Chapter 5 (Part 8)

One of the shadow informants of the Grand Duke’s household, Stella, was ordered to find information about a handsome man named David related to Meia and couldn’t believe her ears.

‘David… I’ve heard that name before…’

With a single familiar name, Stella quickly gathered information about him.

And she soon discovered his identity. He was Meia Hatzbellua’s biological father. The reason the name David wasn’t unfamiliar was because he was famous as one of the four great handsome men of the Carpen Empire.

‘Why did they suddenly ask me to investigate the lady’s biological father?’

Curious, Stella carried out the order with a puzzled expression and handed over all the information about David she had gathered to Aethon and Hemann.

Reading the report Stella brought, Aethon and Hemann exchanged glances and sighed simultaneously.

“Aethon.”

“Speak, Hemann.”

“Is this real?”

“Unfortunately, it is.”

Stella said that Meia only knew common servants or nobles, and there was only one noble named David, so it was easy to gather information.

<He was so famous for his handsome looks that the name David didn’t seem unfamiliar, hoho.>

“Hahaha.”

Stella said that many women had fallen ill because of David’s stunning looks.

So, whenever he walked by, painters would secretly follow him and draw his portrait, trading it in secret. Even though it was illegal, many people bought his portraits whenever they appeared.

<Even now, many people have his portraits. So I bought one at a high price.>

Seeing the portrait and the report, Hemann couldn’t help but sigh.

“Age, 42.”

“Silver hair and blue eyes.”

“Look at that face in the portrait! You could believe he’s a twin of Lady Meia.”

“He seems even more beautiful than Lady Meia.”

“Should we let Grand Duke Theodore know about this?”

“One vote for kicking the blanket in frustration.”

“I agree.”

David Hatzbellua was both biologically and legally Meia Hatzbellua’s biological father.

It was understandable why Quini had said he was a beautiful person, as he was very similar in appearance to Meia, looking elegant and beautiful.

“Let’s inform him quickly. I don’t want to imagine our Grand Duke kicking the blanket anymore.”

“Grand Duke probably didn’t know he was jealous of his father-in-law.”

However, contrary to Aethon and Hemann’s concerns, at that moment, Theodore was indeed kicking both the pillow and the bed inside the blanket.

***

Meia was concerned about Theodore, who had run out of the garden with a serious expression, covering his mouth. She was heading toward his study when she encountered Head Maid Hannah.

Hannah approached Meia with a bright smile and bowed her head in greeting.

“Hello. May I ask where you are going, Lady?”

“I was on my way to see Grand Duke Theodore in his study.”

“Currently, Grand Duke Theodore is…”

Hannah’s expression became complex and subtle.

“Um…”

“Hannah, what’s wrong? Did something happen to the Grand Duke?”

Hannah had just received word that Theodore had been moved to his bedroom due to severe lovesickness and heart pain.

“He’s feeling a bit unwell and is in his bedroom…”

“Is he very sick?”

“No, he just said he felt a bit dizzy, hoho.”

It seemed he felt dizzy from staying still and being in the sun in the garden.

“So that’s why he went back with such a serious expression…”

Theodore, who was more fragile than he appeared, worried Meia greatly.

“Lady, may I guide you to where the Grand Duke is?”

Hannah saw this as an opportunity. The formula of ‘bedroom + man and woman = building a wall’ strongly dominated her mind.

“I’ll bring some cool strawberry aid. He’s not alone in the room. Butler Venable is taking care of him. Please don’t feel burdened and visit him. Please.”

Theodore had said his face felt hot from the sun. Meia suddenly felt anxious. 

Was he very sick?

Meia followed Hannah, saying she understood.

“Thank you, Lady.”

Knock, knock.

“Your Grace, and Butler Venable. Lady Meia has come to visit you.”

After a loud commotion, the room became quiet.

The door opened slightly, and Venable came out, clearing his throat before bowing to Meia.

“Thank you for visiting, Lady Meia. Please come in.”

Venable opened the door, and as soon as Meia entered the room, it closed quickly.

Inside the room, she found Theodore on the bed, groaning continuously.

“Grand Duke Theodore.”

“Lady Meia.”

“Oh my, look at all that sweat! Are you okay? You must have been in the sun too long. What should we do?”

“I’m fine.”

Theodore was very happy to see Meia visiting him after hearing he was unwell, but he was also writhing in pain and jealousy because of the words ‘I miss David’ that kept dominating his mind.

“Please don’t overexert yourself for a painting next time.”

“Still, I enjoyed sitting with you, Lady.”

“What if you get sick again?”

“Don’t worry about me. I’m fine.”

He wanted to say ‘Thank you for coming’, but the words came out wrong.

“How can I not worry when you’re unwell?”

“Please don’t speak to me so kindly.”

Theodore couldn’t understand why he was suddenly acting so petulant, but his thoughts and words kept coming out wrong.

“The kinder you are to me, the more it hurts.”

“Am I not supposed to speak kindly to you, Grand Duke?”

Theodore pulled the blanket over his face and muttered.

“While you love someone else. If you’re kind to me, I might misunderstand.”

“What do you mean?”

“You love someone named David, right? You said you missed him earlier.”

Meia answered Theodore’s question directly.

“Yes. I love him and miss him very much.”

Hearing that answer, Theodore curled up and turned completely away from Meia.

He couldn’t bear to look at her straight. The pain in his heart made his whole body tremble.

Hearing her confess her love for David hurt his heart terribly.

Meia looked at Theodore, who had turned his back on her, and sighed deeply. She was curious why he seemed so tormented. She didn’t understand why he told her not to be kind to him just because she loved her father, David.

Meia asked him directly out of frustration.

“Why are you asking if I love my father?”

Theodore, who had his face buried in the blanket in agony, perked up at the word “father.”

“Father?”

Theodore lowered the blanket and looked at her.

Then his thoughts seemed to stop. Cold sweat started to pour down Theodore’s back.

Father? Could it be that David is…

“As his daughter, of course, I love and miss my father. I don’t know why you asked such a question, but since you seem too unwell to look at me, I’ll leave.”

At the mention of leaving, Theodore remembered the dream where Meia left him.

“I’ll go now.”

As Meia was about to leave, Theodore urgently shouted the words he had repeatedly called out in his dream, not realizing it.

Realizing that the person he was jealous of, David, was actually her father made him feel desperate.

“Don’t go, Mei!”

It felt like time had stopped between them. There was a thud outside the door.

Rather than being flustered by Theodore’s sudden use of her nickname, Meia felt her heart pounding.

It was a sensation she had felt before, a feeling of something dropping with a thud. It was unfamiliar and somewhat embarrassing.

She didn’t want Theodore to hear the unfamiliar pounding of her heart.

Meia decided to think that her heart was pounding because she was too surprised by the current situation. Also, she decided to understand it as a symptom of her recent arrhythmia.

She turned back to look at Theodore on the bed.

Theodore, who had been lying down and avoiding looking at her, was now looking straight at her with a flushed face and eyes redder than usual.

His face, redder than an apple, and his trembling black eyes seemed to show how he was feeling. He looked quite embarrassed and shy.

“You know my nickname exactly. I never mentioned it…”

“I’m sorry. I just… wanted to get closer…”

Meia felt that she shouldn’t question Theodore too deeply about using her nickname.

“Just a moment ago, you were lying in bed turning your head away from me.”

Meia approached the bed where Theodore was. She lowered her face next to his. Then she whispered, her lips almost touching his ear.

“Now you’re looking at me, Grand Duke Theodore.”

Theodore’s heart pounded uncontrollably.

“Grand Duke Theodore.”

“…Yes.”

Meia’s breath tickled Theodore’s ear.

Theodore felt overwhelmed by the sensation, making the current situation feel like a dream.

As the lips of the person he liked approached his cheek and ear, he felt honored and his body stiffened. He slightly turned his head, nervous that her lips might touch his cheek.

‘Should I turn my head? Or stay still?’

Her fragrant scent seemed to tempt his nose, urging him to turn his head slightly.

“Please refrain from calling me by my nickname in front of others.”

Theodore nodded once.

“You can call me by my nickname when we’re alone.”

Gulp.

“I understand.”

Meia raised her head, smiling with satisfaction as if she had obtained the toy she wanted. Theodore’s face, now redder than ever, and his eyes were exactly what Meia wanted to see.

“Take care of yourself.”

Theodore stared blankly at Meia’s back as she left the room.