Lady Catherine waited at the door for a moment, refraining from probing inside with her consciousness out of respect.
She first knocked gently to see if Roman was awake.
“Knock, knock, knock.”
The light tapping echoed down the corridor as Lady Catherine quietly waited.
Nearly a minute passed with no response from inside.
Lady Catherine let out a soft, gentle smile and reached for the doorknob, preparing to push the door open.
“Mom!”
A sudden, urgent voice stopped her from entering.
Lady Catherine immediately halted, her expression one of puzzlement.
“I just woke up, please wait a moment.”
Roman’s voice came from within, growing quieter as he spoke.
Lady Catherine’s face lit up with an understanding smile, finding the situation rather amusing.
After all, she had helped him bathe like that, and yet he was still so shy. Children, truly…
She patiently waited for nearly ten minutes before the door was slowly pushed open from the inside.
“Elise?”
Lady Catherine blinked, staring at the young woman before her with curiosity.
“Greetings, Lady Catherine.”
Elise’s expression remained unchanged as usual, respectfully folding her hands in front of her and bowing deeply.
To Lady Catherine, Elise was like a child she had watched grow up.
This overly formal demeanor made her feel a bit displeased.
“Elise, what are you doing in Roman’s room?”
Lady Catherine asked, taking a familiar, elder’s tone as she gently took Elise’s hands in hers and smiled warmly.
Elise’s hands, clad in Lace Gloves, trembled slightly when Lady Catherine held them.
Her respectful expression faltered, becoming noticeably more reserved.
After a brief hesitation, she replied,
“I was passing by and thought I’d tidy up Lord Roman’s room. I happened to see Lord Roman waking up, so I stayed to help comb his hair.”
Lady Catherine looked over Elise’s shoulder and saw Roman sitting upright in front of the mirror, his hands neatly resting on his thighs.
“I see.”
Lady Catherine nodded.
“Then please trouble yourself. When you’re finished, have Roman come downstairs. Luo Xiya wants to speak with him.”
At the mention of Luo Xiya’s name, Elise’s pupils contracted subtly, and she lowered her head slightly to conceal it.
“Understood, Lady Catherine.”
Elise said softly with her head bowed.
Lady Catherine nodded and was about to leave, but suddenly stepped forward, sniffing near Elise and frowning silently.
Elise, who prided herself on her strong mental fortitude, was startled and widened her eyes, her breathing growing slightly hurried.
“Elise, didn’t you bathe yesterday?”
Lady Catherine asked, puzzled.
Elise usually carried a faint fragrance, and being near her was always refreshing.
But today, as Lady Catherine got closer, there was a strange odor lingering…
It was odd—Lady Catherine even felt a faint sense of familiarity with the scent.
Elise bit her lip and shyly lowered her head.
“I’ve been very busy these past few days, and after sweating, I haven’t had time to bathe.”
Lady Catherine’s frown melted into a knowing smile.
“Don’t overwork yourself. People’s time is limited, but tasks never end. Take a good rest later, have a bath, and change your clothes.”
“Thank you for your concern, Lady Catherine.”
Elise felt warmth spread through her chest and resolved to take better care of Lady Catherine in the future.
“Well then, I shall be going.”
With that, Lady Catherine turned gracefully, her ample figure moving slowly down the corridor.
Only after Lady Catherine had rounded the spiral staircase did Elise close the door and step inside.
“Master, were you nervous just now?”
Elise said, coming up behind Roman, picking up a comb, and gently running it through his hair as she spoke.
Roman’s legs, hidden beneath his robe, subtly turned inward, the arches tight between his thighs.
“I’m okay.”
Roman forced calmness in his voice.
“Pfft.”
Elise smiled but said no more.
The windows in the room were fully open now, the circulating air gradually dispersing most of the strange odor, though a faint trace stubbornly lingered—enough to almost give Lady Catherine pause earlier.
Elise’s stockings were obviously ruined.
She wrapped them in Magic Power and tossed them under the bed.
But she couldn’t go bare-legged—maids wore stockings not just for looks but as part of proper etiquette and dignity.
So, Elise took a pair of white stockings from Luo Xiya’s wardrobe and slipped them over her thighs.
Usually, she wore dark stockings—pure black, blue-black, rose, violet…
Mainly because the dark colors matched her temperament, appearance, and style.
The white stockings made her look a bit odd, like a shift from a sultry woman to a pure, innocent girl.
Clearly, white stockings suited Roman better than Elise.
Following her usual routine, she separated a few strands of Roman’s hair to braid them into his long locks.
Although the style was not much different from when Roman wore his hair loose, it made his bearing appear far more dignified.
Earlier on the bed, she had deliberately undone the tie at the back of Roman’s head just to see the tousled hair and the charming, disheveled strands brushing his temples.
It had thoroughly satisfied her eyes.
“Master, Miss is waiting for you downstairs…”
Elise whispered close to Roman’s ear.
Roman’s eyes widened in shock.
Elise met his gaze in the mirror.
He looked panicked and flustered, while she was serene and composed.
“I’ll help you put on your underwear first.”
Picking up the still clean and tidy garment nearby, Elise knelt respectfully on both knees, cradling Roman’s feet as she carefully pulled the fabric up along his calves, thighs, and to the base of his legs.
“Snap.”
The fabric adhered snugly, making a crisp sound.
“Your belt is quite tight~”
Elise remarked casually, which immediately set Roman off.
“Go away!”
Roman’s eyes reddened as he stood up and left without looking back.
Elise’s playful demeanor was thoroughly shattered.
Without a shred of pride, she knelt down and grabbed Roman’s ankle, bowing her head so low it nearly touched the ground.
“You didn’t like the belt being loose, right? So go away.”
Such coarse words were unprecedented for both Roman and Lin Xuan, showing just how furious he was.
Elise glanced up quietly.
Roman’s beautiful face was a mixture of anger and sadness, one eye even glistening with tears.
She spoke softly.
“Master, I only meant that your waist seems a little bigger than before.”
The room fell into a heavy silence.