Chapter 90

Chapter 90

“Duchess, Young Master Noah. Please get up now. I have prepared dinner for you.”

“Mmm. Yes, I got it. Noah, let’s get up.”

“…Yes.”

After parting ways with Seth, she returned to the annex to wash and play with Noah for a while.

Min-ha, who had fallen into a nap, woke up at the call of the maids announcing dinner. Was it because she returned to Persen Castle after a long time, or was it because of Noah, who fell asleep next to her? She had been able to sleep soundly without having strange dreams for a long time.

Soon, after finishing the simple grooming by the maids, Min-ha held hands with Noah and headed to the central hall to have dinner with Seth.

“Noah, isn’t it nice to have dinner at home after a long time?”

“Yes, sister-in-law!”

“I really like it, too.”

“Oh, wait. Duchess…”

“Yes?”

Walking to the front of the central hall while waving Noah’s hand, she turned her head at Lancelot’s voice, suddenly calling her. Then, he bent down and bowed to the two of them before uttering in a polite tone.

“The knights will serve Young Master Noah’s dinner today.”

“…Yes? Why? What’s going on?”

“Huh, why? I want to eat with you and sister-in-law, Lance.”

“There’s nothing wrong, Duchess. Excuse me for a moment, Young Master Noah.”

Lancelot, who smiled awkwardly at Min-ha’s question, knelt down on one knee in front of Noah, spread his palm near the child’s ear, and whispered something in that little ear.

The next moment, the child’s expression, which at first blinked as if he didn’t understand what was going on, gradually began to brighten. He soon squeezed Lancelot’s hand that covered his ear with one hand and asked in an excited voice.

“Really? Is that true, Lance?”

“Yes, Young Master.”

“Then, I’ll give it up for today! I want to have dinner with Lance, Bedi, and the other knights! Is that okay, sister-in-law?”

‘What did he hear…?’

Noah, who had been holding her hand tightly until a little while ago, smiled until she couldn’t see his big green eyes.

Seeing the child like that, Min-ha nodded her head in a daze.

“…Uh, yes. Of course, you can.”

“Ahh, I’m so excited!”

“Thank you, Duchess. We’ll take care of Young Master Noah.”

“Oh, yes. Noah, then I’ll see you later.”

“Hehe, yes―!”

Lancelot swiftly lifted Noah as if he had waited, before bowing towards her and started walking towards the other hall next to the central hall. Meanwhile, Min-ha awkwardly waved her hand at the child, who waved his small hand to greet her while holding Lancelot’s neck with another hand.

‘What did Sir Lancelot say to make him so excited like that…’

When Min-ha, who was left alone in the central hall, was tilting her head, a lady-in-waiting of hers approached and spoke in a smiling voice.

“Duchess, let’s go into the hall. The Duke is waiting for you.”

“Oh, yes. Thank you.”

Nodding her head in a daze, she entered the door opened by the lady-in-waiting.

‘Wow…’

What she saw was the table and the hall luxuriously decorated, just like the day Seth returned from an expedition. In addition, the hall, which is usually so colorful that it is burdensome, was full of colorful roses in full bloom in early summer, and the table was full of food that she usually enjoyed.

That wasn’t all.

Standing in the center of the luxurious hall, Seth was waiting for her, wearing a white silk suit, not his usual neat uniform. When his hair was pulled back to reveal his forehead, which gave a cool impression, it seemed that his already handsome face was radiating even more, and that was enough to take her mind away.

Min-ha muttered with a surprised expression on her face at the sight of Seth slowly approaching her.

“S-Seth. Why are you dressed like that…?”

“Why? Do you not like it, by any chance?”

“No! What do you mean, I don’t like it?! It’s because it suits you so well.”

“Then, I’m glad to hear that.”

Hearing the answer, Seth affectionately held out his hand. He then held her hand tightly as he was going to escort her to the table as usual.

He took Min-ha by the hand and led her to the other side before pulling out her chair, and making her sit first. Afterwards, he returned to his seat and smiled awkwardly, then glanced at the attendants and maids at the end of the table.

Soon, they came to the table, prepared the food to be eaten, placed it in front of the two of them, and walked away.

He opened his lips to Min-ha as the attendants retreated to a corner of the hall.

“Let’s get to it now. You must have been hungry.”

“Oh, yes… I’ll eat well. You should also eat quickly, too.”

At Seth’s words, Min-ha grabbed a knife and fork and started eating.

‘Something is suspicious…’

Min-ha, who had been emptying the food in front of her for a while, suddenly thought Seth’s behavior was suspicious. After inviting her to eat, the person in question just stared at her face, who was eating, and just drank a little or sighed briefly.

Thinking it was rather strange, she pretended to eat while peeking at his face.

Seth’s face was as serious as usual, but it seemed that he was lost in some thought or had something to say. Certainly, his appearance, which was different from usual, was unusual for her.

‘…He said he received a letter this morning from a man named Sir Gallahed. Did that cause him any trouble?’

If that was the case, she thought she’d try a little luck. And so, Min-ha put down the fork that she was holding and whispered to Seth.

“Hey, Seth.”

“Hmm?”

“Is there something on my face?”

“No.”

“Then, do you have anything to say?”

“…No.”

“Really?”

However, to her question, he only repeatedly answered no.

Seeing that, Min-ha narrowed her brows slightly though she turned her words around without further questioning, and picked up the tableware again to focus on the meal.

After cutting the meat that was spread on her own plate into bite-sized pieces and putting it in her mouth, she chewed on it quietly without saying anything. Still, she could feel Seth’s gaze stinging her cheek again, and she narrowed her eyes.

‘…After all, something is definitely strange.’

When she raised her head with her suspiciously young gaze, Min-ha met his gaze from the front again, and she deliberately frowned at him. It meant if he had something to say, to just say it.

But this time, Seth just smiled a little awkwardly, then lowered his again to the plate in front of him.

‘What is this?! If there’s something he wants to say, just say it…!’

She placed down the tableware again as she lost her appetite at the sight of him, who seemed to be staring at her since a little while ago. It seemed to her that, at this rate, she wouldn’t be able to eat anything more.

At the same time, Seth quickly asked, seeing her actions.

“Are you done eating already?”

“Yes. I don’t have much appetite.”

“Ah, is that so?”

“I’ll stop eating now.”

Saying so, Min-ha picked up a napkin from her lap and wiped her mouth while observing Seth. No matter how much she looked at it, it seemed like he only ate half of what he usually ate, but when she put down the tableware, he also put his down as well and only strangely gazed at her.

…What was it that he wanted to say that he had to put so much effort into it like this?

Frustrated, she suddenly opened her mouth to Seth.

“Excuse me!”

“Ah, you…”

“…Really.”

“This—”

“You go first, Seth.”

“No, it’s okay. You speak first.”

“No, you speak first… You’ve been looking at me with a face that wanted to say something from earlier. Am I wrong?”

“…I can’t hide it from you either.”

Seth, whose expression seemed to have been stabbed to the point by those words, got up from his seat with a bitter smile. Then, he turned around the table before approaching her and held out his hand.

“Well, shall we take a walk in the secret garden together?”

“Yes…?”

“Whatever I want to say to you, I’ll do it there.”

“All right.”

Seeing him holding out her hand with an embarrassed face for some reason, Min-ha stood up, holding the outstretched hand without hesitation.

As Seth clasped her hand tightly in his own and led her towards the entrance of the hall, Min-ha peeked at his profile, still full of worries, and followed him toward the secret garden.

“The breeze at night has gotten much warmer now.”

“That’s right.”

While holding hands side by side and heading to the secret garden, there was no conversation between the two. Min-ha, who was unable to endure the awkward atmosphere, forced herself to say a few words, but Seth only smiled warmly or gave short replies.

Even when they arrived in front of the secret garden, she pouted her lower lip and went inside first as Seth opened the door without saying anything.

“…Wow.”

Soon, her gaze was taken away by the scenery decorated with a completely different appearance from their first visit.

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