“It’s good to work hard, but don’t overdo it. It’s only been a while since you’ve got out of bed, so your body won’t be in the best shape. You need to focus on recovering.”
“But I’m worried.”
“We’ve got plenty of time, so take your time. I’m satisfied with you just learning the basics properly.”
Cabellenus repeatedly said that there was plenty of time, but it did not reach Alicia.
Alicia smiled to match the mood but lowered her head.
She tried not to care about it, but she could not help but get depressed every time that topic came up.
It had already been about half a year since Cabellenus and his entourage stayed in Neinstein.
Everyone knew that the time for their departure was approaching.
‘What will happen to me after he leaves?’
Alicia let out a short sigh.
When she first saw Cabellenus, he was a fearful being, but now it was different.
It was not that he was not scary at all, but rather his existence was now familiar.
Sleeping in the same bed, waking up and confirming his presence… all of this was now a daily routine.
‘I’m going to be more lonely than I thought…….’
The more she thought about her daily life, the more depressed she became. She realised how deeply Cabellenus’s existence had penetrated her life.
“What on earth are you thinking about that makes your expression change so often?”
“Pardon, yes?”
“I guess you’ve become comfortable enough to think about something else while in front of me.”
Maybe it was because of the mood, but the voice seemed to sound grumpy.
Alicia finally came to her senses and shook her head quickly to express her denial.
“No, that’s impossible.”
“I guess I’m wrong. There’s no need to stiffen up like that.”
“I think Your Grace is a special person.”
“Special? What do you mean by special?”
Cabellenus titled his head to the side and stared at Alicia.
The content of the evaluation was not significant.
To make an evaluation, one had to think about the other person again.
He quite liked that.
“Well, you’re the Duke of Schwarhan.”
“Is that all?”
“You’re also the ruler of the Blanche Empire.”
“What else is there? Tell me something more appropriate, not the obvious facts that everyone knows.”
Cabellenus’s gaze was fixed persistently on Alicia’s face.
In the scorching gaze, Alicia’s eyes darted around nervously as she tried to come up with an answer that would satisfy Cabellenus.
“……I think you’re kind.”
“Kind? Me?”
Cabellenus reflexively spat out a laugh.
“Of course, it’s a little different from the kindness that the public talk about, but it’s still how I feel.”
Alicia also knew that kindness did not match his image as the wolf of Schwarhan.
No, to confess more honestly, she did not exactly know what kindness was.
But once in a while, Alicia thought, if she had to define the way Cabellenus looked at her, it would be kindness.
Otherwise, she could not explain the man’s behaviour which seemed indifferent but frowned, if even one scratch was on her.
“Honestly, I don’t really like the sound of being kind.”
“Oh, then–”
“However, it’s not as bad as I thought.”
Kindness was a weakness, so he did not like it very much, but the evaluation Alicia gave did not sound unpleasant.
No, her existence itself was like that from the start, so it was only natural.
[T/N: The author is saying that Cabellenus felt that Alicia’s existence never was unpleasant.]
“I’m glad to hear that.”
“Do you have any other comments?”
Cabellenus moved his head with an indifferent expression.
However, his gaze on Alicia was subtly softer than before.
“Well, not yet…….”
“Okay, then I’ll ask you next time, so think about it some more.”
“What do you want me to think about?”
“If it’s about me, whatever is fine.”
Cabellenus’s lips curved up into a smile.
* * *
Cabellenus sat in the Oval Office, reading the documents on his desk.
[T/N: The Oval Office is the formal, working office space for a president, so in this case, it’s for the highest power which is Cabellenus.]
No, to be precise, reading was just an outward appearance.
His attention was directed towards the man and woman sitting on one side of the office.
“Maliuna.”
“No. It should read as Mariana. Please try it again.”
“Mariou?”
“No, it’s Mariana.”
Gazeff pointed out Alicia’s pronunciation without a single change in expression.
Alicia bowed her head as her cheeks flushed red.
“I’m sorry.”
“What are you sorry for?”
“You’re working so hard to teach me, but I can’t keep up.”
Alicia’s shoulders sank weakly.
“No. It’s originally a confusing pronunciation. Rather, you’re doing well the first time.”
“……Really?”
Alicia’s shoulders, which had been drooping, rose slightly.
“Yes, you are doing well.”
There was a faint smile on Gazeff’s mouth.
At first, he was embarrassed by his lord’s order to teach Princess Neinstein the manners of Blanche, but it was not too bad.
Alicia was lacking in many ways.
Even for Neinstein’s culture, she was more ignorant than Gazeff.
Nevertheless, the reason that teaching her felt good was because she was a hard worker.
When he taught Alicia for the first time, she was so tense she could not even ask questions, but he did not neglect her efforts.
Gazeff knew that from Alicia’s pronunciation today, it would be perfect sooner or later.
“If you don’t mind, may I try it again?”
“Of course. No matter what language you learn, it’s better to pronounce it a lot.”
With Gazeff’s permission, Alicia repeated the pronunciation one after another.
The pronunciation was still clumsy, but after pronouncing it a few times, it seemed much better than before.
“You’re good at it. I think you’ll get used to it sooner or later.”
“Thank you for saying that.”
“No, I’m just saying what is true. You are talented.”
“I’m too inexperienced to be called talented.”
“The best talent for learning is hard work, so you are talented enough.”
With the series of praise, Alicia’s cheeks became more flushed, and Gazeff’s smile deepened.
Although Gazeff was not a fan of praise, he always showered Alicia with praise.
Gazeff was a man of talent who would have become an academy professor if he had not been Cabellenus’s lieutenant.
He was accustomed to education and knew how to maximise other people’s talent. Alicia needed praise.
“Sir Gazeff is kind.”
“I was the best groomsman in Schwarhan.”
“Yes, I’m sure you were.”
“It might be hard to believe, but it’s really true. I’ll show you later in Schwarhan.”
Gazeff deliberately joked around and turned the page.
Frequent compliments and light jokes were an effective way to relieve the mood.
Alicia, who, in the beginning, could not even ask a question because she was intimidated, had grown to the point where she now confidently asked Gazeff what she did not know.
For Alicia, Gazeff was a great teacher.
However, the great teacher overlooked the gaze of a man who had observed them from start to finish.
“Gazeff.”
“Yes, Your Grace. You called for me?”
“The content in this memorandum is strange.”
[T/N: A memorandum is a document recording the terms of a contract or other legal details. It can also be a written message in business or diplomacy.]