I Ended Up Snatching a Marriage With the Male Lead! - Chapter 21

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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I’d rushed into marriage with the male lead.
Chapter 21

“Just one moment, please. I’ll prepare your bath water right away.”
“Oh, thank you.”
While the maid went to prepare the bathwater,
Emilia scrambled out of bed and hurried to the vanity mirror.
‘What on earth is this mess…….’
The moment she saw her own face, she was struck speechless.
Looking at her disheveled appearance, Kaiden’s words from yesterday naturally came to mind.
He’d said something about treating people like fish.
Could he have meant it about her appearance rather than her behavior?
As she was contemplating the validity of his comment, the maid returned to the room.
“Your bath is all ready!”
“Thank you.”
Emilia moved quickly toward the Bathroom.
But the maid naturally followed close behind her.
“Ah.”
Realizing why the maid was following, Emilia’s eyes shifted slightly.
“If you’re here to help me bathe…… that’s really not necessary.”
Her words came out a bit awkwardly, embarrassed by the very suggestion.
But given her current state of filth, there was no way she could let anyone see her.
“Of course, I understand. I’ll just prepare your clothes then. Please bathe comfortably, and call for me when you’re done.”
The maid smiled brightly and stepped away.

* * *

A short while later.
Emilia emerged from the Bathroom after her bath.
The bathwater had floated flower petals and carried a delicate floral fragrance, and the temperature had been just right—so perfect she hadn’t wanted to leave.
As Emilia changed into her prepared clothes, she found herself thinking.
‘I’ll need to buy more clothes when I have the means.’
Finding a room had already stretched her finances thin, so she’d only purchased a few outfits in the Capital.
‘Hmm?’
The bedding had been changed to fresh linens as well.
She recalled yesterday’s spotless sheets and felt a moment of awkwardness.
Just then, there came a knock, and the maid entered again with a towel.
“Would you like me to dry your hair?”
“Of course. Thank you.”
Emilia nodded eagerly in agreement.
The maid skillfully dried her long hair and opened her mouth to speak.
“I’m Lora, a maid here at the Estate. If you need anything at all, just let me know!”
“I’m Emilia. It’s nice to meet you, Lora.”
As Emilia answered with a gentle smile, Lora’s eyes brightened.
“Yes!”
After finishing with Emilia’s hair, the girl glanced at her sideways.
“Do you happen to have something you wanted to ask?”
At Emilia’s question, Lora’s eyes widened.
“Oh, I’m sorry! Actually, I did want to ask you something!”
‘Something she wanted to ask?’
Emilia tilted her head in confusion.
‘Could she have seen how I came back yesterday?’
But she quickly realized that was unlikely.
Though she didn’t remember how she’d returned to the Estate yesterday, she’d apparently left the Carriage parked nearby, so a coachman or servant must have carried her inside.
Then Lora spoke.
“How to get closer to Iban!”
“Pardon?”
Emilia blinked.
“Well, Iban’s been living here at the Estate for quite some time now, and he’s always seemed so listless and quiet. But when he saw you yesterday, he seemed so happy.”
“Ah…….”
Emilia let out a small sigh.
The thought that Iban remembered her and liked her from such a brief meeting made something flutter in her chest.
‘I’m glad I offered to be his tutor.’
Meanwhile, Lora’s cheerful voice continued.
“That’s why I wanted to ask you! How to get along with Iban. He’s so sweet, unlike my troublemaking siblings.”
When Emilia laughed softly at this, Lora clenched her fist with determination.
“I really want to bake him my special homemade cookies!”
“Your special homemade cookies?”
“Yes! My siblings actually fight over my recipe—”
As Emilia enjoyed the conversation, listening to Lora share her secret recipe,
“Oh, that’s right!”
The girl clapped her hands as if suddenly remembering something.
“We shouldn’t just be chatting like this. The master said that once you woke up, you should have a meal together!”
Emilia’s expression, which had been full of laughter, suddenly stiffened.

* * *

Emilia stopped in front of the Dining Room that Lora had indicated.
‘No one’s arrived yet?’
Peeking inside, she saw only a large, dignified table sitting at the center of the room.
“Who are you looking for?”
Then a low voice came from behind her.
Emilia flinched and spun around.
‘Ah.’
As a partially unbuttoned shirt came into view, she quickly looked away.
“No one.”
Emilia shook her head hastily and took a step back.
Then she saw a different Kaiden than yesterday.
In lighter clothing, with hair not fully dry and thus slightly less neat than usual.
He didn’t need to be formally dressed for breakfast, but somehow the sight struck her as strange.
‘I’m really at Kaiden’s Estate.’
The realization felt even more surreal, since this was a place she’d only read about in descriptions within the novel.
But then she felt a gaze fixed upon her.
Looking up in surprise, she found Kaiden watching her.
Caught off guard, Emilia asked nervously.
“Why… why are you looking at me like that?”
“No reason. Nothing at all.”
He spoke in an indifferent tone and passed by her.
“Please, sit.”
With just the two of them left in the Dining Room, Emilia glanced around uncomfortably.
“But why is it just the two of us?”
She’d naturally assumed Iban or Herald would be here as well when he said to have a meal together.
“Well, breakfast would already be finished by this hour, wouldn’t it?”
Kaiden shrugged as if to say it was obvious.
“……Right.”
Emilia nodded awkwardly in agreement.
As he said, it was already well past the usual breakfast time—nearly time for lunch.
Which raised another question.
Why was Kaiden only now having breakfast?
Emilia’s gaze drifted to the still-damp ends of his hair.
It seemed unlikely he’d simply overslept……
He appeared to have already finished his morning training.
But such questions soon faded from her mind.
A temptingly irresistible aroma suddenly filled the Dining Room.
“Pardon us.”
The head chef led the maids in, each carrying dishes as they filed inside.
“Wow.”
Emilia’s eyes went wide.

* * *

“This is delicious…….”
She murmured without meaning to as she took a large bite.
Every dish laid out on the table was exquisitely prepared.
For Emilia, it was a meal more heavenly than anything she’d experienced before.
What moved her most was—
‘It’s been so long since I ate food someone else prepared.’
She couldn’t remember the last time she’d enjoyed a meal without tiring of the smell of food beforehand.
Ever since Cedric and Mrs. Romance had depended on her, making their dinners had always been her responsibility.
Meanwhile, Kaiden stopped his mechanical knife work and gazed across the table.
All over a single meal……
Her small mouth moved busily, her face radiant with happiness.
She was so focused on her food that she didn’t seem to notice anyone watching.
Yesterday she’d only glanced down briefly before looking away at something else.
The woman who’d nodded so earnestly while the head chef explained the dishes now bobbed her head slightly with each bite.
A faint displeasure stirred in him.
‘Always so quick to agree to everything……’
……so why did she have to contradict everything he said?

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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