Chase nervously unbuttoned the collar of his shirt.
‘Will they like it…?’
He prepared gifts to make a good impression on her parents, but he was worried they might seem too modest.
Chase had spent all yesterday pestering Rohan, his butler and secretary, about it.
A ‘small, heartfelt gift’.
He had no idea what it meant. Rohan, a married man, was the only person he could ask.
‘If Baron Frosier likes expensive items, then an extravagant gift might work, but for most people, a gift that conveys sincerity would be enough.’
Rohan’s advice confused Chase even more.
So, what exactly is a ‘gift that conveys sincerity’?
He had no choice but to call in experts.
Experts who are considered the best in their respective fields within the empire.
From clothing designers to jewelers, liquor retailers and real estate agents.
There were dozens of people who visited the Ducal estate yesterday.
They recommended luxury items, prime commercial properties, and even mineral-rich mines.
Chase examined each suggestion carefully before making his decision.
Wilhazelle’s words also played a big role in his choice.
‘I think a small, heartfelt gift would be enough.’
A small gift.
He selected what seemed like a ‘small gift’ from among the items he carefully reviewed.
All he could do now was hope to score some points with her parents.
Bam.
At that moment, the door to the private room burst open and Wilhazelle entered in a rush.
“Your Grace.”
Chase, who had been sitting stiffly, relaxed his expression and stood when he saw her urgent look.
As always, she seemed to shine. Though it had only been two days since he’d last seen her, he felt a surge of joy.
A faint smile—one only he would notice—spread across his lips.
“How have you been?”
“Yes, yes, I’ve been well. And you, Your Grace? Actually, no, that’s not the point. I don’t think today is the right day.”
Lizelle, who had been responding naturally to the Duke’s greetings, seemed to have realized something and immediately got to the point.
“What’s going on?”
“I told my parents this morning, but, well…”
“Wilhazelle.”
“Ah!”
Startled by her mother’s voice from behind, Wilhazelle let out a small scream.
She hadn’t expected her mother to follow her.
“It’s an honor to meet you, Duke Chase Halos. I am Rosalind Frosier.”
Rosalind greeted Chase with a composed smile as she stood before him.
“I am Chase Halos.”
Chase was inwardly stunned as he observed Rosalind.
The resemblance between mother and daughter was striking. If Rosalind were a little younger, one might believe she and Wilhazelle were sisters.
He thought to himself that Wilhazelle would likely grow to age as gracefully and beautifully as her mother.
“Mother, I…”
“I assume you’ve come to discuss the marriage. Am I correct?”
Lizelle was at a loss.
Her mother had already pieced everything together.
“Yes, that’s correct.”
“Then let’s move to a larger room. Wilhazelle, please escort the Duke there. I’ll inform your father myself.”
With a smile, Rosalind turned and headed back, leaving the two behind.
Wilhazelle exhaled a deep sigh, trying to calm her racing heart.
Now that her mother knew, there was no avoiding the introductions today. It felt like walking on thin ice.
“Are you all right?”
“Yes, though… when I brought up the topic of marriage this morning, my parents were against it.”
“I see.”
Chase nodded thoughtfully, his gaze lingering on Lizelle’s lips.
Every time her red lips moved, a stray strand of hair sticking to them caught his attention.
“It might be a little difficult. My father still can’t accept the idea of marriage.”
He looked at her lips without answering before slowly raising his hand.
Then he touched Lizelle’s lips.
“…?”
Wilhazelle’s eyes widened at the sudden contact.
Her reaction, like that of a startled rabbit, made Chase chuckle inwardly.
“There was a strand of hair stuck to your lips.”
“Oh, really?”
Startled by the sensation on her lips, Wilhazelle blinked but pretended like nothing happened.
She didn’t think much of his action.
She assumed he simply found it distracting and removed it.
“Anyway, Your Grace might find today uncomfortable in many ways.”
“It’s all right. I was prepared for this.”
He was more unshakable than she thought. Should she say he was indifferent or confident?
Still, his attitude wasn’t too bad.
After all, facing her parents was an inevitable step if they were to marry.
It was nice to see him face it confidently rather than worrying.
“Then let’s go.”
Lizelle, who was leading the way to guide Chase, glanced at him as they walked down the hallway.
She didn’t notice it before because she had other things on her mind, but he seemed to have dressed up quite a bit today.
To others, it might just seem like a simple outfit, but it was obvious that a lot of thought had gone into each and every pattern embroidered on the sleeves and collar.
He had chosen clothes that were more toned down than usual and didn’t have many patterns so that they don’t stand out.
He seemed to have taken considerable effort to appear as calm and neat as possible.
“You styled your hair?”
His usual loose hairstyle had been replaced by a neatly combed, pomade-styled look.
It wasn’t flat but rather had a bit of volume, adding to his refined appearance.
Though she had always known he was handsome, today he seemed more like a gentleman.
“…Does it look strange?”
Chase asked, gauging her reaction.
Rohan said that first impressions are very important and that it is best to give off the cleanest image possible, so he paid a lot of attention to his hair and clothes.
The clothes he was wearing now were chosen after trying on all the clothes in his dressing room, picking out the ones he liked, and then trying them on again.
He wanted to get something new, but was pressed for time, so he chose from what he already owned.
Moreover, the neatly put-up hair was also the result of inviting a professional hair stylist.
According to him, he has sharp eyes, so raising his hair would show his intelligence and gentlemanliness.
Anyway, since it was an expert’s advice, he believed it and followed it.
If Wilhazelle had said it looked odd or didn’t suit him, Chase was prepared to replace the entire styling team.
“No, not at all. Your Grace could pull off anything.”
Lizelle shrugged.
He was so good-looking that he would look good in any kind of clothes or with any kind of hair style.
“Ahem. Is that so?”
Chase’s ears turned red at her compliment.
He thought about giving the designers a big bonus, suppressing the smile threatening to break out.
Lost in their own thoughts, the two of them soon arrived in front of the room.
Lizelle took a deep breath and looked at Chase.
‘Please take care of this.’
Chase nodded slightly, understanding her plea.
“Father, Mother. It’s me.”
“Come in.”
Lizelle opened the door and entered the room with Chase.
“Nice to meet you. I’m Chase Halos.”
Chase greeted them with a clean, no-frills gesture that was befitting etiquette.
The Baron, who seemed flustered by his sudden appearance, came to his senses after a while and greeted him.
“Your Grace, my name is Aiden Frosier.”
“Please, have a seat, Your Grace.”
Unlike the absent-minded Baron, Rosalind seemed to have regained her composure and naturally guided the conversation.
“Well then, excuse me.”
Lizelle and Chase sat side by side on the sofa opposite the Baron and Baroness.
In case her quick-witted mother noticed their awkward relationship, Lizelle sat as close to Chase as possible.
The Baron frowned deeply at the sight.
Rosalind nudged her husband’s arm with a smile.
“Was it difficult to travel here?”
“It wasn’t an issue.”
Despite Rosalind’s efforts, the conversation quickly froze.
The situation was unfamiliar for all four of them.
The Baron and Baroness were shocked to learn their daughter was marrying the Duke of Halos and Chase was confused as to what to say to the parents of the woman he liked.
Since no one was speaking, it was obvious that they couldn’t continue the conversation.
In the suffocating silence, Lizelle swallowed hard.
Since everyone gathered there because of her, she knew she had to say something, but the words felt stuck in her throat, refusing to come out.
