How the Useless Me Became the Beloved of the Devilish Duke Knight - Chapter 11
Chapter 11 : Friends and Names
The plants in the garden rustle under the faint moonlight.
In his hand was a basketful of Lathy. Today—it was delivered before yesterday’s clock struck twelve. Everything is exactly as ordered.
“…What happened to that? Did you bump into something?”
The man pointed to his forehead and asked, but honestly, that was the least of her concerns. Elma picked up the basket with one hand and pulled her cheek as hard as she could with the other.
For some reason, it hurts. She pulled again, and it gave a throbbing sensation.
“….It’s not a dream, you know?”
He mumbled as he watched her, who was covering her cheeks in silence. Elma opened her mouth. She was surprised, flustered, and happy.
‘Because I never expected something like this….could really happen’
“Of course, It’s not a fake, nor is it some low-quality item. You can try it if you want.”
While struggling to find the right words, the man quickly takes out a handkerchief, wipes his hands, and picks up one of the many lathies.
The beautiful hands skillfully peeled the fruit—unfortunately, it didn’t go as planned.
To be honest, he seems a bit clumsy.Perhaps Elma, who is used to this kind of thing, would do it much faster and make it look neater.
Yet, in the presence of his earnest atmosphere, suggesting things like “Is that enough?” or “Should I take over?” seemed too impolite. Elma quietly watched until it was finished.
“….”
The hands, the leftover peel, and the remaining fruit—all of it is sticky and uneven. The person himself is probably aware of the somewhat mediocre outcome, looking disappointed.
“Thank you, I’ll enjoy the meal.”
But Elma didn’t hesitate about such things. For someone who has eaten leftover food, rotten food, and sometimes even muddy water, it is more than enough to feast on.
When she extended her hand, the man, after a brief pause, placed the Lathy on it. The fruit she put in her mouth tasted even sweeter than it did yesterday.
The corners of her eyes start to heat up. Elma quickly wiped her eyes, but it seemed the man was quite startled too.
“W-What’s wrong? Was it that bad? Or is your injury hurting!?”
“No, um… I’m just happy. And besides, it’s really not a big deal.”
Holding her forehead and covering her eyes, Elma tried to respond. Despite not being sad, once a tear slipped, they wouldn’t stop.
Trying to hold back only made it worse, and she felt sorry for appearing so flustered and making him panic.
“…Um. Sorry, I’m not used to this. I don’t think I did well.”
“But it really was delicious. Probably more than anything I’ve ever eaten before…”
Realizing she couldn’t afford to ruin the well-made Lathy, Elma panicked, and the man, seeming to catch on, took the basket from her. That way, Elma could cover her face with both hands.
“—El. Can you help Mother?”
“—El. Come over here. Father made this today. Give it a taste…”
Along with tears, memories from a A long, long time ago overflowed. It seemed like the ethereal memory of happiness was melting and drifting away.
“…Are you okay?”
“I’m sorry… I’ve calmed down.”
Staying like that for a while, the whirlpool of emotions gradually subsided. Elma wiped her eyes, then turned back to the man and bowed deeply.
“Thank you for bringing the latte. I must… keep my promise, right?”
Awkwardly flashing a smile, the man appeared to be stumbling over his words, his eyes wavering.
“Um.. How do I say it, I didn’t mean to force it.”
“No, not at all! I’ve already had the tea from you today. I should give something in return…”
“No, well, about that. I don’t mean to force myself on a woman who’s not comfortable with it.”
“I… I’m not against it. It’s just… um. There’s a lot to process.”
“I-I see. I’m sorry, I’m not very good at understanding people’s emotions. If it’s not okay, please tell me clearly when it’s not…”
His sudden change of heart was likely due to Elma unexpectedly starting crying. However, from Elma’s perspective, she had already received the favor of having her wish fulfilled, and now she had embarrassed herself and caused trouble. She couldn’t be more ungrateful. She fidgeted and rubbed her hands together.
“Um… so. Uh… were we, like, friends now…?”
“Y-yeah….Oh, but it’s not like that, right? We’re just acquaintances, I…”
“Whether friends or acquaintances. Surely, there’s something we must do first, right?”
Elma gently held out her hand to the stunned person.
“Nice to meet you. I’m Elma Tarcoza. The kind person who gave me the Lathy… may I know your name?”
The man was frozen, but he quickly snapped out of it, attempting to respond to the handshake.
However, he withdrew his hand after initiating the gesture, quickly glancing around. The mansion was wrapped in the quiet of the night, and there were only the two of them here.
He gently lifted the cloth, revealing silver eyes that stared directly at Elma. Elma looked up at him and smiled.
As opportunities to smile were rare, the reflection of her face in the man’s eyes seemed quite tense. Nevertheless, Elma continued to smile, patiently waiting.
Once they were close, their fingertips touched and separated. Elma is not used to this kind of thing, but neither is the other party.
As she subtly encouraged, the man opened his hand again, and finally, he overlaid his hand on hers. It was indeed large and sturdy.
“?Eugreek.”
A hoarse, low voice spoke. Elma looked up from her hands, the man took a breath and introduced himself again.
“It’s Eugreek Germane.”
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Translated by : Cutae30