CH 46

In the middle of the night, Ingrid woke up and looked down at Luana, who was fast asleep. She looked pretty cute when she snored. She never had this thought for the other siblings. She hadn’t seen her many times, but she was somehow attracted to Luana.

‘Is it because she always shows a cheerful and confident side?’

Ingrid looked back into the ceiling. In just a few months, a lot has happened. She doesn’t know how many times she broke down before she could finally make up her mind like now. Whenever that happened, it was Luana who comforted her. The fact that she was of the same bloodline nearby gave her courage for no reason.

“Thank you very much.”

She thanked her sleeping sister once again. She will not break down anymore and get out of here and build the kingdom again. She knew it wouldn’t be easy. Walking barefoot on thorny roads is less painful than that, yet she couldn’t give up.

“I’m going to be a queen.”

By then, she will be able to save her sister, who the duke captured. Ingrid truly believed so.

***

After waking up, Luana immediately rubbed her eyes and left the room. She then looked surprised when she saw the duke leaning by the door.

“Why are you here?”

No matter how much Ingrid is from the fallen kingdom, she is a princess in name, and the emperor also favors her. To stand in front of such a person’s visit was not common sense.

“Did you sleep well?”

“I slept well.”

“Even without me?”

‘What does it have to do with not having the duke and sleeping well?’

The duke’s face gradually hardened as Luana looked at him with an expression of many things she wanted to ask. There seemed to be something he didn’t like.

“No, you didn’t tell me why you were here!”

“His Majesty has given me permission.”

“Did he give you permission?”

“Yes.”

What’s the emperor thinking? At any rate, she doesn’t know what they both feel. With that thought in mind, the duke reached out as he lowered her hand that was rubbing her eyes. She looked at him, wondering what was going on, and he calmly spoke,

“If you’re awake, let’s go back.”

“My sister is still sleeping. How can the guest leave when the owner is asleep?”

“She is here, though.”

“Sir Legion.”

Luana called Legion by his name.

“Why?”

“When you saw my older sister, does your heart race, or maybe you keep wanting to look at her?”

“Not at all.”

“Do you like my sister’s proudness?”

“No.”

The duke looked at Luana as if he were wondering what the hell she was talking about. Yeah, why did she ask him this? He couldn’t figure it out. Still, there was something certain.

The duke doesn’t like Ingrid. Somehow she felt better when she reached that conclusion. Luana smiled unconsciously, and a hand reached out from behind and hugged her.

“What are you doing?”

It was Ingrid. With a gentle touch, she put a shawl over Luana’s shoulder and pulled her in.

“It’s cold to go out in your pajamas.”

“Oh, right.”

Only then did Luana realize she was in her pajamas. When she slept in the duke’s arms, she slept with all her clothes on, so it was something she hadn’t thought of.

‘But it’s kind of weird to be hugged by a man and wear pajamas, right?’

“You should turn your eyes. How dare you look at a woman in her pajamas?”

The friendly voice turned into a sharp knife as it turned to the duke.

“I’ve seen more.”

‘More? What’s that?’

Luana was embarrassed and almost asked back to the duke. What more is she unaware of? However, she soon realized this when she saw a tense confrontation with Ingrid. He doesn’t want to lose to her now, so he’s making up a story.

‘You’re not like that, are you?’

It was embarrassing.

“I’ll go change first.”

Luana soothed Ingrid well, went back inside, and changed into the clothes she provided. It was a more colourful and rich dress compared to her usual clothes.

“These clothes are uncomfortable.”

“But it looks great on you.”

As she smiled like a flower, she could not refuse Ingrid’s invitation. As expected, the female lead’s power!

“Have breakfast and go.”

However, Luana had no choice but to hesitate because she knew that other food was worse than poison for the duke. But she couldn’t confess it straight to Ingrid.

“Eat and go.”

While she hesitated, the emperor arrived, and breakfast was prepared instantly. And again, it became the same composition as yesterday.

Emperor and the duke, Ingrid and Luana. The four surrounded the table and waited for the meal. The emperor sat Ingrid next to him as if it was natural, and the duke sat beside Luana.

“Will you be okay?”

Luana whispered to the duke.

“What?”

“The food, it’s not tasty.”

“It’s all right.”

The duke replied so, but Luana became frustrated. He was about to gain weight again, and this was happening. If there were any leftover dessert from yesterday, she would have fed him that. Ingrid doesn’t know, but the emperor knows everything, and Luana doesn’t know why he won’t stop him. Meanwhile, food started coming out one by one.

As expected, the foods made at the imperial chef’s hands were all delicious. If there was a problem, it was the duke. He was keeping a straight face, but Luana could tell. He was struggling to eat. Nevertheless, it was upsetting to see him keep putting food in his mouth at a constant speed.

“Stop eating.”

Eventually, Luana stopped the duke from holding the spoon again. He stopped his movements and stared at her.

“If you are in pain, don’t eat anymore. I’ll make you something delicious when I get home.”

‘Get home.’

A bright smile bloomed on the duke’s face, which had been hardened all the time. He seemed to smile at the news that she would cook something delicious at home. She felt sorry for him because she thought he was struggling to eat.

But that wasn’t the part that the duke really liked.

‘Home.’

He liked the part where she called the duke’s mansion her home. He doesn’t know why, but it was perfect that Luana considered his mansion as her home. He wanted her to repeat it. But even as he stared at Luana, the exact words did not appear again. Somehow, his heart sank.

The duke drank the remaining soup that tasted like gutter water. But without showing signs, he reached out to the salad because he didn’t want to appear weak in front of others.

At that time, he suddenly saw Luana dipping the fruit in the salad with a fork. At the same time, he remembered what happened last time. The foods she didn’t make were all the worst, but there was still something to eat.

The dried fruit Luana fed him when he caught her while she ran away. It wasn’t particularly delicious, but it was still less painful to eat.

As soon as it occurred to him, the duke moved closer to Luana. She looked at the duke with a puzzled expression, and he ate the fruit in her hand.

“It doesn’t taste good either.”

As he grumbled, Luana, who heard it, criticized him.

“What are you doing all of a sudden?”

“It’s an experiment.”

“What experiment?”

“I thought it would be nice if you fed it to me.”

“You said it wasn’t delicious last time.”

“But it was worth eating.”

“What do you mean?”

Luana thought that was ridiculous, but again, he held her fork. When he ate it again, she heard a cough from somewhere.

“Cough, cough!”

It was the sound made by Ingrid, who was eating across the table.

“What are you doing?!”

She then got up from her chair and pointed her finger at the duke. But the duke did not answer, only to eat the food on Luana’s fork again.

“I’m eating?”

“Who doesn’t know that? Why are you stealing Luana’s?”

Ingrid’s hands were trembling with anger. In social etiquette, it is prohibited to share tableware with others. She publicly shouted and pointed that out because the person involved was her sister. Luana said she didn’t love the duke! It felt like the Duke was playing a game with an innocent.

“It’s certainly a little too much.”

The emperor also intervened, saying so.

“We have nothing to do with each other.”

When the two of them came out like this, Luana realized something was wrong. So she tried to put the fork down, but the duke kept whining.

“I’m still hungry.”

“Stop it!”

Ingrid stopped him in an angry voice.

“Luana, feeding each other in society is only done when you are deeply in love! But that man is shameless!”

So, that’s what happened! Ingrid answered all the questions Luana had. But at the same time, new questions arose. It’s something she didn’t know growing up as an abandoned princess, but the duke knows everything!

‘You didn’t know that?’

Thinking so, she turned to the duke but soon realized it. He was a surety criminal.

‘Did you know that?’

But why is he like this? Luana put her fork down this time.

“Are you not giving me more?”

“There’s a fork in front of you, too.”

“I like it when you feed me.”

“You’re not even a kid.”

Only then did the duke pick up the fork again with his hand. Ingrid was still trembling with anger, and the emperor looked at them with interest. Suddenly the breakfast table started to feel uncomfortable.