~Chapter 11~
“Sometimes, you know.”
Larvihan reached out and adjusted Lovelace’s disheveled clothes, smiling at her.
His smile froze her in place. Lovelace stiffened as she locked eyes with his black gaze. Larvihan lifted the corners of his lips.
“Sometimes, Rae, I get the urge to dig through your mind. I wonder what’s going on inside that little head of yours. What are you thinking as you look at me right now? I’m dying to know.”
“I’m not thinking about anything.”
Lovelace’s eyes shifted to the side. Larvihan, displeased that she wouldn’t meet his gaze, tilted his head.
There was a silent battle between the two—one trying to make eye contact and the other trying to avoid it. Lovelace sighed and gave up. Larvihan, satisfied, smiled.
“You’re wondering how to escape, right? How to get away from me.”
Like a fish on a spear, Lovelace floundered. It was almost like answering without speaking. But she shook her head.
“No! I’m trying my best to be a good fiancée… I’m trying!”
Larvihan, about to ask what she was doing, closed his mouth. He didn’t want to embarrass her. With a fresh smile, Larvihan just kept looking at her.
Lovelace suddenly felt scared under his unblinking gaze. Her heart skipped a beat. She had the ominous feeling that he knew everything. Fear crept over her.
Larvihan could be extremely cruel to betrayers.
She could never be found out. She had to be more careful.
But she hadn’t done anything to make Larvihan suspicious.
“Do you… read minds or something?”
Lovelace tilted her head and gave him a suspicious look. Larvihan chuckled softly.
“I can’t do that. So don’t worry, think all you want. Just don’t try to do anything.”
Larvihan excused himself, saying he had important work. Lovelace sent him off with her brightest smile.
“Smiling isn’t so easy, huh?”
After he left, Lovelace rubbed her sore cheeks.
Larvihan returned home at dawn. He took a bath and immediately summoned his trusted aides: Maxmuel, Davidson, and Anna.
“You’re aware that working the night shift earns you double, right?” Anna said, pushing her small glasses up her nose.
Anna had worked for the Vallios family for the longest time. Her father and grandfather had also dedicated their lives to the family. She knew Larvihan since he was a child and held a special affection for him.
“I know. I’ll pay you three times the usual.”
Anna smiled. “My father would be so happy to hear that. The kid who used to wear diapers is all grown up now…”
“Anna.”
Larvihan raised an eyebrow, and the clever woman quickly silenced herself by elbowing Maxmuel.
“Do you have something for us to do?”
Larvihan turned to Maxmuel. “Find out what ordinary lovers do on dates.”
Maxmuel blinked. “Should I look into the behavioral changes of men and women when they meet, the population flow in specific areas, or price changes at nearby shops?”
Larvihan gave him a confused look. “No, just find out what a regular date looks like.”
Maxmuel blinked again.
Davidson, seeing his confusion, stepped in. “A date starts with flowers, of course.”
“Flowers in the morning, huh? That sounds nice.”
Larvihan smiled with satisfaction. At least one of them understood.
The Next Day
The day after Larvihan’s mysterious meeting, Lovelace woke up buried in flowers. Was this what Snow White felt like?
If she turned right, there were roses. Left, there were hyacinths. The flowers were so thick, there wasn’t room to step.
“Awake?”
A sweet voice echoed. Lovelace turned to see Larvihan, who had finished preparing for his day, standing and watching her.
Lovelace ran her fingers through her messy hair and spoke. “With this many flowers, anyone with a pollen allergy would suffocate.”
“Do you have a pollen allergy?” Larvihan asked, startled.
Lovelace pretended to cough dramatically. Larvihan quickly raised his hand and cast a spell.
“The flowers…”
The flowers suddenly burned and turned to golden powder, vanishing in the air.
“Is it better now?”
Larvihan came closer, supporting her as she leaned toward him. He caught her arm to keep her from falling.
“I’ll clear the garden flowers too. You should’ve said something.”
Someone must’ve called Larvihan stoic, but he was surprisingly tender—almost too much so.
“…I was just joking.”
“What?”
Larvihan, expecting her to be upset, only gave a weary smile as he messed with her hair.
“Next time, don’t joke with your life like that.”
“Are you mad?”
Lovelace asked nervously. Larvihan smiled with narrowed eyes.
“No, I’m relieved.”
Lovelace’s gaze flickered. Every time he spoke carelessly and gently, she found herself questioning if he was truly the cruel male lead from the novel.
“Where are we going now?”
Lovelace was exhausted from chasing after Larvihan since morning. After the flower incident, when he said “let’s go out,” she was excited at first.
But now, the bed in her room felt like a distant dream.
“We’re going to see an opera.”
“It’s noon.”
Operas and performances were usually held at night for nobles, followed by after-parties where they discussed the show.
“What does that matter?”
“Isn’t it too early?”
The carriage stopped in front of a huge theater. It was a magnificent new building funded by Emperor Arwen, one of the most beautiful on the continent. People even traveled just to see it.
“You don’t need to wait for the show. The actors will perform for me.”
Larvihan stepped out of the carriage and offered his hand. Lovelace, while wondering if he had rented the entire place, took it and stepped out.
It wasn’t a small theater; it had over 500 seats. When considering the cost of the actors, the orchestra, and the facilities…
“Wow, you really are rich.”
Larvihan hadn’t just rented the place; he’d made it all his. The theater manager led them to the best seats, where snacks and champagne were waiting. It was the highest and most private section.
“They say the Emperor sits here,” Larvihan remarked with a frown, clearly displeased.
“If you don’t like it, sit somewhere else. I’m fine.”
“No. This is the best, most expensive seat. Only special people can sit here.”
Lovelace wondered if he was bragging or if he was showing he could sit anywhere for her. She stopped thinking when the show began.
The opera was amazing. Lovelace had expected to be bored, but the singers’ voices and the story, though about an affair and murder, were far from dull.
“Sounds like fun. Maybe I should buy a theater and perform operas every night at the mansion for you?”
“Why?”
“To perform operas for you every night.”
It was just a joke. But as time passed, Lovelace began to tell when Larvihan was joking or being serious. He always laughed harder when joking, but she knew that sometimes his jokes could become a reality.
Lovelace stuck out her tongue and climbed back into the carriage before Larvihan could open the door.
Larvihan, who had raised his hand to open the door, looked down at his palm before sliding his hand into his pocket.
“So, where are we going now?”
The carriage started moving toward the outskirts of the city.
“A walk.”
“It’s almost evening, aren’t we going to the walk?”
Lovelace thought back to the day that felt like a training session.
She had woken up buried in flowers, had been dressed up by the maids, had a simple meal, and then went to the teahouse, explored gourmet spots, walked through the artist’s street, shopped, and went to the opera.
Suddenly, Lovelace clapped her hands together. As she reflected on everything, she realized it had all been a date course.
“Were we on a date?”
“You didn’t know? We’re on a date.”
“Wow…”
She really hadn’t known. Larvihan, no matter what he did, simply observed her with his arms crossed.
“The walk is fine. Let’s just go home.”
Larvihan also looked tired.
“Sorry, but we can’t.”
Larvihan remembered the place Maxmuel had recommended. It was called the “Lily of the Valley Forest,” a spot that couples recently favored for picnics.
Larvihan, who despised crowds, decided to close the forest for the day. Closing it wasn’t just a matter of money; since it was state-owned land, he had to make requests to the local officials.
Maxmuel would handle the paperwork, but Larvihan didn’t want to deal with the officials twice.
If Lovelace liked it, he thought, he might just buy the land outright. Though the process of privatizing state-owned land was complicated, it wasn’t impossible.
Lovelace thought about how busy Larvihan usually was.
Is he going out of his way for me?
“I promise this is the last stop.”
“I promise.”
It really was the last stop. Lovelace felt much more at ease. It was reassuring to know the destination and see the end in sight. Now, she could finally open the window and enjoy the changing scenery.
“You look like you’re in a good mood.”
“Well, a little. It was a satisfying day.”
The carriage soon arrived at the forest.
