That’s Not What Kissing Means! - Chapter 27
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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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That’s not what kissing means!
Episode 27
“Wait, you’re saying you’ll come with me to buy my clothes?”
“Yes, what’s the problem?”
“This is too much. We’re not even lovers… Oh!”
Evelyn unconsciously let slip the word ‘lovers’ and quickly shut her mouth.
She tried covering her lips with both hands, but she couldn’t take back words already spoken.
“What did I just hear?”
The Duke smiled with apparent pleasure.
Evelyn’s face instantly flushed red.
Seeing her reddened cheeks, Vanessa tilted her head curiously.
“So you’re refusing? Because you’re worried you’ll look like lovers instead of guest and host?”
“N-no… That’s not what I meant!”
“Aren’t you overthinking this? My lord is simply doing his best for a guest as he always does.”
This made it seem like only Evelyn was being conscious of Theo.
“Fine, I get it! Let’s go out together, as guest and host!”
In the end, Evelyn fell for their scheme.
She wanted to escape this embarrassing situation as quickly as possible.
Vanessa’s eyes sparkled as she saw her lord’s satisfied smile.
“Then I’ll take my leave now.”
Evelyn hurriedly tried to stop her. She didn’t have the confidence to face Theo alone during the meal.
“Vanessa, why don’t we have dinner together…”
“Oh, I’m exhausted. I’m so tired from training.”
Vanessa patted her arm and disappeared in an instant.
Theo offered dinner to Evelyn, who was now facing him alone.
“Come sit, you must be hungry.”
The Duke pointed to the seat across from him.
Shouldn’t the head of the house usually sit at the head of the table?
However, leaving that seat empty, dinner for Evelyn and Theo was set up facing each other.
“What’s wrong?”
“I was wondering about where Theo is sitting.”
“Would you prefer if I sat next to you?”
As if asking whether she wanted him closer, Theo immediately stood up from his chair, as if Evelyn had requested it.
“I never said that!”
Despite her outcry, Theo walked over with long strides in an instant.
Is he really going to sit next to me?
Flustered Evelyn’s eyes widened.
However, Theo passed by her and pulled out the chair for Evelyn to sit.
Realizing she had misunderstood again, even her ears began to turn red.
Theo nodded and gestured toward the chair.
“Thank you…”
Evelyn mumbled quietly as she took her seat.
Today Evelyn had her pink hair, which fell to her waist, twisted up and tied.
Thanks to this, he could see her condition from behind – her nape flushed red with embarrassment.
It looked as if red paint would come off if he touched it with his hand.
Swallowing the urge to caress her slender neck, Theo returned to his seat.
When he picked up his utensils, Evelyn also began eating.
Just as she finished the light salad, the chef brought out a fish dish.
The savory and salty aroma stimulated her sense of smell.
Theo commanded the chef.
“From now on, bring all the food at once. No need to follow the proper sequence.”
“Understood.”
He intended to accommodate everything for Evelyn.
Abandoning proper dining etiquette, he wanted to let her taste whatever food she wanted first.
Soon various dishes were placed on the wide table.
The chef had prepared all sorts of dishes he could make, as the butler had instructed.
Having only served a master who didn’t usually enjoy food, he was excited to finally showcase his skills after so long.
Moreover, this guest showed bright eyes and varied reactions as she tasted each dish.
Though it was a short time, the chef didn’t miss her expressions.
He left the dining room with a pleased face.
Theo poured water into Evelyn’s empty glass and said.
“Once we finish eating, I’m thinking of starting work in earnest.”
“By work, do you mean Yulia’s stone?”
“That’s right, it’s being kept in the library.”
As soon as Theo left the Imperial Palace, the holy relic was immediately moved to the Duke’s mansion. It was swift work.
“The library?”
Why would they keep a holy relic in a space meant for books?
“Don’t tell me the library is filled with holy water or something like that?”
Evelyn asked, recalling the luxurious prayer hall in the Imperial Palace.
“Unfortunately, I’m not particularly devout.”
He casually said something that would make the Emperor jump if he heard it.
“I just put it there because you and I will probably spend the most time there.”
“That’s fine for Theo, but why me?”
Did I ever mention that I like books?
Looking at Evelyn’s puzzled face, his long eyes curved.
“I prepared a gift, you see.”
A gift? At that moment, she remembered the handkerchiefs and flowers the Duke had sent.
She had been surprised by the tremendous quantities more than once or twice.
“Don’t tell me there are novels piled up like a mountain…”
“Don’t worry. I prepared just enough so you won’t be surprised.”
He reassured Evelyn.
“Then we’ll have to go out tomorrow. Today you’ll be busy adapting to the new environment.”
“I should start working in earnest. Though all I’ll be doing is keeping the holy relic nearby.”
“Yes, let’s get along well together, the three of us.”
The Duke saying this looked excited.
“Since the weather has warmed up, it would be nice to go on an outing too.”
“You seem like you’d be very busy though…”
“Even when busy, there’s time for a walk. Don’t you feel sorry for the holy relic?”
Theo suddenly showed sympathy for the stone.
“How frustrating it must be. After being buried in Monster Mountain for so long, it opened its eyes to find itself trapped in the Imperial Palace.”
Does that thing have eyes?
The Duke continued.
“We should at least free the poor stone. You can enjoy looking at flowers you like too.”
“It seems like Theo likes flowers more.”
Evelyn pointed with her eyes to the vase on the table.
Theo gently touched the pink petals.
“Today I happily filled the vase. Thinking of the guest coming this morning.”
Come to think of it, it was exactly the same color as her hair.
“Did Theo bring these himself?”
“Right, if there are any flowers you want, just tell me. I’ll go pick them.”
Going out to the garden himself? This was a new side of him.
To think the continent’s greatest magic swordsman’s hobby was flower arranging.
At the same time, the rumors about the Duke came to mind again.
About how he had left that tense luncheon to bring flowers…
‘So it wasn’t a joke? He really brought them because he liked me?’
That was crazy in its own way.
Evelyn avoided Theo’s gaze.
“…No. Use whatever flowers you want, Theo.”
* * *
After finishing breakfast, the two headed to the library on the 4th floor.
Since the entire floor was made into a library, the scale was considerable.
All the walls had been converted into space for books, and besides that, it was filled with bookshelves like a library.
When the massive double doors opened, what came into view were two desks. Uniquely, the two desks were positioned to face each other.
Evelyn first looked for Julia’s stone.
However, she couldn’t see the glowing glass case she had seen at the Imperial Palace.
“Where is the sacred relic?”
“Sacred relic? It’s right here.”
Theo headed to the desk in front.
He picked up a pendant that was casually placed on top of it.
No, this treatment is too much!
At this rate, it was no different from a pile of documents.
If the Emperor saw this, he would clutch his neck and collapse.
He carelessly put the sacred relic back down.
“Do you like the desk?”
Then he tapped one of the attached desks with his finger.
“That’s your seat.”
“What?”
Why is my seat here?
And why are the two desks facing each other? So close together, too.
The remaining seat would obviously be Theo’s.
He wants us to work while looking at each other?
Even seeing Evelyn’s eyes shaking violently, Theo was shameless.
“I’m planning to put the pendant in the center. So we can work while looking at the sacred relic.”
Efficient, right?
“That’s really burdensome.”
“Ah, I almost forgot about the gift.”
Theo lightly ignored her reaction and guided her somewhere.
The place she was led to in bewilderment brought Evelyn surprise.
“Du, Duke…”
“Name.”
“Theo, is this my gift…?”
Evelyn let out an exclamation as she looked at the ancient language materials filling several bookshelves.
“I brought over most of what was at the Research Institute.”
“…”
“Since they’re familiar materials, you won’t be surprised.”
No, Evelyn was beyond surprised—she was ecstatic to the point of death.
Seeing the joy coloring her face, Theo smiled.
“I told you clearly, there’s no need to worry.”
He echoed his words from the Imperial Palace.
“There’s no way I’d stop you from doing what you love.”
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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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