If You're Being Held Hostage, Wiggle the Carrot! - Chapter 24
The week flew by faster than she thought. Ruby couldn’t wait for her last day at his side.
During this brief time, she had grown somewhat close to the aides. Unlike the initial apprehension stemming from their wolf-like appearance, she now even initiated conversations.
“Do cherries from the north truly taste sweeter? Normally, cherries tend to be more tart, don’t they?”
She had tried cherries in her village, but hadn’t been able to eat more than a few. It wasn’t a fruit commonly found in her region.
“Cherries are indeed a rare fruit, Miss. They can only be cultivated in greenhouses. However, due to numerous rounds of crossbreeding, especially in our region, the seeds are thicker and carry a sweeter flavor than elsewhere.”
“Wow…”
Even just hearing about it made her mouth water. Ruby gazed intently at the cherries depicted in the book, marveling at their sight.
“Miss, come here for a moment,” Ivan called for Ruby.
“Yes?” Ruby hurried over to Ivan and stared at his face, wondering why he had called her over.
“I feel a bit… of a chill.”
She didn’t feel it at all. But this was natural with her by his side.
“Really? That can’t be right.”
“Anyway… it would be better if you were a bit closer.”
“Sure, I’ll do that.”
Ruby, who didn’t doubt for a moment that he might be lying, promptly seated herself on the chair he had provided. Ivan, feeling sorry for her after a few days of seeing her squatting while reading, had provided a separate chair and seated her beside him. It was quite a sight to see her ears perked up and focused on the book, and it was reassuring to know she was there.
So, perhaps, that was why he kept wanting to check on her.
Over the past week, he had been remarkably calm. Even more composed than before he became Duke, or perhaps even more so. The things that had been rudely touching his body had disappeared, and he no longer heard any suspicious noises. He didn’t shiver at the slightest chill, and everything seemed to be in order, thanks to a good night’s sleep.
His gaze flickered to Ruby, who was sitting next to him again, and then away. Fiddling with his cherry-red ears, he subtly asked, “Why are you wearing that outfit again?”
No matter how much he thought about it, the skirt seemed too short. So he ordered a new one to fully conceal her chest and have the skirt extend down below her knees. However, he couldn’t comprehend why she was wearing the short maid uniform again.
“Oh, I took it to be laundered.”
“…I should have had another outfit made.”
“The but also mentioned the same thing. But do I really need to? How much longer will I be staying here?”
She was right. The reason she had come here in the first place was to save her tribe. Once that was accomplished, she had no further reason to stay.
It was obvious, so why did it make him feel so sick?
Lost in strange contemplation, he closed his mouth and silently shuffled through the documents. He didn’t read it, just flipped through it as if he were.
“Ahem! Miss?”
“Yes?”
At that moment, one of the aides who had been overhearing their conversation interjected, “Uh, when do you plan to return to your homeland?”
“Oh…”
“Is your homeland very far away?”
The true implication behind the question was if she possibly could stay a bit longer before having to leave. Ruby wasn’t sure what to say. She had no choice but to tell Ivan out of necessity, but wouldn’t it be better not to reveal too much to others until she discovered her tribe’s whereabouts?
As she pondered, she twitched her bunny ears, and everyone in the room watched. Everyone in the office, including Ivan, observed her movement. Rabbit ears never seen in their territory—especially pink ones which were different from a normal rabbit’s—were always so adorable and cute. The earrings at the tips of her ears swayed with every movement she made, drawing their attention to them.
Without realizing it, Ivan reached out and grabbed her ear to immobilize it. He wanted nothing more than to stop her from drawing attention to herself.
“Huuaah!” Her moan echoed throughout the office.
Unintentionally, this drew even more attention.
