Chapter 861: The Rumor That Shouldn’t Exist ( 861 )
"Heres!!"
Javier groaned and looked away, dragging a palm across his face.
"Ugh... what did you do this time? That guy isn’t someone who misunderstands things easily. He’s not the type to jump to conclusions. So what did you do?"
"I....I just asked where your room was!" she blurted, flailing her arms. "I thought it was one of the Armand household staff! I didn’t know it was He...Heres, and...and...."
Javier froze.
His eyes slowly widened, neck creaking like a door hinge as he turned to face her.
"Wha... what did you say?"
"I said... I asked where your room was!" she snapped.
"No, idiot!!" he shouted, eyes now completely panicked. "What did you say after that!?"
"I....I said... I have a small matter to discuss with you..."
Javier clutched his head again and shrieked.
"YOU DAMN BRATTY ROWDY ROUGH GIRL!!!"
He began rolling back and forth on the floor in agony.
"Now my image will be ruined!! RUINED!! Those maids, those staff, those damn gossip-lovers who might have overheard will say my taste is low! They’ll say I like rowdy gremlins! My stock will plummet!!"
He collapsed flat like a dying fish.
"I’M FINISHED!!"
Kliatana stood frozen, hands clenched tight at her sides, face pale with raw panic.
"N-Now... you’re going to fix this!!" she hissed, eyes darting toward the door like Heres might step back in at any second.
"Me!?" Javier barked from the floor, still dramatically sprawled out like a victim of noble slander. He shifted slightly, rolling just enough to glare at her from under his arm.
"You expect me to fix the thing you ruined!? ARGHHH!! MY REPUTATION!!"
"Y-You’re Lord Garius’s son, right!? Surely no one would dare spread... any, you know... rumors?"
Javier’s eyes widened in horror.
"Rumors!?" His voice cracked. "Do you even know what makes Armand different from all the other noble houses, huh?! Huh!? It’s not just magic or money or muscles!"
He sat up suddenly, jabbing a finger in the air like he was lecturing a classroom.
"It’s information, you royal brat!! Information! Everyone here is trained to observe, to report!!!"
He dropped again, flopping back onto the floor and rolling back and forth like a dying log.
"ARGHHH!!! If that rumor reaches Mother or Father’s ears... I’m finished!! They’ll say I’m hitting on my school friend! Or worse!! That I have no taste!! No standards!! That I’ve... fallen for some gremlin princess who grabs men by the hair!!"
He froze mid-roll. Eyes wide. Dead serious.
Then he slowly raised a trembling hand, pointed directly at her.
"This is all because of you, bratty..."
"W-Why is it my fault!? It’s yours!!" Kliatana snapped back, voice stammering from panic and outrage. "You....you’re the one who always walks around with that smug face and mysterious aura and weirdly charming lazy attitude! Now you have to fix this!!"
Javier let out a long, painful sigh, rubbing his face.
"Damn you, bratty... It’s always you who ruins everything. I told you to wait... just wait... until I finish the plan..."
Another sigh escaped him.
"Why... why can’t you wait like a normal, well-behaved princess? Why must you say weird stuff to my older brother!?"
He collapsed again. Face-down this time.
"...They’ll say I have a kink for chaos..."
Kliatana blinked. "What the hell does that even mean!?"
Before Javier could even respond, the door burst open.
Both of them froze, Kliatana still kneeling on the floor, Javier sprawled helplessly on the floor.
The two turned their heads at the same time, eyes wide.
"My my~ what do we have here, Young Master~?"
Javier exhaled heavily, relief and dread mixing in one sound. "Oh, thank God...."
Kliatana also let out a long sigh, shoulders dropping. "Oh... Liana."
Liana leaned casually against the doorframe, arms crossed, a teasing smile playing on her lips. Her tone was calm, melodic, but her gaze flicked between the two of them with dangerous curiosity.
"What’s this? The young master on the floor... and Princess Kliatana kneeling?"
"This bratty here!" Javier immediately pointed at Kliatana, voice full of exaggerated suffering.
"Ruined everything! She was asking where my room was, thought it was a staff member! But guess who answered? HERES! HERES HIMSELF! And now she’s made a complete mess out of everything!"
Kliatana’s face went red. "I....I didn’t mean to....!"
"Because of you," Javier continued, gesturing dramatically toward the heavens, "my brother probably thinks you’re in love with me! Do you understand the damage that does to my reputation!? I have an image, damn it!!"
Liana raised an eyebrow, clearly amused. She covered her mouth lightly, suppressing a laugh.
"My, my... you two really are a pair."
"We’re not a pair!" they both shouted in perfect sync, glaring at Liana.
Liana just giggled softly and walked further inside.
Then closed the door behind her with a gentle click.
"Now... Lady Kliatana," she said with a light, elegant tone, "if you want, you can fill me in on the details? Perhaps I could offer some... suggestions."
Kliatana’s eyes lit up instantly, like a girl who’d just found her first real ally.
"Really!? You’d help me?!"
But before she could say another word, Javier let out a groan from the floor.
"Yeah, good luck, rowdy girl," he muttered while pushing himself up, brushing imaginary dust off his shirt with exaggerated drama. "Heh~ no way you’re getting Heres to fall for you now. And finally... finally I’m free from this stupid cupid...."
Pinch!
"Gahhh!!"
Javier yelped as Liana’s fingers expertly caught the soft skin at his side, her smile still as sweet as a freshly baked pie.
"Now now, young master~" she cooed, eyes half-lidded with that frightening calm. "Go on and take a shower. I’ll handle her from here."
Javier grimaced, backing toward the door like a man retreating from a battlefield.
"Y-yeah, sure... shower... whatever..."
He gave Kliatana one last squinty glare before slipping out the door.
Once outside, Javier exhaled and leaned his forehead against the wooden frame with a heavy sigh.
"...Women are scary."
"Ara? Young master?"
Javier jolted, whipping around like he’d been caught stealing snacks before dinner.
Only to see Gloria standing there, elegant as always. Her hands were gently folded at her stomach, her posture perfect in that signature maid stance.
"Damn it, Gloria... I thought you were Mother," he muttered, still catching his breath.
"Ara~ what’s wrong, young master?" Gloria tilted her head with soft amusement. "Why are you standing outside your own room?"
"Geh... Liana kicked me out," Javier grumbled. "Said I should take a shower while she hears whatever that rowdy princess is about to spill."
"Really~?" Gloria blinked innocently. But Javier caught the glint in her glasses.
"...Don’t tell me..."
"Now now, young master~" she cooed sweetly, pressing a hand gently to his back and nudging him down the hall. "You should go somewhere... maybe eat something at the main dining hall?"
"Eh? Wait, how am I supposed to shower and eat..."
"Now now~" she chimed again, still smiling.
Her tone was gentle.
Her push wasn’t.
"Just go~ And don’t come back until either me or Liana call for you~"
The door quietly clicked shut behind him.
Javier stared at the hallway ceiling for a long moment.
"...I’ve lost control of my own room."
( End Of Chapter )