IFAHWIPUTML Chapter 36

"Pardon?"

Verasielle thought her ears must be malfunctioning.

Otherwise, there was no way she could have heard the absurd phrase "picked 'em up on the way over."

Had she misheard "I picked them up on the way" as "picked 'em up coming over"?

The inappropriately casual words were so shocking that Verasielle figured her feverish body had temporarily addled her ears too.

Those words were so utterly nonsensical she couldn't believe she'd actually heard them.

"..."

Chayston was fairly quick on the uptake.

So he realized it. That something had just gone very wrong.

Seeing Verasielle's dumbfounded expression raised questions, and spotting Rohan frantically making X-marks with his hands through the open door confirmed it.

"...Golden Wave flower tea is good for colds."

He redirected the conversation as if nothing had happened. However, his ears—which he couldn't hide—were ripening to a bright red.

Embarrassment and mortification swept over him simultaneously.

Chayston wanted nothing more than to leave this room right now and grab Rohan by the collar.

He wanted to demand why Rohan had told him such nonsense and made him look like a fool in front of her.

"Ah, thank you."

Verasielle accepted the flowers from Chayston.

Seeing him holding out flowers, she had the inane thought that flowers suited him rather well.

'Or do they suit him because Chayston is handsome?'

She didn't want to admit it, but he did have such a good-looking face that she'd unconsciously muttered "hot" when they first met.

She could understand the saying that flowers and handsome men went rather well together.

"They smell lovely."

The flower in her hand was golden yellow, just like its name Golden Wave suggested.

The petals were lanceolate and all bright yellow, but grew deeper red toward the center of the flower head.

The overall flower shape somewhat resembled a sunflower, and the size was medium—about that of a magnolia.

The floral scent wasn't heavy but subtle, fresh like the smell of sunlight.

"They're effective even if you brew them immediately without drying."

"I'll brew the flowers so you can drink them right away."

As soon as Chayston's explanation ended, Tia entered with a pot of hot water and a teacup as if she'd been waiting.

"Ah..."

She was bewildered by how everything proceeded so smoothly, as if planned.

Why was this man suddenly taking such care of her? Goosebumps rose on her arms beneath the hidden sleeves of her dress.

The excessive kindness beyond what she'd anticipated felt awkward and uncomfortable.

'Why is he doing this...?'

Was he that grateful she'd taken his side yesterday? Or was he being considerate because he didn't want her to give Raphel her cold?

Ah, yes.

This was it. This had to be it.

A threat not to give Raphel her cold.

If that wasn't it, there was no reason to show her kindness.

Verasielle set down the bouquet she'd been holding onto the blanket.

Kindness disguised as a threat.

'What a master tactician.'

Did he think she wouldn't notice? Fat chance.

She was already making every effort not to give Raphel her cold anyway.

She couldn't even hold and comfort the crying child for fear of infecting him.

Given how much she was already being careful on her own, Chayston was essentially nagging her to be cautious.

Like when you're just opening a book to start studying and your mom nags you about studying.

Verasielle felt tremendously wronged.

"I've already been careful not to give it to Raphel."

Verasielle's demeanor had turned cold before she knew it.

Having misinterpreted Chayston's sincerity, his kindness was anything but welcome to her.

"What—"

"That's what you meant, isn't it? Not to give him my cold."

"..."

Chayston was speechless.

It felt like someone had whacked him hard on the back of the head.

He'd simply come to check on her condition as a courtesy visit and deliver flowers while he was at it—why was the conversation veering in that direction?

He could only stand there frozen stiff like a fool for a long moment.

Her reaction just now was something he'd neither anticipated nor considered.

Chayston had completely forgotten his own initial attitude toward Verasielle.

"Thank you, Tia."

Verasielle accepted the teacup Tia handed her without sparing even a brief glance in Chayston's direction.

"Excuse me."

Rohan, who'd been watching everything from outside the door, sighed deeply at his master and entered the room.

Rohan realized one fact he'd been overlooking.

The reason why Verasielle had no choice but to interpret his kindness as something twisted.

His master had been treating her like a fraud and guarding against her all this time, hadn't he? This was too hasty.

"My lord. There's something you need to check."

"..."

"It's urgent, so I must ask now."

At Rohan's words, the frozen Chayston turned around like someone whose mind had departed, creaking as he made a half-circle.

Then he headed toward the door with his previously broad shoulders drooping.

"Then I'll take my leave. Please rest comfortably."

After greeting Verasielle, Rohan immediately followed his master.

"I think he just came to check on you..."

Tia spoke tentatively, gauging Verasielle's mood.

Having witnessed everything from Chayston preparing the flowers to delivering them, she could immediately tell that Verasielle was misunderstanding.

Moreover, Chayston had very kindly explained to Raphel why he couldn't stay by Verasielle's side right now.

That he didn't want him to catch the cold, and that the one most upset about it was Verasielle, not Raphel.

Seeing Chayston speak Verasielle's name with that gentle smile, Tia doubted her own eyes.

It was the first smile she'd ever seen from her master.

Though she hadn't worked there long, the master she'd encountered until now had always been either expressionless or scowling fiercely.

But a smile. That he could laugh with such warm eyes.

Today was the first time Tia learned through Verasielle that her master could smile like that.

"No. That was a threat."

But Verasielle shook her head firmly.

"Is it really..."

How many people would think 'threat' upon receiving flowers?

Tia held her tongue.

Verasielle's expression was too certain, too convinced she was right.

Talking further would only backfire. This wasn't a situation Tia could do anything about.

This was a problem Chayston would have to resolve himself.

"I won't listen to your advice anymore."

After leaving the room, Chayston came to his senses and glared at Rohan.

He'd firmly trusted tips from Rohan, who'd married Melony for love, and spoken accordingly—only to receive Verasielle's cold rejection in return.

"My lord."

Rohan felt like crying.

Who on earth misinterprets advice on their own and says semi-formal speech backwards? Such obviously awkward phrasing...

He didn't know where or how to begin explaining, but first he needed to clearly convey the one thing he'd figured out.

"You must listen to this. No matter how kind and warm you are to her now, the young lady will only misunderstand."

"I can't trust your words."

Chayston surged ahead as if he didn't want to hear anymore.

I was a fool to trust Rohan's advice.

He couldn't forget her crumpling expression, as if she'd heard something she shouldn't have.

As that image resurfaced, his subsided shame and embarrassment surged again.

For the first time in his life, he wanted to hide somewhere.

"Didn't you suspect the young lady of being a fraud when you first saw her? So the young lady can't simply accept your current actions at face value."

As Rohan followed his master and spoke his mind without concern, Chayston's steps came to an abrupt halt.

"You still haven't completely dropped your suspicions about her, have you?"

At the piercing question, Chayston's lips pressed into a straight line.

He couldn't deny it. He still hadn't confirmed whether Raphel was his nephew.

He could only hope in his heart that Verasielle hadn't lied to him.

But if she really had scammed him, then what should he do...

"First, I'll press them again to receive the antidote as quickly as possible."

Seeing his master fall into solitary anguish again, Rohan spoke.

"Haa."

Chayston leaned his back against the wall with a thud. His head was in chaos. His wavering heart couldn't find its footing.

Even though his feelings were drawn to her, even though he wanted to trust her completely, the unresolved problem stood as a wall blocking his path.

"Tell them to produce it immediately."

So first, he needed to untangle the twisted threads.

"Yes. Understood."

Looking at Chayston, Rohan thought what a dramatic first love, but he absolutely didn't let it show.