Chapter 46: Red Ears, Red Flags
Knock, knock.
The sound came from my door and shattered the awkward silence hanging thick in the air between us.
"I’ve brought your dinner, miss," came a gentle voice, likely one of the inn staff.
Dinner. Right. Of course.
The sun had already set by the time I returned to the inn with the children.
"Y-yes, coming," I replied with a flustered stutter, rushing to the door with my cheeks still carrying the warmth from earlier.
As soon as I opened it, the staff member’s eyes swept over my flushed face, then over my shoulder, where Alessio sat calmly on the bed behind me.
She blinked. Then smiled. And then, with a hand politely covering her mouth, she let out a small laugh that screamed Ohhhh, I see~.
’What’s with that face?! That’s not what you think, I swear!’
I stood there frozen, mouth twitching and eyes wide in panic. My hand half-rose in protest as if that alone could erase the misunderstanding from her head.
"Oh, where are my manners. My lord," she turned to Alessio, her voice now teasingly respectful, "would you like your dinner served here instead?"