The Duke Stole Everything - Chapter 20
Remembering the stomach clock that had been ringing loudly after missing two meals made me dizzy.
Realizing the cause, embarrassment and shame heated up my face.
‘You heard it all!’
Back then, I didn’t know it was a look of concern about meals. I thought it was a look of surveillance to see if I was treating carelessly.
Flustered, Sharti’s face turned red.
“Sha, take it. Think of your tired legs from today’s hard work.”
Patricia, who was holding Tein instead, whispered.
Perhaps due to overexertion since yesterday, Sharti had been limping since before sunset.
While Sharti was examining the wounded, those around her were also watching her.
‘…Come to think of it, I don’t deserve this.’
If you think about it, it was Sharti who lured them, the fundamental cause of their danger, the reason they were hurt.
So she had no hesitation in treating the wounded.
Even though they were the soldiers of the Newton Empire that she had so feared and avoided, Sharti couldn’t avoid them because of a single shred of guilt.
‘But these people don’t know me. Maybe this is natural between strangers.’
It was pure kindness they could offer because they didn’t know her identity.
Sharti’s tongue tasted bitter for no reason.
She felt pitiful anew for her situation of still doubting others’ kindness and not being able to accept it purely.
‘Anyway, I won’t see them again soon. As long as I’m not discovered so these soldiers aren’t harmed, it should be fine, right?’
Sharti glanced at Tristan and the soldiers.
The gloomy atmosphere from the morning had disappeared along with the pain-filled groans that had filled the inn.
Although worry was still evident on their faces, the soldiers’ expressions were bright.
After much deliberation, Sharti hugged the box with both arms, having made up her mind.
The light weight of the box felt reassuring.
Sharti bowed her head slightly to convey her thanks.
She didn’t forget to give Tristan the note she had written in advance.
“The day has set, so let’s go up together.”
“Yes, Sha. The sun has set already. I was always worried about you climbing the mountain without even a torch.”
Patricia patted Sharti’s arm, saying it was good timing.
Sharti quickly shook her head.
“I’ll take Tein back. The soldiers also said they wanted to go and express their thanks.”
Sharti glanced at the box with a troubled expression.
‘I was planning to share the meat with Birena before returning home.’
She had intended to reciprocate for the bread and fruit jam.
Unable to think of an excuse to refuse, Sharti eventually had to climb the mountain with Tristan.
She climbed the mountain diligently, limping.
A sense of satisfaction spread in her chest at the thought of being able to feed the man meat soon.
‘I’ll go alone from here.’
As soon as the old log cabin came into view, Sharti stopped walking.
She didn’t want to cause unnecessary anxiety to the man hiding in the house by showing him the soldiers.
“Could you possibly come down to the village tomorrow as well?”
Sharti nodded vigorously at the natural question.
Having received meat as well, she intended to fulfill her duty as a doctor.
Only after hearing Sharti’s answer and expressing their thanks once more did the soldiers turn back.
When Tristan’s figure disappeared from view, Sharti took a deep breath.
‘Finally, they’re gone.’
Looking up at the sky that had grown dark without her noticing, Sharti relaxed her shoulders.
Now she could breathe comfortably.
It had been such a long day. Her muscles were sore from moving around tensely all day.
‘Huh?’
Just then, Sharti turned her head sharply.
Sharti stepped back as she surveyed between the trees and bushes swaying in the wind. For a moment, she felt an unpleasant sensation sticking to her cheek.
As an uneasy feeling set in, the atmosphere of the mountain suddenly felt eerie.
‘Let’s hurry.’
Sharti ran towards the old log cabin, ignoring the pain in her legs.
Seeing no light in the log cabin, she grew increasingly anxious as she thought of the man.
‘Is he still hiding in the room?’
With her hurried heart, Sharti flung open the wooden door.
The house was quiet.
Carefully closing the door, Sharti looked around the house. Still, only silence lingered without a sign of life.
‘Why isn’t he here? …He must be hiding, right?’
Trying to calm her restless heart, Sharti listened carefully. When she couldn’t hear even a breath, anxiety crept in.
‘Did he run away? Or did he remember and leave?’
Her heart, which had been pounding with anticipation and anxiety thinking of the man, grew quiet.
Sharti opened her bedroom door last.
‘…He’s not here.’
The man was still nowhere to be seen. A dejected sigh escaped her for a moment.
The box she had carefully hugged and brought felt too heavy.
Rustle.
“…!”
Sharti whirled around at the sudden noise.
‘The wardrobe?’
She carefully approached the wardrobe in the bedroom. Sharti slowly opened the wardrobe door, swallowing hard.
“……”
Ha. A weak laugh escaped Sharti’s lips.
She saw the man hiding among her clothes, as if buried in them.
With clothes messily draped and covering him, he was sleeping leaning against the wardrobe wall.
‘What’s with the needle?’
In his hand were a needle and thread, and the clothes he had been wearing. It seemed his clothes had torn again while waiting for her.
Sharti’s legs gave out and she crouched in front of the wardrobe.
‘I was startled.’
Yet Sharti thought.
Why was she surprised? Shouldn’t she feel relieved and at ease if he had left, lessening her burden?
When she had been wary, she even felt her heart flutter with anticipation.
‘No. Even if he leaves, I’d want to at least feed him before sending him off.’
Pushing away the random thoughts that arose, Sharti gazed up at the man.
Though he occasionally frowned while wandering in dreams, his sleeping habits were gentle. The dangerous first impression was nowhere to be seen in the man sleeping peacefully.
‘See?’
This is why I didn’t want to bring you here.
Sharti grimaced and gave a bitter smile.
She had spoken of responsibility, but in truth, it was loneliness.
An orphan abandoned even by blood relatives. A face that couldn’t be shown to anyone. An empty house.
She had always been alone.
[Sharti, dear. Will you live with us?]She had refused, not wanting to impose on Bireta any longer, but in truth, it was also because being within the solid fence of family felt awkward and shabby.
And so she had continued to be alone.
…Until she met the man who had lost his memories.
Sharti reached out and lightly grasped the hem of his clothes.
Looking at him sleeping, Sharti’s lips moved slightly.
‘I’m sorry.’
For being late. And for making you wait…
“Thank you.”
Even after conveying those words in a barely audible voice, Sharti couldn’t leave the wardrobe for a long time.
[This is the timeline separator]Clatter. Clank. Hearing the small noises waking him, the man opened his eyes.
Having fallen asleep with his large body crammed into the wardrobe, he reflexively frowned as he moved his stiff muscles.
The wardrobe door was open.
“…!”
He rushed out of the bedroom urgently.
Turning his head towards the light, he saw a back figure cooking in the kitchen.
Light seeped into his teal eyes that had been gloomy.
Clatter. Seeing the familiar robe, his shoulders heaved greatly.
The man stood there motionless, his dry lips moving but unable to call out to her.
Just then, Sharti, who was inserting a magic stone into the lamp on the table, noticed him.
‘Come sit.’
She gestured, softly illuminated by the small light.
The man walked over as if entranced, keeping his gaze fixed on her, and sat in the chair at the table.
“…Why…”
A deep voice flowed out, perhaps due to having been asleep.
The man furrowed his brows and cleared his throat.
Sharti took out cool water and held it out to the man.
He emptied the glass in an instant.
After emptying the glass three times like that, the man put down the water glass and looked at Sharti with furrowed brows.
“Why didn’t you wake me?”
At his accusing tone, Sharti tilted her head.
‘Shouldn’t the question of why I came so late come first?’
He too seemed to realize his mistake after speaking, and awkwardly rubbed the back of his neck.
“I mean, that is…”
Looking at the man who still seemed half-asleep, Sharti turned around again.
Misunderstanding her action, the man stood up abruptly.
“I waited.”
“……”
“But you didn’t come, so I, well…”
Sharti set down a bowl in front of him as he trailed off incoherently.
It was a stew full of small pieces of meat the size of fingernails.
“……”
Now familiar with the savory smell of herbs, the man’s eyes didn’t leave the plate.
Gulp. The man’s Adam’s apple moved greatly.
Sharti pushed a note towards him with both hands, feeling apologetic.
“Why is there only mine?”
The man pointed out that there was nothing placed on the opposite seat.
Sharti quickly brought her own plate as well.
However, the man still seemed displeased and frowned.
“It’s quite different, isn’t it?”
Unlike the man’s bowl which was full of meat, Sharti’s stew only had carrots as ingredients.
Sharti ignored his persistent gaze and sat down.
“I’m not having it either then.”
He stubbornly pushed away the plate and crossed his arms.
Wondering if this was the kind of fussy eating that even Tein didn’t do, Sharti frowned as well.
It was meat she had received despite her embarrassment in order to feed him. She didn’t want to argue with him and sour the mood.
Sighing, Sharti wrote firmly on a new note.
His lips pressed tightly together.
Sharti glared at the man who was being oddly stubborn.
“Look who’s talking.”
The man muttered and snorted softly.
“Shouldn’t I avoid going out?”
His expression wavered at the mention of going out.
Sharti pushed the bowl towards him again.
“…Then can I follow you around at that time?”
“…?”
“It would be dangerous, after all, alone.”
The man trailed off with an awkward expression.
Feeling sympathy for the man who seemed anxious even about going out, Sharti nodded.
He brightened up immediately.
Sharti scooped up a piece of meat with the spoon and held it out to him.
This time, wondering if he would be stubborn again, he suddenly ate it.
“…!”
Sharti was taken aback, having naturally assumed he would eat with his own hands.
The man shamelessly opened his mouth again to her surprise.
Sharti fed him one more bite in her confusion, but when she saw him trying to hold back laughter, she immediately put down the spoon.
‘You were teasing me!’
As Sharti huffed quietly, the man finally laughed out loud.
“I just ate what was given to me.”
He shrugged nonchalantly and started eating the stew himself.
Seeing the man eating with a faint smile to satisfy his hungry stomach, the desire to engage in childish bickering disappeared.
Sharti glanced at him occasionally and started eating as well.
‘I made plenty, so there’s no need to worry about tomorrow’s meal.’
Even without meat chunks, the stew boiled with meat was delicious enough.
Although the aftertaste was slightly bitter from the herbs used instead of seasoning, the man’s bowl was quickly emptying.
‘Should I give you more?’
When she tapped the table, the man refused.
“I’ll get it myself.”
The man got up and served himself another bowl of stew.
It only had potatoes as ingredients.
“Eating a variety is better for recovery.”
*
Save yourself from story hunger — the novel below will blow your mind!
“How dare you!”
“How dare you make me love you, only to cast me aside as nothing more than a friend?!?
“I will never accept that.”
“I will never let you return to him.”
“Even if I have to burn myself to ashes.”
“Even if I must shatter my purity, my dignity, my very soul.”
“I will never let you escape me!”
This was the first novel that introduced me to the matriarchal genre. I’ve read it three times already!
At first, the male lead despised the female lead. Later, he misunderstood that she liked him, so he condescendingly and reluctantly reciprocated her feelings.
Then, he suddenly discovered that she was kind to everyone in the same way, and there was already someone she cherished in her heart, and that person was not him.
The male lead couldn’t believe it, he became angry and crazy. He was determined to capture her body and heart by any means necessary.
Synopsis:
Want to see how a green tea bitch male lead falls in love with the female lead?
Want to see how he flirtatiously pursues the female lead?
Want to see how he gets slapped in the face repeatedly?
The male lead is a green tea bitch, a poisonous lotus, jealous, ruthless, unscrupulous, with a venomous heart, and he’s also a delusional maniac.
The female lead is righteous, positive energy-filled, kind, a holy mother.
Let’s see how two people with extreme personalities come together~
_____
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