Cain, who laid Jane on the bed, propped his arm next to Jane.

“Cain, don’t do this. Your shoulder……”

“Then you come on top.”

Cain immediately moved his arm away and lay down next to Jane.

Jane just blinked her eyes while tightly gripping the front of her chemise, and Cain used his uninjured arm to pull Jane onto his body.

“Cain!”

“I’m tired. But it hurts.”

Cain whispered languidly as if asking for understanding. Jane, who had climbed on top of his body, couldn’t move this way or that, and only rolled her eyes.

“Come here, Jane.”

Cain reached out his hand. However, Jane remained motionless.

Cain, who had no expectation that Jane would move first, pulled her by the nape of her neck.

Watching Jane being dragged along without resistance, Cain smiled willingly.

Even if you don’t move first, you don’t refuse either.

Cain kissed Jane’s neck. Her neck, the tip of her ear, and her cheeks were flushed red, making them delicious to kiss.

“Looks like I’m not the only one enjoying this?”

“…Your shoulder is injured.”

“That’s right, my shoulder is injured. Everywhere else is fine. Should we stop?”

Cain’s high bridge of nose brushed against Jane’s cheek. Jane’s body trembled slightly.

His breath was felt directly on Jane’s skin. The hot and moist breath also contained desire.

“Jane, should I stop?”

Jane’s breathing gradually quickened. Cain didn’t miss this and pulled Jane’s body. Their upper bodies pressed together without a gap.

Cain’s hand pushed up the chemise. Jane did not stop his touch.

From that moment on, Cain explored Jane fervently.

Before long, he was on top of Jane.

Even in the midst of this, Cain carefully examined Jane. What he was looking for were traces of violence.

His eyes were persistent, searching for evidence of any rough treatment she might have endured at the police station.

Soon, finding no traces, he began to move in earnest.

On the fair skin like an untouched snowy field, Cain pressed his lips as if leaving the first footprint.

The more Jane struggled, the more intense Cain’s kisses became.

* * *

For three days after that, Jane was unable to take a single step out of the hotel, held captive by Cain.

“Are you feeling alright?”

Hailey brought clothes for Jane to change into.

It had been exactly four days since she had seen anyone other than Cain.

Jane tried to get up from the bed, leaning on it, but swallowed a groan. Her whole body ached as if she had been beaten by someone.

Hailey quickly put the clothes on the sofa and rushed over to support her.

“Where is the Duke?”

Jane said she was fine and sat on the sofa.

“He went to the construction site.”

The Delfion Station bombing incident was quietly settled compared to the scale and damage of the event.

And after a few days, the reconstruction of the bombed building began.

“That’s fast.”

“Everyone has been running around without a wink of sleep.”

Although Hailey could only watch without much to help, things were moving at a breathtaking pace that was exhausting just to observe.

Jane prepared to return home with Hailey’s help.

“You couldn’t do any sightseeing. How disappointing.”

Hailey puffed out her cheeks as if she herself was disappointed while packing up to go downstairs.

“We can come again next time.”

If there’s an opportunity.

Jane was honestly disappointed too, but accepted it as an unavoidable situation.

The hotel lobby was full of people and luggage ready to return to Somnium House.

Among them, a head stuck out prominently. The person shining even from afar turned towards Jane.

“Cain? I thought you were too busy to come.”

“I should go up with you.”

Cain held out his hand to Jane. It was the hand that hadn’t left her body for the past few days.

Jane very carefully took just the tips of Cain’s fingers.

Cain, displeased, pushed his fingers between hers. He pulled their interlocked hands. The distance between them became much closer.

The Hastings party departed for Somnium mansion, seen off by the hotel manager.

“Let’s go through downtown on the way.”

Cain tapped on the coachman’s window.

“Do you have business downtown?”

“I don’t.”

“Then why are we going downtown? It will be crowded.”

“Jane, you have business there.”

“I do?”

Jane’s eyes widened.

* * *

The carriage carrying Cain and Jane entered downtown Delfion. The carriage gradually slowed down.

“Your Grace, from here you’ll have to get out and walk.”

The coachman opened the window and spoke as the carriage came to a complete stop. Cain turned to Jane.

“Shall we walk a bit?”

“Weren’t we supposed to go straight back?”

Cain checked his watch.

“We have about two hours to spare.”

“Do you have business downtown?”

“Why do you keep asking the same thing? I said I don’t.”

Cain got out of the carriage. Jane followed right after. Even as she followed him, Jane tilted her head in confusion.

‘He usually hates wasting time.’

“Nathan, we’ll move on our own from here.”

“Understood, Your Grace.”

Nathan pretended to withdraw while approaching Jane. Cain was in the middle of arranging when and where to meet with the coachman.

“Enjoy your date.”

Jane’s eyes widened. Nathan’s eyes also grew large in response.

“You don’t know? Why you came here?”

Jane shook her head. Nathan, after confirming that Cain’s conversation with the coachman was taking longer, slightly bent his upper body.

“You came for sightseeing but had to leave without doing anything, so His Grace deliberately made time. You only have two hours to spare, but have fun. Oh, if you don’t have anywhere you want to go, just leave it to His Grace. He’s looked into everything.”

Jane blinked her large eyes.

‘I wonder if she understood what I said.’

Both Cain and Jane were quite clumsy when it came to romance. It was frustrating to watch more than once or twice, so this time Nathan crossed the line a bit boldly, but would it be okay?

Just as Nathan was worrying,

“Jane.”

Cain called for her. Nathan hurriedly backed away.

“I’ll be going now.”

Before Jane could even say goodbye, Nathan slipped into an alley.

“What did he say?”

Unable to relay Nathan’s words to Cain verbatim, Jane just smiled. Cain, not thinking much of her silence, held out his arm.

Jane naturally accepted his escort.

Perhaps because it was early morning, the bustling street was rather quiet. On the other hand, the front of the shops was moderately noisy with merchants busily preparing for business.

“There won’t be as much to see as Hausten Street. But the Delfion specialty shops and handicraft shops are worth a look.”

Only upon hearing this did Jane realize that Nathan’s words were true.

The reason Cain had stopped the carriage in town was for a date with her.

Jane’s heart began to pound.

“If you see somewhere you want to go in while looking around, just say so.”

Jane wanted to check. How much Cain had prepared.

“Do you have any places you’d recommend?”

Cain stopped walking and turned to Jane. Jane covered her heart with her empty hand, afraid he might see through her true feelings.

“I do have one, but…”

Cain stared at Jane intently. Heat rose where his gaze touched.

“I’m not sure you’ll like it.”

Cain hesitated before speaking. It was an uncharacteristically unconfident attitude from him.

“What about you? How do you feel about it?”

Cain seemed to think for a moment before lifting the corners of his mouth. Jane’s heart fluttered once more at his handsome and deep smile. She felt as if she was standing on a very high swaying bridge.

Cain shrugged and walked on. Jane stuck close to him to avoid falling behind. When her breathing quickened, Cain slowed his pace.

Thanks to his consideration, the two walked side by side without any misalignment.

Instead of asking Cain where they were going, Jane took in the modest scenery of downtown Delfion, different from Hausten Street.

Unlike the tall and elaborately decorated buildings of Hausten, many of the buildings in downtown Delfion were single-story and old.

This gave an overall neat and calm impression.

“There are many historically valuable buildings too.”

As Jane looked at a faded brick house, Cain explained.

“What kind of buildings are there?”

Cain led Jane to one side. From this point on, he explained as if he had become a guide to downtown Delfion.

Jane suddenly felt a sense of déjà vu.

His attitude towards her resembled her own attitude towards Joseph.

It was a careful and affectionate attitude, as if dealing with a cub just learning to walk.

Jane gazed intently at Cain’s face as he continued his enthusiastic explanation. His explanation became distant, and only his appearance became clear.

The kind Cain that she really liked.

‘I’ve been imitating him.’

Jane realized that when dealing with young children, she had been unconsciously following his example.

Knowingly or unknowingly, he had a big influence on Jane’s life. Whether close or far apart.

“…Are you listening, Jane?”

Jane snapped back to attention. Cain’s questioning gaze followed.

“Yes, I’m listening.”

Even though Jane answered, the suspicious look in his eyes didn’t easily fade.

“It’s not important, so let’s move on. Shall we go to the souvenir shop now?”

Cain and Jane walked another block. The weather, neither too hot nor too cold, was perfect for walking.

“I needed to buy a gift for Joseph, so this is perfect.”

“A gift for Joseph? Well, I’m not sure if there will be anything suitable for him here.”

How could there not be gifts for children in a souvenir shop?

Jane thought Cain had only looked up the location of souvenir shops.

But after arriving at the souvenir shop, she understood why he had said such a thing.

Pink exterior walls, frilled awnings, and the items placed near the large windows were full of things girls would like, such as pretty parasols and quill pens.

Among them, a doll with a familiar logo prominently embroidered on its chest caught Jane’s eye.

‘Princess Secret’

The doll that Jane often played with as a child, and that still occupied a drawer of hers as an adult, was staring right at her.

“Cain……”

“You liked it.”

She liked it, and still likes it. She might say what’s with the doll at her age, but Jane couldn’t help but like it as it was an item that could remind her of her parents’ love and memories.

“I heard it was first made in Delfion, that thing.”

Cain pointed at the doll with his chin, as if reluctant to even say its name. It was a fact even Jane didn’t know.

“If you don’t like it, we can go somewhere else.”

“No! I like it. Let’s go in.”

Jane pulled on the pink door. A rather childish bell sound rang out. A sweet scent that girls love also wafted through the door crack.

Jane’s heart fluttered as if she had returned to her childhood.

“Welcome, Princess!”

Staff members in maid uniforms with lots of ruffles waved both hands towards Jane.

Cain, who was following Jane, flinched and took half a step back.

For him, this shop was full of burdensome things. The all-pink interior, the staff with exaggerated smiles, the songs sung in baby talk.

Maybe I should wait outside.

The sudden impulse felt quite plausible.

“Cain, aren’t you coming in?”

Jane asked, looking at Cain. With a bright smile.

“Help me choose, which one is better?”

And she held out two dolls similar to the one she had in her room long ago, extending them towards him.

‘Neither looks good.’

Cain entered the store with furrowed brows.