Chloe, The Thief Lady

Chapter 5: Rejection That Causes Obsession (1)

 

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“Roy, would you bring some of their rotten money for me?” He whispered with his cool eyes folded sweetly.

 

“Now telling me to steal–.”

 

“Come on, Roy.”

 

His blue eyes looked at her coldly. It was not a request. Now he was ordering as the ruler, as the ‘owner’ who held her. Neither asking why, nor rejecting is allowed, of course. Chloe quickly erased the lingering embarrassment, and dropped her gaze.

 

“As your wish, Your Highness.”

 

Her movement of bending one hand behind her waist, the other laid lightly to her chest while bowing was very modest, natural, and looked very elegant. Even though it belongs to a ‘man’. Rayleigh, who was watching the scene, raised his eyebrows slightly.

 

“Roy, I have a question. Why do you always use men’s manners?”

 

“Not a man, but a ‘knight’ manners, because I am Your Majesty’s man. Maybe this doesn’t work? Do I have to bow down like a real dog?”

 

“Alas…”

 

Rayleigh muttered “I ate one shot” while shrugging his shoulders.

 

“You have a brother, don’t you?”

 

Chloe’s eyes suddenly trembled at his question.

 

“I’m not trying to find out who you are. I just mean that you’ve seen what a ‘knight’ would do often enough for it to flow naturally, but it’s unlikely a high-profile young lady would wear a mask and carry a sword.”

 

Rayleigh’s words were very logical, so there was no room to refute.

 

“…Every time, you’re incredibly smart.”

 

It was annoying. Chloe, pouting out of her mouth, added lightly, “I believe you’ll remember the terms of the contract stating you would not reveal my identity.”

 

“Don’t worry, I’m not yet curious enough to be a foolish person who breaks promises.”

 

“I can’t believe you’re being so obnoxious.”

 

“So is Theodore.”

 

He effectively blocked Chloe’s mouth. There was nothing more that Chloe could add to the self deprecating remark.

 

“Well then, Roy. Now the moon has set, let’s go back for today. See you again tomorrow.”

 

“Come back?”

 

“I have to move efficiently, Roy. I will tell you where to get what and when.”

 

“Aha.”

 

“When you have time, I will give you a religious work, so please memorize the geography.”

 

“Let’s not be selfish. I work only at night.”

 

“…I thought I could pretend I didn’t know. It’s a pity.”

 

“Anyway, I can’t let my guard down. See you tomorrow.”

 

Chloe was just about to turn around, but tilted her head at Rayleigh’s gesturing to the bookshelf.

 

“Go this way. There is a secret passage.”

 

“…There is a passage behind the bookshelf?”

 

“It is an emergency route for the Royal family.”

 

Contrary to Rayleigh’s expectation that she would be happy, since it would be safe and fast, Chloe stiffened her face and turned him down.

 

“Don’t want to.”

 

“Why?”

 

“Because there is no favor without a reward.”

 

“What kind of favor is this?”

 

“I’ll come on my own and I’ll leave on my own. And when we’re caught, we don’t know each other.”

 

“…Roy.”

 

“This is the right thing to do, and I like it this way.”

 

As soon as she finished speaking, Chloe turned and ran away before Rayleigh could say anything.

 

“See you tomorrow.”

 

Chloe playfully blew a kiss with her hand, then jumped into the air in an instant. Rayleigh’s gaze stopped just before she flew; his face was frighteningly stiff.

 

“Huh.”

 

Chloe, who escaped the Imperial Palace with ghostly skill, recalled the last look on his face and snorted. Did he think she didn’t know what he was trying to do? Not a chance.

 

***

 

It was possible to come back a little faster than the previous day because she had done this before. While breathing hard, Chloe climbed up the Duke’s fence.

 

“My house, eul, huh, why am I, like a thief, huh huh.”

 

“I know, right.”

 

“Huh!”

 

Chloe, who was surprised by the untimely answer, fell off the fence. With a thumping sound, pain shot through her body making it feel like her hips were breaking.

 

“Ahhhhh.”

 

Chloe clasped her hips and cried out in pain.

 

“Rosie! No, why do you appear in such a place?!”

 

“That’s what the Princess should explain first.”

 

Not a word was pushed back, not a word was drawn in. Chloe swallowed her dry saliva, as Rosie’s dark brown eyes looked down at her.

 

“I have insomnia these days?”

 

“Even after entering Arne as a maid, how would I not know that you weren’t sleeping deeply, even for just one day? This really makes me upset, don’t you think?”

 

Rosie said each syllable as if it was poisoned with sharp teeth. She was not looking down at Chloe, but rather was very gloomy.

 

“Princess, didn’t you say you were tired?”

 

“I did…”

 

“I did?”

 

“I couldn’t sleep once I was lying down, so I took a walk.”

 

“With the big hunting suit on?”

 

“Well, I can’t walk in a dress at night.”

 

“In this spacious Duke’s garden?”

 

“I was wrong, Rosie.”

 

Instead of making excuses dressed up the way she was, Chloe apologized to Rosie. Now Rosie had the face of her ‘teacher’ who raised her as a Northerner, not as a ‘handmaiden’.

 

“I told the Princess how to hide on a tree, shoot arrows, and use swords because it is essential for her to survive.”

 

The downward glance was ice cold.

 

“But if you endanger yourself with what I have taught you,”

 

“Rosie.”

 

“Should I risk my life to stop it?”

 

“Rosie.”

 

“Or should I give you my life?”

 

Eyes that had been closed to the fierce rebuke flashed again. Rosie’s expression, looking down at Chloe, was deeply saddened.

 

“Why did you hide it from me?”

 

“You saw Evan running out of breath yesterday.”

 

“Princess, it’s me who waited for you yesterday, even though I was criticized by Evan.”

 

Chloe ignored Rosie’s insinuation that she was always on her side.

 

“I’m sorry, Rosie.”

 

“At least, the Duke, he would come to this house confidently.”

 

Rosie, who jumped off the wall, held a thick blanket in her hand. The warm and cozy things that were packed, waiting for the owner to come back frozen in the cold night air, were as warm as when Evan had handed them over yesterday. How long had she been waiting? Rosie’s hands holding Chloe were frozen cold.

 

“Why didn’t you take care of yourself?”

 

“Oh, no, I’m sorry. You won’t do that again next time.”

 

“…You really know me well.”

 

Chloe’s blinded eyes had turned red.

 

“Come in through the back door from now on. I’ll keep the door open.”

 

“No, I was just taking care of–.”

 

“No one is crossing my wall.”

 

Rosie’s expression, telling her not to cross the wall, was unusually stern. Instead of telling her not to go out, she was telling her how to come home. Or should she say that Rosie is always thinking of ‘Chloe’? Chloe’s nose winced. As much as Rosie, or even more than Rosie, two men thought of ‘Chloe’; the realization made her throat hurt.

 

“Just leave the door open. Don’t stand by it.”

 

“You’ll be here at this time anyway, won’t you?”

 

“Oh, huh? Will that be?”

 

Rosie’s eyes narrowed in an instant, but Chloe didn’t notice it because it happened in a flash.

 

“Well, you left a little early and…”

 

“No, not that.”

 

“Then let’s go to bed early?”

 

“Can I get up in the middle?”

 

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Rosie’s mouth, who hadn’t been resting for all this time, shut tight. Chloe was like lump of glue in the morning, so there was nothing to say.

 

“Let’s go in quickly and sleep. Are there any documents I need to see tomorrow morning?”

 

Rosie was still not answering. However, after Chloe brought up the documents, her stride increased and her walking pace was noticeably faster.