Chapter 33. You’ve Got to Be Kidding!

Theo looked at her with his hands behind his back and a frown on his face.

“Yuna.”

“Theo! I’m sorry! I’m late with the introductions.”

Yuelina moved away from Asarim’s side and stood next to Theo.

Only then did Theo’s furrowed brow relax.

Moreover, he realized how much tension he had been holding in his body; his shoulders were stiff.

Yuelina pointed to Asarim and began to speak to Theo.

“Theo. This is Asarim. He’s my closest friend.”

“Your closest friend……”

Theo looked at Asarim.

Asarim didn’t avoid Theo’s gaze either. His golden eyes were annoyingly passionate.

Theo didn’t like it.

Asarim had an exotic appearance similar to Yuelina’s.

But his attire was similar to the annoying nobles of the principality, wearing an autumn coat.

Again, Theo didn’t like it.

—Yuna, don’t tell me this beast-like, overgrown man is the one Delkan mentioned?

Asarim asked, his gaze fixed on Theo’s face.

Yuelina looked at Asarim with wide eyes at his words.

— Asarim! Beast? What are you saying?

— He’s too big. I can’t tell if he’s human or beast.

— Asarim!

Yuelina’s voice rose slightly. Theo frowned.

Even though Theo couldn’t understand Asarim’s words, he could be certain of one thing.

This bastard.

He’s insulting me.

What did he say to make Yuelina look at him like this?

“Yuna, what did he say?”

“Ah, I’m, I’m sorry!”

Yuelina hastily shook her head at Theo’s question.

As expected, it was an insult.

Theo glared at Asarim with murderous intent. Asarim flinched at Theo’s expression.

Yuelina looked at Asarim and put her hands on her hips.

“Asarim, you know how to speak the common language. From now on, speak in the common language.”

“……”

Asarim pouted and turned his head. Yuelina sighed and continued.

“Asarim, greet him quickly. This is…… His Highness the Grand Duke of Phaenyx Principality.”

Theo found Yuelina’s words strangely irritating.

As she introduced, Theo was indeed the Grand Duke of Phaenyx Principality.

But why did it feel so unpleasant?

“Nice to meet you.”

At that moment, Asarim extended his hand to Theo.

Theo thought for a moment that he had misheard.

“……What did you just say?”

“I’m Asarim.”

And Yuelina remembered an important fact she had completely forgotten.

The fact that Asarim, unlike her, had only roughly learned formal speech in the common language.

“Th-Theo. I’m sorry! Asarim didn’t learn formal speech thoroughly. It’s not that he’s being disrespectful, he just doesn’t know……”

Yuelina apologized to Theo with a helpless expression.

Theo didn’t want to make Yuelina, who was already embarrassed, even more uncomfortable.

“It’s alright. As you said, if it’s not disrespect but ignorance.”

“Thank you, Theo.”

Yuelina smiled faintly in relief.

“Yuna. I’m hungry. You were eating, right? Can I eat too?”

At that moment, Asarim spoke to Yuelina. Theo looked down at Asarim and nodded.

“Sure. If you’re hungry, you should eat.”

Of course, Theo had no intention of being polite to Asarim.

* * *

Asarim tilted his head as he looked at the table where Yuelina and Theo had been dining.

“Aren’t you done eating?”

“Huh? No, we were in the middle of eating.”

“No, not you, Yuna. That person.”

“What?”

Yuelina looked at the table Asarim was pointing at. Specifically, it was Theo’s place.

The plate in front of Theo was completely empty.

Empty plates that presumably had held salad and the main dish were neatly stacked.

“Ah……”

“It seems like that person doesn’t need to eat anymore, right?”

Yuelina was embarrassed by Asarim’s blunt manner of speaking.

“Asarim, you should call him His Highness the Grand Duke, not ‘that person’.”

“Okay. It seems His Highness the Grand Duke doesn’t need to eat anymore.”

Asarim stared at Theo, who was sitting close to Yuelina’s side.

“If you’re done eating, His Highness the Grand Duke can leave. Yuna and I have a lot to talk about, so it will take a long time.”

Asarim’s expression as he said this genuinely looked concerned that Theo might get bored.

“No. I’m going to eat more. I’m not full yet.”

In fact, Theo was already full because Yuelina had kept offering him food.

He had eaten about twice as much as usual.

But he couldn’t bear to leave Asarim and Yuelina alone together.

“Ulysse, have the meal served again. Including mine.”

“Ah, yes. Understood.”

Ulysse called the servants to clear the empty plates and withdrew.

Yuelina and Theo sat at the empty table, with Asarim seated across from them.

“Are you really sure you can eat more?”

“Yes.”

Asarim tilted his head with a suspicious look.

Theo had no intention of leaving even if his stomach burst.

At that moment, Yuelina, who was sitting next to Theo, hastily spoke up.

“Theo really likes food and can eat a lot. The meal must have been insufficient.”

Yuelina spoke with a confident face.

Theo never showed signs of being full. He always accepted the food she offered without hesitation.

So his claim of not being full must be sincere.

“Theo really, really eats well!”

Theo hesitated for the first time at Yuelina’s bold voice.

How had Yuelina been thinking of him all this time?

Had she been seeing him as nothing but a hungry wild beast?

Feeling awkward, Theo silently tapped the table with his finger until the servants brought out the warm meal.

“Well then, I’ll enjoy the meal. Thank you! Your Highness the Grand Duke.”

Asarim began to taste the food the servants had brought.

Yuelina pushed the well-cooked steak and bread in front of Asarim.

When Yuelina first ate the food of the principality, she thought it tasted so good that she felt ecstatic.

She even wished she could let the people from her hometown taste it.

So Yuelina hoped that Asarim would also have a satisfying meal.

On the other hand, as Yuelina’s attention focused on Asarim, Theo’s heart began to twist.

Originally, those plates should have rightfully come to Theo.

Theo sighed as he stabbed at the neatly prepared salad with his fork.

“How is it? Asarim. Delicious, right?”

“It’s edible.”

Yuelina pouted at Asarim’s lukewarm response.

“Not delicious?”

“The seasoning is good.”

Theo tightened his grip on the fork.

If he didn’t, he felt like he might stab the fork into Asarim’s throat.

“Yuna. Didn’t you miss me?”

“I missed you. Father too…… And all our friends.”

“I missed you. I thought about you every day.”

Asarim stared at Yuelina with his chin resting on his arm.

Theo wanted to break Asarim’s arm.

He actually made plans on how to break it naturally.

Wouldn’t it work if he pretended to drop a spoon and threw it with force?

“You don’t know how much I regretted letting you go like that.”

“Asarim……”

“My heart ached. I regretted it over and over.”

Theo felt like laughing bitterly.

Seeing Asarim’s attitude towards Yuelina, one sentence kept coming to mind.

You’ve got to be kidding!

Theo felt like if he opened his mouth, those words would just pop out.

He poured wine into his glass, gulping it down to prevent himself from speaking.

“Asarim. I’m doing well. Everyone treats me warmly. I have friends too! Raye and Maelyn, I’ll introduce you tomorrow.”

“Really?”

“Yes. Secretary Ulysse takes good care of me, and……”

Yuelina glanced at Theo and continued speaking.

“Theo is very considerate too.”

Theo put down his wine glass and turned his gaze towards Yuelina, who was smiling shyly.

“Theo always asks if I need anything…… He listens to everything I say.”

At Yuelina’s words, Theo pondered seriously.

What had she ever asked of him?

Wasn’t it all for his own benefit when she asked to take a walk or to have a meal?

They were all precious moments when he could see Yuelina’s clear and beautiful face.

When walking, she would toddle like a chick, and when eating, she would munch like a squirrel, looking adorable.

A faint smile appeared on Theo’s lips.

“Yuna, if you need anything, just say so.”

Theo spoke in a lower and gentler voice than usual.

Asarim, watching Theo, put down the knife he was holding.

“I see. It’s good to hear that His Highness the Grand Duke treats you well, Yuna. I’m truly grateful.”

He stared at Theo with his head tilted slightly.