Like A Dry Branch In The Wind (Like Wind on a Dry Branch) - Chapter 7

Translator: Wawaa

Editor: WilsonWilson

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“Lady Rietta, can I ask you to cast a blessing on my room too?”

“Yes. But before that, I have to stop by Lady Elise and Lady Giselle’s room first, so can you wait a little bit?”

“Of course!”

Elise interrupted slightly.

“It’s better if you go to Helen’s room first. Her room is much closer. You can go to our room later because it’s the farthest.”

“Oh… Can I do that?”

Giselle smiled without any hesitation and agreed.

“Yes, you can.”

They were all easygoing women with good personalities. The problem was that there was more work than she thought. When Rietta was outside the annex, the women who were scattered began to gather around and show interest. And when Rietta entered the annex, the women who were resting in their rooms began to follow her after feeling like something was going on.

Even the women who had already been blessed flocked along with Rietta. It was quite hectic with the friendly atmosphere between them. As most of the ladies in the annex were out, Rietta began to feel burdened with the number of people who were following her. They were all asking for blessings in their rooms.

It was quite burdensome when there were people gathering to chat behind her and looking at her work. But she felt much more comfortable because it was not the gloomy or scary atmosphere that she first thought of. One of the ladies asked her.

“Lady Rietta, I heard that you can cast blessings not only for the room but also the items that we carry around.”

Rietta replied.

“Yes, but it is more difficult and time-consuming compared to casting blessings on something that does not move. The blessings that are cast on humans or objects that move around are quick to disappear, and so it takes some time to make it last longer.”

“Is that so? But I still want to get one… It’s also hard to meet a reliable blessing caster.”

“If you’re going to do it, I want to get it, too.”

“Me too.”

The ladies began to murmur.

It seems like I will have more work. But Milord told me to come…

She was nervous about being late.

“Then, can you collect the items and send them to me? If you give me some time, I think I can cast blessings and return it later.”

The ladies said they would leave their items to Rietta. It was quite a lot so she would not have to worry about living expenses for several months, but her head was just filled with worries that she was making the Archduke wait.

By the time her job was almost completed, a lady suggested.

“We’re going to have our tea time in the garden. Would you like to join us? The flowers there are blooming beautifully.”

Rietta was flustered and shook her head slightly, looking awkward.

“Oh, no… Thank you for your invitation but I have somewhere to go.”

“Oh, you have other work after this?”

It felt like she should not say that she had other work. For a moment, she contemplated if it would be better to give an evasive answer but Rietta decided it would be better to just be honest. There were many eyes and ears in the castle anyway.

“No. I happened to meet His Lordship on my way here and he told me to stop by after I finish my work.”

Giselle opened her eyes wide and covered her mouth. Then, she said quickly.

“Oh! Then you have to hurry up.”

“Get going now.”

The ladies pushed her from behind without any hesitation. Rietta thought that it was a bit difficult to understand these ladies with such good personalities. But, feeling embarrassed and grateful, she took her leave after greeting them. Rietta left the east annex, trying hard to hide her efforts to speed up.

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Rietta rushed her steps toward the main building where Killian had stayed. Suddenly, she stopped at the voice of a pleading woman.

“You’re really cold-hearted…”

“I already told you not to come without permission like this.”

A cold voice had rang. Rietta’s gaze moved toward the place where the voice could be heard.

“But… How come you never visit me? I came in here only because I wanted to look at you.”

“Then, I suppose it’s already time for you to go back.”

“That’s not what I meant.”

Killian frowned.

“Just because I don’t mind that you’re here doesn’t mean that I’m condoning whatever you’re doing.”

“Your Grace…”

Noticing Rietta’s presence, Killian stopped. A beautiful red-haired woman in a pink dress chased Killian and followed his gaze to look at Rietta. Her sad green eyes were soaked in tears.

Rietta stopped awkwardly and bowed to Killian. He opened his mouth with his eyes on Rietta.

“Axias Castle does not suit you. I can’t give what you want, so pack up and go back.”

Killian turned the poor woman next to him away without even giving her a glance. His eyes were on Rietta so she thought he was saying that to her. As soon as she realized his words were not for her, Killian called her.

“Rietta.”

Rietta pulled herself together and put her shoulders on high alert.

“Come on in.”

Without waiting for her answer, the Archduke of Axias disappeared into the castle’s main building. The beautiful woman’s wet eyes looked at Rietta in haste… But Rietta had no choice but to lower her head and follow Killian.

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When Rietta entered, the butler, who had received Killian’s coat, naturally stuck next to her. As he was ahead, Killian turned his head and looked at Rietta. He said indifferently.

“Eat before you go.”

Rietta was surprised.

“Pardon? No, it’s okay.”

“You refuse, yet it is already dinnertime for me.”

Rietta fell into panic for a moment. It was because she came too late.

“I, I’m sorry for being late.”

The butler spontaneously asked Killian.

“Should I ask the kitchen staff to prepare for dinner?”

Killian’s eyes stared at Rietta.

“Only if Rietta answers.”

Her heart sank.

“I, I would gladly join you for dinner. It’s an honor.”

Killian snorted.

“What honor is there in joining me for dinner?”

It was not a big deal for Killian, but it sounded cold to Rietta. All the more so because she just saw such a scene outside. Her heart had seemed to shrink.

“You don’t have any appointments prior to this, do you?”

Even if she had an appointment, because the Archduke said he had not eaten yet, she still felt that she had to eat first before leaving. Rietta replied with her head down.

“No, milord.”

Killian told her to her head.

“Is it Cevitas culture to speak to the floor?”

“Pardon?”

“At this rate, I will memorize the top of your head before I recognize your face. I know well how polite you are, so when you talk, raise your head and look at people. In Axias, it’s polite to talk to the face, not the shadow.”

Rietta lifted her head and raised her eyes to look at him.

“I will do so, milord.”

Killian glanced at her sky blue eyes, then turned to Erne.

“Take her to the great hall. I will go down after changing my clothes.”

The butler bowed his head to show courtesy. It never crossed Rietta’s mind that she would eat with the Archduke of Axias. She did not know anything regarding a noble’s table manners. She wondered where it went wrong. If she had come sooner in the first place, this would not have happened. But it was inevitable.

While waiting for Killian, Rietta felt like she was going to have an upset stomach even though she had not eaten yet.

I won’t get kicked out for making him lose appetite due to my poor table manners, right? I don’t think he cares about that, but has he ever eaten with a commoner before?

It would be nice if she could sit far away from him, but she could only look helplessly at the butler who had led her to the seat that was right next to the host’s seat on the extremely spacious dining table. She had no choice but to just sit.

‘What do I do?’

Rietta wanted to ask if she could be seated in another seat. But because she might be having a conversation with the Archduke, she could not run away. Above all, Rietta was concerned that her respectful and declining actions so far seemed to have rubbed the Archduke the wrong way.

He even said I was disrespectful the last time we met… Should I just say ‘yes, milord’, ‘thank you, milord’ to everything? But then again, how dare I, a mere commoner, reject and decline him? I don’t think he’s the type to just give lip service in the first place…

The survival instincts of a commoner who had to live while walking on eggshells around the nobles practically brought Rietta to the correct answer. Killian did not like to repeat his words. Rietta nervously grabbed her fingertips while making sure again to quickly give the answer he wanted rather than declining out of courtesy next time.

Having a conversation while looking at his face… No matter how high of a status a nobleman is, do not speak toward the floor. Rietta thought it would take a while to get used to it. Even though she actually wished that situation would never happen again. Today’s meal seemed like it would take a long time to finish.

Shortly after waiting, a delicious smell came out, and soon food began to be served. It was a delicious smell that she had never smelled before, not even at the harvest festival that was held once a year. But what was the point when she did not know whether the food would go through her mouth or only her nose?

All kinds of delicacies that she had never seen before in her life began to spread out on top of the fancy dining table.

Salad decorated with kale, cheese, brown sauce and bite-size sliced tomatoes. A soup with an unknown sour scent with shrimp and mysterious herbs in it. Stir-fry red and white sausages with vegetables that were topped with sliced almonds. A huge fish with a fragrant smell that was roasted whole… It was endless.

At first, Rietta, who thought vaguely of him as a big eater, began to panic.

How can the two of us eat everything? Most of them will surely be thrown away. Does he always eat like this?

The dishes continued to come in. A large and steaming grilled piece of meat that seemed like chicken or turkey and grilled back ribs topped with sweet-smelling cheese were served in a huge silver tray.

At that time, Rietta heard a huge commotion. A group of men dressed in armor rushed into the great hall. It was the knights.

Rietta flinched in surprise. The knights stopped when they found Rietta sitting alone on the wide table with lavish food.

“Huh? It’s a woman.”

“Where?”

“Oh, that lady. The one that His Grace brought from Sevitas this time.”

“Oh, the one who almost got buried alive?”

Rietta stood up, feeling flustered. She felt like something was wrong. The butler saw her and approached her.

“Do you need anything?”

Even before Rietta asked him, the Archduke of Axias entered the door opposite from where the knights entered. Changing into a light dressing gown, he walked towards the host’s seat without paying anyone attention. Then, he glanced at the knights who were standing blankly.

“What are you doing? Sit.”

As if nothing happened, the knights sat around the table in perfect order. Overwhelmed by their forces, Rietta also sat with a puzzled look.

“Eat.”

Killian started eating as usual without much thought. The knights also picked up their tablewares. Rietta was carried away and looked at Killian and the knights.

“Your Grace.”

A good-looking knight, whom Rietta seemed to have seen before, sitting opposite Rietta spoke to Killian.

“The lady is flustered. You didn’t explain anything to her, did you?”

“Oh.”

As if he had only realized that Rietta was there, Killian looked at Rietta with only his eyes moving.

“They’re my knights. Let’s eat together. We will have a talk after the meal.”

“Oh, yes.”

Rietta was flustered and bowed his head. Leonard put his face in his hand with a miserable look. He neatly gave up on his liege and began to fix the things on his own.

“It might be hard to do so, but please pay us no mind and eat comfortably.”

Then, surprisingly, he slightly pointed to Killian Axias with his chin and frowned.

“He’s someone who is far from being romantic.”

Rietta was flustered again and hurriedly studied Killian’s face.

Why does he do that?

Killian, who was slicing his food silently, just raised one eyebrow and glanced at him. Then, he lowered his gaze again to his food and took the fork to his mouth.

Leonard, who had casually caught his attention, continued talking while looking at Killian with a pitiful look.

“Nonetheless, he’s very charming. He’s good at everything except dating.”

Killian swallowed his food and took his hand to the wine glass. Then he casually said.

“You should be concerned about doing well yourself.”

Leonard responded shamelessly.

“I’m good. Your Grace is a complete failure in knowing that, in love, quality is more important than quantity.”

With the feeling of walking on thin ice, Rietta watched Killian drop his tableware on the plate.

Will he pick up that knife and stab that knight right away? Will he split the plate? Will he flip the table?

Her head was spinning round and round.

Killian lifted his red eyes and looked at Leonard. Then, he smiled faintly and tilted his head.

“Why is my beloved knight speaking such rude and disrespectful words to me?”

“Likewise, I also love you so much as to call you my beloved, too, Your Grace.”

Leonard, who nonchalantly accepted what Killian had said, put his hand next to his mouth to cover it from Killian and whispered to Rietta. However, he only pretended to whisper. He neither lowered his voice nor had any intention to hide what he wanted to say.

“The only love he knows is love for his knights.”

“I don’t agree with that comment.”

“That’s not love.”

“That’s only true for Leonard.”

At Leonard’s words, the other knights interrupted fearlessly from the other side of the table. In an instant, the table became noisy. At that time, Killian smiled silently. He was smiling faintly even before that, but this time, a smile with a different expression had passed.

It was only for a moment, but Rietta, who had been nervously looking at his expression, did not miss the strange smile that appeared for only a moment on his face. Rietta looked at Killian in confusion as if she was looking at another person. Killian turned back to his original indifferent look. Then, he opened his mouth and a cold voice came out.

“Really? It seems that my love was not enough.”

Killian held his chin with his hand and smirked. Then, he perversely skimmed through the knights sitting around the table with his droopy yet dangerous-looking red eyes.

“I will adore you all even more in the future.”

The knights who knew what his love and adore meant flinched and became quiet, as if someone had poured cold water on them. Without missing the moment of silence, Leonard tapped the wine glass with a fork and shouted loudly.

“We love you, Your Grace!”

The simple toast was followed by a beastly chorus.

“We love you! Your Grace!”

It was a shout that drained the soul. The knights began to eat vigorously while laughing and chatting. There was no dignity to be found like those of an elegant noble, but no one was indecent either.

Meow… Rietta heard an unexpected sound. An amber-eyed cat with brown stripes on white fur suddenly approached Killian. The cat raised itself and put its small paws on his chair. It gently shook its tail and licked its nose. It once again meowed and titled its head.

Killian only gave the cat a meager glance, he did not pat the cute thing on its head. He just picked up a piece of grilled fish from a nearby plate without any particular expressions and gave it to the cat. The cat had its eyes fixed like a magnet on Killian’s hand. As soon as the fish entered its peripheral area, it grabbed the fish, bit it, and went down the chair.

The cat with a fairly large fish in its mouth went into the shade under Killian’s chair and settled down with its tail wrapped around its body. Then, it grabbed the fish with its front paws and began to enjoy the fish.

The knights were still finishing their food. Killian drank his tea after finishing his meal earlier than others. He moved the teacup with an indifferent face and poured milk into the saucer. Then he put it on the floor. The cat licked its front paws after finishing the fish. Then, in an instant, it approached the plate and began to drink the milk.

When Rietta came to her senses after seeing that scene unfold, she had already finished eating comfortably, filling her stomach with delicious food.

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