23 - Scones and Hot Honey with Lemon

T/L Note:
Hello everyone! This time I’m not too late to update (hopefully) ^^
We got to see more cute side of Bernard in this chapter, which I really like haha

Anyway, Enjoy~

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The arrest of fake Agnes left a great impact to the social circle.
When the weekly magazine picked up the news, she was once again back in the spotlight.

“--But well, isn’t it better than before?”

Lazare said while holding the magazine in one hand with an amazed look.
The good news was, the bad rumors surrounding Agnes was all the impostor’s fault, as for the real Agnes, it was reported that she was not a bad person. The testimony of the sisters at the orphanage was put in the article too. It was written in detail that she was a modest and humble person, and due to the long standing activity in the orphanage, it didn’t sound like it was a lie.

“But the truth about the real Lady Agnes gone missing is not written there.”
“You’re right…”

Following the incident about the fake Agnes, the magazine was selling well with a flying mark, it was easy to imagine that the reporters were now looking for the real Agnes’s whereabouts.

“Speaking of which, have you considered on moving away?”
“No, not yet.”
“How’s the problem in the house?”
“It has been sorted out. I’ll ask about it later at night.”
“Alright, I’m counting on you.”

He thought it was dangerous to live within the royal capital at the moment.
Bernard’s house was located at the outskirt area, but it still had some people coming and go around there. It was not a place that truly deserted. He was thinking it would be hard to continue hiding.

“Well, that being the case. The talk is over now. Leave it to me.”
“Yes. Thank you very much.”

He was ordered to take half a day off today.
These few days after the incident had been so busy that he could barely breathe, so he showed some concern.
The incident had been brought to somewhere out of their reach now. Things finally calmed down.

Bernard changed into his casual clothes and went to the town.
Looking at the bustling cityscape, he suddenly remembered.
He hadn’t gave Agnes anything for playing as his fiance. The day his mother went home, he thought of buying something while going home, but he was involved with the fake Agnes case and completely forgot about it.
When he looked around to buy some sweets, he saw a white rabbit signboard.

‘White Rabbit Cafe’
It was the shop with baked goods that Carol and Celia were so hyped about.
In the end, the scones that fake Agnes gave were submitted as evidence.
The twins didn’t get to taste it.
There was a long line at the front of the shop. It was so crowded that he felt so fed up.
When he observed closely, the queue was split into two lines.
One line went to the shop, while the other was leading to a small window that giving out something.
It seemed they sold the take-out cakes. The people waiting in that line there was more than the line to the shop.
Bernard frowned and looked at the lines.
He understood just by looking that it was a difficult experience to wait until actually buying it.
But he didn’t understand what could make a woman happy. He just thought that Agnes will like it too since the twins really wanted to eat it, so Bernard lined up on the queue to the take-out cakes.

Waiting on the last line, he felt despair. The queue was that long.
The blowing wind was so cold like it was piercing his skin.
In the last few days, there were times where he was so worn out and couldn’t go home. The north wind stung his sleepless body.
He only realized now that he was tired.

After two hours, he finally could buy them.
Standing under the cold sky, his body was freezing.
His throat felt sore and he coughed violently.
The sweets he was holding on his side felt very warm. While warming himself with the baked sweets, he thought of quickly returning home and dashed to the carriage just before its departure.

By the time he arrived at his mansion, he felt so dizzy.
When he opened the door and entered the hallway, he saw Agnes who was surprised because he returned early.
Apparently she was cleaning the floor, she was holding a broom in her hands.

“We-welcome home, Master.”
“Ah, I’m home.”

Bernard shook his head when Agnes offered him cafe au lait because of the cold. He was thirsty but his throat was sore.

For now, he just handed the sweets.

“This…”

Agnes received the box containing the sweets with a blank face.

“...Eat it.”
“This is, for me?”

He bought the sweets for Agnes.
There was no doubt, Bernard was embarrassed because he didn’t have any experience in giving a gift for a girl.
As a result, what came out from his mouth next was something to hide his embarrassment.

“--Do, don’t get me wrong! I didn’t buy it for your sake. Carol and Celia want to eat it, so share it and eat it with everyone else.”
“Y-yes, understood. Thank you very much.”

He bought ten sweets in total.
He had bought a lot so Agnes could share it with everyone.
He disliked that part of his that couldn’t say it honestly.

He couldn’t think rationally with his fever and dizzy head.
His throat became more hurtful, and his cough couldn’t stop.
He would be better after resting in his room.
As he thought that, he immediately went to his bedroom.

He told Eric, who he met midway, that he will be resting for a while so no one should come in to his room.

Being a faithful butler, he bowed his head and saw his master off.

He took off his jacket and hung it on the chair, and sloppily removed his ties. After unbuttoning his clothes, he was completely exhausted.
He didn’t feel like changing to his sleepwear. He drank half of the water jug with one gulp and just sank into the bed afterwards.

After that, he slept soundly for a few hours.
He woke up feeling something cold touching his forehead. When he tried to touch it, he felt someone’s hand instead.

He unconsciously hold the hand he touched.
It was pleasantly cold to Bernard’s feverish hand.
The hand he was holding was smooth and soft.
As he touched the coolness in his hand, he gradually came to his senses.

The hand he was holding was not his own hand, it was definitely someone else’s.
It was not Carol or Celia’s small hand, nor was it Gigille’s rough hand because of housework, it was also not Dominic’s rugged hand.
It was a beautiful hand that seemed to never hold something heavier than a spoon. However, there was a little thick skin on the palm and there was a blister. That was something that felt really out of place.

--A blister on the delicate hand of a noble lady?

“U,uwah!”

He released the hand he was holding and opened his eyes.
When he looked around, he saw Agnes who wore a troubled expression.

“Wha, you!”
“Yes.”
“Why are you here?”

He asked while still confused.
Agnes answered with a kind voice.

“That, to look after Master.”
“Look after? Why?”
“The doctor said you caught a cold.”
“Cold..?”
“Yes.”

Now she said it, his head was throbbing and felt a dull pain in it, his throat also felt swollen and hurt so much.
He felt like coughing badly too.

“Are you thirsty?”
“Well, yeah.”
“Then, I will prepare some honey lemon.”

Agnes took the kettle from the stove and moved to the table beside the bed. She put it on top of the pot stand then placed some ingredients into the cup. Dried lemon, honey, sugar. Put them inside the cup and pour hot water, it’s as simple as that. He gazed absentmindedly to the swirling water inside the cup as Agnes stirred the spoon around.

He could smell the sweet scent as he was handed the cup.

He could tell that it was a sweet and sour drink when he put it in his mouth.
It had a gentle taste that made him relax, and it didn’t make his throat hurt.
He drank slowly as he waited for it to cool down.

After that, he drank the medicine he was given.
Eric brought a change of clothes as soon as he finished drinking medicine.
He was informed of the dinner, but as he didn’t have any appetite, he shook his head and told them he didn’t need it.
After Agnes left the room, he changed his sweaty clothes into the sleepwear and slept once again.

***

The next day.
He woke up before the sun rises.
Maybe because the medicine worked, he didn’t feel the pain in his throat and his headache were gone.
His stomach growled and he remembered that he missed dinner last night.
There were traces of someone nursing on the table beside the bed.
Looking at it, he thought that it’s been over 10 years since he last had a cold.

He stretched his body and took a deep breath. His body felt lighter healthy.
He called Eric and ordered him to prepare some hot water.
He took a bath and moved to the dining room.

Gigille was surprised to see Bernard there.

“Master, you seem to have recovered from the cold.”
“Yeah, I feel much better.”
“Perhaps, you are going back to work?”
“Obviously.”
“How about you take a one day rest?”
“I’m not that weak.”
“Are you sure?”

Bernard finished the dishes on the table one after another.
Seeing that, Gigille casted away her worry.

“Oh right, Master.”
“What is it?”
“Agnes-san is the one nursing you until morning. --Oh, it’s not like I want you to thank her, I’m just wondering if I should inform you about this.”
“Is, that so.”

The honey lemon he drank half awake last night was not a dream. Also, the thin and soft hand he held.
He brought back his memory and was attacked by embarrassment.

“Oh, and then. Thank you for the scones. My daughters were happy about it.”
“.....”

Bernard caught a cold thanks to the scones the twins spoke of. It caused him to loathe it now. He wondered how Agnes felt about while eating the scones. He was somewhat curious, but asking that now would have seemed like he was throwing a tantrum.
Bernard, who was making different faces, didn’t even notice that Gigille was watching him.
She then said something shocking.

“Yesterday was especially cold, doesn’t it hard to wait in line during that time?”
“--HA, HAAAH!?”
“The rumors say that you have to wait for hours everyday to get the White Rabbit Cafe’s scones. To think you would trouble yourself to buy them.”
“Y-You, that, you must not told the other that right?”
“Yes, of course.”
“If, if you said it.”
“If I said it?”

He thought of what kind of punishment to give, but nothing came out.
For now, he just said, “If you said anything, I won’t just let it go!”.

Besides, while he was thinking, a deep frown was built on his face.
After his effort to thank Agnes, and just when he felt a bit cheered up, he made another debt to her.
Once again, he needed to thank her.

How it came to this, he wondered.

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Yes, what I mean as Bernard’s cute side, it is his tsuntsun XD

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