Chapter 47: Chapter 47

"Oh, my! This roasted lamb is so delicious! So chewy, but you can taste the juiciness with a hint of smoky sensation. This is so perfect!" Cecilia said after she ate her fourth meat skewer.

"Here, have this too." Max give her a slice of apple pie.

They are on the Holk City Square where the harvest festival being held.

The crowds aren't reducing even it almost midnight. Everybody have a good time, including Cecilia and Max, who were sitting on the long wooden bench to eat their foods.

Cecilia's passion about food was never failed to entertain him. For Max, Cecilia always look so beautiful. But her charisma seems raised rapidly when she's enjoying delicious food.

Or cooking some foods.

"Nope, the taste of dessert can ruin my taste bud. Better to safe it for the last. Oh! Wait! Where is my manner? I should thank you for the treat. Thank you so much, Max!"

He rolled his eyes and pretend to be annoyed, "As expected from the Young Lady from Lancia's family. Saying that after eating so many foods."

"He he, I'm sorry." She said before starting chewing her Quiché. "Oh, since the case of Gillian is solved, you can take a day off."

Max snort softly, "I don't need that."

"Why? You can ask her to here too. We already taste every food in this place, so you can give her some recommendation for her."

"Just like what I said before, I don't need it."

Notice his discomfort, Cecilia change the topic, "Well, I'm glad we didn't buy too many of this Quiché. It's too bland and instead of meat or bacon, they change it into spinach and chicken."

"But, you eat a whole of it."

"My mother used to scold me when I didn't finish my meal. Ah, finally! Our precious apple pie!"

Max's eyes brow raised a bit. He wonders if Cecilia was talking about the late Duchess. As long as he remembered, she passed away when Cecilia was still in the very young age. This is the second times, she mentioned her mother.

Might be her nanny, he thought to himself. Her interaction with her private maid are good. Perharps, she always considering her nanny as her mother.

"Ah, I'm full! The pie's crust taste like heaven! Let's find some refreshment, Max!" Cecilia said after cleaning up the mess. She's even using her handkerchief to wipes the bench after put everything to trash bin.

"How come you know how to wipe so cleanly like that?"

She tilted her head and throw her silk red handkerchief to the bin, "You are always exaggerating my action."

"And why you put that expensive handkerchief to the bin?"

"Well, it's not mine," She shrugged her shoulder. "Not even Mary's either. But it was on my pocket. That was strange."

"Wow, your sloppiness is on another level."

"It has nothing to do with my sloppiness or anything. But, that thing give me some bad feeling. I just wanted to get rid of it."

Max turned his gaze to the red handkerchief. But he doesn't sense any magic or the trace of poison.

"I'm sorry to said something gloomy in this festive moods. Let's wash our hand first."

Max nodded and walking behind her. After wash their hand on the nearest stall, they walked toward the crowded bar.

"A glass of wine must be great for a cheerful night like this."

He shook his head as a sign of disagreement, "No. You shouldn't drink alcohol. Except you are with Duke or me. Your drunk style is quite something."

"Ah, why are you always talking like that?"

"No reason." He answers with light tone. When they entered the front door, Max casually take her shoulder while walking through the crowd.

That's when she noticed something weird. Her heart was skip a beat. Cecilia's wonder if it because she ate so much food.

"Is it okay?" She asked after they bought two glasses of apricot nectar and sit in the long bench in the corner of the pub. There is no empty table.

"For what?"

"Yesterday, you forbid me to touch you."

"Really? I forgot," He said while playing dumb. "Moreover, I have to do that to protect you. I am you secret guardian, remember?"

"Yes, you are right." She smiled, but still confused about the reason why she felt down after heard that.

"Did you hear that? That girl from Lancia's family stepped back from the election?" Said someone in the table which only fifth feets from them.

Cecilia and Max exchanging gaze before they choose to listening to their conversation.

"That's good. The cold and mean girl like her didn't deserve to be the crown princess."

"You are right. I heard she put the other candidates into hard times. Maybe she doesn't step back but got disqualification instead."

"I heard even the Duke dumped her on the South Island. The barren land with tropical climate. She might die after a week."

"She must be an evil woman!"

Max clenched his fist. Just when he wants to beat them up, Cecilia grab her right hand, "Max, let's get out from here."

"No! Not before, I give them some lesson!"

"Max." Suddenly, her tone getting colder. He narrowed his eyebrow because she looks like someone else. "Let's get out of here. This is a command."

He exhales heavily and throw his gaze to the people who mocking his Chilly. After he record their face in his brain, Max bring her out from the bar.

"Why did you stop me?" He asked when they reached a small park that far from the crowd. "Why are you just silently watched them talking trash about you?"

"It is useless to talk with people like that. They already have the bad impression about me. No matter what I do, it doesn't change anything."

"You should beat them in the pulped to make them stop!"

Due to their height differences, Cecilia tiptoes her feet to hold both side of his head.

Max frozen for a moment, when he can feel his touch in his ears.

Slowly, Cecilia forced him to directly look at her purple eyes, "Violence is not always an answer. They might think that the rumor was true and with my family power, I send people to abuse them.

Besides, they can tarnish your reputation by saying that there is a masked man who hired by Lancia's family to beat people up."

Max sneered, "I don't care about my reputation."

"I do care about it," She said with a faint smile. "However, I'm so thankful because you were angry for me. It means so much to me."

Cecilia tries to release her hands because notice that he became calmer.

But, Max's hold her hands and stopped her movement.

Seeing the fragile side of her, making Max wonders about how many times she has to endure it. Somehow she looks so lonely. He wants to protect this cinnamon roll with all his might.

Now or never, he thought to himself. I should ask her to go out right now!

"Chili, would you--,"

"Lovebirds! Finally, I found you!" Max knows this alto voices, and suddenly, he felt so mad.

"Oh? Did I interrupt something?" Kaleela sneered when saw their current position. With messy red hair and black knee-lenght dress which already worn out, she looks no better than a beggar. "More importantly, I need your help."