“Do you have anything you like?”
“Something I like?”
“Yes.”
It had become part of the daily routine for Clea and Isaac to sit at the table and chat lightly before meals were served.
Isaac was usually in his office handling work at home.
Still, he would check on her from time to time, join her for all three meals, and even have tea with her once a day.
Of course, each time, he would come upstairs, carry her down, or carry her back up… or carry her in general…
Clea’s face twisted at the thought.
She really felt like she’d become trash.
They say when a person does nothing, they lose their worth. She was the perfect example.
“Something I like…”
Clea pondered.
She didn’t know Clea Reno’s preferences, but honestly, even the original her didn’t have any particular likes.
She enjoyed tasty food, but that was about it. If someone asked what she wanted, there wasn’t anything worth mentioning.
“I like good food.”
“Good food…?”
“Yes. If you’re asking what I want to own, then nothing in particular.”
Even if she had something, it would eventually be burned or buried. It felt like a waste.
Clea leaned back in her chair as she thought.
The chair felt even softer than before.
“Did you change the chair?”
“Yes. I thought it might be too hard for you, so I switched to one filled with feathers.”
“….”
She’d always been prepared to say no to the question: Can someone die of shame?
But now, Clea wanted to reconsider.
Maybe it was possible, depending on the situation.
“Do you not like it?”
“…No, it’s comfortable.”
So soft, it makes you want to doze off during a meal.
She looked down at the chair with a cynical gaze, then smiled faintly.
Because she felt it was an act of kindness.
“He’s really honoring the contract.”
She was glad that the man Clea Reno had chosen turned out to be someone like him.
“By the way, how are you planning to pay for your travels?”
“Hmm… I have plenty of jewels, so I’ll just sell those. You’re not going to claim that the dresses or jewels I bought personally are the Count’s property and take them, are you?”
Clea looked at Isaac with deep suspicion.
Isaac gave a dry chuckle as if she had just reduced him to a petty, narrow-minded man.
Even so, he shook his head firmly to make his stance clear.
Clea tried to act as naturally as possible.
She didn’t want to let him know she was terminally ill, nor did she want to ruin the atmosphere with that kind of implication.
Although Isaac was overly protective to an excessive degree, for someone like her who had never experienced this kind of care before, it made her a little happy.
It was something she could never feel once she returned to reality.
Back in reality, Isaac would be the heir of a chaebol family, and she would be just a regular office worker struggling to make ends meet.
“Dinner will now be served.”
Denver and the maids entered and filled the table with dishes.
As she admired the food, her eyes lit up at the delicious aromas, but something about her plate stood out.
No, not the plate — the meat on the plate.
She glanced back and forth between her plate and Isaac’s.
“If you need anything, please let us know.”
“Alright.”
Denver stepped back.
Clea rolled her eyes, then cautiously looked at Isaac.
“Why is my meat all cut up?”
“…We couldn’t make a knife out of a lighter material.”
Isaac answered in a deeply apologetic tone.
Clea, who had been reaching for her fork, froze mid-movement.
She slowly lifted her head, as if she couldn’t believe what she had just heard.
“…What?”
“They said they could make a lighter teacup, so I had one rushed over. But a knife was too difficult.”
He gave a longer explanation this time, as if she hadn’t understood.
But that wasn’t the issue.
She just hadn’t imagined he’d actually place a custom order.
“…Who knows about that?”
“If it’s the staff, probably all of them. I asked them to find a craftsman capable of doing it.”
Clea couldn’t even suppress the absurd laugh that bubbled up.
Before living as Clea Reno, she had been quite healthy — not even catching colds often, strong as a weed.
So now rumors are spreading in this huge mansion that I can’t even cut meat with a knife?
She was deeply humiliated and miserable.
No wonder Denver kept asking about my condition…
Thank goodness she’d explained it as a chronic illness. Otherwise, they might’ve stopped her from taking even one step out of bed.
Well, maybe not to that extreme — it was just a contract after all.
“When giving you a gift, would a delicious meal be enough?”
“Yes, I think that would be fine.”
“That’s very modest.”
A memory, more than a possession, was enough.
Because even if she returned to her original world, she’d surely miss this place — she was growing fond of it.
“When’s your birthday?”
“My birthday?”
“Yes.”
“Ah…”
Clea paused to think.
That much basic information, she had checked.
Was it winter? No — probably spring.
“The last day of March.”
“March? So you were born in early spring.”
“What is this, an investigation?”
She asked while putting a neatly cut and decorated piece of steak into her mouth.
Isaac quietly nodded.
“If it’s within the contract period, of course I should celebrate it.”
At his calm reply, Clea’s hand froze.
Since I arrived in mid-October, March 31st would be…
It was close.
About five and a half months after she’d first arrived here.
She’d made a six-month agreement, and the Demon King had mentioned it could change depending on her condition.
…I’m starting to feel guilty.
Clea calmly popped another piece of meat into her mouth.
“No need for a gift.”
“Why not? You like gifts, don’t you?”
“It’s not that… but I’ll be leaving it all behind anyway. It’d just feel like a waste.”
She gave a soft smile.
Isaac let out a short laugh, as if she were saying something silly, and lifted his head.
“I’m not going to stop you from taking them, so don’t reject a gift before I’ve even given it.”
Instead of replying, she gave a strained smile and continued eating.
Isaac didn’t say anything more.
Her heart felt a little heavier.
It would be easier to think of it as just a contract…
But how could you not get attached when you live together?
There was warmth in the bed that had always been cold, and another person in the room where she always woke up alone.
After living alone in a small one-room apartment for so long, life with Isaac gave her a strange sense of fulfillment.
“Come to think of it, I heard your younger brother is returning.”
“My brother?”
“Yes. I heard he formed a contract with a spirit and created a protective barrier over the Empire’s border region. He’s attending the upcoming banquet to receive his reward.”
Wow, I’ve never even seen his face, but that sounds impressive.
In the memories shown by the Demon King, there was a boy who often argued and fought with her.
But it hadn’t been a vivid memory, so she’d forgotten.
“Ah…”
Clea responded flatly.
“By the way, I’ll start delegating some of the count’s responsibilities to you. Think you can handle it?”
“…Alright.”
Isaac looked at her once and nodded.
The mine owned by the Count’s family had never been yielded even to the royal family.
Isaac still didn’t understand why she’d offered to hand it over.
“Don’t doubt me.”
“…What?”
“I’ll keep my promise. I told you — it’s not something I can use anyway.”
Isaac fell silent at her composed words.
She had years of experience reading people’s intentions.
She could guess what someone was thinking just by looking into their eyes.
“Are you going for a walk today too?”
“Hmm, I probably should.”
She couldn’t afford to let her already dwindling stamina get any worse.
If she kept it up, maybe her stamina level would be restored to 1210 again.
At Clea’s words, Isaac nodded.
“Alright. I’ll count 200 steps for you as you walk.”
“…No, that’s really not necessary.”
That’s so embarrassing.
I can count, thank you very much.
Also, I don’t need a step counter because my stamina bar lights up in mid-air when I’m tired anyway.
Clea’s throat was full of unspoken words.
“If I’m a burden, I can have Denver or one of the maids go with you.”
“…Just, please — Isaac, you do it.”
The thought of Denver or the maids trailing behind her, whispering “one step, two steps, three steps…” made her break out in cold sweat.
At her words, Isaac nodded with satisfaction.
