My esoteric uncle Jules

Chapter 175 I Shouldn't Have Given Roses
"..." Jules pretended not to hear, still staring out the window.

Elena didn't come up to bother him, but after a while she handed him a plate of snacks.

"eat?"

Jules glanced at Elena, his tone calm:
"eat."

Without saying a word, he buried his head and began to eat heartily.

Although he can now go for days without eating, it is equally not a problem for him to eat for several days in a single day.

Elena didn't eat much before putting down her dessert, and just stared at Jules in a daze, looking somewhat depressed.

Jules naturally sensed Elena's gaze.

But right now, all he wants is to quickly finish his snack and go to bed.

However, Elena seemed to have some other ideas.

After he finished his snack, he looked up and his eyes met Elena's slightly gleaming gaze.

He instinctively tried to look away, but as soon as he did, Elena whispered:

"Can you look at me?"

Jules paused, then looked up again and met Elena's gaze.

This time, he clearly saw the faint glimmer of tears in the other person's eyes.

A gentle breeze blew into the room, causing the chandelier to sway slightly.

“Mr. Jules,” Elena wiped away her tears, “have I disturbed your relationship with your friend?”

Jules was taken aback, not understanding why Elena would say that.

But he immediately remembered that when he had described Matilda, this "friend," to Elena, he had used the word "she."

While you can't tell the gender of someone in Chinese, you can tell the gender of someone in English.

He paused for a moment, then shook his head and said:
"We are just ordinary friends."

He didn't know what Elena thought about it, but after he finished speaking, Elena's expression visibly darkened.

"Then you must already have someone you love."

Jules shook his head, about to argue, but Elena only sighed:

"I understand."

She forced a smile and said:

"Well then, have a good night's rest, goodbye."

After saying that, she didn't even dare to look at Jules' expression, and turned away as if fleeing.

Jules was left alone in the room, gazing for a long time in the direction Elena had left.

With his extraordinary hearing, he could even faintly hear barely audible sobs.

He knew how to resolve the matter, but for the moment he could only remain silent.

To be fair, Elena is indeed quite beautiful, which is exactly what he finds attractive, and she is also not superficial. The two had a very pleasant conversation.

Perhaps, when he first came into this world and encountered such a thing, he would have been happy to develop a romantic relationship with the other person.

However, at this point, he was already too deeply entangled with this world, and the heavy burden made it hard for him to breathe.

Jules lay in bed, gazing at the intricate patterns on the ceiling, his thoughts drifting away.

Moonlight streamed into the room through the window, casting soft shadows on the floor.

He closed his eyes, trying to relax, but his mind kept replaying everything he had seen and heard over the past few days.

Since I came into this world, I've hardly had a peaceful day.

However, in the past, there were people who could cover for him. Matilda was strong, the centipede was strong, and the enemies he faced were still within his capabilities.

But now, his friends are powerless to help him, while his enemies have not only not weakened, but have become even stronger.

Elena's actions tonight, though somewhat unexpected, were merely a brief interlude in this complex situation.

He turned over, and unlike before, the bed didn't make a creaking sound—perhaps because of its excellent quality.

Elena's tearful eyes and soft sobs still echoed in his ears, but he quickly shook his head, banishing those thoughts from his mind.

Now is not the time to be distracted; he needs to rest. There are more important things to do tomorrow.

Gradually, exhaustion took hold of him, his breathing became steady, and he finally fell into a deep sleep.

……

The next morning, sunlight streamed into the room through the gaps in the curtains, and tiny specks of light fell on Jules' face.

He opened his eyes, squinted slightly, and slowly sat up after his eyes adjusted to the light.

The room was still filled with a faint scent of wood. The plates of pastries from last night had been removed from the table, leaving only a silver candlestick standing quietly there.

He quickly tidied his clothes, and as soon as he pushed open the door, he heard a clear voice coming from the end of the corridor:
Good morning, Mr. Jules!

Jules looked up and saw Elena standing not far away, wearing a light blue morning dress, the hem of which swayed gently with her steps.

A bright smile graced her face, as if the tears of the previous night had never existed.

Sunlight streamed in from the window behind her, making her smile even brighter.

"Good morning."

Jules nodded slightly, his tone calm, but his gaze lingered on her face for a moment longer, trying to confirm whether she was truly as unharmed as she appeared.

Although Elena had been somewhat wishful thinking in their previous conversations, he still didn't want to see her get hurt as a result.

Elena seemed oblivious to his probing, smiling as she approached, her tone light and cheerful:
"Did you sleep well? Breakfast is ready. Why don't you try some of our chef's cooking?"

Jules hesitated for a moment, then nodded:
"it is good."

The two walked side by side toward the restaurant, with Elena chatting about trivial matters along the way—how many flowers had bloomed at the manor, and the embarrassing things that had happened to others at the ball a while ago.

Her voice was light and cheerful, with a touch of deliberate liveliness, as if she was trying to fill the silence between them.

Jules only occasionally chimed in with a few words, but his gaze remained unmoved.

Breakfast was already laid out on the table in the restaurant.

The freshly baked bread smelled wonderfully of wheat, served with butter and jam, and accompanied by a pot of steaming hot black tea.

Elena pulled out a chair and sat down, gesturing for Jules to sit as well.

Her smile remained bright, but Jules vaguely sensed that beneath that brightness lay a subtle, almost imperceptible awkwardness.

The atmosphere between the two was outwardly harmonious, but there was always an inexplicable strangeness about it.

The butler then entered, carrying a plate of freshly baked scones. After placing it on the table, he glanced between the two men, keenly sensing the subtle atmosphere between them.

His gaze held a hint of inquiry, but he ultimately said nothing, only bowing slightly and whispering:
“Miss, Mr. Jules, please enjoy your meal.”

After saying that, he silently left and closed the restaurant door.

The moment the door closed, Jules picked up a piece of bread, slowly spread butter on it, but his gaze fell on Elena.

After a moment of silence, he finally spoke, his voice low and deep:

"I'm sorry about what happened last night."

Elena paused, holding her teacup, and looked up at him, a hint of surprise flashing in her eyes.

She put down her cup, smiled gently, and spoke in a deliberately relaxed tone:

"It's okay. I'm not like those delicate young ladies who can just cry a little and be fine."

She paused, tilted her head, and smiled with a hint of slyness:

"Besides, you didn't do anything too outrageous, you just made me feel a little... embarrassed."

Jules looked at her, his brow furrowed slightly, as if he wanted to say something, but in the end he simply nodded:
"I didn't think well enough."

Elena waved her hand, as if she didn't care at all:

"Don't worry about it, really. Here, try this scones. The cook added some lemon zest today, it tastes especially good."

She pushed a plate of scones in front of Jules with a bright smile.

Jules took the pastry and took a bite. It tasted really good; the sweet and sour lemon aroma spread on his tongue, making him nod slightly in approval.

Seeing this, Elena laughed even harder.

The two continued their meal, and the atmosphere gradually returned to a relaxed state.

Elena stopped talking about last night and started chatting about interesting things at the manor, occasionally teasing Jules about his "dull" personality.

Jules did not refute, but only occasionally responded with a faint smile.

Sunlight streamed onto the table, the food on the plates gradually dwindled, and the thin veil between the two seemed to quietly dissipate.

After breakfast, Jules put down his knife and fork, wiped his mouth, and looked up at Elena:

"I'm done, thank you for the treat."

Elena smiled and nodded:

"You're welcome."

Jules paused for a moment, then spoke calmly but firmly:

“I may have to leave, not just leave here, but possibly leave the royal estate.”

Elena's teacup wobbled slightly, and the tea almost spilled.

She paused for a moment, then smiled again, but there was a hint of disappointment in that smile:

"So soon? The ball at the manor isn't over yet. Won't you stay a few more days?"

Jules shook his head:

"I have some things to take care of, and it's not appropriate to stay here for too long."

Elena looked down at the glass, gently stroking the rim. After a moment of silence, she looked up and smiled:

"Alright then, I can't keep you here. But before you leave, how about I see you off? Perhaps we'll never meet again."

Jules initially wanted to refuse, but when their eyes met again, he finally nodded.
"it is good."

Elena's smile brightened again:

"Then it's settled! Please get ready, I'll wait for you at the door!"

She stood up, her skirt swaying gently, and walked briskly towards the door.

Jules watched her retreating figure and sighed softly.

Actually, he didn't have much to pack. He came empty-handed and left with the same amount of belongings, which he left at his previous residence.

Upon returning to his previous room, Jules discovered that the pale blue rose he had picked for Elena was now somehow placed in the vase.

"Let's just keep it as a beautiful memory."

He smiled slightly, then turned and left.

Just then, Elena arrived at the door and found the butler waiting there for something.

"You really came out."

The butler bowed gracefully. Seeing this, Elena frowned and asked:
"what happened?"

The butler paused for a moment upon hearing this, then said:
"You and Mr. Jules last night..."

"Nothing has happened, don't overthink it," Elena said with a smile, shaking her head.

The butler looked up, a sharp glint in his old eyes:

“If he did something to wrong Miss, you can forgive him, but I cannot.”

Elena was practically raised by him; she was practically like a daughter to him.

Don't worry, there's nothing there.

No sooner had the words left his mouth than Jules' voice drifted back from afar:
"We've packed up, let's go."

Elena winked playfully at the butler, then skipped away with Jules.

……

"I need to go back to my place to get some things first, which may take a while."

"It's okay, I'll wait for you."

Elena smiled, but Jules always felt that beneath her outward joy lay deep sadness and sorrow.

He now even regrets that he had a moment of madness last night and sent Elena that rose.

It's all the roses' fault!
The two arrived at Jules' former residence, but unexpectedly, the small house, which had been uninhabited for some time, was now sealed off.

Jules frowned, a sense of foreboding creeping over him.

Seeing that Uriel was also there, he quickly stepped forward and asked:

"What happened?"

Upon seeing Jules appear, Uriel's expression changed drastically, and he said sternly:
"Guards! Seize the murderer!"

The guards around them drew their weapons and surrounded Yu Le and Elena.

Jules was used to similar scenes and remained calm, but to his surprise, Elena, who had grown up in a greenhouse, did not seem too afraid of the scene before her. She was only startled for a moment before quickly regaining her composure.

He stared at Uriel and said calmly:
"Murderer? Perhaps you could explain what happened first?"

Uriel narrowed his eyes and said:
“Last night, a servant from the manor died in your room. His body was cut to pieces by a knife, and his death was extremely gruesome.”

Jules, too lazy to explain further, said:

"Do you think I killed him?"

“Of course,” Uriel was quite adept at lying through his teeth. “Now, please come with us. His Highness will make the decision.”

Jules figured it out; the other party probably realized he was trying to escape, so they planned to frame him.

Whether or not one can kill is another matter; at least one must first be able to legally and legitimately control oneself.

"What a hassle. I didn't want to expose my relationship with the Prince of Wales at this time..." he thought to himself, feeling slightly annoyed.

However, at that moment, Elena suddenly spread her arms, blocking Jules's path, and shouted:
"What are you trying to do! I invited him to spend the night with me last night, he wasn't even there, how could you kill him!"

As soon as these words came out, there was an uproar around him.

Uriel narrowed his eyes, his gaze shifting back and forth between Yule and Elena.

This kid... he really managed to get a swan meal from a toad?

He thought that Elena would at most be slightly interested in chatting at first, and would soon look down on this country bumpkin and throw him away, but things didn't seem to be going quite the way they were going.

“Miss Elena, you can’t say things like that carelessly, as it concerns your reputation,” Uriel said calmly.

You should know that in the language of the nobility, taking someone home for the night is basically equivalent to having a relationship that goes beyond friendship.

While Elena's actions could defend Jules, they also meant that everyone knew she had invited him back for the night.

Normally, at a dance, people wouldn't invite each other openly to avoid suspicion; they would only contact each other privately. As long as they stubbornly denied it, no one could prove that they spent the night together.

That way, if something goes wrong or someone falls in love with another person, there will be a way out.

But Elena's move put her in a very difficult position.

Although Jules didn't understand the intricacies of the nobility, he could tell from the expressions of those around him that Elena's actions had shocked them.

Faced with Uriel's questioning, Elena simply muttered:
"If you don't believe me, you can ask my butler to verify."

Upon hearing this, Uriel gave Jules a deep look and said:
“Alright, since Miss Elena is vouching for me, then it must be that I have the wrong person. I apologize to you, let’s go.”

After saying that, he left without looking back, while only a few guards could not help but occasionally turn their heads to look at Elena in disbelief.

Soon, the place returned to silence.

Elena had been staring blankly in the direction where Uriel and his group had left, until Jules patted her on the shoulder, which snapped her out of her reverie.

"Oh, hurry up and get ready..."

She turned her head and met Jules' deep eyes, momentarily lost in thought.

"Thank you."

(End of this chapter)