Welcome to the Rose Mansion - Chapter 58
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In the end, Richelle did not mention Becky’s name. After quietly observing Richelle for a moment, Rogéros did not press further and poured her some warm water in a glass for her.
“It should help calm your stomach. It’s regrettable that we don’t have tea. After you finish drinking, I will escort you to your bedroom.”
As if the strange confession from moments ago was a dream of the fleeting night, he was simply kind. He wrapped a shawl around the shivering Richelle, put out new fur slippers for her, and then politely escorted her to the bedroom with the lamp in one hand.
In front of the bedroom, Rogéros looked back at Richelle.
“If it’s alright with you, I’d like to take a look around your room. Would you permit me, Richelle?”
Richelle hesitated for a moment at his polite request.
Wandering the corridors without hesitation at night, inviting someone into one’s room without reluctance.
He was a man with many suspicious aspects, in many various ways. But in her eyes, his desire to help Richelle was undeniably genuine. Richelle, more sensitive to people’s psyches than anyone, could feel it.
That’s why she was even more unsure about what kind of person he was.
“Yes. Please come in.”
Richelle finally accepted. After all, she had entered his bedroom as well. Having already broken the rules of Bertrand once, inviting him in would have the same outcome regardless.
‘Besides… it seems that it’s only with Rogéros that the rules of Bertrand don’t apply.’
Perhaps, deep down, she wanted to test him.
“It won’t take long.”
Rogeros, smiling, strode into the bedroom. Richelle followed after.
“Hmm.”
Standing in the middle of the bedroom, he looked around carefully—everywhere. Richelle felt strangely embarrassed, as if her diary had been found and laid bare. She was glad that she had been diligent with her organizing on a regular basis.
As he was stroking his chin with one hand, Rogeros suddenly took a step towards the bookshelf without hesitation. He reached in and searched through the books, all the way behind them.
Then, after a while, he retracted his hand and set the books back to their original places.
“Here you are.”
A rose, vividly and evidently red.
A perfectly red rose that should have never been inside her room.
“How in the world…!”
But she soon stopped herself from crying out. When… Who put this rose in there? That bookshelf is the piece of furniture my favorite in this room, but why hadn’t I ever found that rose there?
Besides, I had read the book that was covering the rose just a day before. How could I not have found it until the rose was already…
‘…Wait. Come to think of it—”
Earlier this afternoon, hadn’t Becky been standing in front of the bookshelf for an unusually long time?
—I’ve, I’ve been a nuisance. I’m sorry. Truly sorry. But you’ll be fine, Teacher. Since you’re close with Mr. Walter…
As if thrown into a frozen lake, her blood ran cold. No way, it can’t be.
No, it must be a misunderstanding. It’s just a feeling. Unwarranted suspicion.
“Someone dared to play a prank, it seems.”
At Rogéros’s calm voice, Richelle stiffly raised her head. He was spinning the rose between two fingers.
“I will take care of this rose.”
“The rose?”
“Don’t worry, Richelle. An incident like today won’t happen again.”
Rogéros didn’t seem to fear the red rose at all. He twirled the stem, from which the thorns had been removed, then neatly clasped his hands behind his back.
“So please, have pleasant dreams. This lamp is my gift to you, make good use of it.”
He smiled brightly and bowed gracefully like an actor at a curtain call, then left the room without looking back. His steps were leisurely, yet somehow, she couldn’t stop him.
Left alone, Richelle slumped down on the sofa. She was so tired she wanted to sleep for three days straight. It had been a night worse than any nightmare.
“What time is it?”
Checking the clock, it was just a little past four. If she went to sleep right away, she could still get about 2 hours of sleep.
Richelle straightened up and stared blankly at the light of the lamp on the table. Her vision began to blur.
“When I wake up…”
Let’s meet Becky. Ask her directly about the rose.
And about Rogéros, who is clearly not just an ordinary servant… I should find out more.
With these thoughts, Richelle drifted off to sleep as if she had fainted.
However, the next day, Becky Dustin did not come to Richelle’s room.
Nor the day after, or the day after that.
Richelle never saw Becky again.
