Chapter 7 (Part 10)

As memories of his father surfaced, the faint smile on Cardin’s face hardened. The more he thought about his father, the more disgusted he felt.  

Cardin stood up after organizing the documents. Damon, startled, asked,  

“Are you leaving now?”  

“I’m going to see Brienne.”  

“At this hour?”  

“Bring me solid evidence by the time I return.”  

Damon’s face turned pale.  

“When will you be back? Also, there’s the herb expo in a week, which you’re supposed to attend with Madam…”  

“I’ll be back tomorrow, so don’t worry.”  

“Your Grace! Tomorrow might be too soon…”  

Cardin glanced at the bag of bread in front of Damon. It was from Lee Bakery, which had become popular recently for its delicious bread. Damon had bought all kinds of bread with his own money.  

Damon had offered him bread before, but Cardin never ate while working. Besides, all the bread Damon bought consisted of things he disliked.  

Especially the spinach ciabatta—it was a collection of everything he hated in bread. Cardin shifted his gaze from the bread to Damon.  

“Work as much as you’ve eaten.”  

Though his tone was calm, the atmosphere was oppressively heavy. Damon quickly stood and bowed.  

“I’ll find it immediately.”  

Cardin left the office without another word. The moment the door closed, Sodric and Damon let out simultaneous sighs. Sodric chuckled lightly.  

“You must be having a hard time.”  

Damon waved his hand as if exhausted.  

“Don’t even mention it. Working under His Grace makes me feel like there’s nothing I can’t do—but it also feels like my lifespan is shortening.”  

Sodric nodded quietly. He understood. When Cardin had first inherited the title of Duke, Sodric had stayed by his side through countless nights. Cardin meticulously reviewed the family laws and the documents to be submitted to the Kingdom.  

Cardin’s pursuit of perfection was relentless. Perhaps that was why he executed his duties flawlessly, leaving no room for error.  

“Well, I should get going.”  

Damon bowed with a weary face. Sodric handed him the remaining bread.  

“Take all of this with you.”  

Damon’s face lit up immediately.  

“Really? I can have all of it?”  

“Yes, I’ve already eaten, and I’m full.”  

“Thank you! Are you sure it’s okay if I take the spinach ciabatta too?”  

Previously, Sodric had praised Lee Bakery’s spinach ciabatta, saying it was the most delicious bread he’d ever tasted.  

Sodric smiled faintly.  

“Now that I know where to get good bread, I can buy more tomorrow morning. Besides, don’t you have somewhere to be right now?”  

Damon nodded gloomily. Sodric handed him the bag of bread.  

“Take it.”  

Damon looked touched.  

“I may not be lucky with the person I serve, but I must be lucky with the people around me.”  

Sodric laughed at Damon’s exaggerated words. Damon carefully carried the bag of bread and left the office.  

Sodric calmly stood up, organized the documents, and lingered for a moment. A breeze blew in, carrying a damp chill.  

‘It’s going to rain.’  

He hadn’t brought an umbrella. He quickly packed the documents into his bag and left the office.  

The thick curtains swayed briefly. Moist air entered, causing a single document to fall to the floor.  

The document, which slowly settled on the ground, bore the face of a young man. Below it were details of his activities.  

The name was Batrick. His face, unaware of anything, shone as brightly as sunlight.  

*****

Batrick was unexpectedly polite and full of energy. Although he insisted on doing everything alone, Brienne couldn’t just stand by and would often help him.  

Each time, Batrick would strongly protest that he was fine, but he never outright refused her assistance either.  

That day, there was an unusually large number of orders for medicine. Even Kelle joined in with Brienne to weigh and measure the herbs.  

Looking at Brienne, Kelle spoke up.  

“Brienne, it’s fine. Batrick and I will finish up here, so go inside!”  

“No, it’s okay. Don’t worry about me.”  

She didn’t want to leave. More than anything, being alone made her think of Cardin, which was painful. Keeping busy with the herbs was better.  

Kelle looked at her once more but didn’t press further. Though Brienne could still feel her gaze, she ignored it and diligently measured the herbs.  

Her hands had grown accustomed to the work thanks to prior experience. As she quickly measured the herbs, Kelle suddenly exclaimed.  

“Oh my goodness! I left the herbal water boiling in the kitchen without turning off the heat. I’ll go take care of it.”  

Kelle quickly got up and left the storeroom. She often brewed herbs to make medicine. Pills made with that water were more effective.  

Brienne felt someone watching her. In fact, Batrick had been sneaking glances at her for some time. When she looked up, Batrick’s eyes widened in surprise.  

“H-how are you so quick with your hands?”  

He seemed flustered, even stammering. Without stopping her hands, Brienne replied.  

“I’ve done this work a lot on my own, so I guess my hands have gotten used to it.”  

A smile naturally appeared on her face. It might have been because Batrick often helped her with her tasks and looked at her with a gaze filled with admiration.  

Batrick hesitated for a moment before looking at her. His face gradually turned red. Whenever their eyes met, or even when he looked at her, his face or ears would flush.  

She assumed it was because he was young and easily embarrassed. He also seemed cautious when interacting with her.  

For a while, only the sound of rustling herbs filled the air. Amid the dry rustling, a hesitant voice broke the silence.  

“Lady Brienne.”  

Batrick’s eyes were firm, as if he had made up his mind. When she looked at him curiously, he finally spoke, as if forcing the words out.  

“You’re not on good terms with him, are you?”  

Batrick’s gaze fell to her left hand. She used to wear a wedding ring, but she had taken it off for various reasons.  

When Brienne paused her movements, Batrick looked up at her.  

“Coming here… was it because of him?”  

At that moment, the storeroom door burst open with a loud noise. It was a sound Kelle would never make.  

When Brienne looked up, she saw someone she hadn’t expected. The faint light barely revealed him, but he was unmistakably familiar.  

Surprise washed over her, and she instinctively stood up.  

“Cardin.”  

Her voice trembled. 

Was I really seeing him? 

She stared blankly, but Cardin strode toward her, his long legs closing the distance quickly.  

His faint smile seemed unusually composed. Unlike her flustered expression, Cardin’s face was bright and calm, as if there wasn’t a single awkward emotion between them.  

As soon as he reached her, he pressed a kiss to her cheek. His soft lips were unusually warm and firm.  

When his lips left her cheek, he met her gaze with a gentle smile.  

“How have you been?”  

His tone was light and fresh, as if there was nothing unusual between them. It was such a casual question.  

Brienne didn’t know how to respond. Saying she had been fine felt untrue, but saying she hadn’t would make it seem like she still had lingering feelings for him.  

At that moment, Batrick awkwardly stood up. Though he looked flustered, he quickly bowed his head.  

“Greetings, Your Grace. It’s an honor to meet you. I am…”  

“I’m not interested in your introduction right now.”  

Brienne looked at Cardin in surprise. His expression, so gentle when looking at her, was now cold and unyielding. Batrick’s face turned pale, and nervous sweat beaded on his forehead.  

The atmosphere grew tense. Brienne felt she needed to intervene, so she gently grabbed Cardin’s arm. When he turned to her, she smiled and spoke.  

“This is Batrick. He’s been helping Kelle a lot while I was away from Peroy.”  

She deliberately emphasized the help Batrick had provided. Cardin smoothly removed her hand from his arm and interlaced their fingers before she could pull away.  

The firm grip of his hand conveyed subtle strength. Lifting her hand, he pressed a kiss to the back of it while keeping his eyes on Batrick.  

When Batrick’s eyes widened in shock, Cardin’s lips curved into a faint smile. Slowly lowering her hand, he spoke.  

“So, you’re Batrick?”  

“Yes, yes.”  

Batrick nodded, unable to hide his flustered expression. Cardin glanced around the room before turning back to Brienne.  

His slightly hardened gaze seemed to disapprove of the space.  

“It’s late, and this place is too dark, don’t you think?”  

“But…”  

Before she could finish, Cardin drew her closer. Turning to Batrick, he said,  

“I heard you’ve been helping Kelle a lot. You can handle things alone, right?”  

“Ah… yes.”  

Batrick looked dazed, as if he had seen a ghost. Brienne could understand. Cardin’s sudden appearance was like that of a phantom.  

Cardin smiled faintly and wrapped an arm around her waist, guiding her toward the door. Despite her confusion, she had no choice but to follow him.