A Breakthrough
A Breakthrough
I sighed when I arrived back home. I had resolved the problem with Max, but what should I do about the tea tasting party?
A novelty tea party. It was a simple concept, but I honestly didn’t have any confidence in it. If I spent too much money preparing for it, Father might kick me out.
It wasn’t strange for me to be moved when the ladies at the tea party offered Merilyn some tea. In this world, the value of tea was extremely high. It was so expensive that even the middle class couldn’t so much as dream about having it.
What I drank today was white tea… which was more expensive than regular tea.
There were many different types of tea and they were usually divided by their acidity or how they were fermented. However, the raw material for each tea was the same: a tea tree called Camellia sinensis. White tea was made by collecting the sprouts that still had silver hairs on them, which meant that only a limited quantity could be made. That was why it was so expensive.
I would have to prepare a tea similar to that to avoid disgracing Rose…
Although I no longer cared if my image was damaged, I felt different about Rose because she had been cultivating her reputation in high society for a while now. If I invited people to a tea tasting party and served them average tea, then the people who would find fault with my halfhearted attempt might criticize Rose as well.
Was there a solution to this problem? As I thought hard about the different things I could do, I heard a voice at the door.
“My lady, this is Merilyn.”
“Come on in.”
With my permission, Merilyn opened the door and came inside. She held a bouquet made up of various types of flowers in her arms.
“Wow, they’re pretty,” I exclaimed.
Merilyn smiled and nodded. “Aren’t they? I went out to the garden for something and saw how delightful they were, so I decided to bring some to put in the vase.”
“Yes, they look absolutely wonderful.”
I gazed at the vivid flowers for a while before a thought suddenly came to mind.
Wait—yes. That was it…!
I approached Merilyn. “Merilyn, by any chance…”
I explained what I had in mind. Her eyes shone brightly as she nodded. “Of course. There’s a lot of them.”
I smiled, satisfied by her answer. Alright. I might not be able to pass the test to become a member of the tea tasting party, but with this, I should at least be able to save face.
✤ ✤ ✤
The next day I tried to go for a walk early in the morning, but Merilyn stopped me from doing so. “My lady, you can’t go out in those clothes,” she said.
“Why?” I didn’t understand. Even though I was wearing a chemise which was meant for the indoors, I wasn’t planning on going anywhere far away. Just the front of my house.
“It won’t be long before the sun rises,” she explained. “You must wear a gown and a hat to protect your delicate skin.”
It was true that I easily flushed red if I stayed in the sun for too long because of how sensitive my skin was. I understood her concern now. “Alright,” I said.
Merilyn smiled softly. “I’ll get you ready, then.”
I sighed as I watched her. I didn’t know why Merilyn just couldn’t leave me alone these days. In the past, I clearly remembered that she tried to minimize interfering with me as much as she could, but now she meddled in everything I did. It actually felt really awkward having someone take care of me and getting all concerned for me like this.
Was it because I lived alone and away from my mom in my past life? Was it because I was an only child now?
Merilyn approached me with a gown and hat in hand. “I’ll dress you up, my lady.”
It was strange. She was treating me like a child, but instead of getting offended, I laughed.
“Why are you laughing, my lady?” she asked.
“It’s nothing,” I said, looking at her. If she continued to treat me like this, I knew I was going to get attached. I decided to hold back on what I was going to say. Someday, I was going to leave this place and I would have to say goodbye to her. It would be better for me if I didn’t become too affectionate with her.
“Thank you,” I said after she finished getting me ready.
She smiled sweetly at my gratitude. “It’s no problem.”
I stared at her for a moment then lowered my gaze. I shouldn’t get my hopes up. This way… I won’t be hurt again.
✤ ✤ ✤
I looked around the garden while walking with Merilyn. It seemed like there were roses, pansies, and all kinds of other flowers here. Since it was early summer, they were in full bloom, making them more beautiful than ever.
Would these roses and flowers work?
As I was about to cut off a rose stem with the flower scissors I brought with me when someone called out to me. “What are you doing here?”
I glanced back and saw Max staring at me. “Oh… When did you arrive?” I asked.
He looked irritated. “Just now.”
I studied his expression and sighed. What was he upset about this time?
He then pointed to the flower scissors I was holding. “Why are you carrying something like that? It’s dangerous.”
Dangerous? They were just a pair of scissors… It was absurd for him to say such a thing, but I knew that he was going to keep bothering me if I didn’t answer him.
“I wanted to pick some roses.”
Max quirked an eyebrow at my response. “Why would you do something like that when you can order one of your servants to do it for you?” he asked, even though he was a commoner himself. This reminded me of the fact that he was a difficult person to understand by my standards.
“Oh, it’s…”
I opened my mouth to say something, but then I closed it. If I ordered people to do tedious things for me while on the verge of being kicked out, then they would definitely hate me. However, if I tried explaining that to him, telling him that I didn’t want to cause any trouble in the future, he was just going to look at me as if I was crazy.
If I hadn’t been the villainess of this novel, I wouldn’t be trying to save myself like this. I grieved over my situation.
Then, Max reached out to me. “Give those scissors to me,” he said.
“No. I want to do this myself,” I responded belatedly, but I knew there was no way a stubborn man like him would just quietly listen to me.
“Come on,” he urged. I sighed at his unyielding attitude and handed the scissors over. Then, he gave them to Merilyn, a sharp look flashing through his eyes. “She could’ve been pricked by the thorns or she could’ve accidentally cut herself with the scissors. As the head maid, shouldn’t you be the one taking care of things like this?” he asked.
As a fallen noblewoman, Merilyn held a higher social status than Max, but his warning tone sounded so natural. It was as if he had ruled over others for a long time. However, since I already had some insight on his true identity, I immediately discredited this absurd idea.
Well, the truth was that he was just clueless about worldly affairs.
Nevertheless, Merilyn, ignorant of his identity, humbly apologized and accepted the scissors. His aggressive aura had overwhelmed her. “This was due to my negligence. I’m sorry,” she said.
Max had essentially earned an apology for one of the most ridiculous reasons. He observed me idly for a moment before opening his mouth. “For the sake of your lady, I’ll forgive you.”
What? Who was he to forgive my maid? I was a little annoyed, but I knew that if I tried to start an argument with him, I would just use up all my energy. I gazed at the flowers in disappointment and sighed. I should pick these later.
Having nothing else to do here, I was about to walk away when Max spoke. “So, how many do you need?” he asked.
Without thinking, I said the first number that came to mind. “Um, about twenty?”
As soon as I finished speaking, a metallic sound rang through the air and a silver flash sparked before my eyes. His arms had moved so fast that I didn’t even realize he had swung his sword. When the roses he had cut with his sword fell scattered to the ground, I registered what he had done.
He… just tried to help me cut the roses, right?
I felt somewhat strange as I blankly stared at him.
He turned his head slightly and said, “Stay still and don’t make any unnecessary movements. You’ll just get in my way.”
If it weren’t for his harsh manners, I would’ve thought that he was being kind. It was amazing how he spoke in a way that seemed to contradict his actions. Still, he helped me once again.
In any case, it was true that his considerate behavior made me feel weird. This wasn’t the first time, either; he had done several other kind things for me before. A crazy idea came to mind, but I didn’t think it was an impossible one.
Max, who had no idea what I was thinking, diligently trimmed the stems of the roses. Gathering them together in a bouquet, he handed them to me. “Here,” he said.
“Oh, thank you.”
“It’s good that you know to thank me, at least.”
His bluntness had me dismissing my delusional suppositions. I knew it. There was no way he would.
“So, what other flowers do you need?” he asked.
I didn’t know if cutting the flowers was fun for him or something, but unlike his tone of voice, he looked excited. I let out a sigh. Should I consider this a form of donating his talents?
✤ ✤ ✤
“Your Majesty, Viscount Shaer, who was sent as an envoy to the crown prince, has returned.”
“Tell him to come in.”
A short middle-aged man soon entered and saluted the emperor. “I greet the Sun of the Great Empire.”
Instead of acknowledging the greeting, the emperor skipped directly to the matter at hand. “What did the crown prince say?”
At the emperor’s aggressive tone, Viscount Shaer hesitated for a second before opening his mouth. “Ah, he says that he has yet to settle the dispute… there have actually been several battles against the barbarians.”
The emperor clicked his tongue. “What an incompetent man! Get out of here!”
The atmosphere grew heavy as Viscount Shaer meekly left the emperor’s office. The grand chamberlain, sneaking glances at the upset emperor, carefully tried to speak.
“There is still one more piece of news,” he said.
“What is it now?”
“I was told that there have been suspicious movements in the south.”
The emperor glared at him fiercely. “What?! Give that to me now!” he viciously commanded.
The grand chamberlain hurriedly handed the report he held over to the emperor. The emperor’s entire body trembled soon after he examined it. “Marquis Lennox reported having a reduced number of troops to the capital and is training extra men at the border instead?”
He tore up the report, his eyes shining icily.
“Tell Duke Floyen to come to the imperial palace immediately,” he harshly demanded.
✤ ✤ ✤
By the time I had finished preparing for the tea tasting party with Max’s help, it was already evening. “Time flies, doesn’t it?” I grinned at him. “It’ll be time for dinner soon.”
“Alright,” he responded quietly. “I’ll get going then.” It was as if he thought I was kicking him out.
Although that wasn’t my intention, I did make him work for me the entire day. There was no way I could tell him to leave in good conscience without inviting him to dinner, so I hurriedly grabbed his arm.
His eyes grew wide. “What is it?” he asked.
“Why don’t you stay for dinner?”
He seemed a little reluctant to accept. Since it was in his nature to appear briefly before vanishing, I locked my arm around his to prevent him from doing so. “Let’s go,” I said. Then, I turned to Merilyn and asked, “Could you go to the kitchen and inform the chef that there’ll be a guest today?”
“Yes, my lady,” Merilyn said. Then, she left. Only then did I realize that there was a problem.
Father was home… would this be okay?
I was used to dining with Father, but I thought Max might feel uncomfortable. Even though we were in a contractual relationship just to show Father I was dating someone, I wanted to prioritize his feelings since he had helped me today.
“By the way… Father will be home. Will that be okay with you? We can eat outside if you’re not comfortable with—”
He cut me off firmly. “It doesn’t matter.”
Rather than relief, I started feeling anxious when faced with his compliance. Hopefully nothing bad would happen.
✤ ✤ ✤
In all honesty, Max didn’t want to join Jubelian for dinner if his master was going to be there, but he couldn’t refuse her. If she asked him like that, there was no way he could refuse. It would be annoying, but he should be nice to her.
Max justified his actions then looked at Jubelian. Remembering the dizzying situation she was in earlier today, he sighed. Did she have no sense of danger?
She was trying to cut a thorny rose with her bare hands, running around dangerously with a pair of scissors in hand. Max couldn’t leave her alone since she was essentially defenseless, behaving clumsily in everything she did. Even now…
“Max, the dining room isn’t that way. It’s over here—ah!” Jubelian started stumbling after she lost her footing.
Why was she so careless? Max rushed to catch her fall.
“Oh, thank you,” she said.
He didn’t know why, but the sensation of his arms wrapped around her thin waist struck him vividly. Her lips, plush and pink, also stood out more to him than usual. As if he were possessed, he couldn’t take his eyes off of her. He started feeling lightheaded, a strange impulse rising within him.
Unconsciously, he leaned forward, Jubelian’s face gradually coming closer and closer. When he could feel her breath on his face, something caught his eye.
“Max?”
He pulled back in shock after noticing how her periwinkle eyes seemed to watch him in wonder. What did he just…?!
He frantically distanced himself from her.
“Max, what’s wrong all of a sudden?”
He could hear her, but there was no way he could answer her truthfully. It was the first time he had ever felt something like this and the more he dwelled on it, the more embarrassed and ashamed he became. Afraid that Jubelian might see his flushed face, he turned his head away.
“Stop being so clumsy from now on,” he told her. In truth, he just wanted to tell her to be more careful, but his voice came out curt instead. Regardless, he couldn’t take it back now since he was worried she would discover his strange state if he said something sweet to her.
Suddenly, he felt a soft touch on his arm. Before he knew it, Jubelian had slipped her arm around his, pouting all the while. “You were the one who was walking too fast in the first place,” she murmured. “I was just trying to follow you.”
If she were anyone else, they would’ve been decapitated for their arrogance, but interestingly enough, Max didn’t mind when she spoke to him in such a way.
“Alright,” he said. “I’ll make sure to walk slowly.”
Jubelian nodded at Max’s words. “Don’t forget, okay?”
Normally, Max would’ve considered it an unimaginable thing to adjust himself to others’ needs. He thought those who were slow and prone to lagging behind him were a burden meant to be abandoned. Now that he tempered his pace, however, an unexpected feeling arose inside of him.
Maybe it was okay to go slow sometimes.
✤ ✤ ✤
As usual, I sucked in a breath when I saw Father’s elegant figure sitting at the table. As expected, he was here.
It was true that I had many concerns about my relationship with Max since it had developed differently from what I had imagined, but I had no intention of backing down since I had already come this far. My topmost priority was to avoid getting engaged to the crown prince.
I looked straight into Father’s cold blue eyes and said, “Father, as the butler should have announced, Max will be dining with us today.”
I wasn’t sure whether it was a second or a minute that had passed after I spoke, but it felt like an eternity and an instant in equal measure. Amidst the silence, Father was glaring at us with eyes like daggers.
He already hated me anyway. Instead of being so conscious about him, should I just sit myself down?
“Sit down,” he suddenly said.
Relief washed through me. I had his permission. “Sit next to me,” I said to Max.
Typically, the proper thing for him to do would be to sit across from me, but I figured that it would be better if I was right next to him so I could teach him table manners since he probably wasn’t familiar with them. When Max and I sat down, the servants served us soup and appetizers to begin our meal.
“You can eat it using the spoon furthest to the right,” I quietly told him, assuming his ignorance.
“I know how to…” He sighed, abandoning the sentence. “Alright,” he said instead. “I understand.”
He began to grumble as usual, but then he suddenly changed his tone. I must’ve been right. He really didn’t know how to use the silverware.
He was probably unaccustomed to situations like this… he must’ve felt really uncomfortable. My original plan had been to treat him to a meal, but now I felt like I was putting more unnecessary pressure on him. I pitied him, becoming increasingly remorseful for putting him in such a predicament.
One of the servants bringing us food approached us. “Dear guest, the main dish for today is steak,” they said. “How would you like it cooked?”
Steak was prepared by grilling the entirety of the meat. It was considered a fairly high-end dish here. Commoners usually put meat in a stew or cooked it into steamed dishes, so I assumed there was no way he would know how he wanted his steak cooked.
“Medium rare for both of us, please,” I said, answering for him.
I caught Max glaring at me. He was doubtlessly appreciative of my help in this burdensome situation. I smiled at him. We made it this far, so I planned to keep helping him. That way, he didn’t need to face any more hardships. And…
I glanced at Father and recalled my original motive for starting this contractual relationship. If I showed him that Max and I were an affectionate couple, then… would he give up on getting me married?
✤ ✤ ✤
Max hated undercooked meat. Ever since he had been a kid, he didn’t like bloody meat. That was why he was taken aback when Jubelian had decided upon the steak’s doneness on her own.
“Beef isn’t good when it’s cooked too long. Medium rare is the perfect amount of grilling,” she said with a smile.
Max couldn’t bear to criticize her when she beamed at him like that. It couldn’t be helped. With a sigh, he took some salad from the bowl and put it onto his plate.
“You can eat the salad with that fork,” Jubelian said, pointing at the salad fork. Max already knew everything she told him, but he couldn’t bring himself to say anything in retaliation.
“You have some sauce here,” she noted, wiping his mouth with a napkin. It was a pleasant experience.
She was so devoted. He had to be kind to her.
At that moment, the main dish came out. Matthew, the chef of the Floyen household, bowed in silence before introducing the dish he prepared. “Today’s meal is calf steak with truffles. They’re cooked medium rare for a smooth texture.”
Max wasn’t impressed with Chef Matthew’s explanations. He had eaten enough steak in his life to grow sick and tired of it.
After the main dishes were placed in front of everyone, Jubelian picked up her knife. Would she be okay? Max worried about her. As he watched Jubelian pick up the sharp utensils with her pale hands, he felt uneasy. If she ended up cutting herself…
If he could’ve, he would’ve taken the knife from her and cut her steak for her instead.
Jubelian looked over at Max with curious eyes. “Why aren’t you eating?”
“Oh, it’s just…” He couldn’t tell her that he couldn’t eat because he was worried about her. “I was just about to eat…”
He was going to make up an excuse, but he wasn’t quick enough. His eyes widened in surprise.
Why was she taking his plate all of a sudden?
As if to answer him, Jubelian spoke pompously, her knife in hand. “Since it’s rather difficult, I’ll cut it for you.”
Max was stunned at her ridiculous claim. She was going to go as far as to do this for him? He wasn’t even a little kid! Max had learned his table manners at six years old. He knew how to use all his silverware by then. Ever since, neither his mother nor his nanny had offered to cut his meat for him. Furthermore, he didn’t want her to use a knife with hands as delicate as hers.
“No. I can do it myself—” Max straightened himself and tried to take his plate back, but she interrupted him firmly.
“Don’t worry,” she said. “I’m good at cutting.”
It was impossible to believe her claim after witnessing how unskillfully she cut her steak. She was driving him crazy.
“Jubelian,” Regis called coldly. Max narrowed his eyes.
She stopped cutting the steak, glancing up at her father. “Yes?”
In Regis’ eyes, Max had treated Jubelian with thorough indifference despite all the effort she put into helping him cut his steak. His disciple’s reactions reminded Regis of Mikhail, causing his eyes to grow cold.
He knew that Max’s true intention was to use his daughter to win him over.
He had already repaid the debt he owed to the late empress in full by protecting Max until adulthood, so he regarded Max with fierce eyes. It wouldn’t hurt to show that kid the power of his authority.
He slowly clenched his fists, stopping only when he heard his daughter’s voice.
“Father?”
Regis looked at his daughter. She was the apple of his eye, and he felt sorry for her. She was trying so hard because she was blinded by love. He had to put up with Max for a while… but only because she liked the brat so much.
Regis pushed his patience to its greatest limit. “I’ll cut the steak for you,” he bit out.
✤ ✤ ✤
I was taken aback by Father’s offer. Did he just say that he would cut the steak? My eyes trembled slightly until I noticed where he was looking. Oh, was that what was going on? Father was gazing at Max.
It looked like he wanted to make up with him. It was true that he had always cared more about his disciple than his own daughter, after all…
I should help them make peace. It would be better for me if Father and Max got along again because I had been bothered ever since I accidentally forced their relationship apart. Father might give up on marrying me off to the crown prince if it was for his disciple’s sake.
“Okay. Thank you, Father,” I said as I gladly handed the plate over to him.
“What a difference there is between the inside and outside,” Father said while cutting.
Was it because it was medium rare? From the outside, it looked pretty well cooked, but it was definitely still a bit reddish on the inside. Still, I figured it had been cooked plenty enough… I was almost drooling at the sight of the juices seeping out of the meat.
“You should always be careful. If there’s too much of a difference between what’s on the outside and what’s on the inside, you might end up spilling blood,” Father continued.
He was right. Even if I told a servant or the chef how I wanted the meat to be cooked in advance, it was sometimes served to me undercooked. There had also been times where I had absentmindedly cut into the meat and lost my appetite because it just started bleeding afterwards.
Well, in a situation like that, it could always be grilled again, I thought peacefully.
“Here,” Father said as he handed me the plate back.
“Oh, thank you.” When I handed the plate over to Max, I saw him open his mouth to say thank you, but Father spoke before him, ruining the opportunity.
“Jubelian.”
“Yes?”
Father extended his hand out to me. “Hand over your plate as well.”
My heart fluttered weakly at the realization of what he planned to do, but the feeling subsided as soon as it came. I guess it would look pretty weird helping his disciple while neglecting his daughter.
However, differing from my gloomy thoughts, I spoke with a slightly pleased tone. “Thank you,” I replied. Because there was a chance that Father and Max might make up, I was content and filled with hope. Nevertheless, I had no choice but to heave a sigh soon after.
There was no sign of reconciliation afterward. Even though Father had cut Max’s steak for him, the two had not exchanged a single word. Seeing how they kept glancing at each other, it didn’t seem like they wanted to avoid it or anything…
At that moment, Father looked into my eyes and said, “Let’s have tea later.”
Suddenly, I realized something and chuckled. The person he actually wanted to have tea with was probably Max, and he was only using me as an excuse. He really… cared a lot about Max.
“Will that be okay?” I asked Max. I wasn’t sure what he wanted to say, but he gazed at me for a while before slowly nodding his head. I had expected this response from how he kept glancing at Father throughout the dinner. He wanted to make up with Father as well, after all.
They were finally going to forgive each other. If they fixed their relationship, there was a chance that Father might approve of me dating Max and cancel my blind date with the crown prince. If that happened, I could simply continue to pretend to go out with Max until the prince eventually got married.
Imagining a hopeful future, I spoke with joy. “Then, let’s drink some of the tea I made today.”
As soon as I said that, both of their expressions changed remarkably. Father’s face hardened and Max narrowed his eyes at me. Hm? Did they distrust the tea I made? It was true that I needed some test subjects to taste my tea since I wasn’t feeling confident about it, but…
Feeling embarrassed, I quickly offered another option. “Or maybe we can just drink some other tea…” I trailed off.
Suddenly, the butler approached Father with a report. “Master, a messenger is here from the palace.”
“What’s so important that it’s interrupting my dinner?” Father asked, irritated.
Derrick studied Father’s face for a moment before opening his mouth. “The emperor wishes to summon you to the imperial palace immediately—”
“For what?” Max, who was next to me, cut in, joining the conversation.
“Oh, that’s…”
I felt sorry for Derrick. He was just diligently doing his job, but he ended up getting run over by these men.
“It sounds urgent. We can drink tea next time,” I said. Then, I held Max’s hand tightly, worried he would start something again. “Let’s go.”
I was afraid that he was going to protest, but he quietly followed beside me. Reconciliation was probably off the table for now… I felt regretful.
“It’s not urgent.”
I stopped when I heard Father’s resolute voice. Even with his status as a duke, it was still a shocking remark.
“But… it’s an order from the emperor,” I responded carefully.
His stubborn attitude didn’t fade. “This is more important to me.”
I understood that making up with his disciple was important to him, but couldn’t help but be concerned about him acting against the emperor’s orders like this. My gaze trembled with confusion.
Then, I heard Max’s cool and collected voice sympathize with Father’s nonsense. “I concur,” he said.
I frowned at Max. He hadn’t said a single word to Father before this, but now he was earnestly agreeing with him. This wasn’t the time! I was irritated so I turned to Derrick for some help in this chaotic situation, but he kept his head down for some reason, a stiff expression on his face. A sigh escaped my mouth. Was I the only one being reasonable here?
With a sense of duty in mind, I calmed myself. Then, I agonized over what to do next. No matter how much the two of them were willing to make up, this was wrong. Disobeying the emperor’s orders constituted disloyalty. Even if Father was renowned as the hero of the empire, he would be considered a disgrace if he defied the emperor’s orders.
I didn’t want to be on bad terms with the royal family. My original future dictated that the emperor would become furious with me for envying the crown princess. Then, the crown prince would drive me to kill myself. Going right along with them, Father had turned a blind eye to me.
To be honest, I hated trying to read other people’s thoughts since it was a tiring thing to do, but if I wanted to live, I had to avoid getting on others’ bad side. I had to look after myself. With this decision in mind, I began my plea.
“But Father, you shouldn’t disobey the emperor’s orders. If it truly turns out to be urgent—”
Despite my perfectly reasonable rebuttal, Father shook his head. “It’s fine. There are plenty of other people out there skilled enough to take my place if I choose not to go.”
It was an unbelievable statement, but in a way, it made sense.
“Master is right, so let’s go have tea,” Max chimed in.
I frowned slightly at Max. Now he was suddenly calling Father his master again. It looked like they had already made up… did we still need to drink tea?
✤ ✤ ✤
The emperor couldn’t believe his son had the nerve not to show up yet… resting his fingers on the arms of his throne, he clenched his fists. Soon, the grand chamberlain entered the room.
“Have you heard from Duke Floyen?” the emperor asked him.
“He says he will come to the palace tomorrow since it’s late in the day,” the grand chamberlain replied.
The emperor began questioning the grand chamberlain angrily. “What? Did those words really come out of his mouth?”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
Although Regis had made excuses many times before, this was the first time he had blatantly refused his orders. The emperor stared at the ring on his finger and scrunched his face in annoyance.
Regis was rebelling now, it seemed… What on earth was he planning to do?
✤ ✤ ✤
I brewed some of the tea I had prepared for the tea tasting party and fished out the leaves. Based on the scent that lingered on the tip of my nose, I considered my attempt rather successful. I hoped it would suit their tastes.
Father elegantly lifted the teacup to his lips then placed it back down. “The tea tastes good,” he said. At his praise, I glanced at Max.
He nodded in agreement. “It smells pretty good.”
For a man who once complained about tea being tasteless to now approve of it… I had roughly guessed my way through the brewing process, but I was glad it turned out well. This should get me through the tea tasting party. I smiled.
Then, I met Father’s eyes.
Why was he looking at me like that? I was thinking of avoiding his gaze since it was making me uncomfortable, but he lowered his eyes before I could, speaking softly.
“It’s great,” he said.
His unexpected compliment made me more flustered than happy. I barely had any memories of Father praising me, but he said it was great? To me? My heart wavered. I felt that if I allowed myself to lower my guard even the slightest bit, I was going to relapse into my past self, begging him fruitlessly for affection. I suppressed the expectations that arose within me and adopted a mantra of defense: Don’t expect anything, Jubelian, I silently told myself.
He had told his young daughter never to visit him again, despite how desperately she missed him and how she had endured a cold winter day to see him. Using training as an excuse, he neglected to attend his daughter’s once-in-a-lifetime debutante ball. There could be no way that he was praising me from the bottom of his heart. It was impossible to consider that he might have changed. The moment I recalled the reality of this fact, all of my senses became numb.
“Thank you,” I replied mechanically.
He glanced at Max. “I want you to go upstairs first,” he told me. “I have something to discuss with my disciple.”
I was confused, but then everything suddenly made sense. He must’ve praised me so he could get an in and spend some time alone with his disciple.
Alright. That was good enough for me.
My heart ached peculiarly, but I concealed how I felt and forced a smile onto my face. It was good that they were making up with each other.
“Of course,” I said. “Take your time.”
✤ ✤ ✤
When the door closed and the sound of Jubelian’s footsteps gradually faded away, Max and Regis openly unveiled the murderous auras they had hidden away until now.
“What nonsense are you planning?” Regis demanded.
Max frowned and scoffed. “Nonsense?”
Regis glared at his despicable disciple. “Why do you keep lingering around my daughter?”
Max smirked at his master’s question. “Why do you think? It’s obviously because…” He trailed off, incapable of coming up with a good reason.
Max clenched his fists tightly. Shit. Why did he even…
He had always wondered about the reason himself, but he could never arrive at a conclusion because thinking about it gave him headaches. He had a vague idea as to why, but he couldn’t bring himself to make such a claim.
His master’s icy voice pierced his ears. “I see that you’re at least unable to lie and say that you love her.”
An ugly feeling rose inside Max at his master’s words. He glowered at the older man, his eyes burning like a fueled fire Overwhelmed by the raging heat inside of him, Max studied his master’s graceful appearance, coming back to his senses when he noticed the similarities his master shared with Jubelian.
Yeah, he… normally, he would’ve immediately refuted his master’s remarks, but now, no matter what he said, Max couldn’t get angry because this man was Jubelian’s father.
When Max didn’t answer, Regis filled the silence for him. “From now on, don’t show up in front of my daughter ever again,” he commanded.
Even so, he treated Max with such disrespect… It was annoying. Max looked irritated. Then, he adopted a rebellious look on his face, saying, “No, I don’t want to.”
Regis’ eyes darkened. “She’s already been through a lot. She’s not someone you can just toy with.”
Max felt himself growing fiercer. Regis thought that Max had just been toying with her?
It was true that he had ulterior motives when he had first encountered Jubelian, but things were different now.
“Oh, you’re Father’s disciple.”
Ever since they had first met, he had gone out of his way to search for her because… because…
“It gets cold at night because we’re in-between seasons.”
He had never felt cold before, but he was able to experience what it meant to feel warmth for the first time because of her.
“Good night.”
Max had never slept well at night because he had always been anxious about getting ambushed at any moment, but he had been able to sleep peacefully in her presence.
“It’s okay to be honest with me.”
He always had to show off his strength because he feared that others would look down on him, but when he was by her side, he didn’t have to.
“I was worried because I have strange tastes, but I’m glad you like it as well.”
When he was with her, he could put up with the things he disliked.
“I’m still in a situation where I’m being ignored by those in high society. How much of a joke will they think I am if you disrespected me as well?”
He hated lowering himself for someone else, but if it was for her, he didn’t mind, no matter how many times it took.
“If you’re that against it, then I guess it can’t be helped. Let’s end our contract here.”
He was afraid that she would leave if he didn’t agree to the things she said.
“Max?”
Max’s world had always been achromatic. Everything was either white, black, or gray. The only color he knew was red, which carried with it the stench of blood. One day, however, his desolate world had suddenly found itself rife with new shades: blue, purple, and a dazzlingly beautiful silver.
Although the vague answer he was looking for almost came to mind, he couldn’t be sure about it. Nonetheless, Max was positive that he had no choice but to admit that he could no longer imagine a world without Jubelian.
Max looked straight into his master’s eyes and opened his mouth. “Don’t assume my feelings without my permission,” he said. He then stood up and walked past his master. “I have no intention of breaking up with her.” He began to walk away slowly. Then, he paused. “That’s all I have to say,” he declared.
He recalled Jubelian’s face when she had left the drawing room. She was definitely smiling, but it was strangely different from her usual smile. It wasn’t as bright. Wanting to see her as soon as possible, Max quickened his pace and left the room.
Regis gazed at the door his disciple had left through with confusion. There was… no way. Although he denied his thoughts, he had definitely seen an unfamiliar expression on his disciple’s face. Yes, it was a warm expression he thought he would never see Max make.
The moment he admitted this fact, he felt greatly fatigued. Regis covered his face with his hands without realizing it. Then, he shut his eyes tight.
✤ ✤ ✤
The two of them must’ve made up by now, right? I wondered about them as I opened up a book. Strangely enough, however, I couldn’t focus on reading. Oh, what was wrong with me? I silently groaned.
Suddenly, I heard a knocking sound at my window and I flinched. Was it Max? But he had no reason to come this way…
Just to make sure, I approached my window to check.
There, I was surprised by a black shadow upon the balcony. Gosh. Why did this guy have to come this way when my room had a perfectly fine door? I sighed as I undid the latch. As soon as I opened the window, the chilly wind from outside made the curtains flutter lightly.
I locked eyes with Max. His gaze looked deeper than usual.
“Why did you come this way?” I asked. “You could’ve used the stairs.”
“What took you so long? It’s cold,” he said, making an irrelevant remark instead of answering my question.
Well, it wasn’t like this was the first time he had done something I couldn’t understand… I suppose I was stupid for even asking him. I tried to close the window after letting him in the room, but he placed his hands over mine. “I’ll do it for you,” he said.
Did he finally mature? He had never listened to me before…
“Well, all I have to do is pull,” I said, but he still didn’t let go. Noticing that his temperature felt a little feverish, I turned around and saw that his face was a little redder than usual. “Are you okay? I think you have a slight fever…”
He gazed at me for a while, then answered me in a soft voice. “I don’t know.”
I took his hands off of mine and hurriedly closed the window. “I’ll tell the maid to call our doctor,” I said. I was about to pass him by when he carefully wrapped his hands around mine once more.
“Don’t go,” he said gently. Being watched by such a serious expression made me feel strange since it differed so much from the ones he usually wore. “It’s nothing. My temperature usually runs high.”
I frowned. Why was he joking about something like that?
Then, I noticed that he was smiling at me. I couldn’t look away from his handsome face at first, but then I was soon able to come back to my senses. “Why are you smiling?” I asked reproachfully.
“Because I feel like I know why now,” he promptly replied.
Know why about what? Curious, I stared at him blankly.
“Let’s sit down first,” he said. Then, he led me to the couch as naturally as if this was his own room.
“My spot is…” Since he usually occupied the spacious couch alone, I tried moving to the armchair across the room, but he didn’t let go of my hand.
“Sit here,” he ordered.
“What?”
“You’ve always looked at this couch like you wanted to sit here.”
I was amazed since I didn’t expect the man who never gave up his spot to say such a thing.
“Wait a minute, what happened?” I asked. “Did something happen with Father?” I was indirectly asking if he had finally become a normally functioning human after discussing things with Father.
He stared at me for a second before opening his mouth. “Master is starting to doubt.”
I was startled. “Doubt? Doubt what?”
“He is doubting… our relationship.” He answered slowly.
I was shocked by his unhurried claim since I had been so nice to him today. I had even acted coy… but Father was still doubting us?
“It was probably because you’ve been the only one initiating any acting,” he continued with a frown.
I was the only one? I narrowed my eyes, but otherwise remained silent since it was true to some extent. I had been too nervous to give him the chance to provide his own input.
“I thought about what we could do and came to the conclusion that we need to get to know each other better.”
That made sense because I didn’t know anything about him to start with. “Alright!” I agreed. “Then, what should we—”
“Take a seat first. Then we’ll talk.” He tapped the spot next to him.
When I awkwardly sat down, I could feel all of his attention focused onto me. His gaze, which was different than usual, made me feel strange. How should I put this… it was a little uncomfortable.
The more I thought about it, however, the more I started to realize that this feeling probably originated from my own victim mentality. Judging from his unconcerned behavior, he was probably looking at me without much thought. If I tried to avoid his gaze, he could get offended.
I watched him sedately. “So, what do you want to know about each other?”
“Well, what do you like?” he asked, his voice pitched lower.
I tried to think about it. What did I like? It just occurred to me that I had lived so far without even considering if I had any preferences. In my past life, I had spent all my time trying to get a job, and in this life, I had spent all my time chasing after Mikhail. I was starting to feel remorseful, wondering why I didn’t even know where my preferences lied and why I hadn’t tried living for myself until now.
Amidst my silent contemplation, Max spoke up. “I like swords,” he said.
As soon as I processed his words, I became somewhat disheartened. I couldn’t believe that he could spit something out so easily while I was still seriously thinking over the problem.
Well, come to think of it, it was rather simple. I let out a hollow laugh. My favorite things? It was a difficult question at first, but now I realized that it was no longer as worrisome as I had initially assumed.
“Well, I guess I like books for now,” I supplied.
“Books? Is there anything else?”
“I also like looking at flowers. As well as drinking tea.”
“And?”
“And relaxing while lying down…” I talked about this and that, before suddenly wondering what else he liked. “Besides swords, is there anything else?”
“Well…” he stared at me as he trailed off.
He had been staring at me for quite a while now. Honestly, he was lucky that it was me he was staring at because if it had been someone else, they would’ve easily misunderstood him. Was there really nothing else he liked besides swords? If this was true, I was beginning to feel sorry for him.
“If you think about it carefully, then you should be able to come up with something else that you like,” I said. “You can tell me even if it’s something trivial, so don’t feel pressured.”
After hearing what I said, he slowly reached toward me. I watched his long fingers gradually near my face. What was he trying to do? When I looked into his eyes, I could see them shaking weakly. He looked confused. Instead of stopping him, I decided to wait and see what would happen.
“I’m not sure yet,” he spoke in a strange tone, brushing some hair from my face.
I watched him slowly pull his hand away from me. “Why didn’t you tell me that I had hair there?” I asked.
“Couldn’t I be the one to remove it?” He frowned slightly.
“Ah, well… sure.” It was true that we were in a contractual relationship. He was probably practicing so he would be ready for when we needed to perform in front of others. I understood his motivations.
“You know… you don’t have to put up an act when we’re alone,” I said, just in case he was bothered by having to do it. He didn’t reply.
Seriously, he didn’t even realize when I was being considerate toward him. I grumbled quietly, but then I remembered something I had forgotten about.
“Oh, come to think of it, did you make up with Father?”
He shook his head at my question.
Wait, they still hadn’t patched things up between them? The two of them seemed so motivated to have a conversation earlier, but they must’ve ended up drinking tea in silence again. I sighed in frustration. Would I need to continue doing this despite Father’s objections after all? As expected, nothing in life was easy.
“Why are you making that face?” Max asked.
“Oh, it’s nothing. I’m just frustrated.”
“About what?”
I debated over whether or not I should answer him honestly. It was up to him to decide whether or not he wanted to reconcile with Father. He could get offended if I spoke to him honestly.
I tried to read his face before saying something vague. “I think Father still hasn’t given up on marrying me off to the crown prince.”
Max narrowed his eyes slightly. “Do you hate the crown prince that much?”
“Huh?” I was taken aback by the question. It felt rather sudden, and he was watching me with a serious look on his face.
Did I have to tell him what was truly on my mind? I sighed, coming to the decision that I didn’t have to tell him about these things, after all.
“You know… all you have to do is help me avoid getting engaged to the crown prince. So...”
He suddenly began fiercely glaring at me. Normally, I would’ve continued without hesitation, but the sudden change in his expression made me pause mid-sentence.
“Why are you trying to avoid your engagement to the crown prince?” he asked, his voice low.
I clenched my fists. His interruption had made me forget what I was originally going to say. Because he’s a psychopath who’s supposed to kill me in the future! I almost cried. Others might be afraid of him, but that was the full extent of their worries. I, on the other hand, had to endure knowing he could be the cause of my own death.
I was sure that my life was going to end the moment we met.
“Be honest,” he insisted. “I’m just asking what you dislike about him.”
He had a valid point. He may have been an extra at the beginning of the novel, but now he was involved with me, the villainess. Even so, I couldn’t tell him the truth and he probably wouldn’t believe me if I did. Therefore, I ended up telling him only part of it.
“He’s scary. I heard he even kills his own people if he doesn’t like them,” I said.
He gazed at me with trembling eyes. He looked shocked by what I said, and I began to worry as the color drained from his face, his skin blanching as pale as wax.
Was he okay? I thought about shaking his shoulders to snap him back to normal, but then he knitted his eyebrows together. I hadn’t done anything yet.
As if to put my thoughts to shame, he glared at me resentfully. “Scary? But… you’ve never seen him before,” he accused.
His sudden change in demeanor caught me off guard, but I quickly shook my head. “Dangerous animals like bears or leopards are still known to be scary even if you’ve never seen them in person before. It’s like that. If I meet him, then my life will be in danger.”
Even though I had provided an adequate comparison, he just gave me a look of confusion in return. “Your life will be put in danger? What makes you think that?”
I suddenly realized I had been speaking about the crown prince in an exaggerated manner. “Oh, well… it’s because of all of those vulgar rumors…”
Max’s expression hardened at my words and he let out a sigh. “If he promises not to kill you, will you marry him?”
I frowned slightly. Who was he to say that the crown prince would make such a promise? It flustered me, but I decided not to think too deeply about it since I was only talking to Max. He said weird things on a regular basis. This was probably just a joke, and to be sociable, one had to be able to respond appropriately to jokes. Although I had no intention of getting married, I went along with him since he was just teasing me.
“Well, if he tells me that he won’t kill me, I might think about it,” I said.
His face brightened. He must’ve thought his joke had worked on me. My face darkened at the nonsense that came out of him next, though.
“You never know. Marrying the crown prince may not be as bad as you think.”
I frowned. He really had no sense of humor. “I don’t like these kinds of jokes,” I said firmly.
His face twisted into a frown again.
✤ ✤ ✤
“Welcome back. How was your day?” Fresia asked Max after he returned to his residence.
When he looked back at her, Fresia stiffened, noticing her lord’s somewhat gloomy aura.
Did something happen? Many potential concerns crossed her mind, such as Max getting into an argument with Duke Floyen or something bad happening to Lady Floyen.
She watched Max with worrisome eyes. Then, he spoke. “I have something to ask, Fresia.”
She swallowed nervously at his dispirited tone. “Please, feel free to ask me anything,” she assured him.
He sighed. “Am I something to fear amongst the people? For example… like a bear or a leopard?”
Fresia shook her head at his words.
That was what he thought. He had never killed someone aimlessly before… Jubelian was the strange one for being afraid of him, he thought.
Then, he heard Freesia’s firm voice elaborate on her answer. “No, I assure you that you’re much scarier than those things,” she said.
Max scowled. So that was what the people thought of him. As he cursed others for their disgraceful treatment of him, he recalled the words Jubelian had said to him.
“He’s scary,” she had said. “I heard he even kills his own people if he doesn’t like them.”
Max furrowed his brows, frustrated. He just needed to let her know that he wasn’t going to harm her… even though it was obvious he had no intention of doing so, there was still a chance that Jubelian would run off as soon as he confessed to her that he was the crown prince. He tried to figure out a way to convey his feelings, thoroughly exasperated.
Watching Max struggle, Fresia guessed why he seemed so distressed. “Are you upset about Lady Floyen? Could it be that… you’re struggling to have a heart-to-heart conversation with her?”
Max flinched and glared at her. “How did you know?”
It was obvious. Fresia sighed. While running the salon, she had overheard a lot of people’s troubles. Among them, the most common problems seemed to be about romance. When it came to love, the wisest of ladies, the most renowned scholar, and even the best, most experienced politician became a fool.
She should probably help him.
Fresia decided to use her experience to give Max some advice. “Why don’t you try writing her a letter?”
“A letter?”
“Yes, there’s nothing better than using a letter to convey your thoughts.”
Max fell deep into thought at Fresia’s words. Then, he opened his mouth. “Write to the emperor and tell him that I’ll return soon.”
“Huh? All of a sudden?” Fresia asked, confused. Why did he pick the emperor to send a letter to instead of Lady Floyen? Why on earth did he change his mind?
Despite the emperor’s urging, her lord had postponed returning to the palace until now. She couldn’t wrap her head around why Max had suddenly decided to return like this out of the blue. Was he perhaps planning to start putting pressure on the emperor and empress? Although many preparations had been made for the uprising, it was still too early to reveal any hints.
This was a big deal… based on His Highness’ personality, he might not stop there. She needed to give him some serious warnings before he returned to the palace.
Contrary to his subordinate’s intricate planning, Max’s decision to return was born from something extremely simple: if he wrote Jubelian a letter in the name of the crown prince letting her know that he wasn’t a scary person, she would be relieved. For this to work, people would need to know that the crown prince had returned to the palace.
There was no way Fresia could’ve guessed this.
✤ ✤ ✤
The stars disappeared one by one as the dim sky slowly turned lavender. Regis was sitting in front of his desk in his office.
He was beginning to feel uneasy these days. His daughter had become unexpectedly lively and his disciple’s behavior was changing. From dawn to dusk, Regis couldn’t help but agonize over what to do about these unforeseen events.
That was right. He had already made his decision. He just didn’t have the courage to put it into action until now.
Regis closed his eyes firmly as fatigue began to overwhelm him. When he thought of his lovely daughter, however, he slowly opened them again.
She could come to hate him.
Regis smiled bitterly as he gradually stood up.
Derrick gazed upon the duke with troubled eyes. The duke didn’t sleep at all last night… would he be okay?
“Get me ready to enter the imperial palace,” the duke ordered.
