Raise Me, So That I Can Eat You Up - Chapter 30

An awkward atmosphere hung in the drawing room. To an outsider, we looked like a perfectly broken-up couple.

“My Lady, is there anything else you need?”

“Perhaps we’re short on desserts. Shall I bring more?”

They seemed quite curious. The maids hadn’t left the drawing room yet, carefully observing my condition.

‘As if I could swallow dessert when I’m this uncomfortable.’

No, to be precise, they were spying.

“It’s fine.”

“Are you sure?”

Laura’s face showed clear disappointment. While the maids were worried about me, their eyes were busy scrutinizing Henry’s expression.

‘Right, they’re probably more curious about him than me, of course.’

But I needed to end this uncomfortable meeting before the Hayworth father and son returned.

If they found out Henry was here, there might really be an assassination of a royal.

“The tea might have cooled a bit.”

“And the cookies seem a bit stale.”

It was excessive worry.

The cookies hadn’t even been touched yet, and steam was still rising from the freshly poured tea.

“It’s fine.”

I looked at Henry in front of me with an increasingly burdened expression.

Please, help me, was what I meant.

“I don’t think we’ll have time to eat. I have a lot to discuss with Ariella.”

Henry, noticing my intention, said with a faint smile. The maids’ faces instantly flushed at his flower-like, bright smile.

‘He still calls her Ariella! Amazing!’

‘Amazing! My Lady, amazing! We should have shown him to the room!’

…Of course, I couldn’t hear their voices.

But I could already read their thoughts from their expressions. It seemed they had completed a passionate romance novel in their heads.

Jenny and Laura exchanged glances and then bowed their heads.

“You may go now.”

I hurriedly dismissed them.

They left with regretful faces, insisting that I must! pull the bell rope if I needed anything.

It was embarrassing how obvious their curiosity was.

With the door closed, only Henry and I remained in the room. As a deathly silence fell, it felt suffocating.

“It seems my Noona has talked about me a lot?”

Noticing my discomfort, Henry broke the ice first.

“Not at all. They’re just acting like that because they don’t know anything, so don’t mind them. Please forget about it.”

“I see. I got excited for nothing. Noona.”

Really. No matter how many times I hear it, I can’t get used to that ‘Noona’ talk.

With his eyes curved prettily and that fox-like smile. I hate to admit it, but he was charming enough to catch anyone’s eye.

No wonder the young ladies of society are so crazy about him.

“I’m serious. Can’t you just act like you usually do?”

“I’m fine with this. Noona. It rolls off the tongue so nicely.”

“Haa……”

I felt a headache coming on.

Calling me ‘Noona’ with that cute and fair face. This is almost like an ‘attack of the younger man’.

I barely managed to suppress my heart from becoming fluffy like whipped cream.

“Your Highness.”

“Yes, Noona.”

“I’m in a bit of a hurry.”

“I just sat down. Is it because of the Sword Master again today?”

“Yes. That’s right. And also because my father’s love for me is so extreme.”

I wanted to avoid any situation where they might meet at all costs.

I didn’t have the energy to stop that commotion again. My body and mind were in tatters from repeated quests and events.

“I know, Noona.”

If you know, then why are you doing this? I let out a deep sigh.

“It’s fine now since they’re out, but if they return and run into you… I’m worried about Your Highness’s safety.”

“Are you worried about me? Noona?”

Henry asked with a touched expression.

‘Don’t get moved by something so trivial…’

It’s because you look cute. Looking at that damnably radiant face, my heart kept softening.

“…To be precise. I’m worried that the Hayworth father and son duo might commit regicide and face extermination.”

“That’s a bit scary.”

“Isn’t it?”

“Yes, please stop them from committing regicide, Noona.”

“Why should I?”

“You said you were worried about their extermination.”

“Anyway, my point is that we don’t have time for this wordplay, Your Highness.”

He seems to enjoy bantering with me. While I’m here feeling like my heart is shriveling up.

Henry’s constant nonchalance was starting to feel a bit cruel.

“I’ll talk now. I was just so happy to see you after a long time, Noona. I got excited.”

“……”

Long time my foot. Don’t lie through your teeth. It hadn’t even been a week since the ball.

“Don’t be angry, Noona. Okay?”

Henry pleaded, clasping his hands in front of him.

As they say, you can’t spit on a smiling face. Seeing that, my heart softened a little.

With his eyes wide open and tilting his head, he looked just like a rain-soaked cat.

[System: You are weak to ‘Henry Grant’s tender gaze’. (Attribute: Maternal Instinct)]

I know. It’s because of that maternal instinct that I even picked up a ‘dragon’ that wasn’t in my destiny.

[System: Henry Grant’s charm increases by 99.]

Hey! …You crazy game.

My genre is child-rearing anyway. Can’t you stop giving buffs to the male lead?

I resented the system that seemed particularly harsh on me.

‘That face… I should just not look at it at all.’

I squeezed my eyes shut.

“Yes, yes. I won’t get angry. So please, just get to the point briefly.”

“I’ve thought a lot about what you said that day, Noona.”

I thought he was going to joke again.

Unexpectedly, at his serious tone, I slowly opened my eyes.

‘Why is he suddenly like this?’

His face, which had been full of laughter, now looked quite serious.

“What are you trying to say?”

“That I didn’t consider your feelings, Noona.”

“……”

“I think I only thought about myself. I wanted to apologize to you, Noona.”

So why, why are you reflecting on it now?

We weren’t that close to begin with, right?

It’s been like that until now and it will be in the future.

I was curious about why he was suddenly acting so serious.

“I think I asked this that day too. I’ll ask again.”

“By all means, Noona.”

“Why are you doing this to me?”

“Doing what?”

“Telling me to use Your Highness to avoid the harem selection.”

“Ah, that.”

“Why are you trying to show me such favor?”

Henry smiled faintly.

“…Just. Because I care.”

It was a pure smile without any hint of mischief.

“What do you mean?”

“It’s exactly as I said. You just keep crossing my mind.”

“…Pardon?”

“You’ve felt that way before too, Noona.”

…I’ve felt that way? Is there something I don’t know about?

Even seeing my eyes widen, Henry continued to say incomprehensible things.

“So, Noona. If it’s not just a business relationship, will you meet me regularly?”

“We’ve already broken up. How did the conversation turn to this?”

“It seems His Majesty is planning to bring in new stepmothers again.”

‘Is he talking about the Emperor’s harem?’

My eyes grew larger as I heard Henry’s words.

“I’m just worried about you, Noona. I don’t know why I’m meddling either.”

“Are you afraid I’ll become a target?”

“Yes, Noona.”

So, to summarize.

Henry wants to meet me regularly to prevent my selection for the harem.

If we appear to be unresolved, even the Emperor won’t be able to interfere.

Well, I was grateful if he was offering to protect me.

The problem was that I shouldn’t see the ending until I finished raising the dragon, so if I went along with his words, I’d really just be using him.

“No matter how others might see me, I’m still royalty.”

“And?”

“I don’t want to taste the humiliation of welcoming my fiancée as a stepmother.”

“……”

“This is not just about your well-being, but also my pride.”

Henry emphasized once again.

‘…Well, he’s not wrong.’

It was true that I felt a sense of dissonance in front of Henry’s unusually serious attitude.

“What do you think?”

He gently asked for my opinion.

“I don’t think I’d like becoming Your Highness’s stepmother either.”

“Then what’s the problem?”

I didn’t expect this, but somehow Henry’s and my opinions aligned.

‘Well, a harem selection. Anyone you’d ask would probably feel the same.’

Henry was still staring at me intently.

“I appreciate the thought, but I’ll have to decline.”

“Why?”

“I can’t cause trouble for Your Highness just to save myself.”

I shook my head. If Henry had chosen to have rumors with daughters of high nobility for his survival, I couldn’t ask him to give that up.

“What if it’s not trouble, Noona?”

“Pardon?”

“Instead, you could give me a chance.”

He’s quick to pounce on any weakness. I should never let my guard down around Henry.

“If that chance means starting over, I’m not interested.”

“Giving a chance doesn’t necessarily mean starting over. A chance is just a chance, Noona.”

“It’s just meaningless torture of hope. I don’t like playing with people’s hearts.”

“Not playing. Let’s just start as friends. Then if you come to like me, you can’t help it.”

Friends, huh. Just friends. It wasn’t a bad proposal.

‘With that face, if he’s determined to seduce me, how could it work?’

I knew my own weaknesses well.

Like staying away from desserts when on a diet, it’s best not to keep things close that shake me.

‘If I end up selected for the harem, who will take care of Oscar?’

This was also a practical problem. But in the current situation, Henry’s words did make sense.

For a moment, my head became complicated.

“Don’t think too hard about it. Okay?”

Henry urged for an answer with a whispering smile.

‘What should I do? Should I pretend to give in and take his hand to avoid the urgent rain first?’

It’s not like he’s asking to date again. Just to put on an act for a while.

No, then how would I persuade Viscount Hayworth and Leon? It wasn’t an easy decision to make.

As I was hesitating on how to respond, suddenly there was a knock, knock sound.

‘What is it, a maid?’

Henry and I locked eyes at the unexpected knock.

‘They couldn’t wait that long.’

I hadn’t even pulled the bell rope yet. It seemed they had come to serve tea because some time had passed.

Even so, the other party is a prince, they should consider the host’s face a bit.

I thought I should scold them a bit after Henry leaves.

‘But why is there no sound?’

For a moment, there was a deathly silence. At this point, it seemed a bit strange for it to be a maid.

Usually, after knocking, they would give a sign like ‘My Lady, it’s Jenny’. Who could it be?

As I was lost in thought, there was a clattering sound and the door opened.

“Hello.”

Oscar appeared brightly, sucking on a lollipop.