She sighed to herself. 
Perhaps she"ll finally be thrown away today.

On this day, Miyo felt despondent. 
She made food without considering that Kiyoka was someone who had to be cautious about being poisoned. As a result, not only was food wasted, the master was sent on his way without having a meal. 

If Kiyoka was truly a cold-hearted and ruthless person as the rumours claim, she wouldn"t be allowed to stay in this house anymore. He"ll definitely kick her out as he did with the previous matchmaking candidates and fiancés. Although Yurie told her not to mind it, she couldn"t do it. 

Because, if she were to be kicked out, there was nowhere for Miyo to return to.
Even if she could immediately find work that would provide her with a place to stay. She might make people feel uncomfortable and be treated like a plague. 

「Did Yurie not prepare your meal?」

Oh no, Yurie was being doubted.

「T-That"s not the case...」

Since she had the leftovers from breakfast, she told Yurie that she didn"t need dinner.
...Frankly, she only had a little during the day. The rest of it was given to the neighbouring villagers who came to collect leftovers to be used as fertiliser. 

Miyo, who never had enough food to eat, didn"t have much of an appet.i.te after her blunder in the morning. Honestly, she was afraid to tell him the reason. She was reluctant to tell him if he were to press her about her situation back at home. Or rather, her father probably wouldn"t forgive her if she told Kiyoka about their family and hurt their reputation. 

「That... I didn"t have much of an appet.i.te, so I told Yurie-san to not prepare my portion.」

「No appet.i.te? Are you not feeling well?」

「N-No... It"s no big deal. This happens from time to time.」

More accurately speaking, it wasn"t that she didn"t have an appet.i.te from time to time. But more like she would have to skip all meals occasionally. 

「...Well, if that"s the case, then so be it.」

It sounded plausible, but as expected, he didn"t believe her completely. 

However, him being concerned about Miyo"s meals meant that Kiyoka wasn"t planning on getting rid of her at the moment. So she could be at ease for now.

Kiyoka took a quick glance at Miyo before informing her that he was going to change his clothes and headed for his room-c.u.m-study. 

(...He"s a really kind person.)

Miyo recalled what Yurie told her when she first arrived at the house the day before. Yurie had told her that despite the bad rumours surrounding Kiyoka, he"s actually really kind so needn"t be nervous around him. 

To be honest, she was still afraid of Kiyoka.
When he doesn"t smile, that cold voice and expression in the morning. Just thinking about it sent a chill down her spine. Furthermore, his beauty made him all the more terrifying. 

Yet, he apologised to Miyo and was even worried for her health... She kind of understood that he wasn"t really a cold-hearted person.

「It"s cold.」

Kiyoka muttered as he had his meal.
The meal was prepared by Yurie. Since it"s been neatly plated and served, it couldn"t be reheated, so it hard turned cold.

Yurie had already finished her work and gone home. She said she would leave earlier as Kiyoka would be home soon. 

「My deepest apologies.」

「...Why do you apologise as often as breathing?」

Miyo who was waiting at the side for any orders from Kiyoka, felt his sharp glance and lowered her head immediately. 

She apologised immediately because that was how it was back at home. Once she was being targetted by her stepmother and stepsister, she was not allowed to say anything else but sorry. Also, if she didn"t apologise straight away, the hara.s.sment would worsen. Eventually, apologising became a reflex. 

However, giving him a frank explanation was something Miyo could not do. Putting aside her stepmother and stepsister... her father, even though he was far away, was a terrifying existence to Miyo.
Hence, she could only lower her head in silence, unable to give Kiyoka an answer.

「You"re not willing to say?」

「I"m sor——」

「Don"t apologise.」

Kiyoka said in a hushed voice. Although it wasn"t loud, it was strong. A voice that compelled one to follow. 

「Don"t apologise anymore... The apology loses meaning when you say it too often.」

That may be so, but Miyo had no confidence if she didn"t apologise. 

「...Gochisousama1」

Somehow, Kiyoka was done with his meal and placed his chopsticks down. 

Just from looking at him, Kiyoka gives off an intimidating aura. So it"s understandable how that"d be rumours of him being cold and ruthless, cutting people down as he"d like. Yet every movement he made was graceful, it was anything but uncouth. Even though he"s a man, it felt like he had the same grace and calm and composure as a princess that"s been hidden away in a castle2.

Perhaps, it"s just as Yurie said, he really is a gentle and kind person.

「T-The bath...」

When Miyo was about to say she would prepare the bath right away, Kiyoka shook his head. 

「You don"t have to do that, I"ll do it myself.」

「But...」

「I"ve always done it myself. It"s probably faster for me to prepare the bath using my ability.」

「...」

Miyo had heard that amongst the different abilities, one of it was the ability to use fire. He probably used such an ability.
(lilies: and then the fire nation attacked kek)

(Something I was not blessed with)

Despite being born in the Saimori household, despite having parents from a long line of ability users, Miyo was born without an ability. She didn"t even have the talent for Paranormal Vision. Miyo thought to herself, from the start did she even have the qualifications to become Kiyoka"s wife, the head of the Kudou family, an outstanding military personnel?

「What happened?」

「N-Nothing.」

It"s likely that he didn"t know that Miyo was not an ability-user. Right from the start, Kiyoka seemed disinterested in any of the marriage candidates that came. When he knew that Miyo was from the Saimori family, he probably a.s.sumed that she had Paranormal Vision and was an ability-user. 

Incompatible. Saimori Miyo was unsuitable to become the wife of the Kudou family head. 

(As expected, this marriage should not go through.)

For someone like her, it"s best that she"s thrown out as soon as possible. Only a woman like Kaya, who had everything, is suited to be his wife.

1. Said after meals to show appreciation for the meal provided↩
2. Written as "男性なのに、まるで深窓の姫君のようなたおやかさを感じさせる。"↩

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