Anyway, I feel better than before. Thank you, the woman said.
Youre welcome.
Could you bring dinner to my room later as well?
Yes, my lady. Please rest.
When the maid left the room, Max continued to stay in the closet and eagerly stared at the door. A few minutes later, he sensed the womans light and careful gait getting closer.
Shes here. The closet door opened, and she came into view.
You can come out now, the entrancing woman said. Her surroundings were bright; it looked like she was enveloped in a halo.
Ah Max opened his mouth unconsciously, then closed it. He tried asking the woman if she was okay but found himself unable to do so.
She laughed brightly like a flower. Well eat now as promised.
If Max was being rational, he wouldve refused her offer. He usually wasnt hungry and didnt accept food from strangers. Even so, he was strangely hungry now.
Come this way, she said. Max felt his heart tingle when Jubelian made hand gestures to usher him forward.
This is only because Im hungry. He again rationalized his confusing behavior. Max followed Jubelian to the small table in her room, where he could see some sandwiches arranged in a way that would be easy to eat. He frowned when he took a closer look.
Is this what I think it is? Max wanted to get angry because the sandwich contained an ingredient he hated, but he found himself unable to do so when he saw Jubelians face.
Here you go, she offered. Max didnt refuse when she handed over a sandwich.
Try it, she said. Our chef is very skilled. At her request, he took a bite and tasted the very thing that made him harden his expression.
Its indeed what I thought it was. The sandwich was full of cucumbers. It was truly terrible.
How is it? Jubelian asked.
Truthfully, Max didnt even know what it tasted like because he had swallowed the sandwich whole. Even so, he continued forcing more into his mouth.
Why am I doing this? Max mulled over his behavior when the woman spoke with a smile.
Do you not like it?
He hated it. But instead of answering truthfully, Max slowly shook his head and met the womans smiling face. Strangely, his heart tingled again.
I was worried because I have strange preferences for food, but Im glad you like it as well, she said as she bit into a sandwich.
Max looked at Jubelian, then at the cucumber sandwich he wouldnt usually spare a glance at. Is it that good? He took another bite of the sandwich and savored it this time. The blandness of cucumber combined with its peculiar smell reignited his dislike for the vegetable. But as he continued eating, he slowly got used to the taste. Maybe it wasnt as bad as he thought it was.
* * *
I became sleepy after eating brunch with my fathers disciple, but I didnt want to take a nap when he was in my room. Its not like Ill pass out from sleepiness.
I decided to read a book to stay focused, but my eyes kept fluttering shut. What should I do? Im so tired. My vision gradually blurred, but I managed to stay awake for a little longer.
Hey, my fathers disciple suddenly said.
I flinched at his voice and unconsciously yawned.
I really have to control myself now. Out of embarrassment, I covered my mouth with both hands and barely controlled another yawn. Even so, I couldnt stop tears from forming in my eyes.
At least I didnt show my mouth this time. I squeezed my eyes shut at this thought. The tears I had held back ran down my face. Ugh, why do I always do that when I yawn? I tried to wipe the tears with my sleeves but stopped when I saw my fathers disciple looming over me.
Huh? When did he get so close? I was staring back at him when something soft touched my eyes.
Why are you crying?
I widened my eyes when I saw that his sleeves had become wet with my tears. His shirt was surprisingly soft to the touch, perhaps even softer than my handkerchief, which was made out of the finest cotton in the empire. This is the highest grade fabric Ive ever felt. Wasnt he kicked out because he didnt have any money?
I became filled with doubt, wondering if I had guessed incorrectly about his identity when a thought occurred to me. Well, you dont have to be wealthy to wear high-quality clothes. Some people bought expensive clothes to feel better about themselves, even if they didnt have a lot of money. My fathers disciple was probably like that.
At that moment, he frowned and repeated himself. I asked why you were crying.
Oh Its nothing. You dont have to worry about it.
Tell me now.
It was honestly a little embarrassing. I didnt want to tell him that yawning made me cry.