SMC 08

Chapter 08

(8) If It Doesn’t Work, Make It Work

“It’s best to reduce work as much as possible. And hurry, try the soup. It’s really delicious.”

But Alexis couldn’t easily move his spoon. Roanne ignored him and continued eating the rest of her meal. A bowl with a few pieces of bread and pork soup—that was her breakfast? Alexis couldn’t hide his shock.

“I can’t believe that maid only prepared something like this for a meal.”

Clicking his tongue, Roanne finally gritted her teeth and put her spoon down.

“Hey, Alexis.”

At her call, his eyes flashed sharply. Those cold bluish-purple eyes. For a moment, Roanne flinched.

‘Even when he’s angry, how is he still so handsome…?’

No, no. What kind of nonsense was she thinking! Roanne quickly shook her head and got to the point.

“You’re probably talking about laying out appetizers, main dishes, desserts, and all that. I don’t need those things. It just creates more dishes to wash.”

“That is also—”

“Yes, that’s Leah’s job.”

Roanne cut him off.

“Even if a big table is filled with food, the Countess and your sister-in-law only eat like birds because of those tight dresses. Even with just one bowl of soup, I eat much better than them, so don’t worry.”

Alexis stared at her in disbelief. What was this woman even saying?

“They sent me to the east annex because they didn’t want to see me anyway, right? You didn’t care either. So don’t worry about how I live. I’ll live however I’m comfortable.”

“……”

“…Finish your meal.”

Realizing she had responded too sharply, Roanne felt embarrassed and quickly left her seat.

Left alone, Alexis stared silently at the bowl of soup in front of him. The clear soup filled with pork and herbs was something he had never seen before. Reluctantly, he took a bite.

…it wasn’t bad.

“Ugh, I shouldn’t have snapped like that.”

Feeling uneasy, Roanne muttered while tending the vegetable garden. Leah approached with a basket of freshly picked fruits and tilted her head.

“Did you get angry at Lord Alexis?”

“Hm? No… well, yes.”

Roanne answered vaguely. Leah nodded and began washing the fruits in a basin.

“I had a feeling it would be like this when he came to the annex.”

“Why?”

Roanne asked.

“I heard he was quite close to the last person who stayed here—the Count of Gloucester’s younger sister. That is, Lord Alexis’s aunt.”

“With her?”

Wasn’t this east annex a place where the family sent people they had abandoned? And he was close to someone like that?

Roanne felt puzzled.

“Yes. Lady Yureia, the Count’s younger sister, was frail from birth and didn’t meet the family’s expectations, so she was sent here… and as you know, Lord Alexis also…”

Leah suddenly stopped speaking and quietly continued washing the fruit.

Curious, Roanne stopped working in the garden and moved closer.

“Also what?”

“Well… it’s a bit difficult to say.”

Leah hesitated awkwardly.

“Is the Countess not his real mother?”

Roanne asked, recalling the previous family meal.

Leah jumped in shock.

“No! What are you saying! Lord Alexis is the legitimate blood of the Gloucester family! The Count has never caused any scandal with women!”

“Oh, really?”

Her guess was wrong. Roanne smacked her lips awkwardly. So it wasn’t some messy drama after all.

“I think… he just wasn’t very loved by the family since he was young.”

“Why? Both sons are the Countess’s children, right? Then why treat them differently?”

Then suddenly—

“That’s it! He must’ve been a troublemaker since childhood!”

Given how he now lived a reckless life of drinking and indulgence, it didn’t seem impossible.

“No, I heard he was like an angel when he was young.”

…Wrong again.

Roanne’s shoulders slumped in disappointment.

“Then why? I don’t get it.”

And he was so handsome too. She swallowed the rest of her thoughts.

“The Madam tends to favor the eldest son much more than the second… we don’t really know why either.”

Favoritism between children ruins sibling bonds and brings tragedy to a family… Roanne sighed and went back to tending the garden.

With a son that handsome and well-built, you’d think she would treat him better. Just why?

Soon, she stopped thinking about it and focused on digging the soil, sweating as she worked.

Meanwhile, after tasting the pork soup, Alexis stood at a distance watching Roanne and Leah working in the garden.

What is she doing?

The eldest daughter of the Hartwood viscount family—rolling up her dress sleeves and farming? And those skilled movements… she looked just like a farmer.

“Hahaha, no way!”

Her laughter sounded so unfamiliar. Roanne threw her head back laughing, while Leah, who was supposed to be her maid, chatted with her like a friend.

She’s a strange woman.

After watching for a moment, Alexis hesitated, then stepped back. He turned around and quickly left.

Faced with such an unfamiliar scene, he felt uncomfortable. The annex that held memories of him and his aunt had changed too much—so he chose to avoid it.

Roanne only found out that Alexis had left without saying goodbye around lunchtime.

“He still finished everything before leaving.”

She muttered, looking at his empty soup bowl.

“It’s surprising that such a picky young master even ate it,” Leah said while cleaning the table.

Roanne snorted.

“There’s no resisting a hangover. The first bite is hard, but once you start, you have to keep eating to settle your stomach. That’s how good your pork soup is.”

At the praise, Leah blushed and smiled.

“Then give me the recipe—”

“Lady Roanne!”

Leah shuddered.

“Are you trying to open a restaurant or something? Why are you so obsessed with my secret recipe?!”

“Gasp!”

Roanne covered her mouth.

“H-how did you figure that out?”

“Don’t think about such nonsense. You are a proper noble lady of the Gloucester family!”

“Do you really think so, Leah?”

“O-of course.”

Whenever Roanne talked about becoming independent, Leah would panic and try to stop her. But now, under Roanne’s gaze, she stammered and quickly turned away to continue washing dishes.

“My so-called husband just shows up drunk and leaves without a word, and the family doesn’t even acknowledge me. In a situation like this, how long can I live off the family’s money? I need to take care of myself.”

“But thanks to you, we grow our own vegetables and have saved quite a bit of emergency money.”

“That only lasts for so long.”

Roanne rested her chin on her hand at the table. It wasn’t a noble-like posture at all, but Leah didn’t dislike it. In fact…

“I know foods from a country you don’t. And your soup is amazing. If I ever have to live on my own, I’ll need to do something. So it’s better to prepare in advance.”

Staring out the window, Roanne’s eyes looked distant.

Leah glanced at her while washing dishes.

Sometimes, Roanne had that kind of gaze—like she might leave somewhere far away at any moment. It didn’t suit someone raised as a noble lady of the Hartwood family.

Leah wanted to say something… but held it back and returned to her work.

She wanted to say that wherever Roanne went, she wanted to follow her and continue serving her. She wanted to stay by the side of someone who wasn’t attached to anything and didn’t get hurt by anything.

One day—

Alexis roughly pushed away a woman clinging to him. The group he was with burst into laughter. Everyone there was someone cast aside by their families.

He lit a cigarette and took a deep drag.

Alcohol, smoking, gambling, women… there was nothing he hadn’t tried. But nothing gave him a place to belong.

Still, they temporarily numbed his mind. The problem was that the effect didn’t last long anymore.

“I’m leaving.”

“Why? Where are you going? Some good girls are coming later.”

“Not interested.”

A drunken man staggered over and clung to him.

“Seriously, they’re amazing. You’re really leaving?”