Betrayal of Dignity - Chapter 21

21. For the Duchess


The train station in Swanton, the capital of the kingdom, was jam-packed with people coming and going, leaving no room to stand. Count Weiss, who barely made it to the train on time, hurried to the first-class seat, but stopped when he saw someone. The man's black curly hair had grown a little longer, but it was definitely someone Weiss knew.

“Aren’t you someone who works for the Duke of Tisse?”

A man in shabby clothes passed him by, stopped, and bowed his head slightly.

“Hello, Count Weiss.”

“I’m sorry, your name is...”

“This is Gray Wilson.”

Weiss belatedly remembered Gray's name and smiled brightly. He was clearly a witness who had played a key role in the Duchess's trial.

“Are you taking this train too? Where are you going?”

"That is..."

As Gray hesitated, the stationmaster was heard urging the people on.

“The train to Winsbury will be leaving soon! The train to Winsbury will be leaving soon!”

“Let’s get on first and then talk.”

Weiss informally led Gray. Gray had no time to refuse his kindness and followed him into the first-class cabin. Count Weiss called the stationmaster and paid Gray's train fare, and even ordered a bottle of wine.

“I’m on my way to Winsbury to see my uncle. I was afraid it would be a boring trip, but you’re here with me, so it’ll be a little better. Have you been on vacation?”

Gray hesitated and then answered briefly.

“No. I left the Duke of Tisse because I wanted to try something new.”

“Oh. Really? A challenge is always good. When did you stop working?”

Weiss left Tisse and returned to Swanton as soon as the Duchess' trial was over. Naturally, he was unaware of the news that one of his employees had been fired from the Duke's household.

“It was two months ago.”

Count Weiss asked him again with a kind face.

“Did you find a new job? Since you’re diligent, you should have found one quickly.”

“...I’m thinking of going to Winsbury and taking a boat.”

A belated question appeared on Count Weiss's face. If he were going to do dangerous sea work, it would mean that it would not be easy to find a job.

“Didn’t His Excellency the Duke write you a fancy letter of recommendation? With that, you should be able to find work quickly. How strange.”

The Duke that Weiss knew was a man of clear rewards and punishments. He must have given enough money to the loyal servant who provided the Duchess's alibi, but he was also concerned about the shabby way Gray dressed, as if he had been suffering somewhere.

“I think the higher-ups... would be reluctant to employ a servant whose heart is not pure.”

“Ah. That’s the problem.”

Only then did Weiss click his tongue. The Duke's perjury of Gray was probably what was holding him back. No noble would welcome a servant who secretly spied on their masters' private lives. It must have been particularly unpleasant for the many demanding ladies.

“I am fine. I have been sufficiently compensated by His Excellency the Duke.”

If it wasn't enough money to live off of for the rest of his life, he couldn't say that anything was enough. And when he thought that the future of such a young man with such a bright future was being trampled, Weiss felt sorry for some reason.

“His Excellency is incredibly systematic in some aspects, but he is completely oblivious to these little details.”

Gray looked silent and bitter. Count Weiss thought he was dead and patted him on the shoulder.

“You have indeed done a great job for His Excellency the Duke, so I will express my gratitude on his behalf. Thanks to you, the trust between His Excellency the Duke and the Duchess has grown stronger.”

“...I wonder if that’s true.”

Weiss opened his mouth with a confident voice as he watched Gray mutter skeptically.

“Absolutely not. I can vouch for the fact that the Duke has been in love with his wife for a very long time.”

Gray's eyelashes fluttered silently, but Weiss didn't notice.

“You were originally a servant of the Verdiers, right? I believe you also wish for the Duchess’ happiness.”

“...Of course. But I didn’t know that His Excellency had been thinking of Madam for so long.”

“His Excellency's way of expressing himself is a bit unique. But it is true. Everyone has their own way of expressing themselves.”

“I remember that the marriage between His Excellency and my master seemed to have taken place rather hastily.”

Weiss chuckled slightly at Gray's words. He guessed that the Duke had probably been preparing for this marriage for more than two years.

“I can’t say much, but to ease your worries, I’ll just say this: His Excellency the Duke of Tisse is absolutely not the type of person to impulsively take on such a momentous matter as marriage. So don’t worry.”

The conversation was interrupted by the wine that had just arrived. Weiss and Gray emptied their glasses together and reminisced about the past.

“When I ride the train, I think back to when I was first drafted. Back then, His Excellency and I were still cadets, and I can still remember the taste of the wine that Damien smuggled in.”

“It sounds as if His Excellency has no qualms about committing crimes.”

Weiss grinned as Gray spat out his wine.

“Thanks to that, instead of trembling in fear, we were able to comfort each other, even if it was just through words.”

“...”

“I imagine things at Tisse must have been difficult for you.”

Weiss also knew that perjury was not an easy task, especially for a young boy who had not yet experienced much of the world.

“But as I said before, His Excellency the Duke is a person who must carry out everything according to his plans, so there is nothing I can do.”

“What are his plans?”

Weiss smiled kindly, biting into a biscuit.

“Let’s just say it’s a plan for a better future.”

Looking at Gray's expression darkening, Weiss scratched his forehead with his hand. He felt belated regret, wondering if he had made a mistake. In front of a poor servant who had lost his job and had to go to an unfamiliar place without knowing anything, talking about a better future would surely sound like empty talk.

“Unless you really want to go to Winsbury.”

That was why Weiss suddenly brought up the subject.

“Would you like to work at a monastery? My mother works at a monastery outside of Swanton, and they’re really short on help these days.”

Guessing Gray's mind, which was not ready to answer, he hurriedly added.

“Don’t worry, I won’t be reporting anything to His Excellency the Duke separately. I was just informing you of the job openings.”

"Thank you."

As Gray nodded, Weiss let out a long sigh. This made him feel a little better. The guilt of having used and then abandoned an innocent person also faded.

“Don’t hate the Duke of Tisse too much for this.”

“Yes. I don’t want to think badly of someone like him, a person with such good character. But...”

Gray trailed off.

“What is it? Is there something still bothering you?”

Weiss looked at Gray without any doubt. Gray hesitated for a moment, then swallowed dry saliva and opened his mouth with difficulty.

“I find it difficult to understand why he would make the young lady a suspect in a murder case and make her suffer for two weeks.”

Count Weiss looked at him with a surprised expression. There was no way Damien would tell such a thing to a mere servant. Where on earth did the information leak out?

“...How did you know that?”

Gray's face darkened significantly.

“It was just a suspicion. Now it’s certain.”

Weiss held Gray, who looked as if he might get off at the next stop at any moment. Now he realized why the Duke had sent him out of Birch Castle. And that he had just made a terrible mistake.

“Gray, I know that you have served the Duchess since childhood. I can gauge your loyalty. But this is as far as it goes.”

“What does that mean?”

“I mean, think carefully about what would be helpful to the Duchess. Wouldn’t it be better to build trust between the couple like this rather than revealing the truth and causing her to be confused again?”

Gray, who was packing his old bag, hesitated for a moment before finally flopping down on the seat.

“Yeah. Good idea.”

“...Is your promise to help me find a job still valid?”

Weiss couldn't bring himself to refuse and had no choice but to nod. Gray was quick-witted and smart, so he decided it would be better to watch over him from the side and keep an eye on him.

***

Chloe carefully got out of the carriage, raised her hat slightly, and looked around. It was her first time in the town of Tisse, except for last winter when she had first arrived here by train. The streets, which had been covered in pure white snow, had turned a fresh green, and the feeling was completely different from last time.

“Then I’ll see you here in two hours.”

“Let’s do it in three hours.”

“Yes, Ma’am. Take your time and do your work. I’ll be around.”

The coachman who had carried her politely said goodbye and left. Chloe walked down the street with her heart pounding for some reason. The city center, with its red-roofed houses clustered tightly together beneath the tall mountains covered with snow, was lively. It was less crowded than the capital, Swanton, and there were more old buildings that had preserved their history than new buildings. When you pass through a narrow alley where shops are crowded together, you can come across another alley, which makes you feel like you are exploring.

When she heard the sound of water somewhere, a river appeared. Hydrangeas growing in a row along the path next to the river were boasting flower buds as large as a child's face. Chloe smiled faintly as she watched someone pick hydrangeas and float them on the water.

What a pretty place.

Chloe walked slowly through the city and soon realized that she would love this city. There was a small arched bridge made of gray stones over the stream. She crossed it as Margaret had told her and saw a post office sign.

Chloe went there and mailed the two letters she had prepared: one to her father in Verdier, and the other to a post office in Winsbury Harbour, in the south of the kingdom.

'Alice, how are you?'

Alice had always sent letters through there, but there was no exact address on the envelope, so Chloe could only guess that she had settled near Winsbury.

Chloe was about to pay the postage, hoping that Alice, who had chosen a life with her lover, would be happy wherever she was, and the post office worker smiled brightly at her.

“Your Excellency, is that right? It’s my first time meeting you. Hello.”

Chloe wondered how the woman had recognized her, since she had never been outside the castle before. But she soon came to the conclusion that there weren't many young ladies here dressed in fancy attire and walking around with their feet crossed, and she smiled faintly.

"Hello."

“The Duke stopped by this morning to give me a word. I was waiting for him.”

“Ah... I see.”

The employee raised her voice, unable to hide her proud expression.

“The Duke has specially instructed me to take good care of the Duchess so that she does not feel unfamiliar with Tisse!”

Chloe didn't know what to say, so she just nodded vaguely and blushed. In fact, Damien had been very busy recently. The reason was that a gold mine had been discovered in the mountain that the Viscount Verdier had formerly given to him as Chloe's dowry. Chloe couldn't hide her joy and embarrassment at the same time when she heard that he, who was busy every day, had taken the time to stop by the post office to ask about his wife.

“Your Excellency, our post office also sells commemorative stamps. Would you like to take a look?”

Did Damien tell her that her hobby was stamp collecting? Chloe's ears perked up at the kind words of the employee who was giving her guidance. The quick-witted employee quickly put on her gloves, opened a drawer, and took out an album that had commemorative stamps issued only at Tisse, organized by year.

“This is a commemorative stamp issued when the Duke of Tisse married Princess Priscilla. And this is a stamp that commemorates the victory and the end of the war two years ago. It was a groundbreaking design that included a portrait of the Duke along with the birch pattern that represents Tisse, and it was so popular that it sold out. Since it was a limited edition, people even showed up at Swanton to buy it.”

Chloe stared at the stamp with Damien's profile pictured on it. Just like when she first saw him, he was arrogant and beautiful, and his presence was evident even on the small piece of paper.

“It’s the last remaining set, but if the Duchess wants it, of course I’ll sell it to you. Would you like me to give it to her?”

Chloe hesitated for a moment, then spoke in a small but clear voice.

“Yes. Please put it in the envelope carefully so that it doesn’t get wrinkled.”

“Don't worry.”

Chloe changed the subject, feeling awkward for some reason, as she saw the employee happily smiling.

“What is this strawberry stamp?”

As Chloe pointed to the stamp with a strawberry on it, the clerk continued talking excitedly.

“This is a stamp commemorating the strawberries from Tisse being selected as the best crop in the Kingdom Contest seven years ago. You can’t imagine how festive the entire Tisse territory was at that time.”

A soft smile spread across Chloe's face. The tension somehow seemed to melt away as she realized that people were all the same, no matter where they lived.

“I heard that Tisse’s strawberries are the most preferred top product even at Swanton’s famous bakery.”

“Oh my, the Duchess has become a Tisse person. That’s right. Some say that Haineswood strawberries are delicious, but they can’t compare to our Tisse strawberries!”

They found a common topic within ten minutes of meeting and chatted excitedly like girls who grew up in the same neighborhood, only stopping when the bell rang and another customer came in.

“Please give me a set of this, too.”

The clerk added a word as she carefully packed the stamps Chloe had purchased into an envelope.

“There will soon be a stamp commemorating the wedding of the Duke and Duchess, so please look forward to that as well.”

"Ah..."

The employee continued speaking with a small smile in front of Chloe, who was flustered and didn't know how to react.

“Since the Duchess came here, good things have been happening in Tisse. Who would have thought that while digging for a railway, they would find a gold mine?”

“It was just a series of coincidences.”

“It is certain that the Duchess has become a symbol of good luck. All of us in Tisse believe so.”

Chloe decided to leave before the employee, who seemed a little too proud of Tisse, continued her embarrassing compliment relay. It was embarrassing, but it felt good to have bought an unexpected souvenir. As she left the post office, holding the envelope containing the stamps in her arms, the bell rang once again.

“What a coincidence.”

The early summer sunlight streaming through the door illuminated Damien's profile. Chloe quickly put the envelope of stamps she was holding in her arms into her bag and tried to keep an indifferent expression.

“Didn’t you say you had something to do?”

“It's over.”

“Already?”

“Only fools do things that are simple and stick with them for too long.”

Damien grinned, muttering quietly so that no one around him could hear. Chloe felt all eyes in the small post office on them. Damien was standing in front of her, holding the door with his hand, without moving. Could it be that he had come back here to see her? Chloe asked him softly, her face flushed.

“Your Excellency, what are you doing now...?”

“I’m waiting for the lady to go out first.”

Damien gracefully extended his palm forward as if to show the way. Only then did Chloe notice the envelope he was holding in his other hand. Her small face was now as red as a ripe strawberry, and the back of her neck was burning. She was terribly embarrassed that she had mistaken him for coming to see her when he had only come to the post office to do some business. It was even more embarrassing that he had found out.

"Ah..."

As Chloe left the post office, her pace quickened as she tapped her cane.

“It would be a problem if you fell here.”

The man who did things so quickly seemed to have even sent a letter from the post office in a second. Chloe's clumsy steps became even faster as Damien's voice came close behind her.

“I won’t fall...!”

The moment she stumbled, Damien's arm wrapped around her waist. The bag fell from Chloe's hands, and the envelope of stamps she had hurriedly put inside popped out. When Chloe's eyes landed on it, the envelope was already fluttering and falling into the river.

“Uh uh...!”

As Chloe let out a small sigh, Damien raised his eyebrows and asked her.

“What is that?”

“It’s a souvenir.”

“I guess I should buy one more.”

Chloe glared at the man who had no way of knowing that this was the last remaining quantity. As she approached the bridge with her cane, she saw a small envelope landing lightly on the lotus. It just so happened to be in the middle of the river.

“Is that so important? Your expression is so vain.”

“Wouldn’t it be a waste for anyone to blow up 785 Zegels at once?”

“Should I bring it to you?”

“How do you get that?”

Chloe, still with a look of resentment on her face, was about to give up and leave when Damien jumped under the bridge. Chloe's eyes widened. What did you do now?

It was even more unrealistic because there was no sound of splashing. When she came to her senses and looked down the stone railing of the bridge, what she saw was Damien hanging from the ladder in the river, reaching out.

“Your Excellency! It’s dangerous!”

Damien's hand lightly picked up the envelope. His gesture was leisurely as he slowly climbed the old ladder with one hand. Chloe barely calmed her pounding heart when she realized that he was safe. The Duke jumped over the railing again and lightly dropped the envelope on her chest. Chloe barely caught the envelope and quickly put it deep in her bag, thinking that the Duke might want to see the contents.

“Give me 785 skel.”

Damien grinned, wrapping his arms around her waist. Chloe blushed and muttered softly as she felt people passing by stifle their laughter at the sight of them.

“I never asked you for help, Your Excellency.”

“You weren’t deliberately provoking my competitive spirit?”

“I’m sorry to disappoint you, but I’m not that twisted.”

The Duke smiled slightly and rested his forehead against hers.

“Well, I guess you’re really naive enough to spend 700 skels just to see my face every day. The problem with Daisy at the post office is that she’s too good at sales.”

Chloe swallowed hard and clenched her fists. The Duke was showing off without even knowing it.

“That’s a limited edition!”

“I wonder if there isn’t something similar in the Duke of Tisse’s mansion?”

Damien let out a faint smile as Chloe's hazel eyes shook. Chloe took a sharp breath, feeling an inexplicable sense of betrayal at the fact that Daisy at the post office was a natural-born saleswoman (although in reality, she was just being loyal to her profession).

“Let go.”

“I refuse.”

People passing by in the city looked at them and cast glances. When their eyes met, they quietly nodded, but could not hide the excitement in their eyes.

“People will look at me strangely.”

Unlike Chloe, who didn't enjoy the attention of others, Damien looked extremely happy.

“Wouldn’t it be better for the Duke and Duchess to show that they are on good terms with the public rather than the other way around?”

“It’s equally important to maintain your dignity.”

Damien tilted his head to the side as Chloe whispered softly, trying to control her expression.

“If you even kiss me, I’ll slap you again.”

It was clear that this man really didn't care about his social status. Damien provoked Chloe again as she glared at him with her lips pursed like a clam.

“Why are you exercising your right to remain silent again? Are you planning to just say you don’t remember and get away with it?”

“It was my first time hitting someone, so I can’t believe it.”

“Ah, that was a really dizzying first experience.”

Damien's gaze was meaningful. Chloe was momentarily confused as to whether he meant the slap on the cheek or the kiss, but soon she couldn't think of anything. It was because Damien had engulfed Chloe's lips without warning. He finally let her go after giving her a kiss that was by no means short. Chloe felt her face grow hot and held onto his outstretched arms.

“Your Excellency, you enjoy putting me in trouble.”

“To be exact, it’s fun to see you flustered and not knowing what to do.”

“If I were in your shoes, I would never say that was funny.”

The man, whose personality was completely incomprehensible to Chloe, had a smile on his face as if he was enjoying something. They crossed the bridge slowly, arm in arm.

"Duchess."

Chloe turned her head to look at him. Damien nodded at the building in front of her, who blinked, as if it wasn't awkward at all to be called Duchess now.

“Should we take a break there and go?”

Chloe looked at him with astonishment at the building he was pointing at. The bed drawn clearly showed that it was a hotel. She let go of his crossed arms, which she had been holding tightly as a cane. No matter how much she thought about it, this wasn't right. She had to stop herself from becoming the laughing stock of the people of the territory.

“We’re starting to tear ourselves apart here.”

“Are we paper? What are we tearing?”

“Let’s go our separate ways. I’m going to be extremely busy from now on.”

Chloe rarely went out, but when she did, she tended to do everything at once. After stopping by the post office, she was going to go to the coffee house recommended by her maid Margaret to look at some paperwork related to the estate, and before the sun went down, she was going to stop by the lumber shop to buy some yarn, but someone kept delaying her.

“I was going to tell you what I talked about with the construction manager I dispatched to Verdier, but if you’re so busy, there’s nothing I can do.”

“Just a moment, Your Excellency.”

As soon as Chloe finished speaking, she called out urgently to Damien, who had already turned around and started walking away. He turned his head and looked at her, and asked her slyly.

"Why?"

The ability to lie without blinking was amazing, no matter how many times she saw it. Chloe coughed softly and carefully opened her mouth.

“I think I can find time for a cup of tea.”

“It is an honor.”

Damien put his arm around her and started walking slowly again. As his feet turned back towards the hotel, Chloe grabbed his arm tightly and spat out a warning.

“I’m not going there.”

“The first floor of the hotel is Roberts House. It is the most famous coffee house in Tisse.”

Chloe put her hand to her forehead, thinking that she had tripped up again. Damien walked with his arm around her shoulder, and his lips curved upwards like a painting.

Damien and Chloe sat down at an outdoor table. Damien greeted the waiter familiarly and ordered five kinds of tea and coffee and three plates of dessert. After the old-looking waiter disappeared, Chloe blinked and asked cautiously.

“Your Excellency, aren’t there too many orders?”

“Didn’t you see Robert’s determination to show the Duchess the real deal of the store when she first visited? It would be polite to let her order everything.”

“What if I can’t eat it all and there’s some left?”

“You don’t have to worry about that.”

It didn't take long for Chloe to realize that Damien's confidence wasn't just empty boasting. After tasting the butter cake sprinkled with tiny flower petals, she spoke seriously.

“Your Excellency, may I bring some cakes to give to the servants?”

“Do you know how many servants there are in total at Birch Castle?”

At Damien's rebuke, Chloe began to think seriously with a serious expression. The sight of Chloe repeatedly opening and closing her lips, hesitating whether to say something or not, made it unbearable.

“If you have something to say, just say it, Chloe.”

“Hasn’t something good happened in Verdier recently, Your Excellency?”

Damien took a sip of coffee, licked his lips, and nodded.

“The discovery of a gold mine is not just a ‘good’ thing. They say the castle of Verdier is in a festive mood. Your father is probably half-flying rather than walking right now.”

It was only natural that the Viscount of Verdier would be delighted, but in the end, it was the Duke who would make the huge profit from the gold mine. The small mountain of Verdier, which was considered barren and useless, was the only thing Damien had asked for from her father as a dowry.

“Yes. My father is not the type of person who would be disappointed.”

Chloe smiled faintly. Her father, Viscount Verdier, would be happier about his daughter’s happiness than regretting not having discovered the gold mine earlier. However, if her father had lived without difficulties until now, it would be different, but Chloe, who knew better than anyone that he had suffered because of his greed, could not help but feel a little bitter when looking at the current situation. Viscount Verdier, who did not feel upset even though his luck was taken away from him right in front of him, was a peculiar person.

She wondered if she was being too calculating, and on the one hand, she thought that if a gold mine had been discovered, she could at least buy cake for the servants working in the castle, and her lips kept pursed. In fact, she might have married a miser as big as Mrs. Talbot. What was better, wasting money like water or being stingy with every penny?

“Chloe.”

Chloe snapped out of her reverie when Damien called her name. When she came to, she looked at Damien and saw him resting his chin on his hand, his lips parted as he looked at her. Chloe blinked her warm, tea-colored eyes and asked.

“What are you doing...?”

“Give me some cake. Mix half a spoonful of buttercream with half a spoonful of chocolate cherry mousse.”

How could he, a miser, have no shame? Chloe, shocked by his shameless demands, ended up revealing her true feelings.

“Your Excellency, don’t you have hands?”

“As you can see, both my hands are fine.”

“But why are you acting like an injured person?”

“I’m talking about the telegram I sent to your father earlier.”

Damien opened his mouth in a feminine tone, still staring at her with his chin resting on his hand.

“What happened to the telegram?”

“It’s a document handing over half of the gold mine’s shares to the Viscount Verdier.”

As Chloe dropped her fork on the ground, Mr. Robert approached her and offered her a new fork with a formal hand. Chloe opened her mouth in a whisper, her mind a little dazed.

"...Thank you."

“Not at all, Duchess.”

Even after Mr. Robert disappeared, Chloe remained frozen in stone for a moment, still holding her fork. Damien gently took the fork from her hand and placed the buttercream cake and chocolate cherry mousse on a small plate.

“It tastes good when you eat it like this. Damien Special. Ever since I was little, Robert hated it when I did this...”

Damien rarely trailed off.

“Chloe.”

Chloe looked at him silently. Damien frowned slightly as he saw tears rolling down from her hazel eyes.

“Why on earth are you crying?”

“I, I don’t know. I just...”

Chloe swore she wasn't the type to cry easily, but when she tried to smile, tears kept streaming down her face.

She thought she only cried when she was sad or having a hard time, but she found out that she cried when she was happy, too. The moment she realized that, Chloe burst into laughter again with a wet face.

“You know what’s really funny right now, right?”

Damien whined, but Chloe simply covered her face with both hands. Even between her thin fingers, soaked with tears, laughter leaked out. I am happy. I am happy now. 

The moment she realized her feelings belatedly, the face of her mother, who had desperately wished for her happiness, came to mind, and she cried again.

“Show me your face, Duchess.”

“I said it was funny. I don’t want to show it.”

Damien's hands gently caressed hers, pulling them away one by one.

“I still miss you.”

Chloe looked at him with red eyes and smiled shyly. Damien asked, counting the tears shining from her eyes one by one.

“Tell me why you cried, my love.”

“...I cried because I liked it so much.”

It was such an embarrassing statement that even after saying it, her face turned red. Chloe had never completely confided her feelings to anyone. As someone who had always prioritized her family over herself, she was reluctant to even express her feelings about what she liked and disliked. So, there were times when she envied Alice, who always expressed herself freely.

“Isn’t that something you only say in bed?”

Chloe pinched Damien's fingers, which were playing with her hand, without hurting them. When Damien kissed the back of her hand deeply and pulled away, the back of her neck, exposed above her dress, burned.

“Chloe, do you like me that much?”

Damien put the fork in his mouth and took it out, grumbling. His expression was so arrogant and confident that it was almost annoying. Damien had not changed since they first met, but Chloe no longer hated him. In fact, the moment she realized belatedly that it had been a while since it had been like this, her heart swelled.

When did her feelings start to change? But what was certain was that the sunlight was so nice at this moment, and the cakes at the best coffee house in Tisse were so wonderful that they were beyond admiration. Her heart was racing at the sweet gaze of the man in front of her, and she felt like melting into the magical time he had given her.

Perhaps Chloe had been dreaming of this moment all along. The romance and excitement she had given up on because of the harsh reality. The one person she could be honest with.

Yes, I like you.

As Chloe nodded with her lips pursed, Damien stared at her intently and chuckled softly. The man’s voice cracked huskily, unable to ignore the emotions in Chloe’s eyes.

“I wonder what will happen to you if I hand over the entire mine?”

“No, Your Excellency. I really...”

Chloe barely managed to open her lips before he misunderstood. She was always a slow-moving person, but this time she had to stop herself.

“Thank you so much. I actually didn’t expect that.”

Her father could now live his life without worry. It was clear that Alice would be helped even if she lived with any man other than a gypsy. What made Chloe sadder than anything was the fact that she had the most reliable ally in the world. Chloe's voice grew more heated.

“I know that Your Excellency has already helped my father so much, so there is no need for him to worry so much. I think it would be greedy to dare to ask for Your Excellency’s good fortune, but the truth is...”

"The truth is?"

“I thought you were a little tight-fisted. Just a little bit.”

Damien asked her back with a laugh.

“So has that changed your mind?”

“I will buy snacks for the servants.”

Damien nodded with a smile.

“If you so desire, Madam.”

Chloe didn't refuse his hands as they stirred the cake with a fork and brought it to her mouth.

“Come here, Chloe.”

"Why?"

“Because you look sweeter.”

Under the sunlight, sweetness filled her mouth one after another. As she endured Damien's kisses, which were more addictive than cake, Chloe suddenly remembered the words of her maid Margaret.

“It is said that lovers who kiss on the Pont d'Isee will never be able to leave each other again.”

Damien, who was smiling at her, wondered if he knew that and kissed her. Chloe smiled faintly, imagining that he might have done it on purpose.

Previous                    Next

Support Novellate!