Chapter 7
“Introduce me? Are you saying I should go on a blind date?”
When Dana asked again, Kira nodded.
“You need to get married soon. I asked my sister, and she found a decent man.”
“But I prefer a natural meeting…”
“If you keep chasing that, your whole life is going to fall apart!”
“Tch.”
Kira always said the right things.
Still… if she was going to live with a man, shouldn’t she at least know a bit about him?
Dana gently asked a question about the man.
“What kind of person is he?”
“I think his family situation is similar to yours. That’s why he wants to form a new household quickly.”
So he’s a pushover too.
Dana already felt pity for a man she hadn’t even met.
“What does he do?”
“He’s a lawyer like my sister.”
“Oh, I see.”
“So? Should I arrange the meeting?”
Hmm. She hesitated.
Even though she knew she was running out of time.
Dana had never really received any affection from her family.
Maybe that’s why—deep down—she’d always held a faint wish.
A wish to create a true family with a man she loved.
A long, long time ago.
Meanwhile, Edwin…
“She’s just going to marry someone like that?”
As time passed, he felt his mood grow more and more unsettled.
Among the royal family who inherited dragon blood, at least one of the five senses was always highly developed.
For Edwin, it was his hearing.
Thanks to that, he could clearly hear their conversation even from a distance.
Impossible. The Dana I know would never…
Edwin recalled the past.
“I want a love that slowly seeps into my life, not something sudden.”
She had definitely said that.
Now, nothing made sense.
His plan to hide his identity and slowly approach her…
It would all mean nothing if Dana really married another man.
Just imagining it chilled his heart.
Like cold wind tearing through an empty space.
Like a fortress he had patiently built over years suddenly collapsing.
At that moment, Dana opened her small lips, sounding as if she had made up her mind.
“Kira, thank you. But I…”
“Sunbae-nim.”
A low, clear voice cut through the air.
Surprised, Dana turned to look beside her.
When did he get here? She was sure no one had been nearby.
Moving quietly and hiding his presence was a habit Edwin had long mastered.
Given how much time he’d spent on the battlefield, there was no way Dana could detect him.
We’ll talk later.
Dana mouthed to Kira.
Kira nodded and returned to her seat.
It was almost time for Layton to arrive.
Dana quickly led Edwin into the office.
Then she smiled brightly.
“Sorry for the late greeting. Good morning, Edwin.”
“Good morning, Sunbae-nim.”
Hmm? Why does he sound a bit gloomy?
Dana hurriedly checked his face.
He was smiling as usual.
Must have been my imagination.
She looked away.
Soon, the door slammed and Layton arrived at work.
Being thirty minutes late was an old habit of his.
And as always, he looked upset—simply because he had come to work.
He scanned the area with irritable eyes.
Employees quickly looked away.
No one wanted to be the target of his irritation.
Layton’s gaze then landed on Edwin, who stood with perfect posture.
He had disliked him from the start.
Annoyingly handsome face, irritatingly tall height, and that strangely provoking smile.
But the most infuriating thing was his arrogant-looking eyes.
Even while observing proper etiquette, he seemed to be looking down on Layton.
I need to put this rookie in his place.
Layton pointed at him.
“You. Edwin.”
“What can I do for you?”
Look at him. Instead of coming over, he replied from afar.
Layton let out a scoff full of disbelief.
“I prefer to talk up close.”
“Is that so?”
Only then did Edwin stand from his seat.
Finally listening, huh?
Layton smirked—then froze.
Edwin dragged over an extra chair and placed it by his own desk.
Meaning:
If you want to talk, come to my seat.
Pffft—
Someone burst out laughing.
Realizing their mistake, they immediately coughed to cover it up.
Layton’s face turned beyond red—nearly black with fury.
This rookie was clearly making a fool of him.
In the tense silence, Dana looked at Edwin.
He smiled calmly.
As if he had no idea what was going on.
Naturally so—he had spent his life commanding others, not reading the mood.
Competent but clueless…
Dana watched him with pity.
Then she leaned toward him and whispered,
“Go to Layton’s desk.”
Ah. So that’s what he meant? Edwin’s eyes widened.
“Thank you for telling me.”
His long eyes curved gently.
Then he rose slowly, elegantly.
His graceful movements only made Layton angrier.
Composed as ever, Edwin stood before him.
“You called for me.”
“Yes, I did.”
Layton shoved a messy stack of documents at him.
“This is your task today. Sort the potions by category.”
The document listed the order quantities for each potion type.
Edwin skimmed through it lazily.
“We don’t need this many.”
Anyone would think a war was coming.
Hearing his muttered comment, Layton jumped up.
“What do you know?! When your superior tells you something, you follow it!”
He shouted, already feeling guilty.
In truth, he had ordered more than usual.
He wanted the rookie to suffer sorting potions.
And the sorting station was near the Department of Magical Medicine.
Meaning it was far from here.
He’ll finish right at closing time.
Hmm. Edwin’s red eyes scanned the papers again.
Sharp energy flowed from him—so different from how he acted around Dana.
What’s with him? Did he notice something?
Layton shouted even louder, intentionally,
“Hurry up and go! Take your mentor with you!”
“Understood.”
Hearing he was supposed to take Dana too, Edwin quickly returned to his seat.
His expression looked oddly excited.
Edwin packed the picnic lunchbox he’d brought and spoke to Layton.
“I’ll head home right after finishing the task.”
His confident tone left everyone speechless.
Ignoring the reactions, he neatly gathered Dana’s belongings as well.
Dana was practically pushed out of the office by him.
“……”
“……”
The rookie’s fearlessness left the entire office silent.
* * *
“Sunbae-nim, this way.”
On their way to the potion sorting room, Edwin pulled Dana into a shaded path.
He himself stood in the sunlight.
“Aren’t you thirsty? I brought six bottles of apple juice.”
“Six bottles?”
That tiny basket held six bottles?
Edwin carried it with one hand, as if it weighed nothing.
Dana admired him internally.
“You know, Edwin… I have to go back to the office later. I need to work overtime again.”
“You’re working overtime today too?”
“Yeah.”
“Do you do it every day?”
“That’s right.”
A faint wrinkle formed between Edwin’s elegant eyebrows.
Why did Dana Hartwin work so excessively?
Is it related to that marriage talk from earlier…?
He fell deep into thought.
Seeing his serious face, Dana burst out laughing.
“Edwin, if you’re curious, you can just ask.”
“……”
“You’ll find out naturally anyway since we work together.”
Smiling lightly, she continued,
“My family has a lot of debt. I’ve been paying it off nonstop.”
Debt from her family? Was the Hartwin household really that troubled?
No—more importantly, what were her family members doing?
Dana added calmly,
“So the people at the office call me a pushover. And they’re right.”
“……”
“But I’m going to stop now. I’m planning to leave my family.”
People would know soon anyway, regardless of which man she married.
Telling Edwin first didn’t make it special.
“Still… it feels a bit sad to get married without ever dating.”
She tried to smile, but her blue eyes looked lonely.
Only now did Edwin understand.
Why she was trying to get married so quickly.
His red lips parted.
“Sunbae-nim.”
“Yeah?”
“If you’re going to leave your family anyway, you should stop letting them take advantage of you.”
“……”
“Live for yourself.”
Dana’s eyes widened.
His single sentence sent a ripple through her calm heart.
The excessive work had become a habit.
Something she never even dared to stop.
Overtime felt normal.
Living for myself? What is that…?
She hadn’t even had a hobby before.
Edwin slowly approached her.
As he drew nearer, his refreshing scent brushed her nose.
He bent down to meet her gaze.
“Stop working overtime…”
Then he murmured softly,
“And spend that time with me.”
“……”
“Tonight… stay with me.”
Dana swallowed hard at his words.
