Chapter 19

When we returned to the drawing-room, Sarah, who was treated as my favourite maid even though she was my only maid, brought us tea. She also brought my favourite strawberry cream pudding along with butter cookies, which I hadn't eaten for a long time.

Did she bake the cookies herself?

In the grand duke's mansion, Sarah had plenty of time to herself because Aedis' subordinates were taking care of me, whether I needed it or not.

Monica crossed her legs, twisting her hair at an askew angle.

"Excuse me, Maevia? I'm really disappointed in yo... huh? Butter cookies? Maevia, you remembered what my preference in food is?"

I didn't remember, Sarah did...

I glanced over to Sarah.

She quickly stepped back with an innocent look on her face, as if she knew nothing.

Quickly changing my way of speaking, I looked at the bitter Monica with a soft expression and said,

"What's wrong?"

She tasted the butter cookies and blurted out the wrong thing.

"Is Grand Duke Kallakis a good man? Are you sure he's trustworthy?"

"You seem very interested in my marriage."

She was also very interested when Gilbert came and proposed to me.

"C-can't I be interested?"

It's not that you can't, but the fact that you're unhappy with it.

"I'm afraid I won't be here on your birthday. However, I still have time to hang out, so I'll send you a gift."

Monica frowned when I told her I was unable to attend her birthday party.

"Do I look like a beggar? All I want is for you to attend."

Um.

Isn't there something strange about her point? Or am I mistaken?

"Not the young master?"

Monica tilted her head.

"Young master? Young master who?"

Ummmmm....

She chewed on the butter cookies.

I was immersed in my thoughts for a moment.

Have I ever done something particularly nice to Monica?

While I was brooding over my life, she finished her butter cookies in the blink of an eye. Sipping her tea, she said elegantly,

"If you come to my birthday party, I'll gladly celebrate yours as well. Even if your party was outside of the capital. That reminds me, when will you be having your wedding? Evidently, you'll be inviting me, right? Before you invite Charlie?"

"..."

I'm speechless.

When I tried to remain silent, Monica got angry again.

"Oh really, why can't you understand that I'm trying to repay a debt? Maevia, you aren't stupid, right? So why do I have to explain it to you? I'm willing to come and see you under this excuse because I'm worried you'll freeze to death all alone in the north!"

"You don't need t..."

"I even have an idea for a bouquet design!"

Monica went on and on with an unusual expression on her face.

I barely managed to calm down Monica for an hour straight. I fed her butter cookies till she was full, listened to her whining and nodded my head while she complained.

After all of that, I was left with a headache.

Ughh, I should take some headache medicine.

I returned to Aedis, burying my head in his shoulders and whined,

"I didn't know that Monica was that interested in me."

S-so stressed. My ears feel numb....

He looked at me and all of my suffering and laughed,

"Now that you know, do you still wish to stay in the capital?"

"Um, no?"

I'd rather leave tonight.

I also want to lock the gate that leads to the north.

Aedis put down the book that he was reading and leaned back on the sofa. I caught a glimpse of the book's title, 〈100 Things You Must Do From Today on for a Happy Marriage〉. Thanks to Aedis, I was also able to lean against him in a comfortable position.

"You've done everything you needed to do here, but why do you still insist on moving to a remote and wild area? It's not like we can't negotiate."

A remote and wild area, what a harsh assessment for his own territory.

"So I can stay in the capital if I want to?"

"If you want to, you can. But it'd be embarrassing for the grand duke."

Aedis spoke as if he and the grand duke were different people.

I narrowed my eyes.

"I'll think about it if we become closer. Sadly, I married you because you're a part of the Kallakis family. Also, is it okay for the knights to cook and clean?"

He smiled listlessly as he touched my hair that was hanging over my shoulder.

"It's what they have to do to avoid an unemployment crisis caused by their boss. What else can they do?"

Without a doubt, he's gifted enough to be a corrupt boss. And I just need to help out.

"They didn't properly clean the dust off the window frames."

"I told them to be careful."

"The meat I ate this morning was also tough."

"I'll beat them up and investigate what actually happened before you need to do it yourself."

I smiled softly and tried to stop him but it seems like he already made up his mind.

"Don't actually do it."

"Right now is sparring time."

I had a favourable impression when it came to swordsmanship.

Well, if it's sparring time....

Warm sunlight shined through the window. I had forgotten because of Monica taking my time, but I suddenly remembered what I wanted to ask Aedis.

"Mr. Aedis. You have two sons, what's the other one like?"

"He's different from Gilbert."

"Thanks for the obvious, simple and lousy explanation."

He opened his mouth,

"Eve."

"What."

Seeing my 'I have a complaint' expression and informal way of speaking, he told me in a low tone,

"You don't need to be nice to Rehan."

"...."

"You really don't have to."

"How come?"

I lifted my head. This was truly something unexpected.

Aedis smiled and hid his true sentiments.

"There will come a day where both Gilbert and Rehan will be grateful to me for keeping them alive all this time."

While I was relaxing, drinking my fruit juice and calling Camellia's Boutique, I heard a violent thrash somewhere.

I didn't know whether or not it was the sound of sparring.

I waited for the sound to stop before calling in Vega and Prokeon. Getting closer to them was a necessity.

"Oh dear... You're in horrible condition."

I looked at them with an innocent face that screamed 'i don't know anything', as if I wasn't the one fanning the flames to their situation.

Those couldn't have been serious injuries because Aedis said he would 'investigate what actually happened'.

I asked in a tone dripping with concern,

"Are you alright?"

"I-I'm alive... It was an honourable experience, truly."

Vega answered instead of Prokeon, whose soul left his body. His face looked like he got his soul stolen and only a teensy bit of pride left.

"Will there ever be a time where I get beaten up by the lord if not now?"

Prokeon agreed as if he had been possessed by something.

Y-yeah. If you like it, I guess that's good enough.

I showed the two knights my pre-prepared tea tray with packed herbal medicines.

"I brought you some herbal medicine tea for injuries and painkillers."

"Sob.... Your Excellency...! I will never forget such kindness and grace!"

"Of course, it'd be hard to forget."

"...Pardon?"

I couldn't help but tilt my head and smile refreshingly at the two.

"What are you doing? You're not drinking it."

"Oh, yes."

Side by side, Vega and Prokeon picked up their teacups. They emptied the cup immediately. Considering I also used a nice syrup and some medicine, it must've tasted pretty good.

After waiting for a bit, I brought up my main goal.

"I wish to get along with you guys as much as possible since you're my escorts until the end of our journey to the north. Even if we only met last night. Though I wish to get closer, there's too much distance between us. I'm sorry."

"Argh, don't apologize! Please!"

He looked around hastily at his surroundings while trying to stop me from apologizing. His terrified expression told me he was scared Aedis would pop out of nowhere.

I pretended not to notice. My eyes were flushed, moved to the point of tears.

"Oh….. Thank you for understanding, Sir Prokeon. Moreover, we're just starting to get to know each other. If something were to happen, can I put all my trust in you? Or is my weak faith considered disrespectful to you sirs?"

Hearing my plausible words, Prokeon wiped the remaining tea water around his mouth and stared at me.

"N...no?"

"You don't believe me, right? To be frank, I wanted to test you."

As if they now understood, Vega and Prokeon relaxed and accepted.

"That's easy to understand, what should we do?"

Since they were under Aedis, it was much easier for them to accept this kind of attitude.

Good. I stopped my pitiful act and reverted back to my usual self.

"I've been thinking seriously, why does war happen? Because of money? The desire to gain power? To defend one's beliefs? No, it's just because a certain son of a bitch provoked my faultless, elegant and graceful temper."

Does it look like I have time for inconvenient feelings?

"Ahem. Financial revenge is not enough. I want to land a physical blow too."

I elegantly expressed my want to irritate those annoying fuckers and see them with my own eyes before I leave for the north.

Yep, yep. This is what true elegance looks like.