Chapter 66: Different Angle.

Chapter 66: Chapter 66: Different Angle.

Chapter 66: Different Angle.

Vanessa’s face heated up even more. Unconsciously avoiding his gaze.

’Just what is she planning...’ Osborne, on the other hand, felt uneasy.

He understood the lie he told outside, but he never expected it to cause her to react this way.

But optimistically thinking, it wasn’t strange for someone to behave in such a way given the circumstances.

Vanessa led Osborne through the manor until they arrived at her room.

His expression faltered for a moment.

’Isn’t this going a bit too fast?’

He didn’t like how this was progressing, but he felt like if he stopped now, it would ruin the image of himself he’d already portrayed to them.

In the end, he followed her into the room. The both of them sat side by side on the bed.

An unexpected silence enshrouded them, neither saying a thing.

’What’s with this woman... I can practically hear her heart racing...’ Osborne thought.

Even now, she looked more nervous than usual.

"Is something wrong, my lady? You brought me here, but you’ve been unbelievably quiet up till now."

"I hope I haven’t done anything wrong."

"No, no, no, it’s not because of you, Young Master Osborne." She waved her hand frantically. Her face burning up.

"It’s just that...." She muttered, her hand reaching up to twirl a lock of her hair.

"I was wondering what you and my brother had been discussing back then in front of the mansion. I just didn’t expect it to be..."

’She’s saying she didn’t overhear our conversation?’

"Did you really fall for someone like me, young master?" She said, her eyes glancing down, unable to meet his.

Her body stiffened when Osborne placed a hand above hers, her head raising up to look at his charming face.

"You doubt my words, my lady?" He asked, seemingly worried.

"No... Of course not." Vanessa said, flustered.

"It’s just that I didn’t think that you’d actually take a liking to me, young master.... I’m not exactly all that special. My brother’s the talented one of the family... No one ever talks about me."

"I couldn’t help thinking it might’ve been a mistake, which is why I went to your room to talk to you–"

"A mistake? Nonsense. If I thought that, I’d never have said those words to begin with." Osborne said. Vanessa’s expression froze.

Osborne leaned in closer, their faces inches from each other.

"To me, you’re more than special already. The first moment I laid eyes on you, I was at a loss for words. How could a gem such as yourself deny what you are?"

"Young master..." Vanessa muttered.

"...?" Osborne’s lips pressed thin when she suddenly closed her eyes and began leaning closer.

Her soft velvet lips yearning for his.

He paused for a moment. Something crossed his mind.

Osborne leaned in nevertheless, to kiss Vanessa, though not on her lips, but gently on her forehead.

Vanessa opened her eyes, a bit surprised.

"Please don’t think so little of yourself next time, alright. If no one here sees how brilliant you are, I do."

"You’re more precious to me than anything, my lady."

Vanessa turned silent for a moment. "Then please, Young Master... Call me Vanessa."

"What?"

"If I’m so special to you, you can’t continue to be so informal with me." She looked at him with earnest eyes. "Show me how you really feel about me~"

Osborne paused for a moment before shaking his head lightly, letting out a quiet laugh.

"Alright, my darling Vanessa." He gently lifted her chin before giving her another soft kiss on the forehead.

He then stood up.

"You’re leaving so soon...?" She mumbled. A saddened look on her face.

"Forgive me, my love, but I’m afraid I still have matters to discuss with my lord." He said. "But I promise you, I will come for you. Until then, please wait for me." He said before stepping out the door and closing it behind him.

Shortly after he left, Vanessa’s longing expression changed into one of annoyance.

"He’s more cautious than I thought..."

"If only he’d given in to his desires..." She mumbled, "I’d have a good enough reason to send them away."

She clicked her tongue in displeasure.

"Oh well... It’s not like they can do anything if they continue to remain."

"If the worst should happen, they’ll all end up dying here due to their own stubbornness." A cruel smirk bloomed on her lips.

---

Later that night.

Osborne stood in front of his room’s window, staring out at the night-covered Baron’s estate.

"I’ve come just as you’ve instructed, young master."

"You do know you could instead call me ’my lord’ when we’re alone." He turned around and said to Clawdeth, who was standing a few feet behind him.

"I’ll be sure to remember that next time..." She said.

Osborne could still sense the displeasure in her tone. Even now, she still didn’t quite like him.

"Well, we don’t have all day."

"I plan on looking through those woods even if it takes all night. Something’s telling me that whatever they’re hiding has to be inside there." He said.

Clawdeth nodded before bending down.

’If it was before, I would’ve rather died than do this, but right now I can’t really complain.’

As demeaning as it was, he still got on her back before she got up.

If both of them were to move at his pace, they’d be less productive. Moving like this gave them a higher chance of covering more ground.

Clawdeth leaped out the window with Osborne on her back under the cover of the night.

’She really is impressive.’ Osborne complimented her as she quietly moved through the estate like a shadow.

Though he noticed that he could still barely keep track of their surroundings as she moved, meaning she was doing this intentionally, because he knew if she moved at her real speed, there was no way he could follow them.

The both of them soon left the estate without alerting a single guard, entering the dark forest.

The moon was out in full tonight, so visibility wasn’t much of an issue.

"Is there anything in particular you’re looking for, my lord?" Clawdeth asked as she moved through the forest, leaping from tree to tree.