‘Anyway, there are so many things I must take care of.’
There were a lot of things that he needed to decide on, like what to do with the party he had already hired because Zilehan insisted on it. Really, even two Edgars were not going to be enough for all that. He then made a list of things he should take care of in his mind and looked at the time.
‘Oh no, I didn’t know it was already this late. The dinner must have started by now.’
He had been so angry that he had forgotten to say he was going to come back as he left the mansion. Rubica and the others had to be thinking he had left for the capital after being summoned by the king.
Rubica probably had started to eat instead of waiting for him. He liked seeing her eat very much, and he had to do his best to look away because he knew he would smile like a fool if he saw her directly. He just kept glancing at her. As he tried really hard to not show it, even his loyal butler Carl didn’t know he liked that time.
Edgar cursed and ordered the driver to drive the carriage faster.
But Your Grace, it’s less than ten minutes to the mansion anyway.
Just shut up and drive.
The distance was way too short, and it was going to be only a waste of the mana stone carriage’s fuel. The driver was very confused, but he shut his mouth at seeing how urgent the duke was. It looked like there was only one thing he could say.
Yes, Your Grace.
Edgar anxiously flicked his feet as the carriage took up speed and jumped to his feet as soon as the carriage arrived and ran like an arrow. Even his guard knights were confused at seeing him behave so unusually, but they followed him nevertheless.
Your, Your Grace!
Didn’t you leave for the capital?
Your Grace, you have come back?
The servants were surprised to see him, but he ignored them and continued to run. The duke almost never ran, he was always elegant even when there was an emergency.
Has something happened?
Maybe he has forgotten something.
It must be something serious as he is running himself.
All the knights and servants thought the duke was going to his office. They thought he had forgotten an important secret file that he had to handle himself. However, he ran to the dining hall.
Oh!
Your Grace!
Everyone in the hall was surprised to see him come in. The servant who had been carrying a dish almost dropped it in surprise. Rubica was shocked as well.
Edgar, aren’t you supposed to be on your way to the king’s castle?
She asked with wide eyes, but Edgar couldn’t say anything. He was almost out of his breath. He just walked and sat down on his chair. The servants were very much confused, but they quickly got to work.
Edgar glanced at Rubica as he wiped his hands with a napkin. A servant was about to take away a plate, and more than half of the food on it was remaining. To Edgar, Rubica leaving so much food was odd since the only time when she skipped her meals was when she was stressed about mana quartz.
‘Has something bad happened?’
Edgar almost said that, but he managed not to.
There had been a lot of bad things happening. He knew how much she had suffered for him today, so he could never ask that question. For now, Edgar took a sip of water. He didn’t want to pant in front of Rubica.
Rubica pouted when not getting an answer in return. She had suffered so much because of him today, but he was ignoring her.
I would have waited for you if I had known you were coming back…
She added, quite disappointed. Edgar managed to catch his breath and quickly replied,
Of course, I would never leave for the king’s castle without saying goodbye to you.
Then where have you been?
I went to make Zilehan pay for what he did to you.
That was what Edgar thought, but there was no way he could say that to Rubica. She was a merciful person. He had to be honest with himself, he had indeed punished Zilehan a little too cruelly. If Rubica got to find out he had been at Zilehan’s house, she could also find out about what he had done to him.
Oh, I’ll eat fish.
Edgar talked to the servant who brought him his entrée, and Rubica narrowed her eyes at seeing him avoid her question.
‘You’re the one who left without a word, and you say, ‘of course I wouldn’t leave for the king’s castle without saying goodbye’? Why do you sound disappointed? I’m the one who should be disappointed.’
While Edgar ate the sea bass dish a servant brought him, Rubica tried to eat her piece of cake as well. However, she couldn’t pick up speed, probably because she felt a little offended.
What is it? It’s not good?
Edgar couldn’t stand watching her poke the cake with her fork and asked.
No, no. It’s good. I like caramel and I also like cakes. I was just thinking.
When Rubica showed she didn’t like some kind of food, it magically disappeared from the next meal. She didn’t want to lose her favorite caramel like that, so she quickly denied.
But you almost didn’t eat your main dish at all.
Oh, that’s… um.
Rubica looked embarrassed. She looked away, and she seemed to be hesitant to answer.
‘If she says she feels bad after what happened during the day, I should apologize.’
He had hidden inside his office while she confronted his relatives, and it had been wrong. Edgar was planning to say he felt sorry when Rubica was going to say she was angry about what had happened in front of his office.
I don’t have much appetite when I eat alone.
However, to his surprise, what she said was totally different.
What?
Now she was blushing hard, and she blamed him for making her confess that. That was not appropriate for the mistress of a noble family, so she decided to change the topic.
Edgar.
Rubica.
They called each other’s name at the same time. It was quite embarrassing, and Edgar’s cheeks turned a little red. Unlike before, he was clearly expressing the change in his emotions. Rubica was surprised to see that and gulped. And by doing so, she missed the moment.
So, it’s okay now, right?
What?
Your appetite?
Rubica nodded, although she was a little puzzled. Edgar ordered a servant to bring another one of what he was eating. Soon another sea bass dish came out, just roasted and hot.
Well, um, this wasn’t necessary.
It was quite embarrassing that he now knew about her childish habit, and he was being way too kind to her. He acted like he was her father, and it was strange.
‘What?’
However, Edgar was confused to hear that.
‘Why are you refusing?’
He thought she would be happy if he was kind to her. Instead, she looked down and didn’t meet his eyes. Now what?
-He always comforted me when I got tired or stressed.
Edgar had memorized Arman’s every action that Rubica described and was now mimicking him. He believed it would win her heart.
‘But I’m better than Arman in every way.’
That was what he was actually thinking. According to what she had told him about Arman, the only thing he lacked was ‘kindness’. So now, he was trying really hard to be kind, but she refused it.
He was trying to notice what she needed without being told and give it to her… but was she not going to give him even a chance to be kind to her?
‘Rubica.’
Edgar gritted his teeth, but it wasn’t like he could let his anger out on her. He had been trying so hard to be kind to her, and he couldn’t ruin all that because of some momentary anger. As someone once said, after you fall in love, you are always the weaker one.
Carl, I want to have a word with you.
Edgar stood up. Then he spoke kindly,
I’ll be back soon.
Why was he doing that? Did he want to go to the loo or something? Then why was he taking Carl?
Rubica was confused. Although Edgar was smiling, his eyes looked dangerous, and it felt like she wasn’t supposed to ask what it was about.
Um, okay.
She gave permission and Edgar left the hall, still smiling like a mask. Carl followed him, also not knowing what it was about. Edgar went into a room right next to the hall, that was usually used as storage, and his smile vanished as soon as he closed the door. He asked Carl,
Did you hear that? She can’t eat well alone.
Yes, I did.
Did you know that?
I… had my guesses.
You had your guesses?
Yes. Although she always has breakfast, she doesn’t eat much.
Why did you never tell me that?
Edgar’s eyes turned red in rage. That signaled danger, so Carl gulped hard and confessed the truth.
Um, I thought you wouldn’t care about it even if you found out…
Of course, I should care about it!
Edgar grabbed Carl’s collar, and he now had someone to let his anger out.
I am her husband! And I didn’t even know she couldn’t eat well alone until today? Is that right?
