Chapter 9: A Misunderstanding.
Chapter 9: A Misunderstanding.
After personally leading Osborne and Anny around the vast Roosevelt estate, introducing them to the important sections of the manor while explaining the household rules they would be expected to follow during their stay, Guinevere eventually escorted the two toward the guest wing before stopping in front of an elegant wooden door, gently pushing it open as she turned to Osborne with the same composed smile she always wore.
"This shall be your room for the foreseeable future, Young Master Osborne, and if there is anything you require, you need only inform one of the servants."
Osborne slowly stepped inside before his eyes instinctively wandered around the room, because despite being called nothing more than a guest room, it was almost twice the size of his bedroom back at House Bismarck, containing a massive bed covered in spotless white sheets, a polished oak desk positioned beside a wide window overlooking the estate gardens, bookshelves lined with dozens of neatly arranged books, an expensive-looking fireplace built into one corner, and enough empty space that three more beds could comfortably fit inside without making the room feel crowded.
’...This is just a guest room?’
The difference in status between a Baron and a Marquess suddenly felt far greater than he had imagined.
Guinevere then shifted her attention toward Anny before speaking once more.
"As for you, since Young Master Osborne has made it clear that you are to remain his personal attendant, I’ll personally show you around the servants’ quarters, kitchens, laundry facilities and a few other places you’ll need to familiarize yourself with."
Anny gave a respectful bow before looking toward Osborne with a cheerful smile.
"I won’t be long, Young Master."
Osborne simply smiled back before giving a small nod.
"I’ll be here."
With that, Guinevere and Anny quietly departed together, gently closing the door behind them as silence gradually settled over the room.
Osborne slowly walked toward the bed before allowing himself to fall backwards onto it, his body sinking into the unbelievably soft mattress while his eyes remained fixed upon the beautifully decorated ceiling above him, unable to stop comparing every little detail to the far simpler rooms back at House Bismarck.
Even the guest bedroom here surpassed the finest room within his family’s estate, making him wonder just how wealthy House Roosevelt truly was, because if this was how ordinary guests were treated, he could hardly imagine what Roseline’s own room looked like.
"..." He sighed quietly.
’Will I actually be able to leave this household one day...?’
The thought lingered inside his mind for several moments before a faint breeze brushed gently across his face, causing his eyebrows to knit together ever so slightly as he slowly raised himself into a sitting position, instinctively turning toward the source of the draft.
The bedroom door...Was slightly open.
Only a tiny gap separated it from the frame.
Within that narrow opening, however...
Two bright blue eyes quietly stared back at him.
"..."
"..."
The owner of those eyes immediately froze after realizing she had been spotted.
Osborne blinked once.
"...Young Miss Rachael?" He said but she didn’t reply.
She simply continued peeking at him without saying a single word.
Osborne waited patiently for several long seconds before finally speaking again, his voice carrying a hint of confusion.
"...Can I help you with something?"
Still...
Nothing.
She continued staring.
His expression gradually flattened.
"...Are you planning to stand there all day?"
Silence answered him once again.
Finally letting out an exhausted sigh, Osborne climbed off the bed before calmly making his way toward the door, causing Rachael’s confident expression to immediately disappear as she instinctively took half a step backward.
"W-What are you planning to do?"
Osborne didn’t answer.
Instead, he reached the doorway before casually grabbing the handle.
Bang!
The door closed directly in front of her face.
"..."
For a brief moment...
Everything became perfectly quiet.
Then...
Bang! Bang! Bang!
The entire door shook violently beneath a barrage of tiny fists.
"You rude pig!"
Bang! Bang!
"How dare you slam the door in my face!"
Bang! Bang! Bang!
"Has nobody ever taught you how to treat a lady properly?!"
"You greedy goat!"
"You shameless swine!"
"You uncivilized brute!"
Inside the room, Osborne slowly pinched the bridge of his nose while taking several deep breaths, sincerely wondering whether every member of House Roosevelt possessed this much energy, because the young girl outside had shown absolutely no intention of leaving him alone.
Another loud bang echoed throughout the room, which finally caused him to snap.
Marching back toward the entrance, Osborne pulled the door open with considerably more force than before before looking directly at the silver-haired girl standing outside.
"...What exactly do you want from me?"
Rachael immediately folded her arms before lifting her chin proudly, a smug smile spreading across her face as though she had somehow won a great victory.
"So you finally opened the door." She smiled even wider.
"I was beginning to think you didn’t know your place."
’ This cocky brat...’
Something inside Osborne snapped again.
Without saying another word, he reached forward before firmly grabbing her wrist.
"...Eh?" The smug smile instantly vanished.
"W-What are you doing?"
She immediately tried pulling her hand free, only to discover that despite using all the strength she could muster, his grip refused to loosen in the slightest.
"H-Hey!"
"Let go of me!" She said, but instead, Osborne looked directly into her eyes.
"I’ll gladly let you go..." He said, but rather tightened his grip ever so slightly.
"...Once you promise to stop following me around and bothering me."
Rachael glared at him stubbornly.
"As if I’d promise something like that!"
She tugged harder.
" How do you expect me to sit comfortably when there’s a pig in our home?"
" Why you little brat!" He complained.
"Hey! Let go already!" Rachael cried.
"No." But Osborne remained firm.
"You insolent—"
"No means no, you annoying little brat." He said to her.
Her cheeks puffed up in frustration before she suddenly inhaled as deeply as she possibly could.
"HELP!"
Osborne blinked, completely taken back.
"THERES A DIRTY PIG HERE AND HIS TRYING TO HAVE HIS WAY WITH ME!"
"..."
’ What in the world is wrong with this kid!’ His eyes widened so much they nearly left their sockets.
’Where the hell did a thirteen-year-old even learn something like that?!’
Panic immediately set in as Osborne hurriedly stepped forward before pulling her closer with one hand while covering her mouth with the other, his heart racing wildly because the last thing he needed was to gain a reputation as some kind of criminal only a day after arriving.
"Mmph!"
"Please keep your voice down!"
He leaned closer before whispering through gritted teeth.
"I’ll let you go immediately, but only if you promise to stop screaming."
Rachael continued glaring at him for several moments before reluctantly giving a slow nod.
Seeing that, Osborne finally released a relieved sigh before cautiously removing the hand covering her mouth.
The instant her lips became free...
"HELP!"
"I’M BEING ASSAULTED!"
"SOMEBODY SAVE ME!"
"...You little menace!"
Osborne practically jumped before immediately covering her mouth once more, his heartbeat climbing even higher as Rachael kicked, struggled and wildly flailed her free arm, doing everything she possibly could to escape despite the fact that she was the one causing the misunderstanding in the first place.
"I swear you’re doing this on purpose."
"Mmph!"
"Of course you are."
"MMPH!"
"No normal person acts like this!"
She only struggled harder.
Osborne had officially reached the point where he regretted every decision that had led him to House Roosevelt.
"...What exactly..." A voice colder than the winter wind echoed from the opposite end of the hallway.
"...Are you doing to my little sister?"
Hearing the voice, A shiver ran down Osborne’s spine.
Very slowly...He turned around.
Standing several metres away was another silver-haired girl with piercing blue eyes that looked strikingly similar to Rachael’s, though the coldness within them made the younger girl’s glare seem harmless by comparison, while her long silver hair had been tied neatly into a ponytail that gently swayed behind her, her fitted training clothes and the sword resting at her waist making it obvious she had been interrupted in the middle of practice.
An invisible pressure seemed to fill the corridor.
Before Osborne could even open his mouth...
Rachael suddenly bit down as hard as she could on the hand covering her mouth.
"OW!"
He instinctively recoiled in pain.
The moment his hand moved away, Rachael hurried behind the older girl before grabbing onto her sleeve with tearful eyes.
"Rebecca!" She cried out "Save me!"
Rebecca’s expression immediately darkened.
Her icy blue eyes locked onto Osborne with unmistakable hostility before she slowly rested one hand upon the hilt of the sword hanging at her waist.
"...Bastard."
The single word had barely left her lips before she exploded forward with astonishing speed, her feet slamming against the polished floor as she closed the distance between them in the blink of an eye.
Osborne’s face instantly turned pale.
"W-Wait!"
He hurriedly raised both hands in surrender while desperately stepping backwards.
"It’s not what it looks like!"