After a while, Shioana was riding in a comfortable and luxurious carriage. It was decorated with gold and was lined with fluffy fur inside, so no cold air leaked in.
'What's going on all of a sudden?'
She had no intention of riding in a carriage with a stranger, but her brother pushed her on her back and came here.
'By the way, Count Noah must be really rich.'
Shioana, who was carefully looking around the carriage, swallowed her dry saliva.
The hat alone looked more expensive than anything she had. As the carriage rattled, a thought suddenly came to mind.
'This is the first time I've left Regbel.'
It was strange to leave home in a carriage like this.
It was always Shioana's daily life to watch her brother or father's carriage move away.
'Don't be tacky.'
It won't be a big deal for others. The tension didn't relax, so she had to grab the knees of the dress repeatedly.
On the other hand. Pierre Noah, who was sitting across from Shioana, crossed his long legs and then uncrossed them. With a sharp gaze, he slowly scanned Shioana's entire body.
'That's really Interesting.'
It was hard to believe that Siona Evgenia was Eli's younger sister, who was like a weasel.
She was on a different level from Highbells or the ladies who exuded a foul smell of perfume in their fancy clothes in the capital. There was a pure white elegance that no one had burned.
'I didn't know that there was such a precious gem hidden in this corner of the countryside.'
He remembered Eli's words that he had whispered secretly at the gambling hall one by one.
'My younger sibling is quite good-looking.'
They weren't very close, but the Viscount of Evgenia, who only greeted him occasionally, said something strange to him at some point.
'So what are you going to do with your sister?"
'It's close to the lady the Count is looking for.'
Eli was not good at gambling, but he had a knack for reading people's eyes.
Pierre, who became a Count at a young age, was a little past the marriageable age.
Pierre, who became a Count at a young age, was slightly past the age for marriage. Due to his extensive womanizing, he had dated enough to be sick of it, but marriage was not easy for him.
Thanks to his sufficient wealth, he had no reason to enter into a political marriage based on money or family background.
'I need an obedient wife who suits me perfectly.'
Pierre has always been obsessed with pure and beautiful women. That's how he got to know Eli.
'I'll bring you a portrait.'
When he first saw the portrait of Shioana Evgenia, he wasn't so impressed. Because he could easily see her beautiful face anywhere.
'My sister has always only taken bridal lessons at Regbel.'
Eli constantly piqued his curiosity.
It was hard to find a pure woman these days. It was an era of unspeakable promiscuity, with people dating before they were even old enough to debut in society. All of this was due to the dirty trend of free love that was spreading like an epidemic among the people.
'I really like it.'
Pierre smiled with satisfaction as he traced the tightly bitten lips of Shioana, who dared not even look at him.
"Are you perhaps uncomfortable being with me, Miss Shioana?"
As he broke the long silence and whispered, Shiona's shoulders trembled slightly.
"Ah. No, it's nothing. It's just that I'm not used to this kind of thing."
The more she spoke, the more she felt like she was showing off her unsophisticated side, so she could only sigh. Since the other person was a sophisticated aristocrat, it was obvious he would think of a fool like her as pathetic. However, the answer that came out was a bit unexpected.
"That's a relief. To be honest, I don't know how nervous I am either."
"...Ah."
It was hard to believe that such a dignified and handsome gentleman was nervous, but it put her mind at ease a little.
'Even if it's not true.'
The moment she heard those words, she felt as though she were no longer the insignificant Shioana living in Regbell, but one of the ladies who had attended the ball, so she let it in slightly.
***
Returning from an outing with Count Noah, Shioana hurriedly looked for the hunter's rest. However, Etienne was not there.
Shioana, sitting on a cot and swinging her feet, listened intently for any signs of movement outside. Even after quite some time had passed, Etienne was nowhere to be seen.
"What the heck, making me wait?"
She wanted to meet him quickly and confide in him about this pounding heart she was feeling right now. At some point, she felt more comfortable talking about these things with Etienne than with Martha.
“Are you busy with work?”
As soon as the ball ended, all the employees who had come from Hybel went back, and Regbell was short of hands again. Then her gaze fell on the stove, which was now extinguished.
Shioana, who had fallen asleep from exhaustion right after the ball, was shocked when she opened her eyes the next day because she was in Etienne's arms.
“...Amazing.”
She wanted to insist that he had hugged Shioana, but her arms were holding Etienne too tightly for that.
"I guess nothing compares to human body heat when it's cold..."
She fanned herself as her cheeks began to flush and quickly shook her head. It was only after quite a while that Etienne slowly appeared.
"...Why are you so late!”
Shioana, who was sitting on a cot at the shelter, suddenly stood up and got angry.
"..."
Wiping the sweat from his forehead, Etienne lowered his head to examine Shioana's ankle. It was hidden by her dress so he couldn't see it, but judging by the fever she was emitting, it seemed she had fully recovered.
"Why are you looking at the ground? Can't you see how cool I look today?"
Going on an outdoor picnic with Pierre Noah was more enjoyable than she expected. He was very gentlemanly and guided the nervous Siaoana well.
"Miss Shioana, you are doing well, so please don't be too impatient."
She also heard plenty of kind words from Eli that she could never have imagined.
"You know this hat? It's sold at a famous store in Hybel. How about it?"
Only then did Etienne lift his head and look up at her, spinning around in place.
Shioana, who had never acted up at all, changed a little starting from the ball. She dressed up in a flowing dress, high heels, and matching accessories.
"...Looks good."
The words he spat out after being lost for a while were strange for a compliment.
"Who asked if I liked the hat? Am I not beautiful? This, you see. Count Noah gave it to me as a gift. He gave me a ride out of Regbell in his carriage. The carriage was plush, and the tea and cookies I had then were so incredible that it's hard to even describe them in words."
Burning passion filled Shioana's blue eyes, which clearly showed signs of excitement. At the sight of her, Etienne took off the hat he was wearing. Thick veins bulged on the back of his hand as he crumpled the old hat violently.
'Is she beautiful?'
As for Shioana, she was already beautiful even without adorning herself with such things. More so than any woman he had ever seen.
"You've seen Count Noah, too, haven't you?"
Her voice was sweet, as if singing, when she mentioned Pierre Noah.
He thought he knew what Shioana's flushed cheeks meant. As much as she was excited, Etienne's mood had sunk.
Etienne stood there, confused. Shioana strode over and stood right in front of him.
"Oh, the smell of the earth... Count Noah smells of sandalwood..."
He bit his lip hard at the sudden comparison.
There was no need for this, and it shouldn't have happened, but he got angry for no reason.
He reached out, snatched off the hat Count Noah had bought for her, and threw it onto the floor. At the suddenness of it, Shioana's eyes widened.
"What on earth are you doing??"
"Then I will meet the Count. Why did you summon me?"
Etienne was truly like an untamable wildcat. It was when he smoothed his disheveled bangs and was about to say something again.
“I’ll go.”
Absurdly, Etienne was the first to turn his back on her.
“Whose will it be?”
To think he would act so wickedly toward his master and then try to run away.
He didn't even pick up her hat.
Shioana quietly stared at the back of Etienne, who had stopped in front of the door.
'I really don't like seeing someone's back.'
Forgetting that she had been angry, she felt a faint sense of disappointment. She didn't want Etienne to leave like this. He was one of the few people here who tolerated Shioana's unreasonable demands.
She reached out and gently grabbed Etienne's shirt.
"Do you dislike me getting along well with Count Noah?"
Etienne's shoulders trembled slightly at her questioning.
"...Ah."
Only then did Shioana seem to understand why he was acting that way.
'Are you jealous because you lost the attention?'
Shioana was dumbfounded when Etienne still did not budge despite her touch.
'Who is the one who should be angry?'
Etienne was truly too arrogant for a slave. However, he was just that way, and Shioana didn't entirely dislike that side of him.
Then, a good idea to solve this situation came to jer.
"Etienne, my ankle..."
As she slumped down with a groan, Etienne immediately turned away, acting as if he would never see Shioana again.
“Miss, are you okay?”
Visibly flustered, he quickly picked up Shioana.
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