Chapter 18
“Couldn’t you be a little more gentle with His Grace the Duke? The servants are giving us strange looks.”
“Don’t worry about it. They’re people I’ll never see again anyway.”
It seemed some kind of rumors were circulating among the servants. Not that it mattered what they said.
“Why would you never see them again? Once you’re married, they’ll be your people to command.”
Hannah adjusted the shape of her mistress’s hat, speaking with clear frustration.
“Hannah, even if it kills me, I will never marry the Duke. I’m going to break this engagement no matter what.”
Marrying Yuan would be worse than death. Either way, marrying him meant death. That was why she had to sever ties with this cruel man as quickly as possible.
“Young Lady, please stop talking about breaking off the engagement.”
“Do you want to go to the zoo? Or to the museum?”
To cut Hannah’s nagging short, Serellet quickly changed the subject.
“Of course, the zoo!”
Worry still lingered on Hannah’s face, but she brightened at Serellet’s words. Serellet gave a small smile and headed toward the door.
“Are you going out, miss?”
On her way to the lobby, Serellet came across the butler. Seeing her in her outdoor attire, he asked politely.
“Yes.”
“I’ll have the carriage prepared.”
“No, I’ll take a hired cab. Please don’t trouble yourself.”
“His Grace the Duke ordered me to escort you properly and without inconvenience. I’ll have the carriage prepared.”
The butler’s voice was soft but firm.
If she kept refusing, this elderly butler would surely have to hear unpleasant words from Yuan. Feeling a twinge of guilt, Serellet reluctantly nodded.
And so, she ended up riding in the Frekthuster family carriage.
Before heading to the zoo, Serellet stopped by Eve’s home. She worried Eve might be busy, but fortunately, she was free.
Together with Eve and Hannah, Serellet happily entered the zoo.
Even in her previous life, she had never once gone to a zoo. Life as the Duchess of Frekthuster had been like a prison without bars—outings were nearly impossible.
Back then, everyone watched her hawkishly, waiting for her to slip.
She had been so disliked that people criticized even her smallest actions, constantly comparing her to Lydia.
“Young Lady, that’s a hippopotamus! A hippo!”
Hannah stamped her feet and pointed excitedly beyond the fence.
“How strange it looks.”
Serellet couldn’t take her eyes off the creature she was seeing for the first time. She and Hannah were so fascinated that they even bought hippo souvenirs.
After a light lunch of sandwiches, Serellet spent the afternoon strolling through the park and browsing shops.
By the time she returned to the Frekthuster mansion, her gloomy mood had lifted completely—so much so that she could greet Yuan with a smile when they crossed paths in the lobby.
* * *
Yuan turned his head.
He caught sight of Serellet climbing the stairs with light, graceful steps.
Her golden hair swayed like something sweet, like lemon candy waiting to be bitten into, and her green skirt fluttered behind her.
Yuan’s gaze followed Serellet, lingering on her until she disappeared from view.
“Your Grace.”
Once she was gone, the coachman spoke up.
“Where did she go today?” Yuan asked impassively, turning his eyes toward the man.
“Her first stop was Rashing Street, where she picked up her maid. From there, they went to the zoo. She spent quite some time in front of the hippopotamus enclosure.”
“The zoo?”
At that, Yuan nearly laughed out loud.
Even while demanding a broken engagement, Serellet had gone off to look at hippos. How adorable.
“She seemed to like the hippopotamus very much. She bought a stuffed hippo as a souvenir.”
At this, Yuan finally burst into laughter.
The image of Serellet smiling at the hippo was so vivid he couldn’t hold back.
The coachman glanced at him curiously, surprised to see that his master was someone capable of laughing this way.
“And after that?”
Wiping the smile from his face, Yuan asked again.
“She had a light meal of sandwiches, browsed the shops nearby, then spent some time in the park. After that, she returned straight home.”
“She didn’t meet anyone in particular?”
“No, Your Grace. She was only with her maid and her servant the entire time.”
Satisfied, Yuan nodded.
He had ordered the coachman to keep track of her movements—supposedly for her protection, but in truth because he worried she might meet another man.
But thankfully, she hadn’t. She had only gone to admire a hippo at the zoo. That was a relief.
“Maybe I should buy her a hippo.”
As he walked toward his study, Yuan mused whether handing her a hippo would help if she kept insisting on breaking the engagement.
Seated at his desk, reviewing documents, Yuan found himself smirking. No matter how hard he tried to focus, his mind drifted back to Serellet.
What expression had she worn while watching the hippo? What kind of stuffed toy had she chosen?
Before long, he was seriously wondering whether there was land in his estate suitable for building a zoo.
The thought was so absurd he chuckled at himself.
Since when did he—of all people—entertain the idea of building a zoo for a woman? Wasn’t it enough for most men to buy flowers or jewels?
Shaking his head, Yuan pushed her image away and forced his attention back to the papers on labor wages in his textile factory.
But even then, she wouldn’t leave his thoughts.
Perhaps a drink would help, or a light walk in the garden. Rising from his seat, he decided a walk would clear his head.
On his way into the carefully kept garden, he stopped in his tracks.
A dark figure was walking ahead.
The figure paused under a lamp, revealing her face—Serellet.
Yuan laughed quietly.
He had come here to drive her out of his head, only to find her right before him.
And she wanted a broken engagement, did she? When she was always lingering right before his eyes?
As he stepped closer, Serellet seemed to sense his presence and turned around.
“Who’s there?” she asked nervously.
Since the lamp didn’t reach his side, she couldn’t see his face.
“…”
Yuan kept walking silently, slowly.
“State your identity.”
Her voice sharpened, clearly thinking he might be an intruder. Yuan smiled faintly and advanced.
With each step, her face grew more tense in the glow of the lamp.
“Serellet Innoheter’s fiancé. That is my identity.”
He closed the distance quickly. As the light revealed his face, she finally exhaled in relief.
“You scared me—I thought you were some strange man.”
Her tone was sharp.
“The security of the Frekthuster estate is not so lax.”
“Yes, I suppose so.”
Her reply was edged with sarcasm.
“Were you out walking alone?”
“I may have eaten too much at dinner. I wanted to help my digestion.”
She spoke primly, but Yuan’s gaze shifted to what she was holding in her hand: the hippo doll.
So that was her souvenir.
Clutching it tightly in both hands, she looked so endearing that Yuan couldn’t help but laugh.
His laughter startled her. Her eyes went round, and her face was so comical that his laughter only grew louder.
She instinctively stepped back, her wariness returning.
When Yuan finally stopped laughing, he closed the distance she had tried to make.
“Don’t come closer.”
She thrust the hippo doll out toward him like a shield.
Meant to push him back, but the gesture looked so ridiculous Yuan had to cover his face with his hand to keep laughing.
What was happening to him? Since hearing she liked hippos, the mere thought of Serellet and hippos together set him laughing uncontrollably.
How long had it been since he laughed like this—if ever?
Running a hand through his hair, he looked at her again. Yet her wary expression hadn’t softened.
“Duke Frekthuster?” she asked, as though doubting his identity.
Without answering, Yuan stepped closer. She shook her head frantically.
“I said don’t come closer!”
“As long as Lady Innoheter doesn’t run away, there’s no problem.”
Her voice trembled. “And how am I supposed to know you’re really the Duke of Frekthuster?”
What kind of question was that?
Suppressing another laugh, Yuan replied, “What do you mean, Lady Innoheter?”
“It’s strange. You’re not the kind of man who laughs like that. For all I know, you could be a Mekbia.”
Her suspicion made Yuan burst out laughing again.
Mekbia—a legendary monster said to devour people and impersonate them.
She could be sharp-tongued, but clearly still had an innocent streak if she believed in such stories.
Thanks to her, he couldn’t stop laughing.
“This is ridiculous.”
If anyone else saw him doubled over with laughter, they’d probably suspect the same thing—that he wasn’t himself.
That was how rare such laughter was for Yuan—even to himself.
“You’re seriously accusing me of being a Mekbia?” he asked, stepping boldly closer.
“Anyone who saw you right now would be suspicious,” she shot back, her eyes still questioning whether he was really Yuan Frekthuster.
Very well, then. He would prove it.
With a faint smile, Yuan said, “Then I’ll just have to prove it. That I am indeed your fiancé.”
In a swift motion, he wrapped an arm around her waist, pulling her close. Their breaths mingled at the sudden closeness.
“Yuan…”
Startled, her eyes locked onto his.
Yuan lowered his head slowly, pressing his lips against hers.
(To be continued)
