MLHBMH 34

Chapter 34

The place Herald took Lily to was a small restaurant about a 30-minute walk from their meeting point. The exterior of the building looked a bit worn, but the interior was clean. The hall, slightly larger than Lily’s bedroom, had only three tables, and no other customers were in sight.

Although Herald assured her that they wouldn’t meet any other patrons, Lily had been worried. Seeing it empty, she felt relieved.

“Can I choose the menu freely?”
“Yes.”

Not knowing what was good and knowing she couldn’t eat much anyway, Lily left everything to Herald. Without even looking at the menu, he placed the order skillfully.

“You come to this restaurant often, I suppose.”
“I used to come often, but it’s been a while. I haven’t been in the capital recently.”
“Then where have you been?”
“Here and there. I’ve been to so many places that it’s hard to list them all.”

People from the Oppenheimer family were said to be highly curious, traveling across the continent for research—maybe this man was the same.

As they chatted lightly, fresh salad, bread, and drinks with floating ice cubes were served. Lily noticed cucumbers among the fresh vegetables in Herald’s salad and frowned.

Even this restaurant… cucumbers in the salad… wait, mine doesn’t have any.

She stirred her bowl with a fork, hoping it was hiding underneath, but her salad contained no cucumbers.

He removed the cucumbers just from mine.

It wasn’t likely that a stranger in the kitchen knew her taste. Herald must have told them in advance. That meant Herald remembered that she disliked cucumbers.

“……”

Moved by that, Lily bit her lip. It wasn’t that extraordinary—after all, she still remembered that Herald disliked tomatoes. So it wasn’t unusual that he remembered her preferences.

But her heart swelled because it had been so long since someone had cared enough to think about her. Unlike Fredrik and the others, who never remembered her tastes even after dozens of shared meals.

To be precise, Fredrik pretended not to remember. Before marriage, he remembered clearly what she liked and disliked, but once they married, he ignored it all as if it never mattered.

As if saying, “I’ve taken all I need from you; I have no intention of doing more.”

We’re just like the two of us who were used and abandoned by Marquis Benjamin, Lily thought, recalling the words of the Countess of Valliman, and her expression darkened further. Out of pride, she denied it, but in truth, it was all accurate.

Perhaps the Countess of Valliman is actually in a better position.
She could abandon Fredrik, but I couldn’t abandon him.

“Are you not going to eat?”

When Lily only stirred her salad with a serious face without eating, Herald asked. But there was no reply. After calling her several times to no avail, he snapped his fingers in front of her face.

With the click, Lily’s mind, lost in a gloomy swamp, came back about halfway. She slowly blinked and looked at Herald. Seeing her still-unfocused green eyes, he frowned and asked,

“Thinking about someone else while sitting in front of me—isn’t that a bit much?”
“Ah, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to… I really am sorry.”

Finally fully attentive, Lily bowed and apologized. Seeing this, Herald, still displeased, pointed with his fork to the perfectly roasted turkey just brought by the chef and said,

“If you’re sorry, eat this entirely.”
“This… by myself?”

Lily was taken aback by the absurd request to eat a turkey large enough for four people alone. Herald placed a turkey leg on her plate.

“Let’s start with the leg. It’s the tastiest part.”
“…I can’t eat it all by myself.”

Lily protested, and Herald laughed.

“I know. That’s why I said start with the leg. I’ll consider giving you more afterward.”

The word “consider” sounded suspiciously like a promise of more. Lily stared at the delicious turkey leg, then cut the remaining leg and placed it on Herald’s plate.

“You eat, too.”
“After you.”

Hearing him call her “you” so directly felt like soft feathers tickling her heart, and she gripped her fork tightly. She knew what this feeling was but was determined never to admit it—yet it stirred violently in her heart.

The turkey, seemingly roasted in a wood-fired oven, was perfectly seasoned. The side dishes were delicious, and the pudding for dessert was flawless.

Ironically, the more Lily ate, the gloomier she felt. She knew it was almost time to correct the course of fate she had temporarily strayed from.

In truth, it was already quite late. Originally, she should have spoken and parted ways long ago, but unexpectedly having dinner together delayed that moment.

Before leaving the restaurant, she had to speak. The private setting allowed them to talk without others noticing. Lily pondered while eating pudding, wondering how and when to bring up the subject.

“The pudding seems insufficient.”
“Eh?”

Startled by the sudden comment, Lily looked at him. Herald smiled and pointed at her pudding bowl.

“I said that because you kept pretending to eat even though there’s none left.”
“Oh.”

Realizing her pudding bowl was empty, Lily’s cheeks flushed. She imagined herself still pretending to eat in empty air, and felt embarrassed.

“If it’s insufficient, we can order more.”
“No, it’s enough.”

She truly meant it. The food was delicious, and Herald had kept encouraging her to try everything, so she was already full.

“By the way… I’m curious about Mr. Dillon.”
“Curious?”
“Yes. How did you know I was at the Stacy estate and send a letter?”

Depending on how much he knew, what she should say would differ, so she asked this first. Herald looked resolute but with a hint of unease in his green eyes and replied:

“Miss Kennedy Stacy told me.”

As expected, it was Kennedy. Lily clenched her hands on her lap. Her suspicion that he might be Kennedy Stacy’s new fiancé was turning into near certainty.

“Are you engaged to Kennedy Stacy?”

Wanting clarification, she asked. Herald snorted.

“I think you’re mistaken. I’m not involved with Kennedy Stacy at all.”
“But you said you heard it from her…”
“I asked Miss Stacy if it would be possible to meet the Earl of Stacy. She said she had prior plans today, meeting with Marquis Benjamin and his wife, so it wouldn’t work.”

Half truth, half lie. Herald had already known that Lily would meet the Earl of Stacy with Fredrik before asking Kennedy. He asked to confirm while preparing for such situations—he couldn’t let them find out he had been tailing Lily or investigating the Benjamin estate.

“The Marquis and his wife…”

Lily’s expression turned pale as a blank sheet of paper, her words trailing off. Concerned, Herald reached out his hand.

“Ah…!”

Startled, Lily stood up. The chair toppled with a loud clatter, despite the soft carpet.

“What happened?”

An employee, hearing the noise, tried to open the inner door, but Herald silently gestured for them to stay out. The employee retreated and closed the door.

Herald’s attention was solely on Lily, and hers solely on him. Her eyes never wavered from his gaze, though she looked as if she wanted to flee.

“Lily.”

Herald called her name. She flinched and lowered her gaze.

“…It must be the Marchioness Benjamin.”

Looking up again, her expression was resigned, as if she had given up on everything.

“You know I’m married… that I have a husband.”
“I know.”

Unable to feign ignorance, Herald admitted it.

“But… why did you ask to meet me?”
“……”

Unlike before, he couldn’t answer. He didn’t know why either. He had never really thought about the reason he wanted to meet her.

The sudden desire to see her and her bright smile had driven him to write the letter.

He wanted to see her. To see that bright, smiling face. That was the reason he wanted to meet her.