The silk line drew a graceful arc as it fell powerfully over the clear stream. As the pheasant feather lure moved lifelike on the water’s surface, a bite soon followed.

“As expected, my casting skills haven’t rusted.”

Shade gave a short whistle as he watched Caeron casually lift the rod. A trout as thick as an arm came up along the line, but Caeron’s expression didn’t look particularly pleased.

“But… is something the matter?”

Caeron and Shade had enjoyed various hobbies together since boyhood. Among them, fly fishing was something they hadn’t done in a long time.

“Seems like you have something troubling you.”

It was usually at times like this that Caeron would pick up a rod. Moreover, he had been surprised when Caeron suddenly suggested going fly fishing when it wasn’t planned.

“…It won’t be caught.”

“Won’t be caught?”

Shade looked with puzzled eyes at the trout that had just been caught, in response to Caeron’s low murmur.

“You’re catching them with every cast, what do you mean by that?”

Caeron, who had cast again, stared at the fly floating on the water and slowly opened his mouth.

“How do you usually… win a woman’s heart?”

Shade nearly dropped the rod he was holding at Caeron’s unexpected words. After a moment of confusion, Shade’s eyes became meaningful.

“So… when you say it won’t be caught, you’re talking about a woman’s heart, not fish?”

“……”

Caeron kept his mouth tightly shut, but Shade knew that silence meant affirmation. At this sight, Shade finally couldn’t hold back and burst into laughter.

“Haha! To think I’d live to see the day you’d ask such a question!”

Caeron twitched his eyebrow and glared coldly at Shade. Despite his gaze, Shade paid no mind and laughed, holding his stomach.

“Why? Things not going well with Her Highness? Didn’t I warn you!”

The sharp-witted Shade had noticed the subtly strained relationship between the Grand Duke and Duchess after their honeymoon. Especially concerned about the faintly shadowed face of the Grand Duchess, he had even said a word to the Grand Duke.

− Did you perhaps have a fight? It’s common for newlyweds to quarrel, but don’t put off reconciling for too long. Being honest is best. Pride is the most useless thing in the face of love.

− You’re talking nonsense.

For someone who had told him not to mind such advice to now be seeking counsel – Shade felt truly exhilarated for the first time in a long while as he patted Caeron’s shoulder.

“The way to win a woman’s heart, as I said before, is to be honest.”

“Be honest?”

“Yes. Just express yourself honestly.”

Express himself honestly… He couldn’t very well say that his body was heated by the Grand Duchess’s scent and that he wanted to ravish her right away.

Caeron ran his hand through his hair as if frustrated. Seeing him like this, Shade twitched the corner of his mouth, barely holding back the laughter that was about to burst out.

‘He’s not the type to openly crave affection.’

He must have never once begged anyone for anything in his life until now. Especially when it came to relationships with the opposite sex. Even without doing anything, women’s affection and attention followed him to the point of annoyance.

“If it’s difficult to speak honestly, there is another way.”

“…Another way?”

“Yes. It’s the same when casting.”

Shade tapped the line connected to the rod as he spoke.

“Sometimes you throw this line straight down, but when needed, you reel it in and cast it subtly.”

“Cast it subtly…?”

“Yes. If it’s hard to express directly, I’m saying to seduce subtly.”

Subtle seduction… Caeron chuckled as if finding it absurd. Seeing his reaction, Shade shook his head and chided him.

“Come now, you have to be willing to make an effort to win a woman’s heart. A woman’s heart is the most difficult and precious thing to obtain in this world!”

“So. What exactly is this subtle seduction you speak of?”

“Hah, want to know?”

Shade asked with a smirk lifting the corner of his mouth. Caeron’s hand gripping the rod tightened at his friend’s mischievous smile. Seeing Caeron’s face turn cold, Shade quickly continued.

“Now, now, look here carefully.”

Shade held up a fly made of feathers. It was an artificial lure created to tempt fish.

“You need bait to catch fish. To win a woman’s heart, you also need bait that will captivate her heart.”

‘Bait to captivate her heart…’

“First, make the bait. Bring her something she’ll be interested in and like, or do something that will make her happy.”

“If it’s that, I’m doing enough already. I spare no support for the Grand Duchess.”

“The courtesy towards the Grand Duchess isn’t what’s important here. The key here is not the Grand Duchess, but Lady Aidel.”

“What are you saying? Not the Grand Duchess, but Aidel?”

Shade shook his head as Caeron furrowed his brows, seemingly not understanding the meaning.

“You… I thought you were perfect, but I see you’re still lacking in this area.”

“Just get to the point.”

“Treat Lady Aidel as a woman, not as the Grand Duchess. Make her feel loved for her existence as Aidel, not as the Grand Duchess.”

Caeron’s eyes deepened at Shade’s words. Aidel had changed after their conversation in the carriage returning from the imperial banquet.

− Is what Your Highness wants from me… only the role of Grand Duchess?

− …Yes. As per our contract, just be diligent in what you need to do as Grand Duchess.

He recalled Aidel’s image, nodding silently at his answer. Was her complexion, dark like a clouded moon halo… because she was only being forced into the role and duty of a contract Grand Duchess?

When he visited the Grand Duchess’s room last night, she spoke of adding a subsidiary clause, drawing a line in their contractual relationship. Her expression and eyes were firm, as if trying to protect herself.

‘Affection for her very existence…’

Fragments of the woman’s past, growing up without receiving proper affection, flashed through his mind. Would the affection he poured onto such a woman be beneficial? Or harmful?

Caeron’s figure, quietly staring at the fly floating on the water, looked calm.

However, like the movement of fish beneath the water’s surface, his eyes swirled with complex emotions.

The dining room where dinner was served was quiet except for the sound of utensils brushing against dishes.

Aidel, sitting across from Caeron, hesitated for a moment before speaking.

“I heard you went fly fishing with Lord Shade today.”

“Yes. The thought suddenly came to me.”

At his answer, Aidel’s lips moved slightly. Gregory’s words came to mind.

− Actually, His Highness goes fly fishing when something isn’t going well, or when he has something troubling him.

‘Something not going well, or troubling him…’

Is it because of me after all?

It had been a worry that had gripped her all afternoon. Aidel glanced at Caeron’s face with cautious eyes.

“Do you have something you want to say?”

“Well…”

Feeling Aidel’s gaze on him, Caeron looked at her and asked, causing her to lower her eyes slightly, avoiding his gaze.

If he was feeling uncomfortable because of her refusal to share a bed last night… he couldn’t be in a good mood. In this state, it might not be appropriate for her to bring up the water control project.

Aidel took a slow, deep breath as various thoughts complicated her mind.

“If you have something to say, feel free to speak.”

After watching her for a moment, Caeron opened his mouth.

“Grand Duchess… no, Aidel, I’m ready to listen to whatever you have to say.”

“…!”

His voice was so soft it felt sweet. Aidel’s eyes, slightly widened in surprise, turned towards Caeron.

‘Was he not upset or angry…?’

Far from it, Caeron’s face looked as relaxed as usual, even with a faint smile on his lips. It was different from her own state, having been anxious since last night.

While feeling relieved at his demeanor, an inexplicable conflicting emotion also arose. Aidel deliberately ignored it, as it was too strange to admit to herself that the feeling was disappointment.

And she tried to focus only on the water control project proposal she wanted to discuss with him.

“I heard that while the Grand Duchy’s trade business was affected by the recent storm, the western outskirts of the capital also suffered great damage.”

“Yes. That area tends to bear the brunt of storm damage around this time of year.”

“How about proceeding with a water control project to build canals and embankments in the western outskirts?”

Aidel explained the outline and effectiveness of the water control project she had in mind. Caeron quickly understood her purpose in wanting to proceed with the project.

“It might be beyond the role of Grand Duchess that Your Highness envisions, but I want to lend strength to the lives of the imperial citizens, regardless of the territory under my jurisdiction.”

Aidel clasped her slightly trembling hands together as she conveyed her opinion to Caeron. She looked visibly tense.

“I don’t oppose what you want to do. Moreover, it’s for the imperial citizens of Yupiter, so there’s no reason to object.”

Caeron’s tone was gentle, as if soothing her rigidity. Seemingly emboldened by his response, Aidel added her opinion.

“Your Highness’s help is needed for the water control project investment. If Your Highness takes the lead, we can gather investors more quickly.”

Seeing Aidel’s earnest gaze, Caeron fell into thought for a moment.

To be honest, for him, it would be faster and easier to invest his own private funds rather than attracting investments from other businessmen.

‘But that’s not what she wants.’

If it were the previous him, he wouldn’t have bothered with troublesome business investment recruitment, but…

− Bring her something she’ll be interested in and like, or do something that will make her happy.

He intended to follow Shade’s advice to cast bait that would capture her heart.

− Make her feel loved for her existence as Aidel, not as the Grand Duchess.

Even if it was affection with an underlying intention, he planned to express it unhesitatingly towards her. After all, the reason he kept her by his side was clear from the beginning.

She wasn’t a woman who would be pleased by material things like jewelry and dresses like other women. Then, doing as she wished was the fastest way to win her heart.

“Gladly. If that’s what you want, I’ll do so.”

“Really?”

Aidel widened her eyes in disbelief at Caeron’s answer. Her complexion brightened in an instant.

“Prepare an investment proposal. I’ll arrange an investment presentation soon.”

“I’ve already prepared a draft. I’ll deliver it to you by tomorrow.”

“I’ll gather investors under my name publicly, but you’ll make the presentation yourself at the investment meeting.”

“…Me?”

“This is your idea. And I want to show you off.”

“Show me… off?”

“Yes, to show off how intelligent and brilliant you are.”

“…!”

Aidel lowered her gaze in embarrassment as the man smiled deeply, looking into her eyes intently. Her snow-white earlobes turned bright red.

The skilled fisherman began casting to capture the woman’s heart.