Chapter 37
The carriage carrying Alferen leisurely crossed the tree-lined path.
Then, spotting Rodellia strolling through the garden in the distance, Alferen brought the carriage to a halt.
“Wait here.”
From a good distance away, Alferen watched as Rodellia walked alone.
She was twirling a white lace parasol as she went.
The way she was subtly heading toward the entrance suggested she was pretending to take a stroll while evading her family’s watchful eyes, all prepared to greet him.
With their relationship now publicly announced, the Peris ducal family’s surveillance must have tightened more than before.
Today, Rodellia’s outfit looked lighter, perfectly suited for summer.
‘That’s a new dress. It suits her well.’
The thought that she might have worn a new outfit for their first date filled him with a deep, heavy sense of elation.
What thrilled him most was the pink diamond ring still prominently displayed on her finger.
A satisfied smile spread across Alferen’s lips.
Just then, a strong wind blew, and Rodellia lost her grip on the parasol.
“Oh!”
She reached out, but the parasol was already soaring high into the sky.
Alferen used telekinetic magic to guide the parasol toward himself.
He happened to have the sun at his back, and with the glare making her squint, Rodellia furrowed her brow and shaded her eyes with her hand.
“Who’s there?”
Hiding his face behind the parasol, he lightly approached her.
Just in case she noticed his excited state of mind.
Once in front of her, Alferen tilted the parasol to shield her from the sun.
Realizing it was him a moment too late, Rodellia stared up at him with an unguarded expression.
* * *
My eyes opened early today.
“The breeze feels refreshing.”
I started washing up and getting ready right away. It had been a while since I’d joined the family for breakfast.
“Where are you off to?”
Adrian whispered in my ear like he was conducting a surprise inspection.
“Eek! What the heck! That’s creepy!”
I rubbed my arms, where goosebumps had risen, and frowned.
Then, suddenly noticing the dark shadows under Adrian’s eyes, I was taken aback.
“Brother, don’t tell me you were up all night?”
“Just… couldn’t sleep. Figured I’d stand watch while I was at it.”
What are we, in a wartime situation? Why suddenly stand guard like a sentry?
It was obvious he’d tossed and turned, worried about Alferen showing up, and had been patrolling around my room.
He hadn’t even noticed when Winter came by.
Adrian scrutinized me with tired eyes.
“That’s a dress I haven’t seen before. Heading somewhere nice? Don’t tell me it’s to see that guy?”
“That sounded just like something a regretful ex would say.”
“Regretful ex? I don’t know what that means, but I do regret it. If only I hadn’t brought Alferen to our house that day.”
Adrian muttered darkly, then let out a groan, “Ugh.”
“He’s really lost it…”
Ignoring Adrian, I sat down at the table.
I was about to cheerfully greet Dad, who was reading the newspaper.
“Our Delly, did you sleep well?”
His eyes looked not just hollow, but stinging and moist.
“…Don’t tell me you were up all night too, Dad?”
“No, just… I suddenly started thinking about when our Delly was little and ended up staring at your childhood portraits… I guess I’m not ready to let you go yet, because tears kept coming.”
Now that I looked, he was pretending to read the newspaper to hide that he’d been up all night!
Seriously, why is everyone acting like this over my relationship!
With Brother showing such a weird reaction, and now Dad too, I suddenly missed Mom.
Just then, my savior appeared.
“Good morning!”
Jasmine breezed in cheerfully, fresh from a light jog and a shower.
She clearly sensed the gloomy atmosphere but remained unfazed.
“Delly, looks like you’re heading out on a date today?”
Date.
At that word, Dad and Brother’s eyes gleamed like hyenas.
“A date?”
“Ah, n-no! What date! I just happened to wake up early today!”
“They say a strong denial is an affirmation. Our daughter, you’re not hiding anything from Dad, are you?”
“I’m not, so everyone, let’s just eat, hurry!”
What I thought was a save turned into friendly fire from Mom, leaving me dizzy.
We were wrapping up breakfast like that.
Normally, Adrian would have gotten up by now, but his butt was glued to the seat, heavier than ever.
“Brother, aren’t you going to work?”
“…”
“You said there was an important meeting at the knights’ order today.”
“…I was planning to go.”
Doesn’t seem like it.
His expression looked like someone caught trying to play hooky.
I had my suspicions, but for now, I was relieved he’d at least head out.
“Mei. What are you doing over there?”
“Huh? You can see Mei?”
“You think hiding just your face with leaves makes you invisible?”
“Ah, oops.”
Mei awkwardly smiled and tossed the leaves aside.
It was obvious she was there to spy.
“Traitor.”
As I glared at her resentfully, Mei waved her hands in denial.
“Traitor? Mei just received a ruby ring from the young master, that’s all!”
You even took a bribe?
I crossed my arms and asked lazily.
“Hey, you turncoat. Spill everything you know, right now.”
“Eek! Mei doesn’t know anything! Mei really, really doesn’t know that the young master bribed the coachman and the gatekeeper, or that he put up a cursed sign at the castle gate forbidding Duke Ainluk from entering!”
Ha, that brother of mine, really.
Thanks to Mei’s lips, light as a feather, I saved myself some trouble.
Checking the clock, it was almost time for Alferen to arrive.
“I’m going for a walk alone, so you, turncoat Mei, don’t follow me. If you do, that’s real betrayal, and I’ll smash that ruby ring your brother gave you.”
At my stern warning, Mei shuddered.
“How ruthless, miss. The wounded Mei retreats to protect her ruby ring. Toodle-oo.”
Watching Mei flee with a guilty-as-charged look, I was convinced.
Going on a date with Alferen the normal way was out of the question.
I briskly entered the garden leading to the mansion’s entrance.
‘To think he’d even win over Mei. What am I going to do with that brother?’
Dad’s tear-squeezing is over the top, but buying off my confidante is really not okay.
Ha, at this rate, every day is going to be a game of cat and mouse.
Should I just come clean and say it’s a contract relationship?
I was pondering that as I strolled through the garden.
Whoosh—!
A strong wind blew, and I accidentally let go of my parasol.
And the person who retrieved it for me was…
“Uh, Brother! How did you get in? I thought you’d bribed the gatekeeper to keep you out.”
I never expected to run into Alferen inside the mansion when I figured he’d be stuck at the entrance.
“They just let me in?”
That’s strange. That shouldn’t be.
As I tilted my head in confusion, Alferen angled the parasol for me and smiled leisurely.
“You look pretty today. That’s a new dress, isn’t it?”
“Uh-huh. I washed all my clothes!”
Actually, I’d deliberately pulled out a new one, but I didn’t want Alferen to know.
Even at my nonsensical excuse, Alferen just kept smiling.
“Shall we go?”
Alferen took Rodellia’s hand, full of ulterior motives.
Thinking it was just an escort, she let him, but before she knew it, their fingers were intertwined.
“Uh…”
Startled by the skinship as natural as breathing.
“Why?”
His casual question, as if asking what’s wrong, left her simply shaking her head.
‘Right. I agreed to properly play the role of his lover, so holding hands is nothing.’
Hadn’t they often linked arms under the guise of escorting before?
‘But why does it feel so hot?’
Must be the summer.
Worried her hand might get sweaty, Alferen murmured.
“It’s a nice day.”
“Uh-huh, yeah. Perfect weather for a date, right?”
Without thinking, I mentioned the date, and Alferen met my eyes.
“Were you looking forward to it?”
“Huh? No, just…”
“I was.”
“…”
Isn’t this guy a player?
