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Chapter 14
“Yuse, this is called an egg tart.”
“Wow, it’s sweet and soft. It melts in my mouth immediately!”
Following Killian’s guidance, Yuse sat down and started tasting the different desserts in front of her, enjoying each flavor.
Every dessert was sweet and delicious. It disappeared in her mouth so quickly that it felt almost unbelievable, leaving her taste buds tingling with sweetness.
“This is a macaron. It’s my favorite. I know you’ll like it.”
Yuse spotted a familiar dessert and smiled brightly as she picked it up.
“Killian, try this.”
“Yuse.”
Killian gently took the macaron Yuse offered and called her name.
“Yes?”
“I’m glad you like it. Truly.”
“How did you know I like desserts…?”
“Ha ha.”
Killian slowly smiled at Yuse’s question, then laughed out loud.
“Why… are you laughing so much?”
“It’s the same question as before, Yuse.”
“Oh…!”
Killian remembered the first time he had come to the ducal estate and prepared the dessert table. Realizing he had said something silly, he covered his mouth and blushed.
“Oh, I… I’m sorry.”
“It’s fine, ha ha.”
But Killian kept laughing.
…and the laughter went on for a long time.
He laughed so heartily, as if he hadn’t done so in a very long time.
“Ha ha ha ha.”
“Is… it really that funny?”
Yuse pouted slightly at his endless laughter, and only then did Killian’s laughter calm a little.
“Ah, sorry.”
Killian wiped the tears from his eyes after catching his breath.
“Was it that much?”
“I haven’t laughed like this in a long time, so I laughed. I’m sorry.”
Hearing this, Yuse’s cheeks turned red again.
“If it made you that happy, then…”
Killian usually looked serious or tired from work, even when he smiled, it was faint. So seeing him laugh so freely was a new, delightful sight for Yuse.
And she liked it. She was glad she was the reason for his laughter. She realized he could laugh like this, and it sounded wonderful.
“Please laugh more.”
Though shy, Yuse quietly shared her feelings.
“Are you sulking?”
Killian asked playfully.
He looked at her slightly puffed cheeks—whether from dessert or a playful pout—and gently poked her cheek with a finger.
“…!”
Yuse was startled for a moment, feeling as if her heart had dropped.
“Ah, n-no…”
She whispered softly.
“Really?”
Killian asked again to check, and Yuse thought this might be a chance to get closer to him. But she shook her head and exhaled, worried it might become awkward if he didn’t play along.
“No, I’m not sulking.”
Killian breathed out in relief and said with a soft curve to his eyes,
“Alright, let’s finish eating.”
“You too, Killian!”
“Of course.”
That day, the desserts Yuse ate became a memory she would never forget. The sweets were delicious and varied, but what made them truly unforgettable was sharing them with Killian.
Later, on the way back to the estate…
“Yuse, we’ve arrived.”
They were, naturally, together on the return journey.
Killian looked at the scenery from the carriage, while Yuse couldn’t hide her gaze from him.
“Shall we get down?”
Killian, arriving first, asked. Yuse nodded and stepped down from the carriage.
“Careful getting down.”
“Thank you.”
At first, holding his hand felt a bit awkward, but now it felt more natural. The warmth from his hand was always comforting.
“Then, take care going in.”
But the next words were not what Yuse expected.
“Excuse me?”
She asked again, unsure if she heard correctly.
“What did you just say…?”
“I have some work, so I should go inside first.”
“Work…?”
But hadn’t he already finished his work before coming? Yuse asked cautiously, worried he might be annoyed. Killian answered easily.
“Yes. Today marks one month since you arrived here, and I wanted to celebrate it. But there’s a lot of work, so I had to step out briefly. Ha ha.”
He didn’t seem to notice the slight disappointment in her voice.
“Oh… okay.”
Yuse replied softly.
“Do you dislike it?”
Then Killian suddenly grabbed Yuse’s fidgeting hands and gently pulled her closer to his face.
“!”
She had already been overwhelmed by his sweetness today, and this close-up was another surprise.
“No, n-no!”
The effect was strong. His face, usually seen from a height difference, looked even more striking up close—sharp features, thick eyebrows, and ruby-red eyes with a charming aura. It felt almost magical.
After taking a moment to appreciate his face, Yuse took a deep breath and spoke.
“I don’t want to disturb you. It’s fine. Killian, today’s little gift was already enough to make me happy. It was more than enough.”
“……”
“I didn’t even realize how fast time passed since I arrived here. Thanks to you, I feel happy every day, and yet you still surprise me with something new. Even though you had a busy day, you took time to see me—it was very touching. So I can’t hold you back. Please take care of your work.”
For some reason, she could speak honestly in front of Killian, even if it made her blush.
Still, she smiled softly without showing her embarrassment.
“……”
Killian didn’t leave immediately, as she expected. He paused, saying nothing.
“Killian?”
Feeling a little shy, Yuse wiped her cautious smile and asked, tilting her head.
“Ah.”
Finally, Killian returned to his usual calm expression, smiling gently as always.
“Thank you for understanding.”
He gave her a careful hug before getting back into the carriage and leaving. For a brief moment, being in his arms, Yuse clearly felt her heart pounding. She hoped Killian hadn’t noticed it too loudly and watched the carriage until it disappeared from sight.
