Chapter 8 

“Take your time… You don’t have to rush. I’m not going to take it away from you.”

“Cough… ahem. I showed an embarrassing side of myself. I have this… habit of eating whenever I can—”

“A habit?”

“Ah! Yes, that’s right.”

“Why? Did you live somewhere with little food?”

“Hmm… it wasn’t that there wasn’t food. It’s just…”

Clemen’s gaze drifted off for a moment.

Whatever she was thinking about, she quickly returned to her usual bright expression and held out a fork with a piece of meat toward him.

“Since meals come every day here, I should change that… habit!”

“…What is this?”

“Eat.”

For a moment, his lips twitched at her strange polite tone.

Then Zephyrus said coldly,

“…Put that away.”

“But it’s good.”

Clemen simply turned the fork and put it into her own mouth.

“I’ll tell you something since you don’t seem to know.”

“Hm?”

“It’s bad manners to offer food to someone using utensils you’ve already used.”

“…Even between friends?”

“Even between friends! And we’re not even friends.”

“We can become friends.”

“I refuse.”

“Why?”

“I don’t need friends.”

“Then let’s at least be meal friends.”

“I don’t need—”

“But I can make your food warm like this.”

Zephyrus hesitated.

Clemen continued in a sing-song voice,

“If you eat with me, the food is warm~ delicious~ and it makes you feel good~”

“It would also be noisy.”

“But it’s warm.”

Clemen leaned closer toward him.

“Wouldn’t it be nice to feel warm, at least while eating? Hmm?”

“Step back—”

“Looks like less ice is forming too.”

Clemen wiped the moisture off the table.

The water slowly evaporated from her hand.

She was right.

He had felt it yesterday too—

When Clemen was near, his curse weakened.

As long as he didn’t lose control, the curse didn’t show easily unless he directly touched something.

But in a moment like this, when his emotions were unstable—

The entire room should have already frozen over.

I practiced meditation all this time to prevent situations like this…

But now that he had taken on the duties of Grand Duke, it seemed useless.

Still—

It was true that food tasted much better when Clemen was around.

Having someone in the same space felt unfamiliar,

But it was something he could tolerate.

Even if he faltered, Clemen didn’t freeze or suffer.

However, there was one thing that bothered him.

“What do you gain from this?”

Clemen blinked at the unexpected question.

“Is that important?”

“If you suddenly decide to stop, it would be troublesome.”

Having something and then losing it felt worse than never having it at all.

“So you need a reason to stay here. If you don’t have one, I won’t allow it.”

At his firm tone, Clemen smiled slightly.

“It’s cool next to you. Much cooler than other places.”

“Cool?”

“I can relax.”

“…I see.”

If they both felt at ease around each other, that was a good enough reason.

And it wasn’t something that would easily disappear.

Behind the fur mask, the corners of Zephyrus’s lips lifted slightly—

A change so brief even he didn’t notice.

If possible, I’d like her to stay…

He suddenly trembled.

He didn’t like thinking that way.

“…Then I’ll allow it. Only during mealtimes.”

“Yes.”

Clemen sat quietly, staring at him.

“What is it?”

“Are you going to keep wearing those thick clothes?”

“That’s none of your concern.”

“It looks hot.”

She was right.

Because of Clemen’s heat, it felt like two fireplaces were burning beside him.

His face was heating up, and he didn’t know what to do.

“It’s warm enough just being next to me. That looks heavy.”

Clemen said it as if she already knew his condition.

It wasn’t a difficult guess.

A simple kindness.

But also words spoken because she didn’t fully understand him.

“It’s not something to say lightly. The meal is over, so take everything out.”

Clemen was pushed out without understanding why.

His mood had suddenly dropped.

Why did he get upset?

No matter how much she thought about it, she couldn’t figure it out.

The only thing she could think of—

Was mentioning his mask.

Scratching her head, Clemen took the trolley and headed to the kitchen.

There was still more she didn’t know about Zephyrus than what she did know.

That’s why things like this happened.

She didn’t want to keep worrying about something she couldn’t solve right now.

Grandma said time solves things like this.

She had never regretted following her fortune-teller grandmother’s advice.

When she was younger, she once asked how people in books made up after fighting.

Her grandmother had said:

“Why waste effort on such nonsense? They fight because they hit each other’s weak spots. Once they understand each other, they won’t fight over things like that. How do they make up? Tell them to stop being stubborn and just talk!”

It wasn’t exactly the same situation—

But Clemen guessed Zephyrus was upset for a similar reason.

Which meant they needed to talk.

There was plenty of time.

She would take it slowly and make a “cool” friend.

Clemen’s motivation burned brightly.

She was already looking forward to the next dinner.

As she lifted the trolley and went down to the first floor—

“Clemen, over here.”

She ran into Rosia, who had a strange expression.

Rosia looked at Clemen carrying the trolley.

She didn’t seem tired at all.

It was like she was carrying a light book.

It wasn’t strange for knights to carry things easily—

But Clemen?

She had noticed it before.

Clemen was quite strong.

What kind of training did she go through?

Rosia briefly touched her own soft arm—

Then gestured to Clemen, who waved brightly.

“This way. Just a moment. It’ll only take a second.”

“Why?”

Clemen leaned closer and whispered, as if sensing secrecy.

“I want to introduce you to someone.”

Normally, Rosia would never do something like this.

She was about to reveal something that had to remain hidden—

Just like the Grand Duke’s curse.

But the situation was no longer something that could be handled normally.

She had to prepare for the worst.

And if the worst came—

The one thing Rosia wanted most was—

To ease my aunt’s worries, even just a little.

The Grand Duchess feared that her son, Zephyrus, would live alone forever in that room.

Knowing that someone existed who could stay by his side—

Would bring her comfort.

“I like meeting new people.”

Clemen said with a gentle, excited expression.

Rosia led the way.

They arrived at a large room at the top of the castle.

Two knights stood guard at the door.

“I have a request.”

“Yes.”

“The person we’re about to meet is the Grand Duchess… His Grace’s mother.”

“Oh.”

Meeting her future friend’s mother!

Clemen’s eyes sparkled with excitement—

But Rosia stopped her.

Placing a hand on her shoulder, she spoke solemnly.

“Her health is not good.”

“Ah…”

Clemen immediately became serious.

“She spent her whole life worrying about His Grace. Before she leaves on her final journey, I want to ease that worry a little.”

“What should I do?”

“Tell her you’ve become friends with His Grace.”

“……”

Rosia looked miserable.

Even as she asked for a lie—

She didn’t seem to believe the Grand Duchess would accept it.

Becoming friends in just one day?

It didn’t make sense.

Even Clemen couldn’t believe it.

“I can’t lie like that.”

“But—!”

“It’s not enough time to call it friendship yet. I’ll just say we agreed to eat together.”

“To the Grand Duchess—…what?”

Rosia’s eyes widened.

“Eat together… just now too?”

So that’s why she brought the trolley down!

“Was it… okay?”

“Of course. The food was really good. And I’m sorry. About your request… Ah, how about ‘meal friends’? That’s not a lie!”

That wasn’t what Rosia had meant—

But she decided to take Clemen being safe as the answer.

“…Do as you like!”

Rosia smiled, her face bright.

“You look much better when you smile! You’re pretty!”

“Th-that’s unnecessary—!”

Blushing, Rosia quickly walked to the door.

“Announce us.”

“Grand Duchess, Lady Rosia has arrived.”

The door opened quietly.

Rosia stepped inside.

Clemen bowed slightly to the knights and followed.

The moment she entered—

A familiar smell greeted her.

Where have I smelled this before…?

Then she realized.

Clemen’s expression froze.