I can't believe this beastman.
Just because I act a little friendly towards him and even smile—a rare privilege—he thinks he can talk me down? Maybe I've been too lenient with him because I think it's cute that he's still a virgin.
I'll definitely get him back for this later.
Caelum, who didn't expect me to lash back, cleared his throat and looked forward. Normally, anyone who came in contact with his cold glare would fold up and tremble. He probably expected that reaction from me and thought I wouldn't try to do anything rash when we were in front of others. But just as he talked down on me, I talked down on him as well.
I might not have a penny to my name right now, but I definitely will not appreciate a man treating me with such disrespect.
I have pride too, you know. I'm no pushover.
"Let's just go," he said and kept walking.
Hah!
I sighed and, instead of following him, turned my head to the tables. He was the one who started this, so he shouldn't blame me for acting out now.
I walked away from the path behind him and went to sit down, raising my hand to call forth the waiter.
Caelum noticed I wasn't following him and turned his head to find me ordering food like it was the most natural thing to do at that moment.
"What do you think you're doing?" He asked, and I looked at me with my dead gaze.
"Watch your tone," I said, and he shifted, feeling uncomfortable with this new attitude.
He never expected a day to come when he'd have to be so cautious in the presence of, not nobility or royalty, but a commoner girl. And all for what? Because his dumb brother let her take his emblem.
"What are you doing?" He asked again, but this time, he fixed his tone, as he should.
"As you can see, I'm ordering breakfast," I said, handing the menu back to the waiter. "I don't know about you, but I'm hungry. And I don't think I'm ready to change space on an empty belly."
"There is food in the mansion," he said to me, and I nodded.
"Yes, yes, and I remember clearly you're taking me to the humble servant's wing, right? I bet there's a 'ton' of delicious food for your workers. Woo." I rolled my eyes and then watched as he clenched his fists on the table. "Hey, hey, take it easy, or you'll smash the table. Don't you want a quiet morning? I do."
"You—"
"Lyssa!" I said, and he looked at me, confused.
"What?"
"My name. It's Lyssa." I looked at my nails that were unkempt. I'd probably need to visit a manicure salon. Will this cold stonehead take me there?
Hah, I doubt. Life as a pretty female is so hard.
"You never asked for my name, and you've been calling me all sorts of 'You' and 'Heys,' so I decided to do the introduction myself. From now on, call me Lyssa. Anything else is just outright disrespect." I boldly claimed, and even the workers were stunned out of their boots.
A guy pouring tea kept pouring till it overflowed because he just couldn't understand what was going on. No one could.
This was Caelum. He was the first heir of House Valerius, the richest house in the capital. So how was it that a common nobody was running her mouth so much in his presence?
Yes, that was what their expressions read, and I loved every bit of them. Men with status, men with ego, men with all that, I like to break them at every chance I get.
And I was sure not to break the rules while doing so. That way, they have no way to imprison me.
Hm, but I think it was a sort of crime to disrespect nobility. I thought about it, but just waved it off.
Whatever. If I claim I'm a noble from a faraway place, that'll just settle all of it.
I looked at Caelum, his pale face red from the embarrassment I had just served him, and his teeth clattered together as he gritted them. Why ruin a set of perfect teeth? I just can't understand this beastman.
"What? Hungry?" I asked and then offered the chair opposite me. "You can sit there if you want. I won't bite. After all, you can only leave when I'm ready to leave, right?"
"And what if..." He grumbled, and I pushed my ear forward.
"What was that?"
"What if I just throw you over my shoulder and take you with me right now?" He asked, and I blinked twice.
"Well then, mister smart pants," I dropped my elbows on the table, the thick leather fabric of the coat softening the contact. I interlocked my fingers and then rested my chin on them, smiling. "You'll just be writing the news outlines yourself, right? I'd like to thank you in advance, but we both know you're not that dumb to carry out a stunt like that."
The waiter finally came back with the tea I had ordered and the refreshments.
"Your meal will be here shortly," he announced, his voice a little shaky.
He bowed his head and then hurried out of there, feeling Caelum's cold fury.
I ignored his fury and stirred my tea, holding it with the precision of a noble and taking a light sip. I had basic etiquette from somewhere, that's for sure. This just feels so natural, like I'd done it more than a thousand times.
It felt familiar, but I could not remember anything from it.
I sipped the tea and then lowered it, a look of sadness and longing suddenly masking over my face as I tried to recall even the faintest memory.
I did say it didn't matter even if I didn't remember, as long as I survived in this world, but how could I do that now when a dull, desperate ache had surfaced in my heart?
What do I want? 'Who' do I want?
Caelum sat down, breaking my reminisce, and I lifted my head to find him obediently sitting opposite me. I thought he'd protest for long, but guess not.
"If you're going to have breakfast with me, make sure to make your own order. I'm not sharing mine."
"Do whatever you want."
He looked defeated. He couldn't figure me out, and he couldn't control me either. No matter what he did, I wouldn't do it according to his will. What else could he do?
My lips curled, the villain in me slowly celebrating my conquest in breaking this man into doing my bidding.
Right now, it was forced, but soon... He'll be the one begging.