I held Ian’s hand and left the annex.
When he suggested we go see the ocean, I thought we’d head towards the cliffs, but instead, he led me into the forest on the opposite side.
“The Grand Duke, the ocean is that way.”
He briefly glanced at me as we walked side by side, still holding my hand.
“…When I was young, I found a shortcut at the edge of the forest with His Majesty.”
Oh… with the Emperor?
“You must have gotten along quite well when you were younger, finding a shortcut like that together at the annex.”
As expected, Ian didn’t respond. Instead, he faithfully guided me to the entrance of the forest opposite the annex.
“Please wait here for a moment.”
He left me behind and walked a few steps forward, brushing aside a layer of foliage. Soon, a hidden path revealed itself among the leaves.
The path was wide enough for two people to walk side by side and had a gentle slope.
It seemed to be a shortcut that wound around the high cliffs and led down to the shore.
As I blinked quickly and looked up at Ian, I asked,
“Here?”
“Yes, it’s here.”
How does he even know about this place?
Suddenly, I grew curious about Ian’s childhood, which had only been briefly mentioned in the novel. He walked back to me, offering his hand again as if inviting me to take it.
“There’s a steep section in the middle.”
“Don’t worry about me, I’m a good walker.”
With a shrug, I took his hand, and he skillfully guided me downward.
There were a few slightly steep sections, but the path was comfortable enough to walk on, even in my outdoor dress.
After about ten minutes of walking, we reached the end of the downhill trail, where low bushes lined the exit at waist height.
“This way.”
Ian lightly tugged my hand, clearing the low branches as we made our way through. At that moment, I couldn’t help but let out a gasp.
“Wow.”
On the other side, a pristine white beach and an open view of the ocean stretched before me.
In the distance, the bright blue sky, without a single cloud, met the horizon in perfect harmony.
“It’s the ocean!”
Letting go of Ian’s hand, I practically skipped toward the beach.
I didn’t care that my low-heeled shoes sank into the soft sand with each step. I rushed all the way to the water’s edge, where the sound of the waves filled my ears like a sweet melody.
The vivid blue, crystal-clear water sparkled like emeralds, revealing the bottom beneath.
‘Wow, it’s really clear.’
I had only ever seen something like this in pictures.
Feeling giddy as if I had arrived at a tropical resort, I turned around and asked, “Grand Duke, this is private property, right?”
“If you’re asking if it belongs to the royal family, yes.”
Great, that means no one else will be watching.
As soon as he answered, I quickly kicked off my shoes, and began walking barefoot toward the water.
“My Lady?”
I ignored Ian’s startled voice behind me and was about to step into the waves when—
Splash!
As the wave quickly receded, the sand beneath my feet was swept away, making me stumble.
“Whoa…!”
Just as I thought I was about to fall, Ian dashed forward and grabbed me, pulling me into his arms without warning.
“Ah!”
His strong arms wrapped around my waist in an instant.
I caught a glimpse of his silver hair, and the cool scent he carried hit me a moment later.
Suddenly finding myself awkwardly embraced by him, my body froze, and I felt heat rush to my ears.
“What… are you doing…?”
“What are you doing, My Lady?”
Ian looked exasperated.
Because of that, I couldn’t even calm my racing heart and could only stare at him in a daze.
“Well, I just… wanted to dip my feet in the water.”
“And you thought it was a good idea to run straight into the waves? What if you had fallen?”
“I didn’t know the sand would wash away so suddenly.”
“Great job.”
Ian shook his head in disbelief and started leading me back to the dry sand. Just then—
Whoosh.
Another wave rolled in, splashing up to my ankles before retreating.
Naturally, Ian’s shoes and pant legs got completely soaked as well.
“……”
“……”
A seagull cawed as it flew overhead. I looked around nervously and sheepishly asked, “Is this… the part where I should apologize?”
Ian wiped his face, then set me down and stepped away.
“…It’s fine, as long as you’re not hurt.”
For someone saying that, he looked awfully tired.
I couldn’t shake the feeling that I’d been inconveniencing him since the incident at the theater.
“In any case, don’t go too deep into the water. I could rescue you if you were to fall in, but there’s no guarantee you’d stay afloat until I got to you.”
Is that supposed to be… concern?
I stared at him in disbelief, and realizing something was off, Ian cleared his throat.
“…Since you can’t swim.”
Oh, Eloise couldn’t swim.
“You’ve certainly remembered that I can’t swim?”
“It’s basic courtesy to know such details about one’s future spouse. The report I received before our marriage stated that you weren’t very fond of water. It’s not that I have a bad memory, just that I wasn’t interested in you.”
He sure has a long-winded way of saying he wasn’t interested in me. How princely of him.
For some reason, his comment annoyed me even more.
“Yes, well, I get it. But you’re talking as if you’re interested now?”
I shot back sarcastically, and Ian froze.
“……”
‘Huh?’
I had expected him to give me his usual ‘What nonsense are you spouting?’ look, but instead, I was the one who felt thrown off.
Hey, why isn’t he denying it?
His answer came a beat too late.
“…I was just surprised because you suddenly tried to rush into the ocean.”
“Oh, I see?”
Whatever. Let’s not dwell on something unimportant.
“By the way, why don’t you take off your shoes as well?”
“Excuse me?”
“They’re wet anyway. Since they’re already soaked, why not walk with me? It feels nice to dip your feet in and walk.”
I swung my bare feet playfully in front of him to make a point. Ian glanced between my feet and my face in disbelief, then shook his head.
“No, it’s fine. It’s dangerous, so just—”
“What day is it today?”
I tilted my head and thought for a moment. It was Saturday.
“It’s the weekend.”
I flashed him a bright smile. Ian’s face darkened as he quickly grasped the meaning behind my smile.
I spoke with authority, “Take off your shoes.”
Maybe I’ve been too easy on you lately, you stubborn robot.
Ian rubbed his face in frustration.
“…Is this supposed to be some kind of lesson?”
“If you want to call it that.”
I responded offhandedly, motioning with my chin for him to hurry up and take off his shoes. Sure, it might feel like an abuse of power, but so what?
With a look of reluctance, Ian slowly removed his shoes and stood barefoot. Crossing my arms, I watched the scene unfold and generously offered some advice.
“Here’s a little tip for you: people tend to like lovers who join them in things. Usually.”
I raised my index finger and waved it in front of him for emphasis.
“Instead of being the person who stops someone from doing something foolish, it’s better to be the one who does something foolish with them so they don’t feel embarrassed. Not that my actions earlier were foolish, of course.”
Honestly, this man has no sense of romance whatsoever.
I clicked my tongue in disapproval.
“You could just avoid doing anything foolish in the first place.”
“Sometimes people want to do something stupid even though they know better. Haven’t you heard that before?”
“I haven’t. Did you make that up?”
Tsk, sharp as ever.
I raised an eyebrow playfully, but Ian still looked conflicted. Just then, another wave came crashing in with a whoosh, leaving foam in its wake as it receded. This time, it barely touched our toes before retreating.
Ian looked down at the water and sighed, then held out his hand.
“At least let me hold your hand while we walk. I don’t feel comfortable with the thought of you stumbling again.”
“Well, I suppose…”
I had thought this would be a good opportunity to maintain some distance since we were away from prying eyes. But Ian’s gaze was so stern that I had no choice but to lift my hand.
However, instead of his usual light touch, Ian interlaced his fingers with mine, holding my hand firmly. Startled by this sudden change, I glanced up at him in surprise.
“It’s to prevent you from falling, that’s all.”
For some reason, his hand felt a bit warmer than usual.
♧♧♧
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