CH 160

When I came down to the dining room, I was met with dead silence like a mortuary that struck me awkwardly. I felt like taking some steps back out of the room to retreat back to my bedroom, but I gulped down my throat and calmly greeted.

“Good morning, everyone.”

Everyone immediately turned towards me with my voice. Most looked bright, but Sir Arhan, the Captain of Guards, seemed especially delighted to see me.

“Secretary Harrant! It is so good to see you! You must never skip a meal if you don’t want to get sick!” He almost never spoke to me before, so when he smiled brightly, he showed his teeth that were missing in front, and that made me almost laugh.

From what I heard, the missing front teeth were the result of him protecting the Crown Prince against an enemy’s club from the war that they joined together… He seemed to be proud of his missing teeth as it was proof of him protecting the Crown Prince. But I heard a rumor that it was those missing teeth that deterred women away from him even when he’s completely normal. I mean, I can understand it because it will break the romantic mood if his missing teeth are shown when things get heated up. I was heatedly daydreaming about Sir Arhan, when Chelleno pointed at the chair next to him.

“Marin, come sit next to me!”

Huh? Why is everyone making such a fuss? I went over to sit with such thoughts.

“Did you have a good night’s sleep, Marin?”

“Oh, yes.”

Out of all the people, Rian was next to me. And… the Crown Prince was sitting right across at an angle.

“Thanks to you.”

Rian’s eyes grew large and wore a smile on his lips. “You couldn’t eat much yesterday, so you should have it full today.”

It was a good chance to have a glance at the Crown Prince. A nice meal and the eye candy Crown Prince closeby. It is like catching two birds with one stone!

“You’re here.”

He just spoke short sentences, but it made me so excited that my mood was delightful. Was I like this when I liked Kyles? No, I never was. I felt comfortable around him, but my heart never raced, and not all of the small things that he did were as important as this.

“Yes.” It was the same answer but came so easily compared to when I hesitated when I had to say it. That’s when the food came.

“Oh… we’re finally eat- UGH!”

The Lieutenant Captain Sir Helgen was trying to say something, when he suddenly stopped with a gasp. I looked at him and Sir Arhan, who was looking at him fiercely.

Sir Arhan turned to me with a grin, “Hahaha! This pal just bit his tongue because of the delicious food! Let’s dig in, shall we all?”

His missing teeth still didn’t match his perfectly normal face, but I tried not to show my laugh and started eating.

***

As we finished breakfast, I followed the Crown Prince to another area where the embankment had to be built. Was it because I learned how to do it yesterday? The investigation went more smoothly than yesterday. And it was when I was working hard that I found something by the bushes next to the river and quickly walked over there. It was as I expected when I walked up close. It enlightened my mood. I didn’t think I would find such a valuable thing here!