Hopefully, at Your Mercy - Chapter 24

Chapter 13.1

“Take this.”

Before Delinda could even ask, “Why are you calling me?” something was thrust into her hands.

She fumbled with the small metal tin, hearing something rattling inside. Only then did she ask,

“What is it?”

“Candy.”

“Pardon?”

“Candy.”

“Oh, candy… alright.”

Candy? Why is he suddenly giving me candy? I’m not some eight-year-old child…

Lately, it felt like everyone was treating her like a child. First, Phillip, the chief steward, and now, Iskan.

Delinda opened the tin, still confused. Inside were small, round candies, dusted with white sugar, each about the size of her thumbnail.

She glanced up at Iskan, trying to read his intentions.

Why would he give me something like this out of the blue?

It must be another one of his tricks…

She studied his face, thinking this was just another one of his flirting tactics, but all she saw was a blank, firm expression.

She was acting like a girl obsessed, reading into his every move. It was obvious he wasn’t flirting, but she couldn’t shake her suspicions.

‘He just seems like the type. If he’s not trying to make a move, then I might just end up doing it myself. If candy’s his way of charming me, I guess I should at least say thanks.’

After a moment’s hesitation, she picked up one of the candies. His gaze was so intense, it felt like if she didn’t eat it, he might choke her.

Is he being kind or is he forcing me?

“Thank you.”

Feeling like her already upset stomach was about to worsen, she popped the candy into her mouth. A burst of sourness hit her tongue, quickly followed by sweetness as the sugar melted away.

To her surprise, the candy actually calmed her nausea.

Wait, this works even better than ramen!

“Wow… this is really good. My stomach feels much better now.”

Her eyes widened in surprise.

Just then, Iskan’s hand reached toward her. His large, firm fingers casually wiped away some sugar at the corner of her mouth before he withdrew, wordlessly.

Delinda froze, her eyes widening even further. It was such a brief touch, but the warmth of his fingers made goosebumps appear on the back of her neck. Her heart pounded, and her mouth pooled with saliva as she still savored the candy on her tongue.

But this man remained completely unfazed, as if he had just petted a stray cat and not touched her face.

“You’ve always struggled with riding carriages.”

His deep voice drifted through the air.

“W-what? Who?”

Flustered, Delinda swallowed the candy whole, even though it wasn’t fully dissolved yet.

“We’re almost there.”

He completely ignored her question as he turned away, giving her his back without a second thought.

Delinda just stood there for a moment, staring blankly at the spot where he’d been.

She shook the tin of candies as she climbed back into the carriage. The candy she’d swallowed felt like it was lodged in her throat, making it feel tight as her heart raced with anxiety.

‘What just happened? Why am I shaking? Is he flirting with me?’

The real issue was that if he did try to flirt, she might cave instantly. He was intimidating and hard to read, but something about him made her tremble whenever he was around. What kind of emotion was this?

‘…It’s because he’s so handsome. That has to be it. Even if he gave me candy that tasted like frog feet, I’d still fall for that face.’

Delinda cracked open the window and popped another candy into her mouth. Again, her queasy stomach began to settle.

[You’ve always struggled with riding carriages.]

Someone always did, hmm…

But who?

Delinda bit into the half-melted candy, letting the sweetness flood her mouth.

Her lips still felt warm from the brief touch of his hand.

* * *

The inside of the mine was cold. Since it was still in the early stages of excavation, only the entrance had been partially dug out. The rest of the tunnel remained untouched, with jagged, unstable walls that looked like they could collapse at any moment.

Delinda glanced around the eerie tunnel.

“Where exactly are these spirit stones supposed to be?”

“They’re not easily visible to the average person.”

“You’d need to see some refined specimens to trust their existence.”

Lord Cavila awkwardly cleared his throat, standing nearby. The truth was, there weren’t exactly many spirit stones they could see clearly.

A man in a gray robe standing beside Lord Cavila, stepped forward, looking impatient.