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Chapter 62
“Ha….”
Is that for real?
“You.”
I’ve been meaning to ask this anyway.
“Do you have any interest in our little puppy?”
“?”
He didn’t immediately understand Westens’ words and asked back.
“Who are you calling a mutt?”
“No, idiot. I mean Amelia!”
“…Why would I—call that mutt?”
“Seriously. Don’t you even know nicknames?!”
Such a stickler. I have no idea who they take after to be so dry.
“Anyway, why are you interested in them?”
“Everything you’ve done from start to finish so far shows interest—it’s like you’re teasing them.”
“….”
“When have you ever shown so much affection toward your subordinates?”
Most people in Kazliden generally neither cared about themselves nor others. Westens shared that trait, and Felix couldn’t even imagine the concept of caring for someone.
But when you do something you normally don’t, it shows. Seeing that guy offering kindness to someone made his intentions highly suspicious.
“I have no ulterior motives or intentions.”
“Then why are you so concerned?! If you try anything ridiculous with our little puppy, I won’t let it slide!”
“Why do you keep calling them a mutt?”
“No, it’s a nickname. A nickname!”
Honestly, he had zero sense.
There was no way I’d ever let that pretty little puppy be taken by someone so dry!
“Our puppy’s hotel is ‘Bellaroen’ in the city center. The top-class suite. I’ve also told Gilbert, so that’s where they’ll go first.”
Felix simply nodded half-heartedly. Westens swallowed hard at the indifferent response.
Just a moment ago, he’d been telling the old man not to eat and to just look for a hotel.
‘Why the sudden change in attitude?’
Even after seeing him after so long, he remained utterly unpredictable.
But contrary to Westens’ thoughts, Felix was seriously thinking.
‘Bellaroen is relatively close to Raymond. It’s in the Proud district, so security is decent.’
Then, if I just remove all the other occupants…
It would be better for them to stay alone rather than with other people.
‘I have to clear them all out.’
Then they can move around freely, and other staff can come and go unnoticed.
“Cough!”
At that moment, Westens deliberately coughed loudly. Felix, lost in thought, asked in a flat tone:
“What now?”
“Well… you’ve been handling things in my absence, haven’t you?”
Westens, uncharacteristically hesitating, lightly brushed his flushed cheeks with his palm.
“You’ve worked hard.”
“….”
“And I apologize. For giving you such a burden—”
“I’ll accept the praise and the apology. What you said afterward…”
Felix’s mouth curled into a sly grin.
“I didn’t hear any of it, old man.”
“Anyway.”
Watching his grandchild handle things so well on his own, Westens muttered quietly:
“This kid… there’s nothing he can’t do…”
If only I could raise this brat as diligently as he studies.
“Once you’ve eaten, you should start with the first matter.”
“Does the Emperor want me?”
“Yes. As you expected, he’s pushing Kazliden ruthlessly. You should go and shut him up. I can’t work with all this annoyance.”
“Tch. Maybe my brain is aging along with me.”
“Even when you were young, your brain was a pest, though.”
For the first time, Westens’ face softened. Felix, meanwhile, stared coldly out the window, a stark contrast to before.
“When we return, I’ll have to deal with the little rats first.”
Other matters were important, but ensuring a safe environment for the child came first. That’s why he was sent to a hotel rather than the mansion.
Westens smoothed his lips, smiling faintly.
“Things are going to get busy.”
In many ways.
“…Gilbert.”
Meanwhile, after sending the old man and Felix ahead, I looked up at the grand building, my eyes swollen from crying.
“Sniff… where is this?”
“Cough… hmm. This is the hotel where the lady will stay.”
“Cough… me?”
At my words, Gilbert let out a laugh—or maybe a cough—and extended his hand.
“The master instructed me to bring you here, Lady. You might fall, so let me hold your hand first.”
“Sniff… I can go by myself.”
“Can you see properly with your puffy eyes?”
“…Gilbert.”
“Hm?”
“You’re teasing me, aren’t you?”
“No?”
No, there’s no way! I noticed ever since he kept chuckling in the carriage!
I glared at him sharply, and Gilbert, realizing, tried to act innocent:
“How could I laugh at Lady’s tears? Not while bringing you to the master… sniff… it’s still too cute… haha!”
“…Just openly mock me then.”
It was worse than not teasing at all.
“I’m sorry. But really, it’s just too cute.”
“Then you should have held in your laughter first if you wanted to give me lip service!”
I exhaled in frustration, ascending the well-polished marble stairs. Gilbert followed closely, folding his hands politely like a penitent, looking at me pitifully.
“I really messed up. Okay? I’ll tease you just a little from now on.”
“Normally, people would promise not to tease at all in this situation.”
“Yeah… but Lady’s reactions are so good, I can’t help it… ah, fine! Okay! I won’t tease anymore!”
Ignoring him, I strode ahead, and Gilbert stamped his feet but quickly caught up due to his long legs.
“Without overwhelming wealth, you’re probably the only person who can manipulate the guild leader like this, Lady.”
“I’ll take that as a compliment.”
“Of course. Definitely a compliment.”
Gilbert arrogantly shrugged. Just as I was about to retort, a staff member who saw us hurried over.
Without even fixing his messy hair, he bowed deeply.
“Y-You are… the Madame!”
Gilbert only nodded in response. The staff member, now tense, respectfully bowed to me.
Well, the underworld’s Madame had arrived, so the hotel would be on high alert.
“The manager is on their way down. The reception room is prepared; you may discuss the details there.”
“Lead the way.”
The staff, fully focused, straightened his back and shouted with a charged voice:
“Please follow me!”
