After Paul left, a new desk and chair were brought into the office.
Despite the available space, Edwin chose to sit right next to Dana.
Rayton, looking dejected, was still lingering beside Dana.
“…So you came all this way just to introduce a new recruit?”
His empty expectations turned into resentment toward Paul.
Lost in thought, he accidentally bumped his thigh against the edge of the desk.
“Ouch!”
Feeling embarrassed, he glared at Dana, who was nearby.
“Hey, Dana Hartwin! Have you finished the report I gave you last time?”
“You’ve assigned me so many tasks— which one are you referring to?”
Rayton, who had little interest in work, had no way of knowing.
“You should understand without me having to say it! You always—”
Before he could finish his grumbling, his mouth was shut.
Edwin had pushed Rayton’s face away with his large hand.
Rayton stumbled and ended up awkwardly in the middle of the office— like a dried-up leaf blown away.
With an incredulous expression, he stared at the new recruit.
Edwin narrowed his sharp eyes as if to say, ‘What’s the problem?’
“You were just standing in my way.”
Leaving the dumbfounded Rayton behind, Edwin turned his gaze to Dana.
“We meet again.”
He somehow seemed excited as he said that.
Did he already make Rayton angry on his first day? That would be a problem…
Feeling concerned for Edwin, Dana whispered cautiously.
“First, you should apologize to Rayton….”
“I can’t hear you well.”
Edwin leaned in closer to Dana.
Is it okay for him to be this close…?
As he brought his ear near her, Dana blinked in surprise.
A cool, masculine scent brushed past the tip of her nose.
“So…”
Dana absentmindedly stared at his clean, smooth cheeks.
Even his eyelashes, resting neatly on his face, were mesmerizing.
“So?”
Edwin repeated her words with a smile.
“Just say ‘I’m sorry’ first….”
“Oh, are you worried about me?”
He shrugged as if it was nothing.
Edwin smirked at her from a distance so close she could feel his breath.
“I’m glad.”
“……….”
Is that really something to be happy about?
Dana’s blue eyes showed her confusion.
It was then that Rayton’s sharp voice rang out.
“Aren’t you two supposed to be working? What are you whispering about?”
“My apologies.”
Dana quickly stepped back and moved closer to her desk.
Rayton pointed at her accusingly and continued.
“You seem to get along well with the new recruit. Then you can be the one to mentor this newbie!”
“I understand.”
Dana nodded.
When she first joined, Rayton had barely given her any proper training, and she had struggled a lot because of it.
She didn’t want the new hire to go through the same hardship.
“I’ll be in your care, senior.”
Despite their boss’s scolding, Edwin showed no sign of intimidation.
Instead, he smiled brightly and handed Dana a bottle of apple juice.
‘This is my favorite juice!’
Was it just a coincidence?
Delighted, Dana accepted the bottle.
Seeing her reaction, Edwin looked satisfied.
‘Wow, what is this? Why does it taste so good?’
Dana’s eyes widened.
She had tasted plenty of apple juice before, but none had ever been this fragrant and rich in flavor.
“Do you like it? I’ll bring more tomorrow.”
Watching her satisfied expression, Edwin grinned.
That apple juice had been carefully pressed by the Imperial Palace’s chef from the finest apples, meant for the Emperor’s breakfast.
Instead, it had ended up in Dana’s hands.
“Thank you. It was delicious.”
“Please feel free to speak casually, senior.”
The polite way the new recruit spoke made Dana chuckle.
“Should I, Edwin?”
“….…….”
For a moment, Edwin’s eyes wavered.
Hearing his name from Dana’s lips stirred up an unfamiliar feeling inside him.
His chest felt full, and there was an inexplicable warmth.
“Edwin, are you okay?”
Dana’s voice brought him back to reality, and his dazed eyes regained focus.
“Ah, yes. It’s just… better than I expected….”
Better in what way? Dana stood up from her seat.
“It’s time to head to the storage room. I’ll show you how to do the inventory check.”
“Yes, senior.”
His voice was soft as he replied.
As they walked down the hallway, Dana explained the tasks ahead.
“Our main duties include inventory checks and compiling potion usage reviews.”
Edwin listened to her voice as if entranced.
Even after all this time, her voice remained clear and bright.
He adjusted his pace to match Dana’s, walking slower than usual.
It was the first time in his life that he had ever adjusted his speed for someone else.
‘Not bad.’
If the person he was accommodating was Dana, he was more than willing to slow down.
At the end of the hallway, he opened the door on the right, revealing the inventory room.
The room was as cold as a storage warehouse—
kept that way to maintain the potions’ quality.
‘Ugh, it’s always freezing in here.’
Dana shivered and pulled her jacket tighter.
It was at that moment that Edwin’s hand lightly touched her back.
“You had something on you.”
As he spoke, he gently brushed her back.
“Huh? Thanks.”
Dana tilted her head slightly as she flipped through the documents.
‘Why does it feel so warm all of a sudden?’
She glanced at the magical thermometer, but the temperature hadn’t changed.
It must be my imagination. She brushed the thought away.
She needed to focus on teaching her junior.
“Edwin, can you see this table? The format is always the same, so once you get used to it, it’ll be easy.”
“I see.”
“Here, you record the quantity of stamina recovery potions, and over there, the regenerative potions….”
As she explained, she suddenly felt a gaze on her.
“Don’t look at me—focus on the documents.”
“Yes, understood.”
Edwin’s eyes returned to the paperwork.
Dana continued explaining without hesitation, her practiced and efficient manner showing her dedication to her work.
“For potions with a longer shelf life, we store them up there—”
She climbed a small ladder, reaching out for a box.
‘Senior Toni, I told you not to push the boxes so far in….’
Struggling to reach, Dana suddenly lost her balance.
She instinctively shut her eyes, bracing for the inevitable pain.
Just then, a deep voice murmured by her ear.
“Be careful.”
Instead of hitting the hard floor, she found herself in a firm embrace.
Edwin caught her effortlessly, setting her down with the utmost care— as if handling a precious sculpture.
“…Thanks.”
Dana looked up at him and expressed her gratitude.
Edwin simply smiled in response.
Meanwhile, Dana tilted her head, feeling oddly unsettled.
‘What was that just now?’
The moment Edwin told her to be careful, an eerie sense of familiarity washed over her.
‘Be careful.’
A worried voice—one she felt like she had heard somewhere before….
What is this? As she pondered, the inventory room door suddenly burst open.
It was Kira.
“Dana, it’s lunchtime!”
“Ah, thanks for letting me know.”
Kira, ever the considerate one, left after that to have lunch with their colleagues.
Thinking about the cheap sandwich she was about to eat, Dana’s appetite plummeted.
Forcing herself to maintain a neutral expression, she turned to Edwin.
“You must be tired from listening to all my boring explanations. Enjoy your lunch and—”
“Senior, I brought a lunchbox.”
“Huh?”
“I made a lot.”
Edwin’s eyes curved into a gentle smile.
“Would you like to share it with me?”
“…Should I?”
That smile was impossible to refuse.
***
“You made all this yourself?”
Dana asked in surprise.
“Yes. But it’s a bit lacking, isn’t it?”
Edwin looked genuinely dissatisfied as he said that.
The two of them were seated on a bench in front of the fountain, Dana’s usual lunch spot.
Edwin had unexpectedly refined manners—
Before sitting, he spread a handkerchief on Dana’s seat and asked if she was comfortable.
When she reassured him, he opened the lunchbox, revealing an impressive spread.
A hearty meat pie, a fresh salad, and dried apricots for dessert.
For someone who had been surviving on sad little sandwiches, it was a feast.
Moreover, the ingredients all seemed top-quality, their surfaces glistening under the light.
Edwin carefully cut a piece of the meat pie and handed it to Dana.
“Thanks. I’ll eat well.”
A special meal after so long! Dana happily took a bite.
Edwin watched her with satisfaction.
‘It was worth the effort.’
That morning, the imperial palace’s kitchen had been thrown into chaos—
All because of the Third Prince’s sudden intrusion.
The cookbook he had brought along had shocked the palace chefs.
But Edwin had ignored them all, single-mindedly preparing food for Dana.
He had even enchanted the lunchbox with a preservation spell to keep the food warm.
Dana, completely oblivious, murmured in admiration.
“This is delicious. You’re really good at cooking!”
How is it this good? It’s crazy!
Seeing the sparkle in her eyes, Edwin spoke in a soft tone.
“Senior, I have a habit of always preparing food for two.”
“Really? That’s an unusual habit.”
“So from now on, have lunch with me.”
Just the two of them.
Dana, her cheeks full, nodded without much thought.
She wasn’t sure if that habit was real or not—
But if it meant escaping her terrible sandwiches, she wasn’t about to complain.
After lunch, they returned to the office, where Toni, one of their superiors, called everyone over.
Toni was Rayton’s right-hand man and notoriously loose-lipped.
“Did you hear? That crazy Third Prince is back!”
His excited voice echoed through the room, loud and clear.
Even Edwin, who had just stepped inside, heard it perfectly.
