Chapter 4

I watched the child who slapped the back of my hand run off.

That cutie must be the mascot of this estate, right?

Just as I thought that, Massera spoke up.

“I’ve raised him badly.”

What? I looked up at him, puzzled.

“Are you saying you don’t discipline him?”

“I don’t really know how.”

Massera slowly handed his coat to a servant and continued.

“Every method I know of is too harsh.”

His voice was gentle, but also felt as cold as ice.

I tried to figure out what he meant.

Maybe he was harshly disciplined and spanked as a child? He might look like a pampered noble, but he could have a tragic backstory I don’t know about.

I shook my head.

“It’s fine. He was probably just startled from seeing someone new.”

I smiled brightly, trying to lift the heavy mood.

“General, please show me around the estate. I’d like to see the bedroom we’ll be sharing too.”

Massera’s brow twitched slightly at my words “♥ the bedroom we’ll be sharing ♥.”

He then turned to a man wearing glasses.

A brown-haired man, who embodied the looks of a typical nerd, bowed politely to me.

“I’m the General’s aide, Diego. I shall show you around.”

It must’ve been his way of telling Diego to go in his stead. Well, that’s just how rofan male leads are when they’re shy and reserved.

“Yes! Let’s go quickly!”

House tours are always fun! Besides, this is our house now!

When I got all excited, the servants looked confused.

Oh, should I have been sad about that?

“Geez.”

Pretending to act sulky, I pinched Massera’s arm lightly, then skipped after Diego with obvious delight.

“There are a few things you should be careful of while staying at the residence.”

Diego began in a cautionary tone.

“Is it about the Neapolitan ghost story?”

“Are you talking about the pasta?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

Guess they don’t have the Neapolitan ghost story here.

With a face that said “Why would you ask that,” Diego resumed.

“Though this may look like a simple mansion, it is also the Chief of Staff’s official residence, a military security zone, and a military base. Taking photos or drawing pictures of this place and leaking them outside is strictly prohibited…”

Basically, he was explaining that this place was a high-ranking official’s home with tight security. No wonder there seemed to be a lot of soldiers.

“And you must not enter the General’s office or private quarters without permission.”

Doesn’t saying that always mean I’ll end up having to go in? Still, I better not.

Diego reached for the doorknob of a room and said—

“This is the bedroom you two will share after the wedding.”

I peeked into the room with anticipation.

The spacious room was completely empty with no bed and no furniture.

“Wow.”

It was a true practice of minimalism in the bedroom.

At my deflated tone, Diego spoke up as if prepared for it.

“As there is still time before the wedding…”

“Oh, so I get the privilege of decorating it?”

Maybe this is one of those quests where they’re like “I’ll have to test your skills.”

Sounds fun!

***

After finishing her tour of the vast residence, Cynthia followed Diego to the dining hall.

She saw that Massera was already sitting at the long marble table, pouring a glass of wine.

“General, were you waiting for me?”

It is my first day here, so maybe he’s joining me for dinner.

However, Massera wiped his mouth with a napkin and stood up from his seat. As he moved, the chandelier light shimmered through his platinum blond hair like ripples on water.

“I’ve already finished eating.”

A moment of silence followed his soft words.

Cynthia blinked a few times, dazed.

“Oh my, you must’ve been really hungry…”

Massera said nothing.

Cynthia turned to face him and smiled warmly.

“Please, go ahead and get some rest. And thank you for traveling such a long way to get me.”

“...”

Was that smile the ignorance of the privileged, or pure malice disguised as innocence?

His gaze landed on her slender fingers clad in silk gloves.

She looked like the only splash of color in this place of black and white, even though all she held was red.

Looking at this woman who smiled so brightly, as if she didn’t know the ugliness of the world and had never been tainted by it, he suddenly wanted to see her cry.

Diego gulped when he caught Massera’s cold gaze as he left.

‘I wonder… how long the lady can endure being treated like that.’

In his eyes, Cynthia was like a pet rabbit being thrown out into the snowy mountains.

Just then, a maid came in with Cynthia’s meal. Not only was her attitude cold, but so were her actions as she set the dish down with a loud clatter.

“Where did you learn such rudeness to be placing the tableware like that? And top blade steak? Serving this poor excuse of a meal is an insult to royalty!”

These were not Cynthia’s words.

It was Rose, one of the servants from the Queensguard County who’d come with her, who nitpicked with a frown on her face.

Though it was just a guise, Cynthia was of royal blood to the outside world.

“I think it’s delicious. The portion is quite big too.”

But unlike Rose, who was trying to maintain discipline, Cynthia was slicing her steak with the utmost satisfaction.

Even if it was a cheap cut, meat was still meat. To someone who had never seen meat during her time as a maid, it was a rare delicacy.

The maid who brought the meal shot Rose a sneering look.

“It seems you’re the lady’s official spokesperson for complaints.”

Rose crossed her arms and shot back sharply.

“My lady is too gentle to speak harshly to others. So aren’t the people who take advantage of her kindness the problem?”

A fierce argument ensued between the two.

Seeing that, Cynthia slowly rose from her seat, wearing a pained expression.

“This is all because of me. I’ll leave first since I’m the cause of this conflict…”

“But Lady Cynthia, you couldn’t even eat properly because of that rude ser—!”

Rose was dumbfounded when she turned and saw the plate had been cleaned.

‘When did she finish all that?’

Cynthia, who was happy to have a full stomach for the first time in a while, whispered in Rose’s ear as she passed by.

“Miss Rose Pasta. If you really want to help me, how about you start with unpacking my neglected luggage? Playing the role of a clumsy maid isn’t helping at all.”

Although her tone was soft and gentle, Rose’s face stiffened, as if her breath had caught in her throat.

***

Cynthia walked down the corridor, deep in thought.

Putting rude servants in their place is like a standard in rofans, but she wasn’t in a position to do that.

Lies don’t last forever, and they eventually get exposed.

‘I need to build a good image for when the truth comes out.’

Just from their military-like speech and precise movements, it was clear they weren’t ordinary servants.

On top of that, Diego said this was a military security zone, so not just anyone could work here.

‘That means most of them are military personnel.’

She could tell by the calluses that came from holding guns.

Having experienced war in her past life, Cynthia quickly picked up on the characteristics of a soldier.

Just then, the white-haired butler Milchenko passed by and greeted Cynthia. A long scar ran across his wrinkled face.

‘I get now why they’re like that towards me.’

Soldiers were victims of war too. They must harbor hatred toward the royal family for waging unnecessary wars in the past.

Thud.

Lost in thought, Cynthia bumped her head against something hard.

“I’m sor—”

She rubbed her head and looked up at the tall man standing before her.

It was Massera, dressed in a shirt and suspenders, staring down at her with an expressionless face.

“Oh, General. I actually just had something I wanted to ask you. Are most of the people working here former military personnel?”

Hearing her question, Massera’s lips curled into a mocking smirk.

“Why do you ask?”

“I just want to understand and get along with them better. After all, there must be some lingering trauma from the war and—”

“There’s no need to try so hard.”

“What?”

Cynthia’s eyes widened in surprise.

“How could someone like you, who’s lived in comfort and knows nothing of war, possibly understand?”

In a cold tone, Massera added—

“This marriage is nothing but a business deal. So don’t make any unreasonable demands of me, my lady.”

He assumed she’d burst into tears and run off.

However, Cynthia didn’t cry and instead stared directly back at him with a smile.

“Aha, I got it!”

From Cynthia’s perspective, it had been a helpful chat in figuring out the male lead’s character.

‘Sigh, how typical. You’re just going to regret everything later and come crying, clinging to me anyway.’