Chapter 45: Touch

Lady Sophia and Sir Alec were on the way back to their room in the Dienin Castle. The shade of the night didn't seem to reach inside this place that was lit up by the latest magic lights, leaving the hallways even brighter than in the day.

"You've gotten rather close to the lord in no time, my lady," Alec said, his eyes looking at the mahogany cloths hanging from the walls in an attempt to avoid his liege's gaze. "He did threaten just this morning and was more powerful than we could have imagined..."

"Close? I don't think so?" Sophia didn't seem to mind Alec's words at all as she replied in a chipper tone. "Isn't it more of us being comfortable with each other? He's an ally, a strong and noble one. If I act stiff and calculative and earn his ire it would be a much worse outcome."

Sophia then shrugged her shoulders and smiled widely. "Well, it's not like I am not aware of the danger. He is just very expressive, so I can get a read on him easily."

"Expressive?" For once, Alec turned toward his liege, luckily, she wasn't looking at him while he wore his 'hoe's gone mad' face. "My lady, his face is as stiff as a stone? And when he does try to relax, he looks like the leader of a demon cult!"

"Tsk, you just don't know how to get a read on people."

"No, I doubt anyone other than you in the world can get a read on him." Alec sighed. "Still, isn't sharing spoons going a bit too far...?"

"He's just so cute, it's like he wears his emotions on his sleeves."

Alec wanted to tell her that everyone wore their emotions on their sleeves if they were faced by that lady, but kept it to himself. He was feeling rather disgruntled thinking about what he would tell this only child's father when he goes back. That was when his liege threw him a lifeline.

"I am sure that if I had a younger brother, he would turn out like him."

"Oh?" Alec gasped. "So you see him like a brother, my lady?"

"What else," Sophia narrowed her eyes and stared daggers into her knight. "Did you think I fell for him?"

The knight, now relieved, didn't think too far and started nodding.

Sophia scoffed and flicked his forehead.

"You runt," she said. "You're the only one who falls for people after a single conversation."

Alec blushed. "I do not!"

"Yeah? What about when you confessed to that maid who brought everyone in the night training food, huh? Weren't you convinced she liked you even though she was helping everyone?"

"A-ah! My lady, how—"

"Or about that time you asked the chief butler to let you marry his dead niece after seeing her picture."

"AHHH!"

Sophia laughed out loud while Alec buried his head in his hands, screaming lightly.

Sophia found the day of investigation to be strangely fun. She was looking forward to tomorrow.

***

A weird tension filled the room.

Usually Maria would go out after leaving me some clothes after a bath. I stepped out of the bath like I normally do, with a towel around my waist, but for some reason Maria was still in the room.

"What?" I asked.

"Nothing," she answered.

Since she was being like that, I decided to ignore her and get to my business. I stood in front of the mirror and started flexing my muscles one after the other.

Seeing my abs almost made me melt. Oh, abs. How I had missed thee. My mind usually reflected back to when I had just received the memories of Yujin. The lack of abs was the worst nightmare I had ever faced.

I was about to move over to the bed to pick up my clothes, when I noticed they were gone.

"I'll help you." Maria's voice suddenly came up from behind me. I noticed she already had my shirt in her hands.

Was this girl teasing me? She treated me like a child and started putting the shirt through my head.

Embarrassing.

I ran my hand through my hair and took the pants from her hands.

"I'll do it..." I said. "The food's getting cold."

Maria let out a few more breaths as she nodded softly. I ignored her and put on the pants over the towel before moving to the bed.

"Let's eat," I said.

"I'll... eat later... young master."

Ah, my chance for revenge was already here.

I dragged her hands and pulled her close to the bed.

"Why?" I said.

"I can't eat with you—"

Before she could say anything, I pulled her down next to me. Maria seemed slightly surprised but didn't take objections.

"Eat with me," I said, firmly.

Maria gave me a weak nod.

I scooped up some of the pasta placed on the plates in front of me and dragged it toward Maria's mouth.

I wanted revenge, sure.

But I enjoyed this too.

That night, the cold food felt oddly hot.