CH 44.1

Was she telling her to keep kissing an invisible man?

Cherryl, who was as red as Lucy, said, “Come here, Lucy. It’s over. The Grand Duke has already gone down.”

Lucy, who approached with an ashamed look, smiled awkwardly as she put the book down on the desk.

“I think I know why everyone complains every time they see you and His Highness.”

“It’s kind of rude if a couple expresses too much affection in front of other people. Sometimes, I get troubled because the Grand Duke doesn’t care at all.”

As Cherryl muttered shyly, Lucy blinked.

‘You didn’t look troubled at all, my lady.’ Lucy was about to say that, but she decided to keep it to herself.

Instead, she sat in front of Cherryl and opened a cookbook while wearing an affectionate grin.

“This is your home now, My Lady. You have the right to do whatever you want anytime and anywhere.”

The Balkan teenagers advised Lucy to either hurry out of her seat or lower her gaze and pretend she didn’t see anything if she witnessed Cade and Cherryl’s love affair.

Lucy wasn’t quick-witted enough to realize it earlier and that was why she failed.

But, she was confident that she’d be tactful next time once she witnessed the two being lovey-dovey with each other.

“No one will dare complain about where you are and what you do. Both of you seem to be getting along really well, so I think everyone just wants to add a word, My Lady.”

“What do you mean, Lucy?”

“Most of their reactions are either pleased or envious. They’re surprised that even someone like the Grand Duke can fall in love.”

Lucy didn’t bother mentioning that Cade looked so cold and detached as if he couldn’t even bring himself to give others a drop of sympathy let alone love.

It felt like the world could be so sweet and beautiful the instant his merciless gaze laid on Lady Cherryl.

“You are confident and amazing in my eyes but I just wonder what specific traits you have that made the Grand Duke fall in love with you.” Lucy, who was talking to her about the Grand Duke, opened a page with a delicious-looking cake and showed it to her. “Oh! Look at this, My Lady. It’s a fruity dessert that you like.”

As Lucy chattered about the various recipes in the cookbooks, Cherryl was enraptured by another blossoming thought.

‘I know. What did he like about me?’

The question that had fallen deep in Cherryl’s heart even before she came to Carlsvik piqued her interest once again.

Why would His Grace choose a woman with nothing to offer for marriage?

Cade even tried to settle with the request of Marquis Milose, who demanded money from him in exchange for her.

Fortunately, he had received a dowry from Cherryl’s household, but for what reason did he want to marry her even if he had to pay a huge sum of money?

Cherryl bit her lip and smoothed the cheek where Cade’s warm kisses had touched.

The question was like a tangled thread that she couldn’t easily solve.

‘No, you shouldn’t question what’s already been done.’

She hated reconsidering the irreversible past from a negative perspective.

If it weren’t for Cade who appeared out of nowhere, Cherryl would have gone through the terrible thing of marrying an aging, bald earl.

However, she would be lying if she said that she didn’t fear her decision to leave for the North, promising to marry Cade.

Contrary to her worries, Cherryl was spending her days more peacefully than anyone else.

She was confident that she had good feelings for Cade.

‘Then it’s fine. What’s the problem?’

These days, unanswered concerns popped up little by little.

To be exact, wasn’t she thinking about that strange thing settled on Cade’s right thigh a lot?

As a result, she was almost caught by the person involved while secretly trying to study the difference between the anatomy of men and women.

Recalling the funny situation, Cherryl burst out laughing without realizing it.

Her mind had become unstable one way or another before the marriage ceremony and it wasn’t good to reflect on these suspicions at this time because it wouldn’t help anyone.

Cherryl buried the sudden doubts sprouting once again, and wrapped up her negative thoughts.

***

At the central region not far from the Capital, Hindel, a medium-sized soldier, dressed in shining silver armor from head to toe, was driving a carriage crossing the dirt road at full speed.

The red carriage, led by six horses, was gilded with decorations on its high ceiling, doors, and wheels.

From the colorful adornments themselves, even a child could tell that the passenger was an aristocrat.

In the carriage, a silver-haired man in blue and a red-haired woman sat side by side.

The woman, who just opened the carriage window’s curtains to look outside, turned her head toward the man.

“Will you be all right, brother? You’re visiting Archduke Blkanov without telling him beforehand.”

The man with his arms folded smirked to reveal his fangs.

“If it’s a message about announcing my arrival, I have sent it to him several times.” The man’s blood-red eyes blazed with anger. “All of them were rejected outright. His wedding is coming soon, so if I’m planning to visit, he told me to be there as a guest. Damn it! He’s such a cheeky bastard!”

“Well, it isn’t exactly wrong. I heard that his castle is under construction right now so I guess he finds it bothersome to welcome you as his guest.”

When the woman muttered in a serious tone, the man shouted.

“Why are you putting a damper on my plans? Even if you’re my sister, you’d better watch your mouth too.” The man, who had gone too far, retorted furiously. “You still have a mission complete before the wedding ceremony begins. If you fail, you will end up like your mother.”

Even though he was her half-brother, he was truly vulgar in addressing siblings who shared his blood.

She deserved to be angry at him but the woman merely sighed at his threat and looked out the window again.

A flag with a strange crest fluttered in the wind on top of the carriage rushing to the north.