Chapter 12
The situation was quickly resolved after that. The human traffickers, aware of the Vissen family’s reputation, immediately surrendered and were taken away by the knights.
I watched them being dragged off like a bundle of sausages, tied up tight when I sensed someone beside me. Turning my head, I saw Harold with one eyebrow raised. His expression was a mix of calm and irritation, which strangely warmed my heart.
“Diana, we’ve got a lot to talk about… Wait, are you crying? I haven’t even said anything yet, have I? Or did those guys hurt you?”
Harold’s voice was laced with concern, and I shook my head quickly.
“No, I’m not hurt. I tripped, but I’m fine now.”
“Then did I say something already?”
Again, I shook my head. Harold hadn’t said anything. But…
“It’s just… I feel relieved because you’re here. I was really scared.”
Though I’d distanced myself from the ‘villainess’s fate’ through successful dealings, the time I’d spent living on the streets in fear that things might go according to the novel’s plot had left a deep mark on me. When I ran into the traffickers, and even when I fell and tried to assert that I was the duchess, I had been terrified the whole time. I had tried so hard to stay composed, but deep down, I was scared that all my efforts would end up being in vain and that things would unfold as the story dictated.
Then, Harold had appeared. His approach felt like something out of a drama, slow and unreal.
Harold was the first connection I’d made since I possessed this body. I was aware there might come a time when he would seek more from me beyond our contract, possibly even taking benefit of my abilities. But right now, he was on my side, and that was all I could ask for.
“Tsk. Why did you come to a place like this alone?” Harold grumbled as he rummaged through his jacket. He couldn’t find what he was looking for, and his expression became even more irritated.
“It’s okay. I don’t need a handkerchief.”
“…Fine.”
I wiped my eyes with my sleeve, but tears continued to flow uncontrollably. It was disconcerting; I hadn’t cried like this before. Maybe I was more emotionally exhausted than I realized after being in this body.
Harold placed his hand on my back but quickly pulled it away, looking awkward. I glanced at him curiously, and his expression resembled that of a restless puppy.
“Didn’t you say you had a lot to talk about?” I asked, trying to lighten the mood.
“…I did.”
“Go ahead. I’m still crying, but I can listen just fine.”
I winked playfully to show him I was okay. Harold sighed and rubbed his face in frustration.
Wasn’t he the one who looked like he had something urgent to say earlier?
“It’s nothing too serious. Anyway, it’s cold out, so let’s get in the carriage.”
“Okay.”
I followed Harold toward the carriage. Along the way, he picked up my discarded cloak, which was now covered in muddy footprints from where the traffickers had trampled it in their attempt to grab me.
After a brisk walk, we reached the carriage, and we sat across from each other.
I called out to Harold, who was looking out the window.
“Harold?”
“What is it?”
“I was just wondering… why are you here?”
“I was passing by on other business.”
“I see. Then I was lucky.”
I had thought it was an unlucky day when I was being chased by those thugs. But if Harold hadn’t passed by, things could have been much worse.
That thought cheered me up a bit, and I smiled.
“You were crying just a minute ago, and now you’re smiling?”
“I’m a simple person. I used to smile whenever the sun was warm. I was that kind of person.”
“Hmm. Hard to believe. And you said ‘was’.”
“Yeah. I’ve learned the importance of money. People can’t live on sunshine alone.”
“You sure do love money.”
Harold chuckled, a lazy smile curling on his lips before he turned back to the window.
He seemed deep in thought. The silence was a little uncomfortable, but instead of talking, I turned my head to look elsewhere.
My quiet contemplation didn’t last long. Harold broke the silence.
“Do you have any plans today? I already know you don’t.”
“I don’t.”
“Then how about a little date?”
“Huh?”
A date? Out of nowhere?
“Appearances are important, aren’t they? I don’t want any rumors about our relationship.”
“If that’s the reason, then sure.”
When I agreed, Harold tapped on the carriage window. The carriage, which had been heading toward the Vissen estate, came to a stop. Harold gave the coachman a simple order, and the carriage smoothly changed its direction, heading toward a new destination.
* * *
The place we arrived at was a jewelry shop. According to Diana’s memories, it was famous enough that customers had to make reservations. But for someone like Harold, it seemed reservations weren’t necessary, as we were immediately shown inside.
The service was noticeably different compared to when the Garcia family had visited. If the real Diana, who had once anxiously fretted over missing her appointment here, had been in my shoes, she would have been furious.
The jeweler eagerly presented each brilliant gem, explaining their features. The stones were large, their shine exquisite, and browsing through them was quite enjoyable.
On top of that, Harold was the kind of man who didn’t hesitate to spend for his beloved wife.
“I’ll take it.”
“But, this gemstone…”
“I’ll take it.”
“And this one…”
“I’ll take it.”
The jeweler’s face lit up with a wide grin, and I found myself smiling just as brightly.
But the shopping didn’t end at the jewelry store. Afterward, we bought clothes—a whole wardrobe’s worth—and I changed into a new outfit, even getting a new hat. Harold, just like at the jewelry store, didn’t hesitate to buy whatever I liked.
‘How much is all this?’ I wondered, suppressing a greedy smile. Shopping with someone else’s money was the best feeling.
Wearing my new clothes and hat, I grinned from ear to ear.
Harold, standing outside the shop, glanced at my expression and gave me a satisfied, lazy smile. His eyes crinkled slightly in pride.
“Feeling better now?”
“I was feeling good before, but now I’m even happier! Are you sure there aren’t angel wings sprouting from your back?”
“I have no plans to die just yet.”
“You know I didn’t mean it like that.”
“I know.”
I was about to say I was relieved when I suddenly got curious and asked, “Did I look upset earlier?”
I had felt good for quite a while now, but seeing Harold checking on me made me wonder if my expression had betrayed me, so I tilted my head. I don’t always consciously manage my expressions, so I touched my face and felt the corners of my mouth turned up.
“You can easily put on a smile anytime you want,” Harold said, wearing that typical arrogant, aristocratic grin.
“But I really was feeling good.”
“People’s desires can’t be simply fulfilled, but I’ll take your word for it.”
It seemed he didn’t believe me at all. Or maybe he just didn’t trust that kind of personality. Harold handed me a beautifully wrapped velvet box. Meanwhile, the man who usually kept eye contact awkwardly averted his gaze and spoke rapidly.
“Diana, even if you were really kidnapped, there’s no way I couldn’t rescue you. So if you find yourself in that situation again, don’t cry over those bastards; just wait for me to come back.”
I stood there, stunned, processing what he had just said. Harold was telling me…
“Wait! Let’s go together!”
Finally coming to my senses, I quickly chased after Harold, who was walking away. I grabbed the collar of his coat. With a firm tug, Harold stopped but didn’t turn around. I held on tightly.
He covered the back of his neck with his hand. After a moment, he furrowed his eyebrows and turned to look back at me, and I gave him a big smile.
“Thanks for the reassurance! I’ll be careful to avoid dangerous situations, but if something does happen, I’ll remember not to cry.”
“…Yeah. It’d be best if you didn’t go out alone like today.”
“Of course! I’ll try to take someone with me most of the time.”
Even when going to the guild, I planned to inform the guild leader and bring some guild members along in the carriage. Harold seemed pleased with my answer and smiled.
“Let’s head back now. We’ve got a schedule to keep.”
As Harold looked straight ahead, the back of his neck was exposed to me. He tried to cover it with his hand, but the skin was slightly red between his fingers. I held back a smile for his awkward but genuine concern for me.
Just then, a gust of wind blew my hat into the air. I reached out to grab it.
“My hat…! Huh?”
But before I could get to it, a big hand snatched it out of the air.
He had been walking forward, and I was amazed by how quick Harold’s reflexes were. I looked up at him with wide eyes.
“Weren’t you just saying you liked that hat? Be careful it doesn’t fly away,” he said as he placed the hat back on my head.
His navy blue eyes sparkled in the sunlight between his flowing black hair. The way his bangs cast a shadow perfectly complemented his features, making him look even more beautiful than all the jewels I had seen today.
I was momentarily entranced.
“You are gonna stare a hole through my face.”
“…!”
Realizing I had been staring too hard, I felt embarrassed and quickly looked down. But Harold’s smirk had already crept back onto his face.
“What’s wrong, Diana?”
He leaned down closer.
“Do you like my face?”
His face was so close I could see his thick eyelashes.
