held his chin thoughtfully. Benedict and Sarhen seemed skeptical yet somewhat curious.
“Oh, when you were six, you wet the bed and blamed it on me!”
“What?!”
Rosette was so shocked that she stepped back. Evan continued to share his grievance in detail.
“It was you who did it, but while I was sleeping, you secretly changed the sheets, changed your clothes, and said I did it. I didn’t even get snacks that day because of that!”
“W-when did I ever do that?”
“You did! When you were six!”
“I don’t remember.”
Evan looked indignant. Rosette’s face turned red instantly. The truth was, she did remember. Evan had been severely scolded in her place that day, and it remained in her memory because of the guilt. Who would have thought Evan still remembered that…
“Oh, and Benedict always hides money in the academy graduation album in the study.”
“W-what?”
Evan looked at Benedict with innocent eyes. As Benedict asked in confusion, Sarhen’s eyes narrowed into triangles.
“What are you talking about? What graduation album?”
“Sarhen’s graduation album. The one with portraits and contacts. A bald man with a mustache told him that if he hid his secret funds in his wife’s graduation album, it would never be discovered. So for the past two years… mmph!”
As Evan spoke candidly, Benedict forcefully covered his mouth. Rosette felt a throbbing headache coming on. She had a strong premonition that a storm of chaos was about to hit the count’s household.
“It’s all lies. How could a dog become a human?”
“Really? Then how does that man know these things?”
“I’m telling you it’s not true! My dear, please believe me!”
“Then I’ll just go to the study right now and bring the graduation album.”
“Well, it’s not that it’s not true, but it’s just a very small amount of money!”
“Oh? And why exactly did you need this ‘small amount’ of money?”
“I-I was planning to use it for small gifts for you…”
“Then it’s money I could take anyway, right?”
“Well… yes, you can have it all…”
