chapter 31

.It's not that he doesn't care, he's just being careful. He's not one who would unprofessionally show such emotions in the middle of work. And he's not childish enough to misunderstand this kind of scene.

What the hell was I muttering?

I spewed all sorts of nonsense and excuses like I really wanted to deny that Lucian didn't care about me at all.

I said, desperately hiding my confused face.

I ask you, please step aside and let me leave. The sun is way too hot. I can't stand to be here any longer.

Carlix looked at me without saying a word.

His black eyes, which had a look of arrogance, now showed a mysterious sentiment that had never been there before.

After a while, he took a step back. I simply bowed my head and moved on.

I walked with a back as straight and as proud as I could as if I hadn't been hurt.

While I was agonizing about what had just occurred.

Should I turn back? Was Lucian looking at me right now?

But in the end I didn't look back until the moment I left the stadium.

I couldn't forget his indifferent face that turned away from me.

I couldn't forget the image of him looking at me and then turning away to talk to others.

My hands that were holding the parasol tensed up.

Entering the mansion with an exhausted face, Anne greeted me dramatically.

As I thought, you couldn't have possibly withstood the heat with just that one parasol. Your milky white face is redder than an autumn apple.

The sun wasn't the only thing that made me like this.

What?

Nothing.

I kept my mouth shut.

Anne tilted her head and soon went to prepare something that could relieve the redness.

Later, I was lying on my bed in comfortable indoor clothes. Sitting next to the bed, Anne held a finely ground potato facemask.

Anne began to skillfully place the mask on my face.

I'll smell like potatoes.

Hang in there. There's nothing better than a potato mask to calm your heated skin.

My skin was very heated, so I silently left my face to her.

I closed my eyes and started.

You know, Anne.

Yes.

This happened to a lady I know.

Yes.

Her fianc caught her talking to another man, and he didn't care a bit. Well, it's not that he didn't care, he just completely ignored her. What do you think that means?

Then, perhaps her fianc is into sodomy?

(Note: Sodomy- sexual intercourse involving anal or oral copulation. Probably also meant that he's homosexual thus likes men too.)

Her unexpected answer shook me.

Absolutely not!

In contrast to my loud voice, Anne spoke in a low voice.

If not, then there's only one other conclusion. He's not interested in his fianc at all.

Is that what it was?

Most of the nobles' engagements are arranged by their families. I don't think they feel anything special for the other if their relationship was built on political interest.

Anne was right.

Our engagement was something decided by our families. That's all it was.

It would be strange if we suddenly had feelings for each other.

He told me that I was pretty, and that he was jealous of Estelle just to return the favor to someone who was kind to him. There was nothing more than that.

'Why am I so sad even though I knew that from the beginning?'

Anne, who finished applying the potato mask all over my face, straightened her back with a satisfied look.

That's it, Miss. Stay laying down for a bit until the mask is absorbed into the skin.

Okay, thank you.

Anne smiled, pleased by my reply.

Tell me if there's something you'd like to have for dinner. I'll get it ready for you.

After this is done, please prepare a lot of sweet cakes and fruits.

Anne opened her eyes wide.

Would that be alright? You have been avoiding those kinds of food because you gained weight recently and your clothes didn't fit.

I originally intended to go on a diet for only 3 days.

Anne asked no more questions like a faithful maid.

I understand.

Anne was indeed a competent maid.

When the potato mask was removed from my face, there were five pieces of cake and three kinds of fruits in front of my eyes.

Soft whipped cream cake, dark chocolate cake, bitter green tea cake, sweet strawberry cake, and a creamy cheesecake.

Next to those, colorful grapes, plums, and peaches lay appetizingly.

I put a grape on top of a whipped cream cake, scooped up a spoonful and put it in my mouth.

I swallowed the sweet cake, and took another spoonful.

Like I was trying to swallow the lump of emotions in my chest.

The sun hung hot above my head. It was just him and me in the empty auditorium.

By him, I meant Carlix.

That's why he's looking at me and you like that. I wonder what relationship he thinks we're in?

I turned and saw Lucian in the distance.

Lucian's eyes met mine.

At that moment, Lucian's expression changed.

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His beautiful face, which I could recognize from a distance, turned grim.

With a loud noise, he began to drive his horse. The big white horse came to the front of the seats in an instant.

He jumped into the seating area with no warning.

He landed in front of me with a thud.

His shadow, which was bigger than usual in armor, came over me as if to protect me.

Lucian said towards Carlix.

Stay away from my fianc.

His voice was as cool as ice, completely different from his usual clear voice. To the point where my shoulders instinctively shrunk.

But Carlix raised the corners of his mouth, not daunted by Lucian at all.

I don't want to.

He looked at me behind Lucian and said,

Talking with the lady is quite enjoyable. She curses from time to time, which I find very interesting. Perhaps in the future, you might hear some news about us

Carlix couldn't speak another word because Lucian just sliced Carlix's neck with the sword he was holding.

Kyaa!

Loud screams came out from the people watching from afar. I screamed along with them. I covered my mouth with a pale face.

Lucian murmured, looking coldly at Carlix's head rolling on the floor.

I told you to stay away.

Lucian turned his head towards me. I was afraid to face him.

I opened my eyes in a cold sweat.

Carlix, whose head was blown away, and Lucian, who just suddenly murdered a man, was nowhere to be seen.

This was my room, where the remnants of the finished cake remained intact on the table.

I rose from the table I was lying on and swept my hair nervously.

Yeah, let's admit it.

I was very disappointed about what happened earlier, to the point of having such a terrible dream.

'Although our engagement is political, I'm still your fianc . It was not right for him to ignore his fianc . That's why I had such a terrible dream!'

I looked out the window with a deep sigh.

I think I fell asleep longer than I thought. Before I knew it, the sky had turned dark.

After a while, I left my room wearing a thin coat.

I'm going to relieve my frustration.

I didn't want to run into people while I'm in this mood, so I headed to the deserted back of the mansion.

Unlike the lavishly decorated front yard, the backyard was empty. All I could see in the empty space was a fence surrounding the mansion.

'We are only a Marquis family by name, but we are not that poor.'

Still, this place had a quaint beauty to it under the moonlight, with the roses wrapped around the fence in full bloom.

I walked along the fence inhaling the scent of the richly fragrant roses.

'Under the night sky, I walk along the beautiful rose wall. The autumn wind is especially lonely today.'

When I think about this moment three months later, I would kick my blankets, embarrassed about a time when I was sensitive and soaked in feelings.

Crunch.

As I turned my head to the direction of the sound, I saw a misty shadow.

Uuarghh!

I, who forgot the principles of elegance and screamed instinctively, soon realized the identity of the misty shadow.

The white face seen over the wall of roses in full bloom was neither a ghost nor a robber.

It was Lucian.

My, my Lady. Are you alright?

I shouted at Lucian, who asked with a worried face.

I am not alright! Why on earth were you standing in front of someone else's wall at night?

Well

I frowned at Lucian, who was hesitant to answer.

You didn't intend to climb over the wall without permission, did you?

Of course not!

Then what the hell was the reason he's standing here at this hour?

Lucian hastily answered as my eyes silently threatened, If you don't tell me the truth right now, I'll think of you as a robber.

I was just going to ask for a small favor if I see any servants pass by.

What favor?

Lucian bit his lips, perplexed, and held out his hand towards me.

He had a piece of finely folded paper in his hand.

'What the hell is this?'

I tilted my head and opened the paper he handed to me.

The paper had a short message in neat handwriting.

My face heated up a bit because I didn't expect to see that.

Are you here to see me?

Yes.

Why didn't you just come in through the front door? It's a little late, but my father would have been happy to welcome you in. He really looks forward to seeing you, Lord Kardien.

That's why I wanted to secretly send a note to you, my Lady. If I met the Marquis, I feel like he would continue talking about his love life that he didn't get to finish the other day.

Oh

If that happens, I wouldn't be able to see the lady until tomorrow morning.

I can't refute that.