Chapter 35
As Rebecca adjusted her disguise inside the carriage, silence lingered in the spacious interior.
Good thing I brought my cosmetics just in case.
Rebecca felt a little uncomfortable. Julian had been staring at her without saying a word for some time now.
Whenever their eyes met, Julian would quickly pretend to look elsewhere.
But as soon as Rebecca turned her gaze away, he went right back to looking at her.
“Do you have something to say?”
“No.”
“Then don’t just stare at me like that. If you have something to say, then say it, Duke.”
“It’s nothing. Go on with what you’re doing.”
Julian turned his gaze back toward the window.
Rebecca’s doubtful eyes lingered briefly on his face.
But Julian couldn’t bring himself to say aloud what he truly wanted to tell her.
Why am I acting like this…?
At first, he only meant to quietly follow behind her.
Because he wanted to know just what went on inside that woman’s head.
Her first destination had been, as expected, the Tanisha Trading Company.
As Tanisha ushered Rebecca inside, she cast a sharp glare toward where Julian and Croa were hiding.
Even though they had hidden their presence, it seemed she had noticed.
Julian couldn’t help but worry a little—he had heard Tanisha was installed as a figurehead and caused quite a stir.
He wondered if Rebecca might be hurt by Tanisha’s sharp tongue.
But that concern had been unnecessary.
When the company’s doors opened again, Tanisha wore the face of a perfect loyalist—something she had never even shown to Julian.
Julian could almost swear he saw the phantom image of her tail wagging furiously.
Rebecca looked at Tanisha as if she found her rather cute.
“She—she’d never make that kind of face! Just what did you do to her?”
Croa, who knew better than anyone his sister’s ferocious temperament, stared wide-eyed at the scene.
Julian was no less surprised.
He had already completed his investigation into Rebecca’s past.
The reports from his subordinates contained nothing different from what he already knew about her.
So what had changed her? Or… had she always been this way?
Questions bred more questions.
While he was lost in thought, Rebecca had already moved on to her second destination.
This time, it was an old bakery with a creaking sign.
Is it a place she likes?
Julian carefully memorized the bakery’s name.
Later, he planned to slip in and see what she had bought.
After some time, Rebecca emerged from the shop, arms full of bread bags.
Her steps looked so light that Julian couldn’t help but chuckle to himself.
As he found himself staring absentmindedly at the cream bread she bit into, an ominous presence suddenly washed over him.
And then the incident happened.
Even now, just remembering it filled him with rage.
From the moment that man grabbed Rebecca’s wrist, Julian was already tearing him apart in his mind.
Yet he hesitated, not intervening right away.
Seeing Rebecca stand firm against the man without so much as blinking, Julian thought it would be presumptuous to step in.
And to reveal that he had been tailing her all this time would be humiliating.
When he thought about it, he and that man were the same—both had followed her in secret.
Besides, how could he explain the reason he was following her? He himself didn’t even know the answer.
But the instant the man shoved Rebecca, all reason vanished—his body moved on its own.
As he knocked the man out, Julian caught sight of the long hairpin Rebecca had been gripping tightly and realized his mistake.
He had heard of women lately using sharp hairpins as weapons for self-defense.
Rebecca had probably been planning to subdue the man herself.
I messed up.
Her eyes still glimmered with lethal intent as she looked at him.
Julian instinctively knew—Rebecca would have defeated the brute on her own even if he hadn’t stepped in.
That realization left him both flustered and oddly amused… and made him think about her even more.
Just what was it about this woman that left him restless, like a lost puppy?
And ever since he had seen those soft, curving blue eyes turn toward him, a string of unsettling thoughts plagued him.
I want her praise.
He wanted to confess what kind of proposal he had made to the emperor to hold on to Zeppelin, how he had dealt with that man without leaving loose ends, and how flawlessly he had handled every task Rebecca had entrusted to him.
He wanted to lay it all out.
And then, just like the other night, he secretly longed for her to pat his head and thank him.
He wanted to feel again that maddeningly ticklish sensation that was like pain itself.
It hurt—so much it hurt—but he didn’t dislike the heartache that came with being by Rebecca’s side.
Acknowledging that truth was so difficult that Julian let out a hollow laugh.
I’m no better than a dog.
For the Johannes family, who worshiped cats, such a thought was a grave insult.
“Thanks. You saved me.”
Rebecca, finished with her makeup, handed the mirror back.
At her words, Julian’s eyes flickered, but he quickly lowered his gaze with a face full of disappointment.
Did I do something wrong?
Rebecca already knew Julian wasn’t normal, but today he was acting even stranger than usual.
Just then, Croa’s voice came from outside the carriage.
“Duke, I’ve brought what you requested.”
“Ah, bring it in.”
At Julian’s reply, the door swung open and the coachman and Croa began neatly arranging various dishes on a large table.
Rebecca’s eyes widened at the sight.
On the outside, Julian’s carriage looked no different from that of any other noble.
In fact, it was even plainer than average, with minimal decoration and a smaller size.
But once the door opened, a completely different world spread out inside.
The interior space was as large as three or four carriages combined.
The cushioned seats were broad enough for even someone of Julian’s build to lie down comfortably, and a wide table sat in the center.
From the embroidered cushions to the storage chests, every item was unmistakably of the finest quality.
Yet the food being laid out on the masterfully crafted table was entirely unexpected.
“This is… street food?”
Rebecca’s parents hadn’t discriminated between commoner food and noble cuisine.
Thanks to them, she had grown up eating hearty, local dishes.
But ever since becoming Countess, she hadn’t been able to touch such food—Zeppelin hated anything from the common folk.
So seeing these nostalgic dishes again made her eyes sparkle with delight.
Julian caught her interest and smiled faintly.
“I bought these because I was curious about the local flavors. Why don’t you join me? It’s tasteless to eat alone, and there’s far too much for one person.”
Rebecca hesitated briefly, then shook her head.
“Unfortunately, I need to head back quickly. Let’s eat together another time.”
“Still, at least a bite…”
Growl—
A loud stomach growl broke the air, leaving no doubt as to whose it was.
Rebecca’s face flushed bright red.
Of all times, it had to happen now.
Julian chuckled and offered her a skewer of chicken and vegetables.
“Your stomach seems to disagree. Just have one. This one smells the best.”
Rebecca shot him a glare for his teasing smile, but still took the skewer.
The chicken was glazed in a shiny sauce that gave off a familiar aroma.
One sniff was enough to awaken her hidden appetite.
“…Just one bite then.”
And with that, Rebecca lost her restraint.
By the time she had sampled each of the dozens of dishes on the table, she finally put down her spoon.
She wiped her lips with an awkward look on her face.
They say familiar flavors are the most dangerous…
Her stomach was so full she could hardly breathe.
She hadn’t eaten all that much, yet she already felt so bloated.
It was because she had long been accustomed to the Count’s restrictive meals.
Julian watched her seriously.
“Don’t tell me… the Count starves you? You barely ate anything and you’re already full?”
“He never starved me. I just ate the bare minimum to survive. Keeping a delicate waistline like this isn’t easy, you know.”
Julian gave her a baffled look.
“I’m more surprised your organs all fit in there at all. Why bother maintaining that?”
“Organs…? You really don’t mince words. Well, everyone has different standards of beauty. Anyway, I really must go now.”
“I’ll give you a ride.”
“No need. If anyone sees me stepping out of this carriage, my whole plan will fall apart.”
“Then I’ll drop you off somewhere quiet where you can take another carriage. Let me use my resources for once.”
“…If you’ll go that far, I won’t refuse.”
Truthfully, Rebecca had always wanted to ride a carriage powered by magic stones at least once.
Danae had raved about it so much that Rebecca had grown curious.
When she gave a small nod, the carriage set off.
Julian watched her sparkling, curious eyes with satisfaction.
He whispered softly to Croa to drive slowly.
Croa gave him a look of disbelief.
But Julian ignored him and kept stealing glances at Rebecca, who was brimming with excitement.
“I hope this dress still fits…”
Stepping out of the carriage, Rebecca looked down at her bloated stomach and sighed.
From here on, she needed to move quickly. She was already long past her promised meeting time with Canna.
Susan was probably pacing anxiously in the room by now.
So she had to hurry across the garden back to her chambers—without running into or talking to anyone along the way.
Just as she was gauging the shortest path, a white carriage adorned with gold thundered past her.
Rebecca’s face drained of color as she recognized it.
Zeppelin had returned.
“Where’s Rebecca?”
“The madam is resting in her room. Shall I announce your arrival?”
“No, never mind. I’ll go up myself.”
The moment he stepped into the mansion, Zeppelin demanded Rebecca’s whereabouts. He already knew he wouldn’t be able to come home for at least another month after today.
Didn’t you swear loyalty to me?
Zeppelin ground his teeth. He couldn’t figure out what trickery had made the emperor so insistent on keeping him close.
And that painting… mocking the temple, of all things…
It was reckless gambling.
Zeppelin instinctively knew that if the temple ever discovered it, the emperor would cut ties and dump all the blame on him.
Not that he was afraid.
He was confident in conducting matters secretly—but still, something about this gave him a bad feeling.
Clack—
Lost in thought while climbing the stairs, Zeppelin raised his head at the sound of a door closing.
It was from Rebecca’s room.
