IBWMD 59

~Chapter 59~

“So petty.”

“Huh?”

Who are you to talk?

Before I could reply, Karl suddenly reached out and pinched my cheek.

Then, like he was kneading dough, he started playing with it.

He was blatantly groping like this was the whole reason he brought it up—how ridiculous.

I complained even through the distorted shape of my mouth:

“Stop touching. You’ll wear it out.”

“Then I’ll just feed you more to fill it back up.”

He actually might do that… especially since I’d been living off his food lately.

Seeing my pouty expression, Karl let out a low chuckle that tickled my ears.

My earlobes started to warm, and I had to resist the urge to scratch them.

So, as payback, I gave his chest a light pat—no, more like a thump.

“Then for every pinch today, you owe me food.”

“As you wish.”

Before he’d even finished the sentence, he pulled a real snack from his coat.

I couldn’t help but laugh. It was a fancy meat pie—something you’d see at a banquet. How does he always manage to get this stuff, despite supply shortages?

But then—

‘This looks like something Beth would love…’

…Right. Beth.

“Do you have another one of these pies?”

“And why would you ask that?”

“To give to Beth.”

“The maid you always bring around?”

As he spoke, Karl’s eyes narrowed. I knew that look all too well.

‘He’s probably about to bring up that fake proposal I made to Beth…’

I quickly thumped his chest to cut off his next words.

He closed his mouth and grinned instead.

“Ouch.”

“My fist hurts more. Your body’s like a rock.”

“I thought you liked that about me.”

“Anyway, it’s not like that. Beth is alone right now.”

She came all the way to Saint Portu with only me to rely on—and I left her alone during the New Year festival.

Karl hummed low and narrowed his eyes toward something in the distance. I narrowed mine too, instinctively.

“What’s that look for?”

“What look?”

“You looked like you just bit into an ice cube.”

Karl didn’t answer. He started rubbing his temple, a subtle frown forming.

“Wait… are you actually sick—”

“The maid is at the training field, watching the fireworks with a few soldiers.”

“Huh?”

“Some of the more handsome ones, I believe. The ones who are quite popular with the noble ladies.”

…Yeah. That sounded like Beth.

She used to ogle at good-looking knights—especially Captain Istar. She was also pretty friendly with the guards and knights at the estate. Dated a few, even.

“And how do you know that?”

“I saw her on my way.”

“You stopped by the Grand Duke’s estate?”

Well, I guess that made sense. As a monster hunter for the estate, he probably swung by after a hunt.

“You’re not lying, right?”

“She didn’t look lonely at all—if anything, she seemed to be enjoying herself.”

That was a relief.

“Meanwhile, the one who was alone until I showed up… was you. Come to think of it—”

Karl had been about to feed me pie, but stopped midway, frowning.

“Why were you wandering around by yourself? Didn’t Jeremy escort you?”

“Took you long enough to ask. They ditched me.”

“Ditched you?”

That sounded awfully accusatory.

“They left you alone in a crowded marketplace where anyone could approach?”

“Okay, okay. It was more like… they gave me a break.”

More accurately, they pushed me out on purpose and drove off.

‘Wait, could they have done it so I’d run into Karl?’

The timing was suspiciously perfect.

While I pondered that, Karl’s eyes narrowed further, clearly itching to say something to Jeremy.

Before he could explode, I cut in quickly.

“Anyway… I’m not alone now, so it’s fine. What matters is, you owe me food for all that touching.”

‘Come on, hubby. Time to repay your debt.’

It didn’t seem like they left me out of malice. Everyone worked hard today.

As I bit into the pie, I turned and offered the rest to Karl.

“Know any good places to eat? I’m not picky, but something decent despite the supply issues.”

As I asked, the arm wrapped around my shoulders tightened just slightly.

Then he casually licked a crumb from his lips—somehow making it seem scandalous.

“As you command.”

That this little outing ended up longer than expected was really just a coincidence.

“I heard this place is popular.”
“Why are you acting like you heard it from someone else? Haven’t you been here before? It’s a local hotspot.”
“…I’ve been.”

Karl vaguely answered as he pointed us to a restaurant—surprisingly, the food was delicious, and for a festival day, the place was shockingly empty and comfortable.

“Not bad, huh?”
“So it seems.”

Karl looked more focused on feeding me than eating himself.

Honestly, he was eating like a bird. I started worrying he might be sick.

I glanced at his pale complexion and the empty plates in front of him.

‘With his build, he should eat at least seven plates. Only three? That’s not normal.’

Something felt off, so afterward, I suggested we walk around the food stalls I didn’t visit earlier, saying I’d treat him to snacks.

“Get your commemorative New Year carving here!”
“Paper flowers! New Year’s paper flowers! Perfect as light gifts!”

Then I noticed some festival souvenirs…

“Karl, didn’t you say you were thinking about what the Grand Duke would like? Did you find something?”

The “what to give the Duke” problem I’d basically dumped on Karl came to mind.

‘Would a souvenir like this look too cheap?’

I looked over the cutesy paper flowers and small carvings the vendors were selling.

I even gave Karl a whole bear hide before. He’s still wearing the cloak made from it.

‘It’d feel wrong to give something half-hearted to the Duke.’

After thinking it over, I reached a conclusion.

‘Might as well decide now what to give him.’

And not me—Karl should decide.

That was my intent when I asked. But Karl stayed silent for a long time. I started feeling a little uneasy and preemptively warned him:

“Don’t go saying, ‘Are you talking about the Duke while with me?’ again.”
“…”
“Did you… not look into it?”

Wait, seriously? After saying he’d think about it—did he just forget?

“Well…”
Karl hesitated. It wasn’t just hesitation—it was closer to stammering.

I took a teasing tone.

“You look like someone who handles everything efficiently—did you really forget that quickly?”

“…”

Seeing his dazed face made me chuckle.

‘If this were the past, I would’ve snapped—asked if he was joking.’

But fondness changes you. I wasn’t even mad—it was just funny.

Even someone who seems perfect has flaws. It felt oddly… humanizing.

“Well, it’s fine. I have other people I can ask now.”

“People you can ask?”

“Like Jeremy. And Clark.”

“You’ve gotten close to Clark, too?”

His face lit up like he was more proud than I was.

That look made my chest tickle—until he smirked wickedly again.

“But neither Jeremy nor Clark will know.”
“Jeremy seemed pretty close to the Duke.”
“That’s an illusion. Neither of them knows him like I do.”
“That’s quite a claim.”

Claiming to know the Grand Duke better than Jeremy? That’s bold.

Then again, with a face like his, it kind of tracked—even for a mere monster hunter.

Karl said smoothly:

“With that in mind, I’ve thought about it now.”

“Now?”
“You’d like to give something special to His Grace, right?”
“Not really…”
“Something impactful—to leave a strong impression.”
“That’s not the goal.”

He’s talking a lot—was he making this up on the spot?

“Like… going to a place the Duke has fond memories of.”
“And?”
“Giving him something you can only get there.”

That… was clearly an idea he just pulled from thin air.

‘What is this? Like one of those no-budget proposals where you scribble a love letter at the last minute?’

I squinted and replied:

“So, to sum up, give the Duke something from the Duke’s own stuff?”

“You made me skin that bear hide for your gift, didn’t you?”

That’s totally different! Right?

…Yet I couldn’t say no.

“It’s New Year’s. Just eating and going home feels lacking.”
“…”
“So—want to go check it out anyway?”

Karl’s face sparkled as he said it.

And… I couldn’t say no to that face.