Given the sudden question and seeing Seiard’s unfamiliar expression, Kisa was thoroughly flustered.

“What? No! That’s not true.”

Without even having time to consider why he had such an expression, she frantically waved both hands. Simply wishing that Seiard would stop making a face so unsuited to him.

“The date was very nice. The food was delicious, the scenery was beautiful, and the dress was pretty. I have no complaints at all. I thoroughly enjoyed it.”

Despite Kisa’s desperate denial, Seiard’s face showed no sign of relaxing.

“I can’t promise not to be upset, but at least I won’t be displeased. So please tell me honestly.”

“This is my honest feeling!”

“But I know you weren’t in a good mood throughout the date.”

“That’s…”

Her words faltered. She thought she had hidden it well, but how did he see through it at a glance?

Until now, Kisa had learned not to reveal her true self like others in high society, but in front of this man, she felt like a child whose thoughts were clearly visible.

However, the most important thing now was not Seiard’s extraordinary insight, but clearing up the misunderstanding.

“You’re right. I’m sorry. You planned the best date, but I couldn’t focus on it.”

Seeing that further concealment would only deepen the misunderstanding, Kisa frankly admitted the truth.

“But that was because of my personal issues, not at all because I didn’t like the date with Seiard. Please believe me.”

“Is that true?”

“Of course.”

His expression brightened a bit compared to earlier, but compared to usual, it was still cloudy.

“Could that personal issue be related to my rushing the engagement schedule?”

“What?”

“Or perhaps you felt burdened by the current situation of constantly being talked about due to your association with me?”

“Both are wrong!”

As one misunderstanding was cleared only for another to form, Kisa hurriedly spoke up.

“The engagement schedule doesn’t bother me at all, and people’s attention is…”

Kisa, who was about to say it was nothing, stopped mid-sentence.

Come to think of it, Seiard had silently encouraged Kisa when she shrank from the pressure of people at the restaurant today.

It was obvious he wouldn’t simply believe her if she just said it was fine.

“To be honest, it was a bit overwhelming.”

So she decided to be completely truthful.

“When I was cooped up at home and only learned about it through newspapers or other people’s stories, I didn’t really feel it. But when I experienced it firsthand, I found myself tensing up without realizing it.”

It was natural, given that it was her first time receiving so much attention from so many people.

“But that was only at first. Remember? I ate well at the restaurant, didn’t I? It was truly an excellent meal.”

“Yes, that’s true. But after that, your demeanor changed. No, going back further, from when I first came to this mansion today, Kisa seemed somehow gloomy.”

“…So you noticed that much. You’re very perceptive.”

“I hear that often.”

Feeling a bit embarrassed, Kisa cleared her throat a couple of times unnecessarily.

At this point, there was no choice but to reveal everything truthfully.

After all, it wasn’t such a tremendous issue that needed to be hidden so desperately.

She just needed to endure a bit of embarrassment.

Biting her lip, Kisa began to speak.

“The truth is, I felt sorry for receiving such excessive kindness from you, Seiard.”

“Sorry?”

“Yes, because I can never repay you as much as I’ve received, yet your kindness keeps piling up.”

“There’s no need to think that way. Just by participating in my marriage plan-”

“I know. I know that the kindness you show me isn’t solely for my sake.”

“…”

“Even if I’m uncomfortable, you can’t lower your standards as the Duke of Hillan, right? Even if it’s a temporary relationship bound by contract, I’m still going to be your wife.”

For the sake of appearances, the best had to be given to the Duchess of Hillan. Whether it was a meal or a dress.

“I understand that. I do, but…”

Kisa quickly pulled out an item that had been sleeping in her handbag all day.

“When I compared what I was going to give you with your gift, I felt ashamed.”

Was it such an unexpected situation? Seiard’s eyes widened.

“A gift?”

As Kisa, embarrassed, just clutched the wrapped handkerchief tightly, he approached with slow steps and asked.

“May I receive it?”

“…Of course.”

He unwrapped it as soon as Kisa handed it to him. With somewhat hasty movements.

Upon instantly revealing Kisa’s gift, Seiard said this.

“It’s a handkerchief.”

“That’s right. It’s a handkerchief.”

“I see embroidery that appears to be my initials.”

“It’s a bit clumsy, isn’t it?”

“Is this your handiwork?”

“Yes, though I’m embarrassed.”

It was truly a bland conversation. But somehow, it felt warm.

At this fact, Kisa, who had been looking down at her toes, not knowing how the recipient of her silly gift would react, gained a bit of courage.

Even if he might look disappointed or perplexed, she felt that Seiard would at least show some formal courtesy.

“Um.”

As Kisa timidly raised her head, the sun that had been hidden by clouds emerged.

Soon, her view captured the face of the man quietly gazing at the handkerchief.

‘Huh?’

He’s expressionless. No, looking closely, the corners of his mouth seem to be slightly raised.

Which is it? Kisa narrowed her eyes, but the shadows cast by the backlight made everything unclear.

And just as the sun was about to hide behind clouds again, dispelling the backlight, Seiard smiled brightly. It was his usual smile.

“Thank you, Kisa. I’ll use it well.”

He neatly folded the handkerchief he had unfolded and put it in his pocket.

“Ah, yes. If you’ll do that, I couldn’t ask for more.”

She replied, calming her surprised heart.

How should I put it, it felt like she had stolen a glimpse of his secret self.

The misty, hazy smile she had seen just moments ago kept lingering in her mind.

Though it was a vague guess without much basis, she wondered if perhaps that was Seiard Hillan’s most essential aspect.

A raw reaction stripped of all courtesy and pretense.

As she entertained such fanciful thoughts, Seiard spoke up nonchalantly.

“By the way, I was really scared. I worried what I would do if the date plan I had put so much effort into didn’t please Kisa.”

“Oh, come on.”

Kisa chuckled at his exaggerated shuddering motion, shaking off her fantasies.

“How many women in the kingdom would dislike such a wonderful date course?”

“I’m glad to hear that. You know, since I learned about dating from books, I was worried if it would work in practice.”

“It worked very well, so don’t worry.”

The sunset light illuminated the two chatting casually, seemingly forgetting about the waiting carriage.

Late in the evening, inside a tavern on the outskirts of the capital.

Daniel Lowens, occupying a table alone, tilted back what must have been his umpteenth glass of alcohol.

Damn it. A curse escaped his lips at the resentment that wouldn’t fade even with intoxication.

He had been in this state ever since encountering Hazel in front of the Vanspelt mansion, no, since hearing the engagement announcement at the charity gala.

No matter how much strong liquor he poured down his throat or how many cigars he burned, his mood wouldn’t improve even slightly.

“What? So you’re saying Duke Hillan stole a woman who was already engaged?”

“It goes without saying. Everyone’s hushing it up because they’re wary of the ducal family, but isn’t it obvious?”

That’s when it happened. The conversation of men sitting a few steps away reached Daniel’s ears.

Of all things, it was the very topic he currently wished to hear least, and simultaneously the hottest gossip among all the capital’s citizens.

Damn it all, this one and that one.

Daniel tried to focus his attention solely on the alcohol, but their voices clawed at his eardrums, speaking so loudly.

“I thought that great Hillan was different, but he’s just the same as the others.”

“That’s how all nobles are. Acting high and mighty on the outside while doing all sorts of dirty things behind the scenes.”

Up to that point was fine. But right after, inevitably came those words that grated on Daniel’s nerves.

“Anyway, I feel sorry for that son of some marquis who was supposedly the countess’s original match.”

His tightly clenched teeth ground audibly.

How dare these worms speak of pitying someone like him.

Never in his life had he been treated that way.

A family with both wealth and honor, good looks, superior physical abilities, and a beautiful and devoted fiancée anyone would covet.

Possessing all of that, Daniel Lowens had always walked with his head held high, looking down on those who envied him. With a sneer on his lips.

But after that nightmarish engagement announcement, the evaluations surrounding him changed in an instant.

More than the criticism for womanizing while having a fiancée, the pitying gazes dragged his mood further into the mud.

Peeling away the cheap sympathy revealed mockery underneath—how incompetent must he have been to have his fiancée stolen by another man?

‘Damn them all. Do they think I’ll just sit back and take this…?’

Even as he muttered silently with bloodshot eyes, the three middle-aged men, unaware that the subject of their gossip was right next to them, continued their chatter.

“Pitiful indeed. But that guy also messed around while having a fiancée, so he reaped what he sowed.”

“The prevailing theory is that Duke Hillan pulled some strings behind the scenes.”

“Is that so? I didn’t know that.”

At that moment, one man who had been silent until now, only listening to the other two, opened his mouth.

“A scoundrel’s nature doesn’t change, I suppose.”

The man with an unkempt beard curled his lip in disdain.

“He was quite infamous in the area where I used to live. Seiard Hillan, a hopeless scoundrel.”