Chapter 81
As Jang was about to sprint away, he turned his hefty frame and looked at me.
“Yes, madam?”
“Put that down!”
I shouted in disgust.
Jang, not understanding what I meant, cocked his head, but then he realized upon seeing what was in his hand and let out a sigh of realization.
The square-shaped kitchen knife in his hand was more than twice the size of a regular kitchen knife, fitting his hand perfectly.
So, it was practically a weapon.
Chasing a cat with that, absolutely unacceptable.
“Oh, yes.”
Jang gently placed the knife on the cutting board and then began to run after Rona.
“Noir!
Noir!”
I chased after Noir, shouting loudly behind Jang and Rona.
“No!
That’s not allowed!”
Considering the effort put into acquiring it since the morning, I couldn’t just let the fish go straight into Noir’s stomach.
“Noir, I’ll give you something tastier.
That’s not tasty.
It’s just a small and unnecessarily expensive fish!”
I yelled as if Noir could understand, but the cat was fast.
Too fast.
Even though there were three of us chasing, none of us could get close.
“What are you doing?”
Gardeners watering and pruning in the garden stretched their necks to watch our chase.
Servants cleaning around the mansion also witnessed the scene.
And those who followed us started to gather behind us.
By now, it felt like the cat was playing with people.
And now, I was more determined to catch the cat than worrying about the fish that escaped with Noir.
Nyaooong.
The cat ran briskly, then swiftly jumped over a knee-high tree.
Then, it leaped into the arms of a person beyond.
Yaoong.
With a crashing sound.
“What the…”
The man who suddenly hugged the cat looked at the commotion with disbelief.
“Did all these people mobilize to catch one cat?”
He seemed a little bewildered.
After running so desperately and still failing to catch just one cat.
“….”
There were traces of cuts from the kitchen knife on his hand.
“That hand doesn’t look too good.”
“Yeah.”
I quickly hid my hand behind my back.
There was also a awkward smile.
“Are you looking for this?”
Amoide showed the cat forward.
The fish was firmly held in Noir’s mouth.
“Yes.”
I replied, already knowing.
Well, I couldn’t use that anyway.
I tasted deep despair.
In an instant, Noir opened its mouth wide, and the fish tumbled to the floor.
—
In the end, what was presented had nothing to do with the legendary fish, but was a stew made with vegetables, fruits, and beef.
Amoide’s expression upon facing it was one of confusion.
“Try it.”
I stood there with a sheepish expression.
“Still, it’s made with Jang’s teachings, so it should be edible.
If it’s not good… then don’t eat it.”
“What’s this?”
“Well, it has eggplant, broccoli, and tomatoes inside…”
I almost prepared to recite the recipe I knew by heart.
“Not that kind of stuff.”
Then what does he want?
He stabbed the fork into the overcooked vegetables while looking at me.
“Is this a bribe or something?”
…Well, kind of.
“As a bribe to get you to look favorably.”
I replied sharply at first, then softened my voice.
“I saved Noir.
It’s a token of gratitude.
It turned out quite modest due to an unexpected accident, but still.”
At my response, he gave me a vague smile.
“Vegetables are undercooked, seasoning is off,” I thought he’d ridicule, but he continued to poke at the food with his fork.
Watching him, I couldn’t help but feel pleased and started a conversation.
“Is it tasty?”
“Better than I expected.”
Annoying.
-50 points.
“You took your taste into consideration.
Combining the meat and vegetables that you usually like…”
“I don’t like eggplant.”
Being picky isn’t good.
-50 points.
Tap.
He immediately grabbed my wrist as I tried to leave.
Then he looked at me and asked.
“I want to repay for this dish.”
Ah.
+150 points.
—
As we entered the room, Amoide’s gaze caught my attention.
“What’s the matter again?”
He was leaning against the window sill, but turned his head towards the door when he heard me come in.
“I’m here to have some tea.”
“…Okay.”
“Now you’re not even asking if I’m coming to drink tea?”
“You’re going to drink it here anyway.”
He glanced towards me.
“Right.
It’s good you give up quickly.
And also, I’m here to receive the repayment you mentioned.”
I wondered what impressive thing he wanted to ask for, but he looked at me in silence as I gestured to Rona.
Rona, watching us with a smile, swiftly set up the teapot and teacups on the tea table.
With colorful cookies and cakes placed, the exquisite tea set was complete.
“Try some tea.”
I handed him the tea I poured myself.
He hesitated for a moment before accepting the cup I offered.
Amoide’s manner of drinking tea was truly, truly elegant.
From the graceful way his long fingers wrapped around the handle of the teacup to the moment it touched his lips and descended again, he watched as if enchanted by something.
My eyes followed Amoide’s hand, repeatedly returning.
Though his fingers were long and beautiful, there were rough parts in between.
‘That’s because of holding a sword.’
Suddenly, I remembered that he was a knight.
How magnificent it would be if that hand wielded a sword.
In an instant, a conversation flashed through my mind.
“Why are your hands so fast?”
His voice, softly laughing at my question.
And then,
“Because of holding a sword.”
…the voice answering.
“What were you looking at?”
Amoide’s puzzled gaze made me snap back to reality.
“Uh, nothing.”
As our eyes met, in my embarrassment, I just coughed awkwardly.
“What were you looking at?”
“Your hand.”
“….”
Amoide stared at me, still holding the teacup.
It was a face of surprise and confusion.
I just answered his curiosity, so why was his expression like that?
“Why my hand?”
“Well….”
I couldn’t just say I was staring at his hand because it was too beautiful.
Even though I didn’t stare excessively, just looking at it in passing would be fine.
“Why my hand?”
He repeatedly turned his left hand over and over.
Watching his hand closely, I finally found the words I wanted to say.
That those long and beautiful fingers seemed incomplete without something.
“Why don’t you wear a ring?”
“…What?”
He looked at me incredulously, as if hearing something absurd.
“A ring?”
“Yes, a wedding ring.
A sacred symbol of marriage vows.”
“Sacred marriage?”
A smirk tugged at the corner of his mouth.
I didn’t need to see his expression to know what he was thinking.
Yeah, I probably don’t have the right to talk about sacred marriage.
On a topic that was sold for money.
I knew best what my topic was.
But there was no reason to be intimidated.
“That’s unfair.”
“What?”
“Only I’m wearing this heavy wedding ring.”
I raised my hand and waved my ring finger in front of him.
“See, I wear it all the time, always.
Since we got married, I’ve never taken it off.”
It was true. The ring on my fourth finger had never left its place.
“But I’ve never seen you wearing it.”
“Why should I bother wearing it?”
“I told you, it’s a symbol of marriage.”
“….”
“Whether you acknowledge it or not, we’re legally recognized as a married couple, bound by vows.”
I said it seriously.
“So I can’t stand you pretending to be unmarried.”
“Pretending to be unmarried?”
He furrowed his brows deeply.
“What did I say?”
“You’re pretending not to be married by not wearing the ring.
So from today, wear it.”
“I don’t want to.”
“Why?”
“If I don’t like wearing the ring, then you don’t have to wear it either.”
“I can’t do that.”
“Why not?”
