‘How about setting a regular date and meeting periodically?’

Eric suggested one rule to prevent their fake relationship from taking up too much of each other’s time.

They agreed to date once a week, from lunch to dinner only.

Of course, Iris agreed to this. It would have been much more burdensome if they had to meet more often or go on random dates.

It was good for both of them to maintain it just enough to avoid their parents’ worries and suspicions.

“Young lady, which earrings would you like to wear?”

Milla, Iris’s personal maid, asked while holding out pearl earrings and diamond earrings.

Today was the day of her regular date with Eric. They planned to watch a newly performed opera, take a walk in the park, then stop by a social club for a while before parting ways.

“I’ll take the one on the right.”

“Yes, now you’re all ready.”

Milla smiled gently as she put the diamond earrings on her earlobes and stepped back.

Iris picked up her small handbag and left the house. She had agreed to meet Eric in front of the opera theater.

Arriving 10 minutes early, she waited in front of the theater, and Eric appeared just in time for their appointment.

He ran up breathlessly and stood before Iris, bending over with his hands on his knees, panting heavily.

“Huff, huff, my lady. Did you, did you wait long?”

“No, it’s fine. I didn’t wait long.”

“I’m sorry. I found a very interesting thesis yesterday and ended up reading it all night…”

Eric, who had barely calmed down, gave an embarrassed smile. He had only managed to catch a brief nap in the morning, so he had barely slept for a few hours.

Still, he maintained perfect outward neatness, so unless observed closely, his fatigue was not noticeable.

The problem was that Iris had a habit of always observing others carefully, and she noticed his fatigue from his bloodshot eyes.

“Will you be able to watch the opera performance today?”

“Of course, let’s go in quickly.”

Eric smiled gently at her worried question and offered his arm. Iris hesitated before placing her hand on it.

The two were guided by the theater staff to the VIP seats.

As they sat side by side with a table of non-alcoholic champagne and snacks between them, Iris whispered softly.

“Or should we just watch the performance and part ways today? Go home and get some good rest.”

“I can’t do that when you’ve made time for me.”

“But you seem tired. I’m fine with just watching the performance and going back.”

At her kind voice, Eric stared at Iris for a moment, then nodded his head with a gloomy expression.

“I’m sorry, I won’t read any theses or such the night before our date next time.”

“What? No, I’m not angry. Don’t misunderstand, Eric.”

Iris waved her hands with a flustered face. She was just trying to be considerate of Eric, who must be tired from staying up all night.

Eric looked at her fidgeting with a strange gaze. It was clearly a situation where he was at fault, but judging by Iris’s attitude, it didn’t seem so.

Just as he opened his lips to say something to Iris, it happened.

“Oh my, who do we have here.”

An unwelcome face popped out from over the railing of the adjacent seat.

“To see Lady Hugo here! What a pleasure!”

Oscar waved his hand towards Iris with a sickening smile on his face.

Iris’s eyes widened in surprise as the person who should have been in the duchy suddenly appeared in the next box.

“How are you here, Young Lord Vandermir…”

“I decided to stay in the capital for a while. I came out to enjoy some cultural activities, and fate brought me to meet you, my lady.”

Oscar, who had obviously followed her after investigating, spoke quite shamelessly. He completely ignored Eric, who was clearly sitting next to Iris.

“Since we’ve met like this, why don’t we watch the play together?”

“No, I have company…”

“Oh, Young Lord Roberts will allow it. I’ll come over there, just wait a moment!”

Oscar abruptly ended the conversation and quickly withdrew. Iris was dumbfounded and flabbergasted, her lips twitching.

‘He said he decided to stay in the capital for a while…?’

For a moment, she felt a sense of foreboding, and goosebumps rose on the inside of her forearm.

The lack of contact until now might not have been because he had given up, but because he had been preparing to approach more earnestly.

Just thinking about it made her dizzy, and Iris held her forehead before looking at Eric with an apologetic face.

“I’m sorry, Eric. It seems we’ll be entangled with Young Lord Vandermir again because of me…”

“It’s alright. I can see he’s pushing his way in without regard for your refusal.”

Eric replied understandingly, having witnessed Oscar ignore Iris’s rejection and unilaterally impose himself.

Even now, he had disappeared before they could stop him.

At that moment, a theater employee came to their seats carrying a chair. He had received orders from Oscar.

“I heard that Lord Oscar decided to watch together here. Where should I place the chair?”

“Ah, put it here.”

Eric stopped the employee who was about to place the chair near Iris and pointed to his own side.

After the employee left, Oscar entered and frowned when he saw his chair placed next to Eric.

“I believe I asked to watch the play together with Lady Hugo.”

“I can’t allow another man to sit next to my lover. If you insist on watching together, sit next to me, Young Lord.”

Eric replied gently but firmly. Oscar made a displeased face but reluctantly sat down next to Eric.

Soon the lights dimmed and the curtain rose on the performance.

Throughout the performance, Oscar was restless and noisy. He kept complaining endlessly about how boring and uninteresting it was.

Iris and Eric felt as if their patience was being tested as they waited for the performance to end.

When they finally left the theater, their minds were blank as if they hadn’t seen anything.

It was a performance they had struggled to get tickets for, but due to Oscar’s interference, they couldn’t focus on the content at all.

“Ah, wasn’t that really terrible? I wonder who booked such a play.”

He didn’t stop complaining even after the performance ended. In fact, he was subtly criticizing Eric’s choice and attempting to find an opening.

“If it were me, I would have booked a much more interesting performance, Lady Hugo.”

Iris turned her head away from Oscar, who was winking at her with a somewhat nauseating expression.

Eric discreetly took a step forward to block her view of him. Oscar looked at him with a displeased face.

As their eyes met, Eric smiled brightly.

“Who booked it? You did, Young Lord. You came to see it yourself, didn’t you?”

“…!”

As Oscar tried to refute, caught off guard, Eric preemptively greeted him, as if drawing a line.

“Well then, we’ll be going now, Young Lord.”

It was a clear statement that he had no intention of spending any more time with Oscar.

Oscar, desperate not to let Eric take Iris away, hurriedly grabbed him and asked.

“Where are you going?”

“Do I need to tell you?”

Eric countered with a smiling face. Sensing that he had no intention of cooperating, Oscar twisted his lips.

He didn’t like how this mere viscount’s son was strutting about in front of him as if he were somebody.

Even though Iris was just beside him for now, she would soon be his woman.

‘How dare you act so impudently in front of me, the heir to the Vandermir duchy.’

While Oscar was inwardly cursing and fuming, Eric walked Iris to their carriage. He wanted to stop them right away, but he had no more excuses to do so.

“Eek…!”

Oscar, forced to let the two leave, stomped his foot hard in frustration.

‘You think I can’t follow just because you won’t tell me where you’re going?’

He hurriedly boarded his own carriage and ordered the coachman to follow the two.

Thanks to this, when Iris and Eric got off in front of the park, Oscar also alighted right behind them.

The two were shocked to see him who had followed them all the way to the park. As if he couldn’t see their expressions, Oscar approached them casually, whistling.

“Well, we meet again like this. It seems my connection with Lady Hugo is no ordinary one.”

“Did you perhaps follow us on purpose?”

Eric asked bluntly, as if throwing cold water on Oscar, who was speaking with exaggerated gestures and an infatuated expression.

Although it was true, Oscar didn’t want to admit it and shouted as if stung.

“Ha! Who followed you?! Don’t flatter yourself too much, Young Lord.”

“…If you say so. Enjoy your walk.”

“Fine, I will!”

Oscar even waved his hand at the two as they turned to leave, as if telling them to go ahead.

However, shortly after, he began to persistently follow the two while pretending to take a walk alone.

If they looked back, he would quickly turn his head and feign innocence, but as soon as they engaged in friendly conversation, he would swiftly interject.

“Look at that cloud over there, doesn’t it look just like a puppy? Imagine the round protruding part as its ear.”

“Oh my, it really does! It’s like a puppy running. So cute―”

“Hey, Young Lord Roberts! Don’t walk so close to Lady Hugo. It’s making people uncomfortable.”

“…It’s cute. Haha.”

Iris and Eric tried their best not to be conscious of his presence. Giving him attention would only benefit Oscar.

“Wow, this flower is so cute.”

Iris exclaimed softly upon discovering a dainty white flower blooming at the edge of the walkway.

“Hmm, is it a daisy?”

“No, it’s a chrysanthemum. They look similar at first glance, but they’re different if you look closely.”

“Really? How are they different?”

“Chrysanthemums start off with a light pink color and turn whiter as they mature.”

The two stood close together in front of the chrysanthemum, talking. Oscar’s eyes were filled with jealousy as he watched them.

‘Something to divert attention…’

He looked around and discovered chrysanthemums blooming beside him, which he plucked in bunches. He ruthlessly pulled out other nearby flowers as well.

Then he proudly presented those flowers to Iris.

“Lady Hugo, these flowers are my heart that I offer to you, who is more beautiful than them.”

Iris furrowed her brow as she looked down at the ruined flowers in Oscar’s grasp.

There was no way she could look favorably upon someone who treated roadside flowers so carelessly.

“…I’m fine, thank you.”

“Come on. I’ll give you an even bigger bouquet later, just take these for now.”

Oscar, misunderstanding that Iris was declining because the flowers were unsightly, forcibly placed them in her hand.

Iris, now holding the pitifully broken flowers, couldn’t manage her expression well. Yet she couldn’t bring herself to throw them away, so she reluctantly carried them as she walked.

“It seems the Young Lord is determined to interfere with our date.”

Eric whispered softly, glancing sideways at Oscar who never strayed beyond a certain distance.

“Maybe he intends to ruin our date to drive a wedge between us.”

Iris’s expression darkened at that accurate guess. She muttered in a gloomy voice,

“I clearly expressed my refusal last time, so why is he doing this…”

Was he still trying to approach Arasila through her?

If so, Iris wondered how she could fend off this rogue of a young lord and protect both her sister and herself.

Seeing her face clouded with worry like an overcast sky, Eric suggested,