"Are you okay? Did you get burned?" Looking up at the concerned gaze beneath the furrowed brows of the man before her, Eloise, suddenly aware of the situation, burst into tears with a soft "wah."
It was only a second too late. Had it not been for the man's swift reflexes, rushing to her side in time and pulling her beneath the kitchen counter, she would likely have been scorched into a roasted pig by the splattering hot soup. Still, the heat was uneven, with some spots redder than others.
It was just too terrifying! Wahhhhh! "Hey, stop crying." Isidore watched her cry uncontrollably, her sobs getting louder and louder.
How could she not cry? This was the greatest crisis she had faced in her career as the villainess, and never before had she encountered such a perilous moment. Her once hopeful future was almost ruined in an instant!
All the grievances she had endured since crossing into the book erupted at that moment. Her feelings of self-pity and despair were reaching their peak when a pair of lips, tasting of red wine, interrupted her.
Eloise:"..."
Isidore noticed she had stopped crying and thought to himself that this tactic really worked.
Eloise pushed him away, spat several times to get rid of his saliva from her mouth, and glared at him with her red, rabbit-like eyes: "What are you doing? Don't try to take advantage of me again!"
A small, startled gasp suddenly echoed. It turned out that the little boy had opened the door to the storage room from the inside and, peeking out with his little head, had witnessed the kiss they had just shared.
Eloise was instantly furious when she saw him: "Which family's little rascal are you? How did you end up here?"
But the little boy only looked at Isidore, cautiously asking, "Did I interrupt you two?" Then, with a sincere face, he added, "I'm sorry!" Isidore remained unmoved, so the boy switched to a pitiful act, "Isidore, my arm hurts so much, it really hurts!"
Isidore watched him silently, as the little boy ran over, his small feet pattering, and hugged Eloise's waist, swaying playfully as if to please her. "Miss, don't cry. You're as beautiful as a little fairy. If you cry, even the fate will feel sorry for you!"
Eloise blinked her eyes, and this stream of compliments made her hold back her tears with great effort.
Isidore finally smiled, his expression full of tenderness. "Go find Charlie and tell him to lock you in the little black room. No food, no water, and don't let you out until I come back." The little boy let out a sigh of relief, then, in a flash, ran out and disappeared without a trace.
Pulling his gaze away, he found Eloise still frozen in the shock of narrowly escaping disaster. Her usually lively face was now expressionless, as though dazed. He sighed inwardly and tried to shift her attention. "Are you hungry?"
It was better not to ask, but as soon as he did, her stomach growled loudly.
From the moment she left in the morning until now, she hadn't eaten a single bite. She had endured hiding in the bushes, dodging under iron frames, concealing herself in the men's restroom, and facing the crisis of an exploding pot... Her clothes were stained with grass, dust, and various marks, making her look both pitiful and amusing.
Isidore mysteriously pulled out a small wooden box, which contained two delicate pastries. Eloise sniffed, took them, and stuffed one after another into her mouth, speaking in a muffled voice, "Where did you get these?"
"Stole them," he answered casually. Eloise rolled her eyes at him and muttered, "You could've stolen a couple more, it's not enough to fill my gap." Isidore smiled with a hint of surprise and suggested, "I heard there's a good hot spring resort nearby. You can soak in the hot spring and enjoy a buffet. How about I treat you and you relax for a bit?"
Strangely enough, the suggestion had struck a chord with Eloise. Right now, she truly felt the urge to throw everything aside and relax for once. After all her efforts to embody the role of a cruel villainess for so long, she was utterly exhausted.
Though tempted, she hesitated. After all, she had only met this man twice—what kind of relationship did they even have? To go to a hot spring resort together...
Isidore saw through her thoughts, raising an eyebrow. He plucked a piece of potato skin from her hair, a remnant of the blast's force, and with a smile, said: "A life-and-death bond, isn't that enough?"
Eloise gazed into his captivating, deep eyes, and, as if possessed, nodded.
