Chapter 14

Edwin, unaware that Herietta was thinking like that, looked gloomier.

“Of course, it’s okay to say you won’t accept my apology. Even if you say you hate me, I understand. Because I disrespected you, a lady, with my actions the other day. If you say you don’t want to meet me in the future, I’ll do my best to fulfill that wish as much as possible.”

“What are you talking about? What do you mean I don’t want to meet you?”

Herietta, who had been completely intoxicated by this situation, suddenly came to her senses.

“Why would I not want to meet you?”

“Didn’t you avoid me? From that day onwards.”

“What? Did I avoid you?”

Herietta’s voice rose. Edwin nodded.

“I felt you were reluctant to even be around me.”

“Wait, wait! That’s a misunderstanding! I just purposely distanced myself from you because I thought you might be reluctant to be around me…”

Herietta said with a sincere absurdity. Then, this time, Edwin rolled his eyes and was somewhat stupefied by her reaction. Judging from his reaction, it seemed like that was an unexpected answer. Then he frowned.

“Why did you think that way?”

“That’s because…”

Herietta’s words trailed away as she answered. She took it for granted, but when she thought about it, she couldn’t find an answer. Come to think of it, why did she think that way? He never showed any sign of reluctance or avoidance of him being with her, no matter how much she thought about it.

Edwin sighed again.

“Why are you hovering around me like this?”

“I don’t know what you are talking about.”

Herietta pretended not to take her eyes off the book. She turned over the pages with her other hand that was not holding the book.

“I was just reading.”

“You mean here?”

Edwin asked with a surprised face. There was a musty smell from the wet trees, and there were spider webs in every corner. It didn’t make sense to leave a sunny place to read here. But, despite his question, Herietta only had a gloomy expression on her face.

“A true reader doesn’t dwell on places.”

“…is that so?”

“Of course.”

Herietta nodded and answered. Her eyes were still on the book, but a look of embarrassment prevailed on her face.

Edwin’s eyes narrowed as he stared at her.

“You’re holding the book upside down.”

“!”

Herietta, who was pretending to be noble with her words, was taken aback. She hurriedly checked the cover of the book. As he said, she was holding the book upside down, and she had a look of embarrassment on her face.

“Oh, I knew it! I did that on purpose!”

Herietta pretended to be okay and raised her voice. But she did after her face was already as red as a ripe tomato.

“How exciting and new to read a book upside down!”

“…”

“There are a lot of people around me who read books like this! Did Sir Edwin not know about it?”

“Yes. It’s the first time I’ve heard of it.”