Guidelines for the Perfect Goodbye - Chapter 71
Caroline quickly clutched her sleeve.
“Ah, it’s nothing.”
“Is that so…?”
“Yes.”
She didn’t bother to ask further. Stirring up Caroline’s emotions unnecessarily wouldn’t do any good.
However, if anything were to happen between Ulysses and Caroline tonight, all the plans Cecilia had painstakingly made would dissolve into nothing.
‘If Guinevere were to find out about this, she wouldn’t miss this chance and would cling to Lasphilla like a tick.’
If Caroline became Guinevere’s pawn, Cecilia would be immediately demoted in priority. After all, the certificate was merely a means to introduce Cecilia as a new piece to her.
Guinevere wasn’t the type of woman to be easily restrained by a few words from Lilith. She would only offer genuine help if she felt it necessary.
‘How can I allow the plans I’ve meticulously made to be ruined so frivolously?’
“Sister, did you come here after using the bathroom?”
“Huh?”
“You came to use the annex bathroom, right? You only use the annex and the second bathroom of the second-floor. I just came back from there, Iâm sorry.”
It wasn’t entirely a lie. Caroline had always preferred the less frequented annex and the main mansionâs second-floor bathroom.
“Now that the second-floor bathroom is free, you should wash there. Youâll likely catch a cold while wandering around with wet hair like that.”
“…”
“Come on, let’s go back together.”
Cecilia naturally reached out her hand.
“I…”
Being noticed by someone else, Caroline had no choice but to give up and return. Reluctantly, she took Cecilia’s hand.
“Alright. Let’s go back.”
The two of them turned back towards the main building.
Cecilia chattered about everyday things as if nothing had happened along the way, not forgetting to poke at Caroline’s guilt by holding her forehead and complaining of a headache still.
Eventually, the night passed quietly, as if nothing had happened.
But the question remained.
‘What was Caroline intending to use there?’
At first glance, it looked like a perfume bottle, but the contents were not perfume. Caroline wouldn’t use such a medicinal scent as perfume.
Nor was it likely that a greenhouse flower. She wasnât all that interested in medicine, so she wouldnât have acquired such an extraordinary potion overnight.
It was highly probable that the item wasn’t Caroline’s to begin with.
If so, whose could it have been?
The person who gave Caroline that suspicious perfume, intending her to go to Ulysses was…
â…Louise ClĂ©on.â
That woman.
Cecilia curled her lips in a smirk.
If there were to be a variable in her plans, she had thought it would surely be Caroline.
To think that her governess would stoop to such antics.
‘I’ll have to find out what she was trying to do.’
With that conclusion, Cecilia decided.
To learn dancing from Louise Cléon.
***
“Were you in front of the annex yesterday?”
“Huh?”
It was when they were checking the luggage to be sent to the Rosencrantz territory in front of the carriage.
Ulysses threw the question at Cecilia while watching the carriage.
“Me?”
“Yes. Precisely, you and my… former fiancĂ©e.”
He frowned slightly as he mentioned Caroline. Could it be that the word ‘fiancĂ©e’ had already become foreign to him? That seemed rather harsh.
Anyway.
“No.”
Cecilia brazenly responded.
“Is that so?”
Ulysses nodded. Then, suddenly, he reached out and lifted Cecilia’s forehead.
“What exactly are you doing?!”
Cecilia sharply pushed him away, and his large hand readily retreated.
“Staying in a hot and humid place for a long time is not advisable for someone who has experienced symptoms of concussion.”
“What?”
“It’s too early to bathe.”
Ulysses tilted his head to the side.
“What… Ah.”
This was not an overreaction.
This guy.
He must have heard all of last night’s conversation!
‘Why is he so interested in other people’s baths?’
Cecilia was flabbergasted and clicked her tongue.
“Can you hear that from inside? Are you perhaps a son of a… dog, I mean?”
“There was one among my ancestors.”
“…”
She couldn’t win in any argument.
“It wasn’t much of a conversation, was it?”
“Yeah.”
Ulysses easily agreed. He would have been just as compliant if he had noticed the subtle atmosphere between him and Caroline. Because he had no feelings for Caroline.
Being that indifferent to a former fiancĂ©e, it goes without saying he would be indifferent towards Cecilia as well, but…
When there’s no interest, curiosity would just be short-lived. Just as Cecilia had never been curious about the situation of her fiancĂ©, from whom she hadn’t received a single letter.
“Won’t you even say goodbye?”
“Expect such courtesies from your former fiancĂ©e. I am here only on my father’s orders.”
Conventionally, someone had to see him off. Caroline was not suitable as she had broken off their engagement two days ago, while Margaret and Nathan were too young.
Bernarda was pretending to be ill to avoid Guinevere’s all-encompassing suspicion, and Adam himself did not wish to face Guinevere.
So, Cecilia was the only option left.
Ulysses turned to look at her as he was about to climb into the carriage.
“Take care.”
“Sure.”
“Still so proud, even to the end.”
