I’m In Trouble Because My Husband Is So Cute - Chapter 27

“I thought you went first?”

“That… I did go.”

Zachary scratched his cheek.

Well, he did indeed go first. Though it was only after seeing that Iellie was not in the place, he traversed the way again and came back. But, isn’t it a bit embarrassing to say that?

“What about the Duke?”

“He went first.”

She nodded her head and smiled brightly. Iellie then took Zachary’s hand as if it were natural, and that action caused his cheeks to blush slightly.

Her fingers wrapped around his hands were so adorable that he almost died.

“It’s really surprising, I didn’t know the Duke would really come.”

“That’s what you asked for.”

“Huh?”

Hearing that, she looked back at Zachary with a puzzled face. He frowned and smiled.

“It’s something like that.”

The only thing the Duke cherishes in this Duke’s Castle is Iellie. It has already been five years since Zachary took her as his wife. And, in those five years, the duke learned to smile, at least in the slightest way.

So, for the Duke, who had lost his expression for the past fifteen years, it was a major development.

‘I’m glad he cared about Len.’

Zachary seriously thought so. It doesn’t matter now that the Duke doesn’t love him, but he can’t stand it if she ever gets hated because of him.

“Ah, the Duke is over there.”

Iellie glanced up and raised her gaze. There was tender affection in her pale green eyes. Seeing so, Zachary felt a little jealous.

All that affection grows even if he monopolizes it, so why was she looking at other people with that kind of gaze?

It was enough for him to just give him those eyes. He didn’t like it for others.

‘…What a childish idea to be jealous of my father.’

Feeling a little strange, still, he had no choice but to wrap his arms around her shoulders.

“Len.”

“Huh?”

“Let’s just go in.”

“Oh, yes.”

At that, Iellie nodded her head with a bewildered face. She went in, though there was a look on her face as if she didn’t understand.

‘You don’t know my heart, Iellie…’

Zachary turned his gaze away with a frown on his face.

Eventually, they arrived at a large greenhouse at the Duke’s Castle.

After the death of the mistress, the greenhouse, which was prepared according to the taste of the Duchess, who loved flowers in the past, has become a lonely space where only gardeners sometimes come and go.

However, after Iellie came to the Duke’s Castle, she used to go regularly to see flowers.

“There are so many pretty flowers, but it’s a pity that no one sees them…”

She uttered softly with a gentle smile in her eyes.

Zachary stood behind her back and glanced around the scene. The warm air with the scent of flowers and unknown flowers blooming brightly. And Iellie, more beautiful than all those flowers.

He honestly wasn’t interested in flowers, though if she was happy, he liked it.

“Yes. I didn’t know there were so many kinds of flowers.”

“Honestly, you are not interested in flowers, are you?”

Iellie asked with disbelief.

Hearing that coy question, Zachary smiled. “Hmm. In fact, I am more interested in you.”

“Wow, it was just… you felt like a man familiar with women.”

“A husband has to get used to his wife.”

Zachary answered without blinking an eye.

Why the hell are you like that? Because of that, Iellie became pale. However, the more problematic thing was that such a buttered remark felt sweet rather than greasy.

“The Duke will be waiting, let’s go inside.”

As her cheeks were burning brightly, she tried her best to pretend to be calm and turned her body. Zachary laughed.

“Your Excellency Duke.”

“You’re here?”

The Duke was sitting in a small parlor in the greenhouse. When Iellie and his gaze met, the Duke nodded his head. Zachary, who followed her, bowed his head deeply and greeted him.

“Have you been waiting, father?”

It was a polite but cold greeting. On the other hand, the Duke also did not express anything when he heard the greeting.

As he pointed to the chairs opposite him with a gesture of his chin, Iellie and Zachary sat down cautiously.

“The chef said that Your Excellency enjoys Rielon tea.”

“…Yes.”

The Duke raised his eyebrows slightly. He doesn’t know when she even figured out his taste, so he was rather a little surprised.

At that, Iellie smiled proudly. If she wants to get points, she has to do this much.

“Rielon tea has a bit of a bitter taste, so I prepared a sweet and refreshing dessert.”

The beautiful thing on the silver plate was a lemon pie. The jam made by boiling lemon and custard cream was layered on top of each other, and sugar water was applied to enhance the gloss.

Rielon tea goes well with sweet desserts, so she doesn’t know how much trouble the poor chef went to make this pie.

“Thank you.”

The Duke opened his mouth quietly. Iellie widened her eyes, forgetting that it was rude.

‘Did the Duke just thank me for such a trivial matter…?’

Compared to the first time they met, it was truly significant development. The Duke, who always looked at her with cold eyes, is now so gentle to her that he can at least say ‘thank you.’

Still, Iellie was a little sad.

‘It would be nice if he could be this gentle to Zachary.’

Although the relationship between Iellie and the Duke has progressed a bit, unfortunately, the relationship between Zachary and the Duke is still as cold as a winter breeze. She wanted to somehow make things better between the two of them, but things didn’t go her way.

‘It’s because the relationship was wrong from the first start. Nonetheless, I’m glad he didn’t raise his voice like he used to.’

She sighed briefly. It’s all right that the violence and yelling are gone, she thought so. It’s a bit like a mental victory, but this was not it.

Then, the Duke murmured a little.

“It’s delicious.”

“Re, really?”

‘No, what did I hear now?’ Astonished, Iellie asked the Duke back.

The Duke nodded his head lightly, confirming her question. Did he eat something wrong? From saying thank you to giving praise?

“So, there is no need to sigh.”
“Ah… Thank you.”

No way, did he really care that she sighed? Thinking about that, she shook her head. Isn’t this too sweet for Iellie herself?

Iellie then slowly glanced at Zachary, who was sitting next to her.

“Zachary, what about you?”

“I like it, too. This tea time, you put a lot of effort into it.”

Zachary smiled softly.

Her cheeks reddened like an apple upon hearing his praise. Ugh, when he says something sweet like that, she feels like her whole body is twisting…

Iellie cut a large piece of lemon pie and put it in her mouth to hide her shame.

Moments later, Zachary opened his eyes and asked her.

“You like lemon pie?”

“Huh?”

She gulped the custard cream. Iellie gazed at Zachary. Uh, of course, this lemon pie is objectively delicious, but…

Immediately, he pushed his own plate in front of her.

“Eat more.”

“No, if I eat more here, I will gain weight…”

“It’s okay. You can get a little fatter.”

At Zachary’s resolute words, she laughed awkwardly. Suddenly, a lemon pie was full in front of her.

“Hey, I have to take care of my body in order to wear a dress.”

“No, Len. You are too skinny.”

“I think what Zachary was saying was right.”

Then, with an indifferent face, the Duke threw a word in as well.

…Why the hell are these people doing this to me? She was a little bewildered.

Objectively, she was on the thin side, but that didn’t mean she was in a condition to gain weight. But, the Duke continued his words, placing a jar of whipped cream and a bowl of sugar in front of her.

“You usually enjoy sweet food.”

“Yes, that’s right…”

“Rielon tea tastes good even if you drink it as milk tea.”

How the hell was she supposed to deal with this situation? So now, for her, His Excellency the Duke is advising her to drink Rielon tea as milk tea.

Iellie looked into the Duke’s eyes without realizing it, though he still had a calm face. At the same time, the Duke opened the lid of the whipped cream jar by hand.

“Um, thank you…?”

As she was helpless and gave her thanks, the Duke gently nodded his head. In the end, she filled the teacup with plenty of milk. When Iellie put sugar cubes in, the sweetness was perfect for her palate.

‘Ah, this milk tea. It’s very tasty.’

After taking a sip of tea, she had a happy face.

While plenty of milk and sugar give it a soft sweetness, the bitter tea flavor keeps her from feeling an aftertaste.

Then, she suddenly stopped.

“…Hey, you two. Did I get anything on my face?”

Why do they keep staring at her while she is eating? Iellie picked up the napkin and wiped her lips as she peered at the Duke and Zachary.

Earlier, they had been staring intently at her eating.

“No, nothing.”

Zachary shook his head and looked away. His ears were burning red.

The Duke, too. He coughed heavily and looked into the distance.

Iellie had a bewildered face and cut the pie and put it in her mouth. She then felt an ominous feeling.

She spoke in a worried tone.

“It seems that I was the only one eating before that, maybe it wasn’t to your taste…”

“It’s not like that!”

“Don’t worry about unnecessary things.”

The two men were flustered. Well, she was glad it’s not. Iellie narrowed her eyes a little.

Zachary raised his fork and began to attack the roll cake, and the Duke picked up a bowl of pudding that had never been touched.

‘Well, it’s kind of weird, but…’

Iellie, who had rolled her eyes, eventually grinned while squealing. Well, it was still a peaceful tea time. The sun was setting slowly. The red sun shone obliquely into the warm greenhouse.

After a friendly tea time, she became full and stroked her stomach.

“Oh, I guess I ate too much.”

“Really?”

On the other hand, Zachary had a happy face. It was because he was worried about her slender body, he wanted to fatten Iellie somehow.

However, as he listened to the words that followed immediately, he narrowed his brow.

“I can’t eat dinner because I’m so full.”

“What? No, you have to eat well.”

“…If other people hear it, they’ll think I was starving.”

The startled Iellie glared at Zachary with a squinted eye. Still, when the duke is nodding in agreement with Zachary, what more can she say?

She shook her head groaning.

“I think everyone was trying to make me fat.”

“It’s because you’re too skinny.”

“You have skinny limbs.”

Seeing the two men talking to her with two voices, Iellie was a little devastated.

What kind of person does she look like in the eyes of these people…?

She couldn’t find fault at the Duke, so instead, she stood close to Zachary and stabbed his side. And, she whispers to him with a shy face.

“What nonsense are you talking about? If my dress doesn’t fit, it’s your responsibility.”

“Yes, I’ll take responsibility for what happened.”

“….”

When a sweet answer came back to her question, Iellie lost her words.

…Ha, let’s not talk anymore.

Meanwhile, the Duke watched with a smile as he saw her turning her head away. However, for a moment, his breath was choked up.

“Cough, cough!”

A strong cough erupted. Feeling his lungs squeezing, the Duke bent down to his waist and let out a cough.

“Du, Duke? Are you okay?”

“Father!”