Chapter 136

Chapter 136

“It’s quiet, but?”

I’d already pitched my voice to barely a murmur when I asked him. But that still got me a sharp glare from someone nearby. I’d thought I was being quiet enough, but to people studying, even that effort of mine must’ve grated on their nerves. Left with no choice, I read the room and dragged the Duke out of the library with me. Only then did he finally offer a reply to my question.

“This place stays open all night, so people will be coming and going at all hours. Let’s go somewhere else. Somewhere that’ll be deserted come nightfall.”

“Oh. I see……”

The Duke actually saying that?!

Of course, the headless ghost had wanted a private space where no one ever came or went. But I’d assumed the Duke cared about none of that at all. To my surprise, though, he seemed to be remembering even the minor demands Edan had made.

“Then where shall we go?”

I blinked up at him, and he stroked his chin in feigned thought before adding, “Handel said there’s a quiet, decent spot. Let’s head there.”

“Handel said there’s a quiet, decent spot. Let’s head there.”

After that, we turned our steps toward a lakeside behind Neo Street. It was a public lot managed by the state — a good place for a stroll. I’d heard it was especially famous among young nobles as a date spot.

“Ah! Your Excellency, look over there. A swan has its baby riding on its back. Oh my goodness! How adorable.”

As we walked along the beautifully landscaped lakefront, a swan gliding across the water’s surface caught my eye. Forgetting the very purpose we’d come for, I pointed excitedly at the mother bird. The Duke turned his head in the direction I was pointing.

“Indeed. I wasn’t aware swans had such a habit.”

“Even animals seem to be utterly devoted to their young, don’t they? I remember my father always carrying me on his back when I was little. And when my sibling was born, he had to carry two of us at once. We really put him through a lot.”

“Is that so? ……My father passed too early — I barely remember him.”

He shrugged in reply. That jogged a vague memory — I’d heard something about the Duke’s father once. He’d died when the Duke was young and frail, hadn’t he? Honestly, as rough as my own life had been, the Duke’s hadn’t been smooth either. We’d both lost a parent young, hadn’t we?

“I’m sure he cherished you deeply. A little Duke like you — if it were me, I’d carry you around on my back every single day.”

I grabbed hold of the Duke as I said it. It was a silly thing to say as consolation, but it just slipped out like an honest feeling. He let out a short laugh at that, then turned back toward the lake. And I followed his gaze, starting to watch the swan family too.

Four cygnets were nestled against their mother’s back, huddled together in a tight cluster. The sight struck me as unbearably cute, and on impulse, I thought of my younger siblings.

“…It makes me a little sad, as the oldest, that our fourth and fifth have to grow up without our parents.”

Arms crossed on the fence that bordered the lake, I blurted it out. The words spilled from somewhere deep, unbidden.

“But you’ve done a lot in their place.”

“…There are things only a mother and father can do.”

The Duke offered comfort at once, but my voice came out petulant despite myself. Then, as if purging the gloom, I kept talking.

“…Actually, our parents died of a plague. They caught it while traveling in another region. My siblings couldn’t even be at their bedside for fear of infection. And I recently found out our family fell into poverty because our parents were out searching for the Eye of the Sun. So I worry—maybe that’s why they got sick. I feel guilty toward my siblings, too.”

“Catching a plague is hardly different from an unforeseeable accident.”

“I know that… but it’s not easy to stop blaming myself.”

I propped my chin on one hand and spoke hesitantly. The Duke stepped closer, leaning his body against the fence beside me.

“…My mother died in a carriage accident. I was with her that day. I grabbed her just as she fell toward the cliff—but I was young. I lost too much blood, I think, and passed out midway. So I let go. Whenever I think of that moment, I feel like I owe her a debt I can never repay.”

Ah… that hand, back then…

I recalled a day when the Duke had muttered, full of apology, about letting go of his mother’s hand. If that had indeed led to her death, the guilt he must carry…

That was probably why. That day, I told him what I imagined his mother would have said. Simple words—but also the plainest truth.

“It was an accident, Your Excellency. It wasn’t your fault.”

“Yes.”

He gave a faint smile. I bit my lip, then rested my head against his arm.

This exchange didn’t feel particularly sad or piercing. Instead, I realized we had become emotional anchors for each other. That thought swelled with a deep satisfaction. And I hoped the Duke felt the same from me.

A white cloud that had been hiding the sun drifted slowly away, and a long ray of sunlight stretched across the Duke’s face. It made his expression hard to read, but I knew he was still smiling. In the midst of that pouring light, the Duke suddenly spoke.

“Laura. Thank you for offering to help Mother ascend.”

“It’s only natural, Madam’s business is mine.”

“I see…”

He reached out slowly, his fingers brushing across the crown of my head. I sat still, accepting his touch without a word. Then, without warning, he jabbed a finger into my cheek. I furrowed my brow as if to ask what he thought he was doing, but he only feigned ignorance and launched into a different topic.

“……Anyway, we’ll have to look somewhere else. I asked the lake keeper earlier—he said they occasionally hold festivals here. Too noisy, I think.”

Leaving the lakeshore, our third stop was a nearby restaurant. We happened to be hungry by then, so we decided to eat there. After thoroughly enjoying a grilled eggplant steak, the Duke even ordered me a strawberry cake for dessert. It was, without exaggeration, a wholly satisfying meal.

“Your Grace. We just stumbled into this place with no plan, but it’s incredible.”

“No, it was on the itinerary. Someone recommended it to me.”

He replied in a flat tone. I looked up at him, and my gaze met his as he raised his water glass.

‘Did he plan this trip for us? The lake earlier—was that the butler’s suggestion too? He must’ve remembered it and brought me along…’

The thought reached my mind, and a faint embarrassment crept over me. I averted my eyes from his, pressing my lips together, then brought up the headless ghost again.

“Well… what about this place? A few people pass by, and it’ll be quiet at night. Maybe the headless ghost would like it. Though it’s a bit cramped to wander around compared to Cuvershaiden.”

“Yes, this isn’t bad either.”

Just then, a restaurant employee arrived with the cake we’d ordered and set it down in front of me. She murmured, “Enjoy your meal,” and withdrew. Eager to shake off my awkwardness, I snatched up my fork and took a bite. The cream spread across my tongue, and my eyes widened involuntarily.

It was a taste that begged for a sigh of admiration. The best dessert I knew came from a shop called Écre, but this strawberry cake threatened to surpass even that.

“Your Grace! This is amazing!”

I waved my arms excitedly, then slid the plate toward him as if urging him to try it. I even cut a piece with my fork and held it out to him. A sweetness this good demanded to be shared.

The Duke silently accepted the cake I offered, putting it into his mouth. The slow motion of his lips traveled back to me along the fork’s handle. Becoming aware of it, a sudden flush of shyness washed over me. It felt too much like a date.

“By the way, Laura. I informed the Emperor about our engagement a while ago.”

The duke swallowed the cake I’d given him and spoke. His words jolted me back to reality.

As long as the Emperor didn’t oppose it, our engagement would move forward step by step. I’d thought of it as something vague and distant before, but now it finally felt real.

“That said, I’d like to invite your siblings before we hold the ceremony.”

He tapped the table twice as he added.

“Huh? Why?”

“They’re your family. I want to make a good impression. The academy’s about to go on break anyway, and your youngest sister—Lucia, wasn’t it? Bring her along too.”

“Oh…”

I was grateful he thought of my siblings. But one thing nagged at me: Ren. My second brother didn’t like that I worked at Cuvershaiden—because of the ghosts there. I didn’t want to invite him only to have him run into one. Especially since that ghost was strong enough to appear in daylight. Just picturing Ren’s panic at seeing Shion made my neck tense up already.

“Is it too sudden?”

As I hesitated, mulling it over, the duke asked. I quickly shook my head.

“Ah—no, not at all!”

Honestly, the timing wasn’t the problem. Besides, the duke likely wanted to get the engagement done before the madam either ascended or vanished. I understood that perfectly. And it wasn’t as if I minded myself. I wanted to lock our relationship in place as soon as possible too.

Right. I’d figure out what to do about Ren later. After I sent the headless ghost off, I could just keep Shion shut inside a room.

“I’ll write them a letter tonight, inviting them to Cuvershaiden.”

And so I gave my consent to the duke’s proposal.