Raynous’s killing intent was so sharp that it felt like a well-honed sword was pressed against the nape of my neck.
If it felt like this even when it wasn’t directed at me, how overwhelming must it be for Duval, who was the actual target?
Duval gritted his teeth, seemingly too overwhelmed to open his mouth.
Then, with a contorted expression, he finally spoke in a still confrontational tone, but with less vigor than when he fought with me.
“You have quite a foul mouth for someone who stole another man’s fiancée.”
“Stole? Me?”
Raynous sneered and moved right in front of Duval. His eyes, reflecting the arrogance typical of royalty, looked down on Duval.
Duval flinched but didn’t back down, glaring back at Raynous.
“I don’t know how you managed to seduce her, but don’t think you’ll be able to make it to marriage.”
“Thanks for your concern, but I don’t think it’s your place to say.”
“It’s just a temporary fling. Siella will soon realize that I’m better than a guy like you.”
“Where’s that dog barking coming from?”
“What?”
“Oh, excuse me. It was just a puppy’s whining.”
Duval looked like he was about to throw a punch. Regardless, Raynous just kept mocking him gently.
I watched the two of them with clouded eyes.
‘What’s going on?’
It felt strange. I thought they would fight over Tirielle, but why were they fighting over me?
I could understand Raynous acting this way since we were in a contract relationship, but why was Duval behaving like this?
While breaking an engagement was certainly upsetting, the relationship between Labyrinth and Essite wasn’t shallow enough to immediately become enemies.
In fact, my engagement to Duval was merely arranged to strengthen the relationship between the two families.
Even if we became strangers, it wouldn’t mean that Labyrinth’s business relying on Essite would collapse overnight, or that Essite would lose the power they borrowed from Labyrinth.
Of course, they wouldn’t be as close as before.
So, there was no reason for Duval to be so obsessed with me…
Unless.
‘Is it a case of not wanting to keep it but not wanting to give it away either?’
He was like that in the original story when he was living with two women.
When Siella cried out asking who he loved more between me and that woman, he said he loved both.
Ugh, that bastard. How can he be exactly the same as my ex-boyfriend who proudly claimed he could love two women at the same time?
‘The best way to deal with something annoying is to get rid of it right away.’
I approached the two men who were still in a standoff.
The topic of their conversation had already changed, and from what I could hear, it seemed Duval was avoiding Raynous’s challenge to a duel with various excuses.
‘He must be avoiding it because he knows he can’t win against an imperial knight.’
And yet he still picks a fight.
I went to Raynous’s side and naturally linked arms with him. For a moment, Raynous stiffened.
Why is he like that? I looked at him with puzzled eyes and then spoke to Duval.
“Hey, leave quickly. I’m busy too, I need to decide where to have my engagement ceremony.”
“……!”
“En… gagement?”
Both men looked at me simultaneously, shocked.
I winked at Raynous, signaling him to play along.
“I’ve been looking into it, and apparently the Eden Hills in the East are popular these days. It’s outdoors so there’s a lot to prepare, but they say the summer flowers are in full bloom, so it’s nice. What do you think, Lord Ray?”
“Uh, um… I… like…”
“You like it? That’s great.”
For some reason, Raynous had been stiff since I linked arms with him. So I had no choice but to end the conversation on my own.
I clung to Raynous as if dealing with a loving partner. Then, smiling at Duval’s trembling aqua eyes, I said.
“You heard, right? If Tirielle suggests having an engagement at Eden Hills, you should politely refuse. It would be funny for an ex-fiancé and a current fiancé to have their engagement at the same place.”
“……”
“Well, I’m off now. I have a lot to decide. Let’s go, Lord Ray.”
I ushered Raynous into the house, leaving behind a frozen Duval.
I hadn’t even realized that I was snuggling up to him while still in my pajamas.
*** *** *** *** ***
When May saw me heading to the reception room with Raynous, she exclaimed, ‘My Lady!’ in shock, and that’s when I realized I was still in my pajamas.
I was practically dragged back to my room by May and changed into casual clothes.
Even though they were pajamas, I had a robe over them, and they weren’t thin enough to be see-through.
May lectured me so much about how I shouldn’t link arms with someone in such attire that I thought my ears would grow calluses.
‘Well, I guess I did make a mistake.’
I thought even I would be flustered if Raynous appeared in pajamas and linked arms with me. Sigh.
‘So that’s why he was so stiff.’
I headed straight to the reception room. I bowed my head to Raynous, who was waiting there.
He was sitting on the sofa with his elbows on his knees, covering his face with both hands.
“I unintentionally acted shamefully. I’m sorry.”
“……”
My pajama attire must have been very shocking to him.
Raynous said nothing. He didn’t even look at me.
I sat down across from him with the glass table between us.
Even then, Raynous didn’t raise his head, and I thought he might be sleeping like that, but when I listened closely, I heard him muttering, ‘Engagement ceremony… then the next is the wedding… and after that…?’
Oh my. That was more shocking to him than my pajama attire.
“Your Highness, I have no intention of getting engaged.”
“……!”
Raynous’s body trembled slightly. Then he lowered his hands a bit and raised his head. His reddened eyes gave him a strangely sensual look.
I spoke brightly, meaning to reassure him.
“I just said that to chase Duval away, so don’t worry about it.”
“…I see.”
Raynous answered in a whisper and buried his face in his hands again. His neck was red, and I couldn’t tell what he was thinking.
He stayed like that for a while, then rubbed his face a few times before straightening up. His eyes were still red.
Avoiding my gaze and looking into the distance, Raynous mumbled somewhat dejectedly.
“I thought you were proposing engagement…”
“I’m sorry for causing a misunderstanding.”
“It’s okay.”
He replied shortly, then closed his eyes tightly before opening them again. Then, with a flushed face, he looked at me and smiled awkwardly.
“Have you been well? Are you feeling alright?”
“Yes. I’m all better now.”
It had been a while since I’d seen Raynous after our date at the art exhibition.
So we exchanged light greetings.
“That’s good. You looked quite ill then.”
“Then?”
When was he talking about?
As I tilted my head and asked, instead of answering, Raynous moved to sit next to me.
Then, with a darkened expression, he raised his hand and touched my forehead.
Even though he was someone I saw often enough, was it because it had been a while, or because he was wearing his knight uniform?
Today’s Raynous felt quite different. Should I say he had a neat atmosphere as if measured with a ruler, with a deep sense of maturity?
The touch of his calloused hand was transmitted clearly through my forehead. A fresh citrus scent from him lingered at the tip of my nose.
Feeling a strange sensation suddenly washing over me, I blinked slowly and looked up at him. It felt like time was flowing twice as slowly.
The moment Raynous lowered his golden eyelashes and met my eyes, sensing my gaze.
I remembered what happened in my dream.
‘Back then, Raynous checked my temperature like this too.’
Then he turned into a baby evil dragon and breathed fire all over as I commanded. When I started nodding off, he even sang a lullaby.
“Pfft.”
Imagining that cute scene, I suddenly burst into laughter. Oh, what should I do.
Feeling like that scene wouldn’t leave my mind if I stayed like this, I hurriedly turned my gaze away while covering my mouth with the back of my hand.
“Why, is there something on my face?”
Raynous, startled by my sudden laughter, asked urgently.
Since I couldn’t tell the truth, I mixed in some honesty and made up an excuse.
“No, it’s just… I’m so happy to see Your Highness after so long. So-“
It was just as I was about to raise my head to look at Raynous again.
In an instant, he pulled me into an embrace. He pulled with such force that I momentarily lost my balance and fell into his arms.
A pleasant warmth enveloped my entire body. The citrus scent that filled the air made me feel dizzy.
Thump-thump, the sound of a heartbeat in my ears brought me back to my senses a little.
Raynous, with his lips close to my ear, whispered softly.
“I missed you too.”
Why was it? His voice was filled with relief.
My heart was beating too fast. Ah, why am I like this? Not knowing how to react, I just blinked slowly.
Then he stroked my head once and slowly released me.
I pressed down on my pounding chest and looked up at him.
Raynous, with slightly flushed cheeks, was smiling beautifully. Seeing that harmless smile, I could feel my own face gradually heating up.
“I was worried that you might try to distance yourself from me.”
“Why would I do that?”
“Indeed.”
Muttering to himself as if to say it was a needless worry, Raynous fumbled in his pocket. Soon, he shyly held out a flat, palm-sized black box.
“It’s a gift to celebrate your broken engagement, my lady.”
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