Chapter translated by Gon.
Etisha leaned against Kaiyen and gazed up at him. She was by his side, just like she had been at the International Party and at the mansion in the capital, but there were others involved in their connection.
Several nobles, servants, and maids…….There were many eyes watching them, and there was never a time when they were truly alone.
“No, I don’t think so. The Duke must have a different meaning. Someone will bring in another servant, or something like that and I don’t see how the Duke of Wintel can stay unattended in a place like this.”
Etisha shook her head in thought. Then, as if reading her thoughts, Kaiyen spoke.
“I don’t know how things will turn out, so I think it’s best that we don’t call in any help, and we’ll just stay together for a while. I know it’s inconvenient for you to be without a maid, but please bear with me for a day.”
“So it will be just the two of us…… until tomorrow?”
“Yes, that will do, I’m rather comfortable without an escort after so many years on the battlefield, but you…….”
“Oh, no. No, I’ve spent a lot of time alone in the Heinz manor, so I’m fine.”
Etisha replied, blinking her eyes wide. She couldn’t hide her embarrassment.
“Are you sure you want to spend time alone with me……?”
I asked, not sure if I should.
“Honestly, the pain was short-lived, and I’m feeling fine now…….”
Etisha wasn’t lying when she said she was fine. Her heart had definitely been throbbing and hurting during the attack, but now that it was over, she was clean as a whistle. She was fit enough to take a trip to the North at a moment’s notice.
‘…….’
But She couldn’t bring herself to refuse Kaiyen’s offer. She didn’t feel like refusing.
“Alright, I understand that you agree. Let’s go check out the inn in Loxen right away. We can stay there for a day and leave early tomorrow..”
“Yes…….”
A day in a city she’d never been to before, alone with Kaiyen, without any attendants. Etisha couldn’t believe it.
“Thank you, Duke…….”
Etisha said, her heartfelt gratitude to Kaiyen.
“Thank you for your concern.”
Nobody else reacted like Kaiyan did when they found out about Etisha’s illness. Not her parents, not her sister, not anyone else.
Etisha had never received concern before.
‘It’s so sweet that someone cares about me,’ she thought.
It was so sweet…….
Although Kaiyen wore a cold, heavy expression that showed no emotion, Etisha felt differently. So she couldn’t refuse his offer to stay in Laxen.
“You know, the Duke is a very sweet and good man.”
Etisha pulled her lips up into a smile, and for some reason, the seed in her chest felt a little tighter. A thick sprout grew taller and grew gently.
“……Ms. Etisha. I see there is a misunderstanding again.”
Kaiyen wrapped his arms around Etisha and spoke in a low voice. The hand that had been stroking her back had stopped.
“I’m not as nice as you think I am.”
Etisha replied naturally.
“No. The Duke is the nicest man I have ever met in my life.”
“……”
“I will never meet anyone like you again, Duke.”
Kaiyen gave everything to Etisha, who had nowhere to go and no one to turn to. A House, a title, a marriage, and an escape to the North. She thanked him every time.
“And you know this, too: a truly bad person doesn’t tell you they’re bad; they’d rather lie to deceive you.”
Etisha’s blue eyes shone brightly, like a new sprout. Kaiyan looked at her face and said nothing.
He couldn’t say anything.
* * *
Afterward, She walked with Kaiyen along the main street of the city.
Laxen was a city of business, known for its warp teleportation that attracted traveling merchants. There were inns for travelers everywhere, and shops of all kinds that stayed open late.
“My lord, you should take a look at the shops, there are many good and cheap goods!”
“Don’t go next door, come this way, it’s cheaper here!”
As the two of them walked side by side, the sounds of calling came from all directions. Normally, these were merchants who wouldn’t dare to appear in front of a great noble, but right now, Etisha and Kaiyan were alone, with no attendants following them.
It was unlikely that a high noble would roam the streets without an attendant, so they must be considered semi-nobles at best, or commoners with money.
“Once again, I apologize for the inconvenience, Miss Etisha.”
“No, my duke. On the contrary, I am amused.”
“Amused?”
“I know it may sound strange, but I enjoy walking through the streets of shops, and it’s fun to people-watch.”
“…….”
Etisha was surprised to see merchants selling their wares on both sides of the street.
“I’ve always wanted to experience something like this: going to an unfamiliar street, going into an unfamiliar store, buying something you’ve never seen before, or as Larienne would say, ‘exploring’.”
A social butterfly, Larienne was never one to sit still. She was always on the hunt for something, always getting into trouble somewhere.
Hearing that, Kaiyen turned his gaze toward the open shop. It was a shop that Etisha had been eyeing for a while.
“Would you like to go inside?”
“What? This place?”
“You’ve been looking at this shop since earlier.”
“But…… this is a candy store.”
A sweet smell wafted from the store with its colorful sign. Inside the shop, they were selling all kinds of candies, including a large bag of cotton candy.
“Miss Etisha looked like you wanted to go in.”
“Not really…… Larienne used to go to shops like this, she’s always liked candy since she was a little girl.”
“…….”
“Of course, my parents didn’t buy me my share of candy, even though they told me to share with my sister.”
“You didn’t get a share.”
“Yes, I didn’t.”
“…….”
Kaiyan didn’t ask twice; instead of asking if she wanted to go into the store, he stood in front of it with slow steps and looked at Etisha.
“If you don’t mind, I’ll just walk past.”
It was a strange sight to see such a handsome man standing in a store that was meant for children. Jet-black hair, jet-black eyes. He looked like he could sink into darkness with one step.
Etisha stared at Kaiyen silently, then hesitantly approached him.
She wondered if this was a good idea, but thankfully there were no eyes watching them today. Just the two of them.
“Alright, come on in.”
Etisha walked into the candy store with Kaiyen. The shopkeeper looked a little surprised to see a couple without children in the store, but he greeted them cheerfully.
“Welcome, customer, may I help you find what you are looking for?”
“Miss Etisha, what would you like to eat?”
“Well, I’m not sure…….”
Etisha hesitated and looked around the store until a familiar package caught her eye.
“Come to think of it, Larienne had one of those.”
A small candy basket with an interesting assortment of treats.
Etisha pointed to it.
“I think I’ll take that one.”
The tone of her voice was so clear that even Etisha was surprised, but then, to her horror, she noticed something on the shelf right next to the candy basket.
“Oh, that’s the same one Lari had…….”
A fluffy stuffed bunny holding a small candy in her hand.
As a child, She remember asking Larienne if She could hold the doll just once, and she’d crushed it as if to say, “That’s a bunny.”
“A rabbit? Was that ball of fur a rabbit?”
“Yeah, it had long ears.”
“……Those pointy things were ears.”
Kaiyen looked at Etisha as if she was done, but Etisha was too busy looking around the store. At this moment, Etisha felt like she was getting her lost childhood back.
“Actually, I’d like to try the cotton candy, the one that says cloud cotton candy. And what was the name of that…… thing that was only released during National Day? The one with the gold wrapper.”
The shopkeeper, suddenly seeing a large hand, beamed with delight.
“You mean the golden candies, if that’s what you’re talking about, we still have them in stock.”
“Yes! I’ll take that, and…….”
Etisha’s face lit up. She smiled like a child, her face bright with joy. It was a different side of Etisha than the one he had seen in the past.
She looked excited, thrilled, and full of life, like a little life that had just been born.
Kaiyan pursed his lips in silence as he slowly stared at Etisha.
Her light steps, her bright smile, her flowing pink hair, all of it, came into focus.
Though he didn’t show it, Kaiyen was feeling quite a bit of excitement.
‘you are the nicest person I’ve ever met in my life…….’
Kaiyen was never an emotional person. He was the kind of person who couldn’t be described as sweet or nice.
He had a purpose, and he didn’t look back to fulfill it, so his life was like that of a raging beast.
He would trample, bite, and leap over everything that stood in his way.
“How could I have been so kind to Miss Etisha?’
Kaiyen looked at Etisha, who was still smiling, still glowing, still checking out the little, tasty snacks. Her face looked totally different from when she was dealing with the effects of an overdose.
“Looking at that face,” He thought, “no wonder she’s been misunderstood.”
If she’s so happy over a simple piece of candy, how can Kaiyen be seen to be helping her? Given her disadvantaged upbringing, anyone who helps her will be viewed favorably.
Kaiyen assumed Etisha’s sincerity was just a product of her upbringing. But there was something else that didn’t explain it.
‘…….’
‘Ha, what am I thinking about now.
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what is he thinking about?