Chapter 51
A rather fierce-looking man was frowning deeply.
He was usually expressionless, but not to this extent.
It seemed his facial muscles had gone haywire from trying to speak while keeping Aiden’s advice in mind.
“It’s important to ask as naturally as possible. So the other person doesn’t realize it’s a date.”
“What, are you planning an assassination? Just say let’s go on a date.”
“Ehey, what kind of amateur talk is that! Do you think crushes are that easy? The moment they realize it’s a date, they might feel burdened and reject you. Do you want to get rejected?”
“No.”
Suddenly, Aiden’s words echoed in his ears.
Recalling the advice about approaching slowly, like getting soaked in a light rain, he strode back toward Reina.
“What, did you forget something?”
“You look pretty today.”
“Huh?”
“Well, then.”
Kaiden hurriedly closed the door and left, like a child who had just finished his homework.
Reina, left all alone, blinked in confusion, and Lily beside her burst into laughter.
“Pfft.”
“Haa.”
Then Rose touched her forehead and let out a deep sigh, prompting Reina to ask.
“What’s wrong?”
At that, Lily exclaimed as if she’d been waiting for the question.
“I never thought this day would come.”
“???”
“I thought I was going to die from excitement, madam.”
Not from fear?
Reina wore an expression of total incomprehension, but Lily was already lost in her own world.
“Really. It seems the Duke loves you so much, madam. I didn’t know he could make an expression like that. Didn’t he look just like a boy, sister?”
Rose exercised her right to remain silent.
Reina struggled to follow the two women’s conversation.
To her, his expression had looked like one drowned in worry, not in love.
When Reina made a face showing she couldn’t agree at all, Lily continued.
“I’ve never seen the Duke so nervous in front of a woman like that.”
“Kaiden was nervous?”
“You really didn’t know?”
When Lily looked utterly surprised, Reina quietly nodded.
At that, Lily cleared her throat and whispered conspiratorially.
“Just now, the Duke asked you on a date, madam.”
“A date…?”
Reina tilted her head at the word that seemed utterly mismatched with him.
Would he ask for a date without any reason?
Then she suddenly realized they didn’t know about the contract marriage and nodded to herself.
‘Well, since they think we’re a real couple, they might misunderstand like that.’
Reina believed her relationship with Kaiden couldn’t be defined merely by the word “couple.”
They were bound by a contract. The term “couple” was just necessary; it held no other meaning.
‘Of course, now we’ve entered a contract that can never be undone…’
Reina still felt a fresh wave of emotion at the fact that she could see what was in front of her.
What would have been unimaginable in the past had become utterly natural by his side.
On the day Kaiden gave her eyes, Reina had secretly vowed to devote her full loyalty to him as her lord.
That she could stake her life for Kaiden if needed.
Since it was a life that had already died once, her resolve was extraordinary.
Meanwhile, Lily, who had been watching Reina’s reaction, wore a bewildered expression.
“You really didn’t know?”
“No, I knew.”
“Right?”
Lily then looked relieved and squealed with delight.
“Honestly, since you came to Crencia Castle, madam, the Duke has changed a lot.”
“Really?”
“Originally, he didn’t spend much time at the castle. He was busy with patrols in the border villages, hunting monsters, and often slept outside the castle.”
“But he seems to be at the castle quite often…”
“That’s all because of you, madam? Honestly, I’d be the same. With a rabbit-like wife waiting at the castle, what man would stay out overnight? He’d rush home like his life depended on it.”
“R-rabbit…”
Reina exhaled in utter embarrassment at Lily comparing her to a rabbit.
Undeterred, Lily clasped her hands to her chest and fervently declared.
“Anyway, this is definitely love! Especially asking for a date like this during such a busy time. If this isn’t love, what is!”
“Calm down, Lily. You’re making madam flustered.”
As Rose lightly chided her, Lily caught her breath unnecessarily.
‘Love, huh.’
Come to think of it, even before her regression, there had been such rumors when he took care of her.
Unlike back then, the gazes now weren’t negative, which was a relief.
At least it meant she seemed like someone worthy of being by his side.
Reina newly realized how deeply he had been considering her, coming from a foreign land as she did.
Of course, she didn’t think it was because of love as Lily said, but the fact that she was being cared for remained unchanged.
Somehow, it made her feel good. She murmured shyly.
“I had no idea at all.”
Seeing this, Lily held her breath and screamed inwardly.
She was thrilled to be able to watch the duke and duchess in love from the closest vantage point.
At that moment, Reina’s expression turned glum again.
“What if Kaiden is overworking himself because of me?”
“Huh?”
“I hope that’s not the case…”
The madam, who had been delighted like a girl just moments ago, suddenly took on a melancholic air.
As Lily floundered, Rose chimed in.
“This is just my unnecessary worry, but the Duke isn’t one to collapse from something like that.”
“Hm?”
“And if it were truly hard, he would have stopped long ago. He’s exceptionally good at managing himself. Comparing a dragon’s descendant to an ordinary man would actually bruise his pride.”
That’s right. Exactly.
Only then did Reina show a relieved expression.
As Rose said, Kaiden was a descendant of dragons.
Moreover, after the oath, she had personally experienced the power of dragons.
It wasn’t ordinary strength. After the oath, Reina could feel Kaiden’s life force.
A life force like an inexhaustible spring. It was hard to believe that someone like him would die like that ten years later.
“Yeah. I was worrying over nothing.”
Seeing Reina’s expression brighten again, Lily said.
She intended to say everything she’d been wanting to this opportunity.
“Anyway, madam, you are the light and salt of Crencia.”
“…Me?”
“Honestly, every time you pass through the castle, it feels like another world? How can your skin be so fair and beautiful? You stand out wherever you go, so how could the Duke not follow you with his eyes?”
At Lily’s excited chatter, Reina smiled awkwardly.
Compared to the tall, sturdy northerners, Reina was quite petite, so she drew attention wherever she went.
Reina said nonchalantly.
“He’s probably watching because he’s worried I might cause another accident.”
“That’s not it…”
As Lily tried to explain further, Rose interjected.
“Come to think of it, around this time, a big market opens in the north. It would be perfect for sightseeing.”
“A market is opening?”
“Yes. For the past few years, merchant groups from outside have been coming to the north to sell goods. Especially, the cosmetics from the Hook Merchant Group are famous.”
Reina’s eyes widened at the familiar name of the merchant group.
The Hook Merchant Group was one of the top merchants in the empire, with branches all over the continent.
Their network was so vast that they even took on tasks like finding missing people or delivering letters.
At one point, she had wanted to request them to look into her brother’s matter.
If the maids hadn’t dissuaded her, saying it was futile, she would have done it long ago.
‘Should I request it now?’
After turning back time, she regretted having stayed idle in the past.
Although three years had passed since his disappearance, she felt that doing something would leave her with no regrets.
“Can you tell me where the market is being held?”
