Unbeknownst to Me, I am Secretly Dating the Emperor - 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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Chapter 21
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When I arrived at the Fountain where we’d agreed to meet, Everett was already there waiting.
I approached him hesitantly, taking in his appearance.
‘I was a bit worried I’d overdressed.’
Today, Everett wasn’t wearing his Robe.
My effort from this morning—ransacking my wardrobe to find the best outfit—had been worthwhile.
The care Everett had taken with his clothes was evident; they looked as though he’d just purchased them from a costume department.
“Miss Diaz.”
Noticing me, Everett extended his hand.
It was the gesture of an Escort, one I’d grown quite familiar with by now.
When I placed my hand over his, Everett guided me toward our destination as smoothly as water flowing downstream.
“I’ve made a reservation at a restaurant. Though I’m not certain it will suit your tastes.”
The Restaurant Everett had reserved was right beside the Fountain, our meeting place.
“This is…….”
Even someone like me, who paid no attention to trends, knew this was the Capital’s hottest destination!
“Wasn’t it difficult to get a reservation?”
While waiting for the waiter’s greeting at the entrance, I whispered the question to Everett, and he deflected with a casual answer.
“It wasn’t particularly difficult.”
“You were fortunate. I’ve been wanting to come here.”
As I smiled with genuine gratitude, a blush crept across Everett’s ears.
‘Is his Robe too warm?’
My brief question dissolved as a waiter approached.
“Sir Everett Rohas, and your companion Miss Carolina Diaz?”
“Yes.”
“I’ll show you to your reserved table.”
A waiter in his thirties, professional enough to seem like he had some twenty years of service experience, led us to our seats.
Once I was seated where the waiter pulled out the chair, menus were placed before each of us.
As my deliberation over the abundant options stretched on, the attending waiter spoke up.
“Usually, when couples dine with us, they order our Couple Set.”
The waiter spoke with certainty that we were lovers.
An awkward, subtle silence fell over the table.
‘If I deny it, won’t Everett feel embarrassed?’
I simply smiled without speaking and asked Everett a question.
“The set seems well-composed. What if we go with the recommendation?”
Everett nodded, looking somewhat dazed.
‘His cheeks look flushed. He must be quite sensitive to heat.’
When my guess proved correct and I asked the waiter to open a window, Everett’s complexion quickly returned to normal.
I’d expected nothing but awkward silence until our food arrived.
But once the daze faded and a rosy flush returned to his face, Everett gradually began guiding our conversation.
Perhaps because we’d met a few times already, things felt easier. He seemed less taciturn than before.
As I became engrossed in our discussion, the Appetizer arrived.
Our conversation lapsed while the waiter explained the dish.
“Our Restaurant’s Couple Set is themed around lovers’ affection. This Appetizer captures that moment of first falling into love—the most thrilling, exhilarating rush—enhanced with the brightness of lemon…….”
After finishing the service, the waiter withdrew with his trolley, and the small room fell silent.
‘This Couple Set is much more elaborate than I expected, isn’t it?’
My mind suddenly went blank.
We couldn’t even meet each other’s eyes for several seconds before I finally thought of something to say.
“It looks delicious. No wonder this restaurant is the most famous in the Capital.”
I picked up my fork, pretending to focus on the food.
“Indeed.”
Everett followed my lead, picking up his fork and taking a bite of salad.
The food became a good excuse to endure the sudden quiet.
‘They said it was lemon dressing, but I can’t taste anything.’
I mechanically brought forkfuls of salad to my mouth while thinking.
But if I put down my fork, I’d have to say something.
‘Just keep eating.’
We tackled the appetizer with the fervor of the ravenously hungry.
Fortunately, before we’d exhausted our excuse of food, the main course—Tenderloin Steak—arrived.
Perfect timing.
“Tenderloin Steak.”
Apart from the clinking of silverware, it was the first voice to echo in the small room in quite some time.
After a lengthy explanation of how this heart-shaped cut of steak was paired with red wine sauce that had been simmered for hours—a metaphor for the mature love of a burning couple—and how premium and delicious this aged meat was, the waiter departed.
This time too, we rushed to pick up our fork and Knife.
“Let’s eat.”
“Enjoy.”
After this awkward brief exchange, only the quiet sound of cutting could be heard for a while, as if we were entirely focused on the steak.
At first it was rather escapist, but I quickly found myself unable to do anything but concentrate on cutting the steak.
The Restaurant’s steak proved unexpectedly difficult to eat.
‘The blade isn’t sharp.’
The steak itself was tender, but my Knife’s blade seemed a bit dull.
Watching the steak being crushed as it was cut, precious juices seeping away, I tried to ring the bell to request a new Knife.
“If it’s difficult, shall I cut it for you?”
Everett, who had apparently been watching me struggle with the dull Knife, made the offer.
After a moment’s hesitation, I handed my Plate to him.
“Thank you.”
When I offered quiet thanks, Everett answered with a gruff laugh.
My Knife, warmed slightly by my body heat, was placed in Everett’s hand.
Everett was more skillful than I, but that didn’t mean the dull Knife suddenly sharpened itself.
It was far better than my attempt, yet still not perfectly clean.
‘This isn’t working.’
Even Everett seemed to have no obvious solution.
‘I should probably just ask for a new Knife.’
It was the moment I brought my hand to the call bell.
The Knife suddenly gleamed with Golden Light, as if reflecting sunlight.
The brilliant glow gradually faded, and Everett began cutting the steak with ease.
‘What—it’s working.’
The cross-section of the steak was as clean as if cut with a ruler.
“Sir Rohas, you’re quite skilled with a Knife.”
I looked back and forth between Everett and the Knife, then clapped my hands together.
It was like appreciation for a clever trick.
A window opened, and the flush that had subsided in Everett returned, soft and warm.
‘He must have exerted quite a bit of strength cutting.’
Indeed, to cut so cleanly with a dull blade would require several times the normal effort.
As Sir Rohas gave a few small coughs, the Golden Light that had softly brightened the Knife began to fade, and then vanished entirely.
“It’s nothing special…….”
Crack.
Because he spoke so casually, if the Plate hadn’t split clean in half during the syllables “nothing” and “special,” I might have simply let it pass.
‘So that’s the sound a Plate makes when it breaks.’
The Plate split perfectly in half, as if cut deliberately with a diamond-edged Knife, and the perfectly sliced steak flew out of the Plate.
Everett’s pupils trembled as though an earthquake had struck.
Startled by the loud noise, I met his eyes immediately and, witnessing his pupils quivering, I burst out laughing.
“You didn’t need to cut the Plate too.”
I laughed so hard that tears pooled at the corners of my eyes, and I teased him playfully while wiping them away.
“The Plate was fragile.”
Everett mumbled his excuse while avoiding my gaze.
“Sure, let’s go with that.”
I graciously accepted his explanation.
I laughed until my sides ached, then rang the bell to order a new steak.
While we waited for the food to arrive, I kept teasing Everett.
His reactions—as though he were unused to being teased—had a refreshing quality to them.
The awkward silence that had hung between us vanished in an instant.
In the now-relaxed atmosphere, we carefully finished our meal, even getting dessert, and left the Restaurant feeling considerably closer.
Since we’d met in the early afternoon, it was still bright outside.
‘Should I suggest getting him a drink in return?’
But that seemed too textbook a date activity.
I suddenly remembered Coni, who’d been so excited about pairing me and Everett.
Without Everett noticing, I shook my head to clear the thought.
As if on cue, Everett asked.
“Do you have any plans after this?”
“No, not particularly.”
I answered honestly.
“Then I’ll see you home.”
Everett extended his hand.
‘Now that I think about it, this pattern is so familiar.’
At his textbook-perfect deportment, I smiled to myself.
‘Not that I’m going to refuse.’
I gladly accepted Everett’s Escort.
As we walked after the tension had been broken by the Plate incident, our conversation flowed smoothly.
We chatted as we walked, and before I knew it—as though someone had fast-forwarded time—the green roof of the Apartment Complex where I lived came into view.
Everett stopped in the Alley near where I had said goodbye to him last time.
“There’s nothing suspicious this time, but I want you to go straight inside without lingering elsewhere, Miss Diaz.”
And with that, he simply nodded farewell and turned to leave.
It was a thoughtful gesture, hoping I’d get home safely.
‘I thought he was just a taciturn man.’
The awkwardness had been brief.
The conversation was enjoyable, and being with him felt comfortable.
I watched Everett’s retreating figure for a moment, then called out to him.
“Wait, Sir Rohas.”
Everett paused and turned to face me.
I shuffled my feet nervously, scuffing the ground with my toes.
“I did remember to bring that Handkerchief you lent me last time.”
I carefully withdrew the neatly folded Handkerchief from the pocket of my Dress.
“But I’ll return it to you next time.”
For some reason, it felt right to do it that way.

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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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