I Unintentionally Cured the Grand Duke’s Insomnia - Chapter 148

74. — Misunderstanding Begets Misunderstanding (2)

“I’m going to visit the families of those who went missing and later turned up dead.”

“….?”

I glanced around in confusion at his unexpected words.

Why was he telling me this?

Was this his way of saying, ‘If I go out and disappear, make sure to call for backup’? Not having the slightest clue what he was thinking, I simply nodded slowly.

“That sounds like a good idea. Talking to them and getting the full picture should come first.”

“I’ve received reports that the situation is similar, so I plan to visit just a couple of places and then return immediately.”

“Hmm… Is that so?”

“It shouldn’t take too long. By the time I get back, the sun will still be up. Summer’s almost here, so the days are longer.”

“…Oh, yeah, I guess so?”

The way he kept circling around the topic left me completely clueless about what he was actually trying to say. When I tilted my head, Cain smiled again.

….Cain was smiling again?

‘Wait, isn’t this a bit strange?’

“I heard Retinem has a famous caramel shop too. It’s been around for quite a while, and the taste is said to be on par with the one in Aren that you like.”

“….”

“So, I was thinking that maybe we could drop by that shop together on the way back once everything’s wrapped up. What do you think?”

I saw my own reflection in his red eyes.

As I met his gaze, my heart suddenly started pounding uncontrollably. Cain must have noticed my lips parting slightly in shock, because he suddenly smirked mischievously and said—

“That’s right. I’m asking you out on a date, Lia.”

̊ · : * ✧* : · ̊

My face felt hot as a wave of heat flushed through my cheeks.

His unexpected words caught me off guard, and in my flustered state, I completely missed the chance to turn him down. No, maybe it wasn’t so much that I missed my chance… it was more like I got completely entranced by his face.

Seriously, why was I so weak against handsome men?!

Frustrated by how absurd this was, I banged my head against the wall.

To be honest, who wouldn’t fall for it when the male lead, who was basically made to fit my exact type, decided to use his looks to flirt with me on purpose?

Not that falling for it this quickly was anything to be proud of, but still.

“Really, Adelia, you…!”

Thud!

My forehead, which should have collided with the wall with a thud, somehow didn’t hurt.

The oddly familiar sensation made me carefully open my eyes.

As I stole a glance in that direction, I saw Phem turning away, his shoulders shaking as he tried to suppress his laughter, while Lord Jackson had his head down, stifling a chuckle. Seeing their reactions, I felt a wave of embarrassment that I kind of wanted to die on the spot.

“For a second, I thought I’d missed a construction schedule I wasn’t even aware of.”

“….”

“Is knocking on things with your forehead the latest trend in Aren?”

His teasing comment made my face, which had just started to cool down, flush red once again. Retinem was close enough that it wouldn’t even take a full day to reach it from Aren on horseback. And yet, he was talking about a trend from Aren that he had never even heard of when it was so nearby?

“…Listening to your jokes is making me want to curl up and die.”

“You can’t do that. Your life isn’t just yours anymore, Lia.”

With a playful grin, he reached out toward my head.

Seeing his hand reach for my neatly tied hair, I instinctively flinched back in surprise. It definitely looked like I had dodged his hand—no, anyone could see I had completely avoided him. And just like that, an awkward silence settled between Andre and me.

“Ah, no, I-I wasn’t trying to avoid you on purpose…!”

He looked slightly embarrassed but simply gave a small shrug.

‘Ugh, I really should’ve just let him pat my head for a second!’

As I grimaced in belated regret, Lord Jackson glanced down the empty hallway and spoke.

“But this isn’t the way to your room, Lia. Should I assume you came here to see me?”

Lord Jackson smiled as he asked, and I nodded without hesitation as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

“That’s right.”

“…Huh?”

“You told me not to worry, but you got hurt because of me, so I can’t just ignore it. I want to make sure you’re really okay, at least until your wounds are fully healed.”

As I carefully voiced my thoughts while watching his face, for a brief moment, his expression looked… oddly unreadable.

It happened so quickly that I couldn’t be entirely sure.

“Then, instead of standing here, why don’t we go inside and have some tea together?”

I walked in after him as he held the door open for me.

There was a warm atmosphere in Andre’s office. The wooden desk, with its natural grain left untouched, and the greenery scattered throughout the room made the space feel inviting.

With his escort, I took a seat on one side of the sofa.

The quick-witted Phem placed teacups in front of both Andre and me. Meanwhile, still flustered from earlier, I averted my gaze, pretending to look around the room. Just then, I locked eyes with a skylark perched on a tree branch just beyond the open window.

‘I’m sure that skylark is…’

“Lia, try it. I think it’ll suit your taste.”

“Oh, right. Thank you, Lord Jackson.”

As I inhaled the tea’s pleasant aroma, suddenly, a familiar smell hit me.

‘I definitely know this scent…’

My body reacted before my mind could catch up, and I instinctively slapped the teacup from Andre’s hand. My abrupt movement caused him to lose his grip, and the teacup crashed to the floor, shattering.

Ritul.

This was unmistakably the scent of Ritul, the poisonous herb that caused blindness.

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