Episode 24
Despite being thoroughly scolded in the carriage, he hadn’t come to his senses and was about to make some remarks, calling her a living Grim Reaper instead of offering her praise.
As Delano continued blaming himself for not grasping the Duke’s profound intentions and for nearly misunderstanding his preferences,
“…….”
Euclid lowered his gaze dejectedly, completely unaware of Delano’s misunderstanding.
His thoughts were still stuck on the moment he stepped down from the carriage.
Although he had said various things to Delano, in some ways, Euclid was treating Evgenia with even greater indifference than Delano.
After their marriage, he intended to respect her wishes as much as possible, allowing her freedom in her choices. But even that was, to some extent, part of his overall plan.
That was why he didn’t even remember her basic appearance very well.
And yet, the moment he saw the woman with long, ebony-black hair cascading down her back and eyes more exquisite than any embroidered design, he instantly recognized her as his betrothed.
Though he had never seriously considered marriage before, he felt a certainty so strong it made him believe no one else could ever take her place.
For the first time in his life, he was engulfed by a strange, indescribable sensation.
When their eyes met, he even had the illusion that time had momentarily stopped.
It felt as though the world consisted solely of the two of them, as if he had finally found something he had been waiting for an eternity to discover.
But it didn’t take him long to realize this was a one-sided emotion.
The ill-fitting dress she wore, her face dusted with pale powder as though to conceal her darkened complexion—all of it betrayed the fact that she had been dragged here against her will.
And then there was the moment she saw him. The moisture gathering at the corners of her eyes, the way she bit her lip as if holding back tears—all of it made him feel ashamed of himself for briefly falling into sentimental admiration of her.
Delano, his aide, had even remarked that Evgenia looked “melancholy,” which further dampened Euclid’s spirits.
On the contrary, however, it left him oddly calm.
Even Delano, who had been quick to speak ill of Evgenia’s reputation, had a visceral reaction to her beauty. It proved that her allure was simply that extraordinary, and his own reaction was nothing unusual.
This was a relief. The unexpected appearance of someone who could disrupt his meticulously planned life was certainly unwelcome.
But then why…
Why couldn’t he shake the image of her tearful face from his mind, as if it had been etched onto his retina?
Shaking his head in an attempt to dismiss the thought, Euclid found himself thinking instead of another man—the very cause of the sorrowful expression she had worn.
The man who had, only a few days ago, left for the battlefield once more.
The crown prince, whom the Basilian noblewoman adored to the point of obsession. Euclid’s expression hardened as the thought of him crossed his mind.
When they arrived in the capital, Euclid had hoped that Evgenia would have no expectations for their marriage and that she would still be clinging to her feelings for the crown prince.
So why did he feel so bitter?
Avoiding the reason, Euclid opened his luggage, which the butler had packed with several outfits, just in case.
***
“Wow. It’s a disaster.”
Returning to my room, I checked myself in the mirror and realized I had completely botched my first historic meeting with him.
I had a bad feeling when Anne apologized profusely and fled in tears on the way back to my room, but I hadn’t expected this.
It seemed Anne was hopeless when it came to dressing me up.
She had always been so competent at everything else, and as my closest maid, I assumed she’d excel at this too.
“Who am I kidding? It’s all my fault. I chose the dress myself…”
Since Euclid had such a warm and sunny disposition, I picked a bright, cheerful design to match.
It was entirely opposite to Evgenia’s usual style, but I figured my face could pull it off somehow…
“How arrogant.”
I laughed bitterly at my reflection, feeling a bit disheartened about facing Euclid in such a state.
At the same time—
“He’s so incredibly kind.”
Despite seeing me like this, knowing I was his fiancée, he maintained such a gentle demeanor.
“How can such a creature even exist?”
Well, that’s why he’s my ultimate favorite!
Meeting the real Euclid finally felt real. I couldn’t help but smile.
Though it saddened me that our first meeting felt like a failure, my joy was overwhelming enough to transform that despair into happiness.
Then, suddenly, I tilted my head.
“Didn’t I almost cry when I saw him earlier?”
In truth, I had been worried that encountering Euclid would make me feel nothing but discomfort, based on past experiences.
But contrary to my fears, the moment I saw him, I was overwhelmed by the joy and tenderness of meeting my ultimate favorite. It was so moving that I almost burst into tears.
“Looking back, it’s strange. Why do I feel this way about Euclid… Oh no, could it be?”
After pondering for a moment, I came to a sudden realization, my eyes widening. Shaking my head, I muttered to myself.
“I must be unbelievable. My devotion to my favorite character is overpowering Evgenia’s feelings.”
Otherwise, there was no way I could meet Evgenia’s family or the crown prince without feeling the hatred or disgust she would usually harbor!
It was a moment of relief that the feared event had not occurred, and I felt a deep sense of satisfaction, realizing how much Euclid meant to me.
“Miss, may I come in?”
Anne, who had stepped out for a moment, returned.
“Anne, where have you been…”
“Please try this, Miss.”
Panting heavily as if she had hurried somewhere, Anne handed me several small vials.
“What’s this?”
“They’re calming medicine and digestive aids.”
She then apologized with a dejected expression.
“I should have prepared these earlier, but I didn’t anticipate how nervous you would be. I’m sorry… and also for doing your makeup like that.”
I opened my mouth but didn’t know how to respond.
Honestly, I’d been so anxious since last night that I couldn’t think straight.
However, I had tried hard to hide my condition, not wanting anyone to notice.
But now, with Anne having noticed and taking such thoughtful care, I was deeply grateful.
“Thank you for taking care of this now. Thanks to you, I think I can attend dinner more comfortably.”
When I expressed my genuine gratitude, Anne blushed and responded in a small voice.
“It’s a relief if it helps you even a little, Miss.”
“Really? Actually, there’s something else I need help with.”
As I casually hinted, Anne’s eyes sparkled with excitement.
I laughed and lightly patted the enthusiastic maid’s head. Then, scratching my cheek nervously, I spoke up, worried about appearing overly dramatic.
“First, let’s remove all this makeup. And bring me a new outfit to change into.”
***
A little while later.
After taking the calming medicine Anne had given me, I changed into a new outfit and headed to the dining hall.
Only Melissa was seated there.
“Sister, you’re here?”
“Yes. Um… hasn’t anyone else arrived yet?”
I was about to ask if Euclid had not arrived but felt too shy, so I asked vaguely.
Melissa replied, “No, no one else has arrived yet.”
Perhaps he was having a private conversation with the Duke before dinner.
Nodding, I took a seat, only to suddenly feel a piercing gaze.
“…Melissa?”
“I-I’m sorry. Was I staring too much?”
“It’s fine. But why?”
“Well… it’s just that I noticed you changed clothes.”
“Huh? Oh…”
Feeling inexplicably warm in the face, I cleared my throat awkwardly. Melissa, however, continued innocently.
“You also removed your makeup.”
“Ahem.”
“You look much prettier!”
“…Really?”
“Yes! You were, of course, beautiful before too.”
Seeing her hurriedly wave her hands, worried she might have offended me, I couldn’t help but chuckle.
Far from being upset, her words made me realize I felt more comfortable now compared to earlier, which was a relief.
“Thank you.”
When I responded cheerfully, Melissa’s cheeks turned red. Then, after fidgeting with her fingers for a moment, she cautiously asked:
“Sister, what do you think of Duke Rudion? He seems like a good person to me.”
• ❁ • ❁ • ❁ •By Esraa• ❁ • ❁ • ❁ •
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