Lenora gasped as we slowly approached her, her eyes widened when she saw us. I could sense how confused and bewildered she was. Well, I couldn't blame her, I too would have the same expression when my boss suddenly returns with a total stranger that was beaten up and partially alive.

Lenora hurried over, her hands gently replacing mine as she took charge.

"My Lady, what happened? Who is this. . . and are you alright ?" She asked frantically.

"I am alright. We need to get back to the estate!"

She had a concerned look as she stared at me.

"I don't think it is a good idea for us to bring him like this!" The strange look appeared once more whilst she stared at him "It might raise some strange rumors!" She pointed out.

"You do have a point!" I thought for a while, an idea popped in my head "Lenora, we need to give him a makeover!" I felt giddy at the idea.

"I will lead you to one of the best clothing shops in the capital!" She said, leading the way.

>>>> As soon as I stepped into the building, we got surrounded by the shopkeeper and his fellow employees, taking us by surprise.

"Lady Rosalind, what a big surprise to see you in our shop!" He said in a confounded tone.

"I will be quick!” I said before he could speak again “I require men's clothing for him," I instructed, gesturing toward Roderick.

The shopkeeper's eyes widened, momentarily frozen as he took in the sight of the disheveled man behind me.

He looked perturbed.

"Lenora!" I called out.

"Yes, My Lady!"

"I need you to buy the most powerful potions in the capital and use it on him!" I ordered.

The looks I got from everyone in the building including Roderick was a bit alarming. They stared at me like I was some kind of rich, spoiled brat. Well, I don't blame them— it was not my fault that I transmigrated into Rosalind's body and her family was one of the wealthiest in the empire.

"Show me your latest men's clothing!" I ordered.

The shopkeeper gave a light bow and gestured for me to follow him "Right this way, Lady Rosalind!".

He led me to a furnished room, it was exuding sophistication and looked so regal.

"This is for our VIP customers, please make yourself comfortable!" He said proudly.

"I will!" I replied, the decor of the room was excellent, "Do you have any spare room?".

"Yes we do, may I ask why you need it?" He asked.

"I need a place to clean him up, can your staff take him there and freshen him up?" I requested, taking a seat on the couch.

"Yes, Lady Rosalind!" With a snap of his fingers, his staff got the message. They took the befuddle Roderick by the hand and led him away. His face bore a cry for help as he was dragged out of the door.

I stifled a laugh. I had no idea what he thought they would do to him.

I was still getting a grasp of my surroundings when I got presented with treats that were too gorgeous to devour.

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"I hope you enjoy the desserts we provided for you. They are from the best bakery in the capital!" The shopkeeper said in a proud and airy tone.

He clapped his hands which took me by surprise. Within minutes, various cloth racks were raked into the room, and each cloth looked so elegant, regal and classy.

"I will take all of them!" I said without giving it any thought.

His face grew pale,

"All of them?" He asked in a shaky tone.

I raised a brow at him "Is that a problem?".

"No, it is not!" He replied in a lowly tone.

"Can you be a dear and deliver one of them to the room where my companion is?" I asked, my attention drew to the trays of desserts before me, I was torn between which treat to devour.

"Yes, Lady Rosalind!" He replied. He grabbed one of the clothes close to him. Holding it gently in his arms— he left the room.

Now that it was all settled, I grabbed one of the sublime cupcakes off the tray and prepared to devour it whole.

Once I was done with my fifth, I was about to lurch on the next when the door was pushed open. I looked up, my gaze landed on the shopkeeper who strutted in with his head held high, he was followed in by Lenora. She had an unreadable expression on her face which was hard for me to decipher.

It felt like time came to a stop as . . . he walked in. The cloth fitted him perfectly, accentuating his features. His shoulders were broad and chiseled whilst his muscles were so prominent in the shirt. He was different, different from the skinny human I met a few hours ago.

He slowly raised his head, our eyes locked instantly. I have never dreamed of meeting someone who could make my breath unsteady like he did. To call him handsome was an understatement— if there was a word to describe his good looks, I would definitely use it.

His once unruly brown locks were now neatly trimmed, falling just above his neck. His skin, now free of bruises, gleamed with a golden hue—like sunlight after a storm. I have to say, Lenora did a good job with the potions. I stared at his emerald eyes, they sparkled and looked a bit alive than earlier but they still bore their melancholy and loneliness in them. He stood at an impressive height and his aura was different from before. It was calm and stouthearted.

He began to approach me and my voice hitched in my throat.

To my utter astonishment, he dropped on one knee—a move that left everyone, including myself—momentarily speechless.

'Is he going to propose? But we hardly knew each other!' My cheeks flushed at the thought.

"The name bestowed on me is Roderick Porter—I owe you my life and it belongs to you, Lady Rosalind. I pledge my loyalty to you!" He said in a state of a bow. His voice was deep and stern as he spoke, it was mesmerizing.

As he said those words, I suddenly recalled the last words he spoke to Adeline when he was about to confess his love to her. The sadness within him as She turned down his love ached me in more ways than one.

I gasped and stared at him. He looked at me, concern filled his eyes.

I smiled at him "Your loyalty is all I need Roderick! Your life only belongs to you!" I said with every sincerity within.

His eyes sparkled at my words, it seemed to have hit him more than it intended. He smiled softly at me and my heart melted.

It was so hard to keep a straight face when he looked at me like that. I cleared my throat— holding my head high, I signaled Lenora that it was time for us to depart.

* * * *

I couldn't help but chuckle at him, his eyes sparkled and grew as wide as a saucer as the carriage rode into the estate.

"Is this your first time being here?" I asked, drawing his attention to me.

"Yes, but I have heard stories of the Everhart estate—it hits differently when seeing it before you!" He replied with a smile.

A smile which made my toes tingle and my heart skip a beat. I adjusted nervously on my seat, diverting my attention to the window beside me, observing the picturesque view of the glistering ocean. The sight made me smile.

"I am still getting used to all this!" I said softly in admiration.

>>> Roderick looked troubled, staring at the array of dishes served on the table. His gaze shifted from me to the table.

"You are not hungry?" I asked, unfolding my napkin.

"I am, it is just that I am not used to all these!" He pointed at the dishes "They could feed an entire village for a week!".

I giggled at his sense of humor, sucking in a breath I stared at him.

"I need someone strong to stand by my side and one of the ways to build a strong body is by eating healthy food. If you want to be fit for the position you have to look healthy and strong, unless. . ." I stared at him sternly, my expression grew dark, ". . . You don't want the position!".

He gulped slowly before lowering his head nervously "I want it, My Lady!".

My demeanor quickly transposed to a cheerful one "Good, now let's eat!".

He smiled nervously. Grabbing the leg of the roasted turkey before him, he tore it off and took a huge bite of it.

I signaled Lenora to approach me.

"I feel the cooks went a little overboard with lunch!" I said in a whisper.

"I will inform them not to do that next time, My Lady!" She said in a state of a bow.

I waved my hand in dismissal, she returned back to her usual position.

My gaze landed at Roderick, a soft smile planted on my lips as I watched him eat. He had quite an appetite as he gobbled up the food.

Now, it was time for the hard part—finding a good teacher for him.