“Oh? Oh, y-yes, of course.”
Taken aback by the sudden kiss, Iberis stammered without realizing it. In an instant, all the remaining drowsiness and gloomy mood vanished.
“I-I’ll go wash up.”
Iberis turned and fled into the bathroom. Recently, Lucas had been initiating intimate skinship like this even outside of guiding sessions. His actions were so natural that Iberis didn’t know where to start in addressing it.
I should have said something properly from the beginning.
Groaning, Iberis rubbed his forehead, which still seemed to retain the soft sensation. Having missed the timing once, it felt awkward to tell him to stop now. …Honestly, it wasn’t that he disliked it that much.
Thinking his reflection in the mirror looked ridiculous, Iberis cupped water in both hands and washed his face. The moderately cool water moistened his skin, but his cheeks kept burning.
A moment later, having changed his clothes, he stepped out of the bedroom with hesitant steps. His eyes fell on the neatly set table on the balcony.
“We’re eating there?”
“Ah, yes. Please sit here.”
Lucas, who had been reading a newspaper, stood up and pulled out a chair for Iberis.
“The weather is nice. Hmm, but you should probably wear a cardigan.”
Seemingly bothered by Iberis’s somewhat thin clothing, Lucas went to the dressing room and returned with a thick knit cardigan.
“It was hard to find your clothes, Major, so I brought mine. It might be a bit big, but please wear it while we eat.”
“Thank you.”
Iberis accepted the cardigan without protest. As Lucas said, it was quite large. After rolling up the sleeves that almost covered his hands twice, he turned his head following the wind that tickled his hair.
Iberis smiled faintly as he gazed at the buildings that exuded a sense of history and the people moving about energetically from early morning. Although it was now fully autumn, the sunshine and air in Paris, France, were warmer than in N-Zone.
“This is nice too.”
Iberis murmured softly, seemingly pleased with the beautiful scenery and peaceful atmosphere. He couldn’t help but admire the view, which was completely different from N-0 Zone with its barren wasteland except for the military base and surrounding shops.
“Please eat before it gets cold.”
Lucas pushed the soup towards Iberis, as if saying to eat while looking.
“Ah, yes, I should.”
Finally tearing his eyes away from the scenery before him, Iberis picked up his spoon. Although he hadn’t felt particularly hungry, as soon as the savory and warm soup entered his throat, hunger suddenly rushed over him. Finding his appetite for the first time in a while, he emptied the soup bowl in one go.
“You’re eating well today. Not just picking at your food.”
“Somehow it’s going down smoothly. The toast is delicious too.”
“We should come out more often if you eat this well.”
Lucas smiled contentedly as Iberis finished all of his toast and salad without leaving anything. He refilled the half-empty teacup.
“Phew.”
Iberis exhaled languidly after cleansing his palate with the refreshing peppermint tea. The reason he liked mint was because he could taste coolness without it being cold.
Foods containing mint, like peppermint tea, mint candy, and mint chocolate, were treats that allowed Iberis, who had difficulty eating cold foods due to his constitution, to enjoy a refreshing taste without burdening his body.
“As expected, mint tea is the best after a meal.”
“It’s not good to drink the same tea every day. You should have variety. Now, only dessert is left. Please finish it.”
“I’m full…”
“They say there’s always room for dessert. You should be able to fit in some chocolate and pudding.”
Lucas picked up a cute animal-shaped chocolate with his hand and gently pressed it to Iberis’s lips, as if to say he shouldn’t leave it.
“You like sweet things, don’t you? Say ‘ah’.”
Having lived with Iberis for about half a year, Lucas had learned many things about him. One of them was Iberis’s food preferences. He liked refreshing foods like mint or sweet treats like chocolate.
The most surprising thing was that Iberis liked ice cream and iced Americano. He just refrained from them because they weren’t good for his health.
‘When I was young, I wanted ice cream so badly that I once bought and ate it, risking an upset stomach.’
‘Really?’
‘Yes, though I got scolded when my mother found out. Anyway, until a few years ago, I used to eat it occasionally.’
‘Ice cream?’
‘Ice cream, and also drinks like iced Americano, strawberry ade, and mint chocolate frappuccino. I often craved such things when I was stressed. But as my health deteriorated, it became completely impossible from two years ago.’
After hearing that story, Lucas added one more goal to his list: to make Iberis’s body healthy enough to eat ice cream freely.
Since it was realistically unachievable right now, he had to focus on making Iberis healthier. Ensuring that Iberis finished his meals was part of that effort.
“Am I a child? You’re going to feed me by hand?”
“It’s because you keep refusing to eat, Major. Come on, my arm is getting tired.”
“Oh, alright. I’ll eat it.”
Finally, Iberis opened his mouth and accepted the chocolate. Despite his initial refusal, once the sweet taste spread in his mouth, it went down easily.
“This is incredibly smooth… It melts in my mouth. You should try some too.”
“I’m fine. I don’t really like chocolate… If you like it, please have mine as well.”
“What’s this? You keep offering it to me while not eating any yourself. I’ll cut it in half, so at least taste…”
“This is enough for a taste.”
Lucas replied, bringing his chocolate-smeared fingertip to his mouth.
“That’s not what I meant by tasting.”
Feeling strange for a moment as he watched the red tongue languidly lick the fingertip, Iberis cleared his throat with a “Ahem.” Then he lowered his head and started spooning the milk pudding quickly.
“I’ve finished. Done!”
“Well done. How nice it would be if you always ate like this.”
Lucas looked at the clean dishes with satisfaction and then checked the time.
“The award ceremony is at 11 AM, so we have about an hour and a half left. I think we can rest a bit more, then get ready and leave.”
“Okay.”
“You know about the interview in the afternoon, right?”
Lucas spoke, recalling today’s schedule in his mind as he held his teacup. As soon as the award ceremony was confirmed, he had invited several journalists who had written favorable articles about Iberis, with Winfried’s help.
“Today’s award ceremony will be widely reported. The journalists interviewing you are friendly to our side, but be careful just in case.”
“I understand.”
“I wish I could be there with you, but I have to give a special lecture to the European branch guides while you’re being interviewed… Tsk.”
Lucas clicked his tongue, showing his reluctance. He had taken on the guide lecture at the request of the European branch executives. In return, he was able to personally select the journalists who would interview Iberis, so it couldn’t be helped even if it was bothersome.
“While I’m giving the guide lecture, Colonel Andrei, Major General Bismarck’s aide, will assist you. I just got a call that he’ll also accompany you during the interview.”
“The Colonel? That’s a bit burdensome…”
Iberis’s expression became complicated at the news that someone of higher rank would be helping him.
“Please bear with it for a few hours even if it’s uncomfortable. With the Colonel there, no one will try to cause trouble.”
“That’s true, but…”
“I wish I could accompany you… I’m sorry.”
“There’s nothing to be sorry about. Have a good time.”
Iberis waved his hand dismissively and leaned back in his chair.
“By the way… Where is it that you said yesterday you wanted to go?”
“Huh?”
“You mentioned it when talking with the Major General yesterday. Why don’t you tell me now?”
“Ah…”
Iberis let out a small exclamation as he recalled what he had momentarily forgotten.
“Well, um…”
Iberis trailed off, wrinkling his nose. The place he wanted to go wasn’t a specific tourist spot or city, but ‘wherever Lucas Lowell Blake is’.
“I’m still thinking about it…”
Iberis evaded the answer, fidgeting with his toes for no reason. The reason he wanted to meet Lucas Lowell Blake was to confirm if he was his Name counterpart.
He had suspected it since his Name first appeared, but until now, he had been putting it off, thinking it couldn’t be true.
It seemed that only by resolving this could he fully face his own feelings and move on to the next step.
However, contrary to his resolution, meeting Viscount Blake was not easy. Having suffered an unfortunate accident, he avoided external activities due to unresolved physical and mental wounds, and was known to communicate with only a very few people in normal times.
Moreover, because he always wore a mask in public to hide his hideous burn scars, few people knew his real face.
“Even if you’re still thinking, please tell me. We need to plan for the rest of your vacation.”
