Ch#101
“Ibi, are you ready? Shall we head out?”
At Arcel's words, Airin rubbed her eyes and stepped between them.
“Excuse me, Young Master Kailun. Ibi just woke up too, you know? Shouldn't you give a lady some time to get ready?”
At Airin's grumpy tone, Arcel finally let out an 'ah' of realization.
Then, seeing Ibi rubbing her eyes, his face flushed slightly as he stepped back.
“My apologies. If it wouldn't be rude, may I wait in the drawing room?”
“Of course. If it's alright with you, how about joining us for breakfast?”
“It would be an honor. I gratefully accept Miss Terrins's kind offer.”
Ibi watched their polite exchange with wide-eyed curiosity.
“Then, we'll take our leave. Ibi, let's get ready.”
Airin gave a slight bow before firmly grabbing Ibi's hand and returning to the room.
The moment the door closed.
“Ughhh... this really gives me chills.”
As if she could no longer hold back, Airin vigorously rubbed her arms.
“Sigh, I can't wait to get back to Yeongjae Academy and talk comfortably. He was gritting his teeth like he couldn't stand it either.”
“Can't they just talk casually?”
They were casual at Yeongjae Academy, so why be so formal here?
“We could if it were just the three of us, but there are too many eyes around. Among the servants in this mansion, there are temporary hires from the capital who aren't Terrins family members. One of them might have already spread the word that Arcel came first thing in the morning.”
“Is that a problem?”
Doesn't that just mean Arcel and Airin are close?
At Ibi's innocent question, Airin laughed and pulled her into a tight hug.
“Ibi, remember what I said at first? There are tons of rumors that I'll marry Arcel, or Ruska. If he shows up at dawn and I welcome him casually, it'll definitely spark more gossip.”
“Gossip?”
“Yeah, rumors that I'm going to marry Arcel. Even though neither of us is thinking about it, it'll just pile on the annoying talk... Ugh, whatever. Not the time to worry about that. You need to get ready to go quickly.”
“I already packed last night though?”
Knowing she'd leave today, she had packed her bag with Airin the night before.
“Huh? That was just basic casual clothes, right? We haven't even started on outfits or hats. Seriously, why come at dawn and rush us like this. I was planning to feed you lunch and send you off leisurely.”
Airin grumbled as she called her three ever-present maids.
“First, have Ibi stand here.”
Airin brought over a footstool and placed Ibi on it.
Then she and the three maids busily got to work.
“How about this dress?”
“Miss, this one seems more comfortable to move in.”
“But this one's cuter!”
“True, but... it's summer, so we need to consider ease of movement too!”
“More importantly, look at these hats! They all suit her—what do we do?”
“What do we do? Pack them all in the trunks!”
Clothes were tried on Ibi, hats placed and removed, bags packed—it was total chaos around the still-standing Ibi.
A while later, Airin and the three maids looked proud.
“This should be plenty, right?”
Ibi, who had been dazed from the nonstop changing, looked at the trunks they had prepared.
One, two, three, four....
“Fifteen?”
Unable to believe it, she rubbed her eyes and checked again, but there were fifteen large trunks big enough for her to fit inside.
What on earth did that number mean? And when did she have so many clothes?
Amazed, Ibi cautiously spoke up.
“Um, I think two or three outfits would be enough for me....”
“What are you talking about!”
“Miss, what kind of talk is that!”
At Ibi's words, Airin and the maids shouted in unison.
“It's summer!”
“Exactly! You need changes if you sweat! Otherwise, you might catch a cold!”
“Th-then seven....”
One per day, wash and rewear—seven should be more than enough, right?
“No way! You might want to change for morning, lunch, and dinner!”
“Right! What if you want yellow in the morning but red in the afternoon?”
'Would that ever... happen?'
It seemed excessive no matter how she thought about it, but facing the stubborn four, Ibi couldn't insist on taking less.
“Besides, there's no one Ibi's size at Arcel's house. We can't have you running out of clothes there.”
Airin held up the yellow dress she had picked for today and said.
“And if anyone asks who picked such pretty clothes, you have to say firmly that I did. Got it?”
“Yes!”
* * *
Despite the time it took to change and return, Arcel waiting in the drawing room showed no sign of disarray.
He looked at the trunks the Terrins mansion servants were carrying out.
“Those?”
“Ah, those!”
“They're Ibi's clothes.”
As Airin quickly answered as if it were obvious, Arcel spoke again.
“I only asked to confirm since it seemed too few.”
“……”
Airin's lips twitched at Arcel's reply.
This guy? A declaration of war?
Airin smiled as she responded.
“We picked only the prettiest ones, so the number ended up small. When Ibi. Comes. Back. To. Our. House, we'll fill them with even prettier ones.”
Her eyes said 'it's only a week, snap,' and Arcel said no more.
He admitted defeat on that point.
“Um, I'm hungry! Let's go eat quickly!”
Sensing the sharpening glares between them, Ibi swiftly inserted herself and grabbed each of their hands.
At Ibi's action, Airin smiled brightly again, and Arcel smiled as if nothing had happened.
* * *
As breakfast began, Airin sat right next to Ibi and said to Arcel.
“Shall I lend you a pen and paper?”
“Is there something you need it for?”
“To tell you what Ibi likes, dislikes, and what she shouldn't eat.”
'You don't know that, do you? Hehehe.'
The elegant exchange sounded that way to the three maids standing behind.
'As if he would.'
Airin puffed out her chest confidently.
It wasn't just southern food she fed Ibi after bringing her home.
She had been so upset seeing Ibi at Yeongjae Academy not know food names or what they were.
So Airin had specially requested chefs from various empire regions.
They presented their hometowns' dishes as if honored, bringing out all sorts of delicacies.
Thanks to that, Ibi got to stuff herself with foods even Yeongjae Academy didn't have.
Then she left some for the first time.
Facing the plate with food still left, Ibi panicked like she had committed the world's worst sin.
Airin watched worriedly and asked.
“Ibi, was it not tasty?”
“No! It's tasty, but this....”
After hesitating a long time, Ibi said with difficulty.
“My throat suddenly got so itchy....”
Ibi grimaced and tried to pick up her fork to eat what she had left.
“What? Throat itchy?”
At those words, Airin jumped up in surprise.
“It's an allergy! Don't eat! No!”
After a brief commotion, Airin called the chef to ask what was in it.
“I suspect it's the northern herb banha. No issue for those eating it from childhood, but I've seen it happen often with older first-timers.”
She couldn't blame the chef. Banha was a common northern herb.
The Terrins family doctor examined Ibi, said it wasn't severe thankfully, and gave medicine.
Airin said regretfully as Ibi took it.
“Ibi, if anything feels off while eating from now on, tell me right away. Never eat more. It could be serious.”
“But leaving it is such a waste....”
Ibi spoke as if wasting food was worse than being sick herself, which upset Airin terribly.
Then Airin realized.
“Wait, has this happened before? Throat itchy or skin rash, but you ate it all because it was a waste....”
Ibi averted her eyes instead of answering. It meant yes.
“But you can't leave it....”
“It's okay to leave it! You can!”
After that, Airin observed Ibi hawk-eyed whenever she tried new foods.
She learned what Ibi liked, disliked, and couldn't eat.
“First, Ibi likes best....”
“Among meats, chicken definitely. Cooking-wise, grilled or fried. Veggies not over-stir-fried or boiled—raw more than cooked. For desserts, candy over chocolate. But her absolute favorite is pudding drenched in caramel syrup with fresh cream.”
Details about Ibi poured effortlessly from Arcel's mouth.
Not just Airin, but Ibi stared at him in surprise.
'How does he know?'
He even seemed to know better than her!
“What, how....”
As Airin muttered in shock, Arcel smiled and looked at Ibi.
“I'm always watching, so of course I know.”
