If You're Being Held Hostage, Wiggle the Carrot! - Chapter 26
Ruby couldn’t shake the feeling that he might be manipulating her.
However, his words made sense. The entire tribe had been kidnapped. She hoped they were alive, but they couldn’t exclude the possibility of the worst-case scenario. If the unthinkable happened, Ruby would single-handedly destroy those who had harmed her clan. She was confident she could do it. She wasn’t sure how others perceived individuals with abilities, but from what grandmother, the tribal leader, had always told her since she was young:
‘Do not misuse your powers.’
As many living beings walked the world, an equal number of spirits roamed openly among them. Some wandered without even realizing they were dead. If one could command those numerous beings, their abilities would rival even the most powerful clan leaders. And she was someone capable of doing just that.
That’s why her grandmother always advised her:
‘Treat the spirits with respect.’
But if she lost everything, what would it matter?
Ivan, observing her chillingly sunken red eyes, fell silent. He offered another apology. “I’m sorry I kept pushing you when you didn’t want to.”
“…”
Her silent gaze was ice-cold. Ivan gradually turned his body squarely toward her.
A knock echoed through the heavy silence.
“Excuse me.”
Liam entered cheerfully, towing a trolley. He moved the refreshments onto the table, speaking with enthusiasm. “Today, I’ve brought a special cherry tart. The head chef prepared it knowing that Miss prefers desserts.”
“For me?”
“Yes, cherries are rare and not commonly used in tarts. It’s even more challenging to use the special cherries from our territory.”
Where had the previous chill gone? Ruby clasped her hands together, eyes widening.
Liam, finding her adorable, personally served the tart in front of her after cutting it. “Please have a taste, Miss.”
“Yes, I will!”
At her hearty voice, Ivan involuntarily shuddered. Despite getting used to it by now, first impressions seemed to last quite a while. He accidentally clutched his thigh, remembering how she had yelled the same thing when taking a bite out of his precious.
“Should I prepare the usual tea for you, Your Grace?”
“Hmm, perhaps today, I’ll try a piece of cherry tart myself.”
“Are you sure?”
As Ivan typically preferred tea over sweets, Liam was taken aback by the unexpected request. Hastily, he sliced another piece and placed it in front of Ivan.
The cherry, glistening with syrup, looked as beautiful as her eyes. Ivan took a small bite, savoring the sweetness. The cherries, praised by the aides, stuck to his palate with their tanginess. He made sure to rinse his mouth with tea, finding it a bit too sweet.
While he took a single bite, Ruby had finished her entire piece. Ivan found her genuinely charming, and he wasn’t the only one who thought so.
With a pleased smile, Liam poured more tea into her cup. “Feeling parched? Sip slowly and take care not to choke on it. This whole serving is entirely for you.”
“Really?”
“Yes, the chef was thrilled that you make sure not to leave a crumb of dessert on your plate.”
“Is that so? Oh, come on. Who leaves anything on the plate when it’s this delicious?”
“Hoo-hoo, my master doesn’t have a sweet tooth, much to the chef’s chagrin.”
“Hmm, to each their own, I guess.”
“Hoo-hoo, see that?”
“It’s hard to understand. How could someone dislike dessert…”
Ruby stared at Ivan as if she really didn’t understand, and he found the look in her eyes as she turned to him to be quite pleasing. Within a week, he realized that her seemingly carefree nature was, in fact, just honest straightforwardness.
“Let’s respect each other’s preferences, young lady.”
Smiling subtly, as she briefly looked at him, Ruby quickly averted her gaze and sipped her tea. Just as Liam said, she felt a slight tightness in her throat, probably due to the cherry tart.
