Ch.3
A few more days passed.
The man was someone who kept his word.
Of course, he was so busy that it was difficult to share every meal, but he at least tried to spend time with me once a day. Just that was enough to make Void look completely satisfied.
‘Hmm, this is going smoothly.’
I was lolling about, full from lunch.
I think I've adjusted pretty well here, haven't I?
‘I should start making my move soon…….’
At the sudden thought, I sprang up.
A chill ran down the back of my neck. Wait.
“Haven't I forgotten something?!”
I felt like I had forgotten another person in this house…….
Just then, there was a knock, and the door opened.
“Hazel?”
“Lord Rubian, it's snack time!”
Ah, let's fill up on sugar first.
“Yeah!”
Hazel smiled softly. Having grown close to her over the past few days, I was already treating her comfortably.
As I headed to the tea room near the bedroom, I saw a guest who had arrived first.
“Why do you keep working while wandering around instead of staying in your office?”
With one hand signing documents while slightly raising his eyes to gaze at me, his handsome face.
“It's my estate. My castle.”
Well, he wasn't wrong.
“You're late.”
As I plopped down on the fluffy sofa, the man scolded me for no reason.
Recently, the man had been obsessively badgering the chef to make all sorts of desserts. Though the chef had apparently suggested it first……. Who knows?
Of course, tasting new snacks was enjoyable. But I was worried the chef might be overworked.
‘What a terrible employer, seriously…….’
I'd felt it in the capital too, but the man quite enjoyed eating.
He ate all kinds of desserts without discrimination.
Well, I suppose he had to eat well to maintain such a large frame, but…….
‘But to torment the chef every single day!’
“What did I do wrong this time?”
The man dangled his hand, which had round teeth marks on the back.
“I'm not a kitten or anything…….”
“It's just! On behalf of the chef!”
“What are you talking about.”
The man murmured as he seated me deep into the sofa.
“It's been quite a while since the meal. I shouldn't let you go hungry.”
For some reason, his tone sounded dissatisfied.
“I ate a lot of rice, so I'm not really that hungry…….”
“I am.”
“…….”
Well, if he said so, there was nothing I could say.
Clink, clink. A pleasant snack time.
“How is it?”
The man asked.
“It's delicious.”
“You haven't even eaten it yet.”
Only then did I stab the strawberry cream cake placed before me.
“It's delicious.”
“I really can't let my guard down around you.”
As the sweetness spread, the top of my head prickled with delight.
“When you're done eating, let's go to the annex together.”
“The annex?”
“It's suspicious that the old man has been quiet all this time. We have to make the first move before he causes trouble.”
Uncle Leviathan muttered without much sincerity.
The old man…….
‘Old Duke Zebert?’
Was that why he had been quiet?
I blinked quietly.
The man, sitting crookedly on the sofa across from me, was devouring a slice of cake in just three bites.
“Uhm... does the Old Duke stay in the annex?”
“Yeah. He almost never comes here.”
The man crossed his legs and sipped his tea. Seeing his neat, efficient movements, he looked every bit the high noble again.
“Have you heard stories about Father?”
“Just a little of what people mutter.”
I glossed over it roughly.
“I heard he's ill.”
“That is true. Well, it's fine. He'd probably hate having attention drawn to him even more.”
The next words, spoken in a low voice, were almost inaudible.
‘Gasp, wait.’
The back of my neck went cold again.
‘There's a sick elder in the house; isn't it too rude of me not to pay my respects?’
Besides, I'm a rolling stone that somehow makes people want to find fault with me even when I stay still!
‘What do I do, what if I've already made a bad impression?’
Fortunately, there was no one in the ducal estate who hated me right now.
But if the Old Duke hates me…….
And tells me to go back to the capital…….
As if reading my strange silence, the man opened his mouth again.
“Don't worry. I told you I'd scold anyone who bothers you.”
“What kind of person is the Old Duke...?”
“Hmm...”
The man looked up at the ceiling for a moment, thinking.
“An angry lion?”
“……?”
Staring blankly at the cryptic description, I was met with deep purple eyes.
“Yeah. A bean like you might get devoured in an instant.”
I scoffed lightly.
“Lions are carnivores. They don't like beans.”
“Should I call this mature, or childish...”
The man snickered and tapped the tip of my nose.
Pink cream got on his calloused fingertip.
When did that get there. How embarrassing.
“Your Grace, would you like more?”
“Naturally.”
I was once again exasperated by his brazenly extending his plate.
“What kind of cake... do you eat like it's your birthday?”
“Because it's delicious.”
Just by looking at him, you'd think he'd say 'This meal should be sufficient' with a bitter espresso or a strong glass of brandy.
Taste truly is an incomprehensible thing.
“Eat more for now. Otherwise, I'm not taking you anywhere.”
“O-okay...”
I picked up my fork again.
Perhaps because of the sweetness spreading to the tips of my hair, my worries about the Old Duke faded a little.
‘Hmm, strawberry cream is tastier than the chestnut cream from yesterday!’
I'll have to tell the chef later.
“Phew, I'm stuffed.”
As I thumped my stomach contentedly, the man tapped the table.
“I don't think it's time to put down your fork yet.”
“But I'm full? I ate a ton of rice.”
“You barely nibbled.”
“I did not!”
I'm not a mouse.
“Our chef will be sad seeing how much you left. Right?”
“Yes. His heart will ache.”
The attendant who had been setting down strawberry milk in front of me chimed in.
Ugh. The mood of the one who feeds you is the most important thing...
I pondered briefly, then picked out a strawberry shyly buried in cream and ate it.
After eating a bit of the fluffy sponge cake too, the man grinned.
“He'll be happy now.”
Are strawberries big in the North too?
My cheeks puffed up like a hamster's. Soft cream and tangy juice filled my mouth.
“Mff-mff.”
“Muttering curses while you chew won't help.”
Ah, he caught me...
KWA-BANG!
It was then. A sudden deafening explosion swept through the entire castle.
“Uwah!”
The four-tiered tray on the table shook, followed by faint vibrations.
BANG. BANG!
“Wh-what... hicc!”
I was so startled that I swallowed the cake without chewing. The hiccup was a bonus.
The man scrunched up his face and reached toward me.
“Did you bite your tongue? Let me see.”
“Is that what's important right now?!”
“Drink your milk first.”
Small and large popping sounds burst one after another.
Milk or whatever, my head whipped around.
“Hoo... He finally couldn't hold it in.”
“Is it an attack?”
“It is, but it isn't.”
What kind of bullshit answer is that?
But the strange thing was that I was the only one surprised in this room.
Everyone else simply steadied the shaking decorations or straightened tilted frames with calm, familiar faces.
“My Lord, what should we do?”
“If we lock it, he'll break through the wall, won't he?”
“Most certainly.”
Listening to the conversation between the man and the attendant, I became increasingly bewildered.
THUD-THUD. THUD-THUD.
Something approached from afar.
Like the sound of a charging bull, or the footsteps of an enraged giant...
“For now, Ruby, drink your milk. Stop hiccuping.”
The man gestured toward the strawberry milk placed before me. As if entranced, I reached for the mug.
KWAANG!
Then, the thick door panel flew off.
“Where is the new brat?!”