♡ TL: Khadija SK
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Theodore’s appearance brought a hush over the previously noisy room.
In the food chain, when the top predator appears, all those flaunting their mid-tier status instinctively fall silent.
Instead, the subtle undercurrent of competition that had been simmering beneath the surface erupted into the open with intensity.
“Wh-What brings the Duke of Bernier here?”
As soon as Theodore finished his greetings and took a seat on the sofa, a man with curly hair posed the question.
His eyes glinted with wary glances, though he didn’t overplay his caution.
He seemed well aware of Theodore’s status, keeping his gaze lowered as he awaited the answer with care.
“Does it differ from the purpose all of you came here for?”
“Hahaha, could it be that the Duke of Bernier, hahaha…”
The man who asked let out a forced laugh.
“I didn’t know the Duke of Bernier was interested in Miss Easton. But have you two been acquainted before?”
This came from a man who had danced with Charlotte once at a ball—he couldn’t quite recall which one.
His words carried a clear intent to exclude Theodore from the courtship race.
‘We’ve at least danced with Miss Easton! That’s different from a duke who hasn’t even exchanged greetings with her at a ball! So don’t interfere!’
Hazel recalled Andre’s childhood insistence that the apple he saw first belonged to him, and she couldn’t suppress a chuckle.
But her laugh was fleeting, lacking genuine mirth. Still, it seemed Theodore noticed it.
His eyes trembled as their gazes met by chance, as if struck by a subtle earthquake. It was as though he fell for her all over again.
If this was an act, it was impressive; if genuine, he was truly a shallow man.
‘Does he get smitten with every woman he meets?’
Hazel felt embarrassed for no reason and averted her eyes.
In contrast, Theodore’s gaze persistently followed her.
“Lady Easton, forgive me for this request.”
Theodore spoke.
“Speak as you wish.”
Lady Easton was lenient—but only with Theodore.
“I’d like to speak with Miss Easton quietly. There’s a conversation we didn’t finish last time, and I’d like to conclude it.”
Lady Easton and Charlotte exchanged glances.
They were so delighted they nearly hugged each other. But remembering the others present, they restrained themselves, settling for clasping hands to express their joy.
“Even if you’re a duke, that’s unacceptable.”
Someone cast a shadow of frustration over Lady Easton and Charlotte’s delight.
It was a man biting his lip nervously, yet he mustered the courage to speak.
Theodore tilted his head in question, prompting the man’s lips to move in explanation:
“We all came to see Miss Easton. But for the duke to monopolize her time… especially since you arrived late…”
“An unethical act?”
Theodore finished the word the man hesitated to say.
The man couldn’t shake his head or affirm, casting a pleading look toward Lady Easton.
Lady Easton sighed.
Before Theodore’s arrival, she had hoped to find a husband for Charlotte among these men, but now she saw them as a group of weaklings unable even to voice their opinions firmly.
She glanced at Hazel, grumbling inwardly.
“Ann, escort the duke to the drawing room on the third floor. Hazel, what are you doing? Don’t you intend to get up?”
Lady Easton pinched Hazel’s side sharply.
If she had been cautious earlier, she now held nothing back.
Hazel couldn’t pretend not to notice and stood, suppressing a sigh.
Only then did the men realize the “Miss Easton” Theodore referred to was Hazel, and a flicker of surprise crossed their faces.
“Miss Hazel? Did I hear that correctly?”
Some couldn’t hide their confusion, even confirming with the man beside them what they’d heard.
The disturbance didn’t last long.
The men quickly exchanged glances. Since Theodore wasn’t a rival, a look of relief passed through their eyes.
They suddenly relaxed the wariness they’d held like cornered rats, breathing easier.
Hazel alone noticed the slight twitch of Theodore’s eyebrow in response to this shift.
***
“Ann, I’ll handle the guiding. Could you prepare tea and pastries?”
Hazel stopped Ann, who was leading the way out of the drawing room.
“That’s what I’d prefer as well.”
Theodore quickly responded to spare Ann the awkwardness of glancing at Hazel.
“I’ll return shortly, my lady.”
Ann gave a slight bow and crossed the hallway.
“Let’s go up.”
Hazel and Theodore walked side by side.
The manor wasn’t large or sprawling, so they quickly reached the third-floor drawing room.
Normally, Theodore would have opened the door, but since Hazel was the lady of the house, he stood a step behind, waiting.
“It’s smaller than the room on the second floor.”
“Then it’ll be perfect for a quiet conversation.”
Theodore responded positively to everything she said.
For a moment, Hazel reflected on her own conversational habits.
Was she speaking too negatively under the guise of objectivity and rationality?
‘I wasn’t particularly rude.’
Hazel concluded simply and opened the door.
A distinct smell of dust wafted from the room, which had been closed for a long time.
It wasn’t dirty, but the sense of emptiness from disuse couldn’t be erased.
“Shall I open the windows? The breeze is refreshing today.”
After behaving as a guest in the hallway, Theodore began moving like the master of the place inside the drawing room.
Before Hazel could say anything, he opened all four windows.
In the meantime, Hazel sat on the sofa, feeling the breeze.
As he said, the breeze was refreshing today.
She filled her lungs with fresh air and exhaled slowly.
The man’s presence before her was slightly bothersome, but she felt better compared to staying in the noisy second-floor drawing room.
“How have you been during this time?”
After a brief silence, Theodore asked about her well-being in a natural tone.
“As you see.”
Hazel added that she’d been somewhat busy meeting Charlotte’s suitors alongside her.
Theodore burst into laughter.
A light, warm laugh like cotton made Hazel’s eyes narrow.
‘Is there another man whose laugh evokes such a variety of descriptors?’
Impossible.
Hazel recalled the various smiles she’d seen from him.
They all shared one trait: brilliance.
Unfortunately, they also shared another trait: they didn’t affect Hazel’s heart.
During a pause in the conversation, Ann entered.
She knocked politely and placed tea in front of Hazel and Theodore, then set down an elegant blue plate with macarons in the center.
Perhaps following Lady Easton’s instructions, Ann left the room quietly, leaving the door slightly ajar.
“Have some tea.”
Hazel spoke without adding humble phrases like “I’m not sure if it’ll suit your taste,” and Theodore took a sip.
He seemed to enjoy it, smiling as he savored the flavor.
It was a satisfying reaction for a hostess receiving a guest.
“It seems you’ve been well. I, on the other hand, haven’t.”
Hazel tilted her head in question as she brought the teacup to her lips.
No matter the angle she looked at him—or how closely she examined—he seemed to be eating and sleeping well.
His skin was smooth, his hair glossy, his eyes clear, with no dark circles beneath them.
“It doesn’t show, does it? I take care of myself even in tough times.”
Hazel nodded unconsciously, then paused.
She couldn’t agree that he’d been suffering. So she set her teacup aside.
“You attended balls and visited museums, too. They say you spent a long time at the Orangerie Museum.”
“Oh?”
Theodore’s eyes widened.
“You know my whereabouts. Can that be taken as a positive sign?”
“Unfortunately, no. I couldn’t ignore the news. You’re a prominent figure.”
“But if you weren’t interested at all, you wouldn’t have remembered it.”
“My memory is strong.”
Hazel shrugged as if it were trivial.
Then Theodore suddenly asked:
“Do you know how many men were in the drawing room?”
“Ten?”
“There were eight. What about the men with black hair? Were there three?”
“Weren’t there two?”
“There were four.”
Hazel’s eyes narrowed.
She realized belatedly what Theodore was trying to prove through this exchange.
He was claiming Hazel was interested in him, using what she remembered about him as evidence.
“I just wasn’t paying close attention.”
“Five days ago, I was wearing a black suit. It paired well with your dark purple dress, Miss Easton.”
“Wasn’t it a suit with a touch of blue?”
Hazel nearly bit her tongue.
Theodore smiled calmly.
Hazel admitted defeat.
She sighed lightly and said:
“It seems I was very interested in you, Your Grace. More than the men in the drawing room.”
“It’s an honor.”
The man didn’t gloat over his victory or mock Hazel’s defeat.
“Will you tell me the reason for your visit today?”
Hazel judged she’d fulfilled her hosting duties enough and asked.
“I think you’ve already guessed my purpose. I’ve come to propose to you, Miss Easton.”
Theodore rummaged in his pocket.
Hazel thought he’d pull out a ring again and stared at him with boredom, but she froze suddenly.
What he produced was a thick stack of papers.
Hazel’s attention was caught by the text written on the sturdy sheet protecting the documents from damage:
[List of Assets]
“I heard you’re a rational woman. You like mathematics, don’t you? Then let’s calculate it together. The value of my proposal.”
A spark of interest flashed in Hazel’s eyes.
This man’s marriage proposal was entirely different from anything Hazel had seen before.
If he had enrolled in a courtship department at the academy, he’d either be dubbed a genius or an eccentric.
Either a perfect score or a complete failure.
Hazel found the man’s unique approach to proposing somewhat intriguing.
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