Chapter 100

Chapter 100

Meanwhile, unaware of the idea that blossomed in Deatrice’s head, Lucius just smiled as he looked at Deatrice’s pondering expression.

The corners of her lips were curled up and she looked lovely. The servants who had been paying attention were relieved and drew attention. Lucius didn’t notice it at first, but he now often looked at her and she would usually smile like that.

She had this kind of soft presence that engulfed the room whilst maintaining an adorable mien.

Usually, when Lucius wins a childish argument, Deatrice would frown and give him food he disliked. Then he would simply laugh it off.

In other words, it wasn’t a pure coincidence that their table was filled with dishes that Lucius didn’t look upon favorably. This was also the case during these past few days’ meals.

How convenient was it that the chef forgot the dislikes of the master before he cooked dinner?

Lucius wasn’t a teenage boy who had a newfound interest in women. However, he didn’t know how to properly express it and he didn’t know either why he played a prank of tormenting his wife.

But to outsiders, it only looked like he was being playful, and the servants thought if the master is happy, then all is well.

***

The next day, Lucius stood near a large tree and spoke with the keeper of the forest. Normally, he would’ve had them bring him a summary of their requests through an agent, but the keeper specifically requested that they meet in person. Since he is also a protector of the forest, Lucius accepted.

Hearing the countless complaints and demands for compensation, Lucius leaned his back against the tree and looked elsewhere, bored.

Women with headbands and men with light clothing passed by, greeting the young lord.

“…it became very difficult. If you ask how badly damaged the forest was when the fire burned the monsters—I couldn’t even live in a corner of my entire mountain dwelling. The need to restore the forest is too urgent.”

“I apologize. It seems that I have been neglecting my tasks here due to my other responsibilities.”

“M’lord, there is no need for an apology. But I do ask of you to clearly state how the rewards will be distributed in the future.”

All in all, it was a dull conversation. The man spoke tediously over and over again, only to ask for a few pennies?

As Lucius didn’t smoke, he had no choice but to kill time by standing idly and looking around from time to time. When the boredom became a little too much for him to handle, he ran his fingers through his hair.

Then, a familiar carriage appeared.

Lucius could see the household’s carriage that the lady rode on, left outside to soak in the rain overnight.

He raised the corners of his lips slightly and lowered them again.

She must have come to buy Dixie’s gift. For Deatrice, who must have had a habit of ordering her servants to purchase things for her, he imagined this must’ve been a hassle for her.

Furthermore, how annoying must it be for the carriage you’re riding to be stuck on the road on a cold day?

Lucius couldn’t help but laugh when he thought of Deatrice looking out the window with a dour expression on her face. Seeing the lord laugh when he was telling a serious event, the elderly forest keeper reddened with contempt. “I tell you my wife fainted with fever, and you laugh?”

“Oh, of course, I wasn’t laughing at that. You see, my wife over there…”

The carriage door opened and Atkins got off his horse to escort the lady out of the stuffy space.

Against a drab background, Deatrice’s black wavy hair and white muslin dress were eye-catching. She stood on the footrest and looked around. As she raised her white-gloved hand, Akins stood by her and pulled his face closer to her.

Deatrice bowed her head and whispered something to him.

Lucius wrinkled his eyebrows and watched their somewhat intimate exchange.

Feeling jealousy creeping up his stomach, he held it inside. He was the one who appointed the knight as her escort after all. However, there was no way to prevent his eyes from reddening with anger and his fists clenching tighter.

His jealousy reached its peak when Atkins nodded and Deatrice smiled brightly.

Holding his hand that was extended to her, Deatrice stepped downward and accidentally stepped on his feet, making them both chuckle. After her shoes touched the ground, the hems of her dress became dirty, but still she walked forward with Atkins beside her.

Relying on Atkins’ support to cross slippery ground, Deatrice slowly disappeared towards a shopping center.

Lucius smirked as he looked at their backs until he overheard her words.

“…then will you have an affair for me?”

The words he had said at dinner time resounded in his head like a curse.

***

“Madam, the wheel is missing. We won’t be able to move!”

The driver shouted loudly. The wheel sank into the mud and dislodged after turning the reins a little to avoid a young woman passing by.

Deatrice looked out the window and saw that the eyes of several people were drawn to their position. It rained last night and the sun hasn’t cleared yet.

Looking at the gloomy sky, she recovered her gaze and, surprisingly, found Lucius already staring at her.