Chapter 152 (2/2)

I felt something strange. He preferred fresh, rarely seasoned dishes, but the food served here was far from his taste. As for vegetables, there were some made from fresh vegetables, or some boiled with little or no seasoning, while others were marinated with spices and stir-fried with vinegar and sugar. There were even fruits of the deli tree famous for their spicy taste.

‘Did his taste change already?’

While eating a variety of vegetable dishes in confusion, I suddenly raised my head as I felt his gaze on me. The young man with blue hair, staring at me, said with a smile, “Don’t eat vegetable dishes only.”

‘Oh did I?’

Tilting my head a bit, I was lost in thought. I’ve never thought I picked at food. Come to think of it, I ate vegetables only. As there were so many side dishes, I didn’t seem to recognize that I was eating vegetables only.

I felt bitter and even heartbroken when I confirmed his kind attitude that I had been looking for so dearly, that I could never imagine before.

‘I never thought a day like this would ever come.’

I felt like breaking into tears, so I said what came to my mind.

“Your Majesty.”

“Um?”

“Won’t you go to Duke Jena’s daughter?”

“… Why should I do that? ”

He looked at me as if he was dumbfounded, and said with a deep sigh, “As you are so smart, I don’t believe you think what I said at the conference was to make her my wife, right? I requested you so many times before. Are you still trying to push me away?”

“… ”

“As I have only one woman in my mind, I can’t open my heart to her, well not only her but any other woman.”

“… ”

“The reason I said that at the conference hall was because my power is still weak at this point, so that’s all I could announce. So, please stop pushing me away from you.”

I dropped my head as I had nothing to say.

I thought that he would feel attracted to Jiun when she appeared. But he didn’t, and he kept being kind to me, which made me have mixed feelings about him. My frozen heart began to melt away, even as my erstwhile bitter and resentful feelings troubled my heart.

I know that the person in front of me is different from him in the past, but I was still resentful towards him for a reason.

‘How good it would have been if he had acted like this in the past. I wish he had done the same to me back then.’

If so, I wouldn’t have left with this bitter feeling. I would not have felt so bitter and heartbroken because of my painful memories of the past.

My eyes began to blur with tears gradually. I could not help but smile bitterly. As I let out a deep sigh, he said with a sigh after being silent for a moment, “…By the way, why are you eating so little? That’s why you are so skinny. Have some more. I’m watching you.”

It looked like he wasn’t saying empty words. He was watching me eat, recommending various dishes. I couldn’t taste or smell any of it because I lost appetite, but I picked up the food and put it in my mouth silently as he recommended. I could not refuse his kindness, though it was too late.

How much time passed? A stack of plates was removed from the tabe one by one, along with silver forks and knives. A white tablecloth made of lace was newly laid on the table, and a couple of small glasses were newly placed on it. A cute silver spoon was next to it.

I stared at something orange in the opaque glass. I felt something cold from the glass emitting white vapor. Cold water droplets formed on the white cloudy glass.

‘Is it ice sorbet?’

I picked up the small silver spoon and scooped out some of the orange substance. As I swallowed the refreshing and cool sorbet, I felt my frustration and depression fading away a bit.

When I, with my eyes closed, enjoyed the chillness spreading all over my body, I heard him whispering to me, “Now you look a little better.”

“Pardon, Your Majesty?”

“Well… A little while ago you looked somewhat restless and even dangerous. Even though you answered my question, it looked like you would disappear somewhere.”

“… Did I?”

He nodded silently and hesitated for a moment.