The Secret Code of Monsters.

Chapter 397 Ch.396 Cards and Sweat
"what?!"

"You...used a reward to exchange for a lie?!"

drug store.

The second floor.

After finally changing out of that troublesome lady's dress, Lillian Rose Vansittart can finally have fun.

She sat on Roland's desk, swept away the candlestick, paper, pen and ink bottle, jumped up and sat down, pulled off her not-so-breathable white socks, rolled them up a few times, and stuffed them into Roland's drawer.

The two round big toes are sometimes high and sometimes low.

Finally left the Shelley family.

She was nearly strangled by the corset.

"To be precise, it's not a reward, but an exchange of conditions." Roland hooked his finger and asked her to hand over the candlestick. Then, in front of the green eyes' expression of disbelief, he easily tore off an iron thorn and rubbed it into a round iron ball in his palm.

Throw it to her.

“…You are not human?”

"You are not human."

Rose looked at the heavy iron ball in her palm, which showed signs of being folded and rubbed.

Then he looked at Roland Collins, who had a calm expression on his face.

"you…"

"As you can see, the 'reward' made my flesh stronger - that's not what I'm talking about, Rose. What I'm talking about is the lie."

Of course he had to tell Rose what had happened.

What a price to pay for a lie. And this lie misled James Shelley, making him abandon John and choose Rose.

Completely through...

Except for his past.

“I guess there’s a lot of guilt in there.”

Roland turned his ankles, swinging the cloth shoes on his toes back and forth. "He may think that you lost your parents when you were young because of him. This guy probably can't tell how many times he has shown love... He must be trying to find a way to test the truth of this matter."

Rose looked downcast and didn't speak for a long time.

But my legs were shaking faster and faster.

This means she is anxious.

——Scam, generally speaking, Rose doesn't care who is unlucky and who profits.

Just like the "Glorious London" before, the "mysterious ocean trade" that bankrupted many people - but it was a life-saving favor.

Now, she realized everything that had happened in Shelley's house before, how gentle the old man was to her, and even invited her to participate in Shelley's career:
For a woman, this is truly a 'miracle'.

Literacy, learning calculation and business, a girl, participated in the Shelley family business.

The story is dreamy.

From now on, she is no longer a thief or a partner of the "Fountain of Eternal Life". She should attend those high-end banquets where people must be waited on, those occasions where people talk slowly, and discuss current fashion, art, pets or certain romantic stories that only circulate among women with ladies carrying bags or holding folding fans.

She is no longer a specific person, but a symbol representing the 'new Shelley'.

What will be awe-inspiring is not the blades that will pass through her fingers, but the last name she will bear.

Those who are low should be humble, and those who are high should be cautious.

A whole new experience.

Rose was terrified and even more ashamed.

Because this was something she cheated to get, and it was not what she deserved.

Maybe she could cheat anything without changing her expression, but it was hard to deceive an old man who looked at her with hope...

Weird idea?
"I'm so naive, aren't I?"

"Very cute too." Roland smiled and said in a gentle voice: "I hope you won't be angry with me for this, Rose. I just want my friend to live. I don't care if old Shelley is disappointed or even more desperate... That has nothing to do with me, right?"

The girl who roams the streets has not had her pure heart extinguished by the haze and the turbid liquid between people. There are some things that make her still feel entangled and hesitant when she witnesses them with her own eyes.

“…How can I be mad at you.”

Rose scratched her curly hair irritably, making it look like a mess after a fight. "You idiot, Roland..."

Her slender legs, which were dangling back and forth, suddenly stopped moving.

"Fool." She sighed. "You saved me, Roland. That's not your problem - you saved me. If I get angry about this, wouldn't I be the real John Shelley?"

"A foolish dog with no guts and no responsibility."

She was not afraid of death, and even now when she thought about it, she had never felt the slightest bit of uneasiness or anxiety about the dream - she was 100% sure that Roland could save her, no matter what the situation.

She trusted Roland more than she trusted herself.

just.

She didn't expect to face such troubles after surviving. The roughness of impressionism focuses more on capturing every moment of happiness and sadness, and when the ship docks and faces the trivial life, the cool and brave Miss Lillian obviously hasn't learned how to deal with the details.

"I'm hesitant, Roland."

she says.

If he confessed this lie, would the overwhelming disappointment extinguish the few remaining sparks of life in this old man?
But if you don’t confess…

That is pure deception.

deceive.

Pretending to be the heir, he seized the Shelley family's property and took on the identity of the 'new Shelley'.

Rose didn't like this.

"What should I do?" she asked.

It is hard to imagine that this simple question would have troubled a thief so daring as Roland's hesitation in sending old Collins away.

The dilemmas that everyone faces may seem childish and clumsy to a third party.

"I'm not your key, Rose."

"What if you are? I don't care, pretty face. This is the trouble you brought."

Roland spread his hands: "I saved you."

"Yes, but you should have saved me." The green eyes narrowed and smiled slyly: "I am your member, your subordinate, your... you should have saved me. So, you have to solve this trouble for me now."

"You are my what?"

"member."

"You're not now."

"Hey!"

Roland smiled and said, "It's up to you, Rose. No matter what you do, I will always stand by you."

"No matter what I do?"

"Whatever you do."

Rose fluttered her eyelashes, stared at the man for a long while, and suddenly said, "You are so annoying."

"what?"

The girl didn't say anything.

She turned her head and stared silently at the boring gray outside the window, the dirty streets and the flocks of birds that had no desire to fly.

A few scattered people were wandering in the streets.

The scraps of paper fluttered in the wind, just like her messy heart.

"Thank you, Roland."

she said softly.

"I can't imagine how uneasy you are, how much madness you have staked, to...save me from my dream."

Roland lowered his eyes.

Make a promise with a powerful, unknown being, believe it can keep its promise, and be sure that the deceived person will act according to the trajectory designed by oneself——

This is indeed a crazy gamble.

But what frightened Roland was:

The stakes were not his own, but Rose's life.

It's tough.

The situation at that time was much more difficult than Rose had imagined.

"So, thank you."

The girl turned her head, her eyes slightly red, and twitched her nose: "I won't cry and say you are awesome... If you want to see this, maybe the jealous ghost who prays all day can satisfy you..."

Roland smiled like the sun she needed and held out his hand:

"I am your friend and your boss - don't forget, it's not my life you're betting on, it's your life, you smartass."

The green eyes rolled around, and she folded her arms without stretching out her hands, but bent her knees and raised her feet, placing the small thing in his palm.

Stepped on it.

She thought she would be wet and surprised, but she felt itchy and laughing, and her body was shaking.

“Ahahahaha…your hand…you dirty bastard…”

In Bristol, Roland visited the casino.

Know how experienced gamblers shuffle their cards.

(End of this chapter)