CH 51

She didn’t know why he suddenly said that but she only nodded her head in a slow manner.

Even so, Verndia’s face still did not straighten.

“Then why is your taste Widnix… why do you want to go to the East after breaking up our marriage? No, the East is the only option.”

His mind was spinning as if he were dealing with silence. After leaving the capital, Psychke could not go to the southern part of Silkisia’s home base, and the northern part was automatically excluded from those options.

All that was left was the east and west, but the west, which was made up of endless sand, had a different culture and was not welcoming to outsiders.

‘So, the only place to go is the eastern part, and for that, he must be friendly with Widnix in advance.’

Yeah, when he think about it, it was natural.

Theoretically, it was more appropriate to decide at leisure now than to urgently decide on a destination after breaking up their marriage. But he felt so dirty about that Duke.

You f**king Widnix b*stard.

Meanwhile, Psyckhe, not knowing what Verndia was thinking, was just curious.

‘Why is he acting like that?’

Through the ring, she could sense that Verndia was displeased. Did he even work with the Duke of Evergreen before?

“No, I never thought about it.”

With that single word, the feeling that seemed like it would never go away from his heart no matter what I did melted away in an instant. However, Verndia didn’t show off on the outside and asked, pretending to be annoyed.

“Then why did you ask about Widnix’s taste?”

“I never asked.”

“I can’t believe Stella said something without you asking.”

Even so, Verndia believed in Psychke. She wasn’t the kind of person to lie.

‘Then why did you say that?’

At that time, even if it was the sound of catching a floating cloud, later on, he looked back at Stella, a woman who made a sound with bones. The fact that she informed Widnix’s taste seems to mean that the princess should get his favor as soon as possible.

Why?

“Even if you don’t believe me, I can’t help it.”

She was just telling the truth, but she couldn’t help it if he didn’t believe her. Instead of persuading him, Psychke looked at the cake on her plate.

Her favorite was Chef Lestir’s special strawberry cake. Unfortunately, there were no strawberries in small pieces. She tried to taste it with a small fork, but a large strawberry came down and crushed the cake.

‘Ah……’

Psychke looked up at him with darkened eyes. The man who killed the strawberry cake was laughing loudly and merrily.

“Eat a lot.”

“When will Cecil’s finger be alright?”

Why was Verndia personally serving her meals? It was simple, it was because Cecil’s finger was broken.

Clearly, she was fine until the food service came out, but Cecil asked for a moment and disappeared, leaving white bandages wrapped around her fingers. Naturally, the butler lowered his head.

‘I’m sorry this happened. I will change the attendants until Cecil recovers.’

‘Ho, ho, ho, what are you talking about, butler? I can’t hold a knife, but I can do everything else!’

‘Then, we’ll assign additional people to serve food. Pia?’

‘Oh, I suddenly got an upset stomach!’

‘Rona?’

‘Ugh. I don’t have strength in my arms!’

‘Hmm? What’s wrong with everyone? I’m not good at cutting, but if you don’t mind, I’ll– wh, what is it?’

Everyone in the mansion became weak, unable to even hold a knife.

So, it was decided that Verndia would cut the food for Psychke, who had grown smaller in size. It was a bonus that she was with him at every meal.

“Someday she will recover. Why don’t you eat it?”

“It’s too big for me to eat.”

“You can cut it and eat it.”

Psychke’s gaze fell upon the messy surroundings and the mottled dress. It was a trace of an unintentional fight over food because Verndia only gave her large chunks.

“Could you cut it into small pieces? If that bothers you, it’s okay to change the person in charge of serving.”

“It’s not a bother.”

As if disapproving of her suggestion, Verndia picked the strawberries carefully.

“Can you eat this?”

She think she had said the same dozens of times that her food intake has decreased accordingly since her body became like this, but he don’t listen. Psychke stared blankly at him, and Verndia cut the strawberries with an unwilling expression. Even that was so big that she couldn’t avoid getting strawberry dye on her clothes and cheeks. (TN: Come on, Verndia, wipe her cheeeeeksss!!!)

Finally, it was when Psychke was chewing on a small piece of strawberry. A white handkerchief fluttered and covered her stomach. A rough but cautious hand followed soon after.

“Why do you eat while being buried like this, our little Princess?”

(TN: Ack, ack, acckk!! MY heatttuuu!!! Verndia and Psychke is sailing!)

Verndia started wiping away the dirt on her as if he was handling something precious to him. Even if it was okay to take a bath and change clothes, or not to brush up because it was fine, he always said this at the end of a meal.

She was ashamed.

Her heart tickled strangely, as if tickled with feathers. In order not to make even the sound of the bell, Psychke held onto the bell and lowered her eyes slightly. Then, by chance, she saw him smiling.

“You’re cute.”

Verndia self-talked, but it came through her ears with her strengthened five senses.

Her mind flashed.

She recalled the man’s hobby of ‘Collecting things that girls like whenever he’s bored’. He recalled that the dress she was wearing, the tea utensils she was using, and her bed also came from his warehouse.

‘His taste…’

She doesn’t think it really suits him, but those intense purple eyes really bothered her. So was the pounding that was transmitted through her ring.

‘Let’s respect his taste though.’

(TN: Puhaha, poor Verndia.)

Psychke, who had made such a resolution, asked a question while sneaking away from him.

“Wouldn’t there be any news from Lia?”

Lia has been very busy lately. On the day of the Doll Kingdom incident, she was chosen as an advisor because she was a wizard at the scene. Although she did visit after the fact case was closed, she was tricked by Verndia to get any more information from associates than from outsiders.

It was because of Psychke’s words that this incident seemed to be related to forbidden magic. Verndia nodded his head.

“What is it?”

The case was quickly being settled. Near the venue, magicians with the same wavelength as the growth magic on the dolls were found passed out. The tail of the aristocrat presumed to have instigated them was also caught.

If nothing else happens, it will end like this. However, upon hearing the answer, Psychke’s face darkened. In the first place, she did not ask about the circumstances of the case.

‘You’re very busy. So, when will the artifact be completed?’

An artifact that Verndia has entrusted with repairing, temporarily returning her body to its original state.

It should be fine soon.

Stella’s failed recruitment, Lillian’s fake necklace, etc., were piled up like a mountain of things to be solved right away, and she was nervous.

‘Oh, come to think of it.’

“Stella said it was difficult to help. I think she will have to find another way.”

“I knew it.”

Saying that this was expected, Verndia calmly rubbed Psychke’s cheek with his handkerchief.

“I wouldn’t have helped if it hadn’t been personal. But why can’t this be erased like this?”

“It’s just red. Stop rubbing.”

Psychke held Verndia’s fingers so that he wouldn’t rub them anymore. It was hot from the moment he took out the handkerchief, but it was like a stove because of the frictional heat.

“Why are you helping me? Aren’t we on bad terms?”

“It’s not because of the unwritten rule among talented people. The don’t interfere in each other’s lives.”

“Pardon?”

There aren’t many talented people, and there are only three in the empire, so shouldn’t they help each other and live on? Reading Psychke’s expression, Verndia smiled.

“It’s because of the first family heads. The legend about this ring.”

Verndia raised his left hand and showed it. The gold ring on his ring finger shone softly.

“It is said that it was made by Lestir, the first person who lost his lover due to a momentary mistake. There is no surviving record, but it is said that the lover was the first Silkisia.”

It was certainly a convincing hypothesis.

The first Silkisia and Lestir were on good terms.

It is said that the reason why the biggest jewel in Lestir’s sword was sapphire was because of Silkisia.

However, they both married different people. And-

“They both went mad and died miserably. It was said that their soul has been torn to pieces.”

Psychke’s was shocked and widened her eyes.

The history books did not provide details about the end of the first family heads. Just soldiered on died during the war. It was only presented briefly in the same way.

“Unlike Evergreen or Stella, where talented people appear every generation, Silkisia and Lestir skip several generations.”

After carefully brushing Psychke’s hair, Verndia folded his handkerchief.

“They said that was the reason. If it hadn’t been for the feeling of being more than a comrade, they wouldn’t have died that way. So, an unwritten rule arose. Unless the empire is in crisis, let’s not interfere with each other.”

It seems like a very serious story, but Verndia was laughing very happily and loudly.

“By the way, I don’t believe it. I think it was just a coincidence.”