“That’s not it.”
Arundel let out a short sigh.
It wasn’t that what happened with him was unpleasant. The problem was with herself.
She didn’t remember exactly, but he was tempted…She might have to be thankful to Zion, who didn’t go all the way.
She didn’t want any more unnecessary misunderstandings.
“It’s just…I remembered what happened yesterday and felt embarrassed… That’s all.”
“There’s nothing to be embarrassed about.”
Zion’s attitude was calm. As if it was a matter of course. He smiled softly.
“Rather, it was good.”
Puff-!
Arundel spit out the water she was drinking. Fortunately, she quickly turned her head so the water she was holding in her mouth didn’t splash on him. She even choked on the water.
Zion got up from his seat and patted Arundel’s back.
“I want to do more things with you in the future, and you’re embarrassed about this.”
At his shameless words, Arundel’s face turned extremely red.
“If you don’t like it, it’s better to say it now.”
His voice was filled with laughter, but to Arundel, it sounded like a terrifying warning.
‘Sigh…’
Why is it so extreme?
I was just embarrassed about the situation yesterday. I didn’t dislike holding hands with him and being close. There were times when I was embarrassed, but I didn’t want to refuse to feel his body heat.
“I’m not sure.”
Arundel hesitated with her head bowed.
“But still…”
“But still?”
“I don’t dislike touching you.”
Arundel’s ears were getting hotter and hotter.
“I like your body temperature.”
In the end, she spoke vaguely. Zion’s hand on her cheeks lifted Arundel’s bowed face.
His face was smiling brightly as if he was happy.
“That’s enough.”
His cool body temperature touched the hot cheek. Then it seemed like the heat was going down a bit.
And then Zion hugged Arundel tightly. Arundel exclaimed at the sudden strong force.
“I was worried that you might even refuse to hug like this.”
The sound of a fast heartbeat came from his chest. He kissed lightly on the forehead when he thought he had hugged enough and sat on the chair.
It wasn’t as embarrassing facing his face again as before.
When Arundel’s head cleared, she remembered what he had to do today.
The timing is a bit off though…
“Um…Zion.”
He, who was bringing a knife to the plate, looked up and looked at Arundel.
“I’m talking about the position of the knight captain. It’s still vacant.”
“And?”
“I have someone I want to recommend.”
At Arundel’s serious gaze, Zion chuckled.
“Is it a favor?”
“Maybe…”
“I didn’t know you could negotiate so well. I want to give you anything with this feeling now.”
Zion said so, and elegantly wiped his mouth with a napkin next to him.
“So what is it?”
“I have someone I want to recommend for the position of knight captain.”
Zion’s eyebrows twitched for a moment.
“It must be a man.”
Arundel nodded his head.
“Who is it?”
“It’s hard to explain in words. Please meet him first. He’s very strong.”
In fact, Hills’ request has to be passed today, but it seems like I have to show Hills directly tomorrow because Zion’s mood seemed to darken.
He’ll understand if it’s postponed for a day.
“I told the Prime Minister. He was very troubled because there was no one to replace.”
When Arundel casually said that, Zion frowned. Zion, who was staring at Arundel, clenched his jaw and tilted his head.
It was a bad signal, but when Arundel looked at him desperately, his tight lips slowly opened.
“Tomorrow afternoon at 4 o’clock, let’s see then.”
Nice!
In the middle of speaking, she picked up a cookie that Belle had brought for dessert. Arundel, whose expression brightened a little, bit the cookie with a crack.
As the sweet thing crunched and crunched, her mood lightened.
On the other hand, Zion seemed to only drink black tea as he didn’t like sweets. He said this while glancing at Arundel who was enjoying the cookies.
There had been silence for a while, but Arundel felt quite comfortable at this moment.
A little time might have passed.
Arundel, who was staring intently at Zion, opened his mouth.
“Why did you avoid me?”
Arundel asked what she had been curious about all along. At the sudden question, Zion let out a short sigh.
“Because I’m a fool.”
Quite a sharp word popped out, but his words felt more self-deprecating than scornful.
Arundel opened her eyes wide and asked back.
“What…”
“If I tell you, you might run away.”
As she tilted her head, Zion said ‘it’s nothing.’ and smiled lightly.
****
Zion left the Empress’s Palace and Arundel, who was left alone, looked out the window.
She was worried that he might sleep in her bedroom again today, but Zion said,
[I won’t do it like before, just sleep. So…]
Good night.
And he kissed her hair and went back to his bedroom.
‘It’s rather a relief.’
It was better than another embarrassing situation happening. In fact, every time she had minor skinship, her heart tickled and it was hard.
The first feeling was confusing, but it wasn’t a bad feeling.
Arundel, who was smiling thinking about Zion, paused for a moment in her seat.
‘…I need to distance myself from him’
It was an instinctive sense of crisis. If she crossed the line, everything seemed to get tangled up.
“Anyway, I have to tell Hills to see him tomorrow.”
Today is the deadline he mentioned, so he is expected to appear for sure, but it was hard to keep waiting for a guy whom she didn’t know when to appear.
‘Let’s sleep a little.’
Arundel lay down on the table in the bedroom and closed her eyes for a moment. Arundel’s view was instantly dyed black.
A blurry figure and a murmuring voice came to Arundel, who closed her eyes. The muffled voice gradually became clear.
[The balance is collapsing.]
At someone’s scolding voice, a familiar voice calmly answered.
[Please wait.]
[How long do you want us to wait? Either bring her and take responsibility, or you have to put the ‘seed’ back!]
[If not, not only the demons but also the world will soon…]
A dispute came along with the cloudy view. The tone of voice seemed quite tense, everyone seemed angry.
[Yes. If it’s not put back in its place…]
But that too, for a moment,
Someone’s desperate voice gradually faded away, and the view went dark again. No more sound was heard.
‘Mannheim…?’
It was definitely Mannheim’s voice. His subdued voice seemed to be in conflict with someone.
But soon a clear voice was heard nearby.
“I’m not Mannheim.”
‘Uh… Huh?’
Suddenly, a clear sound coming from nearby, Arundel tried to open her eyes. But she couldn’t get up for a while.
“Are you sleep talking? Arundel?”
It was Hills’ voice. As her slightly dazed mind returned, Arundel was able to infer the owner of the voice.
“Are you asleep?”
Hills asked as if to confirm, and she wanted to answer no, but she couldn’t make a sound.
Then a soft sensation touched her forehead.
“Good night, Arundel.”
What was that just now…on my forehead…?
But Arundel’s interest soon turned to something else.
What touched her forehead wasn’t important. The urgent thing was to tell this guy about the interview tomorrow.
Arundel tried to force her eyes open. Whether it was effective or not, her eyelids were trembling finely.
“Huh!”
And with a loud noise, Arundel opened her eyes.
“Oh! You’re awake?”
As expected, Hills was standing in front of her. It was suspicious that he was scratching his head and looking elsewhere.
“What did you do to me?”
“Uh… Huh? I didn’t do anything?”
His answer was not satisfactory, but there was only circumstantial evidence to question him, and she had to ask him a favor first.
“I couldn’t get you a job by today.”
Arundel confessed first. Then Hills smiled, lifting the corners of his mouth.
“Then, as promised, Arundel’s slave…”
“Just one more day!”
Arundel hastily cut off Hills’ words.
“Just postpone it for one day.”
“Huh?”
“I’ve arranged your interview for tomorrow.”
Contrary to Arundel’s anxious appearance, Hills leisurely stroked his chin.
“Oh dear. You couldn’t even keep the deadline, and the job wasn’t even confirmed, was it?”
At Hills’ sharp words, Arundel flinched. That’s right. If he fails the interview tomorrow, it would be a complete failure.
Despite her worried heart, confident words sprang from Arundel’s mouth.
“It’s definitely going to happen tomorrow!”
Maybe…
She quietly swallowed the rest of her words.
“You’re asking me for a favor again, aren’t you?”
A mischievous smile appeared on Hills’ face.
Arundel looked at Hills with anxious eyes. He seemed to be enjoying this situation as if he was about to whistle any moment.
“Now, say ‘Dear Hills, could you please overlook this just once?’”
At Hills’ outrageous request, Arundel frowned.
“What?”
“If you say that, I’ll overlook the missed deadline.”
‘This kid is asking for it.’
Arundel shook her fist. Hills sat down on the bed, leaning back with his hands on the back of his head.
“Aren’t you going to do it?”
“…”
“If you don’t, the slave contract…”
“I’ll do it, I’ll do it!!”
Arundel shouted out loud. Hills looked at Arundel leisurely, smiling faintly.
Seeing that made her feel annoyed again, but if she could soothe it with words…
“Dear… Hills…”
Arundel mumbled.
“What? I can’t hear you!”
But Hills seemed to be determined this time, he didn’t seem to want to move on until it was done properly.
‘Sigh… Someday I’ll get you…’
Arundel gritted her teeth inwardly. But outwardly, she opened her mouth slowly again.
“Dear Hills, could you please overlook this…just once?”
She finally spat it out properly. She did pause in the middle, but he should be conscientious enough to overlook that.
Hills murmured with a satisfied face… no, a face that seemed excited.
“Ah, it’s thrilling.”
Arundel thought it was fortunate that Hills accepted this condition anyway.
“Is it done now?”
Hills, with a flushed expression, asked as he calmed down.
“When should I go tomorrow?”
“4 PM. Come to the front of the Empress’s Palace. People might think it’s strange, so don’t come in here, just stand ‘in front’ of the Empress’s Palace.”
Hills nodded, smiling as if he was pleased with something.
“Who’s going to interview me?”
“Of course, it’s Zion.”
At the mention of Zion, Hills’ smiling face hardened.
“I don’t like it.”
“What!”
Hills, who seemed to be whimsical again, turned around with a stern face. When Arundel grabbed his shoulder and turned him around, he obediently turned back.
However, his face with a furrowed brow seemed quite angry.
“Do I have to go under that guy?”
“Isn’t it obvious? Zion is the emperor of this country!”
Arundel sighed, feeling stifled by Hills, who was stating the obvious.
“I’ve done all I can. If you don’t like it, propose another reward.”
Arundel said as if resigning.
She had done everything he could. She met with the Prime MInister, asked Zion for a favor, and finally managed to arrange an interview.
Now Hills has to make a choice.
“…”
“…”
For a moment, their gazes crossed like that,
“…Okay. I just need to come to the front of the Empress’s Palace at 4 PM tomorrow, right?”
Hills agreed, showing some kind of emotional change. Arundel, relieved, comforted him, recalling what Hills had said last time.
“And you also have something to do with Zion… a peace treaty or something.”
“…Oh, right.”
“So you have to see him anyway.”
“Ugh! I hate that kid so much.”
Hills ruffled his hair irritably.
‘So… will it be okay tomorrow…?’
Arundel was a little worried about tomorrow.
