“Um, Lord Damian. You came to the orphanage today too, right? It seems those children caused you some trouble…”
“Huh? Ah. No, it wasn’t particularly troublesome. Though, I was surprised…”
Because Damian mumbled something incoherently, I couldn’t quite catch the latter part of what he said.
Since he clearly stated it wasn’t troublesome, Lily felt relieved, thinking Mitoa might have just exaggerated. However, the latter part might have been a complaint.
She asked again.
“Huh? What was that?”
“I hadn’t heard your schedule. I was wondering what time you’d be here…”
“Oh, so you went out of your way to look for me because of that?”
It didn’t seem like a complaint after all.
It appeared he had searched for her just to confirm her schedule.
“The children at the orphanage told me you take on various jobs through the employment agency every day, so they didn’t know where you’d be until you returned. So, I went to the employment agency too and asked where you were… No, I didn’t mean to disturb your work.”
“You didn’t disturb my work. I said I was happy you went out of your way to come see me, didn’t I?”
When she glanced up at Damian, he once again frowned, looking displeased.
“Are you angry?”
Not understanding why he made such an expression, Lily couldn’t help but ask.
“No, I’m not angry.”
“So, you’re saying you’re not in a bad mood?”
You look so grumpy but you’re not angry?
Baffled, Lily poked the wrinkle between Damian’s brows.
“It’s really deep, though?”
“This is…!”
Damian covered his forehead with both hands to hide it. He seemed so flustered that Lily was the one who ended up surprised.
“What is it?”
“Do I really look that grumpy?”
He muttered, sounding somewhat frightened, and Lily couldn’t decide whether to nod or not.
If she answered honestly, there was a danger he might run away again.
Lily was the contractual lover, the one meant to offer love. Damian just needed to stand firm and receive it, yet he seemed different from the lover she had imagined.
However, if he wasn’t particularly bothered by the children’s behavior when he visited the orphanage, then for Lily, the immediate problem was resolved. It seemed the contract wouldn’t be canceled, which was a relief.
The golden rule was not to mix personal feelings with work.
To make the job go more smoothly, Lily decided to ask.
“By the way, Lord Damian, do you have an ideal type of lover? Or things you’d like to do with a lover?”
“Not particularly.”
Not particularly?
Lily groaned.
What did it mean that he wanted love enough to pay for it, yet had nothing he wanted a lover to do?
“Then why do you want love and such?”
“That’s none of your concern.”
“I see, you’re right.”
If the employer said it was none of her concern, then that was that.
In that case, Lily would simply offer the love she envisioned.
That was the contract, after all.
“It’s quite late now. Well then, goodnight, Lord Damian.”
As it was nearly bedtime, Lily planted a kiss on Damian’s forehead.
It was one of the items on the list of “things to do as a lover” she had picked up at the market.
“Ah, ahh.”
Damian groaned, seeming bewildered.
He had returned to his usual stern expression, but Lily actually preferred a grumpy Damian—it felt more settled.
Though if she told him that, he’d probably get even more confused, so she kept it to herself.
Incidentally, Lily’s day began with the sunrise, so she was unbearably sleepy now. She had been told she could use the bath, so she gratefully accepted.
Once she took a bath, she’d probably fall asleep immediately.
With a drowsy, fluffy smile, she saw Damian off, completely unaware until the end that he stood there with a face as if he’d bitten into a sour bug, his ears alone turning bright red.