The Contract Wife Tries to Leave - Chapter 66
“Daniel, how have you been?”
“Good! And you, sister?”
“I’ve been well too.”
She had been worried that Daniel might be struggling with academic pressure or even facing bullying, but seeing him so cheerful put her mind at ease.
Walking through the campus with her brother, Johanna chatted with him about everything that had been on her mind. She asked if he’d made any friends, whether the studies were too hard, and if anyone had been giving him a hard time. As Daniel shared his stories, the time seemed to fly by.
“The food in the cafeteria here is really good. The chef used to work at the royal palace.”
“Really?”
“Yeah. Outsiders can eat here too, but only if they’re with a teacher or a student. Do you want to go today?”
It was around lunchtime, and while Johanna considered it, she hesitated. The cafeteria would likely be crowded, and she didn’t want to draw too much attention. However, seeing the eager look in Daniel’s eyes, she couldn’t bring herself to say no.
“Alright, let’s go eat there.”
“Great!”
Daniel exclaimed excitedly and led the way. As expected, the cafeteria was bustling with people. The murmurs and glances from strangers weren’t exactly pleasant, but Johanna was determined to keep a smile on her face. After all, this was a rare chance to have a meal with her brother.
“The fish dishes here are really good… Sometimes, when I’m busy, I just grab a sandwich, and even those are amazing. Honestly, everything tastes great. You’re going to love it.”
“Yeah, you’re right, everything looks delicious.”
The cafeteria was set up as a buffet, offering a wide variety of dishes from main courses to desserts. Although Johanna’s appetite was dampened by the constant stares from other diners, she carefully selected easily digestible foods for her plate.
The food was indeed excellent. She wished she could have enjoyed it more without the burden of so many eyes on her.
After they finished eating and stepped outside, they found it was drizzling. The sun peeked through the clouds occasionally, suggesting it was just a passing shower.
Johanna and Daniel waited under the eaves of the building for the rain to stop. They were never at a loss for conversation, often filling the time with idle chatter when nothing important came to mind.
As they were chatting about nothing in particular, someone approached them. Johanna glanced over and was surprised to recognize the person. It was someone she knew, though they had never exchanged more than a few words.
“Hello, Lady Lucerne… If I’m not mistaken? Fancy meeting you here.”
“…Hello, Lord Bantwood.”
She had been about to say, “Nice to meet you,” but quickly changed her greeting since they had indeed met before. The young lord wore a friendly smile, but Johanna felt a bit uneasy, recalling their last encounter. As she forced a polite smile, Lord Bantwood spoke first.
“What brings you here? I’m just stopping by to visit a child I’m sponsoring.”
Even though he could be considered a rival, he was genuinely kind and polite. There wasn’t a hint of dislike towards her, and Johanna found herself quietly impressed.
When they last met, he seemed somewhat unstable, leading her to think he was a fragile person. But now, seeing him again without Leonid around, Lord Bantwood appeared composed, calm, and strong.
“I am just here to see my brother. This is him, Daniel.”
At Johanna’s introduction, Daniel, who had been hiding behind her, peeked out. He glanced at Lord Bantwood briefly before stepping forward and bowing his head. Then, in a surprisingly mature voice, he introduced himself.
“I am Daniel Lucerne, it’s a pleasure to meet you.”
Lord Bantwood smiled warmly and extended his hand to Daniel. Daniel hesitated for a moment before taking the hand and giving it a shake. With a kind gaze, Lord Bantwood greeted him.
“Nice to meet you, Sir Lucerne. Are you a student here?”
“Yes, I recently transferred….”
“You transferred? That’s impressive. The entrance exams here are notoriously difficult.”
“They weren’t that hard….”
“Haha, you must be confident in your studies.”
“Well… I’ve just worked hard up until now.”
Watching the two of them easily engage in conversation, Johanna’s eyes widened slightly in surprise. Daniel was usually very cautious and didn’t talk freely with just anyone, so it was quite unexpected to see him so at ease.
“Did you get to meet the student you’re sponsoring?”
Johanna asked, and Lord Bantwood hesitated before raising his eyebrows slightly. For some reason, he looked a bit troubled. Then he responded with a faint, wry smile.
“He must be going through adolescence… causing quite a few problems lately.”
“Ah, by any chance…?”
Daniel seemed to have an idea. As Daniel hesitated, Lord Bantwood gave him an encouraging smile, as if to say, go ahead. After a moment of hesitation, Daniel glanced around before speaking.
