It was a sudden question, and Kisa was quite flustered by Seyard’s unfamiliar expression.
“What? No! That’s not the case.”
Without even having time to think about why he had such an expression, she frantically waved both hands. She just wished Seyard would stop making a face that didn’t suit him at all.
“The date was very good. The food was delicious, the scenery was beautiful, and the dress was pretty. I have no complaints whatsoever. I really liked it.”
Despite Kisa’s desperate denial, Seyard’s face didn’t relax.
“I can’t promise not to feel upset, but I certainly won’t be displeased. So please be honest with me.”
“This is my honest feeling!”
“But I know you weren’t in good spirits throughout our date.”
“That’s….”
She was at a loss for words. She thought she had hidden it well, but how did he see through her so easily?
Despite having learned to conceal her true self like others in high society, whenever she stood before this man, she felt like a child whose thoughts were completely transparent.
However, the most important thing now was not Seyard’s extraordinary insight but clearing up the misunderstanding.
“You’re right. I’m sorry. You planned the best date, but I couldn’t focus on it.”
Kisa admitted the truth straightforwardly, seeing no point in hiding it further as it would only deepen the misunderstanding.
“But that was because of my personal issue, not at all because I didn’t enjoy the date with Seyard. Please believe me.”
“Is that true?”
“Of course.”
His expression brightened a bit compared to before, but compared to his usual self, it was still clouded.
“Could that personal issue be related to how I hastily moved up our engagement schedule?”
“What?”
“Or perhaps the current situation where you’re constantly talked about due to your association with me has become burdensome?”
“Both are wrong!”
As one misunderstanding was cleared up, another seemed to be forming, so Kisa hastily spoke up.
“I’m completely fine with the engagement schedule, and as for people’s attention…”
Kisa, who was about to say that didn’t matter either, stopped herself.
Come to think of it, Seyard had silently encouraged her earlier at the restaurant when she had shrunk from the pressure of people’s stares.
It was obvious he wouldn’t simply believe her if she just said everything was fine.
“Actually, I was a bit startled.”
So she decided to tell the truth.
“When I was just cooped up at home and only heard about it from newspapers or others’ stories, I didn’t really feel it, but when I experienced it firsthand, my body froze without me realizing it.”
It was natural since it was her first time receiving so much attention from so many people.
“But that was only at first. Remember? I ate well at the restaurant, didn’t I? It was truly an excellent meal.”
“Yes, you did. But your mood changed after that. No, looking back, Kisa seemed somehow dejected from the moment I first arrived at this mansion today.”
“…So you noticed that too. You’re really perceptive.”
“I hear that quite often.”
Feeling embarrassed, Kisa cleared her throat a couple of times unnecessarily.
At this point, there was no choice but to reveal everything truthfully.
After all, it wasn’t such a serious issue that needed to be hidden so desperately.
She just needed to endure a bit of embarrassment.
Pursing her lips tightly, Kisa began her story.
“The truth is, I felt sorry for receiving such excessive kindness from Seyard.”
“Sorry?”
“Yes, because I can never return what I’ve received, but your kindness keeps accumulating.”
“You don’t need to think that way. Just by participating in my marriage plan—”
“I know. I know that the kindness you bestow upon me isn’t solely for me.”
“…”
“Being Duke Hillan, Seyard can’t lower his standards just because I feel uncomfortable. Even if it’s a temporary relationship formed by contract, I will be your wife after all.”
Even for the sake of appearances, the Duchess of Hillan should be given the best, whether it was a meal or a dress.
“I understand that. I do understand, but…”
Kisa quickly took out an item that had been sleeping in her handbag all day.
“When I compared what I was planning to give you with your gift, I felt ashamed.”
Was it such an unexpected situation? Seyard opened his eyes wide.
“A gift?”
As Kisa held onto the wrapped handkerchief, feeling too embarrassed to hand it over, he approached with slow steps and asked.
“May I receive this gift?”
“…Of course.”
He unwrapped it as soon as Kisa handed it to him. With somewhat hasty movements.
Upon seeing Kisa’s gift revealed in an instant, Seyard said:
“It’s a handkerchief.”
“Yes, it’s a handkerchief.”
“I see embroidery that appears to be my initials.”
“It’s a bit clumsy, isn’t it?”
“Is this your handiwork?”
“Yes, though I’m embarrassed to admit it.”
It was truly a bland conversation. But somehow it felt warm.
With that realization, Kisa, who had been looking down at her toes not knowing how the recipient would react to her silly gift, gained a bit of courage.
He might look disappointed or perplexed, but she felt that Seyard would at least maintain the formality of courtesy.
“Um.”
Just as Kisa timidly raised her head, the sun, which had been hidden behind clouds, appeared.
Soon, the face of the man silently gazing at the handkerchief entered her field of vision.
‘Huh?’
Expressionless. No, looking carefully, the corners of his mouth seemed to be slightly turned upward.
Which was it? Kisa narrowed her eyes, but the shadow cast by the backlight made everything unclear.
And just as the sun was about to hide behind the clouds again and the backlight disappeared, Seyard smiled softly. It was his usual smile.
“Thank you, Kisa. I’ll use it well.”
He carefully folded the handkerchief he had spread out and put it in his pocket.
“Ah, yes. If you would, I couldn’t ask for more.”
She replied, trying to calm her surprised heart.
How to describe it—it felt like she had stolen a glimpse of his secret self.
The misty, vague smile she had seen a moment ago kept lingering in her mind.
Although it was a vague guess without much basis, she wondered if perhaps that was the most essential aspect of Seyard Hillan.
A raw reaction stripped of all courtesy and formality.
As she entertained such near-delusional thoughts, Seyard smoothly broke the silence.
“By the way, I was really alarmed. I wondered what I would do if the date plan I put so much effort into wasn’t to Kisa’s liking.”
“Oh, come on.”
Finding his exaggerated shuddering motion amusing, Kisa dispelled her delusions and chuckled.
“How many women in the kingdom would dislike such a wonderful date course?”
“That’s a relief then. Well, since I learned about dating from books, I was worried about how it would work in practice.”
“It worked very well, so don’t worry.”
The sunset illuminated the two people chatting, seemingly forgetting about the waiting carriage.
****
Late in the evening, at a tavern on the outskirts of the capital.
Daniel Lowens, occupying a table alone, drained yet another glass of what must have been many.
Damn it. A curse escaped his lips at the indignation that wouldn’t wash away even with alcohol.
He had been in this state ever since he encountered Hazel in front of the Count Vansfelt’s residence, no, since he heard the engagement announcement at the charity banquet.
No matter how much strong liquor he poured down his throat or how many cigars he burned, his mood wouldn’t improve in the slightest.
“What? So you’re saying Duke Hillan stole a woman who was already engaged?”
“It goes without saying. Everyone keeps quiet because they’re wary of the Duke’s family, but it’s obvious.”
That’s when it happened. The conversation between men seated a few steps away reached Daniel’s ears.
Of all topics, it was the one he least wanted to hear right now, and at the same time, the gossip that everyone in the capital was currently excited about.
Damn it all, this one and that one.
Daniel tried to focus solely on his drink, but they were talking so loudly that their conversation pierced his eardrums like claws.
“I thought that great Hillan was different, but he’s just the same as the others.”
“That’s how all nobles are. Acting dignified on the surface while doing all sorts of dirty things behind closed doors.”
Up to that point, it didn’t matter. But what came next inevitably grated on Daniel’s nerves.
“Anyway, I feel sorry for the son of whatever Marquis who was originally engaged to that Count’s daughter.”
His tightly clenched teeth ground together.
How dare these vermin speak of him as someone to pity.
Never in his life had he been treated this way.
A family with both wealth and honor, good looks, superior physical abilities, and a fiancée so beautiful and pure that anyone would covet her.
Daniel Lowens, possessing all these things, had always walked with his head held high, looking down on those who envied him with a sneer on his lips.
But after that nightmarish engagement announcement, the evaluation surrounding him changed in an instant.
More than the criticism that he had been unfaithful while having a fiancée, the sympathetic gazes dragged his mood further into the mud.
Beneath the cheap sympathy lurked mockery—wondering how incompetent he must have been to have his fiancée stolen by another man.
‘Rotten lot. Do you think I’ll just sit back and take this…?’
While he muttered silently with bloodshot eyes, the three middle-aged men, unaware that the subject of their gossip was right next to them, continued their chatter.
“Poor guy, indeed. But he was also caught doing inappropriate things while having a fiancée.”
“The prevailing theory is that Duke Hillan was pulling strings behind the scenes.”
“Really? I didn’t know that.”
It was then that one man, who had been silent until now, just listening to the other two, spoke up.
“A thug’s nature never changes.”
The man with an unkempt beard curled his lips disdainfully.
“He was quite infamous in the region where I used to live. Seyard Hillan, a hopeless thug.”
