A familiar-shaped button was pinned to his tie.
‘Isn’t that the cufflink I gave him?’
It used to be cufflinks that transformed into a cravat button.
“Your Grace, that’s…….”
When I looked up at him clearly having recognized it, Cardien said nonchalantly.
“Winston insisted they suited me best and just gave them to me.”
Yeah, sure.
However, I also agree.
In the near-neutral color scheme, the colors of his eyes and buttons matched like a set.
By the way…….
‘A pair of cufflinks from a street shop looks like the finest luxury merchandise when he wears them.’
I suddenly understood why they say the face is the final piece of a look.
Today’s Cardien was not only beautiful but also aristocratically elegant.
‘Oh, wait.’
It dawned on me, and I took a few steps back.
Cardien and Vincent looked back at me in surprise.
‘Wow, those two…….’
Although their appearances were somewhat similar, Cardien and Vincent exuded entirely different vibes.
Vincent appeared fresh and lively, while Cardien had a languid yet intense presence.
But when you put these two similarly dressed people together, it’s easy to see that they were father and son.
Furthermore, with Cardien’s striking beauty and Vincent’s undeniable charm, they appeared even more like characters from a painting.
‘Am I allowed to be between them?’
I asked, worried that I might be ruining the picture.
‘Although, of course, Livia Pellington is very pretty too.’
Looking at it very objectively, Livia Pellington was not someone you would easily be overlooked either.
She had glossy dark brown hair that flowed smoothly, fair skin, calmly shaped eyes, and irises that mysteriously mixed shades of orange and yellow.
Even a fairly robust nose and evenly drawn lips.
It was clear that she was constantly receiving confessions when she was at the academy and when she was working there.
‘I turned them all down, though.’
I couldn’t afford it then.
Well, even if I had, I wouldn’t have paid much attention.
The problem lies in the future.
‘Thanks to Cardien, my standards have gone up……’
Most men would look like nothing more than pebbles on the roadside.
‘I’m sure I never marry.’
Well, I never really had a desire for marriage to begin with.
“What are you doing?”
Then, a voice interrupted my thoughts. I was jolted awake by it.
The man who had caused my eyes to soar to the sky was there standing and staring at me.
Vincent was already in the carriage.
“Aren’t you getting on?”
“I am.”
I hurriedly made my way to the carriage.
But as I tried to step onto it…
“Huh?”
Perhaps it was because I hadn’t worn heels in a while, but I slipped and tripped on the steps.
‘I’m falling……!’
I tightly shut my eyes.
It was hard to keep my footing on the stairs.
And here I was, waiting for the impact to come…….
“Come to think of it, it seems like Tutor Livia might require more attention than Vincent.”
With a sigh-mixed voice, a gentle touch wrapped around my waist.
I cautiously opened my eyes. Cardien’s face was right in front of me.
Between the narrow stairs, our bodies were tightly pressed against each other.
‘Ah…’
I survived.
If I had fallen here, it would have been at least a fracture.
I let out a long sigh and quickly stood up.
Cardien silently stared at me, scrutinizing me.
“Thank you, Your Grace. I must have stumbled because it’s been a while since I wore heels.”
Then his gaze shifted downward. Gradually, his brows narrowed. And he spoke in a disapproving tone.
“Is this place really worth going to such lengths?”
He was referring to the ceremony at the Imperial Academy.
A wry smile tugged at the corners of my mouth.
I turned and continued up the stairs.
As I continued climbing the stairs, I replied, “Not only the ceremony but also because of the person I’m meeting today…”
Thinking of Jeffrey, I smiled faintly.
“…is important. It’s been a while, so I wanted to make a good impression.”
“…….”
But there was no response. When I turned to look back, Cardien swiftly passed by me and sat down on the opposite seat.
“Let’s go.”
He spoke coldly to the coachman, crossed his arms, and closed his eyes.
‘What’s with him?’
His manners are the best, but his conversational manners are the worst.
‘At least he helped me from almost falling.’
Trying my best to maintain a positive attitude, I took a seat next to Vincent.
‘But still, I can never figure out what he’s thinking.’
I looked at Cardien, whose eyes remained stubbornly closed, with an uncomprehending stare, then turned away.
The carriage sped away from the ducal residence and towards the academy.
***
The carriage ride from the Duke of Mercedes’ residence to the Imperial Academy takes just over 30 minutes.
But the Academy’s grounds are so vast, so even after entering through the main gate, it took an additional ten minutes before the carriage came to a stop.
The carriage doors opened and one by one, Cardien, Vincent, and I got out.
As soon as we got out of the carriage, Vincent clung to me tightly.
I had a hunch about why.
‘Wow, this feels incredibly overwhelming……..’
I had mentally prepared myself, but from the moment we stepped out of the carriage, all eyes within the academy were fixed on us.
It wasn’t because there were a small number of people. No, quite the opposite.
‘It’s almost like a festival?’
The campus was so expansive that it didn’t feel crowded, but there were definitely a considerable number of people present.
Well, it’s understandable.
It’s the university’s 200th anniversary, and it seemed like invitations had been sent to anyone even remotely related to the event.
As a result, numerous nobles from across the empire had gathered.
All those people were currently focused on us.
‘So, this is what Mercedes is all about…….’
But I soon corrected my thoughts.
Even if it weren’t for Mercedes’ emblem, Cardien and Vincent’s appearance alone would have been enough to attract attention.
Just as expected.
“That’s the Duke of Mercedes…….”
“He’s even more beautiful than the rumors, isn’t he?”
“Wow, aside from His Imperial Highness Eden, I thought everyone else would be mediocre….. but there’s someone truly exceptional.”
“That child in the school uniform must be the ducal prince, right?”
“Silver hair and red eyes. No doubt. Oh my, he’s so cute.”
“Well, this must be a special ceremony, if the Mercedes family is attending.”
“But… who’s the lady beside them? I’ve never seen her before.”
“Yeah, I don’t recognize her either. She must not attend social gatherings often. Could she be the duke’s lover…?”
“Or perhaps a hidden wife…?”
‘Neither!’
I have to pretend I didn’t hear them arguing about my identity, whether I’m a ‘lover’ or a ‘hidden wife’.
But…….
I looked down.
Vincent clung tightly to me with a terrified expression on his face, clutching onto my dress.
‘Well, with Vincent clinging to me like this, it’s no wonder they’re suspicious.’
I couldn’t exactly go over there and say, “I’m a tutor!” so I simply closed my ears to the gossip.
By the way…….
‘I’m supposed to meet with Jeffrey right after the meetup…….’
The reception was scheduled to start at 1 PM, and it was barely 11 AM.
‘Wouldn’t it be better to wait until after the meeting to start looking for the book?’
If so, I’ll start with…….
“Well, do you want to take a look around?”
Since there wasn’t much else to do before then, I made a casual suggestion to Cardien.
Even if not, with the crowd gathering around us, it seemed like a good idea to move our seats first.
Cardien casually replied.
“As you wish.”
“Then let’s move our seats first.”
Cardien made a half-hearted nod. I took Vincent’s hand and maneuvered through the people towards the inside.
Even on the way, we attracted so many glances. It was probably not as intense as when royalty arrived, but it was still something.
“Is this what it’s like to be a celebrity?”
Then again, I don’t think I’m built to be one.
Wherever I went, I couldn’t help but feel self-conscious about all the eyes on us.
‘Plus, they’re sneaking up on us.’
I’d rather they just came up and talked openly.
The cautious approach made it impossible not to pay attention.
Finding a suitable spot to observe, I retreated behind Cardien, trying to avoid the people. I let out a deep sigh.
‘Wow, this is no joke…….’
I was already feeling exhausted despite not doing much.
‘I wonder if Cardien has been dealing with this all the time.’
I looked at him with newfound admiration.
Then Cardien, as if questioning my thoughts with his eyes, sent me a look.
While we were exchanging unexpected glances, we suddenly heard a rustling sound coming from beyond the corner.
The chatter became a little louder, as if they were coming this way.
At that moment, Vincent grabbed me by my clothes.
Startled, I turned my head and froze in place.
“Vincent?”
Vincent looked paler and more shaken than I’d ever seen him.
