Chapter 18

While contemplating with his eyes squinted, Jean broke out in laughter and answered.

“She’s realistic.”

“Eh?”

“Among all the women I’ve met, she’s the most realistic. That’s why I married her.”

Kathia’s expression shifted to one of puzzlement. It’s not that she’s disappointed, but it’s not an answer she would be in complete awe over.

Besides, she had heard that Jean’s sons often caused trouble in the most brilliant ways; so while sharing a meal like usual, they gossiped and soon the morning hours quickly slipped into the afternoon.

As much as they often argued, Jean and Kathia became more comfortable with and enjoyed each other’s company.

Of course, while the two were moving their mouths, they didn’t let their hands rest.

Every day, Jean sharpened and wiped his prized sword meticulously, and Kathia embroidered and crafted decorations to be used around her home.

Today too, Jean asked while gazing at Kathia swiftly crafting using thread and a crochet hook to make lace by hand.

“What are you making this time?”

“A tablecloth.”

“Didn’t you already make a tablecloth? The one you made two days ago?”

Jean pointed to a table covered in white lace but Kathia shook her head.

“This will be used to decorate the kitchen downstairs.”

“Shouldn’t you get rid of the kitchen downstairs?”

Didn’t you say you were opening up a shop for something called… ‘dolls’? Kathia’s confident response came back to Jean, who was tilting his head in wonder.

“Just you wait. I have it all planned out.”

As she made lace nonstop until midday, Kathia stretched her tense body.

Heading towards the kitchen for a cup of coffee, she heard a suspicious noise downstairs.

Thinking ‘it couldn’t be’, while looking towards the bottom of the stairs, but as expected…

A silver-haired man was crawling through a window downstairs. Kathia called out his name as if she were scratching her neck.

“Hughes Glodis…”

“Ah— It’s just that, I didn’t mean to.”

Confronted with a vengeful glare of ‘not you too,’ Hughes laughed awkwardly. Geez, as of yesterday, he came through the door normally!

“Pardon me. Good afternoon, Miss Kathia.”

As if to prove today was especially chaotic, Hughes’s emerald eyes seemed out of focus.

And as if facing a ghost, Kathia shuffled backward.

“It absolutely does not look like a good afternoon for you though. Did you even get some sleep?”

“Sure, for about 41 minutes and 38 seconds.”

The bags under his eyes sank down to his mouth as a hollow laugh and reply left him. Without a word, Kathia brewed some coffee and offered a cup to him first.

“Thank you.”

After drinking his steaming black coffee in a rush, Hughes wobbled and dropped himself onto a dining chair.

Is there a phrase to describe a ‘zombie’ in this world? If not, in the future, ‘Hughes Glodis’ may become the prime example to describe the walking dead.

While thinking like so, Kathia muttered out of concern.

“Why don’t you take a little nap? I shouldn’t have given you coffee…”

“It’s alright. In any case, I have to go back to the palace again in a bit.”

Unlike Jean, who was obviously ditching his duties, in order to live, Hughes came here to take a break every so often.

Kathia’s home was closer to the palace compared to Hughes’s residence.

“Miss Kathia, if you see his Majesty today, please relay this message to him: Hire more aides. Please. It’s a must. I beg of you. Please save me.”

At the same time, he was clinging on to Kathia as well.

“I will relay the message to his Majesty, but it’s not going toー”

“It will. It will happen. Unconditionally. He doesn’t even pay attention to what I say, so please, I ask of you.”

She caved in to Hughes’s pleading eyes and nodded for now.

It’s not hard to pass the message along but, there’s no guarantee that it’ll be carried out.

In any case, shortly after providing caffeine and sugary treats to Hughes, the doorbell rang.

The man who was capable of coming here to look for the so-called escaped imperial aide was, as expected, Jonathan.

“Your Majesty says to stop fooling around and return already.”

With those words, Hughes was dragged out like he was en route to a slaughterhouse, and Kathia and Jean began to have lunch, in a similar fashion to their morning routine.