Seweina strode into the ancient castle and sat down across from Rex, picking up the cup of tea he had just poured.
But she didn’t drink it.
She just held it, staring at her reflection in the tea, as if wrestling with herself.
Rex looked at her: “What exactly do you want?”
“I told you, if you don’t answer clearly, I’m not leaving.”
“Didn’t I answer you?”
“You… that’s not a valid reason!”
Seweina looked up and glared at him.
Her eyes were no longer red, but her stubbornness hadn’t diminished one bit.
Rex leaned back weakly in his chair: “So you’re not planning to go back tonight?”
“No! Anyway, the fortress has nothing going on recently. I’m staying here!”
Rex was dumbfounded by this unreasonable woman.
He turned his head to look at Hilda, who was standing on the stairs.
She just nodded slightly: “The previous room has been tidied up, My Lord.”
Rex sighed: “Suit yourself.”
“Huh?… You agree to let me stay?”
“If I said no, would you leave?”
“No.”
“Then there you go.”
Rex stood up and couldn’t be bothered to look at her anymore.
This woman puzzled him completely.
It was she who had initiated the duel, saying something about “doing things her way.”
Not only did she cheat after losing, but she even started crying.
And now she was clinging to him and refusing to leave?
‘Is this the conduct of the North Governor?’
Rex silently kept these words to himself.
God knew which remark would make her explode again.
“My Lord.”
“What’s wrong?”
“I want to eat the roasted wolf meat you make.”
Rex suddenly remembered that during lunch he had said the wolf meat was a bit dry.
He didn’t expect Hilda to have taken that to heart.
“…Alright.”
Hilda led Seweina upstairs and briefly pointed out the guest room.
“This room is empty. The sheets have been changed. The bathroom is at the end of the hallway.”
Seweina stood in the room for a while.
She touched the earrings that had been re-hung on her ears, took a deep breath, and walked downstairs.
From the kitchen came the sizzling sound of oil in a pan.
Seweina poked her head in and saw Rex busy inside.
His sturdy forearms were using a long ladle to stir something in a pot.
On the counter were chopped vegetables, marinated meat, and a small dish of spices.
His movements were too practiced to be a first attempt.
“What are you looking at?”
Rex asked without turning his head, but he clearly noticed her gaze.
“I… I was just seeing what you were doing.”
After saying that, she turned and left.
She sat back down in the chair by the fireplace, picked up the now-cold cup of tea, and pretended to drink.
When dinner was served, Seweina’s attention was entirely on the plate.
Roasted wolf meat.
The surface was fragrant and crispy.
When cut, the meat was tender and pink, with juices seeping into the bottom of the plate.
Alongside were roasted vegetables and a small dish of jam.
The plating wasn’t exquisite, but the aroma made one’s mouth water.
Seweina ate much faster than she had at lunch.
She silently finished her portion, and her gaze unconsciously drifted toward Rex’s plate.
Rex felt very uncomfortable under her stare.
He put down his knife and fork and looked up at her.
“I said, what exactly do you want?”
“I… I wanted to say the food is delicious. Also, I’m not staying for free. Tomorrow… I’ll help you with work too.”
“Work? You’re going to use your superb swordsmanship to chop firewood?”
Seweina was about to retort, but when she remembered the scene of herself cutting the wood into splinters just now, she shut her mouth.
She lowered her head and poked the last potato on her plate with her fork.
Seeing her like this, Rex suddenly felt that this woman wasn’t so hard to deal with.
At best, she was just an ordinary woman with a strong mouth and a soft heart, who cried when she lost and blushed when praised.
She just usually hid her soft side too deeply behind her armor and longsword.
“Suit yourself. Come to the fields with me tomorrow morning.”
Seweina looked up: “What are we going to the fields for?”
“Didn’t you say you wanted to help with work? Help me dig a new channel from the ditch to divert water.”
“…Oh.”