Chapter 8
This whole smoothly unfolding situation felt far too suspicious.
“I believe I said, ‘As the lady requested, I shall do so.'”
“…”
“No, I definitely did say that.”
Suddenly, my eyelids twitched slightly.
“In order to do that, I’ll need to report back to the Duke on how well you’re doing here. For the next month, I’ll observe everything with my own eyes. That means we’ll likely run into each other often, so I’m introducing myself now.”
Although his tone sounded polite, there was an odd undertone to it. He didn’t once avert his gaze from me—like he was watching a caught prey trying to squirm its way out.
Gulp. Being on the receiving end of that stare made my throat dry.
“I’ll be counting on you, Lady.”
“Y-yes, I’ll be in your care too.”
In the end, I unwittingly bowed in return, practically forced to accept the greeting.
* * *
After that, an uncomfortable silence wrapped around us.
It hadn’t been like this from the beginning. As soon as the awkward conversation ended, Seren looked around slowly, seeming to feel it was her turn to speak again.
But then…
“Once Sir Diegof observes us for a month, he’ll have no choice but to acknowledge our relationship. No one treats me as well as Hynt does.”
“…”
“Hynt?”
Despite Seren’s effort, my brother kept his lips tightly shut.
It seemed Seren had planned to promote Hynt’s good traits to Iverk. But faced with this unexpected wall, she couldn’t continue speaking.
She looked overwhelmed trying to read the expressions of both Iverk and Hynt.
What’s wrong with him?
I couldn’t understand it.
Wasn’t the issue that had been tormenting my brother nearly resolved now?
Yet his face looked even gloomier than when he’d been drunk the night before. Now was the time to show off their harmony to the knight who said he’d be watching for a month!
Just as I considered whether we should return to the marquis’ estate…
Finally, my brother spoke.
“What did Dianta mean earlier when she said she wouldn’t take you to the North? And how is it that even Dianta knows something I don’t? If she hadn’t accidentally mentioned it, were you planning to keep it from me forever?”
Only then did we realize what had happened.
I’d been too focused on baiting Iverk, and Seren had been too preoccupied watching her brother’s reaction to notice my slip of the tongue.
From my brother’s perspective, it was understandable to feel betrayed.
“Hynt, wait. Let’s talk for a bit.”
“Then I’ll come too—”
“No, Dianta. I should explain this myself. I’ll follow Hynt alone. Please wait here for a moment.”
My brother was already headed out of the garden, and Seren hurried to follow him.
I was left awkwardly half-risen from my seat, and had no choice but to sit back down. Of course, I couldn’t bring myself to look straight ahead.
Like a guilty person, I sat with my eyes downcast.
Internally, I was racking my brain over how to escape this awkward situation.
It’ll probably take time for them to talk. Should I just go home first?
The decision didn’t take long.
“I just remembered something urgent, so I’ll be heading out—”
Clink.
I flinched at the sound of Iverk setting down his teacup. It was clearly an expression of his displeasure.
He must be furious that I lied using him.
I stiffened, bracing myself for his thunderous scolding.
“I can’t stop thinking about something you said.”
Of course.
“…”
“That thing you said about making your brother do it—surely, you didn’t mean charging?”
Making my brother do it? Charging?
That was not the part I expected him to focus on.
“Ah, no, I mean…”
His eyes gleamed ominously.
Cold sweat trickled down my forehead. My throat was so dry that all I could do was repeatedly gulp while facing him.
“If you were thinking that, I’ll say this now. Don’t even consider having your brother do it. I don’t like him, and just imagining him touching my skin disgusts me.”
“…Yes.”
“And I have no intention of revealing my identity to him. It seems you haven’t told him either. I trust you understand my wishes clearly.”
His reaction was harsh.
But it was understandable. His precious younger sister had sent a letter practically declaring she was going to marry some shady man.
For someone like Iverk, who had been living far away, it was no wonder he’d be furious.
And on top of that, he came all the way here at great risk, only to hear about an incurable disease called Magi Addiction? Of course everything must seem bleak to him.
“Hmm. But wouldn’t it be more uncomfortable since I’m Hynt Raphael’s sister? If you’d prefer, I could hire another fire mage…”
“No.”
Iverk cut me off flatly.
That alone showed how firm he was. And more than anything, his dim gray eyes spoke clearly:
There was no other fire mage.
“Only a fool wouldn’t grow suspicious if they saw me repeatedly. I have no intention of revealing my weakness to anyone. People who act for their own gain can’t be trusted.”
He was so firm that I nodded fiercely in place of answering.
Not because of his “Monster Duke” nickname, but because I’d heard plenty from Seren about his cautious, distrustful nature since his early days as a young noble.
That’s probably why he chose to trust me—his sister’s best friend and the first person who discovered him—even if I was the sister of a man he disliked.
I spoke with determination.
“You’re right. It’s best if as few people as possible know. For the next month, I’ll take full responsibility! I’ll take excellent care of you.”
“Take care of me…”
Iverk repeated my words slowly, staring at me.
Unlike when he looked at Seren, his eyes were like bottomless pits. Yet his lips curved ever so slightly, like a faint mirage.
Even the smallest emotion showing on his pale face made it hard to look away.
He might be nicknamed a monster, but watching him smile like that—he really was human. Seren once said her brother could be kind and had a beautiful smile…
I don’t know about the kindness part, but the smile really was pretty.
But I only stared blankly for a moment.
“Then I’ll look forward to it, my lady.”
“Huh?!”
Before I knew it, Iverk was standing and leaving with his usual indifferent face.
Even though he clearly heard my startled outburst, he didn’t respond.
Part of me wanted to grab him by the collar and shake him while demanding an explanation, but I didn’t have the courage. All I could do was watch as he passed by.
“?”
The garden door shut with a loud bang.
Yet I just stood there like someone who had been smacked in the back of the head.
It was because of that smile Iverk gave me as he passed.
I wasn’t hallucinating. I’d seen it up close with my own eyes.
“He did smile, didn’t he?”
It wasn’t a cheerful or joyful smile.
How should I describe it? More like the smile of a predator satisfied after seeing prey fall into the trap it had set.
A shiver ran down my spine.
Maybe I was overthinking it, but I couldn’t tell who the real hunter was anymore. Was it me who threw the bait… or Iverk?
“…I’m just going home to rest.”
My head throbbed.
If I waited here for my brother, I felt like I’d have a migraine all day. After all, they say out of sight, out of mind.
So I finally stood up.
I left the garden and was heading toward the stables where the carriage would be, but suddenly paused. If I took the carriage, my brother would have no way to return.
Sure, Seren would lend him one without hesitation, but it felt proper to inform her first.
“Is it okay to prepare already?”
“It’s better than letting the water get cold while the lady is looking for it. Temperature is everything when it comes to massage.”
“True. I’d carry this heavy stuff back and forth a dozen times if it meant she could be the most beautiful at the ball!”
As I walked toward the main house where the staff were gathered, I spotted a group of maids.
“Oh! Lady Seren!”
“Quick, put everything down and greet her!”
They set down their baskets of petals, glass bottles, massage tools, and hurriedly bowed to me.
But my gaze had already dropped to the floor. What I’d just overheard caught my attention more.
“A ball?”
A maid responded promptly, having heard my muttering.
“Our lady was finally invited to Her Highness the Princess’s birthday ball! So we’ve been working hard to make sure she’s the most dazzling guest!”
“Her Highness’s birthday ball? I didn’t know at all…”
“Maybe you missed the invitation? I heard it was a special event celebrating her coming of age, so every noble was invited.”
It wasn’t that I missed the invitation—I had deliberately ignored it.
Ever since I’d brought the two protagonists together, I saw no reason to attend parties or tea gatherings anymore. Not even my parents or Daisy pushed me to go.
I’d refused them all outright.
“I see. Thanks for letting me know.”
Seren probably knew that too—so she didn’t ask me to come along.
In a way, attending today’s exhausting tea party hadn’t been such a bad thing. I’d picked up one useful piece of information.
I’d been so focused on tying the couple together that I’d completely forgotten.
“I’ve got something to do, so I’ll head back to the estate. Please tell the two of them to talk as long as they need—and that I left the carriage for my brother.”
I turned around quickly.
I needed to get back and find the invitation that was surely buried somewhere in my room.
