Duke Hart continued to scrutinize her with narrowed eyes.

“What about the meal?”

Nelia had to recall the food she ate earlier. The atmosphere had been so tense, she couldn’t fully enjoy it.

Now that she thought about it, the veal steak for the main course was better than the shrimp appetizer.

“As you said, it was fine except that it was a bit salty.”

“Was it better than mine?”

Nelia squinted at the odd question.

“Why are we talking about your food all of a sudden……?”

“It’s an important question, please answer.”

Though it seemed like a joke, tension seeped from Duke Hart’s eyes for some reason.

“……Your food is better.”

Only then did Duke Hart’s expression soften. Then he mumbled, ‘At least I won at something.’

Nelia tilted her head and asked,

“But why ask such questions?”

Duke Hart, regaining his smile, gazed intently at Nelia.

“Nelia, you love delicious things. So I was worried you’d be swayed if the palace food was better. I’ll work harder on the dessert, even if I have to scour the world……”

“I’m not some animal to be lured away by food! Would I really leave you just because the food is better!”

Duke Hart didn’t deny it; he read affirmation in the silence.

Nelia was incensed.

“What do you think of people……!”

“It’s true you have a weakness for food.”

For a moment, Nelia was at a loss for words. It was true, after all.

“But that’s not the point……!”

“I would never leave you over something like that. Besides, as I said, the palace food is too salty……!”

It’s tailored to the Emperor’s taste, so it would never change in a lifetime.

As Nelia fumed, Duke Hart subtly inquired,

“Really……?”

“Yes, absolutely!”

Duke Hart suddenly embraced the stillagitated Nelia. Then his excited voice rang out,

“I’m touched. Knowing that Nelia won’t leave me so easily.”

Duke Hart sometimes resembled a pet starved for affection. Why was he so easily moved and pleased by such trivial things?
Had he been too cold as usual? But that didn’t seem to be the case…

Duke Hart softly kissed Nelia on the forehead, lost in thought.

A familiar series of kisses followed all over her face. Blinking a few times, Nelia pushed the Duke away.

They were still inside the carriage. Although no one was watching, they were not at home, which made this display of affection quite unsettling.

And above all, she knew that the Duke’s subtle manner was a prelude to ‘that matter.’

It always started like this, eventually leading to her falling into temptation.

“You can’t.”

Even without a subject, her firm words seemed to make Duke Hart pause, seemingly understanding what she meant.

The Duke looked at Nelia and slowly opened his mouth.

“Why…?”

He lowered his posture and kissed Nelia’s hair, looking up at her.

The silver pupils visible beneath her eyelashes were incredibly enchanting.

Nelia regained her composure and responded.

“We are outside…!”

The Duke pulled back his leaning body.

Just as she sighed in relief, the Duke spoke.

“So that was the issue. I’ll hold back for a bit.”

Hidden within his angelic smile was a snake ready to ensnare its prey.

“It’s not far to the mansion.”

(This is a time marker.)

The Duke looked at Nelia, who had fallen into a deep sleep beside him after a long struggle.

‘She really is adorable.’

She seems quite firm in her rejection, but turns soft as a squirrel entranced by food after just a little temptation.

That made her even more adorable.

Duke Hart looked longingly at the lovely Nelia asleep beside him.

On one hand, he was worried that Nelia was too easily tempted. The reason he had asked her earlier about the food in the palace was because of that concern.

She might suddenly say, ‘I find the food here tastier,’ and leave him.

How touched he had been when Nelia assured him she wouldn’t leave him just because the food was delicious.

Of course, he knew Nelia cared for him in a special way. That’s why she had promised to help him despite knowing about his troublesome curse.

But that feeling was distinctly different from love. It was more like a sense of responsibility.

Therefore, along with the lovely satisfaction he felt watching her, greed emerged.

He wished she would find him a little more attractive.

Duke Hart gently kissed the deeply asleep Nelia.

“Nelia, please find me attractive.”

Then it happened.

Nelia’s eyebrows twitched.

“…Your Grace.”

Thinking that Nelia had woken up, the Duke regretted his action; he had no intention of waking her.

However, Nelia’s eyes remained closed, and her eyelashes quivered.

She was clearly dreaming.

“Calm down… the smell of burning…”

As the Duke gently stroked Nelia’s head, she murmured softly.

‘A smell of burning…?’

The Duke knew that when he used his abilities or transformed into a monster, a burnt smell lingered.

He never knew why. He had just considered it an unpleasant side effect of the curse.

Right now, however, it concerned him.

If he appeared as a monster in Nelia’s dream, it would surely be a nightmare.

Fortunately, her expression soon relaxed.

Gently caressing Nelia’s cheek while she wore a soft smile, the Duke remembered a dream he had previously.

Upon reflection, Nelia had often appeared in his dreams as well.

She would always appear in the vivid dreams he remembered upon waking. He had jokingly told Nelia that she was the star of his dreams for that reason.

What was peculiar about the dreams was that he would always confront Nelia in his monstrous form.

This had been happening long before Nelia had discovered his monstrous form.

In one dream, he had chased after Nelia who had turned into a squirrel, and in another…

“Do you think… you must take revenge on His Majesty the Emperor?”

A story of revenge he had never discussed with Nelia in reality had come up in the dream.

That dream had been impactful.
The time when I had that dream was right after Nelia had seen my monstrous form, and I was afraid she might leave me.

The reason I told Nelia about my revenge was also because of that dream.

“I hope the Duke doesn’t hurt anyone.”

Nelia’s words in the dream struck me as vivid.

Ever since that day, although seeing the Emperor still twisted my insides, at least I no longer wished to kill him.

The cold and dry feeling in my chest felt warm, as if touched by a breeze of spring.

Perhaps letting go of revenge was the beginning of a change.

Duke Hart looked down at Nelia with a small smile.

And the one who brought about that change was my lovely savior.