IRER 87

Chapter 87

 A Meal Only the Two of Them Can Share

Brody blinked rapidly, unsure how to react to the sudden hug.

But his embarrassment didn’t last long. He pulled Brody in tightly, then quickly relaxed his grip.

After letting go, he began kneading Brody’s legs, which were stretched out on the bed.

“I’m sorry this is all I can do for you.”

As his warm, large hands worked over muscles that had been tense all day, Brody felt herself melting with drowsy relief.

At the same time, she could feel the rough texture of his palms.

It reminded her of how exhausting his day must have been.

“……”

Brody carried out the plan she had made for him.

Aiden was so focused on massaging her legs that he didn’t notice what she was doing.

After a moment, Brody tapped him lightly to get his attention.

When Aiden turned to her, she was holding a collection of brightly colored objects in her arms.

Some shapes were unfamiliar, but from their fragrance and form, Aiden could easily guess what they were.

Fruits.

“Stop that and have some of this.”

Brody placed a generous amount of fruit between them.

There was no need to ask where she got them. It was obvious that Brody had conjured them herself.

She peeled one and popped it into her mouth.

Aiden stared at her suspiciously as she suddenly began eating.

“Are you sure it’s alright to use your powers like this? It must be tiring.”

Sigh, worrywart. If she didn’t hand it to him, he wouldn’t eat either? Brody peeled another piece—the same fruit she had eaten—and offered it to Aiden.

It was a banana, yellow and soft-skinned.

“Anyway, I can only give this to Your Highness. If I gave it to anyone else, they’d ask where I got it from, and that would just be troublesome.”

Aiden smiled weakly at her thoughtfulness and, holding the fruit with Brody’s hand, took a bite.

Feeling the soft texture and sweet taste fill his mouth for the first time, Aiden struggled to hold back tears.

He wanted to tell her she didn’t need to fuss over him, that it was more painful than comforting.

But if he insisted now, they would both end up exhausted.

So, with a quiet heart, he accepted her kindness. At that moment, he had never felt more weary and resentful of being the duke of the North, the ruined North.

“It’s delicious.”

Finally, he let go of Brody’s hand.

Watching the sharp lines of his handsome forehead, thick eyebrows, and delicate, slightly trembling eyelashes slowly straighten like a painting before him, Brody shivered lightly.

From the deep shadows between his brows, from the deliberate slow movements…

She could easily read his suffering.

Was he crying? It was reasonable to suspect so before he lifted his head.

But when he finally looked up, he smiled.

The expression seemed almost more burdensome than sorrowful, and Brody’s heart tightened. She felt a pang of sadness.

After filling their stomachs with fruit, Brody brightly commanded:

“Your Highness, I’m very tired. Could you bring me a towel soaked in wash water?”

Aiden immediately obeyed like a robot receiving a command.

“Would you also like me to wipe you?”

But with the next exaggerated command, he seemed to falter as if malfunctioning.

Brody reached for the towel in his hands, pretending to whine to lighten the mood.

“I’m joking.”

However, Aiden didn’t let go, so Brody failed to take the towel.

“Is it alright if I do it myself?”

“……”

It wasn’t unpleasant—just awkward. But faced with Aiden actively approaching, Brody couldn’t help but nod.

Using his large, somewhat rough hands, he carefully wiped Brody’s face.

He then cleaned her neck, hands, and all visible skin before returning the towel to the basin.

As he rose, Brody thought she was done, but Aiden, returning with clothes and a box, stopped her.

He said, “Caleb gave me instructions. How to remove ornaments, manage hair, and help you dress and undress.”

“Caleb told Your Highness?”

Brody blinked at him in surprise before bursting into laughter.

The image of stoic Caleb meticulously explaining women’s fashion to Aiden, who outwardly remained expressionless while mentally absorbing it all, was absurdly funny.

“Yes. He picked up all the know-how and tips.”

Brody smiled sincerely, and Aiden felt a little lighter. Without realizing it, both wore genuine smiles.

Aiden wasn’t bluffing.

He deftly removed the ornaments from her hair.

He applied scented oil to prevent the braided hair from breaking and combed it out.

Exhaustion from the day’s long march and tension overcame Brody, and her eyes fluttered shut.

“I need to finish my plan…”

Muttering to himself, Aiden helped her change from the uncomfortable outfit into a nightdress without letting her notice his quiet laughter.

After yawning and changing clothes, Brody felt his touch and drifted into sleep.

❖ ❖ ❖

“Brody, wake up.”

“Mm…”

Brody lifted her heavy eyelids to bright air and a gentle voice.

Blinking as she adjusted to the new day, she saw an unfamiliar room.

‘Mm. We must be heading south. This is the lodging attached to the hall…’

As she processed reality, she was startled.

She felt a firm yet warm body against her back and face.

Soon, soft lips pressed gently between her brows and lifted.

Brody, flustered, stared at Aiden smiling right in front of her.

“Uh, Your Highness.”

Judging by the situation, Aiden had held her shoulder and cradled her comfortably so she could lean on him while sleeping.

He said, “You must be tired, but we should get up soon to reach the next destination on time.”

Trying not to show her embarrassment, Brody sat up.

Exposed to the winter air after the warmth, her back and shoulders quickly chilled.

“Ah, yes. I’ll get ready right away.”

As Brody rubbed her shoulders and left the bed, Aiden slowly rose and brought warm wash water.

Using a wet towel, Brody pressed it firmly against her face and thought:

What…? Did Your Highness hold me and sleep together through the night?

It was strange.

The person who had once said, “It’s hard to endure when you’re near,” now seemed fine.

‘It must be fine, then.’

Given her exhaustion and emotional drain, she couldn’t afford idle thoughts.

Still, it was fortunate that she had insisted on sleeping in the bed rather than on the floor.

After washing up, Aiden helped her dress.

“Did you really learn this from Caleb?”

Aiden guided her through dressing with precision.

“What about my hair?”

“Shall we just tie it?”

Brody gathered her now fuller morning curls with her fingers.

“Caleb said to wear this and this… wait a moment.”

Aiden applied scented oil and smoothed her hair, fixing it into a simpler but similar style to yesterday.

“How did you do this?”

Brody admired her reflection in the basin.

“Just as Caleb taught me…”

Since they had departed only a day after the plan was finalized, Caleb surely didn’t have long to explain to Aiden.

Aiden’s sharp eyes and skill with his hands were impressive.

Or maybe…

“Your Highness, are you an only child? Do you have a hidden sister?”

Aiden’s bitter smile answered, “No, I’m an only child.”

Hmm, he seems subtly familiar with women.

Even educated men like Ribera would struggle to identify whether this ornament was a hairpin or brooch.

Thinking this, Brody glanced at the ornaments on the table.

Wait…

‘Is this a hairpin or a brooch…?’

…See! Even I wouldn’t know! If so, then whether he has a sister or not wouldn’t matter.

Aiden’s voice broke her thought:

“I don’t have a sister, but I do have someone I grew up with like family.”

Ah, as expected. He had someone around him to observe. He couldn’t have learned it all from explanations alone.

Brody nodded in understanding.

Rationalizing that she was average at dressing herself, she erased from her mind the fact she had just deduced: “Whether he has a sister or not, he wouldn’t know anyway.”

Aiden, unaware of her joy, covered her with a cloak and handled the luggage without a hitch.

Thus, their journey resumed.

❖ ❖ ❖

Heading south, they steadily visited villages.

The day before leaving Potato Village, Brody recalled what Ribera had told her:

“When you arrive in a village, don’t stay in lodging—always be by His Highness’s side.”

She had agreed without objection, thinking it was simply concern for Aiden.

Now she realized there was more to it.

That cunning advisor, Ribera, surely wanted to put pressure on Brody.

‘To make me responsible as the Duchess, to let me see and assess things for myself, given my knowledge of plants.’

The first day, she was too tired and slept, but after that, she began drafting plans whenever she had free time.

She also organized ideas for village reconstruction as they came.

Seeing people in trouble and knowing what she could do, Brody couldn’t stay idle.

Having already resolved to devote herself to helping Aiden rebuild the North over three years, she found the current situation a powerful motivation.

‘I will succeed in trade with the South.’

Aiden watched Brody work tirelessly, unable to hide his worry.

Yet he seemed even more worn out than Brody.

He had begun suffering from intense headaches.

After the incident where he nearly killed female captives, strong headaches seemed to appear under severe pressure.

“Heehee-hing!”

On a mountain path toward the next village, a sudden group of a dozen or so bandits appeared.

Seeing the furrowed lines on Aiden’s forehead, Brody’s anxiety soared.