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Chapter 30

If there was a mouse hole nearby, Min-ha wanted to hide right away.

Thinking like that, whether or not he knew her heart, who was experiencing the greatest embarrassment of her life, Noah, who was still in Seth’s arms, said to his brother with an excited voice.

“Brother! How pretty is sister-in-law today?”

‘Ah…! Noah! Stop!’

At those words, Min-ha went beyond embarrassment and now wanted to bite her tongue in shame.

‘I’m sure he will be sarcastic to me…’

“…Yes. It has been a long time since I’ve seen her dressed up so beautifully.”

However, Seth’s answer to Noah’s question was unexpected.

He was still staring at her and answered in a voice of pure admiration instead of sarcasm, just like the day she handed him the handkerchief. Then, as if there was no time to blink his eyes, Seth continued to gaze at her with a gaze that became deeper and hotter than before.

“You have the same hair as the day I first saw you… At that time, I was just given the title and you ignored me as a young commoner knight.”

“That…”

“The eyes you looked at that time were cold and distant, but today… it’s different. That is why I’m staring at you like this because it’s very unfamiliar.”

He fixed her gaze on Min-ha and slowly approached her as if he wanted to take a closer look.

Meanwhile, she had a face as if she was possessed by something, while the appearance of Seth approaching her seemed to be enchanted by her as well.

After all, it was the first time.

The way he looked directly at her with a friendly gaze and made a warm expression…

In addition, the handsome and cool face that seemed impossible to be charmed by anything other than a cold and sober reason, was wearing an expression with a warm feeling like a human being.

Perhaps, that was why…

Min-ha was overwhelmed by the atmosphere, and she didn’t even think to stop Seth until he got so close that he was only one step away from her.

“…Brother?”

“Ah…”

“….!”

The distance between the two, who had become close enough to make the people around them stop and watch, was furthered by Noah’s innocent voice.

Only then did Min-ha come back to her senses and try to escape from the strange atmosphere. She hurriedly took three steps backward while Seth also turned around with a firm expression on his face.

Now, the only thing left between the two, as far apart as the distance between the two, was an atmosphere that was even more awkward than before.

“…Haha. You must be very tired. Have you eaten yet?”

“Not yet.”

“Noah, Noah is hungry, too!”

As the uncomfortable atmosphere seemed suffocating, she then awkwardly turned her gaze away and asked how he was feeling again. His expression, which had loosened up a while ago, disappeared all of a sudden, and Seth, who had returned to his usual blunt and cold face, answered bluntly.

On the other hand, whether or not he could feel the atmosphere between them, Noah was just full of laughter because he was between the two people he liked the most, and smiled brightly.

“Duke, you must be very busy, so please come inside the mansion. Dinner was already prepared in the main hall.”

It was Mrs. Pompa who gently broke the subtle atmosphere between the three who were literally in different states. She said to him with a very businesslike face, as if nothing had happened a while ago.

Seth asked her back in an indifferent voice.

“Dinner for the knights?”

“Of course, we also prepared a separate dinner for the knights in the room next to the main hall.”

“Sure, let’s go there then. Have Noah’s meal ready by my side as well.”

“Yes, Duke.”

At Seth’s command, Mrs. Pompa bowed her head to show courtesy, and first headed to the mansion.

At that, Min-ha slowly followed her with Seth while looking at Noah’s back, who had already run so far, overjoyed that his older brother had returned. She turned her body to return towards her annex, listening to the child’s smiling voice with a happy expression.

‘Today seems like a family day, so it’s right for me to leave.’

It has been a long time since she has been living in a foreign country, and it has been a while since she’d eaten at her annex, yet the thought still made her feel uncomfortable.

…No. To be honest, it had been uncomfortable facing Seth, who had been giving her a strange look for a while. His face, which she usually thought was just handsome, had become strangely conscious since a little while ago.

A person who has always been cold isn’t suddenly being sarcastic, though rather looked possessed instead. He was such a handsome person that even a small change like that can hurt your heart.

‘Even though I shouldn’t be mistaken, I couldn’t help it. So, let’s get out of this strange feeling and find some reason…’

Min-ha thought so.

Now that Seth was back, she wouldn’t have to sleep in the Eastern Annex which she’d been used to for a while. As she thought of returning to her vacant annex, Min-ha moved at a slow pace.

“Wait. Where are you going?”

“Yes?”

However, it was Seth who called her.

Hearing that, Min-ha turned to the sound of his cold voice coming from behind her and asked her back. Then, with a visibly displeased expression on his face that even the dull Min-ha could notice, Seth answered bluntly.

“Are you going to skip dinner?”

“What…? Me?”

“Yes. You.”

“…Oh, well. I’m going to go to my room and eat.”

“What? What does that mean?”

“…Yes?”

“It’s a dinner to celebrate the victory of the Knights of Persen, does that mean that the Duchess of Persen will not attend?”

As the conversation continued, Seth wrinkled his handsome brow more and more while Min-ha blankly stared at him.

So, now…

‘Is he talking about having dinner together? Really? With me…? I thought he hated and felt uncomfortable being with me…’

At that, Min-ha asked, bewildered at his unexpected reaction.

“Oh… Wai—can I go, too?”

“…What?”

“…Well, you know. You feel uncomfortable with me, and it’s been a while since you had a meal at the mansion after a long time. If I were there… wouldn’t it be unpleasant?”

Hearing her answer, Seth’s eyes widened in surprise. He then suddenly let out a sigh and smiled a little before approaching her slowly and said.

“It would be very impolite to just send the lady back.”

“….”

“Besides, without you, Noah would keep continuing to resent me throughout the whole meal.”

“…I, is that so?”

“Now, Noah likes you very much.”

“…Ah.”

“Are you still going to stand there?”

In response to Min-ha’s question, Seth answered and slightly turned his body to the side to stare at her. Then, as he said, Noah, who had run towards the mansion before Mrs. Pompa, stopped a little far from where they were standing.

He shouted, waving his arms loudly.

“Brother! Sister-in-law! Come quickly! I’m hungry!”

“That’s right, aren’t you going?”

At that moment, Min-ha looked at Seth, who questioned him alternately with Noah as he called Seth and her in turn. It seemed that Seth and Noah had no intention of letting her go.

‘…Well. As he said, I am still the Duchess of Persen.’

Above all, he, the main character of this banquet, wanted her to come with him, so it would be impolite if she refused.

With that thought, Min-ha responded meekly to Seth, who was waiting for her answer with a firm expression on his face.

“…No. I’ll go.”

“Okay.”

She relaxed her expression a little at his answer, and looked at Seth’s back as they headed to the East Annex. He was a person who was always cold and uncomfortable with her. Because of that, she thought it was a little strange that he was not being sarcastic with her today.

Min-ha grabbed the hem of her dress awkwardly as she followed him slowly.

Taking Noah’s hand as they entered the main hall side by side, it was decorated with colorful flowers befitting the name of the banquet.

In the center, there was a long and colorful table that could be seen at a glance, and on top of it was a golden candlestick with iridescent candles and flower decorations. Considerable amounts of food were placed on silver plates that could not be counted.

Among them, the one that caught her eye the most was the roasted young deer. Min-ha was amazed by the vivid whole-grilled appearance. It wouldn’t be surprising if a lot of people would be sharing this amount of food, though there were only three chairs at the table with food that two to three people could never finish.

It was a victory party, so she thought they would have brought all the knights. However, there were only three chairs?

Min-ha stepped back and asked Mrs. Pompa.

“But, why are there only three chairs? What about the other knights?”

“The knights are enjoying a banquet in the next room. Did you forget what I told you a little while ago?”

“…Oh, that’s right.”

Hearing that, she nodded at Mrs. Pompa’s explanation, though was still not convinced.

‘…So, are you saying that only the three of us are eating this much food? Oh, my God.’

Min-ha was stunned by the sight that looked like something you’d see in a movie set in medieval Europe.

“Sister-in-law! Hurry up and sit down!”

“Ah, yes…”

Eventually, she responded with a bewildered voice to Noah’s words as he ran towards the long table with excitement.

Then, Seth, who was following the child, walked towards the top of the table, which seemed to be his seat, before picking Noah up and sat him next to himself.

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