Could there have been a problem with my hearing in the meantime? Kisa couldn’t help but doubt what she had just heard.

“A kiss…?”

She experimentally threw out the problematic word, but Count Vanspelt’s expression remained unchanged.

It wasn’t a misunderstanding. He clearly said “kiss.”

Good heavens. There had been many surprises lately, but this one made her faint again.

She never imagined that her conservative father would suggest such a direction to Kisa.

Wasn’t he the count who always nagged her to maintain proper conduct and kept a watchful eye to prevent his daughter from becoming close to men other than Daniel?

He even insisted that she maintain boundaries with her fiancé Daniel before marriage, refusing to allow Kisa to stay in the guest bedroom of the Lowens mansion.

Because of that, the most romantic thing Kisa had done with her beloved fiancé was giving the boy a peck on the cheek as a child, hiding from the count’s eyes.

Now she was secretly grateful for it, but during puberty, she had greatly resented her father for such reasons.

Therefore, the fact that such an extremely obscene word as “kiss” came out of the count’s mouth was enough to shock Kisa.

Moreover, he wasn’t telling her to do it in some secluded place, but to kiss Seyerd in front of the princess. Kisa swallowed hard.

“Isn’t that too much? No matter what, for a man and woman to…”

In response to his daughter’s stuttering question, the count furrowed his brows as if she had said something ridiculous.

“Aren’t you and Duke Hillan scheduled to marry in a few months? You’ll have to kiss him in front of numerous guests at the wedding anyway, so what’s the issue?”

Come to think of it, that was true.

Even if it was a marriage formed by contract, they couldn’t avoid the kiss of commitment. As it was the highlight of the wedding, it would look suspicious without it.

‘How foolish of me. Just because Seyerd said that, I completely forgot about the wedding vow kiss.’

She recalled the day he first visited the Vanspelt townhouse, when they strolled through the garden together. He had reassured her then, saying:

“Don’t worry too much about marrying a stranger. This is merely a marriage to fulfill each other’s needs, so I will never force you to perform marital duties.”

Surely Seyerd wouldn’t go back on his word, but he probably didn’t mean to forgo even the vow kiss.

As Kisa tried to calm her inexplicably flushed face, the count cleared his throat.

“Of course, don’t forget that this is assuming the worst-case scenario. If the princess doesn’t cross the line, you won’t need to go that far either.”

“Ah, yes. I’ll keep that in mind.”

“The main purpose of me sending you there is for you to learn how to claim what’s yours without letting others take it away. Go and see for yourself. How much the princess desires the duke. You will clash with such a princess.”

“…Yes.”

Until now, Kisa had been in a position to gain the princess’s favor as a friend, but that would no longer be the case. What kind of face would she show to the woman who snatched away the man she wanted?

“Additionally, it’s about time you resume your social activities. Continuing to stay out of sight and only appearing for the engagement announcement wouldn’t look very good.”

Kisa agreed. Although her reclusive life had been quite comfortable, the longer she stayed cooped up at home while Daniel went about so boldly, the more likely public opinion would turn against her.

People generally tend to think that those who don’t show themselves have something to hide. If it went on much longer, everyone might start doubting the credibility of the articles in the gossip magazines.

Above all, she didn’t like how it seemed as if she was hiding while Daniel, who had actually betrayed her, was out and about.

“Yes, Father. I’ll attend the Havertz charity gala.”

Kisa pointed to the invitation she was holding.

“Please send a reply accepting this invitation.”

“Alright.”

But as she stared at the envelope with her name written on the outside, something curious came to mind.

“But why did the invitation come addressed to me?”

Originally, she had always attended as Daniel’s partner without receiving a separate invitation, and it was strange to receive one now that she had broken off her engagement with Daniel.

It would only be awkward to run into her ex-fiancé. And it’s not like there was any special connection between the Havertz and Vanspelt families.

“Without them explaining, how could we know their exact intentions? But we can make an educated guess.”

The count then offered his daughter an explanation based on his own speculation.

“Lady Havertz probably intends to reconcile you two.”

“Daniel and me?”

“Yes, it’s her way of showing goodwill to her nephew.”

“Ah, so she’s providing an opportunity for Daniel to persuade me on his own.”

But that was out of the question. Even if Daniel were to beg on his hands and knees and bring a fortune, she had no intention of taking him back.

The hand Kisa needed to hold belonged to Seyerd, not Daniel. The reason she was going to the Havertz charity gala was all to see him…

“Oh.”

The count gave her a puzzled look at her sudden exclamation.

“What’s wrong?”

“Father, there’s one small problem. Isn’t this gala a partner-required event? Who am I going with?”

Seyerd was already the princess’s partner, and Daniel wasn’t even worth considering.

However, Kisa’s worry proved unnecessary as the count had already prepared for that as well.

“Your partner isn’t particularly important, so you can just bring anyone suitable. Come in!”

Had he kept that suitable anyone waiting outside? The count called out towards the door leading to the hallway.

Soon the door opened and his secretary entered. But there was no one visible behind the secretary.

Kisa tilted her head in confusion, having thought he would bring her partner candidate.

“Um, where is my partner?”

“Right there, isn’t he?”

“I’m not sure where you mean…”

“Right in front of you.”

Only after hearing the count’s somewhat sharp tone did Kisa stop looking around the doorway and look at the only person who had just entered the room.

“You can’t mean…?”

“That’s exactly what I mean, young lady.”

The count’s secretary mumbled with an embarrassed face.

“I may be lacking, but I will escort you.”

“…”

“I, I will do my utmost best to escort you!”

Well, come to think of it, there was nothing particularly wrong with it. The conditions set by Havertz for partners were people of verified identity from the upper class.

Though of lower rank, he was still a nobleman and held the position of count’s secretary, more than meeting the requirements. Moreover, the age difference with Kisa wasn’t too great. She was just a bit taken aback because it was an unexpected person.

“Alright. I’ll be in your care, Richard.”

When Kisa responded with a sociable smile, Richard let out a sigh of relief.

“You may go.”

As if his role ended there, the count dismissed him with the same brief instruction he had used to call him in.

After Richard left, he opened his mouth.

“And I haven’t told Duke Hillan that you’ll be attending.”

“What? Why not?”

“Even if I told him, he’d just say he’d handle it himself. That man needs to know that we don’t always move according to his wishes.”

It seemed to be the count’s own form of rebellion against being led around by Seyerd all this time.

Kisa worried if it was really alright not to tell Seyerd, but truthfully, she wanted to keep it a secret just this once.

She wished to surprise him, just as he had surprised her by hiding his identity as Duke Hillan.

Seyerd’s surprised expression. That would be quite interesting to see.

Thud. As she opened the door and entered, the night’s chill that had gathered inside greeted Hazel.

She shivered briefly from the cold, then walked around the teahouse with familiar steps to light the lamps. Today was the day when the employees came in late, so preparing for business was her sole responsibility.

“Oh my.”

But when Hazel entered the back of the shop, she saw a figure lying on the sofa.

“Daniel! Did you spend the night here again?”

He raised himself with a groggy face.

“Ah, Hazel. You’re here?”

“It was chilly last night, what if you catch a cold doing this?”

“That level of cold is nothing to me.”

Despite Daniel’s confident answer, Hazel headed to the kitchen to make him some warm tea.

“Daniel, please go home today.”

A moment later, as he received the tea Hazel brought, he thanked her but replied glumly.

“I don’t want to. I’m sick of the old man’s nagging.”

It seemed he had been getting scolded by his father, Marquis Lowens, about the broken engagement issue lately.

If he would just bow his head and go along with it for a while, things would be better. But because both father and son were so stubborn, Daniel had rarely been at the Lowens mansion recently.

“But you can’t keep this up forever. Just apologize to your father already.”

“Why should I apologize? Hazel, are you saying it’s my fault too?”

“That’s not it. I’m just worried about you…”

As Hazel was trying to comfort him, it happened.

“Young master! Daniel, young master!”

Someone was pounding on the teahouse door, calling for Daniel.

Perhaps because Daniel frequented this place so often, now when the Lowens household had business with him, they would send someone here.

Tsk, Daniel clicked his tongue in annoyance as he headed for the door.

“What is it now?”

He roughly pulled open the door and glared at his family’s servant. Hazel followed, worried he might lose his temper again.

“A letter from Lady Havertz, sir.”

“From Aunt?”

But as he unfolded and read the letter, his eyes lit up. Daniel spent a while reading the short note, then suddenly started giggling.

“I knew you would.”

It was a genuinely joyful expression, unlike the prickly demeanor he had shown over the past few days.

“You end up lowering your tail like this after all, Kisa.”