Ian wasn't interested in Diana at all, where the heck did she get the confidence to push so much.

She had a pretty face, but she was a woman who couldn't be understood with basic common sense.

"...."

Harmond glanced at Ian, who was checking his documents without saying a word.

He was sure that Ian was concentrating so hard to finish his work quickly so he could go see her again.

He felt exhausted just thinking about when Diana found out that Ian had a woman other than her, and how that would turn out.

Ian had no interest in her, and in a way Harmond felt a little sorry for Diana, who firmly believed that Ian was hers.

"Ha..."

Shuffle, shuffle

Ian checked the documents without saying a word.

Harmond sat in place as if the current situation was very unfair and stared at Ian silently.

He'd suffered so much from Miss Avery's actions, he was literally exhausted.

But far from saying that he worked hard, the emperor had no interest in him.

"Your Majesty."

"...."

"I don't have any strength left in my body to look at the documents anymore."

Harmond moved his body in an exaggerated manner, as if to get Ian's attention.

"And?"

Harmond's whining worked, as Ian raised his head from his paperwork.

"My head is dizzy because I've been suffering so much because of Miss Avery. I don't think I can help with anything."

"Huh, so?"

"I want to get some fresh air and some sweets..."

"Okay, sure."

Ian cut off Harmond's complaining.

"What? Really?"

"You said you wanted to."

Ian looked as if it didn't bother him at all.

"The preparations for the festival are almost over. There's nothing for you to do, so go ahead and do it now. I'll take care of what needs to be done by today."

"...."

"We'll do the rest tomorrow."

Harmond's breath caught in his throat, as if he were moved by Ian's words. At last, Ian seemed to have recognized his hard work, and tears began forming in his eyes.

"But there are still a lot of people watching, so come back by six o'clock."

"Yes!"

"On the way back, stop by a bakery in the capital and get some strawberry cake."

"Strawberry... cake?"

Why does he want a strawberry cake?

It was a request that didn't suit Ian, who didn't like sweets.

"Your Majesty, are you hungry?"

Harmond looked back at his memories and cocked his head, wondering when his boss had changed his preferences.

"...."

However, Ian had no intention of solving Harmond's trivial question, he just finished what he said and went back to his work.

"Your Majesty, no way..."

Harmond's mouth opened wide in shock as if he'd realized something.

"Are you going to bring it to her?"

Harmond looked shocked.

He didn't even have time to collect his expression as he instantly imagined Ian holding a small cake box and handing it to a woman.

He couldn't believe that he cared so much for another person. That fact was astonishing.

"Harmond, do you want to work more?"
"No..."

Harmond shook his head.

"No way."

Harmond quickly controlled his expression after a brief glare from Ian.

"Then I'll go right away."

As Harmond tried to leave the office with his jacket, he slowed down as if he remembered something.

"Shall I deliver it to her myself, Your Majesty? I'm confident I can get it to her quickly, when the cake is at its freshest."

"...What do you think I'll say?"

Harmond's eyes, which had been sparkling with anticipation, gradually lost their light.

"I can't?"

Harmond replied in a sullen voice.

"And?"

Ian nodded quietly and asked.

"...."

Harmond was preoccupied with trying to come up with another answer that his boss would like.

"You want me to go away now?"

"Yes."

The smart Harmond found Ian's favorite answer right away this time.

"...Okay."

Harmond bowed his head dejectedly, and left the office after he gave a feeble response.

***

Ian had just left, and Rachel looked down at the small white box in her hands.

"Cake. You still seem to like it."

Then Ian handed the box over to her.

"Because I still seem to like it?"

He seemed to be talking about when they went to the seafood restaurant.

'Did I eat a lot of dessert that day?'

Rachel looked down at the box, tilting her head as she tried to remember.

The name of a famous bakery in the capital was on the white box. Rachel carefully inspected the box with her fingers.

She hadn't had a cake from there in a very long time.

"My lady, do you want to eat it now?"

The maid carefully asked Rachel, who was staring blankly at the box.

"...Yes."

"Would you like some tea?"

"Yes."

Rachel nodded her head slightly, and handed over the cake box to the maid who was reaching for it.

"...."

For some reason, Rachel's eyes lingered on the maidservant as she left with the box.

"Ah..."

Rachel was watching the back of the maid in a daze. She blinked her eyes, unsure of where she should go to wait for the cake.

Rachel thought about where to go, the drawing room or her bedroom, then finally decided to go up to her bedroom.

'His Majesty...'

Still she didn't know what Ian was thinking.

Maybe it changed like this from the previous life because of her actions.

All she did was abandon Ian and run away, so she wondered why he came for her and was so kind to her.

Ian Dakendov.

Rachel thought she would never see him again, and when she did see him again, he was incredibly attentive to her.

Of course, the way he looked at her still seemed indifferent and insensitive.

His eyes didn't look at her the way someone would look at a lover, but his behavior towards her was definitely different from his previous life.

It was probably because of that interest that she couldn't understand.

'He has a superior position, but he leaves so many women behind just to come here...'

Knock Knock

While Rachel was frowning over Ian, the maid brought a silver tray with cake and black tea on it.

'Strawberries.'

It was Rachel's favorite strawberry cake.

Fresh strawberries on top of a white cake, with powdered sugar on top of it. Rachel's gaze moved along the cake that has a beautiful and appetizing appearance.

Rachel's eyes shined as she forgot all of her worries about Ian, and she coveted the cake in front of her.

***

That night, Rachel had a vivid dream in which she took the form of a child.

The little girl's eyes were raised coyly as she sat on the edge of a chair that was much larger than her body. The chair was so high that the child's feet didn't touch the ground, and were dangling in the air.

Rachel looked at the cake on the tea table with eyes full of expectations.

But she quickly closed her lips tightly and turned away.

Then a voice came from behind Rachel's back.

"Go ahead and eat."

"Can I really eat this?"

Rachel turned around in the chair and looked at Ian, as if asking for permission once again.

"Don't make me say it multiple times."

It was a different voice from the Ian, who'd become the emperor. His voice was slightly higher and clearer.

"If you're not going to eat it, then get down."

"No, I want to eat it!"

Rachel shook her head urgently at his slightly chilly and cold tone.

Afraid of missing out on the cake in front of her, Rachel shook her head hastily and grabbed her fork.

"...."

Even though she'd answered decisively that she would eat, the child didn't want to damage the beautiful white cake.

"Ha, just come down."

Rachel, who'd been sitting still for a while and staring at the cake, heard the boy's cold voice again behind her.

"No, I'm going to eat it now."

She muttered, and quickly stuffed a piece of cake in her mouth.

Rachel filled her mouth with cake, but her brow furrowed.

"Mmm!"

A small, high voice flowed through her red lips, as if thrilled by the soft, sweet cake.

"It's delicious!"

Ian took his eyes off his book, and looked quietly at the back of the little girl's head.

The girl kicked the air excitedly, and her little legs swayed in the air.

There was a smile on the tip of Ian's lips.

But he soon shook his head, and turned back to his book again.

"Hmm."

Rachel soon finished eating the cake, prepared to carefully hop down from the chair, while she licked her lips.

Ian got up from his seat and approached Rachel when she made a small sound, as if she was having difficulty getting down from such a high place.

However, Rachel's toes touched the ground faster than he could arrive.

Rachel pushed the chair she'd sat on back into its place, and turned her head towards Ian.

"...."

"...What?"

"Are you an idiot? You got it all over your mouth."

Ian raised an eyebrow.

Ian, who was slightly taller than Rachel, lifted his heels and picked up a handkerchief from on the other side of the table.

Rachel wiped her mouth with her sleeves, grabbed Ian's hand, and left her face to him.

"Uh, thank you."

With his touch, Rachel smiled brightly.

"Who's taking care of who?"

Ian clicked his tongue, and put his handkerchief back on the table.

While the boy grumbled as if he was bothered, his expression didn't seem to be angry at all.

"I'm sorry."

Ian shrugged at Rachel, who was smiling foolishly, then went back to his place and picked up the book.

"...."

Rachel, who was still looking at Ian, turned her eyes towards the window in the room.

"What are you doing?"

"...."

"Go and memorize."

He ordered briefly.

"But it's too hard."

The little Rachel whined, then furrowed her brows as if it was unfair.

"I want to stop for the day."

"What did you do for so long that you want to stop?"

Ian frowned as if she was being absurd.

He even gave her cake, but instead of working hard, she wanted to quit.

"But..."

She looked at Ian as if she was embarrassed, then Rachel pouted and cried.

"But..."

Rachel, who couldn't finish her sentence, glanced at Ian's expression.