“Do I like you?”
Kasion’s voice trembled even more than his wavering eyes. It was like a child caught lying by their mother.
Could this really be true…? Despite my bold question, my eyes started to tremble as well. What if Kasion actually confessed that he liked me?
I took a step back. Five steps to the door. Three steps between Kasion and me. Given our leg lengths, it wasn’t a great advantage, but it wasn’t an impossible distance to escape either.
“Ariel.”
I slid my foot back one more step, but then I froze. In the quiet duke’s mansion, the only sound was Kasion’s low voice. Even though we were apart, it felt like he was whispering right into my ear, making them burn. My heart was racing like crazy. This was definitely not because I was flustered.
“Do you remember the first time we met?”
His sudden question made my eyes widen.
“You burst into tears the moment you saw me.”
“Well… that’s because a big boy with a scary face suddenly shoved his face right in front of mine…”
“I just wanted to get closer to you. I wanted to see you up close.”
For that, his face wasn’t friendly at all, though? I remember his eyes and mouth forming a straight line, looking at me with a threatening expression.
“There weren’t any girls like you in the duchy, so I found you intriguing.”
“What was so intriguing about me?”
“You looked like a puppy one of my hunting dogs had just given birth to.”
…So that’s why he used to silently hold out his hand to me all the time when I was little? Was he expecting me to put my paw on it? He used to ruffle my hair a lot too, and I’m pretty sure he told me to sit down firmly. Should I be offended by this?
“Are you saying I was like an animal you couldn’t communicate with?”
Kasion shook his head, looking somewhat exasperated. “I meant you were small and round. I was afraid I might step on you by accident. And it made me want to take good care of you.”
I think his cheeks blushed slightly… As expected, it was a warning sign.
“But every time I tried to get closer, you pushed me away. Like when you and my brother were reading books or sparring, you never let me near.”
“Your memory is faulty.” Kasion furrowed his brow, looking as displeased as he had when we talked about the cross.
“In what way? Every time, you said, ‘Ariel is too young’ and chased me away.”
“It wasn’t me who pushed you away. It was Serhen.”
That couldn’t be true. The angelic Serhen would never do something like that. He was always kind to me, even when we were children. Kasion, on the other hand, was always so cold that it was hard to get close to him. Of course, I was closer to him than most people, but still.
When I looked at him with disbelief, Kasion let out another deep sigh.
“My feelings for you were the same back then as they are now.”
Kasion looked at me with a serious expression. His golden eyes were so intense that it was hard to meet his gaze. I had a vague sense of what his eyes were trying to convey. And it scared me.
I shouldn’t have asked. What if he says, ‘You are my first love’? It wasn’t an impossible scenario. After all, isn’t that the most logical reason why he saved me in the novel?
The more I thought about it, the more it felt like I had dug my own grave. And a very neat one at that. In trying to save Lireania and Serhen, I might have missed my chance to escape this dangerous trap. Perhaps I was already tightly ensnared in the net he had cast.
“Is my answer not enough for you? If you want, I can explain in more detail.”
As soon as he finished speaking, I raised my arms and waved them frantically. “No! It’s fine!”
Kasion’s eyes narrowed. “You don’t seem to understand, so I should probably explain proper—”
“No, I understand. So I don’t need to hear it.”
Kasion’s yellow eyes narrowed even more before finally closing tight. When he opened them again, it was accompanied by a deep sigh. His frustration was evident in that long, heavy sigh. Yet his eyes sparkled more than ever.
“If my answer was enough, then I hope you’ll think it over.”
“Think over… what?”
I stammered, and he took a step closer. Backing away was useless. Before I could take another step, my back hit the door.
Kasion reached out his hand, and I flinched, squeezing my eyes shut. Another sigh followed. When I opened my eyes, his large hand was resting on top of my head.
“Maybe it’s better if I wait a little longer.”
Just like Serhen often did, Kasion slowly patted my head. But it felt entirely different. I felt like I’d turned into that puppy he used to cherish…
The large hand that was ruffling my hair began to curl. He gently ran his fingers through my hair, making my neck tingle with the sensation of both a tickle and a shiver. His gaze, slightly tilted to the side, felt a little… suggestive. The way his fingers tangled in my hair as they moved downwards felt the same.
“Yes, just wait patiently.” I deliberately left out the most important word ‘forever.’
While saying so, I smiled. But why did the corners of his eyes twitch?
“Alright, Ariel. But you should know my patience has its limits.”
Was that his true intention?
I found myself staring into those golden eyes that were drawing closer to my face. His eyes held only me. Nothing but his obsession for me.
Stay strong, Ariel. If this keeps up, it’ll all go wrong.
“They say a man without patience is useless, you know?”
Kasion’s lips twisted into a dangerous smirk, followed by a dry chuckle. “That must be something Serhen said.”
“Exactly.”
By now, a strand of my hair was brushing against his lips. As he moved his lips, his eyes gleamed more sharply than ever. Eyes filled with a perfect mix of obsession and anger. It was clear where each of those emotions was directed.
“The one who will lose due to lack of patience this time is Serhen, Ariel.”
Am I normal, thinking that the words he said just sounded like he was determined to kill Serhen?
* * *
“What are you thinking about, Lady Ariel?”
Lireania and I had decided to return to the marquisate first. It was because Kasion had claimed to be fine now and had gone to where Serhen was working.
“Is my brother… going to be alright?”
I couldn’t convince Serhen to come home despite my attempts. He was determined to stay and resolve the embezzlement issue in the duchy. I should have insisted on taking him home. It made me feel ominous, but surely nothing bad would happen… right?
“Lord Serhen’s accounting skills are better than most merchants. He’s definitely going to be a big help to the duke.”
That’s not what I’m worried about.
I awkwardly smiled at Lireania, who was beaming with an innocent face. But why was she suddenly giving me a strange look?
“Why are you looking at me like that?”
“When you were alone with the duke earlier, did something happen?”
“Huh?”
“Both of you had red faces… Could it be…”
“Nothing happened!” I shouted in panic.
An inexplicable sigh escaped Lireania’s lips.
“Hmm…”
“By the way, the wedding is only a week away… Have the preparations for the dress been completed?”
Let’s quickly change the subject! I cut her off before she could say anything else. Thankfully, it worked.
“Yes, we only need to finish the final touches on your bridesmaid dress, Lady Ariel.”
“Great, then, should we head to Veloire?”
“Won’t you be tired?”
“It’s fine. Let’s finish everything up quickly.” I answered energetically.
I was tired, but it was better to keep busy to push away the complicated thoughts swirling in my mind. It would be better to forget everything I had seen and heard today.
“But Lady Ariel, are you sure nothing happened?”
Lireania was as persistent as Kasion.
“Um… I have something I’m curious about.”
“If you have something you want to discuss, feel free to tell me. I’m always here to help.”
I looked at Lireania intently. If I could just hold out for one more week, I would change her fate. But in return, I might inherit her fate instead. Could I avoid that? Would I be able to protect Serhen’s life?
“Should I just run away?”
“What? Run away? Are you thinking of running away from home? Did you have a fight with Lord Serhen?”
“No, it’s not that…”
I sighed as I saw Lireania’s shocked expression. That was a really stupid thing to say.
As I hesitated, Lireania tilted her head slightly to the side. “Are you upset because Lord Serhen got angry today?”
“No, that’s not it… Actually… it’s about my brother and Kasion.”
“What about them?”
“I feel like they haven’t been getting along lately… Do you think they’ll end up cutting ties or even trying to kill each other?”
Lireania’s eyes widened at my question. “Well… these days, it doesn’t seem entirely impossible.”
“Ri-Right? It’s a big problem.”
Lireania nodded seriously with a concerned expression and grabbed my hand. “I’ll find a way to solve this, so don’t worry, Lady Ariel.”
“No! Leave it to me.”
I wanted to ease the worries in Lireania’s innocent eyes. I couldn’t share my burdens with someone so unaware of what was happening.
Lireania deserved to live happily. She had earned that right. It was time for me to repay the love that Serhen and Lireania had shown me. Fortunately, I knew the future, so I could do it.
“What? How dare you keep a princess waiting?”
So, dealing with the villainess who came to Veloire is my responsibility.
“Oh my, who is this? Isn’t this the empty-headed lady who followed Kasion around?”
Of course, it seemed that the villainess’s target had shifted to me along with the altered fate.
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