Chapter Title: The Rescue
"Bastard, can't you stop?" Adèle, about to shout like someone from Kimora, mustered her patience and glared at Henry. For the first time, she opened her mouth.
"If you pull any harder, you'll tear my arm from my body."
"What?"
"Just let go, or you'll regret it." Henry hesitated. _That's right. That's how you people talk._ Adèle seized the moment of hesitation.
"Let go. You'll regret it." She tried hard not to speak like someone from Kimora while pulling herself toward the fountain. Henry almost released Adèle. But then, a drop of water hanging from Adèle's chin fell. The clear droplet captured the men's gazes as it landed between her wet cleavage. The water ran down the raised white skin, slipping between the folds of her dress. The gathered gazes and the oppressive atmosphere made Adèle's anxiety spiral out of control. As she hesitated, her skirt in the water rippled like a mermaid's tail.
"…Wow, not bad. What's this?" Henry, who had been about to let go, tightened his grip again. Even those who had been pretending to stop him exchanged meaningful looks.
"On closer inspection, she doesn't resemble much…"
"A maid or a governess?"
"Or maybe a secret whore."
"Oh. A whore."
"There are plenty of customers here."
"Crazy bastard."
"…I said let go!" Adèle shouted through gritted teeth, but Henry just pulled her arm harder and smirked.
"Hey. You bitch. Cesare doesn't even treat you like a human."
"What are you talking about…!"
"So why not just fuck with me—" At that moment, a sharp sound of a shoe heel echoed. It didn't come from around the fountain. Adèle and Henry, along with the others, all turned their heads simultaneously.
"…!"
"…" There stood Cesare with a cold expression. Adèle slowly inhaled. Looking at the men before her and then at Cesare, her vision suddenly cleared. His outstanding appearance became strikingly real. Cesare wore his coat draped over his broad shoulders as usual. The light gray Sogdian silk frock coat was obviously expensive. His black trousers, tailored to fit perfectly, indecently highlighted his solid thighs. The white poplin shirt was, as always, unbuttoned more than a third of the way down. Perhaps he had a condition where he would die if he didn't expose at least that much of his chest. And today, his bronze hair was especially stylishly combed back, beneath which his golden eyes shone like calm lightning.
"Lord Cesare…"
"When did you… This is, well…" Aware of the attention, Cesare stood silent, hands in his pockets. Then he moved his hand as if to light a cigar. But realizing he had nothing in hand, he muttered.
"Shouldn't have thrown it away." At that moment, one of the men grabbed Adèle's other arm.
"Lord Cesare! We caught an intruder!" Adèle let out a small groan, but no one paid attention to it. Only Cesare heard the groan and looked at Adèle. His golden eyes, gleaming like strange stars, gazed at her before scanning the others.
"Hmm." He slowly furrowed his brow and smiled. His cheeks dimpled prettily, and the creases under his eyes deepened, forming a smile. It was clearly a smile of displeasure. He spoke in a low voice.
"Is there a Lord Cesare here? There seems to be a 'Cesare bastard,' but no Lord Cesare."
"…!" Henry's face flushed with embarrassment, but his brown eyes still held discontent. He was more troubled than repentant. Cesare noticed that too. Smiling leisurely, he moved through the crowd.
"Henry. Henry Fetch."
"…" Cesare, with his imposing height and broad shoulders, stood before Henry. Henry, who had been pouting, quickly withdrew his protruding lips. Cesare whispered.
"'Cesare bastard?'" Before Henry could respond, Cesare continued.
"The Earl of Fetch will be delighted to hear this. He's been tirelessly frequenting Bonaparte, trying to borrow money, even bringing the Countess along to evoke my sympathy." Henry's eyes flared with anger. But Cesare wasn't finished.
"If you wanted to make enemies with me, you should have said so. I was getting tired of your parents anyway. I don't deal with beggars." Adèle couldn't help but be impressed. At this point, it was hard to tell who the villain was. Henry, unable to hold back, clenched his fist.
"You bastard…!"
"Go ahead, hit me. I'll treat your parents the same."
"…!" Henry's fist stopped mid-air. He fumed with a red face but couldn't bring himself to strike Cesare. It was Cesare. He wouldn't start a fight, but once it began, he wouldn't hesitate to destroy someone's elderly parents.
"…" Henry trembled with humiliation, his fist still clenched. Cesare smiled kindly.
"Your father will be pleased that his son has come to his senses. Congratulations on waking up before the fairy died."
"You son of a…!" Henry, unable to hold back any longer, tried to lunge at Cesare, but a man beside him quickly grabbed his arm. With her arm free, Adèle swiftly retreated to the inside of the fountain.
"Stop, Henry! Stop it!"
"He insulted me! And what? My mother before she dies?! That bastard thinks he's a king!"
"It's a fairy tale, Henry Fetch. The dead one is a fairy, not your parents, right?"
"Lord Cesare! Please stop! You've gone too far!"
"What's too far is treating my sister like a whore." The sudden cold voice made the surroundings fall silent. Even Henry froze with his mouth open.
"…"
"…?"
"…Sister?" The men's eyes turned to Adèle by the fountain, their faces gradually showing confusion, embarrassment, and fear.
"W-wait a moment, Lord Cesare. Sister…?"
"Adelaide. Come here." Cesare turned away as if the conversation wasn't worth continuing.
"…" All eyes turned to Adèle. Hesitating under their gazes, Adèle began to walk toward Cesare. But she couldn't take a single step. The forgotten pain in her feet made her collapse dramatically into the fountain.
_…_ If there was a mouse hole, she wanted to crawl into it. She bit her lip. It felt as if she could hear Cesare's exasperated sigh in her ear. But then, surprisingly, Cesare strode into the fountain.
"Brother…" Before Adèle could finish speaking, Cesare wrapped his coat around her shoulders. The scent of almonds and chocolate enveloped her. As if mesmerized, she looked up and met his gaze. Cesare's face tightened as he stared down at her with a complex expression.
"Adelaide."
"…Brother." Cesare sighed. The end of his breath trembled. He seemed genuinely worried. At that moment, one of the men shouted in panic.
"Don't lie! Everyone knows you don't have a sister!" Cesare's eyes calmly turned to him.
"I didn't have one, but now I do. Apparently, my parents are still quite amorous."
"…"
"Do I have to explain this?" The man clammed up instantly, his face pale. Just as Cesare had said. While everyone else was speechless, someone whispered tearfully.
"I told you she looked alike…" Henry, who had turned pale, shouted belatedly.
"But who would think she's a lady? Showing her bare feet like that, with feet like those!" At his words, Adèle reflexively tried to hide her feet, but it was too late. Cesare was already looking at her feet in the water. Scarred, blistered, raw, swollen feet that didn't look like they belonged to a noblewoman. Not just because of Madame Flavia's lessons. How much care could a struggling shoeshine girl give her feet?
"…" Cesare's golden eyes widened slightly, and he was momentarily speechless.