How To Save A Time-limited Young Master - Chapter 21

Monday arrived.

As per usual, Heloise headed to Langbert Mansion.

It was a routine for her to head to Langbert mansion on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays to visit Zenon.

However, it was strange that there were two knights in black armour, and not the gatekeepers she’d usually see.

Despite the coachman’s pleas, for some reason the conversation didn’t go well, as the knights didn’t move from their positions, with their hands behind their backs.

Heloise sighed softly and poked her head out of the window.

“What’s this? Did something happen again?”

“My lady, apparently Young Master Lionerik is currently in the midst of probation…”

“Probation?”

“Yes… that’s why even my lady is prohibited from entering…”

“What does that mean? Why is he suddenly on probation? When will it be released?”

“I’m not too sure about that…”

Those words rendered her speechless.

Sure enough, getting caught by Marquis Velk’s person on the day of the Founding Festival seems to have become a problem.

Is Zenon doing well?

Heloise stole a glance at the knights that stood by the gate.

Unlike the lax gatekeeper that she always saw, these ones seemed brutal.

They might unsheathe their swords if she climbed across the wall like she did previously.

‘Let’s go back for now…’

Heloise thought that she should return back and interrogate her father.

Just as she was about to give an order to turn the carriage around.

The gates of the mansion opened and the butler appeared.

After seeking for the new gatekeepers’ understanding, the butler came up to Heloise and bowed his head.

“How have you been, Miss?”

“Hmm, but what’s going on? Is Zenon really under probation?”

“……Yes, but the young master has a good expression, and isn’t in a bad condition.”

“Really?”

“Yes, so please do not feel guilty. This was the young master’s first time experiencing the Founding Festival properly. Thank you very much for your assistance.”

“Then will the probation be relaxed…?”

“I, too, have nothing to say about that. That will be for the Marquis to decide.”

Faint anxiety permeated the butler’s face.

Still, it’s fortunate that Zenon’s condition wasn’t bad.

Realising that she shouldn’t linger at this atmosphere for too long, Heloise nodded.

“Alright. Then, I’ll leave for today.”

“Please accept my sincere apologies for not being able to serve you properly, even though you’ve come all this way.”

“No, please give my greetings to Zenon in my stead.”

“Of course.”

After a parting greeting, the butler entered the mansion, and the coachman furtively checked Heloise’s mood, before asking, “Will we be turning the carriage around this time?”

When asked if she would climb over the wall again, Heloise shook her head.

“Let’s return home.”

“Yes!”

It was rare for Peter, the coachman, to shout with a bright voice.

In the carriage, Heloise fiddled with the bracelet that Zenon gave her as she thought of him.

To think that he’d be under probation. He didn’t get into a lot of trouble, did he?

Heloise hoped that the Marquis of Velks knew that it was her suggestion,

Wouldn’t it be a little better if we shared the punishment?

Zenon was originally isolated…

After returning home, Heloise waited for her father to return from his work at the Castle and told him about what had happened today.

“Is that so? Was the Marquis’s knights guarding Langbert Mansion?”

“Yes.”

“While the Marquis is the official guardian of the young master, he shouldn’t have the right to prevent him from meeting you… How disgraceful. Let me look into this matter.”

Her father frowned and kept speaking ill of the Marquis, like he was dissatisfied with the Marquis’ treatment.

“Then will the probation be relaxed from Wednesday onwards?”

“No, this isn’t a problem that would be solved in a day or two. It’s because I’ll have to make an appointment to be able to meet him.”

“Oh……”

“Until it’s resolved, you should focus on your personal studies for the time being, Heloise. You can’t just sit still even when you’re unable to meet the young master.”

“That’s true…….”

Heloise lowered her head with a sullen look.

Though his words were right, she didn’t know why she found it so weird.

“You liked dancing, right? Shall we increase the number of dance lessons and study about both art and culture in the remaining time?”

“I’ll discuss it with Mom.”

“Let’s do that.”

‘What should I do if the conversation doesn’t go well and I can’t meet Zenon anymore?’

Hearing herself think in this manner was both unfamiliar and unsettling.

‘No, I’m being like this as I’m just worried that he’s gonna die.’

After leaving her father’s study, Heloise rubbed her face roughly, and returned to her room with clenched fists.

Just as her father said, she should catch up by putting her all into her dance and art lessons, and get rid of those thoughts.

The next day, she got onto a carriage that’s headed to the dance studio in order to take an exam.

‘It’s been a while since I’ve travelled along this road.’

The familiar scenery felt unfamiliar as Heloise had been neglecting her various studies for a period of time in order to meet Zenon.

As the wheels of the carriage moved slowly, the street was as busting as ever.

People that were selling newspapers and matches, elderlies that sold snacks and young girls that sold flowers.

Heloise even spotted children deftly running through the throng of people.

And in between them, she saw a man that was rushing somewhere hurriedly.

‘Oh?’

In an instant, Heloise poked her neck out of the carriage window and looked around to check if what she had spotted was right.

However, the person she was looking for blended into the crowd, and before she knew it, she couldn’t find any traces of him.

“No way.”

That person couldn’t have been here.

All sorts of thoughts went through her mind now that she knew it was the same game.

Heloise gathered her trailing thoughts and followed the coachman’s lead to the dance studio.

The moment she saw this scenery as soon as she arrived, she thought this.

Clack!

“……”

If Heloise hadn’t met the girl who was a miner, farmer and a maid during this lesson, she might have forgotten about Zenon completely and concentrated on her studies.

“Now, one, two, two, three, two, two, three.”

Clack, clack, Clack, Clack!!

[T/N: This is meant to be onomatopoeia for the sound of someone moving around in heels, but the sound is uneven and there’s sounds of her dragging her feet/slipping and sliding which causes a loud screeching sound.]

“Who’s the wyvern there?”

Sienna’s dancing skills were beyond the level of being a mess.

‘If it’s at this level, wouldn’t her stat be minused?’

She was even doubtful of how she managed to participate in the test for the intermediate class that Heloise belonged to.

She stepped on others’ feet, shrieked while dancing, and shed tears of joy when she discovered Heloise.

“Miss Lorca!”

“Call me Heloise, Sienna.”

“H—Heloise. I missed you!”

“Hey, Salles! Lorca! Stop with your idle talk!”

The dance instructor, a noblewoman, clapped her hands and gave a warning.

Sienna, who was scolded oftenly, was startled and tried to distance herself, but Heloise raised her hand nonchalantly and asked to be excused.

“We’ll return after taking a sip of water, Teacher.”

“…….”

The teacher pretended that she didn’t hear her and turned her head.

She gave tacit permission.

Heloise grabbed Sienna, who was baffled, by her arm and led her out of the studio.

After coming out to the hallway, Sienna’s pale countenance improved slightly, like she would live for a little longer.

“Our classes overlapped today, Sienna. Were you taking intermediate classes?”

“I think that I was assigned to the wrong class. My father, who was apologetic that I had to work part-time every day, sent me here after a long time. He didn’t have to do that…”

Sienna muttered in a bitter tone.

“In any case, I want to do my best to learn after spending a huge sum to take these classes, but hic, it’s too hard… I would make mistakes every day, and it seems that I’m a nuisance to my father and my partner.”

From the way Sienna kept snivelling, [Stress] seems to be quite high.

How in the world was this player managing his child’s condition?

Heloise approached Sienna and gave her a hug.

She patted the crying child gently and her tears stopped soon after.

[Stress] seems to have lowered slightly.

Managing [Stress] was important.

This is because if the numerical value increases, efficiency decreases and Sienna gets sick easily.

Sienna seemed to be at the boundary and needed to relax a little.

Heloise put off her class for a moment and held both of her hands.

“If you have any difficulties, I can let you know. I’m the best dancer in this intermediate class, so you don’t have to worry about me falling behind.”

Though it was only limited to a few dances, it wasn’t a lie.

Heloise had to say anything to appease her.

“What? But…”

“Instead of just talking about it, shall we practice here? Starting from the steps that you’d found hard before. One, two, two, three, two, three.”

“Ah.”

The duo practised the same step for more than 30 minutes.

Although Sienna felt sorry and was on the verge of tears for turning Heloise’ feet in tatters by stepping on them, she was able to memorise the steps that were pointed out by the instructor thanks to Heloise, who didn’t get angry while teaching her.

“I did it! I think I can dance with my eyes closed now!”

“That’s a relief.”

Heloise waited while Sienna, who’s on the verge of tears, took the test inside, and when she she reappeared, she smiled.

As she smiled, her teary eyes drew a ‘V’, and she looked very proud.

Although the test was rendered useless as the fact that she had mistakenly entered the intermediate class was belatedly revealed.

Heloise was able to finish the test quickly as she had memorised all the moves while teaching Sienna.

After the test ended, she descended down the stairs to return home to find Sienna waiting hesitantly without returning back.

“Sienna, what are you doing here?”

“Well, about that…”

Sienna bit her lip, and held Heloise’s hands tightly with glistening eyes, as if she had made up her mind.

“Heloise, could you come over to my house this evening?”

“This evening?”

Heloise blinked at the sudden invitation, and Sienna, who was anxious, nodded her head vigorously.

“Yes! Soma said that if I’ve received a favour, I must return it. It’s not grand, but I’d like to treat you to dinner at my place.”

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