Chapter 64
“Even the regulars who come here every day wouldn’t know that, huh?”
“When did you become such a gourmet?”
“Huh?”
“So you’re saying he still isn’t eating properly?”
“That’s right.”
Ceres clicked her tongue softly.
When she’d seen Kaynel recently, she’d thought he looked thinner — so it wasn’t just her imagination after all.
“Please, just make sure Lord Kaynel can eat properly again. I’m not asking for anything else.”
“……”
“Can’t you even do that much?”
Knock, knock.
“Lord Kaynel, I’ve brought your meal.”
“I said I don’t need it.”
The curt reply came from Kaynel, who hadn’t been able to visit Ceres’s restaurant today because he was buried under documents from the imperial palace.
Every single “urgent” document was merely a redundant report confirming already finalized meeting results — and it only stoked his irritation further.
Do these people not have brains? Why the hell are they even asking me about this?
“You should still eat, my lord.”
“I said no—”
“No what? You know you’ll die if you don’t eat, right?”
“……?”
“I wouldn’t recommend it as a way to kill yourself.”
That voice—
Kaynel froze, finally lifting his head from the papers.
“You’re not going to eat breakfast? I wouldn’t recommend that as a way to die.”
“…You think skipping one meal will kill me?”
“It will. How can a person live without eating?”
“Hey, Grace. Isn’t that a bit extreme—”
“Arty, you’ve never seen a body that starved to death, have you? The brain’s the first to rot. You become an idiot. Then the guts start to rot too…”
“Ugh! You’ll turn into an idiot! You’ll die! Hurry up and eat, Kai, you idiot!”
Grace — the one who always had strange logic and an odd obsession with food.
She could be nonchalant about everything else, but if either Artea or Kaynel skipped a meal, she’d make a huge scene like the world was ending.
“Eat.”
“…Why are you…?”
Why was she here?
Ceres, standing there with a tray, set the dishes on his desk. Kaynel stared at her blankly.
“You said you wanted me to repay my debt, didn’t you?”
“Debt?”
“See? You’re already losing it. Can’t even remember what you said a minute ago.”
“……”
“Just eat.”
Kaynel’s gaze dropped to the plate she’d placed in front of him — a steaming omelet and a clear soup, freshly made.
The kind of meal Grace used to cook for him when he was young.
Kaynel glanced between the food and Ceres before quietly picking up the spoon. He scooped a bit of the soup and brought it to his lips.
“…Ha.”
This is ridiculous.
He let out a small, involuntary laugh.
It tasted so familiar.
Kaynel stared intently at Ceres.
Was he losing his mind, chasing ghosts out of longing?
Or… could it really be…?
“Make sure to count your pay properly. Don’t forget.”
“As long as you don’t put bell peppers in it.”
Whish!
“Hey.”
Don’t pick out the bell peppers.
“What’s wrong with that guy?”
“He’s bored because he has no one to play with.”
The crown prince of Aserian tilted his head as he looked at Cheion, who was slumped over and looking unusually lifeless.
“No one to play with? Who?”
“His temporary secretary.”
“What, she won’t hang out with him anymore?”
“That’s right.”
“So he’s sulking?”
“Seems like it.”
Cheion, sitting gloomily by the window as if he’d lost everything in the world, immediately flared up at their words.
“Do I look like a kid? You think I’m sulking because she won’t play with me?”
“Pretty sure you are.”
“Looks that way.”
“Ugh!”
With a huff, Cheion turned his head sharply away, clearly done with talking to them.
He’d recently heard that Ceres had ended up working under the Grand Duke of Persia — Kaynel.
Even after he’d offered to pay off her debt for her, she hadn’t even considered it. Instead, she’d chosen to stay by that man’s side.
It’s weird.
Ceres was different when she was around Kaynel Persia.
Usually, she was cool, indifferent, always a bit cold toward everyone — but around him, it was like her temperature rose a few degrees.
He couldn’t explain it, but she just seemed softer when she was with the Grand Duke.
“…It pisses me off.”
Ever since he’d seen the two of them together, something inside him kept boiling up.
He didn’t know if it was irritation or just exhaustion, but either way, it gnawed at him from deep inside.
Why? Why was he so angry?
“Cheion.”
“What.”
What now?
When the Aserian crown prince called, Cheion replied in a sullen voice, not even turning around.
“Alex is coming back.”
“…What?”
But the next words made his eyes widen in surprise, his earlier sulkiness gone in an instant.
“Alex is coming back? Really? Is it okay for him to travel now? Is he better?”
“He seems much better.”
“Seriously?”
A big smile spread across Cheion’s face, and the crown prince chuckled softly.
He’s that happy, huh.
Alex de Devrika — the empire’s third prince, their half-brother.
Cheion had adored him since they were children, always doting on him like a real little brother.
But Alex had been frail since birth and had spent years away from the capital recovering.
Now, finally, he’d sent word that he’d be returning.
“Alex must’ve grown a lot, right?”
“…Excuse me?”
“Our Alex.”
“What do you mean? Prince Alex was already tall and handsome before he left the capital.”
Luca clicked his tongue softly.
Alex was nineteen now — only three years younger than Cheion — so why did they still treat him like a child?
Did they think illness stopped someone from aging?
Apparently, he was the only one who thought that.
“Luca, you fool. Our Alex is still a kid.”
“He’s still young.”
“Right?”
“Are you both insane?”
Luca sighed, shaking his head.
Maybe the real reason Prince Alex had stayed away from the capital for so long wasn’t his health — but because he couldn’t stand these two.
“So? When’s he coming?”
“Not sure. He didn’t give an exact date, but it sounded like soon.”
Whether Luca looked exasperated or not, the two brothers only smiled at each other, visibly pleased.
“You said I only needed to cook for him.”
“Ha ha.”
“You said all I had to do was feed him.”
“Ha… ha ha…”
“Liar.”
“…I’m sorry.”
Kaynel’s aide, Del, could only laugh awkwardly under Ceres’s sharp glare.
“Mind explaining to me why I had to come all the way here?”
“Well… you see, haha…”
Ignoring his sheepish grin, Ceres turned her glare toward Kaynel, walking ahead of them.
What the hell’s with him lately?
Since when did he like walking around with other people?
They were currently in the imperial palace — where a high council meeting was being held.
Kaynel had specifically asked her to accompany him.
‘Why me?’
‘You have to repay your debt.’
‘…….’
‘You remember the contract, right? It says you must accompany me wherever I request. Violation means a penalty fee.’
Damn it. Being broke really is a curse.
So here she was, dragged out at dawn to follow him to the palace.
This is going to take forever.
Last time she’d come here with Cheion, the meeting had ended early because he’d accidentally set off the alarm — but that wouldn’t happen this time.
Knowing how imperial meetings went, Ceres let out a quiet sigh.
“Where are you going?”
“Me? To the waiting room.”
As she started to follow Del to where the secretaries and aides usually waited, Kaynel’s voice stopped her.
“What about service?”
“…Service?”
“Service.”
“……”
Ceres instinctively turned toward Del again.
He gave her that same innocent smile — and promptly looked away.
“You have to repay your debt.”
“Is that the only line you know how to say?”
“Come along.”
Ceres glared at Del once more — he just waved cheerfully, telling her to have fun.
Grinding her teeth, she had no choice but to follow Kaynel into the conference chamber.
That bastard. Seriously.
Service? Siiiiiirvice?!
Ha!
Since when had she ever done that kind of thing?
Sure, most of the nobles attending these meetings brought an attendant or servant with them.
They were used to being waited on, after all — most couldn’t even pour themselves a glass of water.
“Do you always bring attendants?”
“Yeah. Usually around three hundred. I dismissed them all today since you’re here.”
Ugh, not funny. Not funny at all!
Ceres clenched her jaw, fuming at his shameless, teasing reply.
