CH 8

Why did she feel so bad? Did the maid do anything to the ointment? She put the ointment close to her nose. She couldn’t smell anything strange. It only smelled like ordinary herbs. Had she been too sensitive? Feeling ashamed of something, she scratched her head.

Okay. What was she going to do with something weird?

She lowered the clothes lightly, being careful not to wake the child. Then she took an appropriate amount of the medicine and applied it gently to the bruised area. It was pretty sticky, so she didn’t feel good about it. Was there anything else besides this medicine? It would take a few more days for the bruises to go away.

It was when the medicine was applied to the other shoulder and the clothes were even tightened.

“…Paang.”

Huh? What was this?

She turned her gaze to the side in puzzlement. The body of the child who had been asleep until just now was half lifted. It was amazing that the child mumbled something while almost sitting down.

“Bread, pan…”

At first, she wondered what he was talking about, but it seemed that he was talking about eating bread.

“I want to eat the bread Elia made…”

The child, who was lying down again, muttered once more, and then let out a loud breathing sound. She couldn’t help but burst out laughing. 

She hurriedly gasped to herself, covering her mouth. She laughed silently for a while, then calmed down. She never thought he’d be so cute even when he was talking in his sleep. Now that it’s like this, she would have to ask permission to go into the kitchen tomorrow.

He would say that he wants to eat the bread she made even while he was sleeping.

She smiled and carefully lay down next to the child. She took the child in her arms and closed her eyes. She felt like she could sleep comfortably today.

* * *

She hurriedly walked away holding the plate with the lid closed. It was obvious that the child would be waiting for her to choke out. Baking the bread had delayed quite a bit of time.

The bread that the child said he wanted to eat in his sleep yesterday was in this plate. As soon as she woke up at dawn, she asked the lady-in-waiting to go to the kitchen and make the bread herself. Although the cook helped, of course.

She was about to ask the lady-in-waiting to tell her that when the child wakes up, he would eat at the dining hall instead of the room… Maybe the Duke was with him? She paused. She could feel the eyes of the knights following her, but she could hardly move. She was comforting herself that she would be fine, but to be honest, she was still a bit worried.

What if, by any chance, the Duke felt the same feelings for her as the female lead? Then what should she do? If she looked at the Duke as a love object, he was an almost perfect person. He’s handsome, he had a lot of money, and his rank was the highest among the nobility. However, if the problem was that the personality and level of obsession were not normal, it was a problem.

Fortunately, the Duke did not commit any immorality, such as touching the female lead’s family. However, he slowly tightened the woman’s breath, enough to make her tremble. In the end, he even tried to imprison the heroine. Although it ended in an attempt due to the Emperor, but…

She felt sorry for the female lead, who would soon become the obsession of the Duke. But what about the original? She shook her head and started walking again. It was almost time to go to the dining hall.

She saw Anne, the maid who brought her the medicine, heading somewhere. As she stared at it, she suddenly noticed something strange. Anne’s left ankle was wrapped in bandages. It felt like she was overly bandaged for her bruises.

…Well, it had nothing to do with her. She shrugged her shoulders and moved on. When she arrived at the dining hall and went inside, the child jumped up from the chair and came running.

“This is the bread Elia made, right?”

“Yeah. Sorry to keep you waiting.”

“No. I didn’t wait at all.”

The child shook his head vigorously and led her to the table. She sat down and glanced at the Duke who was eating in silence. He had a cold appearance that was no different than usual. Also, unlike yesterday, he didn’t look like anything.

If that’s the case, she didn’t have to worry anymore. She let out a sigh of relief and set the plate she was holding onto the table. When she opened the lid, the smell of freshly baked bread wafted out.

“Here, eat.”

The child grabbed the bread and bit into it. A smile spread across his small lips.

“It is delicious.”

“Really? Thank God.”

Even though other delicacies were overflowing on the table, the child eagerly ate only the bread she baked. She paused and held the cup of water to the child’s mouth. He seemed to be thirsty at the time, so he drank water well.

This time, she smeared the bread with jam and handed it to Delian, then she took a bite too. It tasted really good. Shall she learn some other dishes from the chef later? While she was thinking about this and that, she heard the child’s voice.

“Dad, would you like to try the bread Elia made? It’s so delicious.”

“No need.”

“It’s really delicious…”

The child looked at the Duke with eyes full of regret, and he finished eating the bread.

“I guess you don’t want to eat that much. Now, let’s eat something else besides bread.”

She was looking at the child who ate well regardless of the food she gave him, but she felt his gaze somewhere. When she raised her head, the Duke was staring at her with a calm glance.

“Do you have anything to say?”

He just looked away without speaking.

What was it? She shrugged her shoulders and continued eating. However, after the Duke’s gaze was repeated several more times, she couldn’t eat the food even because she was nervous.

She was about to ask why he was looking at her like that, but the kid was a step faster.

“Father wants to eat this too, right? Here.”

The child got up and walked over to the Duke and offered him some bread. She was sure he wouldn’t eat it and that the child would get hurt by it, but then something unexpected happened.

…Eh?

Incredibly, the Duke cut off a piece of bread in front of him and put it into his mouth.

“It sucks.”

And what he said was nonsense… That’s right. She wondered why he was eating, but Delian was just trying to say something.

“It’s really delicious…”

“I guess it just didn’t suit the Duke’s taste. Never mind. Huh?”

“…yes.”

She had to sweat to soothe the child who was drooping due to the Duke. By the time the child finally felt better, the Duke got up and left the dining hall.

“Shall we go out too?”

Delian nodded his head with a full stomach. As she got up and started walking, the seat where the Duke was sitting caught her eye. For a moment, she stopped in his seat without realizing it. She knew he was looking at her, but she couldn’t take her eyes off it. The plate the child handed out to the Duke earlier. So, the bread that was on the plate was gone. It’s also very clean, without a single crumb, without a trace.

* * *

“Elia, what’s wrong?”

As she was walking in a daze, she came to her senses when she heard a voice. Delian was looking up at her with a puzzled face.

“Nothing.”

“Are you still sick?”

“It’s okay. I’m almost healed.”

“Then I’m glad.”

“Should I go to class now?”

“Yes.”

Suddenly the child bowed his head sullenly.

“Is it because it’s hard to take classes?”

“That’s not it.”

“Then?”

“I can’t be with Elia any longer…”

She wanted to stay, but she couldn’t help but smile at the answer she heard. How did he choose pretty words every time?

“How can you be so pretty, huh?”

“Elia is pretty too.”

Even when they arrived at the room, they were constantly exchanging compliments. It was almost time for morning classes when she heard a knock on the door outside.

[Lord Delian, it’s time to go to morning class.]

The child looked at her with regretful eyes and stood up from his seat. This time, she did not see him off and followed the child.

“Is Elia going out too?”

“Yes. I’m going to class with you.”

After smiling at the wide-eyed child, she opened the door. As soon as she made eye contact with the attendant, she immediately asked.

“Can I take the same class as Delian is taking?”

She wondered if the attendant was taken aback by her question, and then he slightly rolled his eyes.

“I just want to observe. I have no intention of disrupting class.”

“Well, that’s…”

“Sir Lubart told Delian to do whatever he wanted. So it won’t matter?”

“Did the butler say that?”

“Yes.”

She secretly tapped the child’s shoulder from start to finish.

“Ugh! I’m definitely going to class with Elia.”

“If Lord Delian wants to do that, I understand.”

The smiling child hurriedly pulled her hand.

“Go quickly. Hurry up!”

Excited enough, he started to run forward. They quickly arrived at the place where he was taking classes as she moved her steps as if she was running with a child.

“This is where I take my classes.”

She looked around the room carefully. It felt just right that the environment was optimally decorated for class.

After waiting for a while while sitting next to the child, the door opened. A man with long silver hair in a ponytail came inside, and she could tell who it was just by looking at him.

“I just heard from the former attendant that you want to observe my class.”

“I know it’s rude, but let me ask you this favor.”

“Okay, then let’s start class right away.”

“Before that, may I know your name? I’m Elia Lawton.”

“Oh, I almost forgot to introduce myself because I’ve been so hectic. My name is Serion Jeffrey, Professor of History at the Imperial Academy.”

Soon after, class started. The child’s expression suddenly changed to serious.

“Today’s lesson is the beginning of ancient history. There will be a bit of magic involved as well.”

Serion began writing on the wide blackboard. Looking at it still, the part that she was not conscious of was only now in her eyes. It meant that even though possessed, she could read the text without difficulty. It was not a clear letter, but it is interpreted naturally as if it was entered in the head.

“The content was boring, perhaps because it was a history class, one of the things that happened in 2409 in Argena, before the foundation of the imperial family was properly established.”

According to records in ancient books, the first princess, Katrina, had her hand in the forbidden magic, black magic. To keep the second princess, Trezina in check… black magic…? In particular, she tried to solidify her position as the Crown Princess by using curses, one of the dark magics.

Could it be that the curse placed on her body was also a form of black magic? Her mouth suddenly itched at her own curiosity, but she fought back.

“Do you have any questions?”

Serion’s gaze, which had been directed to the child, had moved to her before she knew it. Would he mind if she asked him a question? She looked at the child, wondering if she was disturbing the class.

“I’m OK.”

Nodding her head at the child’s words, she opened her mouth.