Sitting across from one another, Leticia looked at Hugh. There was an awkward atmosphere among them.
Nevertheless, Hugh was staring at Leticia intently. And it was making her uncomfortable with the silence that seems to even speak more volume.
'But why is he looking like that?' Leticia thought.
Then, she suddenly saw an envelope that was beside Hugh. A little frown was shown in her face.
Hugh saw where her eyes went and the knit on her brows which was why he called her.
"Leticia, I heard what happened earlier but first I want to apologize for what happened before when we had breakfast."
Now. that she thought about it, something happened during their first breakfast at the mansion. After that, Hugh becomes busy while she roams around the capital where she found out about Anton.
"No, you don't need to apologize for that, Hugh. What you said was not wrong. I was overstepping-"
"No!" Hugh immediately cut her off. "You were just worried, right?" He said as he leaned in.
Leticia was shocked at his sudden interference but what she didn't understand was the determination in his eyes as if he wanted to confirm something and that he was hoping?
But, about what?
Nonetheless, what he said was not wrong. She was actually worried but not for him but for herself.
'He's a Duke with a ridiculous achievement while I'm just a commoner who happened to save him. There will be people who would see me as an annoyance especially if I was treated differently by the Duke himself.' she thought as she clutched her dress without knowing.
Leticia knows.
Leticia knows that Hugh was acting differently when it comes to her. But the reason that she came up with why he was doing it at such lengths was not enough to make her understand the difference in treatment.
'Even Hazel said that I was a special case as it was the first time that they got a female guest to stay in the mansion with no period of time to leave. Meaning, there's something… a reason as to why.' She continued to process her thoughts. 'But what is it?' She bit her lower lips in frustration.
At that moment, Hugh called out to her.
"Leticia?"
"Oh! Y-yes!"
Leticia was flustered to hear Hugh as if she forgot that he was just sitting there as she was so immersed in her own thoughts.
"I-I was just worried… that's right. I was just worried..."
'For me, that is…' She didn't say it outloud but told herself. 'Well not like he needs to know it.' She thought as Leticia glanced at him.
While Hugh was so relieved to hear that Leticia was really worried about him.
"That's great…" He whispered to himself.
Leticia didn't get to hear it but thought that she should start to talk about the reason why she wanted to meet with him.
However, Hugh beat her to it.
"About what happened at your outing, I heard everything from Austin and told Hans to have it investigated." Hugh said as he crossed his legs and leaned his body over the sofa.
"I heard that the people you encountered were mercenaries that were hired to guard the slaves." Hugh added. "Now, that I know about that there is someone stupid enough to do some slave trading in the middle of the Capital, there is no way that I will look away from this."
Hugh clicked his tongue in frustration and his eyes glistened in anger.
"That's right. That's also what I heard from them… I see." Leticia responded.
Hugh heard the word "them" from her mouth, meaning the two men who she beat up. Hugh smirks as if he was not displeased a second ago.
"By the way, I'm surprised that you can deal with two men by yourself."
Leticia flinched but eventually gained her composure and gave him a plausible excuse, "I also don't know that I could do it… maybe because the situation called for it." she said as she shrugged her shoulders to play it cool.
Because Leticia saw how Hugh' dark eyes stared at her as if he was doubtful of her answer. So, she unconsciously looked away from him.
She knew that it was valid to become suspicious of a woman who suddenly had a capability to attack two mercenary adults that was experienced with swords and attacks, to be done in by such a fragile looking lady.
'It's really ridiculous if you think about it...'
She was so nervous that she can't help but to look away from him.
Afraid that Hugh will see how her pupils shakes.
Because even for her, she didn't know what happened. It was as if someone took over her body.
But because she didn't know what was happening to her, it was better to shut her mouth and make an excuse that was easy to understand. She's not stupid enough to tell the others the truth but she also know that there's a plausible instance Hugh knew about it.
However, it's better to insist that it's a lucky coincidence.
And so, she decided to express her gratitude first to change the course of topic.
"Thank you for doing that. I was actually concerned about what happened to Anton and how he arrived in the hands of the slave traders and what happened to the people who adopted him."
Now that she said it, her blood boils again thinking about Anton's hardship.
Leticia gritted her teeth, recalling the child's bruises on his thin body.
"I wanted to ask Anton about it, before I asked for your help but I think that it's not the time for the child to recall the painful memories. So, thank you." She added.
The Duke stared at her for a minute which made the tension rise.
Leticia fiddled with her fingers again out of habit because she was anxious of what Hugh might respond.
And timely, the Duke gave her the answer, "You don't need to thank me. I'm supposed to be apologizing for this Kingdom's knight's incompetence that a slave trader could do such a thing in broad daylight when the capital is supposed to be the safest place in the Kingdom. Don't worry, I'll make sure that those people will get their deserved punishment." Hugh reassured her.
Leticia smiled.
She felt at ease on how Hugh answered her and seeing how serious Hugh was in every word he said. She could feel the sincerity in it.
"Anyways, I have another thing to talk about." She proceeded in another topic.
"Yes, please tell me, Leticia."
"About the compensation. I would like to receive it."
"Oh, that's right! I told Hans to prepare the 10,000 golds tomorrow in your name. While the house would take longer to have because there's some requirements that need to be met."
Leticia's mouth agape.
'10,000 golds?! So much money! I could live for the rest of my life comfortably with that much money! and still have enough to spend to some luxuries.' Leticia thought.
She wanted to make sure that she heard him right. "Are you really saying that you'll compensate me with 10-10,000 gold?!" she said with her eyes wide open.
Hugh was amused at Leticia's reaction. With her golden eyes trembling and her red lips parted from shocked, 'She looked adorable.' He unconsciously thought.
Then, he froze, 'What did I just think?!'
He brushed his face thinking that Leticia would see how he froze. But contrary to his imagination, when he glanced at her, Leticia was not even looking.
Hugh was displeased.
'Displeased? But why? Am I going crazy?!' Hugh questioned his sanity.
He really could not understand himself nowadays whenever he was with her.
But seeing Leticia, who was still in awe, he couldn't help but to tease her. "Is it not enough? Should I make it double?"
Hugh chuckled as if a while ago he doesn't have any conflicting thoughts about himself.
Meanwhile, Leticia stood up and was flustered. She waved her hands in refusal and kept on repeating, "No… No! That's too much!"
Hugh raised one of his eyebrows after seeing how flustered she was and how stubborn she was at insisting to refuse the double compensation, even if he was just teasing her. Because, others would definitely be happy if they were in her shoes.
So, Hugh was confused and didn't understand why she's refusing a very nice offer that other people would not encounter in their whole life.
However, what Hugh didn't know was that Leticia was a kind of person who easily get suspicious and super conscious of others intentions. It was also the reason why she could avoid all the stupid men who wanted to court her back at the Oakland by befriending her first but was actually just lusting over her body.
And also the reason why she could live by herself for three years in an unfamiliar place... no, scratch that! In an unfamiliar world.
Leticia softly sighs, "Haa...."
She was just thankful that she could understand their language in the get-go that made her living here easy.
And that she met people who was kind to her but she still can't help but suspect Hugh.
'I'm someone who doubts people's generosity. Because, there's no such thing as pure kindness… I'm afraid that if I agree, there will be something in exchange for it.' She thought as she looked at Hugh who had a frown on his face.
"Alright…"
She felt relieved when she heard his response.