My Contract Husband Resembles the Male Protagonist - Chapter 54
“But there’s something strange.”
“Something strange?”
I twirled my hair as I recalled the alchemist’s words.
“He said he was staying at the manor because house prices were too high.”
That struck me as odd.
Saying he couldn’t move in because it was too expensive implied there were houses he could potentially move into, even if they were costly.
Chiiik.
At that moment, the kettle on the stove started making a loud noise.
Dale went into the kitchen to prepare two cups and steep the tea.
“Is that what’s strange?”
Dale spoke softly, as if it were a cute story, smiling.
“When I came here, I was told there wasn’t a single available house.”
“……”
“But now, it seems like there are enough houses to accommodate newcomers. Hmm… Isn’t that odd? Oh, Dale!”
Startled, I rushed over to Dale.
Drip.
He was pouring hot water onto the table instead of into the teacup.
Dale stood there with a stiff face.
Ssshhhhh!
I quickly cooled his hand with cold water.
“This is boiling water. You need to be careful! Burns can be really dangerous. Are you hurt? Let me see.”
His hand, which had touched the table, had turned red. It seemed he had a slight burn.
“Did your pants get wet? Your feet? Oh, thankfully, they’re dry. That’s a relief.”
I hurriedly brought the first aid kit and cooled his burn.
But Dale still seemed dazed.
“When you hold something hot, you can’t just stand there in a daze. You know better….”
Seeing Dale’s pretty hand turn red made me feel upset.
A handsome man should be cherished and preserved carefully…
I gently held Dale’s hand in both of mine. Despite their appearance, his palms were a bit rough.
“Why are you like this? I didn’t hurt my hand. Look at your hand, Dale.”
“If there were another house available, it seems you’d leave right away, Miss Enya.”
Dale’s voice was low.
“Do you dislike being with me…?”
I quickly rolled up Dale’s sleeve and wrapped his hand with a bandage.
His large, broad hand radiated warmth. As I tied the bandage, I looked into his yellow eyes.
Dale’s eyes wavered.
“Do you really dislike me?”
“What?”
I replayed what Dale had said earlier in my head.
“Oh, that. No, it’s not that. I just found it strange. I like being with you, Dale. I really do.”
“!”
“It doesn’t hurt, right? It’s not a serious burn. But it’ll sting whenever it gets wet, so be careful.”
“…Do you really mean that?”
“Yes. You weren’t hurt badly. Have you ever seen me lie to you, Dale?”
Well, I had lied quite a bit.
Dale’s childish question was surprising and endearing. His golden eyes sparkled as he looked at the bandage.
“That’s not what I meant, but…”
“What? Sorry, I didn’t hear you.”
“Never mind. It’s nothing.”
Dale smiled bashfully.
“Does it hurt?”
I gently held Dale’s hand. He widened his eyes in surprise and blushed.
“…It kind of hurts, but I’m not sure.”
“Really? If it hurts a lot, we’ll have to go to the distant clinic.”
“There’s no need for that. But if you touch it again, I can be sure if it hurts or not.”
“Okay. How about here? This part doesn’t seem to be hurt badly. Is it okay?”
I lightly rubbed the bandaged back of his hand.
Dale, who had been watching me silently, shook his head.
“It hurts a little.”
I carefully stroked Dale’s hand.
Each time, he repeated, “It kind of hurts, but I’m not sure.”
I thought to myself that Dale might be…
‘He seems to be a bit of a crybaby.’
But pretending not to notice is probably the polite thing to do.
I felt a sense of satisfaction, thinking that I had come to understand Dale a little better today.
