Chapter : 49
“Miss Selene?”
Noel looked at me with wide eyes, as if he couldn’t imagine anyone being here at this hour.
“Ah… haha. Hello.”
I greeted him awkwardly, and Noel pulled back his hood and approached me.
“What brings you here at this hour?”
“Oh, I was just a little hungry. Were you out somewhere? Did you meet someone?”
Noel’s expression seemed to stiffen slightly. But he quickly lifted the corners of his mouth and said:
“I was just taking a look around. I was worried that some monster might appear. But everything was fine. But… you’re hungry?”
Everything was fine? Noel seemed to be evading my question.
So that woman from before… wasn’t the culprit? If she were, she wouldn’t have any reason to hide it from me…
As I stood there silently for a moment, a thought suddenly struck me.
“Ah, could it be… a secret lover?”
It sounded plausible.
After all, in novels like this, don’t we often see it? The story of a crown prince and a beautiful lover…
A tragic tale where the difference in social status prevents them from being together, so they have to meet in secret…
I let my imagination run wild.
Considering that they met secretly here, far from the capital, and at such a late hour, it sounded believable.
The blonde woman probably wasn’t from Baron Hover’s household, since she wasn’t introduced when meeting his family.
Then… a commoner living in this territory? Or a young lady from a noble family who had followed him here?
“Oh-ho…”
I stole a glance at Noel.
He was handsome, well-built, kind, and gentle, so it made sense that he would be popular.
And as the crown prince, he probably had to marry someone chosen by the royal family. But he could also have someone he truly loved.
“Could it be that they can only meet if they come this far…?”
My curiosity began to swell.
I really couldn’t resist this kind of gossip… How did they meet? Would it be rude to ask?
But from what I saw earlier, they didn’t seem all that affectionate… Maybe there was a reason for a cold dismissal?
Ah, I shouldn’t pry into someone else’s secrets. But I’m curious…
While I was struggling internally between my angel and devil, Noel, who had been watching me, spoke.
“Miss Selene, perhaps…?”
“Yes?”
“Are you very hungry?”
“No, not really…”
Growl.
Ungrateful child. After all the good food I’ve given you… you can’t resist letting your stomach growl?
I lowered my blushing face, and Noel smiled gently, offering me his arm.
Without thinking, I placed my hand on it, and he guided me to the sitting room.
As we walked down the hallway, the embarrassment from before faded, replaced by my earlier curiosity.
“Did they perhaps break up and meet again? Or was it just a fleeting affair…?”
I couldn’t stop thinking. Noel told me to sit on the sofa, placed a blanket over my lap, and stepped out of the sitting room.
Though it was spring, the evening was still chilly. Of course, that was because I had thrown off the warm blankets…
As I stared at the pattern on the blanket over my lap, Noel returned to the sitting room holding a tray.
“Here, have this.”
“What is this?”
In my hand was a round teacup. As I took it, a warm sweetness and comforting aroma enveloped me.
“It’s cocoa.”
“How did you get this?”
He didn’t seem to have called a servant, yet he had prepared cocoa. I was surprised.
Noel sank into the sofa with a light laugh.
“It’s obvious where the cocoa powder is kept in the kitchen.”
I sipped the cocoa and widened my eyes.
Yes, this was the taste.
The sugar spread pleasantly through my body, lifting my mood and bringing a gentle smile to my lips.
‘It’s surprising that the crown prince knows the kitchen so well…’
I looked at Noel over the cup, and he caught my gaze, speaking:
“You found it unexpected, didn’t you?”
“Uh… how did you know?”
Startled, I placed the cup on the table. Seeing my expression, Noel laughed out loud.
“It was written all over your face.”
I tilted my head in confusion.
Me, who was known as the poker-faced one of Team 3… and my thoughts were showing on my face?
No matter how absurd the division chief’s words, I always kept a calm expression, and many colleagues even asked me the secret…
Then were all the expressions I’d made in front of Sirinu… visible too?
“You mean it was visible on my face?”
I asked seriously, and Noel burst into laughter.
“I’m joking. I just thought you’d find it unexpected, since I did something out of character.”
“Oh… I see.”
I laughed awkwardly, and Noel lifted his cup, saying:
“But I’m sure you thought the cocoa was delicious.”
“It was delicious, but how could you be sure?”
Noel wore a confident expression and smiled.
“I’m quite confident in making tea… and cocoa.”
Now that I thought about it, I remembered that Noel had always been good at pouring tea.
I learned here that if tea isn’t poured at the right time, even the same leaves taste different.
Thinking back, the tea Noel had poured had always been delicious. He really seemed capable of everything.
Feeling the warmth of the cocoa spread through me, I wanted to talk with Noel more.
“This might be a rude question, but…”
“Nothing you say is rude to me, Miss Selene.”
“Huh?”
“I’m ready to listen to whatever you say.”
I smiled and glanced at Noel.
‘Is this kind of line okay? The lover from before might not like it.’
Though it wasn’t confirmed that he had a lover… still.
Actually, Noel’s remark wasn’t cheesy or seductive. He seemed good at delivering light, playful lines in a clean and straightforward way.
‘Still, someone else could misunderstand if they overheard.’
Unaware of my thoughts, Noel tilted his head and spoke:
“I was worried you couldn’t sleep comfortably.”
I waved my hand and replied:
“No, the villa is wonderful. The bed is comfortable. And I’m fine sleeping anywhere. Are you uncomfortable, Noel?”
“I’ve trained militarily, so I’m never uncomfortable. I’ve even slept outside without a blanket.”
“Really?”
“Yes. When I was sixteen…”
Did the crown prince also have smooth speech? Noel spoke naturally, effortlessly, and entertainingly.
Even a boring military story became interesting.
‘Is it because his face is amusing?’
The more I listened, the less he seemed like someone raised to be worshiped as a crown prince.
Though he looked like a refined noble, he seemed to have worked hard.
Even just the journey here… Though the emperor gave me full authority, I only decided the personnel.
Noel handled everything else—managing the team and dealing with all the events along the way.
“I’m studying all the miscellaneous duties of the royal palace. I still have much to learn…”
Emphasizing the word “all,” I sensed some of the frustrations of a working person. I nodded in understanding.
“You just want to quit everything and have fun, don’t you?”
Noel listened, looked momentarily blank, then leaned back and laughed.
“Haha. Miss Selene, you’re really amusing.”
“Am I?”
I scratched the back of my head awkwardly, not intending to be funny. Noel laughed for a while, then suddenly clapped his hands as if he had an idea.
“Excuse me for a moment.”
After asking for permission, Noel left and returned shortly with an envelope.
“Here. I was going to give it to you earlier, but our conversation was too enjoyable.”
Inside the envelope was bread. I looked between the bread and Noel, asking:
“Where did you get this?”
He didn’t seem to have gone to the kitchen… perhaps he had brought it from his room.
‘Maybe he prepared it in case he got hungry tonight?’
Inside were bread pieces resembling salt bread.
Though they were a little stale, the fragrant smell of butter was delightful.
Should I be eating this at this hour? Any guilt vanished immediately at the aroma.
“I couldn’t prepare anything with cream or fruit, as they need to be fresh. I’m sorry.”
“Sorry? Why? You seem like an angel to me right now.”
Giving me bread like this… he must be an angel.
“Please, go ahead.”
I quickly bit into the bread. Moist and sweet. Nutty and chewy. Soft and savory…
“This is so delicious!”
I widened my eyes, and Noel, looking slightly shy, said:
“Really?”
“Yes! Did you get it from a shop, or did a royal palace pastry chef make it?”
I thought I’d tried most of the shops’ bread and desserts recently, but this was new.
I bit the bread and smiled at Noel.
He returned my smile brightly, speaking in a quiet voice:
“This is a secret, though…”
