The skin that had become even smoother, jet-black hair neatly combed, decadent crimson eyes, sharp nose, and beneath it all, those tempting lips.

My breath seemed to catch in my throat, thanks to my husband’s increasingly charming appearance day by day. I worried that my heart might burst at this rate. What if it actually did? It was a troubling thought.

‘Just a little more, just a little!’

It was just a mere footstep away. If he just leaned in a bit more, our lips would meet.

They were almost at their destination.

At the moment when he was raising his chin with a sly look in his captivating eyes,

Bam! A loud hand slammed onto the dining table. The neatly arranged dishes rattled, and immediately a sharp sound filled the dining room.

“What’s going on? Your Grace!”

Advisor Melvin stormed in like a lightning bolt. He quickly surveyed the chaotic scene and sent a resentful look my way.

“It wasn’t me!”

I quickly waved my hands to dispel any suspicion that might have fallen on me. Meanwhile, Edmund, who had taken his seat, shrugged his shoulders nonchalantly.

“We’ll clean this up quickly.”

As Melvin spoke, the servants who had been outside swiftly cleaned up the mess. The disarrayed dishes were soon back in their places.

“Once it’s all sorted, you may leave. If I need you, I’ll call you. Don’t come in unless summoned.”

With Edmund’s final words, the previously noisy surroundings returned to peace, except for me, who had missed a golden opportunity.

‘Annoying… I was so close…’

Edmund glanced at me, then shook his head with a stiff expression. He finally spoke with a poker face.

“Shall we start again?”

“Your crisis management skills are quite impressive, aren’t they? You grab my hand first and then come offering an olive branch?”

“Because you’re terrible at it. I was just showing you an example.”

“Oh, I see. Were you afraid I might charge at you? Resorting to such a desperate tactic?”

“Desperate? Are you talking about what you just said to me?”

“Who else is here besides you? You held hands, messed up the table, all of that was you. And now you’re trying to turn it around. Is this supposed to be desperate?”

“Well, it looks like you’re going all out now.”

“Fine, fine. Let’s just continue. I don’t want to get dirty and risk my life for this.”

“Good thinking. It’s better for both of us if we don’t.”

Edmund smirked, his eyes gleaming mischievously.

“Ugh, how infuriating…”

If we continued this conversation, my patience might wear thin, and I might just explode. It might be better to stay silent.

I pressed my lips tightly for the sake of our future. Amid the uncertain silence, Edmund held a knife and finally spoke.

“Let’s start from scratch. Hold your wrist like this, keep your elbow relaxed. Then, use the fork to secure the food firmly and apply pressure with the hand holding the knife. Like this.”

Edmund demonstrated neatly sliced pieces of meat and effortlessly put it in his mouth.

His face was handsome, his cutting skills were excellent. Was there anything he lacked? I couldn’t admit defeat and adjusted my grip on the knife.

“I can do it, too!”

Not long after, clank!

The tip of my knife hitting the plate made a loud noise. Our foreheads creased in unison, as if it were an agreement.

“Ugh! Why isn’t it cutting properly?”

“Do you think there’s something wrong with me? My knife slices perfectly fine.”

“Huh! Edmund, were you always this talkative? You’ve never had a problem being all talk and no action.”

“… “

I had been looking at my plate and suddenly shifted my focus toward him. Then, I felt myself blushing, as if to say, “When did this happen?”

“Darn it. Your face is a weapon, indeed. It’s unfair and annoying, but when I see your face, my anger just melts away.”

Frustrated, I grit my teeth and clenched my fist. I locked my red pupils onto him, and an awkward silence hung in the air for a while.

“L-let’s continue. With practice, I might… improve.”

I said stubbornly. I was not about to let myself be trampled upon so mercilessly. I continued to stare at the plate as if I could rip it apart with my intense gaze.

Clatter! A nonchalant hand reached into my field of vision. The torn meat, which had become a mess rather than neatly sliced pieces, disappeared.

“Let’s start with this. We need to fill our stomachs.”

Edmund placed the neatly cut pieces of food in front of me. His large pupils were filled with a sense of achievement.

The well-sliced meat looked so inviting, and my already noisy stomach reacted instantly.

“Darling…!”

Just as I was about to get up, Edmund raised one hand and then quickly straightened it out.

“No unnecessary physical contact. Words are enough for gratitude.”

“Alright, alright. I won’t touch you. But you pretend not to care while secretly paying attention. Wouldn’t it be nice if you made your words prettier, my dear?”

I tried to make a cute moue as a way of expressing gratitude.

“Ah, something seems strange.”

* * *

Edmund still couldn’t get used to her actions.

The affectionate nickname “my dear,” the occasional bursts of cuteness, and the way she popped up unexpectedly—it was all quite unusual. However, what was even more strange was that he didn’t actually dislike it.

“Ahem, let’s eat already. At this rate, the food will get cold. It’s as bad as a tough calf roast.”

Edmund focused his gaze on the knife he was holding. Then he spoke in a firm tone. In contrast, her face was adorned with a bright smile.

It wasn’t exactly what she had hoped for, but over the past few days, she had grown closer to Edmund.

‘As long as things continue like this, the reunion shouldn’t be a problem.’

With a piece of meat in her mouth, she chewed thoughtfully. As she savored it, her loud stomach responded in kind.

“It sounds like it suits your taste.”

“Of course. It’s so delicious; how could it not?”

She hummed a tune while chewing the meat. Suddenly, a hearty laugh escaped Edmund’s lips.

It felt like they had become entirely different people. Just a few days ago, she couldn’t stand being in the same room with him, let alone eat together. Watching him enjoy himself so openly was a new experience.

“Maybe it’s better this way.”

“Huh? What do you mean?”

In response to her question, Edmund merely raised the corner of his mouth and remained silent, offering no further explanation.

“Chew slowly, and be careful not to make any noise.”

“Okay.”

In embarrassment, she let out a soft sigh and gently placed the fork back on the plate.

“Keep the fork’s tip facing upward, and do the same with the knife.”

Edmund spoke in a casual tone.

“Ah!”

Feeling a sudden self-consciousness, she let out a small exclamation and wrinkled her nose. Carefully, she placed the fork down.

“Eat slowly, one bite at a time. Be cautious not to make any noise.”

“Sure.”

In response to the continued coaching, she drily replied and refocused on her food. Edmund, too, put a piece of sliced meat into his mouth and quietly chewed and swallowed it.

The mouthful of savory juices spread, and the tender, chewy texture stimulated her taste buds. The plate was empty before she knew it.

Only after clearing every last piece of meat did she finally put down her fork. In the aftermath of the meal, she let out a contented sigh, her satisfied stomach producing a pleasant sound.

“Mmm… That was delicious.”

“When you finish a meal, you should place the knife and fork side by side, with the tines facing down to the right. It doesn’t matter now since there are no servants, but if they were here, placing them that way would prevent your food from disappearing.”

“Since we’re always eating together, it doesn’t matter. If anyone tries to take my food, you can stop them.”

“Do you think I have nothing better to do?”

“If it’s for me, I’m sure you’d make time. We agreed that you’d teach me, remember?”

At the unfamiliar words, Edmund’s gaze once again fixed on the plate. Then, he quickly changed the subject.

“When eating, you should pay the most attention to noise. You shouldn’t make scraping sounds with the plate like earlier.”

“I want to do well, too. But my knife skills are lacking, and I can’t control my strength properly. Plus, my hands hurt.”

She grumbled. Whether he noticed her complaints or not, Edmund suddenly turned his head.

“You’ll get better with practice.”

He calmly replied, then picked up a glass placed in front of him.

“Can’t you just keep cutting for me like you did today? It’s nice when you do it. We’re sharing a meal, after all.”

Simultaneously, Edmund sprayed the water he was drinking from his mouth. After wiping his wet mouth, he spoke coldly, as if to say, “When did this happen?”

“One favor is enough.”

“That’s not how it works. If a man has a knife, he should use it! Just do it for me. Then I can eat what you give me, simple as that, right?”

“Don’t talk nonsense.”

“But it’s really difficult. Look at this! With these wrists that feel like they might break at any moment, what can I do?”

Edmund’s gaze followed hers. Her wrist, concealed beneath her stern dress, revealed itself as thin as if it might snap at any moment.

Her slender wrist, almost fragile compared to his robust arm. In the depths of his heart, indescribable emotions swirled. After a moment of silence, he cleared his throat and reluctantly opened his sealed lips.

“It’s something even children can do. There’s no way you can’t.”

“Tsk. You really think I asked you to do it because I can’t? Anyway, you lack charm. You’re too rigid, like a wooden post. Too straightforward.”

She grumbled to herself, her tongue clicking. Edmund struggled to keep his composure, unfolded his wrinkled brow and spoke.

“Today’s lesson ends here. Tomorrow, I’ll teach you about tea. You’ve probably forgotten how to hold a knife by now.”

“Wait a minute! You mean today’s lesson ends here? We still have lunch and dinner, you know? I still have a lot to learn. It’s impossible to become self-sufficient with this little training.”

“I have other places to go. Unlike someone who has lost their memory, I’m not free all day. Tell Sasha, and she’ll take care of the rest of your meals.”

With this final objection, Edmund left the dining room.