6.2 

Luca was weak to material temptations, and Anna was vulnerable to emotional appeals. Therefore, Leon tempted Luca with the villa and made emotional pleas to Anna.  

As a result, it seemed both had fallen for him.  

If Anna and Luca approached Ellen every day with their bright, pleading eyes, urging her to date Leon… Ellen might have given in. She was particularly soft when it came to her younger siblings.  

That was the reason she had agreed to marry Baron Aran. Someone must have informed Leon about her weakness for her siblings.  

Who could it be? Who told him?  

Ellen felt as though Leon was gradually seeping into her life. First, he bought a villa nearby, then he appeared wherever she worked, spread rumors among the villagers that they were dating, and now he was reaching out to her family.  

Surely, he hadn’t met my mother, right? 

Judging by the lack of any mention, it seemed he hadn’t. That was somewhat of a relief.  

The only fortunate thing was that her father was still out of his senses. If Leon approached him, Ellen could already envision her father demanding that she marry Leon immediately.  

Was it really fortunate? Ellen let out a small laugh, finding the situation ridiculous even in her own mind.  

However, one thing bothered her: Luca’s words. To say that Ellen looked at the villa every day…  

She couldn’t scold Luca for saying such things. Children were naturally honest. Ellen’s actions, unconsciously gazing at the villa, were to blame.  

I must’ve lost my mind.  

Even after spending the entire day with Leon, Ellen occasionally found herself thinking about him when she returned home. She didn’t know why he came to mind, but it wasn’t because she missed him or felt longing for him.  

It seemed more like an unconscious thought. And every time she did, she must have unknowingly looked at the villa.  

“I hope he doesn’t mistakenly think Luca’s words mean my feelings have shifted.”  

Although their relationship had grown slightly closer, Ellen still wanted to treat Leon harshly. Especially because his attempts to subtly infiltrate her life through her family were unwelcome.  

Thus, Ellen decided it would be better to maintain some distance from Leon.  

For the time being, she resolved not to share any intimacy with him.  

“When are you planning to take your next break?”  

After finishing her day’s work and preparing to return to the Novary household, Leon asked Ellen.  

“I’m thinking of resting in three days.”  

Ellen replied curtly. She still refrained from smiling or speaking warmly to him, and after deciding to keep her distance, she tried to act even colder toward him.  

“What do you usually do during your breaks?”  

“I mostly sleep.”  

“How about coming to my villa? I can provide you with a comfortable place to rest.”  

“….”  

Leon’s sudden invitation to the villa clearly indicated his desire to shorten the distance between them. Perhaps inspired by Luca’s words, he seemed to have mustered up more courage.  

No. Absolutely not. Ellen wanted to reject him immediately, but at that moment, she found herself unable to respond.  

Was it because she had been hearing praise for Leon from her siblings lately? It seemed his deliberate efforts to win over her siblings were having an effect.  

Ridiculous… Despite having shared intimacy with him, Ellen hesitated whenever he tried to get closer, yet she found herself wavering at her siblings’ words. It was laughable.  

“I’ll decline.”  

Ellen should have rejected him firmly, but her voice lacked conviction. It was evident that she had hesitated before answering.  

“That’s unfortunate. I heard you like figs, so I made a special order to have them ready for your day off.”  

Leon spoke as though genuinely disappointed.  

“What?”  

During her brief stay in Melchia, Ellen had loved fig tarts the most.  

She doubted Leon would remember, but she had eaten them during a date with him. She often recalled their taste, but figs were too expensive to buy in Alber Village.  

How does Sir Guilford know that I like them? Did he remember? He shouldn’t know since he wasn’t interested in me.  

“If you don’t come, I’ll have to eat them all myself. I ordered plenty so your family could enjoy them too, but I’m not sure I can finish them all alone.”  

Leon’s smirk, with one corner of his lips raised, irritated Ellen.  

Fig tarts were so delicious that Ellen had widened her eyes in delight upon first tasting them. Their sweet aroma filled her mouth completely. If she had figs, she would want to share them with her siblings.  

At that moment, she imagined Anna and Luca’s joyful faces as they ate fig tarts.  

What should I do?  

She felt she should refuse, but thinking about her siblings made her feel she should accept. Using her siblings as an excuse, she even felt tempted to go. Her emotions were conflicted.  

“I’ll go.”  

After hesitating for a moment, Ellen finally accepted Leon’s offer. She had succumbed to the sweet temptation.  

Leon smiled faintly, relieved.  

In truth, although they had eaten fig tarts together, Leon hadn’t known Ellen liked them. However, her letters had been filled with praise for fig tarts, so he had prepared figs just in case.  

He hadn’t expected it to work, but using her beloved siblings as bait had proved effective.  

Thinking back, Ellen had looked enchanted while admiring the beautifully decorated desserts in the shop, eating them with such care as though reluctant to ruin their appearance.  

I should’ve tried using food to win her over earlier.  

Ellen’s love for desserts, her fondness for her siblings, and her genuine affection for Alber Village—all these were revealed in the letters she had sent.  

Leon had learned about Ellen through her letters and was gradually discovering more about her. His growing interest in her was becoming the catalyst for their reconnection.  

If he had shown her a little more attention and care during their past relationship, he wouldn’t have needed to take such a long, roundabout path to get close to her again.  

Leon felt both relief and bitterness.  

* * *

Sunlight streamed warmly through the window. Ellen stretched as she got out of bed. It had been a week since her last day off, and her body felt more sluggish than usual.  

Today was the day she had promised to visit Leon’s villa, so she needed to prepare to go out. But the thought of going made her hesitate. She had been drawn in by the temptation of figs and accepted Leon’s invitation, but now she regretted it more and more as she thought about it.  

Why do I keep hesitating whenever I try to get closer to him?  

Should I cancel?  

Even if she changed her mind, Leon likely wouldn’t get angry. The only downside was that she would have to give up the desserts.  

“Sis, you said you’d bring figs today, right? I’m looking forward to it.”  

“Me too! When you come back, you have to make fig tarts for us.”  

However, seeing her siblings’ expectant eyes as they followed her around until she left made her feel obligated to accept Leon’s invitation, no matter how reluctant she was.  

“Alright. Wait for me.”  

Ellen sighed lightly as she climbed into the carriage.  

When she arrived at Leon’s villa, she found not just fig tarts but also shortbread, pound cake, and various other desserts prepared. The large dining table was completely filled.  

“I thought just fig tarts might not be enough, so I prepared other desserts as well. Of course, I’ve set aside plenty of figs for your siblings.”  

Leon lifted a heavy pouch filled with figs effortlessly and smiled.  

“….”  

The sheer quantity of desserts was more than Ellen could eat alone, leaving her speechless as she stared at the table.