Episode 28
Emilia let out an awkward little laugh. Had she ever confessed her feelings to someone she loved like this before?
Even when she’d left the Casper family, she never thought the day would come when she’d tell him how she felt.
Back then, all she’d wanted was for Edwin not to hate her.
And yet… here they were.
Today was the day she actually told him she liked him. A day she’d never dared to expect. What did that even mean?
Does this mean our relationship could actually change?
She imagined a future where she and Edwin lived happily together. It almost felt possible. But deep down, she was
still afraid.
Once they reached the capital, she couldn’t be sure Edwin’s feelings wouldn’t change.
If one day he suddenly turned on her stabbed her in the back, then no matter how much she loved him, she
wouldn’t be able to endure it.
If, after trusting him completely until the very end, all she got in return was betrayal… she’d never survive it.
She had been staring down at the floor, lost in thought, when she realized there was no answer from him. She lifted
her head.
“Edwin?”
“…Mm.”
He had one hand covering his face. The sun hadn’t fully set yet, so she could still see him clearly.
His flushed face. The way he was desperately trying to hide it. Emilia almost burst out laughing.
Once again, she was seeing a side of him she’d never seen before. A side that wasn’t all steel and strength. And every
time she saw that, she wanted to hold the image in her mind forever.
It had only been a few days since they’d reunited, but with every new side she saw of him, the wall in her heart
seemed to crumble a little more.
He’s… shy? Did he ever act like this in the novel?
She thought about it. No, in the original story he’d never been like this.
The Edwin Casper in the book had been all charm and cold composure.
When he saw injustice, he didn’t just rush in blindly, he struck with precision, tearing down his opponent with careful
strategy. And when it came to the heroine, Diana, he would jump in without hesitation, no matter the risk.
He’d been written as the perfect man in every way, so Emilia had never imagined seeing him like this.
And the fact that she was probably the first to see it—not Diana—made her quietly happy.
Well… since we’re here, maybe I should ask.
She hesitated.
Things between them now were so different from the novel. Even if Edwin just said he wanted to part on good terms
after today, she thought she could still be satisfied.
She’d expected him to show up aiming for her throat, but instead he’d been kind, even painting their past in a better
light than it deserved. That alone made her grateful.
But she was still human—and right now, she couldn’t help but want a little more.
“Have you eaten yet?”
It was just past dinnertime.
If he said yes, she’d just let him go. But Edwin instantly understood what she was really asking, and answered without
missing a beat.
“No, not yet.”
A shameless answer, really. Since she’d left, he hadn’t bothered with dinner at all. He only ate twice a day now, and
never really felt hungry.
Still, he wanted to spend more time with her, so dinner suddenly seemed like a very good idea.
When he answered so quickly, Emilia smiled and offered,
“I haven’t eaten yet either. Why don’t we have dinner together?”
Hearing that, Edwin swallowed hard.
Emilia enjoyed seeing him look nervous, he was someone who normally lived a life far removed from tension like this.
He cleared his throat and replied,
“Thanks for inviting me, Emilia.”
“And thank you for not saying no.”
They both smiled and stepped inside the house.
As they went in, Emilia glanced around again. Henry was nowhere in sight—thankfully—but her eyes landed on the
sword outside, and her expression cooled instantly.
It was an ornate blade engraved with her family’s crest—once a symbol of honor, now just an empty shell of a name.
Only one person in the whole family had been allowed to wield that sword.
So… you’re still alive.
Not her half-brother, but her full brother—Henry Hermann. Just thinking his name again after so long made her skin
crawl.
It wasn’t hard to guess why he’d shown up here, and her face hardened in a way it never did when she was looking at
Edwin.
Good. I’m glad you’re still breathing… because I want to be the one to end you.
Not wanting Edwin, who’d gone in first, to notice her change in mood, she pushed the thought aside and stepped inside.
Once they were in, the warmth between them returned.
Wanting to treat her guest properly, Emilia decided to show off her cooking skills for the first time in a while and
started pulling out ingredients.
When she’d first arrived in the village, she’d never cooked a thing in her life—it had been a nightmare. But over time,
the village chief and the locals had taught her, and now she could manage a few decent dishes.
That’s when Edwin stepped in.
“Edwin, if you help, it’s not really me treating you anymore.”
“I’ll just help with the prep.”
Apparently standing around doing nothing didn’t sit well with him. He moved to her side and started picking up the
vegetables she’d laid out.
She insisted she could do it herself, but he took up a knife like he’d done it a thousand times before and began
chopping.
“Then let’s do it together.”
At that, she sighed and pulled out a second knife so she could work beside him.
Edwin didn’t stop her—in fact, he couldn’t stop smiling. He was just… happy to be here like this with her.
Emilia, too, found herself stealing glances at him. She’d never even imagined a scene like this.
“Eyes on your hands. You’re gonna cut yourself.”
“You might want to take your own advice.”
“I handle a blade better than you. I can chop without looking.”
“Wow. Good for you.”
Even with only a few ingredients, working side-by-side actually took longer than if one of them had done it alone.
Once the prep was done, Emilia quickly threw together a stew.
She sliced bread and toasted it, then washed the fresh vegetables the villagers had given her yesterday and set them
out as well.
Have I ever pictured something like this before?
Forced to sit down when she told him to stay out of the cooking beyond prep work, Edwin watched her move around
the small kitchen, deep in thought.
A duke and duchess, living in a tiny house with no guards—working during the day, cooking together at night.
Growing up in one of the oldest, wealthiest noble families, he’d never even been able to imagine a life like this.
But right now, he was so happy he could hardly stand it.
He’d found the most precious person, the one he’d have given his life to find.
And the wall that had once kept them apart… Emilia was slowly taking it down herself.
To Edwin, this moment felt like rain after a long drought—sweet and desperately needed.
Do I… really get to be by your side like this?
When he’d been searching for her, he hadn’t thought about anything else not reason, not consequences just finding
her. But now that she was here, he couldn’t help wondering… Did he even deserve to be here?
“All done.”
Emilia finished cooking with practiced ease and set a bowl in front of him. But now she looked almost nervous, so
different from when she’d been confidently stirring the pot.
Having lived in the ducal mansion, she knew exactly what kind of ingredients and dishes Edwin was used to. Lavish,
exquisite meals made by professional chefs. And she knew how often he’d barely taken a few bites before leaving the rest.
In contrast, what she’d made tonight was something anyone could throw together. Plain and simple.
Edwin looked down at it and said warmly,
“It smells wonderful.”
“Really?”
“If you weren’t a duchess, I’d hire you as the ducal chef.”
“That’s a bit much.”
Even so, she turned her head, flustered.
Chuckling at her reaction, Edwin picked up his spoon and took a bite.
Delicious.
It wasn’t just the flavor it was the warmth. Not from the food itself, but from the heart of the one who’d made it.
“Eat plenty.”
Seeing how much he enjoyed it made Emilia so happy that she didn’t even notice her own stew cooling in her bowl—
she just kept watching him eat.
