Chapter 9
Today was the day I’d been eagerly awaiting—our first official date. My heart raced so much that I barely slept, and I ended up getting ready well ahead of schedule. Standing before the mirror, I made final adjustments to my appearance.
I wore a soft pastel mint-green dress adorned with delicate frills. Today, makeup was the key. I focused on a flawless, dewy complexion, accentuating my lips and cheeks with subtle pops of color in a modern style. I took extra care to enhance each eyelash, highlighting Judith’s natural features. The hours spent perfecting my look were worth it—Judith’s already radiant beauty shone even brighter through my efforts.
Beauty really is the best! I thought, utterly captivated by the stunning woman staring back at me in the mirror. I was inspecting every angle when Mary burst through the door, exclaiming, “His Grace has just arrived, my lady!”
“What? Already?”
“Yes, yes! Hurry, let’s go!”
Like the Evil Queen in Snow White, I’d been lingering in front of the mirror, and now the Grand Duke was here. I quickly finished preparing and rushed to meet him.
Outside the Melberine estate, I spotted a carriage adorned with intricate blue and gold detailing. Hurrying forward, I accepted a knight’s escort and climbed aboard. Beaming, I greeted Axel with a wide smile. “Good day, Your Grace! Your face is, as always, a gift to behold.”
His chiseled jawline, sharp enough to cut, his impossibly tall frame, and the perfectly tailored suit that accentuated his understated sensuality—it was all too much. How could I not shower him with compliments? For someone like me, who lived for this kind of admiration, it was practically involuntary. If anyone can look at him and not gush, I’d like to meet them!
Axel, about to return my greeting, clamped his mouth shut at my effusive praise. I stared at him, unable to resist adding, “Your Grace… how do you manage to look this handsome even at lunchtime?”
“Lady Melberine, you don’t let a moment pass quietly, do you?” he replied dryly.
“I can’t help it. It’s because I haven’t seen you in so long,” I teased.
“Long? I’m fairly certain we saw each other yesterday,” he countered, deflecting every word with precision.
Was this the charm of a man with an iron wall around his heart? His unyielding demeanor only stoked my strange desire to conquer it. With a mischievous thought that I hoped he’d one day admit he liked me, I replied with feigned innocence, “Did we? It feels like a week at least. I guess no matter how much I see you, it’s never enough. If we were married, I wouldn’t have this problem…”
My effortless flirting earned a look of exasperation from Axel. I responded with a guileless smile, pretending ignorance, but I noticed his gaze lingered on me longer than usual. Seizing the moment before he could brush it off, I asked, “What is it, Your Grace? Is something off about me?”
“I’ve noticed it before, but… your style seems different,” he said.
He finally noticed! I’d thought he hadn’t picked up on it since he never mentioned it before. “How did you know? I thought you hadn’t noticed! Don’t you think this suits me better, Your Grace?”
I bounced with excitement, like a puppy recognized by a passerby. My thrilled expression contrasted with Axel’s, which seemed to say, Why did I even bring it up?
Just then, a brilliant idea flashed through my mind. Sensing my chance, I decided to act on it immediately.
Aiming for the seat beside Axel, I sprang to my feet with confidence. His gaze snapped toward me. But just as I took a bold step forward, the carriage lurched violently with a loud clatter, as if mocking my bravado.
“Wha—huh?” I stammered, losing my balance and pitching forward.
Instinctively, I braced myself against the wall, only to find that I’d inadvertently trapped Axel in my arms. Tilting my head down, I saw him staring up at me, startled, his hands gripping my waist.
“Thought I’d come closer so you could get a better look,” I teased, seizing the moment to flash an innocent smile. “Admit it, Your Grace—this was a little thrilling, wasn’t it?”
But my opponent was tougher than I’d anticipated. Axel, who’d been staring at me in a daze, quickly furrowed his brow, gently but firmly pushing me back to my seat before moving to the opposite side of the carriage.
I gaped, stunned by the speed of his retreat. “Wait, what?! That’s not fair!”
“You’re better off staying still, Lady Melberine,” he said coolly. “You don’t seem capable of staying quiet for even a moment.”
Unwilling to let the moment slip away, I started to inch toward him again, but his next words stopped me cold. “You’d do well to stay seated. Unless you want this meeting to be erased from existence.”
Defeated, I sank back onto the plush sofa, my shoulders slumping. Pouting, I shot him a sulky glance, my displeasure obvious. Naturally, Axel didn’t acknowledge it.
Realizing my usual tactics weren’t working, I tucked my protruding lip back in and reflected. The mood didn’t seem that bad… or was it just my imagination? What went wrong?
I recalled the way Axel’s shoulders had stiffened and his expression hardened the moment he grabbed my waist. Maybe he’s just not used to physical contact. That had to be it—the most likely explanation. He definitely wasn’t the flirtatious, playboy type.
Not that it mattered. A few rejections? No big deal. I wasn’t the type to get discouraged by something like this. I’d gone into this fully expecting resistance. To win over my iron-walled favorite, this level of effort was nothing.
Besides, it would be endlessly entertaining to compare the Axel who’d eventually fall for me with the cautious, bristling version of him now, like a kitten with its fur standing on end. Being able to witness his transformation up close from the very beginning was a rare stroke of luck. I still had plenty of time—there was no need to rush.
With that thought, I broke into a bright smile, savoring Axel’s face as the carriage came to a stop. We’d arrived at an upscale restaurant in the capital, one I’d reserved in advance.
As we stepped out of the carriage, the restaurant’s manager spotted us from afar and hurried over, bowing deeply. His voice trembled with nerves. “L-Lady Melberine, we’ve been expecting you. This way, please. I’ll show you to your table.”
He led us to a private seat by a window, where warm sunlight filtered in just enough to create a cozy, intimate atmosphere. It was the perfect setting for sharing a meal and charming conversation, an ideal opportunity to win Axel over. My mood lifted, and I turned to him with a smile. “What would you like to order, Your Grace?”
As I browsed the menu, casually suggesting options, I suddenly froze. “I’m thinking of getting the A course with the soup, but the B course looks good too—”
My eyes had landed on something irresistible: a pink-lettered “couple’s menu” tucked into the corner of the page. Like a cat spotting a treat, my eyes sparkled with mischief. “Your Grace, about the order… mind if I take care of it?”
