A Conversation Beneath the Rain [Part -2]
Suddenly, a well-known voice startled her. "Oh, my gosh, talk about a coincidence Miss Ashbourne. Hiding out from the rain here too?"
Julian D’Aurelius padded into the pavilion, flicking several drops of rain from his shoulders as he gave her a soft, lazy grin.
"..."
Felberta Ashbourne turned to gaze at him as if to declare that he’d just voiced the most ludicrous suggestion since the dawn of time. This was her house. Why on Earth should it be coincidental that she be here?
After a lengthy silence during which she did not reply, she exhaled in a soft whisper.
"Then I suggest that you say what it is you came here for."
She knew Julian well enough by now.
He never sought her out without a reason.
Julian smiled awkwardly.
"Fair enough."
"Your father’s condition has been resolved."
"As long as he takes his medicine on schedule, there shouldn’t be any major problems."
He paused for a moment before adding,
"Although... his manhood has been preserved, it probably won’t function normally anymore..."
Before he could continue, Felberta shot him a sharp glare.
"That’s enough."
"I don’t need those details."
"I have no interest in hearing them."
Her cheeks darkened ever so slightly with embarrassment.
If she hadn’t witnessed her father’s suffering with her own eyes, she would never have gone looking for someone to treat him in the first place.
Who told him to fool around outside?
Julian raised both hands in surrender.
"Alright, alright."
"I was only giving you an update."
"Let’s talk about something else."
A playful smile returned to his face.
"Your father told me he wants you to become the next head of the Ashbourne family."
"Me?"
A flicker of surprise crossed Felberta’s usually calm expression.
She had confidence in her own abilities.
That wasn’t the issue.
But leading an ancient household like the Ashbourne family...
That responsibility was an entirely different matter.
Julian noticed the uncertainty in her eyes and immediately understood what she was thinking.
"So..."
"Your father also asked me to talk to you about your condition."
He leaned casually against one of the pavilion’s wooden pillars.
"It really needs to be treated."
"If you’re going to lead the family one day, you can’t avoid interacting with people."
Felberta answered without the slightest hesitation.
"I don’t need treatment."
"I simply hate men."
Her tone was calm, yet completely resolute.
Because she had heard Julian’s inner thoughts before...
She already knew his conclusion.
If her condition were cured, she might gradually develop feelings toward the person who treated her.
And if that person happened to be Julian...
Wouldn’t that only complicate everything?
Julian looked at her helplessly.
"What’s the reason?"
"You can’t decide every man is worthless because of a few terrible experiences."
"There are still plenty of decent men in this world."
He tapped his own chest with a grin.
"For example... me."
"And all those handsome guys who spend their free time reading novels."
His expression was so sincere that it almost looked convincing.
Almost.
Felberta remained unmoved.
Julian continued patiently.
"I honestly think it’s a shame."
"A beautiful woman like you shouldn’t lock yourself away from the world."
"Even if you never plan to fall in love..."
"Living with something as painful as androphobia isn’t a good thing."
He could tell that despite everything, Felberta still had complicated feelings toward her father.
Love.
Resentment.
Disappointment.
Affection.
They were all tangled together.
If her condition continued worsening, one day she might cut off even the last emotional thread connecting them.
That wasn’t something Julian wanted to see.
Felberta quietly bit her lower lip.
"I don’t need it."
"Men are creatures who think with their lower halves."
"Even if I’m cured..."
"I’ll still hate men."
Julian couldn’t help laughing.
"You can’t judge everyone like that."
"That’s far too broad a conclusion."
"Besides..."
"There’s a gentleman standing right in front of you."
He declared it with complete confidence.
Yet, entirely against his own better judgment, his gaze quietly drifted downward.
His eyes briefly traced Felberta’s long, elegant legs before continuing upward for only an instant.
Beautiful or not... always look at the legs first.
As expected... legs like hers don’t need stockings to look amazing.
Though honestly... those naturally curved hips are the real masterpiece.
"..."
Felberta’s expression instantly froze.
An icy aura spread around her.
She suddenly had the overwhelming urge to kick this shameless man straight into the lake.
A gentleman?
Did he even know how to spell the word?
If she didn’t owe him such an enormous favor...
She would have told him exactly where to go.
Julian, completely unaware of the storm brewing inside her, continued speaking.
"Besides..."
"You think men thinking with their lower halves is completely wrong."
"But is it really?"
"Even the ancient sages said, ’Food and desire are part of human nature.’"
"The desire to reproduce is simply one of humanity’s instincts."
"It’s perfectly normal."
"In fact..."
"Every living creature shares it."
He pointed toward the two snow-white pet dogs resting near her feet.
"Look."
"They’ve already started."
Felberta instinctively lowered her gaze.
The moment she saw what the two dogs were doing, her face flushed crimson.
"So, you see..."
Julian continued earnestly.
"It’s simply part of nature—"
Felberta suddenly raised an eyebrow.
"So that’s the excuse you use for being unfaithful?"
Julian immediately shook his head.
"Being unfaithful is definitely wrong."
"But..."
"Sometimes circumstances matter."
He spread his hands dramatically.
"Imagine you’re a man as incredibly charming as I am."
"Several wonderful women fall deeply in love with you."
"If you reject every one of them..."
"They might spend years heartbroken."
"So wouldn’t refusing them also be hurting them?"
"Instead of making everyone miserable..."
"Why not be a little more open-minded and simply accept—"
"Get lost!"
Felberta’s voice rang through the rainy garden.
Without giving him another chance to continue his outrageous reasoning, she turned on her heel and stormed away.
Watching her graceful figure disappear into the curtain of rain, Julian couldn’t help smiling to himself.
He had done it deliberately.
Felberta’s androphobia had already reached a dangerous point.
Now that Dario’s illness had been cured...
The greatest burden weighing on her heart had disappeared.
Without something to challenge the rigid beliefs she had built over the years, her mindset would only become increasingly fixed.
Treating her illness wouldn’t begin with medicine.
It would begin by shaking the very foundation of the way she thought.