Chapter 103
From Kylus’s relaxed attitude toward Hakun to his words suggesting he knew him from before this shop was established.
Somehow, it seemed like they weren’t just a regular customer and shop owner.
“I’ve known him… for quite some time. I first met Hakun when I was twelve.”
“Twelve?”
Alice’s surprise at their deeper connection than expected made Kylus nod slowly.
“Yes. Hakun was actually a mercenary. I met him on the battlefield during my first war when I was twelve. He saved my life several times. When I asked what he wanted in return for saving my life, he said he wanted me to open a dessert shop after the war ended.”
Kylus smiled faintly as he lowered his gaze, seemingly reminiscing about the past.
“So I opened this shop for him… and somehow, we’ve remained connected until now.”
Despite his appearance, his desserts are quite delicious, he added in a low voice.
“……”
Alice hesitated as she looked at his downcast face.
Kylus’s expression was so unfamiliar to her.
He looked relaxed, as if he had set aside the heavy burden of being a Dearrut.
As they spent more time together since Kylus regained consciousness, Alice was learning quite a lot about aspects of him she hadn’t known before.
But even so, the Kylus that Alice had seen until now had always been perfect.
She wasn’t referring to his clothes or adornments.
It was the atmosphere that emanated from him as a person.
Kylus had never shown any vulnerability in any situation.
Just like his sculpture-like face, he gave off an impression that not even a drop of blood would come out if you pricked him.
But now… it felt like if she had a needle, she could poke him.
Fearlessly, at that.
She had thought he seemed different from usual since entering the shop, but…
If earlier she had caught just a glimpse of his vulnerability, now it felt like she was facing his bare self.
She could even feel warmth from his face, which usually showed almost no change.
Alice found this unfamiliar yet fascinating.
Perhaps that’s why she couldn’t easily look away from him. Just as she was staring at him, drawn in by the desire to see more, Kylus raised his lowered gaze.
And their eyes met precisely.
Alice, who had been focusing on Kylus, flinched unnecessarily, feeling as though she’d been caught peeking.
But Kylus seemed to misunderstand her reaction, and the smile disappeared from his lips.
A flash of embarrassment crossed his face.
“Oh dear, it seems I’ve shared something too personal on my own. I apologize if I made you uncomfortable.”
“Not at all. I wasn’t uncomfortable. I actually liked it.”
“You liked it? Are you finally taking an interest in me?”
Kylus gazed at her with a languid smile, as if he had never been embarrassed.
The atmosphere surrounding them grew strange as his gaze intensified.
Alice cleared her throat and composed her expression.
“Not ‘liked it’ in any special way, just that I found the connection between you and Hakun interesting, that sort of meaning.”
“I see. And here I was getting my hopes up.”
What hopes…
Alice swallowed hard at his suggestive words.
Despite his words of disappointment, Kylus smoothly curled up the corners of his mouth.
As if he wasn’t disappointed at all, but rather satisfied with getting what he wanted.
Alice subtly averted her gaze, feeling as though he could see right through her.
Where had all the vulnerability he’d shown earlier gone?
Kylus had once again become perfect and was making her flustered.
She felt like she should say something.
But nothing came to mind.
As Alice rolled her eyes around, Kylus’s voice rang out.
“I’m joking, so relax. Someone might think I said I was going to devour you.”
Devour me…?
That single phrase penetrated Alice’s ears vividly.
Though it was clearly said jokingly, to Alice it sounded entirely sincere.
Because it seemed like he really could devour her if he wanted to.
“Of course… there’s no way… you would devour me. Haha…”
“Right. So put your mind at ease.”
Kylus smiled deeply as he told her to relax, but Alice’s fragile heart fluttered even more.
This must be how a herbivore feels when placed before a predator.
As Alice was trying to calm her trembling heart, Kylus’s red lips moved again.
“Speaking of childhood stories, what was Alice’s childhood like? I’m curious about your past.”
My past?
Alice slightly furrowed her brow with a small “hmm” at the suddenly probing question.
She had to recall not her own childhood, but Alice’s childhood.
In her own childhood, not Alice’s, she had been an uninhibited neighborhood leader.
If she told him about how she hated skirts and only wore shorts, beating up boys… Kylus would be appalled.
She recalled Alice’s quiet childhood and answered slowly.
“Ah… I was just ordinary. I grew up in the countryside, so there wasn’t anything particularly special.”
“Hmm. Did you have friends you shared deep friendships with, or perhaps like young ladies often do, a great interest in the imperial family, or enjoyed stories about the capital… Even small details of Alice’s daily life would be fine.”
“Well, I never really had a strong interest in anything. Truly. I grew up just going with the flow, so I wasn’t very interested in worldly affairs. And my family wasn’t… wealthy enough to afford such interests.”
“…I see.”
“…Yes.”
Alice hesitated and answered a beat late.
Because she had caught a glimpse of a sharp light that had passed through Kylus’s black pupils, if only for a moment.
Perhaps he wasn’t simply curious about her childhood.
That’s what she had thought at first, but now it seemed like he was trying to discover something from her.
But what was he trying to find out?
She hadn’t done anything suspicious in front of him recently.
Bringing the third prince had been the most dangerous moment. But that situation had been resolved well.
He shouldn’t suspect me.
Kylus was her closest ally.
If her relationship with him became unstable, it would disrupt all future plans.
Just as Alice was about to speak due to the slight anxiety rising within her, the desserts arrived.
“Here are the walnut pie and a cherry tart specially made for the Duchess. I hope you enjoy them.”
Hakun placed the desserts on the table.
“…Thank you.”
Having missed her chance to sound out Kylus, Alice gave Hakun a faint smile.
“Please enjoy your time together.”
After Hakun withdrew, Kylus naturally cut a piece of the cherry tart first and placed it on her plate.
“I can vouch for Hakun’s skills, so please try it. It will be delicious.”
Alice, who had been looking at the cherry tart that shone smoothly as if brushed with melted sugar, raised her gaze to look at Kylus.
There she saw Kylus smiling at her with affectionate eyes.
The sharpness she had glimpsed earlier was gone as if it had been a lie; he was simply beautiful like a painting.
Did I… see wrong?
That’s how much she wondered.
As she stared at him, Kylus tilted his head slightly to the side.
“Alice?”
His face showed curiosity at her persistent gaze.
Alice managed a natural smile.
“Oh, it’s nothing. I’ll enjoy this, Duke.”
Then she used her fork to eat the piece of cherry tart he had cut for her.
The sweetness melted in her mouth, enveloping it.
It was as if that sweetness was telling her that everything was fine.
So Alice completely erased her momentary sense of discomfort and gave Kylus a satisfied smile.
“It’s really delicious, Duke.”
By the time they returned to the ducal residence after their unexpected visit to the walnut pie shop, the sun had already set.
And now Alice was sitting in front of her dressing table after finishing a somewhat late bath.
Aileen was humming a tune while brushing Alice’s pink hair.
Aileen was in a very good mood.
Today, her lady had come home late after going on a date with the Duke, of all things!
They had met by chance at a dessert shop and then the Duke had taken her to a nice place.
That’s what Lord Ruyd had clearly said when he returned to the ducal residence first with the chocolate tart.
The Duke and his lady.
Aileen was extremely happy whenever she saw the couple getting along well.
She hoped for the happiness of the ducal couple, contrary to the general opinion that they would eventually separate.
The lady was a very good person, unlike the rumors.
And she absolutely was not an associate of the former Grand Madam whose name couldn’t be mentioned.
But there were still many people who thought her lady was connected to that person.
So whenever maids from other noble houses gathered, they would always subtly disparage her lady.
Saying things like the Duke of Dearrut was looking for an excuse to drive his wife away.
How could they say that when the Duke cherishes his lady so much?
If they could see just once how the Duke looks at his lady, they wouldn’t dare say such things.
It was frustrating that she couldn’t show them.
But today, all the servants in the ducal residence had heard and seen that the Duke had come home late after going on a date with his lady, so word would spread quickly to other houses.
This time they couldn’t say it was just for show.
When the news about the wedding rings spread, there were some foolish people who refused to acknowledge it until the end.
They said it was just for show since they were married anyway.
But this time they wouldn’t be able to deny it.
And with them getting along so well… a baby would probably come soon.
If a cute baby who looked just like her lady were born…
Aileen was already happy just imagining it.
She looked forward to laughing at the other maids who had slandered the ducal couple’s relationship.
Aileen smiled joyfully, thinking thoughts that would shock Alice if she knew them.
After happily finishing brushing Alice’s hair, Aileen raised her gaze.
“My… lady?”
But Aileen, who had been cheerfully calling Alice, paused as she looked in the mirror.
