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Chapter 37
Daisy’s dress had a similar design to the dress she wore in the afternoon, but the details were slightly different.
The fabric was embroidered with beautiful flowers and its angel sleeves draped and flowed down her arms. And this time, she didn’t wear any accessories she had worn earlier.
May’s face displayed a wide smile as she tied Daisy’s hair in a half-bun.
“Today has finally come! A day to relieve all frustration!”
Daisy only smiled at May’s overly excited behavior, and then she heard a knock. Her gaze naturally swung to the door behind May’s back.
“Tell him to come in. And come back here when the conversation is over.”
There is no way Xandarvan will come, so it must be Carlyx.
May left as soon as she opened the door for Carlyx. Still sitting at the dressing table, Daisy turned toward him.
“What’s the matter?”
She wanted to have a proper talk with him, but she thought it’d be much later.
And she didn’t know that he’d seek her first.
Carlyx’s composed voice resounded.
“I’ll change the Order’s system as you say.”
“Of course you must change it. Let’s hire several chef assistants to provide nutritious meals. Doctors should be on standby during training from now on, and we need to talk about other systems that we must change before and after the war. I’ll listen to your opinion.”
She didn’t want to cause confusion among the knights if she changed it during the war. It could have been a problem to fire the knights suddenly.
Such important issues were more befitting for Carlyx to decide rather than her, an outsider.
The silence fell.
“…And what else?”
Her voice broke the silence. Carlyx, who was still leaning against the door, straightened his head.
As expected, there was no immediate answer, so Daisy spoke first.
“You didn’t come to see me just to talk about that, right?”
It’s dinner time soon. With his personality, he would have chosen another day to discuss the system in detail.
He wasn’t the type to talk about such an important matter lightly.
Carlyx put down his crossed arms and asked.
“….How did you know?”
Carlyx slowly headed toward Daisy and stopped in front of her.
“How can you be so confident that I’m going to win?”
His pupils shook finely as he asked so. Perhaps he had been pondering a good while before asking that question.
Asking other people about his ability, to be exact.
It was quite unexpected behavior.
“Are you asking what makes me so confident? I’m simply seeing the fact.”
“Fact? Do you mean the fact that I always lose? It’s the only fact I know.”
“You’re smart, but you don’t seem to know one thing.”
Daisy reached out and smoothed a crease on his shirt.
Carlyx’s gaze did not falter from her hands, but he didn’t stop her this time.
“You know, for most people, skills and effort are important. But there’s something more important than that. Do you know what it is?”
Daisy slowly stood up and smoothed the vest he was wearing. Only now it suited Carlyx’s dull personality. A rumpled outfit did not suit him at all.
“What’s more amazing than skills and effort? I don’t think there is.”
Do you really think there isn’t?
Daisy raised her head to make eye contact with Carlyx. When she took her hands off him, Carlyx raised his head to match her gaze.
Their eyes finally met.
“You no longer think that something like that doesn’t exist by now, right? I’m sure you felt it then. How a variable could unleash someone’s potential.”
Carlyx had never faced such a situation before.
His life was filled with people’s scornful gazes. A life where he could never escape from hatred.
Gaining motivation from genuine support and affection was something that had never occurred to him.
That’s why making this bet was important to persuade him in the first place.
‘I wanted to push your motivation to win the match.’
On the other hand, she felt sorry for him that it was his first time receiving such support.
He never truly experienced this even as the Knight Commander.
Which meant he fought to death alone without any meaningful motivation to keep him going.
“I know you’re a good commander. If you start giving your heart to the knights little by little, you’ll be a greater commander compared to others.”
But, why?
Carlyx, who listened to her silently, seemed to hold his breath.
Almost like he stayed still so he won’t miss a single word she said.
“My support for you. The cheers that River and Luciana did. Please remember what all three of us did whenever you fight. Please remember the affection we gave to you and give the same affection to the knights as well.”
A gentle smile spread on her face. With her head slightly tilted, she lifted ten fingers and wiggled them.
“At least, to ten people?”
“That’s too much. I don’t think that’s a reasonable number for a starter.”
“Hmm, how about seven people?”
Carlyx didn’t answer this time, but his cold eyes gave her a clear answer. Eventually, Daisy folded her finger again.
“Alright. This much should be okay since I won the bet. Five people. How about it?”
“….”
“Geez. Four. I can’t get lower than that.”
Daisy one-sidedly concluded the negotiation. She refused to concede anymore.
Carlyx watched her folding her fingers so quickly and smiled. His teeth were slightly exposed.
It was the first time she had seen him smile.
“Huh? Did you just smile?”
Daisy was stunned and asked right away. She blinked several times, wondering if she was dreaming.
Still, the corners of Carlyx’s mouth were up.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about. You must be mistaken.”
Carlyx turned his head while covering his mouth. Daisy didn’t want to miss such an unusual appearance and stood on her toes.
“I don’t think so. What is it? Show me your face.”
“There’s nothing to see.”
When she grabbed his hand and tried to pull it from his face, Carlyx quickly turned around.
He abruptly spoke as if trying to control the situation.
“It’s almost time for dinner. Let’s go down now.”
Daisy tried to tease him more, but eventually dropped her hand. A small smile was plastered on her mouth.
Somehow, they seemed to be getting closer.
‘Friend. I think we can be good friends.’
He was scary sometimes, but he wasn’t a bad person. It seemed like two years would go faster than she thought.
Daisy followed Carlyx with a deep smile.
“Oh, right. And don’t be surprised, no matter what I do this evening.”
She didn’t forget to warn him about her plan for the meal.
Xandarvan looked carefully around him, wondering if there was anything to carp about.
‘Damn, there is nothing to criticize.’
Unlike the rumors, the servants were more polite than necessary, and the mansion was pretty neat.
The candlesticks were placed stylishly on the table, and the fireplace in front of him was burning adequately.
Even the main dish, which he had expected to be bad, was perfect. A large, lavishly garnished turkey appearing to be well over 10 pounds was presented on a gold charger.
‘It’s hard to say anything bad about this.’
It was too much of a mouth-watering dinner.
The grilled turkey dish smelled savory.
‘I can’t believe the aroma is this fragrant!’
Tyler delicately cut the golden-brown turkey in half. As the inside was revealed, the rich smell of a gravy that spilled out was dispersed.
Xandarvan tried hard to resist swallowing the saliva that appeared in response to the appetizing scents.
The fancy dinner finally took place.
“Do you like the food?”
“…It’s not bad.”
It was actually quite delicious, but he tried to not reveal it.
Crisp skin and tender meat. He wanted to chew quickly, but he tried hard not to show such signs of his pleasure.
The chef here wasn’t famous at all.
Xandarvan didn’t want to admit it and continued slicing his meat.
There was occasionally a small exchange between them. Perhaps because he was satisfied by the food, Xandarvan also responded from time to time.
However, the conversation quickly dwindled due to his defensive attitude.
Whenever that happened, Daisy didn’t lose her spirit. Rather, she tried to appease him in a gentle tone, just like comforting a grumpy child.
“Lord Xandarvan is really as sophisticated as the rumors said. So along with today’s toast, aside from celebrating my husband’s victory, I’d like to celebrate my first meal with Lord Xandarvan, too.”
At Daisy’s sign, Tyler lifted the wine bottle he was holding.
“As Madam requested, we have prepared a wine to serve a distinguished person such as Lord Xandarvan. It’s a ten year old Raston Trienrazan.”
Raston! It was definitely a rare brand. Xandarvan coughed loudly and glanced at his empty glass.
Tyler, who noticed his gesture, added politely.
“It’s a dry, full bodied wine with low-sugar and long on the palate.”
Listening to Tyler, Xandarvan unconsciously smiled a little. Daisy had discovered that he preferred dry wine from her investigation.
Following Tyler, the servants politely filled their glasses with wine.
Xandarvan’s expression became noticeable now.
Soon, he opened his mouth.
“I’d like to once again express my gratitude to the Marquisate of Jean. It’s been a while since I had a match with Carlyx, so I felt a little unfamiliar, but overall, it has been quite memorable.”
He was trying to say that he lost because of unfamiliarity. He clearly voiced his intention not to lose again next time.
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