Chapter 27 – The Suspicion and the Truth Beneath the Wine
“Where?”
“There.”
Scar pointed toward a fancy-looking restaurant.
“I come here often. The food’s great.”
“Right. You’d know better than me—I’ve lost my memory. Let’s go.”
I followed him inside. The restaurant was wide, clean, and didn’t smell like smoke or oil. It clearly catered to nobles and high officials, not ordinary townsfolk.
“This place looks expensive…”
“You’re a noble, my lady. You should eat in places like this. If you start eating at random diners, you’ll never be treated like a noble again. Don’t you want to look like a duchess?”
“I’m a noble in debt. You’re richer than me.”
“Well, I was planning to pay anyway.”
“Really?”
“It’s a date, isn’t it? The man pays. Just order something cheap though. I’m broke.”
Sweet victory. My sense of shame was a long-dead organ, so I shamelessly pointed to the most expensive steak on the menu.
Scar sighed deeply but called the waiter and ordered it for me.
“I’ll pay you back later. I’m a landowner, remember? I make money just by existing—people pay taxes to me. Impressive, right?”
“Yeah, and part of those taxes come from my money. Maybe I should start a revolution.”
“You want to become the next Marquis?”
“No, I just want to tease you when you end up in jail.”
“Sleep with one eye open. If someone’s standing over your bed with a knife at dawn—it’s probably me.”
We chatted idly until the food arrived. I noticed a couple at the next table holding hands and giggling. Now that I looked around, the place was full of couples.
I turned to Scar, who was sipping his water.
“You don’t have a girlfriend?”
“No.”
“Or a boyfriend? It’s fine, I’m open-minded. You can tell me.”
Scar picked up his glass again, looking like he was seriously debating whether to throw the water in my face. Maybe I’d pushed too far.
He sighed and set it down, muttering, “She’s my boss. I’m just the butler.”
Good thing I was the boss.
“I’m a man of discipline and manners,” he said.
“I know. That’s why I was curious. A guy like you having no lover seems suspicious.”
“Didn’t I say? This is a date.”
“…You’re serious?”
He nodded.
“Uh, you do realize I’m a married woman, right?”
“Contract marriages don’t count. You said so yourself—your marriage to Duke Cartiman was just for business. Unless… you actually like him now?”
“Don’t be ridiculous.”
Scar grinned brightly.
“Then there’s no problem.”
Before long, our food arrived—grilled asparagus and a garlic steak, steaming and fragrant. It smelled divine. Definitely worth the price.
Scar didn’t start eating until I took my first bite, then ordered soup and a chicken dish for himself.
Come to think of it, this was the first time we’d eaten together. Usually, he just brought me my food and ate later alone.
I watched him for a bit. He used his knife and fork neatly, slicing the chicken with elegant precision. His table manners almost reminded me of Cartiman.
When I stopped eating, Scar looked up.
“Not hungry?”
“I guess I ate too fast. I’m full already.”
“Try a little more.”
He picked up my plate, cut a piece of steak, and held it up to my mouth. And since he was the one paying, I obediently ate it.
Before he could feed me another bite, I spoke up.
“Scar.”
“Yes?”
“Are you sure you’re not secretly talented?”
“Didn’t we already settle that?”
He set down his fork and lifted his wine glass. He hadn’t touched his pre-meal drink until now. In the red reflection of the wine, his eyes looked faintly crimson.
“I don’t even know what you mean anymore. Is this about that secretary—what’s his name, Seba or something—calling me the Great Sage? My lady, if I were that skilled, do you think I’d still be working here?”
“I’m saying this because I trust you. I have a good eye for people, you know? You’re objectively competent.”
He wasn’t just capable—he also had money. After all, he’d just treated me to an expensive meal. No normal servant could do that.
“Plenty of noble houses would kill to hire someone like you. I just don’t understand why you’re here.”
“I’m flattered, but can we eat instead of interrogating me?”
“Eat and talk. You’ll survive a little indigestion.”
Scar sighed and put his utensils down.
“What exactly do you want to know?”
“I want to know you. Who you really are—and I want to keep you by my side.”
The restaurant went quiet.
“Is she confessing?” whispered someone nearby.
“She’s bold. Must really love him.”
No, no, no, that’s not what this is.
The waiter, clearly sympathetic, pulled a curtain between us and the other tables for privacy. I almost cried from gratitude.
“Ahem!”
I cleared my throat and continued.
“You know… I have trust issues. Probably because I’ve been betrayed before.”
“I know. Who wouldn’t?”
He nodded, obviously remembering how my so-called father had ruined my life.
I unwrapped a piece of chocolate from the dessert plate and popped it into my mouth.
“So I did something sneaky. Before I went north, I asked a repairman to keep an eye on you.”
“So you were spying on me.”
“Yeah. I heard you were searching for something. Care to explain?”
“I lost a button while cleaning. I was looking for it.”
“You tore the mansion apart for days to find a button? You expect me to believe that?”
“Believe what you want. I’m just telling you the truth.”
Yeah, I figured he’d say that.
But I had one more arrow in the quiver.
I placed my hand over his, trapping it against the table.
“Remember what you said earlier, about going on a date?”
He looked straight at me.
“You said, ‘If you could go on a date with Duke Cartiman, why not with me?’ Remember?”
“Did I say that?”
“You did. So tell me—how did you know I went on a date with Cartiman? I never told you.”
Even saying it aloud gave me chills.
I waited for him to make up some believable lie.
Scar had been with me through everything since I arrived in this world. He’d been there when I was broke, hungry, and hopeless. When I had no decent clothes, he’d sold his own to buy me something nice.
He was my person.
So doubting him made me feel guilty.
Still, if he said, “Actually, I’m after your title,” I’d accept it. I’d even prepared myself for it over dinner.
All I wanted was for him to tell me the truth—so that maybe, just maybe, we could stay friends.
“Who are you, really?”
Who are you, and what are you hiding?
***
Aileen had terrible luck but sharp instincts—more like a merchant than a noble. She could tell what someone wanted just by looking at their eyes.
Scar stared into his glass.
He hadn’t expected her to confront him so soon. He’d assumed her soft heart would keep her quiet—afraid he’d leave if she pushed too hard.
‘Guess I underestimated her.’
Still, he found it strange how quickly her expression shifted—one second suspicious, the next full of worry as soon as he frowned.
“You okay? Need sugar?” she asked.
“I’m fine.”
He refused her chocolate and downed two glasses of wine instead, but didn’t even look tipsy.
The only sound between them was Aileen’s nervous gulp.
Then he finally spoke.
“Can’t you just trust me?”
“What?”
“I’ve been with you from the very beginning. When you lost your memory, I stayed. When you said you’d marry some random guy for a mine, I told you not to—but I still stayed.”
“…”
“Honestly, hearing you doubt me like this hurts.”
The more he spoke, the heavier her heart felt.
Then, like she’d done before, he clasped her hand tightly—fingers interlocked.
“My lady.”
“Speak.”
“Even if there are suspicious things, just trust me. Like you always have.”
“I’m trying to—that’s why I’m asking.”
Neither of them backed down.
Aileen knew she wouldn’t get another chance. Once she let it go, he’d hide even deeper.
Scar hesitated, then called over a waiter for another glass of wine.
“I’m technically on duty, but one more drink won’t hurt, right?”
“You already had two. Go ahead.”
“Good. I needed something to calm my nerves.”
He smiled, looking down at the deep red wine.
“I like wine. It’s red like blood—but it tastes sweet.”
“Okay, edgy teenager. Calm down.”
He laughed quietly. “No, I just mean… it helps me deal with trauma.”
He took a long drink.
“You were right, you know. I do have money. Enough to work for free in a house that doesn’t pay me.”
“Where did it come from?”
“An inheritance. My whole family’s dead.”
“Oh my god…”
Aileen’s sympathy froze halfway across her face. Something felt off.
“I mean, I do love free food, but I still have some morals, you know? Just to make sure… you’re not using your inheritance money to take me out on dates, right? You’ll get cursed by your ancestors!”
Scar blinked. “…What?”
Yeah, he hadn’t expected that.
