Episode 59. Suspicion (5)

“Did you go meet him again today?”

“Huh? Yeah, I did.”

Ever since I released the pent-up lust in the flower garden a few days ago, Vera-ssi had been going for a walk every day. With me, of course. There was one day in the middle when Monica-ssi joined us, so we couldn’t have sex, but on all the other days, we rolled around in the flower garden. I made sure my clothes didn’t get as dirty as they did on the first day, though.

“You’re not just shooting your load inside without thinking, are you? If she actually gets pregnant, it won’t just end with this affair…”

“…Of course not.”

It’s not like I’m not thinking. I did shoot inside, though.

“There’s no way she’ll get pregnant, right? She’s taking birth control pills, isn’t she?”

“No, that’s not a foolproof method, you know?”

Winnie-yang slammed her desk as if she were frustrated.

“If you keep relying on that and keep doing it raw, she’s eventually going to get knocked up!”

“Ah, I’m gonna go take a shower.”

“Hey!”

Ever since I ran into Monica-ssi when I tried to go in with Vera-ssi on the first day, I’d been showering at the Mountberne mansion. Luckily, it didn’t seem like I’d been caught, but there’s no harm in being careful.

I enter the bathroom, which is as big and clean as Winnie-yang’s nature is filthy. This bathroom was one of the few rooms in Winnie-yang’s house that was kept clean. Of course, she didn’t clean it herself; she had someone come and clean it once a week.

I roughly wash my body with cold water and come out to find a new set of clothes that Winnie-yang has laid out. Winnie-yang throws the laundry, stained with sweat and whatnot, into the laundry pile and starts gathering things.

“Shouldn’t you separate the laundry?”

“It’s not like I’m the one doing it…”

Well, there’s no way she’d do the laundry herself with that personality. I mistakenly thought so because there wasn’t that much laundry piled up. As I’m changing my clothes, Winnie-yang says,

“I’m going out, so dry your hair well and take good care of the house.”

“Where are you going?”

“I have to go give Vera-ajumma some non-pregnancy medicine!”

Winnie-yang shouts and leaves the room. I hear the sound of the front door opening, and soon it becomes as quiet as a mouse. I’m left alone, what should I do…? There’s still quite a bit of time until dinner, so I should take a nap.

“Winnie, happy birthday.”

“Huh? Ah, thank you…”

While drinking tea together, just the two of us, Vera-ssi said to Winnie-yang. Hearing those words, Winnie-yang remembered that today was her birthday. Since Vera-ssi and Monica-ssi were the only ones who celebrated her birthday, it was inevitable that she would have a hard time remembering… Monica-ssi was busy and couldn’t see her, so Vera-ssi, whom she saw for the first time today, was the one who celebrated it. Winnie-yang thought that she must have forgotten because she seemed to know about it a while ago, but she had been to Retinel and had a lot of things going on.

Vera-ssi drank the tea that Winnie-yang gave her-tea that was good for preventing pregnancy, of course, Vera-ssi didn’t know its efficacy-and said,

“Didn’t anyone else celebrate with you this year? Like Edward-gun…”

“Yes? No, there wasn’t. We’re not close enough to talk about that.”

“Hmm, is that so? If you’re not close even after being alone together for so long, you must not get along very well. Well, Winnie-yang has always been shy in front of men since she was young…”

“Yes, hehe…”

I could say we’re close, but how could I say that in front of Vera-ssi? Besides, she didn’t know and didn’t tell me, so it was natural that I didn’t get congratulated. Would he have congratulated me if he had known…?

“Hmm, hmm. Anyway, I told the chef to prepare a grand dinner, so have dinner and stay overnight again this year.”

“No, I should be treating you…”

“I think of Winnie as my own daughter… Think of it as a birthday present and accept it comfortably.”

“Ugh, even so…”

“If I say this much, it would be rude to refuse, wouldn’t it?”

“Yes…”

Winnie-yang’s heart felt like it was being pricked by Vera-ssi’s attitude. Could it be that it felt more painful because of her meager chest? Vera-ssi had taken care of her more like a real mother than her own mother since she was young, so the fact that she had slept with Edward-gun was even more distressing. Setting aside the fact that it was an affair, Vera-ssi and Edward-gun were in love with each other…

‘Then what is my relationship with Edward-gun?’

It started… the day I was dumped by Monica-ssi. I asked him to make me a normal woman and threw myself at Edward-gun. Since then, I’ve been taking care of Edward-gun’s lust with my mouth, and even gone on a trip together, so I’ve completely… completely become what? Edward-gun had never told me that he loved me or liked me. Maybe it was just to take care of his lust comfortably. The thought of how disappointed he was that he couldn’t go on a trip with Vera-ssi made me uncomfortable.

I can’t blame Edward-gun, because I was the one who seduced him first. If Edward-gun says that it was just an act for correction and that he didn’t give me his heart, what should I say? After returning to the territory and meeting Vera-ssi, the discomfort grew even more when I thought about Edward-gun, who hadn’t had sex with me even once.

“Winnie.”

The negative thoughts that had been chasing their tails continued until Vera-ssi spoke to Winnie-yang.

“Is something wrong?”

“No, it’s nothing…”

“If you’re having a hard time, tell me. I really think of you as my own daughter.”

The more Winnie-yang felt Vera-ssi’s warm heart, the more her own heart was crushed by that warmth. Winnie-yang, who tried to deny it, was relieved by the maid’s call that dinner was ready and went out to eat.

“Ugh, my head…”

Guided by the expressionless maid, Winnie-yang headed to the room where she would be staying. As the maid lit a small candle and left, Winnie-yang flopped onto the bed without even taking off her clothes. It was an excuse that it would be a big deal if she broke her toe while wandering around in the dark, since it wasn’t the room she usually used.

“Did I drink too much…”

Whether she was drunk or not, the words that she wouldn’t normally say came out of her mouth. The food, the birthday cake, and the wine that Monica-ssi gave her as a gift were all really delicious. Maybe it was because it was more delicious than the wine she usually drank, but she ended up drinking too much.

“He’s only like that to me…”

Or maybe it was because she didn’t like Edward-gun. Maybe it was because of the negative thoughts she had been digging into on her own during the day, but the things Edward-gun did bothered her. At Winnie-yang’s birthday celebration dinner, which was attended only by the three members of the Eulstein Count Family and herself, without any external nobles, Edward-gun was just sitting there with an awkward expression.

But then, he would secretly take care of Vera-ssi, avoiding Monica-ssi’s eyes, or at least take care of Monica-ssi out of courtesy. He didn’t do anything for her, just said, ‘I heard it’s your birthday. Congratulations, Baroness Mountberne.’ It was an appropriate attitude to take towards his wife’s friend, but it bothered her for no reason. Why couldn’t he take care of her like he did for Vera-ssi? Even though it was her decision to sit there, Winnie-yang blamed her seat, which was the furthest away from Edward-gun, for no reason.

She kicked her feet as if kicking the air, and her shoes flew off and hit the door. After throwing both of them off, she burrowed into the blanket. It was a guest room that the maid had cleaned thoroughly, but she could smell a body odor that only came from people, as if someone had used it recently. Maybe it was because it was a strangely familiar smell, but it seemed to soothe her headache from the hangover. Winnie-yang closed her eyes, smelling the scent that was all over the blanket and pillow. Taking a nap was the best thing to do when she had negative thoughts.

Beolkeok-

That’s what she was going to do, until she heard the sound of the door opening.