Chapter 64

Duke Kling looked over the messy carpet for a while, but didn’t say anything.

“Are you okay, Sir? Were you hurt?”

“… Oh no, I’m alright. Didn’t you get hurt?”

“I’m fine…”

Colin looked at Iric who was cleaning up the floor with a worried look on his face.

Although he reached out again to help him, Iric politely refused his offer.

“It seems dangerous to leave lots of broken pieces unattended. I think it’s better to call a servant and change the carpet.”

“Sure, go ahead.”

“Let me call the servant to go get some water and new carpet! Wait a minute!”

Then Colin, who thought that he had work to do now, quickly stood up and left the office.

Iric stretched his back after collecting all the broken pieces on one side.

Kling was still keeping his eye on the carpet. Iric, who had been watching him since he was young, noticed that he was uncomfortable.

“What’s the matter with you, sir?”

Duke Kling tilted his head to one side for a moment and then shook his hand strongly.

“No, nothing. I’ve been sitting at the desk for so long. ”

He said it to himself as if to soothe himself. Iric narrowed his dark eyebrows.

“When did you say the messenger bird was coming?”

“I’ll probably resend it tomorrow, so I think it will take another day or two if we think about the distance from her to Roshan.”

“Okay. Report to me as soon as possible.

“Yes, sir.”

Kling nodded as if he was satisfied. Iric began cleaning up the area to remove the carpet.

The duke held his hands firmly with his back against Iric. He still felt creepy. He felt cold like a naked man because of his sore throat and thirsty.

‘Maybe it’s because of my mood. I think I’ve been working too hard these days. Just one bottle was broken. I may be worrying unnecessarily. Nobody is going to be hurt…”

He repeated the same thinking as if he was reciting a spell. The broken glass bottle and the water cup kept glimmering before his eyes. He took pains to erase the image that became increasingly clearer.

A cold and ominous aura swept his office.

* * *

The next day, Marianne got up late. Barely waking up at Cordelli’s prodding, she hurriedly prepared to go out. As she was scheduled to arrive at the temple today, she was nervous and impatient. It seemed like she had a long dream last night, but her head felt muddled and she couldn’t remember.

Cordelli brought out a bright lemon dress and an ivory cape. She had her long hair braided in one strand and decorated with flowers. She wore only one accessory for several days, which was a red diamond necklace presented by the emperor.

Marianne yawned and let Cordelli decorate her. She washed her face and brushed her teeth in an instant. Then she put on clothes starting with underpants to capes one after another. While she was wearing long socks and cowhide shoes up to her knees, Cordelli put some chopped fruit into her mouth.

“Are you hungry? Please bear with it. I have asked them to prepare a light meal, so you can eat it in the wagon.”

“That sounds good,” she replied in a drowsy voice. Only then did she get one question. Cordelli said she asked them to prepare her meal.

‘Does it mean she asked a maid to do the job?”

She flashed her curious eyes and then came out of the residence, escorted by Cordelli leading her hand.

Fortunately, the weather was clear. But she didn’t even have the luxury of enjoying the fresh morning breeze because Cordelli almost pushed Marianne into a waiting wagon.

“Well, see you later. If you need anything, shake the bell out the window. I will be in Lady Beatrice’s carriage!” Cordelli said in a cheerful voice, and closed the door.

“Cordelli?” Marianne asked back over the closed door. What came back was the sound of the horseman whipping the horse.

Her wagon shook slightly as it started. The breakfast dishes, which were set on the table in the wagon, rattled together.

Suddenly, there was heard the sound of someone closing a thick book.

“…”

Only then did Marianne look inside the carriage. His clear green eyes rolled around.

Finding a man sitting on the far end of the couch opposite her, she swallowed dry saliva.

“Ooops…I think I got in the wrong wagon.”

“You got in the right one.”

Putting the closed back on the side table, Eckart released his twisted legs.

“Well, you got in the wrong wagon, I think…”

Eckart frowned a bit. His slender eyebrows were raised and his blue eyes waved like waves.

“Did you notice it when you came in? There was Brenda’s insignia on the wagon.”

“Ah…I didn’t see it because I was pushed inside the wagon hurriedly.”

“This is my carriage.”

“Oh, I think so… By the way, why did I get in this wagon?”

As if she were really curious, Marianne shook her head just like Poibe when it tilted its head whenever it didn’t like anything.

Soon, his blue eyes became sterner.

“Did you ask why? Didn’t I tell you already yesterday that since the road would be rough today, you would have to ride a carriage?”

“Ah, you’re right.”

‘Did it mean that you and I were going to share the same wagon?’

She bit her lip furtively. Never did she expect to ride the wagon with the emperor.

Of course, it was a hundred times better than her sharing the marquise’s wagon. It was not unusual for an emperor’s fiancée to ride the same carriage as the emperor. And the emperor was not someone she found uncomfortable to be around.

But it took a day to get to Roshane, no matter how fast the wagon drove. She never spent such a long time with Eckart so close. But if she got in the marquise’s wagon, she would feel a different sense of tension and find it very inconvenient.

Eckart was very good at reading the opponent’s underlying intentions. Naturally, he read Marianne’s reluctant expression on her face.

“Why are you still looking like that? Don’t you want to ride the carriage with me?”

“Pardon? No, that’s not what I mean…”

Trying to read his countenance, she smiled awkwardly.

“Even if you don’t like it, You have no other choice. Stay in my view until you arrive at the temple. You shouldn’t have an incident like you did yesterday.”

“Pardon? Oh, yes, will do. Thank you for your warm considerations…”

Marianne slurred at his strangely cold attitude.

“But why are we two alone here? How about Sir Kloud?”

Still, she did not stop asking her curious questions. It really befitted her courage at the moment.

“Your attendant Cordelli will be in Euclid’s daughter’s carriage, and the deputy chamberlain and servants will be riding the newly-acquired wagon. You had better remember that I didn’t force them to get in that wagon. They really refused to get in my wagon and decided to ride another one.”

He came up with strong denial and clarification of his position as if he was appealing to her.

He did not want to burden Marianne with this kind of stuff. At the same time, he didn’t want to invite her misunderstanding and give her any expectations in vain.

“I see. I just thought that you paid special attention to me…”

But her reaction was lukewarm. Rather, she seemed to think his considerations were a pity.

Eckart poured out his unrefined raw feelings now.

“… How long are you going to hold the doorknob?”

In the end, he hurriedly changed the topic.

Only then did she realize that she was still so close to the door. She let go of her hand holding the door handle. As if she was embarrassed, her round eyes opened wide.

“Sit comfortably and eat. If there is anything missing, call the maid.”

“No. This is enough.”

Marianne slowly pulled over to the side. The hem of her broad dress was dragged to the back of the sofa.

Eckart leaned further toward the window. His distance with Marianne was slightly further.

It looked like he did so in consideration of her comfortable stay or he did so not to mingle with her in person. After opening the window, he turned his gaze to the outside landscape.

“Don’t you want to eat, Your Majesty?”

“No thanks.”

Hearing his quick reply, she did not ask again and picked up the fork.

The tea got relatively cold. Looking at the color and fragrance, it looked like her favorite chamomile. After sipping it, she felt the flower scent from late spring and early summer hovering around the tip of her tongue.

As it was breakfast, most of the food was a light finger food: two plates of fresh mangoes and sweet cherries, another dish filled with strawberries in syrup, a freshly-roasted cut pastry, and a piece of cake topped with fresh cream and a plate of immaculate milk pudding.

All the dishes stimulated her appetite as if a chef who knew Marianne’s appetite had prepared them.

“Delicious…”