Chapter 99
Showing up at this hour again — should she be stunned by that? Or by the fact that he turned from a bird into a human, and that he could talk while still in bird form? Or maybe by the fact that this man was walking around barefoot like it was nothing?
“What are you, some kind of barefoot fairy?”
“You were crying. Who made you cry?”
Iora hurriedly touched her face. She had wiped the tears away already.
She expected him to joke, but his expression was surprisingly serious. Then, in a low voice, almost a whisper, he asked:
“What are you so sad about? I told you I was on your side.”
“On my side…”
She’d always thought Sol was the only one in the world on her side. But in that moment of weakness, his words slipped in quietly and struck her heart. Iora bit her lip and looked at the man lying beside her in a pose seductive enough to make even the Little Mermaid give up and go home.
Why are you always there just when I need you?
As she stared at him silently, he smiled, his eyes curving — an expression that seemed to blow away all the weight and dampness from her chest. And without realizing it, Iora slowly smiled back. Laughter really was contagious.
“Do you have any idea how much the Duke of Elrah is feared on the continent?”
“What are you doing in my bed? And that sparrow was the same one I saw earlier today, wasn’t it? Were you spying on me?”
“…Did you really have to point that out?”
“Of course I did. Since when have you been watching?”
No wonder that sparrow had clung so stubbornly and refused to fly away.
Just what was Vigros, really? Iora could only let out a disbelieving laugh, utterly dumbfounded. Meanwhile, he calmly shrugged and began rummaging for something.
“Don’t be too surprised. I’ve got a few tricks up my sleeve. This won’t be the last time either — what would I do if your heart gives out?”
“Are you seriously saying that like it’s no big deal…?”
“I don’t mind if you get mad. But for now, here, take this. It’s important to eat while it’s still warm.”
Iora was truly bewildered. Somehow, as if by magic, he pulled out something wrapped in cloth from thin air and began to unfold it.
A bojagi[1]?
It gleamed with a smooth surface. Yes, it really did look like a bojagi.
But what happened next was even more astonishing. Like a picnic set up in a dream, a vibrant display spread out across her bed. The rich, savory smell of golden-baked tart wafted through the air; perfectly roasted chicken, cut into bite-sized pieces, glistened invitingly; and a steaming soup brewed with fresh oysters let off gentle wisps of aromatic steam.
The cold, chilling air in the room was instantly replaced with a warm and cozy atmosphere. Iora was so surprised she forgot to breathe for a moment. Her jaw dropped in a daze.
Something stirred in her chest — just like when she held Sol’s hand. It was moving. Iora bit her lip hard. Then, exhaling to steady her voice, she asked:
“What is this?”
“What did you eat today? Tell me.”
She simply shook her head.
Vigros let out a sharp, incredulous scoff.
“Are you insane?” he asked.
“…What?”
“You’re this skinny, and you skipped meals? Don’t tell me you’re starving yourself to lose weight.”
To be precise, it was because of stress. The only one who could nag her about that was Shana, but she’d already sent her home. Along with her escort knight, Guillen von Vendas, so neither of them could bother her.
Unbelievable. There was a time she practically lived to eat. What had happened to her?
“You’re right. I shouldn’t skip meals.”
“Of course not. You need strength so you can throw crap at the people who made your life miserable.”
“…Pfft.”
Seriously, he wasn’t wrong.
Iora, staring at the spread before her, rolled up her sleeves determinedly and grabbed what was in front of her without hesitation. It was a piece of chicken, perfectly roasted with a glossy surface that looked delicious.
As she bit into it, the texture was incredibly satisfying. The moment the food entered her mouth, her long-empty stomach let out a loud growl, nagging her to eat more and faster.
Grrrrgle.
“It’s… really good.”
He smirked smugly.
“Of course. Midnight snacks aren’t ideal, but it’s better than starving. If I showed up during the day and dropped off a lunchbox, your uptight father might just keel over from shock, don’t you think?”
The image made her laugh — Duke Elrah visiting House Ribandt just to deliver a lunchbox.
The next day’s newspaper might very well run a headline just about that. Has Duke Elrah Finally Lost His Mind?!
“Hearing the name ‘Vigros von Elrah’ alone might make my father faint.”
“He totally would. The Marquis of Ribandt is greedy as hell but lacks the guts to back it up — narrow-minded, too. Ah, sorry. He’s still your father, after all.”
“It’s fine. It’s true. And I’m not such a good daughter anyway.”
Back and forth, their banter continued while Iora chewed quickly through her food.
“Here, eat while you look. I’ll keep one copy of the contract, and you keep the other.”
Whoosh! With a flutter, the document he handed over dissolved instantly into her chest. The same happened with his. Because they were magical documents, they were stored this way, and if either party seriously breached the terms, the contract would cause persistent pain in the heart unless the other consented to dissolve it.
‘Living torture.’
A strange feeling stirred within her. Amid the chaos of daily life, Iora had completely forgotten about the contract, but he had gone so far as to neatly sort it all out again and bring it to her. And with food, too.
What kind of villain in a novel is this affectionate? Seriously, he was someone who defied common sense from beginning to end.
Especially those sparkling, pale, delicate feet of his! How does he even take care of them to make them look like that?
“Let’s officially start tomorrow.”
“What do you think we should do first?”
“I prefer boldly declaring war with a deep kiss in the middle of the square.”
“…”
Ugh. She felt like the food in her throat had suddenly gotten stuck.
Kiss him?
¹A traditional Korean wrapping cloth.↩
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