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chapter 42
“Ha…”
A deep sigh escaped from Lucia’s lips, making Sein fidget nervously.
“Mi-miss… if you’re not feeling well today, shall we postpone the meeting?”
“It’s fine. It’s something I have to face anyway. Better to meet quickly and get it over with.”
“But…”
Lucia noticed Sein watching her closely and smoothed out her previously tense expression.
“Sorry for worrying you. I guess I’ve been more sensitive than usual from all the stress lately.”
“No, no! I’m fine. I just worried you might be overexerting yourself…”
“Overexerting… well, I’m not sure about that. But since I started this, I can’t just stop halfway, can I?”
“Miss…”
Lucia smiled, trying to reassure Sein, but instead, Sein’s expression grew even darker.
Clatter—
At that moment, the carriage stopped. Lucia quickly got out, avoiding Sein’s anxious gaze.
“If anything goes wrong, I’ll return immediately. Stay on standby.”
“Yes, I hope everything goes well for you.”
The carriage carrying Sein departed. Lucia, letting her forced smile fade slightly, stepped into the meeting place.
“Hope everything goes well.”
That phrase was already the fourth time she had heard it—would this time finally bring a good outcome?
Upon entering the café, Lucia confirmed that the other party hadn’t arrived yet and took a seat in a quiet corner where few people came and went.
She sat there quietly, reflecting on the previous matchmaking meetings.
Even though Johan had carefully selected the candidates, why had every single one of them been disappointing?
Only one had a personality issue; the other two had some scheming ulterior motives.
“They all seemed to look down on me too.”
Looking back, all three had underestimated her. They probably thought she was an easy target.
Why would that be? Her family wasn’t weak, and they had never met her before—so judging her on first sight was unusual.
“Could it be…?”
A thought suddenly passed through her mind, and Lucia let out a hollow laugh.
“Is it because I’ve liked Herwin for so long?”
No matter how she thought about it, that seemed the most reasonable explanation.
It was well known in social circles that Lucia had long harbored feelings for Herwin.
Moreover, a public confession at the academy had unintentionally spread rumors.
To boldly make a public confession in front of many, yet maintain such pure devotion to one person, it was easy to see how others might think her naive or simple.
Or perhaps, such rumors could be damaging in the marriage market, causing potential suitors to treat her as a ‘lesser’ option—like the second match, Harriot Soled, had done.
She couldn’t read other people’s minds to know the exact reason, but whatever it was, it annoyed her.
Lucia never regretted the ten years she liked Herwin, but she hadn’t expected it to hold her back now.
With a self-deprecating smile, she steadied her bitterness.
Lucia glanced at the opposite side with a detached expression. The fourth candidate hadn’t arrived yet.
Feeling she had waited long enough, she checked the time.
The appointment was set for 2 PM. The current time was 2:06.
Only six minutes had passed, but this was the first time a candidate was late.
Lucia decided to wait a little longer.
Five minutes passed. Ten minutes. By 2:20, he still hadn’t shown up.
Lucia, who had been sitting leisurely, crossed her arms and kept checking the clock.
“…Refusing me, perhaps?”
This wasn’t a meeting with a friend—being this late at a formal meeting showed either nerve or a deliberate sign of disinterest.
She drummed her fingers on the table, watching the minute hand move and then pause.
“Alright, I’ll wait until 2:30.”
If he didn’t show by then, she would assume he had no intention of meeting her.
Waiting impatiently for 2:30, Lucia closed her eyes.
She heard conversations nearby and the gentle chimes of the café door as people entered and left.
Ding-dong— ding-dong—
Lucia opened her eyes. The minute hand was already pointing at six.
She pocketed her pocket watch and stood up.
“E-excuse me!”
At that moment, a man appeared in front of her just as she was about to leave. Startled, Lucia looked at him.
His dark green hair swayed as he bowed slightly.
“Are you Miss Lucia Agnes?”
He was panting slightly as he looked up.
His face was slightly damp with sweat, glasses precariously perched on his nose, and his deep golden eyes shone within his refined features.
This was the fourth candidate she had prepared for, from the sketches on the carriage.
Her anger at his 30-minute tardiness melted slightly upon seeing him disheveled as if he had sprinted all the way there.
“…Yes, I am Lucia Agnes.”
“I sincerely apologize for being this late for our first meeting, my lady. Please forgive me.”
He had regained his composure, using a handkerchief to wipe the sweat from his face, and carefully took her hand for a brief kiss.
“I am Vern Casper. Thank you for waiting despite my thirty-minute delay.”
Curious about the reason for his lateness, Lucia sat back down.
Vern’s face brightened as though relieved she hadn’t left.
“You had been gone for so long, I was about to leave.”
“I am truly sorry. There was an accident on my way here, which caused the delay.”
“An accident?”
“Yes, two carriages collided, and one of the horses got injured…”
Lucia was shocked at the seriousness of the accident.
“Oh my, are you alright?”
“Yes, fortunately, no one was hurt. But the carriage couldn’t be driven, so I was delayed. I’m truly sorry.”
Lucia waved off his apology.
“No, if there was such an accident, you could have sent someone else. Then we could have rescheduled.”
“Sending someone or going myself made no difference. And I’m not injured.”
Indeed, Vern’s gentle smile reassured her. His mild demeanor seemed genuinely kind.
“No, don’t let your guard down.”
Even Arlen Valter had a good impression at first. This man might also reveal another side later.
Lucia steeled her resolve.
Forty minutes after entering the café, she placed her first order and began conversing with him.
Like with other candidates, she asked routine questions and responded to his answers.
But as time passed, her caution toward Vern gradually eased.
It had been a long time since she had spoken this comfortably with anyone other than friends or family.
Her first and second matches hadn’t been easy to converse with, and the third, Arlen, had only been pleasant until she sensed his true nature. They had the academy as a common ground, giving them topics to talk about.
Yet with Vern, despite having no shared academy or prior acquaintance, the conversation flowed naturally.
“If I were a year younger, we might have gone to the academy together,” she said.
Expecting him to bring up Herwin or rumors about herself, Lucia tensed.
“Did you know there’s a secret room in the Academy’s second library?”
Unexpectedly, he steered the conversation elsewhere, and she replied to him, a little bewildered.
“No, I had no idea. How did you find out about it?”
“Ah…”
Vern paused briefly and frowned, but quickly regained his composure.
“I loved reading and often visited the library. I discovered it by chance and used it as my personal hideout until the professors found out.”
“That must have been a fun memory.”
“Yes, those times are hard to forget.”
Vern smiled faintly, briefly lost in thought, then returned his gaze to Lucia, softening his eyes.
“I feel at ease when I’m with you, Miss Agnes.”
Even if it was a polite remark, it didn’t feel insincere.
Lucia spoke honestly in return.
“Yes, it’s been a long time since I had such a comfortable conversation.”
“I was worried it was only my imagination, so I’m relieved.”
He adjusted his glasses and enjoyed the remaining tea, then spoke.
“Honestly… I worried you might be disappointed in me.”
“Disappointed in you?”
“Yes, being thirty minutes late on our first meeting… I feared you might leave while I was running here.”
“You ran all the way here?”
“Perhaps, but you might have been waiting. I wanted to apologize in person if you were. That’s the right thing to do.”
Vern’s expression was serious. His composed and upright character was evident.
Lucia’s remaining caution completely melted.
She smiled softly at him.
“I’m glad I waited. If I had left even a few minutes earlier, I might have missed such a wonderful person.”
“Wonderful? You don’t have to flatter me.”
“But honestly, in today’s world, it’s hard to find someone as honest as a marquis.”
He blushed and scratched his cheek at the straightforward compliment.
“…Thank you, my lady.”
Time soon came for Sein to arrive, as she had told him.
“I should go now. The carriage will be here soon.”
“Oh, really? I’ll wait with you until it arrives.”
They left the café together, waiting for Sein.
The time had just passed 4 PM.
“Mi-miss,” Vern spoke cautiously. Lucia looked at him.
“If it’s alright, may we meet again?”
Surprised, she stared at his earnest golden eyes. After a moment of thought, she smiled lightly.
“Yes, I’d like that.”
Relieved, Vern’s face brightened.
“Thank you. I’ll send a letter to your estate.”
“Any time is fine; please schedule it at your convenience. But do remember not to be late like this time,” she joked.
He smiled and returned the gesture, playfully placing his hand over his chest like a knight.
“I’ll make sure not to be a minute late.”
“We’ll see about that.”
Laughing together, the carriage arrived. Sein was waiting inside.
Vern gently took Lucia’s hand, escorting her into the carriage.
As she boarded, she suddenly realized something.
“Marquis, do you have a carriage to ride back?”
“My carriage will return to the estate after the horse recovers. We should head to the rental service first.”
After a brief pause, Lucia spoke.
“Would you like to ride in my carriage?”
