Chapter 95
Translator: Yonnee
RP: Haebaragi_syk
—
“Reina.”
At the call of her name from the voice she had unintentionally gotten used to these past few days, Reina flinched and turned around.
Accompanied by the crunch of fallen leaves on the ground, Ethan appeared in front of her with a fair smile.
‘Now it’s natural for you to smile, huh…’
Even though he’s called the Cerulean Freak, you wouldn’t even be able to glean the ‘fre’ from ‘freak’ from how he normally carried himself these days. You really gotta ask yourself whether he’s truly about to die an untimely death just one random morning.
“Reina.”
“Yes, Deputy Director.”
As she answered him formally on reflex, the corners of Ethan’s lips dropped again.
‘Ah… This is excruciating.’[1]
As the wind blew past them, Reina arranged her messy hair and dropped her gaze slightly.
If she were perfectly honest, she kinda had a rough idea of the situation now.
When it felt like she’d been left with chocolate that he kept coming to check up on time and time again, how could she not notice that person’s feelings?
It’s just that… Because he tended to go hot and cold so often that she’s getting dizzy, she felt a greater sense of vigilance against him. After all, he might change again.
There was a slight air of exhaustion hanging around her.
However, at that moment…
An out-of-the-blue line reached her ears.
“Reina, why do you always wear t-shirts?”
“Huh?”
“Why do you always wear t-shirts?”
Dazed for a moment while trying to process the nonsensical question, Reina’s face soon turned red.
“Ah… Did it stick out?”
“No, you’re… Huh?”
“Huh?”
One question after another, a moment of silence stretched between the two.
“……”
“……”
It was a very heavy silence that would make you conscious of even the sound of your breathing. In the end, Reina was the first to speak.
“Ah… I usually wear the thinnest t-shirts I can find so that it’s not obvious… Unsightly, isn’t it?”
When Reina answered in a hurry, Ethan fell silent and didn’t answer back. Facing the man’s lost eyes, Reina also fell silent.
How long did these two dumb idiots stand in front of the imperial palace’s stonewall walkway?
By the time Reina trembled from a particularly cold breeze that passed by, she finally came to her senses.
‘Ah, right. Wearing shirts under dresses can be shocking in this place. T-shirts are… clothes that commoners prefer wearing, of course.’
But what could she do? She just felt so uncomfortable because of her dresses’ prickly adornments. If she didn’t have any memories of her previous life, she would have lived her life thinking that this was normal, but… As she was right now, Reina couldn’t bear that kind of inconvenience.
“Haha… I understand that it’s a bit unconventional. My skin is a bit sensitive…”
At the flimsy excuse, Ethan also belatedly got pulled out of his reverie.
“No, it’s not sticking out.”
He quickly put on such a warm smile that looked like it was about to melt.
“What? But, just now… You asked me why I always wear t-shirts.”
For a moment, Ethan did not answer, only looking over at Reina’s shoulders with unfocused eyes. Soon enough though, his glazed eyes quickly became again.
“It’s not obvious at all. You’re always beautiful, Reina.”
“……”
So her t-shirt’s not visible. But what did have to do with her being beautiful… It was getting mighty awkward yet again.
“Uh… Then, I’ll be leaving work now.”
Hohoho. With forced laughter, Reina furtively tried to slip away.
“Shall we go home together?”
“Ah… I, uh, happen to have a previous engagement…”
Previous engagement, my butt.
The only previous engagement Reina had was making kalguksu at home.
But then again, if she were to admit to this, she’s sure that Ethan would escort her back to the front gates of her house again today.
“…A previous engagement?”
When a rather low voice answered her weak excuse, Reina stuttered back, flustered.
“Y-Yes. A previous engagement.”
“With whom.”
“Um… Well…”
“Where exactly are you meeting?”
If he’s going to put her on the spot like this and ask about the details, what could she say?
With her pupils rolling around like glass beads, Reina opened and closed her mouth a few times.
“Um… It’s a secret.”
As a line was very evidently drawn between them—clearly an act to push him away—Ethan put on his unique ‘wilted look’, which he was often showing these days.
Gauging his mood, Reina thought,
‘No matter how I look at it, if… if it’s to this extent, it has to be that, right?’
* * *
Ever since the ‘t-shirt incident’, Reina began to be more and more convinced of Ethan’s behavior.
And.
As of today, that conviction became an established fact.
“Reina.”
At the voice that popped out from over her head, Reina looked behind her in surprise.
“Deputy Director Ethan?”
At the sudden ghost-like appearance of the voice’s owner, Reina panicked, turning and looking behind her yet again.
‘This is the Chantra household, right?’
But then, why was Ethan here?
“Reina. We’re outside the Imperial Palace right now.”
With sparkling eyes, Ethan looked at Reina expectantly, but… What was she to do. She wasn’t ready to call him ‘my love’ yet.
“What brings you here…”
When, once again, those bright red lips didn’t call him ‘my love’, Ethan answered back with a regretful look.
“I’m here to see Viscount Ruzest.”
“My father?”
“Yes.”
She was quite sure that Ethan and her father didn’t really have any reason to see each other. Head tilted to the side, Reina looked up at him.
Then, a short explanation followed.
“The recent epidemic outbreaks have been strange.”
“Ah… Right, it seems like it’s come to a point that painkillers are needed.”
With the development of magic—namely, healing magic—there had become no need for painkillers extracted from poison.
But outbreaks as of late… Since there were some cases where the symptoms of the patients were much worse than others, it’s gotten to a point that their severe pain needed to be dealt with through ‘poison’.
“Yes. There have been reports that a different dose of painkillers need to be administered compared to the previous outbreaks.”
As he said this, his voice sank quite heavily.
She was instantly consumed by many different questions she wanted to ask, but she quietly closed her mouth. She was just an intern, so if there was anything she needed to know, he would have already told her first.
“I have something for you, Reina.”
Just in time, he dispersed the heavy air between them and held out a small paper bag for her. While Reina stared at the paper bag, Ethan smiled as he asked,
“You like chocolate, don’t you?”
How did he know that?
“Yes.”
Was it enough to say that she liked chocolate? Absolutely not. She just couldn’t eat it all the time because she didn’t have any. The biggest problem here was that, for her to buy any chocolate, she’d have to use her father’s money.
“But my father won’t let me eat chocolate… I only eat it once in a while.”
In all honesty, the most predominant reason behind her father’s prohibition was because of the fact that her eyes would turn upside down every single time she’d see chocolate.
Watching as her expression grew downcast, Ethan quickly handed over the paper bag that he was holding to her.
“What’s this?”
A large box could be seen through the bag’s opening. It was a box with a silver lining at its side against a luxurious-looking black background.
“Ohh? Ferrero Roché[2]?”
That shop where you can’t buy from even if you wait in line for a whole week straight?
Reina looked up at him, completely surprised. A smile that’s as sweet as chocolate could be seen upon Ethan’s lips.
“It was hard to get.”
As Ethan emphasized this proudly, Reina blinked.
“That chocolate shop went bankrupt.”
“What?”
No way. Reina visited that shop in the capital just a few days ago.
She was about to express her doubts, however, his next words were much faster.
“They’re ruined now because you’re too sweet, Reina.”
“Ah, really… Eh?”
“Because you’re so sweet, I heard that the shop went bankrupt.”
Reina could do nothing but blink dazedly as she listened to the continuous nonsense spilling out of Ethan’s lips. Oddly enough though, that continuous nonsense sounded like a melody.
“Thanks to you, Reina, everyone’s ruined.”
“…Huh??”
Chuckling with a low voice, Ethan took her hand and kissed it softly.
“All the sugar in the whole wide world is right here with you, so it’s only natural for that chocolate shop to go out of business.”
“…Huuuh???”
Chapter 95
Translator: Yonnee
RP: Haebaragi_syk
—
“Reina.”
At the call of her name from the voice she had unintentionally gotten used to these past few days, Reina flinched and turned around.
Accompanied by the crunch of fallen leaves on the ground, Ethan appeared in front of her with a fair smile.
‘Now it’s natural for you to smile, huh…’
Even though he’s called the Cerulean Freak, you wouldn’t even be able to glean the ‘fre’ from ‘freak’ from how he normally carried himself these days. You really gotta ask yourself whether he’s truly about to die an untimely death just one random morning.
“Reina.”
“Yes, Deputy Director.”
As she answered him formally on reflex, the corners of Ethan’s lips dropped again.
‘Ah… This is excruciating.’[1]
As the wind blew past them, Reina arranged her messy hair and dropped her gaze slightly.
If she were perfectly honest, she kinda had a rough idea of the situation now.
When it felt like she’d been left with chocolate that he kept coming to check up on time and time again, how could she not notice that person’s feelings?
It’s just that… Because he tended to go hot and cold so often that she’s getting dizzy, she felt a greater sense of vigilance against him. After all, he might change again.
There was a slight air of exhaustion hanging around her.
However, at that moment…
An out-of-the-blue line reached her ears.
“Reina, why do you always wear t-shirts?”
“Huh?”
“Why do you always wear t-shirts?”
Dazed for a moment while trying to process the nonsensical question, Reina’s face soon turned red.
“Ah… Did it stick out?”
“No, you’re… Huh?”
“Huh?”
One question after another, a moment of silence stretched between the two.
“……”
“……”
It was a very heavy silence that would make you conscious of even the sound of your breathing. In the end, Reina was the first to speak.
“Ah… I usually wear the thinnest t-shirts I can find so that it’s not obvious… Unsightly, isn’t it?”
When Reina answered in a hurry, Ethan fell silent and didn’t answer back. Facing the man’s lost eyes, Reina also fell silent.
How long did these two dumb idiots stand in front of the imperial palace’s stonewall walkway?
By the time Reina trembled from a particularly cold breeze that passed by, she finally came to her senses.
‘Ah, right. Wearing shirts under dresses can be shocking in this place. T-shirts are… clothes that commoners prefer wearing, of course.’
But what could she do? She just felt so uncomfortable because of her dresses’ prickly adornments. If she didn’t have any memories of her previous life, she would have lived her life thinking that this was normal, but… As she was right now, Reina couldn’t bear that kind of inconvenience.
“Haha… I understand that it’s a bit unconventional. My skin is a bit sensitive…”
At the flimsy excuse, Ethan also belatedly got pulled out of his reverie.
“No, it’s not sticking out.”
He quickly put on such a warm smile that looked like it was about to melt.
“What? But, just now… You asked me why I always wear t-shirts.”
For a moment, Ethan did not answer, only looking over at Reina’s shoulders with unfocused eyes. Soon enough though, his glazed eyes quickly became again.
“It’s not obvious at all. You’re always beautiful, Reina.”
“……”
So her t-shirt’s not visible. But what did have to do with her being beautiful… It was getting mighty awkward yet again.
“Uh… Then, I’ll be leaving work now.”
Hohoho. With forced laughter, Reina furtively tried to slip away.
“Shall we go home together?”
“Ah… I, uh, happen to have a previous engagement…”
Previous engagement, my butt.
The only previous engagement Reina had was making kalguksu at home.
But then again, if she were to admit to this, she’s sure that Ethan would escort her back to the front gates of her house again today.
“…A previous engagement?”
When a rather low voice answered her weak excuse, Reina stuttered back, flustered.
“Y-Yes. A previous engagement.”
“With whom.”
“Um… Well…”
“Where exactly are you meeting?”
If he’s going to put her on the spot like this and ask about the details, what could she say?
With her pupils rolling around like glass beads, Reina opened and closed her mouth a few times.
“Um… It’s a secret.”
As a line was very evidently drawn between them—clearly an act to push him away—Ethan put on his unique ‘wilted look’, which he was often showing these days.
Gauging his mood, Reina thought,
‘No matter how I look at it, if… if it’s to this extent, it has to be that, right?’
* * *
Ever since the ‘t-shirt incident’, Reina began to be more and more convinced of Ethan’s behavior.
And.
As of today, that conviction became an established fact.
“Reina.”
At the voice that popped out from over her head, Reina looked behind her in surprise.
“Deputy Director Ethan?”
At the sudden ghost-like appearance of the voice’s owner, Reina panicked, turning and looking behind her yet again.
‘This is the Chantra household, right?’
But then, why was Ethan here?
“Reina. We’re outside the Imperial Palace right now.”
With sparkling eyes, Ethan looked at Reina expectantly, but… What was she to do. She wasn’t ready to call him ‘my love’ yet.
“What brings you here…”
When, once again, those bright red lips didn’t call him ‘my love’, Ethan answered back with a regretful look.
“I’m here to see Viscount Ruzest.”
“My father?”
“Yes.”
She was quite sure that Ethan and her father didn’t really have any reason to see each other. Head tilted to the side, Reina looked up at him.
Then, a short explanation followed.
“The recent epidemic outbreaks have been strange.”
“Ah… Right, it seems like it’s come to a point that painkillers are needed.”
With the development of magic—namely, healing magic—there had become no need for painkillers extracted from poison.
But outbreaks as of late… Since there were some cases where the symptoms of the patients were much worse than others, it’s gotten to a point that their severe pain needed to be dealt with through ‘poison’.
“Yes. There have been reports that a different dose of painkillers need to be administered compared to the previous outbreaks.”
As he said this, his voice sank quite heavily.
She was instantly consumed by many different questions she wanted to ask, but she quietly closed her mouth. She was just an intern, so if there was anything she needed to know, he would have already told her first.
“I have something for you, Reina.”
Just in time, he dispersed the heavy air between them and held out a small paper bag for her. While Reina stared at the paper bag, Ethan smiled as he asked,
“You like chocolate, don’t you?”
How did he know that?
“Yes.”
Was it enough to say that she liked chocolate? Absolutely not. She just couldn’t eat it all the time because she didn’t have any. The biggest problem here was that, for her to buy any chocolate, she’d have to use her father’s money.
“But my father won’t let me eat chocolate… I only eat it once in a while.”
In all honesty, the most predominant reason behind her father’s prohibition was because of the fact that her eyes would turn upside down every single time she’d see chocolate.
Watching as her expression grew downcast, Ethan quickly handed over the paper bag that he was holding to her.
“What’s this?”
A large box could be seen through the bag’s opening. It was a box with a silver lining at its side against a luxurious-looking black background.
“Ohh? Ferrero Roché[2]?”
That shop where you can’t buy from even if you wait in line for a whole week straight?
Reina looked up at him, completely surprised. A smile that’s as sweet as chocolate could be seen upon Ethan’s lips.
“It was hard to get.”
As Ethan emphasized this proudly, Reina blinked.
“That chocolate shop went bankrupt.”
“What?”
No way. Reina visited that shop in the capital just a few days ago.
She was about to express her doubts, however, his next words were much faster.
“They’re ruined now because you’re too sweet, Reina.”
“Ah, really… Eh?”
“Because you’re so sweet, I heard that the shop went bankrupt.”
Reina could do nothing but blink dazedly as she listened to the continuous nonsense spilling out of Ethan’s lips. Oddly enough though, that continuous nonsense sounded like a melody.
“Thanks to you, Reina, everyone’s ruined.”
“…Huh??”
Chuckling with a low voice, Ethan took her hand and kissed it softly.
“All the sugar in the whole wide world is right here with you, so it’s only natural for that chocolate shop to go out of business.”
“…Huuuh???”
