Chapter 27
“Put me down. I can walk.”
Tericia’s face was already flushed red, but she couldn’t even raise her voice for fear someone might hear. She pleaded quietly with Rashid.
She could feel the eyes of passing servants following them as they walked, but Rashid didn’t flinch. He continued calmly toward the dining hall while she felt like dying of embarrassment.
He only set her down once they were inside and had reached her seat.
“You’re unbelievable.”
As soon as the two of them sat down, food began to arrive. Despite Tericia’s grumbling, Rashid’s expression remained composed.
“You weren’t taking proper care of yourself, so someone had to.”
“I was eating just fine. I haven’t skipped a meal.”
“I’m sure you think so.”
He glanced pointedly at her slim waist, then gestured toward the attendants. A moment later, more dishes began to arrive—set down right in front of her.
“What is all this?”
“Your meal.”
Tericia stared in disbelief at the growing pile of food in front of her.
There was a warm, light soup, soft white bread, perfectly roasted duck, and a juicy steak. Everything except dessert was laid out—appetizers, mains, all just for her.
“You don’t expect me to eat all of this, do you?”
“You don’t have to finish it. Just taste a little of everything.”
“I can’t eat this much!”
“Then I’ll have it taken away.”
Rashid raised his hand, and an attendant immediately approached.
“W-Wait! Taken away?”
“I’ll have it replaced with a new set.”
“…What?”
Tericia looked at him in disbelief.
“New dishes? Again?”
“There’s plenty more. We’ll bring out softer options next—easier to digest.”
“I’ll eat it!”
Her desperate outburst made Rashid glance at her. The servant who had begun clearing her plate froze in place.
“I’ll eat it, okay?”
She waved the servant away.
“You eat too.”
“I will. Don’t worry.”
Despite her sharp tone, Rashid remained calm as he sliced his own steak.
“…You’ve changed, Rashid.”
“I’ve always been like this.”
He smiled softly and pushed a neatly cut piece of steak toward her.
“Eat, Sister.”
Rashid folded his arms and watched her with a warm smile—clearly not planning to leave until she’d eaten everything.
“It feels like I’m being tortured with food.”
In the end, Tericia managed to finish everything Rashid had cut for her—but she had to surrender before dessert.
Rashid, apparently satisfied, stood with a pleased expression and returned to his office.
As for Tericia, she returned to her room groaning that she was too full, took some digestion medicine, and lay down to rest.
“Mandy, could you loosen the ribbon on my dress?”
“Yes, my lady.”
Mandy tried to suppress a smile as she undid the back of Tericia’s dress while she lay sprawled on the sofa.
“Rashid’s acting strange.”
“The young Duke was very worried while you were unconscious.”
“……”
“Try to understand, just a little.”
Sarah chimed in quietly from the side. Tericia had no rebuttal—not even if she had ten mouths. If their roles were reversed, she probably would’ve been just as frantic.
That’s why I chose a place with no one around…
She didn’t think she would die.
She believed that as long as she didn’t die, she could save Rashid. If she could save him, nothing else mattered.
But she hadn’t realized that what she did might hurt him in another way.
“We were worried too, my lady.”
At those words, Tericia slowly lifted her eyes. She saw Mandy biting her lip and Sarah giving a faint, bitter smile.
She later heard that both Mandy and Sarah had helped care for her the entire time—right until her dress had been soaked red with her blood.
Even though her blood might have been tainted with poison, they didn’t hesitate. They stayed by her side and helped however they could.
They shouldn’t have had to go through that.
Feeling a pang of guilt, Tericia looked away.
“…I’m sorry.”
The sincerity in her voice made both girls look like they were about to cry.
“You don’t have to say that…”
“Just promise you’ll never do something like that again.”
Mandy’s voice trembled, on the verge of tears.
“…Okay.”
She couldn’t make that promise for sure, but at the very least, she could try. Tericia leaned back into the sofa, swallowing the words she couldn’t say aloud.
There’s not much time left.
She had to do as much as she could—quickly.
“I need to visit Alpen… Do you think I could go alone?”
The thought slipped out, escaping her lips before she even realized. At her sudden musing, Mandy and Sarah exchanged glances.
No way that’s going to happen.
Neither of them could give an answer. They just offered awkward, troubled smiles.
＊＊＊
“Absolutely not.”
Rashid tossed a file onto his desk, his voice sharp as he sat on the edge of the table. The news from Tericia’s residence had clearly gotten under his skin.
“Why on earth is she planning to go somewhere like that?”
“She said it’s to gather flowers for her fragrance business.”
At Adler’s answer, Rashid’s brow furrowed even deeper.
“Is our house so poor now that she needs to start a business?”
“Of course not.”
“Then why is she doing this?”
“She’s never been the type to sit still, Your Grace. Even before, she was always doing something.”
Like helping you, for instance.
Rashid caught the unspoken meaning behind his aide’s calm smile and sighed.
“She wouldn’t listen even if I tried to stop her, would she?”
“Most likely not.”
At Adler’s agreement, Rashid fell into thought.
“When is she planning to leave?”
“She said next week. She’s planning a one-week trip.”
“One week…”
Unhappy, Rashid tapped the surface of his desk with his fingers.
“What’s Count Clu up to lately?”
“Nothing notable so far. He’s staying at the townhouse, meeting with other nobles.”
“Trying to build support.”
Rashid scoffed, and Adler nodded.
His presence at social clubs and salons, meeting with as many nobles as he could, was clearly not innocent.
“My dear uncle still thinks I’m nothing but a child.”
His lips curled into a crooked smirk.
“Lucky for us. He’s not exactly a master strategist.”
“One week… that gives us some time to focus on other matters.”
“…Excuse me?”
Rashid stood up, gathering a few documents before walking over to his chair and sitting down with purpose. Seeing him suddenly so energized, Adler looked worried.
No way…
A chill ran through him. His instincts rarely failed him—and right now, they were ringing alarms.
The only one as alarmed as Adler was Tericia herself.
She had made all the preparations: first to visit Sarah’s hometown near the Membrox Mountains, and then to travel on to the Alpen estate she’d inherited.
During that time, Rashid hadn’t said a word.
Even during their now-regular lunches, when she mentioned her plans, all he’d said was a nonchalant, “I see.”
So, she had assumed he didn’t care. She had even felt a little hurt.
Why did I think Rashid would stop me? Who do I think I am to him, really?
With that thought in mind, she finalized her preparations.
Then, just as she opened the carriage door to leave—
“What are you doing?”
The voice made her freeze.
Inside the carriage, where Sarah was supposed to be, sat Rashid—already seated and waiting.
He calmly extended a hand toward her.
“Come on up, Sister.”
It didn’t take much to understand the situation. Tericia sighed and took his hand.
“…Why do my personal maid and my aide listen to you more than to me?”
“You abandoned me, Sister. I suppose they pitied me for being left behind.”
Rashid said something outrageous with absolute nonchalance as he escorted Tericia into the carriage.
“Please, take a seat, Sister.”
He smiled gently, guiding her to the seat directly across from his.
Without her realizing it, a soft fur cushion had been placed beneath her seat—clearly arranged in advance. It was the kind of detail she hadn’t thought about, but he had.
“Since your aide couldn’t join you due to schedule conflicts, I decided to come in her place. I already sent a letter to Baronet Rase explaining things, so there won’t be any issues.”
“……”
There was no way Sarah had any real scheduling conflict. If something had suddenly come up, she was sure it had been arranged—by the man sitting right in front of her.
“Aren’t you busy?”
“Not at all. Fortunately, this week is clear.”
He didn’t mention the fact that he had worked through the night, cutting sleep and dragging his aides into his whirlwind just to clear his schedule for this one week.
But Tericia had noticed the lights burning late in his study night after night. She could only smile at his answer.
“Lucky me, then.”
It was strange—now that she knew Rashid was coming with her, she felt a wave of relief. Maybe there had been a quiet, lingering unease inside her all along.
“I feel like I’m troubling you.”
“A trip with you, Sister? How could that be trouble?”
“A trip?”
“Did you know, Sister? This is actually our first time traveling alone together.”
“Oh…”
She hadn’t realized it until he pointed it out. Her eyes widened in surprise.
In both her past life and this one, there had always been a set distance between them. She had never once imagined a scenario where they would travel and move together like this—just the two of them.
Even their mother’s funeral, which had only the two of them in attendance, hadn’t felt like this. That had been different.
Just the two of us…
The thought left a strange feeling in her chest.
Tericia turned to look at Rashid. His golden eyes, gazing at her, were warm.
His face looks the same as it did back then…
The shape of his jaw, the sharp lines of his profile—it all reminded her of Rashid, just returned from war. Everything was the same… except those eyes. They weren’t dry and hollow like they had been then.
Back then, she hadn’t felt this warmth.
As Tericia quietly stared at him, Rashid furrowed his brow slightly.
“…Who are you thinking about?”
Maybe it was just her imagination, but there was a sharp edge to his voice.
“Hm? What do you mean?”
“While looking at me… weren’t you thinking of someone else?”
“……”
Tericia looked at him, clearly taken aback.
Is he… jealous?
The thought made her smile involuntarily.
“I was just thinking about you.”
“About me?”
“You’ve grown up so much.”
“…Sister…”
Rashid let out a deep sigh.
How long are you going to keep seeing me as your little brother?
Time to change strategies, he thought.
Looking at Tericia’s bright smile as she gazed at him with those clear eyes, Rashid gave a quiet chuckle.
Maybe this trip would be more enjoyable than he expected.
“Shall we get going then?”
“Let’s.”
Rashid tapped the coachman’s seat twice, and the carriage began to move.
