CH 7.4

“Ugly, you…”

Michael was happy to see her, so he tried to call her as usual, but the sight of Anna in front of him prevented him from doing so.

Lila, who gently swept Michael’s hair, asked.

“Did you miss me?”

“Who needs someone like you…”

Michael blushed at the embarrassing words that came out of his mouth and lowered his head.

“Michael.”

Lucas’s firm call made him wince. Lila shook her head at Lucas as if to tell him not to, then whispered softly to him.

“I’ve been missing you.”

“…”

Lila grinned out of the corner of her eye, and Michael flushed.

“By the way, aren’t you eating too little?”

Vincent asked, comparing her own food to Michael’s plate. It was too little, even for a nine-year-old.

Lucas gave him a knowing look, and Anna spoke up, her voice filled with displeasure.

“That’s enough, I decide what my son eats. You haven’t even become a duchess yet. I don’t appreciate your presumptuous meddling.”

“Why is it presumptuous, I’m his aunt.”

Lucas, who was about to say something to Anna, was silenced by Lila’s words. Her demeanor was so different from the one he’d seen on the way back, it was refreshing.

Anna flashed him a mocking glance, then lectured Lila.

“They say you never know what’s going to happen until you walk down the aisle. So my advice is to keep to your own subject matter and mind your own business.”

Anna said before cutting the steak into small pieces and popping them into her mouth. One corner of her lips twitched subtly, as if she found Lila’s demeanor amusing.

Lila didn’t heed Anna’s advice and cut her own steak into bite-sized pieces.

She cleared Michael’s plate and handed over her own, calling out to Vincent.

“Will you bring it back?”

“Yes, Duchess.”

Vincent gestured to the maids around him. Anna frowned at Vincent’s comment.

She also glared at Lila, who hadn’t listened to her and was daring to hand Michael new food.

“I’m sure I told you to keep your place and out of the subject matter.”

“That’s what I wanted to say.”

Lila added cheerfully, taking a light gulp of water to quench her thirst.

Dumbfounded by her words, Anna quietly put down her knife and fork and wiped the corner of her mouth with a napkin before speaking.

“Looking at that ugly face, I don’t think I can eat with you.”

With that, Anna stood up, but before she could say anything, Lila beat her to it.

Just as Lucas had offered her his hand at his coming of age, she wanted to help them this time.

“I think you’re the one who needs to keep your place, don’t you think?”

“Excuse me?”

“I don’t think that’s something you should say in the presence of the Duke. And even if you were his mother, you wouldn’t be able to make decisions about his diet or skin care. If he’s allergic to cucumbers, giving him cucumber treatments or a salad with cucumbers in it would be like giving him poison. Even if you didn’t know it, I’m here to tell you that you no longer have any say in the young master’s diet and beauty.”

“…Cucumber allergy?”

“Yes, some people are congenitally incompatible with cucumbers.”

“What does that mean?”

Lucas had never heard that before. As he stared at her as if wanting an answer, Lila answered.

“I just found out, too. The young master isn’t supposed to eat cucumbers. It’s a good thing you’re not allergic to them, because they can kill you.”

Lucas’s eyes sharpened at Lila’s words, Anna met his gaze, and Michael’s expression turned sour.

Lila felt sorry for him and wondered if she should have said anything, but Lucas spoke up.

“Michael, is my wife’s story true?”

Anna looked at him urgently and shook her head, but he responded with a look of disappointment.

“I didn’t even know what an allergy was. But ugly said cucumbers doesn’t taste very spicy.”

At the sound of his voice, Lila bit her lip hard.

“…Yes, cucumbers don’t taste like that.”

“I didn’t know that.”

Leaving Michael with his head down and whimpering softly, Lucas lifted his head and glared at Anna.

Anna looked at him in bewilderment, then blurted out.

“How would I know that!”

Lucas hissed lowly at her as she continued to shout.

“If you don’t have the manners to eat, I suggest you leave this table. If you have something to say, I’ll hear it in private.”

Lila finished her meal with a slurp and followed closely behind Michael. Lucas watched them for a moment before heading for his office.

Michael glanced back at Lila, who had been following him from earlier, and then turned toward the garden.

He tripped over his own short legs.

“Are you okay?”

Lila asked, rushing over and helping him to his feet.

He crouched down and stared at Lila as she helped him up and brushed off his clothes.

Then, cautiously, he spoke.

“It’s my first time…”

“What?”

“First time anyone’s ever helped me up.”

Michael turned his head away as he spoke, tears glistening in his eyes. Lila looked up at him, her expression filled with pity.

“Those eyes are weird, too.”

Michael rubbed his short fingers across the corners of Lila’s eyes.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t think about the shock you must be feeling, and I said too much…”

Lila was angry at what Anna had done to Michael, but she blamed herself for not thinking of the child’s feelings.

“It’s okay… It’s not like I didn’t know, do you think I’m stupid now?”

“No, of course not, I know how smart you are.”

“Okay, then there’s no way I didn’t know.”

Michael looked at Lila, then turned his back on her and began to walk away. She hurriedly got to her feet and followed closely behind him.

They arrived at a bench in the hydrangea garden and Michael sat down, patting the seat beside him with his hand.

Lila sat down quickly.

“But you look different today. It’s like I’ve seen you before.”

Michael said, touching Lila’s face. She placed her hand on the back of his small hand and laughed when he made a ‘hehe’ sound.

“I’m going to try to be as courageous as you are.”

“Courage?”

“Yes, the young master has courage. I know you always study hard and don’t skip physical training.”

Lila had asked Vincent once. She had been told that Lucas was busy, but Michael was just as busy.

Lila felt affection for Michael and Lucas, even if it was only for a short time. The fact that they could share secrets was probably the biggest reason.

After a moment of silence, Michael began to speak.

“I hate the color of my eyes. I wish they were the same color as my uncle’s.”

Michael hated the color of his eyes. He hated the way his eyes craved affection, and he hated the way Anna always looked at him with a disapproving expression.

He hated the color pink, especially since they were the same color.

“I wish they were blue, like yours.”

“I like your eyes. You know how much I love the color pink.”

“…Really?”

“Yes, really. The Duke wore a pink shirt the other day, and he looked so cool. Do you think you could wear one sometime? I think it would look very nice on you…”

“How can a man wear a pink shirt?”

Michael frowned, and Lila retorted.

“I’m sure you’ll look good in it, and who says a man can’t wear pink, does that mean I can’t wear blue?”

“Why, you’ll look great!”

“Well, why don’t you come with me and wear pink? If you’re too embarrassed to wear it alone, you can wear it with me, okay?”

Michael looked at Lila and then turned his gaze sideways, his thirst for air seeming to ease a little at her affection.

He hadn’t expected love from his mother in the first place. He’d just been left with regrets…

But when he saw the warmth in Lila’s eyes, he wondered if he should only seek affection from his mother. He thought that to himself.

Sensible Michael squeezed Lila’s hand as she looked at him wistfully.

“I have no appetite these days…”

“What’s wrong with you, why don’t you have an appetite, should we call the doctor?”

Looking into Lila’s eyes, Michael replied weakly.

“I don’t know, I don’t think I’ll be able to sleep tonight.”

Lila felt her heart tighten as he took her hand and leaned his head on her shoulder.

He was so cute.

So ridiculously cute.

She wrapped her arms around Michael’s head and said.

“Then sleep with me.”

“…Then I’ll sleep with you because you asked me to sleep with you, and I usually sleep well on my own. Okay?”

“Sure, sure, I’m just asking you to do me a favor.”

“Yeah, well, since you’re asking, I can’t say no.”

“Well, would you like some hot cocoa before bed?”

“…Yes.”

Lila knew Michael’s sweet tooth well.

“Well, come on in.”

“Sure.”

Taking Lila’s hand casually, Michael began to walk with her. Looking up at her as they stood side by side, he stepped out with more vigor than before.