Gulp.
Without realizing it, I swallowed hard. Heat wrapped around me, pressing in from every direction.
When I instinctively stepped back, the Grand Duke simply watched me, wearing a rare smile.
“It’s… it’s late,” I stammered.
“Yes.”
“I should go to bed now.”
I babbled nonsense, chased by the weight of his unshakable gaze.
He didn’t stop me.
In fact, the occasional chuckle suggested he was actually enjoying my flustered escape.
“There’s still wine left,” he said.
“Drinking too much isn’t good for you.”
I shuffled backward toward the door, throwing out awkward excuses.
He tilted his head slightly, humming as if amused.
“Lize.”
“Yes?”
“When night falls and the sun rises again…”
“….”
“That’s when I want you to call me Lucas.”
That was last night.
ִֶָ___________𓂃 ࣪˖ ִִֶֶָﾒ ་༘࿐__________
“Ha… I’ve lost it. Why did I do that?!” I groaned, recalling Julia’s ominous words from yesterday.
Damn it!
I clawed at my hair, silently screaming.
He’d never shown particular interest in me before, so how was I supposed to expect that?
If only I’d been drunk enough to forget. But no—every detail remained crystal clear, burned into memory.
“I keep stacking up humiliations. First the runaway incident, and now this. Brilliant, Lizebrione.”
I kicked my blanket in shame, rolling across the wide bed like an idiot.
Thankfully, he hadn’t chased me down when I ran.
Maybe he only said it in the heat of the moment, teasing me.
Or maybe, just maybe, there was some truth hidden in those words.
One thing was certain: when a man that unfairly handsome spoke in such a heart-stopping way, my poor heart could barely survive.
“How am I supposed to face him now…?”
I writhed on the bed until my scalp ached, only to realize that, despite my torment, I still somehow overslept.
By the time Julia entered, the sun was already high.
“Oh my, my lady.”
She smiled knowingly when she saw me propped up against the headboard.
“Did you have a pleasant evening?”
“…What time is it?”
“Nearly lunchtime.”
“…I see. I slept a lot.”
I scratched my cheek awkwardly, then got up.
“Fufufu…” Julia’s eyes gleamed as she looked me up and down.
Nothing happened last night. Really.
And yet, her smirk made me feel wrongfully accused.
“Julia, what exactly do you want to say?”
“Oh, nothing. You should wash up and eat.”
Feigning innocence was one of her greatest talents.
After she helped me get ready and brought up my meal, the unexpected happened—
The Grand Duke barged in.
I thought it was Julia when I said, “Come in.”
Big mistake.
I nearly choked on my food when I saw him.
“C-cough! W-what brings you here?”
“Didn’t you ask me to spend time with you yesterday?”
“But… you’re a busy man, aren’t you?”
I had only asked him to consider it—not given him a binding invitation. But last night’s chaos had driven that right out of my mind.
“I finished all the urgent work.”
Since when had he become so shameless?
I kept my eyes glued to my plate, pretending to be fascinated by salad, but he only chuckled.
“You promised to call me Lucas, yet it’s ‘Grand Duke’ again.”
“…That’s…”
“Lucas.”
Since when was he so stubborn, too?
I wished for a hole to crawl into. Instead, I drowned myself in water to hide my burning face.
“…Fine. I’ll call you Lucas.”
His eyes softened, satisfied.
“Much better.”
“….”
“You must be tired from the wine last night. Spending time like this isn’t so bad.”
“…What do you mean?”
“You’re good at something, aren’t you?”
“…?”
“Quietly staying by my side. Watching me.”
So he knew.
I’d assumed he noticed me sneaking glances but chose to ignore it. Hearing it aloud was mortifying.
I stabbed my salad with unnecessary force.
Then he smoothly changed the subject.
“The Imperial Palace sent an invitation.”
“An invitation?”
“Yes. There’ll be a party in about a month.”
Theo? I tilted my head. He hated parties.
But if this really was the novel I once read, then yes—this lined up. The heroine Isabella and Theo first met at a party. Even if events had shifted, maybe destiny still pulled the strings.
A month from now… Theo would meet his heroine.
“The Emperor ordered all nobles to attend.”
So, despite my meddling, fate might still bring them together.
I nodded.
“Sounds like Theo is doing well.”
“He’s your brother, after all.”
“You like him?”
“Not sending assassins is good enough.”
I scowled. No wonder the Emperor had been so afraid of him.
“Well, Theo will make a fine ruler. A just sovereign for his people, and a fair master for his vassals. Like you said—he’s my brother.”
My smile must’ve softened the room, because Lucas ruffled my hair gently.
“Indeed.”
He then picked up my fork and placed it back in my hand.
“You should eat more.”
“…You always complain about how much I eat.”
“And yet, last night I saw how thin you were.”
“Last… night?” My cheeks burned again.
His smirk confirmed it—he was teasing me.
“Nothing happened,” he added slyly.
Why say that if you already know?
I glared at him, lips pursed, but he only shifted the topic again.
“Eat up. Then let’s take a walk.”
“…A walk sounds nice.”
“There’s a lake behind the castle. Picturesque view.”
Of course I knew it. That very lake was where I’d nearly drowned helping the maids with laundry.
“Seeing it again might change your perspective,” he said with a laugh.
And just like that, he left me to prepare.
Julia entered soon after, humming as she laid out my dresses.
“You seem… awfully cheerful,” I remarked.
“Winter outside, but inside it feels like spring,” she sang, pulling out gowns.
“…I feel like you’re teasing me again. Not that one—bring the blue and white.”
“Of course, my lady.”
As she fetched it, she whispered, “The Duke seems to care for you.”
“He wasn’t like this before.”
“Maybe you changed him.”
“…If there’s one thing I’m good at, it’s annoying people. But changing them overnight? That’s new.”
Julia’s smile only deepened.
“Don’t you like him too, my lady?”
I froze.
I hadn’t thought about it—too busy admiring his face to dwell on deeper feelings.
Suddenly, I missed Estelle. She would’ve had expert commentary on this.
“…I don’t know. He’s probably just treating me kindly because I’m a guest.”
“Guests don’t usually spend the night with their hosts,” Julia said sweetly.
“It was one night! And nothing even happened!”
“Fufufu. Of course, of course. Nothing happened.”
I gave up correcting her.
Lowering my head to hide my blush, I wondered…
‘What if Laura’s words come true? I came here alone, but what if I don’t leave that way?’
Not the worst outcome.
After all, in this world, I had few bonds. Only Theo, Estelle, and some servants from the Marquis’ household.
Lucas had always been a vague figure in the novel. Hard to read, hard to place.
Julia snapped me from my thoughts.
“My lady?”
“Mm?”
“They say it’s fashionable now, for women to confess first.”
“…What?”
Her sudden boldness threw me completely off guard.
Since when had Julia become like this?
