Episode 120. Karma (1)

“Why isn’t he back yet…”

No matter how big the Count’s Family castle is, it’s still just a castle. It’s not like he’s crossing mountains or traversing forests. For her husband, Edward, to take this long to fetch her mother from within the castle… It’s impossible unless he’s crawling on all fours from Vera’s room to the dining hall. Unless…

‘Could it be…’

“Did Mom wake up super late?”

“W-Well, wouldn’t you think so?”

“That’s odd. It’s rare for our mom to wake up this late.”

Monica’s mother was the most diligent person she knew, always waking up earlier than her and finishing the day later. She thought her sleep schedule was inhuman, but, yeah, there are times when she shows a human side like this. Monica, who couldn’t even imagine suspecting her mother more than her husband, could only guess that much, logically.

“…Right. I don’t think I’ve ever seen this before either. I wonder why.”

‘I think I know why though…’

Winnie, who said that, also had a weary look around her eyes. Winnie, who knew about the relationship between Vera and Edward, who had gone to fetch her, felt a pang in her heart, but she couldn’t show it in front of Monica.

“Has something been making you tired lately? Winnie, you look pretty tired too.”

“Umm, I’m okay…”

“Are you still not feeling well? Did I force you to come?”

“No, I wanted to come.”

Winnie had joined the meal at Monica’s invitation after a long time. If it were a normal situation, she would have refused with various excuses, saying it was burdensome or annoying to intrude on a family gathering, but…

‘Because I can see Edward…’

“You look tired…”

“I said I’m fine.”

Monica and Winnie chatted while waiting for the two. Mostly Monica was talking and Winnie was listening, though. While spending time picking at the salad, which was served as an appetizer before the meal, with a fork… She felt a presence near the door.

“Oh? I guess they’re here.”

Monica, realizing that her mother and husband had arrived from the gradually audible conversation, opened the door as if to greet them.

Beolkeok-

“Kyaaak!”

What she saw was her mother and husband, Vera and Edward, embracing each other for some reason. To be exact, Vera was almost clinging to him, almost lying in the air, with her body pressed tightly against Edward’s. Monica’s actions froze momentarily at the incomprehensible situation. Why was her mother making such a flustered expression when she saw her? Her husband, whose expression was not visible due to the angle, was catching Vera and helping her up at a very fast pace.

“Sorry, Mother-in-law slept in a bit.”

“Ah, yeah… What was that just now?”

Her husband had a very calm face. He didn’t seem to think it was a situation to be embarrassed or misunderstood, just a nonchalant face.

“Just now? Mother-in-law almost fell, so I caught her.”

“Y-Yeah, that’s right. Geez, what’s wrong with me…”

Her meticulous and elegant mother, not only sleeping in but also almost falling? Suddenly, the time when Edward proposed to her mother flashed before her eyes. She scolded herself for having unnecessary thoughts, for thinking such things about her mother, but negative thoughts continued to multiply and spread in her mind.

“…You caught her when she almost fell?”

“Of course, honey. Let’s eat quickly. I’m hungry.”

Edward let go of Vera’s hand, grabbed her wrist, and led her into the dining hall. Monica’s mind, being led by her manly husband, was filled with one word.

‘H-Honey?’

Honey?

Her husband, who was awkward whenever he called her, who had difficulty speaking informally to her? Not her name, not a word like “you,” but calling her “honey” affectionately? It made her feel shy just listening to it. She was also awkward when she called Edward, so she called him “you,” but she was embarrassed but not displeased by Edward’s sudden big step closer.

She entered the dining hall as he led her and sat down. All the negative emotions that had remained in her mind had disappeared.

‘Did I get away with it?’

I’m sitting down to eat with Monica. I’m sitting with Monica at a square, four-person table, not the large, long table used for banquets. And Vera-nuna is sitting across from me.

I faced Monica’s ‘scary face’ for the first time in a while earlier. I tried to get away with saying that I caught Vera-nuna when she fell, but I was a little late, and Monica seemed to be slightly suspicious. If I had left it as it was, I thought that the appearance I had experienced would really come out again, so I threw it out there…

“Heuheum, delicious.”

She seems happy. It’s a little strange that she’s smiling to herself while watching me eat, but even if I just suck on my fork, I don’t feel anything particularly strange. When I glanced at Vera-nuna while eating, she nodded her head slightly as if she was relieved. It seems like Monica got away with it like this… but there was still a remaining problem. I looked at the person sitting next to Vera-nuna, diagonally across from me.

Hwik-

‘Haa…’

She was staring at me intently, but when I looked at her, she avoided my eyes like that. It’s not like she’s sulking… She’s completely dejected, so I feel very uncomfortable. I wonder how she’s been doing while organizing her thoughts and calming her mind for the past few days, she looks like she’s in very bad shape.

Even now, Winnie is picking at the meat in front of her, barely eating her rice. Judging by what she’s doing, she must have been eating like that for the past few days. She glances at me once and stabs the innocent meat once, then looks at me again and sighs softly, stabbing it, which feels a little scary. Winnie was a witch, wasn’t she…?

Haa… I can’t help it. Winnie isn’t the type to be proactive enough to step forward first, so she’ll continue to be like that until I comfort her myself. I have to do something…

Kook-

“Huh?”

“Here, eat. H-Honey.”

Monica held out a piece of meat to me. She cut a large piece that was on her plate and held it out in front of me, skewered on a fork. No, why is she suddenly doing something she doesn’t usually do…?

“I can eat my own…”

“Hah?”

No, what is this in front of everyone, it’s embarrassing.

“Quickly. My arm hurts.”

I tried to take the fork because she kept holding it out, but she avoided my hand. In the end, I had no choice but to obediently accept the food that Monica was feeding me. It’s definitely delicious, but it’s so big that I feel like I’m choking. No, is it for another reason that I feel like I’m choking?

Vera-nuna was watching this with a proud look. Well, I’ve done even more with Nuna. She’s just eating her meal leisurely, watching her daughter step up with satisfaction. But our Young Lady sitting next to her…

Kook-

Juice splatters every time a knife invades a well-cooked piece of meat. Don’t other people care? I get a little anxious when I see things like that. Winnie is gradually making a face like Daria, not eating her rice and just mashing the meat.

I really feel like the rice is stuck in my throat. Monica kept looking at my steak as if she wanted me to do the same for her in return, but I pretended not to notice because I thought Winnie would really stab something other than the meat with her knife if I did that. I doubt Winnie would do that, but there’s no point in scratching her the wrong way, is there? It’s also a little awkward to do that much for Monica… No, I decided to think less about these things.

Anyway, now that it’s like this, I can’t take care of Winnie directly. If I did that in front of Monica… Fortunately, Vera-nuna noticed when I kept giving her hints and took care of Winnie. That’s a relief.

Before I knew it, the meal was over, and Monica said to me while drinking tea.

“Come to think of it, shouldn’t you start working soon too?”

“Hmm? Suddenly?”

“Now that you can read, it’s too wasteful not to give you anything to do. It doesn’t make sense for you to be a Knight and not know anything about the state of the County.”

Hmm, what is she trying to make me do? I feel like the meat she fed me earlier was given to me so I would listen well.

“I have to train.”

“I won’t make you do a lot that will take a long time, so don’t worry.”

While listening to Monica’s explanation, Winnie got up from her seat.

“I’ll get up first.”

“Oh, Winnie. Are you already done eating?”

“Yeah, I’m full.”

“There are still a lot of cookies left…”

Winnie quickly left the dining hall. I have to comfort her… It looks like I won’t have any more time.