STLECM 16

                                                                 CHAPTER 16

Etisha leaned against Cayenne and looked up at him. Even at the Founding Festival party, even at the capital mansion, they had been together, but always surrounded by others.

Numerous nobles, attendants, maids… Eyes were always watching them wherever they went, and there had never been a time when it was just the two of them.

‘No, surely not. The Duke must have something else in mind. He’ll probably call for another attendant or something. There’s no way the Grand Duke of Wintel would stay somewhere like this without even a retainer.’

Etisha shook her head at her own thoughts. At that moment, Cayenne spoke as if he had read her mind.

“It’s best not to call for any help, since we don’t know how things will unfold. Let’s spend some time alone, just the two of us. I understand it may be inconvenient without a maid to assist you, but please bear with it for just one day.”

“…So it’ll just be the two of us until tomorrow…?”

“Yes, that seems to be the case. I’m more comfortable without attendants, having spent many years on the battlefield. But you…”

“Oh, no. It’s fine. I’ve spent a lot of time alone at the Heinz estate, so I’m used to it.”

Etisha blinked her large eyes as she answered. Her flustered feelings were impossible to hide.

‘I’m really going to be alone with the Duke…?’

She wasn’t sure if this was truly okay.

‘Honestly, the pain was brief, and I feel fine now…’

When Etisha had said she was okay earlier, it wasn’t just to be polite. The symptoms had been real—her heart had throbbed and ached—but now that they were gone, she felt perfectly fine, as if nothing had happened. She was in good enough condition to take a Warp-tel straight to the north if needed.

‘…’

But Etisha couldn’t bring herself to refuse Cayenne’s proposal. More accurately—she didn’t want to refuse.

“Then I’ll take that as your consent. I’ll arrange for an inn here in Laxen right away. We can spend the night somewhere suitable and leave early tomorrow.”

“…Okay.”

To spend an entire day with Cayenne in a city she’d never been to before, without any attendants—it was hard for Etisha to believe.

“Your Grace… thank you.”

Etisha spoke with heartfelt gratitude.

“Thank you for worrying about me.”

Among all those who knew about her illness, none had reacted the way Cayenne had. Not her parents, not her sister, no one.

No one had ever shown concern for Etisha before.

‘So this is what it feels like to be cared for by someone… this warmth…’

Such kindness…

Cayenne’s face was calm, emotionless, and heavy, revealing no sentiment, but to Etisha, it looked different. That’s why she couldn’t turn down his offer to stay in Laxen.

“You may already know this, but… Your Grace is a very kind and good person.”

Etisha raised the corners of her lips into a gentle smile. For some reason, it felt like a small seed inside her heart had begun to sprout, its tender shoots slowly stretching upward.

“…Miss Etisha. It seems you’re misunderstanding again.”

Cayenne gently enveloped her with his voice. His hand, which had been brushing down her back, came to a stop.

“I’m not as good a person as you think I am.”

Etisha replied naturally.

“No, Your Grace is the best person I’ve ever met in my life.”

“…”

“I don’t think I’ll ever meet anyone like you again.”

Duke Cayenne had given everything to Etisha when she had no place to go and no one to rely on—a mansion, a title, marriage, even an escape to the north. She could only be grateful to him, again and again.

“And as you probably already know… truly bad people never say they’re bad. They lie to deceive me instead.”

She glanced at the glowing Warp-tel, which shone like a fountain of light. Just like Larienne, who had once called such a beautiful artifact hideous. Like Viscount Heinz, who beat her under the excuse of discipline…

Etisha’s blue eyes sparkled like fresh green sprouts. Cayenne looked at her face but said nothing.

He couldn’t say anything.

After that, Etisha walked alongside Cayenne down the city boulevard.

Thanks to the presence of the Warp-tel, Laxen was a city with a thriving economy. Inns for traveling merchants were plentiful, and many shops stayed open late into the evening.

“My lord! Come take a look! We have good items at cheap prices!”

“Don’t go next door—come here instead! Ours are cheaper!”

As they walked side by side, voices calling out to them echoed from all around. Normally, merchants wouldn’t dare approach high-ranking nobles, but today, Cayenne and Etisha were alone without attendants.

No noble of high status would walk the streets without even a servant, so the merchants likely assumed they were minor nobles or wealthy commoners.

“I apologize again for the inconvenience, Miss Etisha.”

“No need, Your Grace. I’m actually enjoying this.”

“Enjoying… this?”

“It might sound strange, but walking through a shopping district like this is really fun. There’s so much to look at.”

“…”

The bustling street lined with shops and shouting vendors was a new experience for Etisha.

“I’ve always wanted to try this—go to a new place, walk into unfamiliar shops, buy things I’ve never seen before. In Larienne’s words, it’s an ‘adventure.’”

Larienne, the troublemaker of high society, was never still. She was always off seeking something and frequently came back after causing trouble somewhere.

Cayenne glanced toward one open shop that Etisha had been eyeing for a while.

“Would you like to go in?”

“Pardon? In there?”

“You’ve been looking at it since earlier.”

“But… it’s a candy shop.”

Sweet smells wafted out from a store with a colorful sign. Inside, they sold various types of candy, including large cotton candy puffs.

“You seemed interested.”

“Not exactly… It’s just that Larienne used to go to places like this a lot. She’s always liked candy since we were little.”

“…”

“Of course, my parents never bought me any. They told me to share my sister’s instead.”

“But you didn’t get to share, did you?”

“No, I didn’t.”

“…”

Cayenne didn’t ask a second time. Instead of repeating his question, he simply walked slowly to stand in front of the shop, then looked at Etisha.

“If you’re not interested, we can move on.”

A tall, dignified man like him standing in front of a shop for children was a surreal sight. Black hair, black eyes—a man who seemed like he could pull you into darkness with a single step.

Etisha silently looked at Cayenne, then hesitantly approached.

Is this really okay? she wondered. But thankfully, today there were no eyes watching them. It was just the two of them.

“…Okay, let’s go in.”

Etisha entered the candy shop with Cayenne. The shopkeeper looked slightly surprised to see two fully grown adults walk in alone, but quickly greeted them with a smile.

“Welcome, customers! Is there anything you’re looking for?”

“Miss Etisha, is there something you’d like?”

“Well… I’m not sure…”

Etisha looked around hesitantly. Then her eyes landed on a familiar-looking package.

‘Oh right, Larienne had one of those.’

A small basket filled with assorted sweets.

Without realizing it, Etisha pointed at it.

“I think I’ll take that one. That’s what I want.”

She was surprised herself by how firmly she spoke. But before she could dwell on it, her eyes caught another item displayed right next to the candy basket.

‘Ah, that too… Larienne had one of those…’

A fluffy bunny plush holding a tiny candy in its paw.

She remembered once asking Larienne if she could just hug the bunny once. Larienne had stomped on it right in front of her.

“That one too. The bunny.”

“The bunny? That fuzzy thing is a bunny?”

“Of course. Look at its long ears.”

“…Those pointy things are ears?”

Cayenne looked at her, silently asking if that was all. But Etisha was too absorbed in browsing the shop. Right now, she felt like she was reclaiming the childhood she had lost.

“Actually… I want to try cotton candy, too. The one that says ‘cloud cotton candy.’ And wasn’t there a special one only sold during the Founding Festival? What was it called… it had gold wrapping.”

The shopkeeper, thrilled by the sudden big spender, jumped in.

“Ah, you mean the Golden Candy! We still have some in stock.”

“Yes! I’ll take that too. And…”

Etisha’s face lit up. She smiled like a child, bright and pure. It was a different side of her, one Cayenne hadn’t seen before.

Excited, thrilled, full of life like something just born.

Cayenne silently watched her with his lips pressed together.

Her light steps, her radiant smile, her pink hair fluttering in the breeze—everything came into focus before him.

He didn’t show it, but Cayenne felt something strange stirring inside.

‘The kindest person she’s ever met…’

Cayenne was not an emotional man. Words like kind or good were the last anyone would associate with him.

He had a purpose, and he never looked around while chasing it. His life was like that of a beast, charging forward.

He trampled and tore through everything in his path.

‘Have I really been that kind to Miss Etisha…?’

Cayenne looked at her quietly. She was still smiling, happily examining sweet treats—so unlike the girl who had been suffering from symptoms of her illness just a short while ago.

‘Looking at that face… it makes sense she would misunderstand.’

Someone who could be so delighted by a single candy—how must Cayenne, the one helping her, appear to her? Because of her harsh upbringing, anyone who offered her kindness would seem like a savior.

Cayenne told himself her feelings were just a product of her circumstances. And yet… something about it didn’t add up.

‘…’

Etisha had thanked him countless times. And without realizing it, those thank-yous had built up into something solid. Etched into his memory like a brand that wouldn’t fade.

‘What am I even thinking right now…’