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Chapter 30 – Feelings Keep Changing
“You can keep me in custody here.”
“…?”
“But at least when you bring Theodor, I would like you to put down your feelings of discomfort and dislike.”
‘Discomfort? Dislike?’ Gerard was amazed. After feeding him with pure and clean water, and delicious food he had never seen since he was born, Sinclair did not even glance at him once. Her gaze was fixed only on Theodor.
He could understand. Last night, he was the one who tried to take her life.
‘You must dislike me. You must feel scared.’ It was only natural for Sinclair to openly express her feelings of discomfort and dislike for him.
As he approached Saios, the sweet and savory smell from the annex made him guess how she was willing to be a mother even in the midst of her busy schedule. Thanks to this, it was a moment when he missed the late Empress Stephanie. After his mother left, the side annex lost its warmth. But less than a day after Sinclair entered, it was as lively as before.
He even felt a little excited. The door opened, and the moment he saw her standing in the garden, his mouth opened on its own.
Small beauty. Her fluttering purple hair was neatly trimmed with a ribbon, and a slim dress made of lace wrapped around her pure white skin while modestly hiding her voluptuousness. Also, how thin was her waist? He worried that it might break while walking. It was only then that the soft touch of that waist held in his arms and palms came to life. He felt sorry for the sick woman, who had left her body to sink into unconsciousness, smiling brightly and approaching Theodor. It looked sincere. Her heart for Theodor. Was that why? Gerard, the ruler of the Demon Realm and the late Emperor’s firstborn, kept having unusual feelings moving towards Sinclair, a comrade, a life partner, and a woman– not a political marriage.
But in that sacred time of their own,
‘Curtis.’ She spoke the name of a stranger. Besides, wasn’t she discreetly requesting his entrance?
‘I guess the name of that roach-like bastard who she told to run away while crying in her sleep the first night is Curtis.’ For a moment, he didn’t know why, but it felt like a corner of his heart was falling apart. His appetite was gone.
‘Does it mean that you are already bringing your man as soon as I gave you the annex? I’m sure you say you wouldn’t divorce until the curse is lifted. How did you make me so defenseless and stab me in the back?’
But if he thought of her words, he realized that she only spoke of the duties as the Grand Duchess, and Theodor’s mother, but no place for him. As always.
When there was a third party, she called him ‘Husband’ so sweetly and smiled warmly enough to melt his heart, but it was obviously for external reasons. Right, it was an arranged marriage. She also said she was hoping for a divorce.
‘Are you using me as an intermediate step to escape your family and start a new life with a new man?’ Even so, wasn’t I the one who willingly aimed my blade to her neck? Knowing that I could take your life at any time, you thought of bringing a man to my residence the next day!
Is love supposed to be like that? Reckless, absurd, foolish, and ignorant.
Gerard stared intently into Sinclair’s fluorescent pink eyes, and she looked at him as if hesitant and grumpy.
‘How come the person that farts gets angry?’
[tl/n: I didn’t want to miss this amazing expression lol- it means basically ‘why do you get angry at others for your own mistakes?’
Sinclair was amazing. ‘What the hell are you dissatisfied with?’ He couldn’t believe her efforts for Theodor and his cold energy were overshadowed. Fortunately, Theodor was sitting next to Gerard, so he didn’t seem to be able to feel the gaze and the gesture.
Still, it wasn’t like himself. How could he chew the meat made with her heart and soul when on the opposite side, her intense and rebellious gaze was turning red? Wasn’t this a peace zone? Wasn’t it meaningless to eat together like that?
‘Wow, those eyes look like the eyes of an 8th grader.’ Opposite him, Sinclair tried to calm down on her own and called him,
“Your Highness, Grand Duke Gerard Vonzeyer.”
At Sinclair’s soft voice, Gerard lowered his neck as if wounded and buried his chin in his chest. And on his chest,
“Haa…” a long sigh came out. Then he put his arms on both knees and swept his face.
‘If I had doubts before, now I’m sure you’re sulking.’ Sinclair bit her lower lip. In this case, even if they talked for a long time, they would only hurt each other’s feelings.
She decided to use the ‘how to convey’ method that she used to consult with children. Hold your emotions down as much as possible.
“I was delighted to have lunch with the Grand Duke and Grand Prince, the three of us eating like this.”
Gerard did not respond to Sinclair’s words.
“But I have been very uncomfortable since before. The Grand Duke doesn’t eat well, and he keeps frowning. If there’s something you don’t like, please feel free to tell me. I will listen.”
Gerard laughed at that.
‘Will you listen? What?’
Gerard decided to test Sinclair.
“Did you say Curtis?”
“…?”
Unsurprisingly, when she heard the name, Sinclair did not answer but frowned and rolled her eyes. She was taken aback by the sudden appearance of the name Curtis.
‘Are you mad because I made a water purifier without permission? Or is it because I’m going to patent it under my name?’
‘Hmmm,’ Gerard seemed pretty much about to explode. In the end, she decided to win the issue by mobilizing all the methods used in youth counseling psychology.
“Yeees. We apologize for any inconvenience caused by conducting work without permission, but we would appreciate it if you could understand that it is for the health of our employees and ourselves in the castle.”
The counselor used a cushioning technique that made him feel less uncomfortable. To minimize the feeling of displeasure, she carefully finished the conversation in a confident manner and looked at his complexion.
“Us?”
Gerard was amazed. ‘You’re trying to make that bastard come and go to the annex with the pretext of ‘we’ secretly.’
“Yes. According to reports, the workers in the castle drank beer while working. Beer promotes a diuretic effect, which leads to frequent trips to the bathroom. Not only does it reduce concentration, but it’s also fatal for your liver and brain health. I am so worried about that.”
Sinclair increased her persuasiveness by giving evidence. And secretly thought that the method was quite imposing.
“You don’t have to worry about the installation cost because I have a sufficient budget to manage it thanks to the Archduke’s grace.”
Sinclair nodded, politely clasping her hands together. Gerard became more curious about Sinclair as she continued speaking.
“Is this person, Curtis or Cutter, an engineer or a broker?”
“Oh… that.” Sinclair was perplexed. She was about to say she employed him from the merchants guild and move on. Seriously, it’s strange that the Empire didn’t have a water purifier in the first place. She was in a hurry, so her thoughts were too short. However, she couldn’t say she had demon subordinates she had ordered to do it.
“He introduced himself as a broker-dealer.”
“It’s an intermediary trader… How can such a person make and sell water purifying technology?”
“Ah, there are other ways to separate lime from water besides the carbonated or distilled water you tasted today. It is a method of purifying water using ions, and I found the substance in the library where the barrier was.”
“So you reported that information to a person named Curtis, who is said to be a brokerage trader.”
“Yes.”
Gerard was amazed by Sinclair’s concise answer.
Does that mean that, after he suspected her, she ran out of his study and jumped right into her lover’s arms? And on the way back, she saved Theodor, who was almost eaten by a monster bird? He was a hundred times grateful for saving Theodor, but hiding a man in his land… Gerard clenched his fist unknowingly.
Shameless. Insidious.
‘Now that it’s like this, I’ve become very curious about that unknown jerk.’
“When will it be finished?”
“I don’t know that either. He said he would try to make it as soon as possible and went back.”
“But I wonder how you meet the person who will make it as soon as you find the purifying substance…”
Sinclair’s lips pressed tight. Because she was not very good at lying.
‘Yeah, let’s be honest.’
“Actually, I was very scared in the study that day. It was the first time I confirmed that the barriers I had only heard of had been broken and that there were forbidden books that I had only heard of through rumors.”
‘My, my, are you going to tell the truth?’ Gerard leaned back on the sofa, folded his arms and crossed his legs, and listened intently to her story.
“So I got out of the study and went to the riverside. I wanted to cool my head down.”
“Cool down your head?”
“Ah… It would be more accurate to say calm my emotions. At that time, a man was resting in a tree.”
“Was that Curtis?”
Gerard got interested. Dare to say that Curtis was wandering around Shlezen Castle, waiting for Sinclair to come out. Sinclair gained a little courage as Gerard took his back off the couch and leaned toward her.
“Oh, of course, I warned him this is the territory of Shlezen Castle and he couldn’t go around carelessly.”
“Warned?”
‘It’s strange. Gerard is… reacting to my words right now? If so, are you positively accepting this water purifier issue?’
Sinclair decided to revive her expectations.
“Yes. He said that he was a merchant and that he was taking a break from selling goods in the Karikas estate.”
“A merchant… What’s the guild name?”
“Brooks Guild.”
Gerard frowned.
‘Brooks Guild?’ It was the first time he heard that name. It seemed like he was just a little trader. After all, the greedy Marquis Michael Owen wouldn’t allow her to marry a poor trader. In an instant, his tense heart softened a little.
Since she couldn’t even make her debut properly, she probably wouldn’t have met any decent guy, and was that why she was charmed by a merchant? In addition, he even had a leisurely idea of softly pulling him out of her way.
“So?”
“So what? I mean, if he makes the goods I ordered and comes, I ask for permission to let him enter the annex.”
“I see. How long did you say he’ll take to make it?”
“He said he’d try to cut down the schedule as much as possible.”
‘He won’t show up. Not everyone can make a water purifier?’ It was a task that challenged numerous wizards and witches and even imperial engineers.
His annoyed and uncomfortable feelings eased.
“Okay, if he comes, make sure to introduce him to me.” Gerard said, emphasizing the ‘make sure.’
“If there is a chance.”
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“Ah, And I will order Schmidt to make the patent under your name as soon as it is made.”
‘What? You didn’t even ask to share the business stake, and you’re making the patent under my name. Were you mad at me for reporting late?’
“If there is a deal with the guild in the future, we will discuss it in advance. And again, please refrain from showing signs of discomfort or uncomfortableness while eating or reading a book with Theodor. It’s nice here. If you have something to say, we will meet here.”
Just like that, Gerard and Sinclair’s counseling room was built in the late Empress’ salon.
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