Chapter 04
“Maize.”
The voice hit my ears so suddenly that I flinched.
Oh no, did I make it too obvious?
“You don’t have to be so awkward. Honestly, I didn’t really come here on my own will either. I don’t intend to make things uncomfortable, so just act naturally.”
“Excuse me? But I thought you, Mr. Is—”
“Is. Please, just call me Is. You call me Maize, right? So it’s fine.”
It might be fine for him, but it’s far from fine for me. I muttered this in my head, yet I had no choice but to open my mouth carefully under Is’s expectant, piercing gaze.
“……Is.”
“Yes.”
As if he’d been waiting for my answer, his response was gentle. I cleared my throat a few times and placed my hands neatly on my lap.
“To be honest, I heard that you were looking for a bride. That probably made me a bit nervous… this is actually my first time at something like this.”
I tried to hide my embarrassment and keep my smile in place. If he had been too handsome, it might have felt unreal and I wouldn’t have thought much of it, but since he was moderately good-looking, I felt a faint attraction.
“That’s a relief.”
“Eh?”
“Oh, nothing.”
There was something suspicious about him, but the face in front of me was friendly and pleasant, so I subtly relaxed my stiff shoulders.
“So, why did you come all the way here, Is?”
I tried to act nonchalant, swirling my strawberry juice with a straw. I hadn’t intended to date anyone, but hearing that my match didn’t have any romantic intentions either gave me a strange feeling.
“It’s nothing really. My mother was just so persistent. She kept saying that since I had a chance to meet a good woman, I absolutely had to come.”
Even in this world, no one can beat a mother. My mom was quite something too.
“But honestly, I’d have regretted not coming.”
“Eh?”
“I almost missed the chance to see such a beautiful lady.”
No one dislikes compliments, and I’m human too. The unexpected praise made my smile surge. I hid it as I sipped my juice, but it felt good.
Ah, if only I could eat the remaining sandwich. Eating it in front of a matchmaking partner didn’t seem appropriate. And leaving food behind would supposedly bring punishment in hell…….
“That sandwich looks delicious. Can I have one?”
When Is asked with a lovely smile, my previously warm feelings for him suddenly plummeted. How dare he go for my sandwich? He even came to a matchmaking meeting, and now he wants the only one left on my plate?
“Of course, go ahead.”
I couldn’t claim it for myself confidently, so I, still in my Maize persona, reluctantly handed over the sandwich.
“The vegetables are fresh, very tasty.”
I forced a polite smile as I slid the plate toward him. Fine, you can have the sandwich I can’t eat. Enjoy the fresh veggies in my delicious sandwich.
“Really delicious. Probably the best sandwich I’ve had recently.”
It wasn’t that great, but good for him.
Watching someone else eat was far more miserable than I expected. I was starving. I hoped everyone who ate my sandwich would get an upset stomach. Holding onto my resentment, I saw Is quietly raise his hand to call the server.
“One cup of Retina coffee, please. Maize, would you like anything else?”
I almost gave in, but in the end, I shook my head with a practiced smile.
Honestly, whether it was because I had only eaten a little, or because I had watched someone else eat, I craved that sandwich badly. But lacking the confidence to eat elegantly, I only stared at the half-eaten sandwich.
“Could we have two extra plates of sandwiches? One plate cut smaller, so I can eat it in one or two bites.”
Did this man come to a matchmaking meeting or a buffet?
Looking at his face again, he wasn’t that handsome, but he was like an upgraded version of Shukre. Brown hair, brown eyes, clueless personality—exactly a Shukre clone.
When the smaller sandwiches were placed before me, Is said,
“I took your sandwich earlier, right? This is my way of making up for it.”
“But it was just one piece… and I said I was full…”
I regretted saying I was full earlier, but I swallowed my disappointment at the now out-of-reach sandwich.
“I know you said you’re full, but if I eat alone, it feels lonely. Would you share it with me?”
Is smiled with a glint in his eye. I looked between him and the sandwiches, then raised my evaluation of him.
Not just because of the sandwiches, but now he seemed a bit more handsome.
Although this wasn’t the kind of matchmaking Mrs. Becca had envisioned, the time I spent with Is was quite enjoyable. I had some prejudice against a royal official, but he was not only well-groomed and polite, he also gave the impression of truly being considerate of me. Unlike mine, his sandwich plate was barely touched.
“Wow, so Is keeps a dog. That’s adorable.”
“Do you like dogs, Maize?”
“Yes. It’s my dream to live with a dog someday. Could I… see a photo, or even a drawing?”
In this world without cameras, I could only ask for a drawing instead.
“I do have a drawing, but… it’s a bit difficult to show.”
“No way, dogs are all cute! Please show me!”
I imagined the fluffy fur, round eyes, wet nose, wagging tail, and paw scent, and my lips unconsciously curved into a smile.
“Hmm, if you insist that much, I’ll show it later. I don’t carry the drawing around. Or maybe it would be okay to meet Kero in person.”
“Kero? That’s such a cute name.”
“The original name is longer, but it’s too much to say, so I just call him Kero.”
“A nickname? Please don’t tell me it’s actually Cerberus or something…”
I asked jokingly, but Is just smiled.
I knew it was ridiculous to equate the Kero Is keeps with the Cerberus from Greek mythology.
“The name sounds brave. No thief would dare enter your house. Is Kero a big dog?”
“He is indeed quite large.”
“I’d love to meet him. My dream is to roll around on the lawn with a big dog like that.”
“That’s fine. I’ll introduce you later. He’s easy to manage, so raising him is simple. But I wouldn’t recommend rolling on the lawn together.”
“……Is Kero aggressive?”
I frowned out of concern. Even if I dreamed of a large dog, I didn’t want to be bitten and covered in blood.
“No, he’s well-trained and won’t bite anyone except enemies. The one who bites is the other side.”
“Eh?”
I didn’t fully understand, but the friendly atmosphere made me laugh along.
“Maize really smiles a lot. Do you smile at others often?”
“Of course, it’s better than frowning. Smiling suits me more.”
“Right. Smiling is good.”
It was a positive comment, but it felt like it had some bite to it.
“Um, actually… there’s something I’ve wanted to ask you, Is… would that be okay?”
It felt suspicious, but since neither of us had romantic intentions, I wasn’t too worried.
“If Maize wants to ask, anything’s fine. What is it?”
“You said you’re a royal official. How’s the work? Is it difficult?”
“……Oh, work-related, huh?”
The unchanging smile of Is flickered slightly. I quickly added an explanation while checking his expression.
“It’s a bit awkward to talk about this on a matchmaking date, but since we said neither of us is looking for romance, and since I probably won’t get another chance to meet a royal official, I hope you don’t mind me asking.”
“What exactly are you curious about?”
“Well, this is something I haven’t told anyone, but I’m thinking of maybe preparing for public service myself.”
Filial work pays decently, but I thought it would be better to have a stable job
