CH 6

Clyde stepped into the dining room and saw Ashley alone at the dining table. The mahogany table that has been used by the Sargent family for generations is rather wide and long. Indeed, the sight of Ashley sitting there alone would look sad and lonely. Especially since Ashley is on the petite side.

However, that thought only lasted for a moment. Ashley was happily chatting with Rosalie and the other maids serving her. The unfamiliar looking maids are probably the maids of the Wollett family. Everyone was talking happily.

Generally, nobles do not speak closely with their servants in a friendly manner, but Ashley didn’t seem to care about such things.

“Thank you for waiting.” Clyde felt a little relieved and sat across from her.

Ashley froze. Her smile was gone and her brows furrowed nervously.

Clyde let out a small sigh. He thought that Ashley was angry and upset for leaving her alone. He understood that look, but it can’t be helped.

‘……’

There were too many things to think about and the thought of it makes him even more tired.

‘—No. Wrong.’

That expression on her face. It isn’t anger rather, doesn’t she look frightened? At him? Why? When they talked about their engagement back at the Wollett residence, she was happily smiling.

‘Come to think of it…’

Just before leaving the Wollett’s residence, Ashley seemed to have this look on her face. How come? His eyebrows raised as he thought of it. 

Ashley turned pale since she thought that Clyde was upset with her. “He helped me… He helped me,” she murmured repeatedly as if chanting a spell.

The maids didn’t seem to notice and began to happily serve them since Clyde and Ashley were going to eat a meal together. How could they not notice? She must really hate this.

“I’m sorry to have not accompanied you and left you alone all this time,” he said. He was certainly to blame so he apologized anyway.

“No, of course not!” It was obvious that she meant what she said. He was getting even more confused.

“Well, do you hate me? Did I do something?” He asked her.

Ashley looked at him and violently shook her head, “No! You’ve done nothing wrong!”

“Is that so? Please let me know if there’s anything that’s making you uncomfortable. I’ll take care of it.”

“There’s nothing whatsoever! Everything is good! It’s perfect!”

“…alright” He couldn’t figure it out, so he decided to probe even further.

“I was told that the maids were concerned, so I reflected. From now on, I’ll make time to dine together as much as possible.”

“…ah, okay.”

Ashley seems to dislike it very much. She tried her best to hide it, but Clyde could tell. He couldn’t help but laugh at how honest she was. He has never encountered such an attitude from a woman before. He was a little interested.

He stared at Ashley and she turned pale, averting her gaze. After a while, she fearfully glanced at him as if to check up on him. Of course, Clyde did not look away. He caught her gaze and smiled at her. Ashley froze in fright.

Why? 

He furrowed his brows, troubled. “However, I have urgent business to do after all. It might be impossible to have meals together.”

Ashley’s face glistened. She was happy. Clyde held back a laugh. This time with a remorseful smile he said, “No, we’re engaged. I’ll do my best to make time for you.”

Ah, she suddenly looked depressed. She stares off into the distance with a gloomy face as if it was the end of the world.

What’s this? How fun.

Ashley looked uncomfortable, but she opened her mouth as if she made up her mind, “I’m sorry.”

“…about what?”

“You helped me. It was a long time ago, yet Lord Clyde did nothing wrong. It was just my own circumstances. So, I’ll try to get used to it.”

What was she talking about? He couldn’t understand what she meant but Ashley looked serious. He could feel her determination.

Clyde smiled anyway, “All right. Good luck.”

“Yes.” Ashley’s shoulders slightly lowered, and brought a lettuce and purple cabbage to her mouth. Clyde observed her. Since she is a daughter of a count, her manners are impeccable. She’s elegant and has a good posture when eating. And yet, he couldn’t take his eyes off her for some reason. Why does it look like she’s single-mindedly eating leaves rather than being lovely?

“You look like a small animal,” he commented.

Her eyes widened. She looked so surprised by his honest comment that he thought her eyeballs might actually fall. He wondered why she’d be surprised rather than angry.

“What kind of animal is it?” She was asking about what kind of animal? Her face is pale, is that what she’s concerned about?

“Hmm…a raccoon dog. No, maybe a weasel.” He did not dare say a cute little squirrel or any others because he wanted to know why, and yet…

“I see.” She breathed out in relief and laughed happily. For the first time, Clyde saw a woman so happy for being said to resemble a raccoon dog or a weasel.

He chuckled. She’s such a strange woman. He felt the gaze of Rosalie and the maids and glanced at them. They were probably upset at him for calling his fiancée a raccoon dog or weasel when he finally showed up for a meal.

Clyde is a kind master and is always good to his servants. The servants also adore him and yet, in just one day, Ashley has already captured their hearts.

“I’m sorry. I just thought you were cute, so I said it.” It’s true and he meant it. Still, Ashley dropped the fork she was holding, frightened. She stared at him as if he was something unknown.

‘Interesting.’

Ashley looked away uncomfortably, but she never stopped eating. She casually reached out to her salad again and glanced at him. She seems to be afraid to be said to look like a “little animal” again. She hurriedly began to drink the soup in the round ceramic bowl next to him. The thick orange potage soup seemed to be very delicious as her eyes turned into crescents with relish.

Clyde took a sip of the soup and found that it was carrot soup with grated carrots and milk. She seemed to have noticed his stare and quickly put down the bowl. She stared at the bowl of soup as if she wanted to drink it very badly while she was going for the beef stew

Clyde dared to look down, pretended to be focusing on his meal, not looking at her. After a while, he looked up and saw her happily drinking the carrot soup. What is with her smile that tickles his heart?

It feels like it’s getting more fun as Clyde silently laughed. Before he knew it, the tiredness and the heavy weight on his body had disappeared.