Atia found the owner’s expressionless face and silent work intriguing.

‘Is this the shop’s concept?’

A moment later.

The deliciously grilled chicken breast was ready.

Since she had already eaten spicy food earlier, she felt like eating something bland this time.

“Your Grace… I mean, would you like to try some of this?”

Atia offered the grilled chicken breast to Casus.

Casus looked hesitant.

Eating freshly cooked raw chicken was not something he was accustomed to.

“If you don’t like it, just say so.”

There was a space next to the store, like a food truck, where one could comfortably sit and chat.

Atia sat on a chair, ordered a glass of water and milk, and ate the grilled chicken breast.

“Yum.”

Seeing Atia enjoy her meal, Casus also developed an appetite.

“Tasty?”

“Yes.”

“There are plenty of nicer restaurants around, aren’t you uncomfortable eating here?”

Casus spoke while glancing at the small, hard chairs.

Originally, he would not eat street food.

Given that there are highquality restaurants and dukes stocked with the best sanitary foods, he saw no need to eat outdoors.

But seeing Atia’s actions made him want to spontaneously live in the moment.

“Not at all. It actually has its own charm.”

“……”

“Why? Does it look tasty because I’m eating it?”

Casus hesitated and then slightly nodded his head.

Holding back her imminent laughter, Atia tore the chicken breast into appetizing pieces.

“How is it? Tasty, right?”

“Order one more.”

“Heh.”

Atia was reminded of her past life as Kang Jihah.

In the evenings, many people, like herself now, would sit in food trucks and enjoy conversations.

Even Kang Jihah had done so.

Not often, but occasionally.

Because even amidst a busy schedule, one couldn’t help but have lengthy conversations when meeting familiar faces.

She wouldn’t meet those people and that environment again, but…

“Your Gr… I mean, what should I call you when we’re out like this?”

Atia asked him.

“Casus.”

“Yes?”

“Just call me by my name.”

“Ah, yes!”

After finishing their meal, only skewers from the chicken breast, milk, and eggs were left on Atia’s table.

Although it was a simple meal, it felt like their relationship had progressed.

Atia suddenly realized that many people were staring at Casus.

His towering height and overwhelmingly imposing aura made him look like the son of a prestigious family at first glance.

It must have been a surprise to see him sitting at a street food truck.

‘He really is the people’s first choice.’

Atia thought, would there be another tall and handsome man here? But upon looking around, she saw no one who could match Casus.
Casus’s beauty was unmatched.

People bustled about the street.

A gentle wind blew, scattering Atia’s silver hair.

“Do you want to do something?”

“Hmm….”

He looked at her as if telling her to say whatever she wanted.

Atia worried she might be enjoying herself too carelessly here.

‘Now… is this an opportunity to do some work while going to places like this?’

Don’t just exercise in the training ground; be useful as a Duchess?

She had heard that nobles often spoke indirectly.

Although Casus wasn’t someone to beat around the bush, she had heard that speaking this way was effective when suggesting something.

So, Atia thought she should be careful not to focus only on enjoying herself but also observe her surroundings.

“Wouldn’t it be good to walk a bit now that we’ve eaten?”

At Casus’s light smile and extended hand, Atia took it as if she was quite familiar with the gesture.

Atia took in each and every view of the beautiful duchy.

‘I’m glad to be alive, to see all this…’

Even though she wasn’t entirely at ease about her life running out soon, she thought she had to enjoy her unavoidable fate.

She observed the people on the street, listening carefully to how they lived and what they said.

“Kekeke, I hid some emergency money without my wife knowing!”

A drunk man with a flushed nose took out some money from his pocket and flaunted it.

“Same old tricks, I see.”

Atia slightly lifted the corner of her mouth.

Even here, the act of hiding emergency money was similar.

Different times, different places, but the way people live is not all that different.

“Do you feel unwell?”

Casus asked again.

He had been asking about her physical condition more frequently lately.

As if he wouldn’t believe her even if she said she was fine.

He seemed to know that she had faked illness to refuse the first night.

“Your Highness, or rather… do you hope that I am unwell?”

Feeling a sudden pang of guilt, Atia scratched her head.

“What do you mean by ‘Your Highness’?”

“Huh?”

“Calling me Duke would be more natural.”

Atia was at a loss for words at Casus’s statement.

“…”

“If you’re not unwell, that’s good.”

His deep voice resonated again in Atia’s ears.

Somehow, it felt like he was genuinely concerned.

So, Atia felt strange.

Walking along the crowded street, Casus spoke.

“I wonder if the festival can be held successfully.”

“What do you mean?”

Casus seemed about to say something but shook his head.

“No, it’s nothing.”

“If you start saying something and then stop, it makes me curious.”

That’s when she heard it.

The distant murmurs.

“Wooh! Wooh!”

It appeared someone who couldn’t speak was stretching out their hand and yelling in some direction.

‘No, that person is…?’

Atia realized that the person was the owner who had deliciously grilled the chicken skewers.

The owner was stretching his hand toward two young men running away with a box full of bills and coins.

“Wooh! Wooh! Wooh!”

The owner, who had been cooking food as requested by the customers, seemed to be shouting for help, but nobody dared to help.

Everyone just watched.

Meanwhile, the young men holding the box of money were running away fast.

The owner couldn’t leave his shop, nor could he chase after those men; he could only roll his feet.

“This is outrageous! A clear case of daylight robbery.”

Stealing the hardearned money from someone else’s business?

Atia couldn’t stand it.

She couldn’t just pass by the owner who had grilled the chicken breast so wonderfully.

Otherwise, she wouldn’t be able to sleep tonight due to guilt.

“Just a moment.”

Leaving just those words for Casus, Atia chased after the two young men with the money box.

Thud, thud!

She then darted through the crowd in the market.

‘I don’t know if I can catch them, but let’s do my best.’
The festival crowd was so dense that bumping into others seemed likely, but Atia was able to swiftly pass through.

Being light and thin had its advantages.

Fortunately, one of the two men was wearing noticeable red clothing, making it easy to locate him.

If it were a premeditated crime, he would undoubtedly be wearing less conspicuous clothes.

So then,

An impulsive crime?

Or maybe he stepped outside his boundaries?

‘In the Duke’s territory, theft is not taken lightly.’

Atia observed the men entering the alley from a distance and surreptitiously followed them.