It is not for nothing that gift cards exist in the world.
A gift is a gift, but the words and meaning are important.
But the Young Master didn’t know how to write, so I had to say this by mouth.
‘Let’s see. The most common thing is—’
I thought hard while holding my head.
‘Pick up on my way here? Not that.’
No matter how old ‘Night of the Emperor’ work was, this was a very lame line.
In that sense, I practiced a more touching comment.
“I baked it and came here?—”
These are informal words, so it’s dismissed.
“…I baked it on my way here and brought it here?”
I spent time practicing ‘I baked it on my way’ several times.
Perhaps the afternoon was exhausting, the Young Master did not wake up during that long time.
Then, as time passed, I started to yawn.
‘I’ve been working longer these days, so I did overdo it—’
I was walking slowly through the bed to wake him up and stood in front of the bouquet Unnie had prepared with me.
‘Shall I go to a flower shop?’
Then, while thinking about what kind of flower shop to visit, I just thought of one.
‘Oh, there’s that.’
He’d better say the opposite because he always says no to me.
I took off the petals one by one and continued to talk.
“The Young Master likes me.”
“….”
“The Young Master hides his feelings for me, it’s difficult because Young Master likes me so much, the Young Master is really really—”
“Hey!”
Whoosh.
I avoided the pillow that flew at me with amazing timing.
‘It’s been a really long time since I’ve had this pillow.’
I was pleased, but the Young Master grumbled at me.
“You think I’m funny, huh?”
“Young Master, it’s not fun at all. You’re always under the blanket, so what would I laugh at? Or can you invite me to that place?”
Yes~~?
I tried acting cute in my own way, but it didn’t work very well.
Rather, he looked at me as if there was no chance and went into the blanket.
That’s very consistent. But it’s pretty hot today, isn’t it really stuffy?
Anyway, I also had to achieve my goal.
I approached sternly, conscious of the cookie bag in my hand.
“Uh, Young Master.”
“….”
“If you don’t answer, I won’t move a single step from here until you call me.”
“…What.”
Still, there is one positive change.
This is how he answers my words seven times out of ten faster than before.
I stretched my shoulders and spoke in a proud voice.
“I prepared a present.”
I thought he’d say throw it away right away— it’s strange.
But he popped his eyes through the blankets unexpectedly.
And he stared at the cookie I took out for a long time as if wondering about what I was thinking.
I was excited by the reaction and chatted more than usual.
“Young Master, Young Master. It’s my first time making cookies in my life. Do you know why I made it? Yes, you don’t know. I didn’t know either, but I heard today is Flower Day. It’s a Denkart tradition here. Give something that symbolizes flowers to people who you like. Now, please take it.”
He looked at the cookie with astonished eyes, saying, “Was this stone a cookie?” and stared at me with a face, “Why did you ask me if this was the case?”
While laughing, I put cookies in the hands of the Young Master.
Then I snatched the cookie from him, trying to be annoyed, and took it away.
The Young Master’s expression became more serious because I gave and took away unexpectedly.
“What are you doing?”
But I didn’t care and cut the cookie in half and put one in my mouth and one in his mouth.
He frowned as I suddenly ate the cookies.
It wouldn’t be strange if he beat me up if his body was in good condition.
“I’ll eat well. As expected, I like the taste the best from the Young Master more than anyone else.”
It was a good gift exchange.
However, the Young Master chewed the cookie like a stone and went back under the blanket.
Well, this is good enough.
It’s not surprising that he’s a character who doesn’t open his heart to the handsome Crown Prince and sub-male lead anyway.
‘By the way— Sub-male lead. It’s time for him to slowly appear.’
I thought it was interesting as I chewed on the cookies.
First, there was a jerk from Denkart’s collateral line.
‘It was around this time when he appeared. Will he come this time?’
*****
‘Flower Day to freeze to death.’
Manellano Stell looked at the ripe greenery outside the window and spit out a swear word.
He traveled for a week from the northern tip of the continent, which was surrounded by snowfields, to the heart of the southeast.
It was a sudden incident that had nothing to do with his doctor.
Since ancient times, Denkart’s words have been absolute.
However, this is because they have expressed their intention to invite the nobles to their mansion to strengthen the harmony between the families, in particular, this year.
The parents were very happy, but he wasn’t very happy about it.
Without the respectable Blivan, there was no other interest. It had been a long time since he had already completed the interpretation of ancient lithographs, which was an academy project.
The Countess looked dissatisfied with the act of tapping and hitting the floor with a shoe sole to relieve boredom, but she didn’t point it out.
This is because he had the perfect appearance as the Count’s son in the eyes of others.
The Countess, who smiled, talked about this and that with the Count she faced.
At that time, an interesting story passed by Manellano’s ear.
“—The person who doesn’t even know how to write his last name is the successor?”
As if just when he had been bored, his bright yellow eyes flashed.
It was the face of a beast that found a different prey.
“That’s right. The Duchess of Denkart is the only one who has gotten hard to reach. Besides, they say he throws objects at the precious tutors. So, would he properly sign the name of the family?”
The Countess said in a sad tone, but a sense of relief came at a glance.
Her son’s bad temper was inherited from her.
“They say he can’t even use his legs. It’s Denkart’s failure in name and reality.”
She said with a snort.
“After all, he’s an illegitimate child with no roots.”
Then, in his gaze towards Manellano, the pride in her son shone clearly.
He was already attracting the attention of the imperial family for his outstanding talent in many ways.
Listening to his mother’s tickling words, Manellano raised the corners of his lips.
‘I think I can do something interesting.’
When the expected moment came, Manellano first greeted the Duchess with courtesy.
And he exchanged meaningful views with his cousins of his age after a long time.
Everyone’s eyes were gleaming with maliciousness as if they were planning something similar.
The boys, who roughly greeted each other, went down to the second floor as if they had promised.
And in front of the tightly closed door, he met a silver-haired servant who looked similar in age to them.
“Welcome, Young Masters. I’m Young Master Edric’s servant, my name is Rovel.”
He greeted him in a very good posture and impeccable manner, but it’s only ridiculous for him.
Because the servant is the owner.
He must be a guy with no basics.
Manellano said with a smile disguised as kindness.
“I’m here to say hello to Young Master. Open it.”
But then, Manellano was perplexed.
It was because the servant suddenly placed his long index finger on his lips.
His expression was stricter than the librarian at the Imperial Palace.
“Ssh.”
—What, what is this?
What the hell is going on, did something happen to Young Master?
Is it a seizure he’d only heard of, a doctor’s treatment, or simply bad timing?
The nobles’ sons were perplexed, but the servant spoke seriously.
“It’s nap time for our Young Master.”
For a moment, Manellano doubted his ears whether he had heard nonsense.
However, if he looked at the blank faces of other noble sons, his ears were not the only ones wrong.
He regained his composure as if he had forgotten when he was puzzled.
‘It’s nap time—. Yeah, he was brought up from a low background, there’s no way he understands the importance of aristocratic hospitality.’
Rather than welcoming it with dignity, it was more suitable to fall asleep.
He asked with a subtle smile again.
“I see. When will he wake up?”
“It’s hard for me to give you a definite answer. The medicine the Young Master takes is very strong. I apologize.”
The servant put one hand on his chest as if he was very sorry.
It was a neat and polite attitude.
But strangely, it scratched his nerves. Manellano is not a human being familiar with rejection in the first place.
Manellano thought for a moment about what to do.
The conclusion came out quickly.
If he looks at it, it’s right to step down. He was invited to the mansion, but he didn’t get an invitation from the room.
He narrowed his eyes and chose the lane.
“When the Young Master woke up—”
“Ah— Sir Blivan!”
At that time, the servant raised his voice differently than before.
That welcome voice caused a great stir among the noble son.
What, Sir Blivan?!
The leader of the Black Chain Knights, who reached the status of a sword master early on, was the Imperial Sword’s Blivan Cartel.
Isn’t it the eternal envy of the noble son?
In particular, Manellano was as interested in swordsmanship as only the previous warriors of Denkart.
He turned his head quickly following the gaze of the servant.
‘He left the mansion at the Duke’s call. Did he return already?’
However, Manellano’s expectations quickly subsided.
Blivan was known to be a tough man who gave people goosebumps simply by looking at him, yet the man in front of him was as tidy as a water lily flower.
It was more like a saint than a knight.
As he approached him as calmly as he looked, he spoke in a refreshing voice.
“No—but you’re Sir Arif of the Black Chain Knights, aren’t you? Hello.”
“Yes, Rovel. May the goddess be full of blessings, I’m Arif Broyer.”
The annoyance of being deceived stays for a while.
Manellano looked at Arif, who was silent.
‘Arif Broyer, the greatest warrior from the falling Baron Broyer—’
According to his memory, he was quite capable, unlike his gentle eyes. It meant that he was a difficult opponent if he was caught even with a slight flaw earlier.
‘I can’t get into rumors because of something like that.’