The meal was finished.

Frederick, who had left the restaurant with the couple, hesitated to leave, lingering. He didn’t want to go, but he couldn’t follow them to the lake boat ride.

He had his own afternoon schedule.

He had squeezed out time he didn’t have to come here in the first place.

Hearing rumors that Demian Vandermir had reserved a restaurant famous for weekend lunch dates. It was obvious who his companion would be.

Frederick raised his crimson eyes and gazed at his husband and Arasila standing beside him. Even after marriage, nothing had changed from their unmarried days.

Of course, they had just passed their first month of marriage, so it was natural, but seeing his friend unchanged somewhat reassured Frederick.

As I thought, it wasn’t a marriage out of love. There must have been other intentions.

“Arasila, I hope you enjoy the rest of your time with His Grace.”

“Yes, take care on your way back.”

Arasila waved with the hand holding her parasol. Her other hand held her handbag, so there was no particular contact with Demian.

Frederick keenly observed that movement as well.

“It was nice to meet you today, Your Grace.”

“The honor was mine, Your Highness.”

Demian bowed his head politely. Frederick glanced at him with cold eyes and extended his hand to Arasila.

“What is it, what do you want?”

“Your hand.”

“Why my hand?”

Arasila tilted her head at the sudden request. Frederick said with a charming smile on his face.

“To greet the back of your hand.”

His words meant he would leave a farewell kiss on the back of her hand. It was a very common greeting in high society. Arasila had received it a few times before.

But all the men who had kissed the back of her hand so far were strangers, not Frederick.

Nothing could be more awkward than a friend kissing the back of her hand. Instead of offering her hand, Arasila took a step closer to him and whispered.

“You’re being so cheesy today. Just go quickly, that’s enough.”

It was a comfortable and slightly rough tone that could only be seen as speaking to a friend.

Frederick, who had been properly rejected, unconsciously let out a laugh, then became aware of Demian and quickly erased his expression.

“Then, we’ll be going first.”

“Do so.”

Arasila opened her lace-trimmed parasol and turned around with Demian. The beautiful couple, eye-catching anywhere, gradually moved away.

Frederick narrowed his eyes and looked at the subtle space between the couple standing side by side. It was an ambiguous distance.

One that made him wonder whether to leave it as is or not.

“I’m telling you in advance, I won’t be acting jealous or anything like that.”

As they approached the lakeside, Demian suddenly blurted out without warning. Until then, they had been talking about today’s weather.

Arasila, who had been stretching out words to make it look like they were having a friendly conversation to others, though meaningless, was suddenly dumbfounded.

“Ah, yes. Why are you saying such nonsensical things in advance?”

Who asked him to act jealous?

As she threw a bewildered look, Demian slightly tilted his head to look down at her. Regardless of his gaze, his attitude of listening to his wife’s words was affectionate.

His handsome face, beneath his hair neatly combed back with pomade, showed a clear presence in the natural light.

“I’m saying not to create situations like today where I have to confront another man over my wife.”

The path from the restaurant to the lakeside was covered with many fallen leaves. One of them made a crunching sound as it was stepped on by Arasila’s shoe.

However, that sound was drowned out by Arasila’s burst of laughter.

“Your Grace, are you possibly wary of Frederick?”

“Even if he’s a friend, he’s still a man, isn’t he?”

At those words, Arasila shook her head. In fact, such words were not unfamiliar. She had already been suspected about her relationship with Frederick numerous times during her academy days.

Why did they only target her when the three of them, including Paula, hung out together?

Perhaps it was because Paula had a fiancé, but it was unfair. Not even once had she thought of Frederick in that way. We’re really just friends.

“Do you know who the least attractive man in the world is? It’s the one who obsesses over and interferes with a woman’s friendships.”

This wasn’t limited to just romantic relationships. There were plenty of people in this world who doubted friendships between men and women.

“Men and women can certainly be friends. Narrow-minded people might make a fuss and be suspicious just by seeing them together, but it makes them look a bit dim-witted.”

Demian quietly looked at his wife, who was making a slightly prim expression. Her round, rabbit-like impression had changed slightly to that of a cat.

At least Arasila was not conscious of the Crown Prince as a man, and it seemed she never would be.

So Demian decided to wrap it up here. There were many ways to explain why he should be wary of Frederick, but he didn’t want to unnecessarily make her aware.

It’s human psychology to become interested when given a detailed explanation, even if you had no thoughts before.

“Anyway, since you’re currently married to me, I hope you’ll act carefully.”

“You should do well yourself. Coming out on a date but acting so distant, you’ve got a lot to say.”

It was a proper criticism of Demian, who was walking carefully to avoid even accidentally brushing against her.

Demian, suddenly at a loss for words, only moved his lips, and Arasila turned her head haughtily and snapped.

“If you keep acting like that, I’ll get angry too, you know? Behave properly during the boat ride.”

Arasila, who had sternly warned him, strode towards the lake dock where the boats were lined up.

There were many couples on the small boats floating on the lake. Among them, the Vandermir couple stood out the most.

The eccentric magician and the stubborn knight.

The public interest had not yet subsided in the news that this unexpected combination had not only dated but even gotten married.

Amidst the glances of people pretending not to look, the two leisurely rode a boat around the lake.

The wind blowing from the tail end of spring pleasantly tickled their faces. The couple, wearing faint smiles, began to chat softly.

To the surrounding people, only a murmuring sound could be heard, but judging by their expressions, it was clear that affectionate words were being exchanged.

“Demian, can you possibly traverse the lake from end to end by boat in under a minute?”

Arasila, who had been staring intently at the sturdy arms rowing the boat, threw out an odd question.

“You seem to think of me as a fisherman, madam. Please ask sensible questions.”

“And you seem to think of me as a thoughtless wife. I asked because I can do it, you know?”

The corner of Demian’s mouth twitched. He looked around the vast lake. Realistically, it was impossible to complete the lake alone in under a minute.

Even for himself, trained daily through rigorous exercises, it would be difficult, let alone for someone with legs thinner than his forearm.

“You just thought it was impossible, didn’t you? You forgot? I’m a magician.”

Arasila snapped her fingers. Then, a wind from somewhere touched their boat as if pushing it. It was the wind magic she had cast.

“Using magic seems like cheating, though.”

“People should use their abilities. How can we be called higher animals if we only use our bodies?”

“A healthy mind dwells in a healthy body. That’s how humans become truly human.”

Even in the moment of exchanging words without giving an inch, they were thoroughly maintaining their smiles.

Up close, one could see that the smiles were cracked, but fortunately, no one approached the Vandermir couple.

Being together with those who exuded an atmosphere that was difficult to approach easily, even passing by seemed somehow burdensome.

“By the way, Demian. Don’t you think our boat is too dreary?”

Arasila raised an issue after checking the other boats passing by.

Everyone else was holding hands, hugging, kissing, and being all lovey-dovey, while their boat alone was quiet.

“That couple doesn’t seem to show much affection.”

“Yeah, they look close, but I wonder if there’s some problem?”

The words of suspicion casually dropped by some couple further stimulated Arasila.

We should show a convincing appearance too.

Who knows when the Vandermir ducal family might attack their relationship based on the intelligence sent by Rosalyn as a spy, they couldn’t just be complacent.

“Then what should we do?”

“Let’s show a bit of intimacy too.”

Demian’s eyebrows twitched. Even he, not being a fool, understood that she meant to show a little skinship like others.

However―.

His eyes like melted sun turned towards the small, white hand. How could he hold that hand?

This time, he looked at the body that was tall but had a small and lean frame. How to embrace that body?

His gaze, following the slender and straight neck upwards, stopped at the beautifully shaped red lips. Those lips…….

‘You crazy bastard.’

Demian consciously lowered his gaze and touched the corner of his eye with his hand. As expected, he wasn’t confident about skinship.

As he raised his head to suggest considering another method, it was at that moment.

“……!”

Arasila was right in front of his nose, having approached at some point. The plump lips he had been secretly observing just now moved as if to bewitch someone.

“Stay still, Your Grace.”

Demian unknowingly held his breath and followed her words. Arasila, who had come a bit closer, reached out her hand.

As the small body leaned towards him bit by bit, Demian’s heart also tightened with tension. A faint flower scent wafted from her curly hair.

The moment her fingers came right up to his nose. Finally, his patience ran out.

Demian hurriedly stood up and moved to the opposite seat, causing the small boat to rock greatly. Arasila let out a “Whoa” sound and nearly fell over before barely regaining her balance.

Having inadvertently exchanged seats, Demian calmly collected himself and looked forward, then startled. He hadn’t realized, but the waves caused by the rocking boat had drenched Arasila.

Ah, damn it. A short curse swirled inside his mouth before disappearing.

“…….”

“…….”

In the terrible silence, Arasila slowly turned around. Her face, with hair plastered all over it, and her fierce eyes, resembled something like a water ghost.

She couldn’t contain her boiling insides. This disaster had occurred while she was trying to remove a flower petal that had landed on Demian’s head.

More precisely, it was an accident that occurred when her husband, who disliked skinship, tried to avoid her touch.

“……Hey.”

As the voice filled with anger and resentment flowed out ominously, Demian unknowingly became a zookeeper encountering a wild bear and stretched both hands forward.

“Madam, calm down. Please calm down.”