Chapter 51 - The Sharpest Sword (1) (1/2)

Ch. 51 The Sharpest Sword (1)

The food brought by the the restaurant staff was the best on offer. From appetizers to the main course, it all lavished the senses exquisitely. The variety of foods was so great that some of the meat and seafood were completely unknown to her.

Elena tasted everything, but she ate carefully so as to not show the contents of her mouth as she chewed. Carlisle closely observed her as she ate.

“You look beautiful when you eat, too.”

“…Eub.”

Elena choked on her mouthful. She quickly picked up her glass and drank from it, calming her stomach.

“I appreciate what you’re saying, but…it’s uncomfortable if you keep looking at me like that.”

“My eyes can only face you, so where else should I look?”

Elena couldn’t find anything to say. One would naturally look across at the person they were dining with, but it was normal to avert one’s eyes after hearing this. She never expected his answer, let alone one said so brazenly.

Instead of saying anything, she faced Carlisle looking straight at her. Maybe it was time to start the conversation. Dinner was coming to an end, and now was the time to get some answers.

“Do you remember when you said you’d answer my question last time?”

“…Ah.”

She couldn’t tell whether he didn’t really know or if he was pretending. She wouldn’t be teased with his vague answer, so she decided to confront him directly.

“According to you we met a long time ago. You said you would tell me about it when we met again, so tell me now.”

She held his gaze unblinkingly, and Carlisle was unable to contain a smile.

“Well, I have to keep my word.”

He murmured reluctantly as he placed down the fork he was holding.

“When I was thirteen, I saw you at the palace.”

“…The palace?”

She cast her mind back. She seldom traveled from Blaise castle in the southern region to the distant capital, though one of her favorite memories from a young age was going to the capital to visit the palace. However, there was no sign of Carlisle in those few memories.

Elena was quiet for a moment, then spoke to Carlisle wonderingly.

“…Is that it?”

“Then what do you want me to say?”

Elena was lost for words. It didn’t make any sense that he would be so generous to her because of a chance encounter. She wondered if she really did meet him in some dim, forgotten memory. It didn’t make sense to have this kind of relationship after meeting each other at thirteen years of age.

Tonight, Carlisle already purchased a private box at an opera and rented an entire restaurant for a private dinner. He also had given her a highly skilled subordinate, Kuhn, and commanded him to obey Elena’s every order.

No matter how much she thought about it, these weren’t simple favors for a contract marriage partner.

Elena needed him to explain.

“Did we really met when we were thirteen?”

“Yes.”

“So the day I remember was in reality the second time we met?”

“Yes. The day you saved my life.”

She was so stunned she almost accidentally knocked the table. None of her questions were solved. Why on earth was Carlisle so good to her?

She stopped trying to guess the answer to her questions. There was only one way to find out for sure. She had to ask Carlisle himself.

“Please answer. Why are you being so generous to me?”

Carlisle was not simply dealing with someone who signed a contractual marriage with him. At first she had wanted to see what he would do, but as time went by she was more curious.

“We met once when we were thirteen, so it doesn’t make sense to treat me the way you do.”

“No more clues.”

“But…!”

“You have to think about the rest yourself. Otherwise, it’s too much damage for me.”

Damage? For what?

Elena’s eyes brimmed with questions. Carlisle replied in a reverent tone.

“The first time I met you was the most memorable moment in my life. I wish I could go back to it.”

Elena felt as if she had been struck on the head. Why did Carlisle have such a powerful memory? One thing was for sure–no matter what kind of a meeting it was, it was still clearly engraved in Carlisle’s mind.

She had more to ask, but she bit her lip and held back. She didn’t think he would tell her more if she asked him anyway.