Chapter 27 – An Invitation

Presented with an invitation to lunch, Irene briefly hesitated before she said, “I will decline.”

“Pardon?”

“I’ll decline the invitation. If it’s an order, then… I’m disobeying it.”

Though she was normally an expert at maintaining a neutral expression, a perplexed look flashed across Jean’s face from Irene’s firm refusal. “Oh, okay then… In that case, I’ll…”

“If you deliver this message… You’d be in trouble, wouldn’t you?” Irene asked, as she climbed off the bed and stood up.

Jean hurriedly wrapped a thick robe around Irene’s shoulders to stave off the cold and carefully said, “I can’t say that I won’t be.”

“Yes, because that’s just how it is,” Irene agreed. As she tied the robe to secure it in place, she gave a nod to indicate her thanks to Jean and offered a faint smile. On account of the lesson she’d been taught the night before, Irene had considered refusing the invitation. However, the moment she looked at Jean’s face, she couldn’t help but wonder if what she was doing was wrong. Even if it was a trivial order, Jean would be reprimanded for failing to carry it out. Irene thought, ‘I don’t want to embarrass others with something that’s unimportant.’

“Then, would you like to accept?” Jean asked.

“If it’s already noon, then we must hurry. There isn’t much time left to prepare.”

“Please wait a moment. I’ll have you dressed up in no time.”

* * *

While Irene was adjusting to the unfamiliar Perkan attire Jean had prepared for her, Kael was meditating on the report he’d received that morning as he waited for her arrival. “Those two fiancés sure took advantage of her…” he muttered. Kael had already expected it after seeing Irene, but hearing Wellen’s report had still shaken him.

A person who received proper care, respect, and comfort from their partner wouldn’t have had eyes like hers. If someone had been there to understand and share in Irene’s suffering and feelings, then she wouldn’t have had to cut off her basic emotions and desperately cling to her need to fulfill her orders in order to become stronger. He recalled the emptiness in her eyes, reflecting how Irene didn’t even acknowledge her own mind and suppressed her emotions. It deeply saddened him, and he tapped his fingers against the armrest in annoyance. The whole situation left a bitter taste in his mouth, and he felt the rage he barely suppressed from the night before rekindle.

“If I knew how rotten it all was, I would’ve just killed them all. A withered tree, an insensible beauty… How dare they call her that?” Kael growled through gritted teeth. These were all disparaging nicknames used to mock Irene among the Theorin social circles.

“Your Highness, are you planning to kill someone?” Wellen asked in bemusement, as he entered the dining room. He thought if a child could see Kael’s face at this moment, they would’ve burst into tears or wet themselves. With a light shrug of the shoulders, he stared at Kael and raised the corners of his lips into a smile. However, the bigger Wellen’s smile grew, the more grievous and uglier Kael’s face became. “Now, now. Please follow my lead. Come on, like this. She won’t have a good time if you’re like this. How can anyone eat when faced with a person wearing an expression like that?”

“So? Should I smile like this then?”

“Never mind. Please don’t smile anymore, Your Highness.” Watching Kael’s facial muscles tremble pitifully as he forced a smile, Wellen quickly withdrew his suggestion.

Displeased with Wellen’s reaction, Kael crossed his arms, glared and asked, “Why’re you here?”

“Can’t I be? I need to be fed too.”

“And I’m asking why you’re eating here.”