Chapter 08
The first place we went to was a stall selling smoked chicken legs. I bit into the leg without dipping it in any sauce, and it was sweet yet salty, making me want another bite immediately.
Next, I tried the cube steak sold at the stall right beside it. The price was quite high, but considering the duke family’s wealth, it barely made a dent, so I ate two servings all by myself.
The third place was just three steps away: a stall selling strawberry waffles. Fourth was fried octopus, fifth duck meat, sixth custard pudding, and seventh…
I had been eating so frantically that time had flown by without me noticing. By the time I reached the fourteenth dish, a caramel apple, I popped the last piece into my mouth.
I was starting to feel full.
“You…”
Lu was staring at me as if he had a lot to say. Huh? With my confident gaze, Lu let out an awkward chuckle. Meanwhile, Demian was still holding a caramel apple in his hand, smiling brightly.
“Walking around while eating… I don’t even feel that full!”
Wow, this kid is even worse than me.
Seeing Demian—who, despite appearances, was a huge eater—made me start worrying about the banquet spread at the ball. Would there even be any food left for the handmaids?
Demian munched the caramel apple, glanced at Lu for a cue, and cautiously spoke.
“Emily… maybe I spent too much money…? Should I give some back now?”
“No.”
Lu shook his head at Demian’s worried words, speaking confidently.
“I’m a second-generation chaebol, after all.”
He seemed pleased with this spur-of-the-moment backstory. Seeing him enjoy it warmed the heart of his dedicated handmaid.
“By the way, shouldn’t we start heading back soon?”
I subtly suggested, keeping an eye on Lu. Even though we had sneaked out, it would be unthinkable for the duke family’s second son to skip the ball.
Lu waved his hand nonchalantly, as if to say there was nothing to worry about.
“I think ahead, you know. I came here for a bit of fun anyway.”
Thankfully, Lu wasn’t a reckless troublemaker. About three hours remained until the ball began. If we returned now, we could avoid being caught by the handmaids preparing Lu for the event.
Feeling relieved, I pointed toward the exit.
“Then we should start heading out…”
But someone blocked our path before we could leave the field. I looked up at the person obstructing our way.
It was a large man, with messy brown hair and a scruffy beard that made him look much older.
As I blinked at him, he picked up the flower I had grown and, wearing a slimy grin, said:
“Following the flowers… and now an even more beautiful one blooms right before my eyes.”
My expression naturally soured. I thought Lu next to me probably felt the same.
“I shouldn’t have recommended something weird… sorry…”
Demian, who had recommended the magical flower, looked guilty. The spell he had said was pretty had suddenly turned into something strange.
The man continued with a lecherous grin.
“Both of you look young… why don’t you go play with me? It’d be way more fun.”
Hearing so much nonsense already gave me a headache. His flashy clothes and hair had already made him stand out, and the magic had only made him more noticeable—a perfect magnet for trouble.
I sighed and tried to pass by him.
“I said… let’s go play. Don’t you hear me?”
In an instant, he grabbed my hand as I tried to pass. I was more shocked than scared.
There were palace guards all around—how could someone act this boldly?
“What do you think you’re doing!”
Demian shouted, frowning. Well done, Demian! To draw the guards’ attention, we needed a commotion.
I glanced at Lu. He was just staring at the man. His hood partially covered his face, making it hard to guess his thoughts.
The man’s expression turned fierce when he heard Demian’s words. He glared at Demian as if he would strike at any moment and stepped closer to us.
“You insolent brat… ugh!”
The man went down in an instant, clutching his abdomen, groaning. I widened my eyes and looked at the person who had kicked him.
Lu watched the man with the same calmness as if he hadn’t just struck him.
“Master, you really calculate your kills quietly…”
“What are you talking about?”
Lu glared at me with a look of disgust. A duke’s son fighting like this? And aiming to be a knight… I wondered what the academy even taught him.
The man quickly recovered and glared at us like he wanted to kill.
“You bastard…”
Thunk.
Another kick.
“Damn it…!”
Thunk.
Another kick.
“What can such a small kid do…”
Bam!
This one was stronger. Personal feelings, perhaps.
“Master, stop hitting him! We might get arrested!”
I tried to stop Lu, who was gleefully attacking. Even revealing that he was a duke’s son wouldn’t get the guards to arrest us, but I feared that weak-hearted Demian might faint.
Demian froze, eyes wide in shock.
“Ugh…!!”
The man, finally angered, lunged at Lu. Startled, Lu stepped back slightly.
“What kind of brat dares…”
The man shouted and yanked Lu’s hood off. He probably wanted to at least see the face before being caught, but it was a terrible choice.
He had no way of knowing who stood before him.
Lu’s violet eyes shone dangerously. Looking displeased, he spoke in a sharp voice:
“This is the kind of bastard you are.”
Lu cursed. I wanted to smack him for the words, but staying silent seemed better for maintaining dignity.
“G-go…”
The man’s fist froze mid-air. Luckily, he realized who he was facing.
“If you don’t want more, stay quiet.”
Ugh, the master’s reputation is going downhill because of him.
The man steadied his trembling eyes and dropped to his knees. Lu quickly put the hood back on before anyone stared too long.
“Lily, call the guards.”
“Guards! Take this guy away!!”
As soon as Lu spoke, I shouted loudly. Everyone’s attention, not just the guards, fell on us.
“……”
Lu buried his face in his hand.
After the small incident, we headed to the duke’s mansion. We kept a long silence as we walked for about ten minutes.
Finally, I broke the silence.
“Um… were you startled?”
I directed my concerned words at Demian. Lu usually didn’t speak much, but Demian, normally chatty, being silent worried me.
Demian jumped slightly at my voice.
“Oh? No… I mean, Lily must’ve been the one startled.”
He gave an awkward laugh and waved his hand, while still glancing at Lu.
Ah, right. Demian had just seen Lu’s face. I decided to comfort Demian, whose emotions must have been confused.
“It’s okay. It was us who hid things in the first place, so don’t worry too much.”
Demian had assumed Lu was a commoner and spoke casually. Considering it was their first conversation after his social debut, and that Lu was actually a noble, it made sense that he was concerned.
Lu nodded at my words.
“Actually, I should apologize for deceiving you. Sorry.”
Demian’s eyes widened at Lu’s apology, and he shook his head.
“No, I don’t know why you’re apologizing… I was just startled because…”
Demian hesitated, his face turning red.
“Emily… you were so beautiful… that’s all I was startled by…”
He lowered his head, ears flushed red.
“……”
“……”
Lu and I made eye contact and simultaneously looked at Demian. He still didn’t know Lu’s identity and assumed he was a girl.
I whispered to Lu urgently.
“It’s understandable he doesn’t know. It’s his first time at a social ball, and if he’s not from our territory, it’s normal he doesn’t know your face—”
“Hey.”
I tried defending Demian, but Lu interrupted me and called him over.
Demian looked up at Lu, who removed his hood. Lu forced a smile, but his smirk betrayed his amusement at the absurdity of the situation.
“Do I still look like a girl?”
“…?”
Demian stared at Lu, then glanced at me. He tilted his head as if to say, “Why are you even asking that?”
I whispered again so only Lu could hear.
“Master hasn’t hit his growth spurt yet. By next year, he’ll be as tall as Demian, his voice will deepen, and his looks will change… Demian is a bit androgynous too…”
I tried explaining quickly, but it didn’t seem to reach Lu’s ears.
“What are you two talking about?”
Demian asked cautiously, watching us. I put my index finger to my lips, signaling him to be quiet.
After a long stare, Lu spoke.
“How old are you?”
A sudden question. Demian blinked and answered.
“14…”
“……”
Sorry, I didn’t know he was the same age.
I averted my gaze.
I pondered deeply. Should I comfort the duke’s son frustrated by his growth, or my friend nursing her first heartbreak?
In the end, I decided to take care of my friend alone. The duke’s son would have other handmaids to tend to him, so it seemed like the right choice.
Finding Demian was easy. He was holed up in his room.
After getting his permission, I entered. Demian crouched on the bed, face buried in his knees.
I sat gently on the edge of the bed and patted him.
“It’s okay. There are plenty of girls in the world… and the nobles here are all beautiful.”
“There’s no one like Emily… though now it’s Lu, I guess.”
Demian sniffled.
Sigh… he’s hopelessly a romantic. I patted him and sighed.
“They say first love never works out.”
“Ugh…”
Demian’s sobs grew louder.
Will he even be able to attend the ball?
