Lina quickly closed her eyes.

‘May a man who loves me appear, and break this annoying curse!’

Although she always pondered what wish to make, in the end, she always wished for the curse to be broken.

Of course, even though she had wished for it hundreds of times, it had never once come true.

Lina, who had softly chanted her wish in her heart, slightly opened her eyes and looked forward.

‘Though he seems like he wouldn’t believe in such things.’

It was strange to see a man, who seemed uninterested in such childish things, making a wish. What could be the wish of that man who seemed to have everything?

Could that man have wished to break a curse like her, she thought meaninglessly, when once again, the announcer’s voice came.

“Now everyone, float the lanterns!”

And following the announcer’s words, she and Duke Valige let go of the lantern they had been holding. The lantern that the Duke and Lina were holding began to slowly rise to the sky.

“Wow!”

Lina exclaimed without realizing.

If stars born from the earth were sewn into the sky, it would feel like this. The sight of countless glowing lights rising one by one was truly beautiful.

As if a small cluster of stars were floating, Lina let out a small breath at the breathtaking sight.

“It’s so beautiful. Isn’t…… it?”

Lina asked the Duke for agreement, looking at him. But.

The man, whom she thought would be watching the lanterns, was quietly staring at her. As if he had not taken his eyes off her for even a moment.

“Yes. It’s pretty.”

At the man’s words, her face began to turn as red as the lanterns that filled the sky.

The words that it’s pretty felt as if he was talking about her.

The two’s eyes met. The noisy surroundings seemed to go quiet, just avoiding the two of them.

All that could be heard was the sound of beating hearts.

“Um…….”

Just as Lina was about to muster the courage to speak to the Duke, the voices of a man and woman beside them reached her ears.

“If a man and woman float a lantern together, they’ll never part, right?”

“Yes. They said those two will become eternal lovers! So let’s never part!”

At their conversation, Lina snapped back to reality as if splashed with cold water.

“Floating a lantern together means not parting, what’s that…….”

Come to think of it, although the lantern festival was good for dating couples, it was also suitable for family travelers. Most of the people here looked like couples.

‘So does that mean that the Duke and I floating a lantern together….’

Lina looked at the Duke’s back with confused eyes.

“Du…… Ah, Duke Valige. Did you hear just now? The lantern. If a man and woman send one together, those two people…….”

“There is a legend that they will be together forever.”

“……Yes?”

But the Duke responded as if he already knew.

“So, you floated the lantern with me knowing all this?”

“Yes.”

“……Why?”

“The reason, I think you already know.”

Again. The same atmosphere as yesterday. And those eyes.
[If your goal is to become a Duchess, it’s best to give up. There’s never been even a commoner Duchess or a consort in the Fermenence family.] [And surely, Your Grace doesn’t think you don’t have a fiancée?]

But why does Lawrence’s words come to mind?

“……You shouldn’t do that.”

“What?”

Lina clenched her fists with her head bowed, forgetting even to call him Valige.

“You have a fiancée, Your Grace.”

“……A fiancée?”

“Yes. I heard that you’ve had a fiancée since you were a child. She will soon become the Duchess…….”

Then, Valige’s brows furrowed without mercy.

“Where the hell did you hear such nonsense?”

“What’s important now is…….”

“I don’t have anything like a fiancée.”

‘What?’

Valige said to Lina in a calm voice.

“But, since you were very young…….”

“It was. But that engagement has been broken for a long time.”

‘The engagement is broken? But according to that man’s words……. Could it have been a lie?’

She was confused. Whether the Duke’s words were true or Lawrence’s words were true.

She looked at the Duke with trembling eyes.

“But, even if not now, you will eventually get engaged, and marry. Then I…….”

Why is her heart pounding like this?

‘What is this man going to say to me? What am I expecting?’

For some reason, as she talked about his future as if it was a natural course, her heart ached.

“No.”

But Valige cut her off, as if he no longer needed to hear her.

“It won’t happen.”

His eyes were unwavering and completely resolute.

And perhaps because she knew his mind, another impulsive question sprang from her lips.

“You said so last night. That you would do everything I want.”

Her voice seemed to tremble slightly.

“What will you do if I want to become a Duchess?”

How arrogant and presumptuous a question was this.

“Then I’ll make you the Duchess.”

But the answer, without a moment’s hesitation, made her heart leap.

“Even though I’m a commoner? A commoner cannot become the lawful wife of a noble.”

“Then you’ll have to become a noble lady first.”

Was it such an easy thing to turn a commoner into a noble? Changing one’s status seemed as simple as eating a meal to him.

Lina, faced with a man who seemed truly willing to grant her every wish, suddenly entertained a thought she had never considered before.

Perhaps this man standing before her.

Might break the curse she had been unable to lift for a long time.

Such a thrilling assumption.