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Chapter 003
“Too Many Burdens to Confess”
Rose had a maid, Hill, who had followed her all the way from the capital.
Hill was essentially a nanny, having taken care of Rose since she was little.
She felt deeply sorry for Rose, who was confined in a modest house hardly fit for a noble.
Perhaps that was why she seemed so pleased when Dorothy, a visitor who hadn’t come in a long time, arrived.
“Even though she just moved here recently, she’s quite popular. Of course, I’ve heard she has a rather unfortunate story.”
Rose, who had been wondering how to get rid of Dorothy, didn’t care at all about the misfortunes fate had bestowed upon her.
“So why is she coming to see me, then?”
Unlike Rose, Dorothy was popular and sociable. There was clearly some other motive beyond simply saying thanks.
Could it be pity? Or maybe she noticed Rose’s status and was trying to get some crumbs?
Either way, Rose didn’t like it.
So she planned to continue ignoring Dorothy.
But at some point, Dorothy stopped visiting altogether.
“Has something happened?”
“I don’t know. Whether she comes or not is her business.”
Sure enough, it seemed Dorothy had visited with only a light heart in the first place.
Annoyed, Rose eventually stomped out of the entrance hall.
She felt humiliated, realizing she had been unconsciously waiting for Dorothy.
In truth, Dorothy’s visits had already become part of Rose’s daily life.
“…Hey. I appeared yesterday, didn’t I?”
“Here, these are cookies! I baked them with Mrs. Horton. Why don’t you try some?”
“I don’t need them!”
Rose slammed the door, but Dorothy continued visiting regardless.
“Mrs. Horton brought some fine tea. Would you like some?”
“I’m not drinking it.”
And it was the same the next day.
“Hello! Today, I brought flowers…”
“I said I don’t want them!”
What had once been a nuisance had now become a daily occurrence.
Yet Rose was afraid that Dorothy had become part of her routine.
What if this fragile balance broke someday?
That afternoon, Rose received unexpected news.
“A cold?”
“Apparently it spread to Mrs. Horton. She’s unwell.”
Hill, who had learned the news on the street, relayed it to her.
‘Ah, so that’s why she couldn’t come.’
All the irritation and anger Rose had felt toward Dorothy vanished in an instant.
‘But she has a cold… I hope it’s not too serious.’
And slowly, a different emotion began creeping in.
“Why don’t you go visit her, miss?”
Hill looked at Rose with hopeful eyes.
‘Wait… am I actually worried about that girl?’
What a pointless thought.
“Why would I? I don’t want to catch her cold.”
Rose said coquettishly, snorting.
Yet her eyes were fixed on the closed balcony of the neighboring house.
It had been a long time since Dorothy had felt this sick.
She lay in bed, staring at the ceiling.
Since coming to Sailbrums, she hadn’t been this unwell.
‘I was always working and didn’t even notice being sick.’
When she got engaged to Charles, Dorothy had nothing.
Charles was in the same position, so Dorothy had to handle even the chores a maid would normally do.
Even when she felt the first signs of a cold, she would carry heaps of laundry to the river every day.
Summer was exhausting because of Mrs. Brutton’s chores, and winter brought pain from chapped hands.
Even after becoming wealthy, she still took care of trivial tasks, never getting a proper rest.
So, being sick with a cold felt… peaceful.
‘It’s been a while since I last visited next door.’
She had gone almost every day, but this was the first time she hadn’t gone for so long.
‘Once I feel better, I should go see her.’
Deciding that, Dorothy opened the terrace door, wanting some fresh air.
“Hmm?”
As she opened the door, her eyes met Rose’s across the way.
[……! Huh…?]
Rose was waving her finger and speaking fiercely, her neck veins visible from effort.
It was the first time Rose had spoken to her at such length.
For Dorothy, it was a moment so touching she could have cried.
But there was one problem.
“……I can’t hear you.”
Since Rose hadn’t opened the terrace door, Dorothy couldn’t hear a word she was saying.
“What? Why aren’t you answering? Do you want to die?”
Then Rose flung the terrace door open.
“I couldn’t hear you because the door was closed.”
“What? Ah.”
Rose realized her mistake and blushed furiously.
But her anger wasn’t gone.
“Then you should have said something earlier! I couldn’t hear you!”
“Excuse me? It’s rude to interrupt someone.”
“You can interrupt this! Cut it off entirely!”
In the end, realizing she couldn’t win verbally, Rose gave up on being angry.
“You caught a cold, right?”
“Yes. I’m sorry I couldn’t visit without notice.”
Dorothy apologized, and Rose immediately got irritated again.
“What’s there to apologize for?”
“But still… you must have been waiting.”
“I wasn’t waiting.”
“Even now, you were waiting on the terrace, weren’t you?”
“No!”
Rose denied it.
“Come closer.”
Leaning on the railing, Rose gestured for Dorothy to come.
Dorothy wrapped her arms around herself and asked shyly,
“What are you going to do to me?”
‘What is she saying? Is she implying I’m some pervert?’
Rose held her throbbing head.
“I’m not doing anything lewd. Just come here.”
“What is it?”
“Put out your hand.”
“Huh?”
When Dorothy reached out, Rose dropped an envelope into her hand.
Holding it close, Dorothy smelled a bitter fragrance.
“It’s medicine to help your cold. Make sure to take it. I heard it’s okay with other medicines too.”
“Did you get this just for me?”
“Not really.”
“Thank you.”
“You don’t have to say thank you. It’s just something lying around the house.”
Just then, Dorothy, fiddling with the envelope, spoke up.
“I’m sorry if I was bothersome.”
“What?”
“The envelope is warm.”
“…….”
“You kept it all this time, didn’t you?”
The paper envelope still retained its heat.
“From now on, I’ll stop knocking every day.”
“You won’t stop entirely?”
“I can’t. Maybe once every two or three days.”
Dorothy spoke timidly, and Rose couldn’t help laughing.
“After all this trouble, now you’re backtracking?”
“……”
“Just come over. You’re not really a bother.”
Rose chuckled and shook her head.
“Then should I come over?”
A sudden voice made Dorothy blink.
“Did I say that?”
No. She hadn’t said anything.
Looking down, she saw a man standing in the alleyway.
It was the same man she had seen before.
The blonde man waved at them with a painted-on smile.
“Good thing I don’t have to break the door down this time, right?”
“That guy…!”
Rose, standing on the balcony, seemed ready to explode and ran off.
“Wait!”
Dorothy scrambled after her.
“I told you not to come! Do you want to die?”
“Hahaha.”
The man caught the broom Rose swung at him with ease, grinning.
“Need some help? I can help.”
Dorothy, still in her pajamas, asked seriously.
Come to think of it, the man had broken into the neighboring house before.
Judging by the neatly placed hat and cane at the door, he was about to do it again.
“That bastard is my younger brother, Brandon!”
Rose ground her teeth like she was naming a mortal enemy.
“……Not a loan shark?”
Dorothy, lost for words, asked.
“Well, my identity is revealed.”
The playful man turned to Dorothy.
“And who might you be?”
Sharp eyes gleamed between his curved eyelids.
