The wind blew again. As the breeze chilled her forehead, Meiana felt good. She stretched her legs, yawned, and closed her eyes, tilting her head back.

“The Duke often goes to El Lautika. What if the Duke is not present? Should I grab Jocelyn’s housekeeper by the collar until the Duke returns? But he might suffocate and die at his age.”

“He won’t be going to the capital for a while.”

Meiana, who had opened her eyes, slightly lifted her head and looked at him.

“Are you saying that the Duke will stay in the estate for a while?”

Cediloy nodded. He picked up a small stone at his feet and threw it toward the pond. With a splash, the stone sank.

“With Ariante and Swan, taking care of two children… I got permission to take a short break. Most of the diplomatic issues have been resolved.”

Meiana, who was silent for a moment, responded.

“That’s great. The Lady will be very pleased.”

Cediloy suddenly smiled silently.

“Come to think of it, your words are very fitting.”

“What do you mean?”

“The talk about Jocelyn. The saying that a nonexistent disease occurs when you can’t make you a mistress. He seemed very unwell. I haven’t called her for a while, and I haven’t seen her up close… for a moment, I thought I was looking at someone else.”

Meiana laughed with a teasing smile on her face, as if she could imagine it well.

“If I were an unscrupulous person, I might have let Jocelyn’s intentions be fulfilled. Unfortunately, it didn’t happen.”

At her words, Cediloy, who was about to subtly smile, stopped. Cediloy, who picked up another stone and threw it toward the pond, spoke.

“This is where Nao and Verbo liked the most when they were young.”

Meiana nodded in agreement.

“It makes sense. It’s a very beautiful place. The pond is clean too… What’s in that small cabin over there?”

“Just a small bed and things like that. In the summer, the two of us used to swim here. It’s not very deep.”

“You know how to swim.”

Cediloy looked at her as if asking, ‘Can’t you?’

“I’ve never tried it properly. I probably can’t. I’ve never had any intention of going into water where my feet can’t touch.”

“You grew up in the countryside, didn’t you?”

“If you grow up in the countryside, do you all know how to ride and swim? Lady and Duke, both of you have strange prejudices.”

In fact, children who grew up in the countryside were familiar with riding horses, swimming, and even herding livestock. There were also kids who were good at catching chickens, grinding barley or wheat, and milking sheep.
If Meiana hadn’t lived a past life, she might have naturally learned and become accustomed to such things. However, even in her previous life, she didn’t particularly enjoy going into the water. The only time she went swimming was when she went for a walk with her companion dog.

“You’re peculiar.”

When Cediloy complained, Meiana retorted with a mocking tone.

“If being a peculiar girl from the countryside, then Duke, you are a peculiar aristocrat.”

“What’s peculiar about me?”

Meiana stared at him, as if asking if he considered that a compliment.

“You seem to be interested in a country girl like me. Not only interested, but you even suggested that I become the Duke’s wife. If this isn’t peculiar, then what is? Wouldn’t the Duke be more peculiar collecting strange items in the basement?”

Cediloy blinked his eyes a few times. Although there wasn’t a single swear word, it felt highly offensive to hear such words…

This time, Meiana picked up a stone at her feet. Just as Cediloy did, she swiftly threw it towards the pond.

“It’s really unusual that you’re not just interested in a one-night stand.”

Cediloy sobered up and said, “That’s because you’re special, not because I’m peculiar.”

Meiana, who was choosing a stone to throw, stopped abruptly and looked up at him, bending her waist. As she realized that Cediloy’s shiny golden eyes were directly facing her, her earlobes suddenly burned with heat.

Cediloy, who stood up from the bench, took off his jacket and casually draped it over the backrest. Then, unbuttoning three buttons on his shirt and starting to take off his shoes.

“What are you doing?”

Surprised, Meiana shouted, and in an instant, Cediloy, who became barefoot, strode down the gentle grassy slope.

“Duke!”

“I’ll teach the peculiar country girl how to swim, so watch and learn.”

Caught off guard, Meiana thought, ‘He didn’t bring a towel. It’s not even midsummer, but if he catches a cold, it’s not a simple problem…’

‘No, it’s his own decision, why should I worry about this?’

Meiana watched Cediloy swimming gracefully in the shallow water with her fists clenched.
Even in his clothes, he swam skillfully. Meiana’s expression, which had been like that of a mother looking at an unruly son, gradually relaxed.

Without making a loud sound, he treaded water, appearing very comfortable. It seemed as if he couldn’t breathe properly outside the water.

“How is it?”

Cediloy turned his body, raising his head above water. With each rise of his body, the soaked shirt clung tightly along the line of his sturdy shoulders.