Chapter 112

Translator: Yonnee

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Unlike the capital nobles, most of the countryside nobles tended to be more broad-minded about most things.

Honestly, I never imagined that Morgan saw me in that way. Though if someone were to ask me if I was excited to hear it, I could still say that I wasn't.

Of course, I did vow to meet a man who resembled my father, but Morgan was so much like my father that he already felt like family to me.

I wasn't sure if it's maybe because I had already been married before, but I wasn't really sure if I could be attracted to someone with such burning intensity again.

I also promised that I wouldn't fall in love in the way that I did before.

These were the things that I vowed to myself, but sometimes, I just don't know.

What kind of love do I really want?

And it's difficult to tell because Morgan was an Esper, too. Any Esper wouldn't be able to resist the charms of a Guide, especially if the Esper had not been able to meet any other Guide until now.

"I don't know... I'd have to give you the same answer."

I could see Morgan's adam's apple bobbing up and down. He's the one who brought it up, but it looked like he was very nervous about it anyway.

Still, my answer was firm.

"I will marry the man my family approves of."

"...But shouldn't you marry the man who you choose?"

At Morgan's words, I lifted my teacup and shrugged.

"We're countryside nobles, yes, but that doesn't mean we're not nobles at all, right? Aren't there a lot more marriages of convenience rather than marriages of love amongst aristocrats?"

Since I had such an intensely burning love that I had sacrificed my life for in my past life, I thought that a marriage that's like a calm friendship wouldn't be bad to have in this life. I felt a cool breeze as I sipped my tea.

The sunlight was strong, but unlike how it was in Korea, it wasn't humid, so it still felt cool under the shade.

As I looked up, I caught the exact moment that the sun was obscured by the shade above me, disappearing in an instant. To be exact, it might be right to say that the sun had left a scorching heat in its wake but soon disappeared.

And, looking to the side now, I stared straight at the main criminal in these musings.

What if I'm still unable to control my emotions? When in the world are you going to stop burning everything?

"Your Grace."

As I called him in a rather cold tone, I saw Ciel's shoulders flinch at the sound. Morgan, who was sitting opposite us, seemed astonished to hear it as well.

"...Now that I'm experiencing it firsthand once more, I have to admit that Your Grace's abilities are truly remarkable."

Until a while ago, I was struck with such incredulity while watching them goad each other like children that I momentarily forgot about it.

"Huu... I'm sorry, Irene. I failed to control my abilities again."

Ciel meekly apologized with his brows furrowed. He'd been showing such a pathetic appearance so much these days. To elicit pity, no doubt.

"Lord Allen, it took a while for you to control your abilities, right?"

"Yes. If it wasn't for Irene's help, maybe I wouldn't be able to be in contact with anyone at all. I might have gone ahead and lived as a recluse."

"I deeply sympathize with you. I, too, might have burned everything if it wasn't for Irene."

"I was under the impression that you've already mastered your abilities, Duke... So it seems that we're on the same level then."

Even when faced with a sharp blade like this, Morgan was Morgan. He looked like a huge bear, yet he was naïve inside.

Where should I start.

Though Ciel was an esteemed duke of this empire, there's a slithering snake somewhere within that personality of his. And unlike how he was in the past, it would seem like he had given up his high dignity and cool-headedness.

But who would believe this?

I narrowed my eyes as I watched Ciel act so fox-like, which could be clocked by only me.

Then, raindrops began to fall one by one from the sky.

"Irene, come here."

He skillfully blocked the rain with his power over the wind. Of course, I didn't appreciate him doing this in front of Morgan, but his actions allowed me to enter the mansion without the smallest droplet reaching me.

"As you have ordered, Your Grace, we've prepared a dish called braised spicy chicken."

The moment we entered the mansion, Mary drew near and spoke in a friendly voice. When exactly did he get to Mary?

As I looked up, Ciel winked at me and led me to the dining hall. The more I saw him act like this, the more I thought about it.

Who was this man, and what did he do to my ex-husband? He was seriously acting so differently from how he was in the past.

Was this truly the Ciel who had once been my husband?

With such doubts swirling through my mind, I entered the dining hall. My eyes automatically zeroed in on the table as a familiar smell wafted in the air and reached my senses.

A familiar dish was served in a bowl over there.

As Morgan had followed us, he sat down with an exclamation. Ciel pulled out a chair for me and I sat down as well, and when Mary placed a serving in front of me, I gulped.

Yes. This was exactly how it looked.

Holding a spoon in one hand while staring intently at this proper dak-bokkeum-tang, I couldn't help but think that this might have really come from a shop back in Korea.

With Ciel sitting opposite me, I gave him a bright, happy smile.

I had forgotten this nostalgic taste of Korean food, but I fell in love with it as soon as I saw it again.