How to Tame That Gentle Male Lead - Chapter 5.10
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“It seems wonderful.”
At her whisper, his blue eyes captured her piercingly. They were as solid and cold as a glacier standing in a snow field, but the emotion swirling within them seemed to hold a great deal of warmth.
Vernas didn’t reject Resena’s hand as it intertwined with his. As they slowly walked along the canal, they were silent for a moment.
“…”
A subtle fragrance wafted from the hydrangeas blooming abundantly on both sides of the canal. And from the trees standing intermittently among the hydrangeas, a fresh green scent spread thickly into the air. Feeling her heart settle, Resena moved her steps along with him.
“This is the place, Resena.”
They had walked for about 20 minutes. While Resena was savoring the sweet moment, they had already arrived in front of the restaurant. Feeling a bit regretful, Resena looked up at Vernas. He led her inside the restaurant with a slight smile, holding her hand.
It was quite a shabby place. But people were packed tightly inside the restaurant, and as soon as a table became available, Vernas strode over there with Resena.
“It smells delicious.”
“You’ll like it even more when you taste it.”
As the spicy smell of Cambaya tickled her nose, Resena was slightly surprised to encounter something spicy for the first time since her possession. She hadn’t even smelled such spicy food at the duke’s mansion… Probably because only gourmet dishes were served at the table, she had never eaten what commoners ate and didn’t even know such dishes existed.
“I’m suddenly hungry. Will it be very spicy?”
Resena unconsciously recalled the gochujang stew she used to make. But Vernas just chuckled at her question. As he gently tucked a strand of hair that had fallen over Resena’s face, he said kindly,
“It won’t be too spicy. Just spicy enough to be enjoyable.”
“Well, that’s a relief…”
A woman in her 20s who looked like a waitress brought spoons to Resena and Vernas. There didn’t seem to be any side dishes, and there were no forks either, which made Resena feel increasingly excited.
Soon, steaming Cambaya was served in wooden bowls. Resena was a bit intimidated by its bright red appearance, but since Vernas calmly dipped his spoon in, she gathered her courage and took a spoonful.
“…! It’s delicious!”
“I thought you’d like it.”
As she scooped up the meat and vegetables floating in the bright red broth spoonful by spoonful, it seemed to melt in her mouth. Resena devoured the stew as if entranced. It was already dinner time so she was hungry, and above all, the Cambaya was so well-seasoned that eating the solid ingredients was truly blissful.
“Would you like another bowl?”
“Mmm. It’s okay. I’m starting to feel full.”
Vernas chuckled. That fearless smile stirred her heart once again. Resena wiped her mouth with a napkin and waited for Vernas to finish eating.
But as she waited for him, Resena felt curious. Vernas was surely a knight, but unlike someone who had risen from commoner to knight, his table manners were perfect. Even royalty couldn’t have eaten more perfectly. Resena looked at the bracelet Vernas was wearing on his right arm.
‘It seems like something only a duke could wear… It’s the highest-grade magic stone.’
Magic stones become whiter and more transparent as their purity increases. Because of this, the highest-grade magic stones, which are white and semi-transparent, were worth their weight in gold.
No matter how much money Vernas made from sculpting, it was suspicious that he was wearing something so expensive.
But Resena was happier about the fact that she was with him now than about his identity, so she tried not to dig too deeply.
“That was a good meal.”
“Yes, I enjoyed it too.”
“I’m glad, Resena.”
Vernas, with a broad smile, placed a silver coin on the table.
“Shall we go?”
Though it was a shabby place, it seemed to be quite expensive. Of course, he couldn’t have taken her, a duke’s daughter, just anywhere.
“Alright.”
Resena walked into his outstretched arm of her own accord. Vernas wrapped his arm around Resena’s shoulder, then lowered his hand to intertwine his fingers with hers.
‘My heart is pounding…’
It would be fine if he put his arm around my waist…
The sunset was already fading. Resena suddenly remembered that she had said she would return before dinner. But not wanting to part from Vernas, she decided to go home late today.
“I’ll take you to the clock tower area before it gets too late. We can have ice cream there, and after we finish, we’ll hire a carriage.”
“Doesn’t Vernas want to stay with me longer?”
He chuckled at her slightly whiny words. She was truly adorable, being as honest with her emotions as a child.
He lightly touched Resena’s cheek with his delicately shaped fingers, then lowered his hand.
His blue eyes, like opals, shone brightly within his gently curved brown eye corners.
“Tomorrow is Thursday. We can meet again tomorrow, so it would be better for you to go home early and rest comfortably.”
“…”
“Resena.”
Her name on his lips felt truly sweet. Resena bit her lip hard and then nodded. She began to walk slowly, her fingers still intertwined with his.
Though it was summer, a cool breeze brushed her ears.
With each step, Resena felt as if she were walking on clouds. Every time Vernas, who was leading her, met her gaze as they walked, a smile unconsciously bloomed on her face, and Vernas responded with a faint smile of his own.
‘I wish there had been more descriptions about Vernas.’
Although she knew she still had a lot of time to observe, she much preferred Vernas, with whom she could meet simply as a man and a woman, rather than Eldis, who she needed to focus on to prevent the world’s destruction.
The difference between someone you have to be responsible for and someone you can freely interact with without needing to be responsible…
“I can see the clock tower. It will be 9 o’clock soon, so we should buy an ice cream and hire a carriage.”
Although quite far from the clock tower, the massive structure could be seen from anywhere in the square. Seeing the clock hands pointing to 8:40, Resena followed Vernas’s lead towards the ice cream shop.
When the vanilla ice cream Vernas bought after asking Resena’s preference was topped with espresso, her appetite was unknowingly stimulated.
Resena elegantly devoured that small scoop of ice cream. Watching her, Vernas only slightly curled up the corners of his mouth, without saying anything in particular.
“Now, let’s meet again tomorrow.”
“Already?”
“It’s gotten quite late. If you go home any later, your family will worry. Resena.”
Saying this, Vernas guided her towards the line of open-top carriages. He escorted her into the carriage. As their eyes met through the window, Vernas responded with a faint smile.
“Then, I’ll see you tomorrow. Resena.”
“You too, Vernas. …Goodbye.”
As the carriage started, Resena leaned out of it. And she watched Vernas as he grew distant. He stood straight with his solid body, gazing at Resena until she disappeared from view.
Finally, his figure vanished from her sight.
“…Vernas.”
Resena felt her chest tighten unconsciously. She took a deep breath and looked back again, but his figure was already hidden by buildings.
We can meet again tomorrow.
In the rattling carriage, Resena suddenly hoped that this time, Eldis wouldn’t destroy the world.
Her meeting with Vernas, which left such vivid memories, and the emotions she felt for him… were things that would be difficult to feel exactly the same way again, even if she were to return.
‘…Come to think of it, wasn’t tomorrow the day to meet His Highness the Crown Prince?’
If she finished her date with Eldis in the afternoon, wouldn’t she be able to go meet Vernas?
‘That’s right. I’ll meet His Highness the Crown Prince early… And then have dinner with Vernas again in the evening.’
Only then did Resena sit up straight in her seat.
The stars spread out infinitely above the open-top carriage seemed to pour into her mind.
“Ah…”
Resena reached out her hand as if to catch a falling star. Just that felt like it might make one of her wishes come true.
‘Vernas…’
Hoping to be with him tomorrow as well.
