“W-What are you doing here?”

“I told you to sleep well, but you really slept deeply.”

“Oh. That… I fell asleep late yesterday…”

“Is it my fault?”

Of course it’s your fault. Who could sleep peacefully after seeing that sight?

I thought it was frustrating that I couldn’t say it was your fault even though it was. But I shook my head from side to side.

And I quickly combed my hair with my fingers. Suddenly, my disheveled hair and wrinkled pajamas made me look too shabby.

Edan in front of me was wearing a loose white tunic, which was dazzling in the bright light.

Just looking at his appearance, there’s no other sexy angel that makes you sigh. Author, why did you create such a handsome madman?

Edan, who had been quietly watching me fix my hair, opened his mouth.

“Feed me.”

“What?”

“Are you the type who doesn’t understand words well? Why do you keep making me repeat myself?”

“I’m sorry. I’m not fully awake yet…”

“I’m hungry, so give me food.”

“…Yes.”

Edan, who suddenly demanded food, had an uncomfortable expression.

Is it because I gave him breakfast late? But he didn’t seem to care much about breakfast usually…

Well, he did eat everything without leaving leftovers though.

As I was observing his complexion, I slowly moved away from the bed and asked.

“…Master, are you feeling unwell?”

“Why? Do I look sick?”

“You had a lot of nosebleeds last night.”

One corner of Edan’s eye wrinkled slightly.

“What are you talking about?”

Caught him. At his curious question, I began the ditzy act I had prepared all night after much deliberation.

“No. I was too shocked to tell you last night, but you were covered in blood all over. I’ve never seen someone have such a severe nosebleed before. Come to think of it, should I do the laundry? Do you want to give me your clothes?”

Even the stupidest fool in the world wouldn’t mistake that blood from last night for a mere nosebleed.

If someone had lost that much blood from a nosebleed, they would have already died from excessive bleeding.

Yet I said this because I didn’t want him to know that I knew his identity.

It’s better to appear as a slightly dim-witted maid than to be suspected. He may be a future madman, but he’s not completely insane yet, so he might treat a not-too-bright fool in front of him a bit kindly. He seemed a bit gentle yesterday too.

While pretending to tidy up the bedding and spouting foolish words, I secretly rolled my eyes to gauge Edan’s reaction. Our eyes met.

“…”

Without a word, Edan unclasped his hands and stood up, looking down at me with eyes that seemed to say the world couldn’t be more pathetic.

As if my nonsense wasn’t even worth responding to.

“Food.”

Ah, yes.

The ditzy act ended in an instant.

With no time to change clothes, I headed to the kitchen still in my white pajamas, with Edan following closely behind. He then took a seat next to the counter, resting his chin on his hand and staring at me.

At a time when he would normally be holed up in his room like a shut-in, he seemed fine now that I had discovered his identity.

“Aww, is our master very hungry?”

“…”

“This maid will make it for you right away! Just wait a little bit!”

“…”

Not giving up on my ditzy character, I threw out some exaggerated flattery and started cooking.

I decided not to pay attention to the lack of response. After all, I’m playing this character right now.

Every morning, Edan ate the same food. A grilled bread with a long sausage inside, and a fried egg on the side. Just an ordinary menu with nothing special.

That’s because this is all I know how to make.

Edan, who had been emanating a murderous aura at my flattery, unexpectedly waited quietly for the food.

Though he looked displeased, he didn’t scold me harshly, so I thought I could hold onto a bit of hope.

Originally, he was a madman who would draw his sword at the slightest irritation, but since this is the early part of the original story, he might not be that much of a madman yet, I hoped.

But shortly after.

“Make it again.”

My hopes were shattered into pieces, carrying unspoken curses on the wind…

This was already the fourth rejection. It seemed I would be making the same dish for the fifth time.

Last night, he seemed to eat even cold rice well all day, so why did he suddenly become so picky?

Well, he did eat everything without leaving leftovers though.

‘Just eat what you’re given!’

Wanting to shout this, I gritted my teeth and held back, slowly lifting the plate.

“Cook it the same as usual.”

“As I’ve been saying all along, this is exactly the same as yesterday.”

“It’s different.”

“It’s the same. The ingredients are the same and I’ve always served you this.”

“It’s different, I said.”

I tried to answer firmly, but I flinched and shrank my shoulders at Edan’s lowered voice, showing his displeasure.

What do you mean it’s different, you precious thing?

I couldn’t understand the reason at all.

But I didn’t know how to solve it either. If I cook it again like this, it’ll just be the same dish made for the fifth time, so what’s the problem?

As I stood there with a dejected look on my face, Edan continued speaking.

“…The headache won’t go away.”

What?

“The persistent headache that had been plaguing me started to subside after I began eating the breakfast you made. But not today. It’s different.”

The moment I heard those words, I felt as if I had been struck by lightning, my whole body burning up.

Gulp. Taking a deep breath that felt hot going down, I had to use all my strength to keep from dropping the plate in my hands.

And now Edan, who seemed really irritated, threw down his fork with a clatter and furrowed his brow.

I met his beautiful red eyes head-on, eyes that looked as if they were sprinkled with jewels.

“Make it again, properly.”

I quickly turned around with the plate to hide my trembling pupils.

“Ah, aha! Come to think of it, I forgot one seasoning! What a foolish mistake. I’m sorry!”

Idiot! I’m a real idiot!

What Edan was talking about was my healing power. The events of last night were so shocking, and Edan seemed so normal that I had completely forgotten, but he was always suffering from headaches, a side effect of this ability.

Although not as much as the female lead Ivy, I too was a candidate for sainthood and had healing powers.

After being possessed, I was unable to use my power for a while due to injuries from falling off the carriage. As time passed and my body recovered, I was naturally able to manifest my healing power, which wasn’t difficult. I just had to focus a little nerve on my fingertips based on the memories remaining in my body.

So all this time, I had been putting a tiny bit of my healing power into the breakfast for the sickly shut-in.

It was just that kind of feeling. Please live well and pay me properly while I’m working here, that kind of feeling.

But who would have thought that it was acting as a painkiller for Edan? Damn it.

‘Surely he hasn’t noticed that I have healing powers…?’

As I finished the fifth breakfast, I turned my back to him so he wouldn’t notice and manifested a little healing power at my fingertips.

The warm, shimmering pink light that came out like bubbling water droplets seeped into the bread.

A moment later.

“Are you alright?”

Edan, who nodded lightly, finished his meal cleanly.

I could feel that the sensitive atmosphere had subsided.

“Is your headache… okay?”

“Yes. It’s subsided to an amazing degree. I really like your cooking.”

“Is it that delicious?”

“The taste isn’t good.”

…Excuse me?

“It’s never tasted good.”

Don’t finish me off like that.

Edan, who had gently put down his fork, ran his large, long fingers through his hair as if out of habit.

Then he got up and came closer, stretching out both arms and placing his hands on the counter, trapping me in between.

I closed my eyes tightly and then opened them again, feeling as if my face would touch his chest, which looked firm just from looking at it.

Now Edan’s face was right in front of my nose.

In just a brief moment of carelessness, I had become completely trapped in his embrace.

Unlike last night when there was the smell of blood, Edan now had a fresh soap scent.

My heart, which I couldn’t calm down because it kept trembling, was beating a rapid rhythm. It was driving me crazy.

Edan calmly continued the conversation while maintaining eye contact with me.

“The seasoning, what did you forget?”

“Um… well.”

I quickly rolled my eyes, trying to find an excuse.

“Tell me. What was it?”

“P-pepper! I forgot the pepper!”

At my nonsensical excuse, the corner of Edan’s eye slightly wrinkled. His expression seemed to say, “Is that what you call an excuse?”

“Pepper?”

Edan asked again as if he couldn’t believe it, and I quickly pulled out the pepper shaker that I had roughly shoved in my pocket earlier.

“It’s pepper that the neighborhood auntie gave me! She said it’s expensive and hard to get, but it seems to be effective for headaches!”

“…Really?”

“Yes!”

I nodded my head furiously and added a few words just in case.

“But you shouldn’t eat too much of it.”

“Why not?”

“There might be side effects, you know.”

“What kind of side effects?”

Ah… Could you please move away a bit first?

Stop assaulting people with your face.

If I had a pretty face like Ivy, I would have been overflowing with confidence, but since I have an ordinary face even after being possessed, I feel like I’m being assaulted by handsomeness.

I’m looking at Edan’s fantastic face, but he’s looking at my unwashed face.

I rolled my eyes to the ceiling, to the walls, here and there, as I spoke.

“Even medicine loses its effect if you take it every day. Wouldn’t pepper also lose its effect if you eat too much of it, like that?”

Edan’s eyes were calm, without answer.

“Pepper isn’t something you eat a lot of in the first place.”

“…”

“If you eat it wrong, you might cough…”

“…”

“Your throat might hurt…”

“…”

“It’s spicy…”

“…”

My voice got quieter and quieter.

Edan kept silent, I couldn’t tell what he was thinking.

So I gathered my courage and gently pushed his arm. It was to escape from being trapped in his embrace.

“…?”

Huh? His arm didn’t budge at all.

Not only that, I was very surprised by the firmness of his muscles, which were hard to believe were human arms.

Is it because I pushed with one hand? This time, I used both hands to press his arms firmly.

I bit my lip and pushed harder until my neck and forehead turned bright red, but Edan’s arms still didn’t move an inch.

What is this? Stone? Steel? I was dumbfounded by his rock-solid arms that seemed like they wouldn’t move even if I punched them.

No, this is ridiculous. Even though I’m ordinary, I have experience sweeping with a broom all this time.

Is Edan left-handed? Is that why his left arm is so firm? I turned to his right arm.

Then my eyes met Edan’s, who was still staring intently at me.

“…I’m sorry.”

At my quick apology, Edan clicked his tongue as if it were trivial and tilted his head crookedly.

“Why are you so weak?”