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Chapter 64
“Hmm, a party.”
“This one’s supposed to be quite large. Lucia, you’ll come, right?”
Lucia examined the invitation Christine had given her, turning it this way and that, before breaking into a sly smile.
“Of course. It’s the perfect occasion to officially announce your business. I’ll go with Bern. Is that alright?”
“Of course! Naturally! I’ll need to send another invitation to Marquis Casper’s residence too!”
“Oh? Then I’ll get to see lots of beautiful women there?”
Christine pouted and shot him a glare at Brian’s remark.
“Are you still thinking about nothing but women? When will you ever grow up?”
“What can I do? Beautiful women simply won’t leave me alone. That’s why being handsome is a crime.”
“Ugh, whoever marries you is going to have a rough time.”
Lucia chuckled quietly as she watched Christine and Brian continue their usual bickering.
It had been a while since Lucia had accepted an invitation from Christine, and she had come to her home. Perhaps because it was only for close friends, the only visitors were herself and Brian.
“Brian, isn’t it time you settled down? You can’t keep living like this forever.”
“Even you, Lucia, have to say that?”
“Take it to heart. I wouldn’t say it if it weren’t serious.”
Christine chimed in, and Brian leaned back against the chair, looking displeased.
“Besides, I’ll end up living with the woman my father chooses anyway, so a little rebellion is fine, isn’t it?”
Brian’s handsome face tensed as he spoke. There was a hint of burden in his voice.
“Your father is still forcing things on you?”
Christine frowned at the seriousness in his tone, and Brian shot her a sidelong glance.
“That man’s always like that. I’m lucky to be the second son. Compared to my older brother, I’m a bit freer. Well, the older one is practically a clone of our father, so it doesn’t matter much.”
Brian was the second son of the Cersis Count family, a long line of knights. Naturally independent, he had grown up under a strict father and had many grievances toward him and the family.
Perhaps for that reason, he always tried to live the exact opposite life of what his father wanted.
‘Is that where his womanizing comes from?’
Although he liked women and changed girlfriends often, he wasn’t scandalous or reckless. He had his own principles and boundaries. In fact, many who approached him expecting a carefree playboy often left disappointed.
“Still, maybe it’s time I put an end to this lifestyle, as you said…”
“Yes. That’s for the best. What if your fiancée misunderstands you later?”
“Of course I’ll get along with my fiancée. It’s not her fault; it’s his.”
Seeing that upright side of him, Lucia gave a faint smile.
“Then how about we get engaged instead? Our parents know each other, so maybe we could talk about it…”
Before she could even finish thinking of him as upright, Brian whispered slyly to Christine.
Christine could not hide her disdainful expression as she glared at him.
“That’s terrifying just to imagine. Don’t even joke about such things.”
“It’s not a joke. I’m serious. I’m so sad you don’t understand my feelings.”
Brian feigned a tearful expression, and Christine shook her head while sneaking a glance at him.
Lucia, observing their usual banter, tilted her head in curiosity.
‘Does Brian like Christine?’
Now that she thought about it, Brian did occasionally say things like that to Christine—not to date her, but why bring up engagement?
‘Brian doesn’t like me. I want to marry him, but he avoids engagement talk.’
That was something his ex-girlfriend once tearfully said when she accidentally ran into him.
He never seemed to mention engagement or marriage to his girlfriends.
Lucia narrowed her eyes and gave Brian a steady look. The playful Brian immediately turned his head.
“What? Something on my face?”
“Huh? Oh, it’s nothing.”
Snapping out of her thoughts, Lucia awkwardly scratched her cheek.
“Oh, right. Brian, you said you have business at the Feneus estate tomorrow?”
Christine mentioned the Feneus Ducal family, and Lucia flinched slightly.
“I wanted to deliver the invitation personally, but I couldn’t reach them. Could you give them this invitation tomorrow?”
“Sure. I’ll give it to Herwin.”
Brian pocketed another invitation.
“I was planning to go myself too since I couldn’t get in touch. Are they ignoring your messages too?”
“Perhaps. Even normally, it isn’t easy to contact them… Maybe they’re busy?”
“They shouldn’t be busy at this time…”
Listening to their conversation, Lucia thought of Herwin.
Since deciding to give up her feelings for him, she hadn’t written or contacted him.
‘…He seemed fine last time.’
When he had accompanied her home, he had seemed well.
‘Of course, the mood when we parted wasn’t great.’
For a moment, she wondered if their previous conversation caused this, but she laughed at herself.
‘That can’t be it.’
She shook her head, realizing she was overthinking.
“What? Where are you going now?”
“I told you. Christine is having a party today.”
Lucia, preparing for the party, frowned as Lucas suddenly barged in.
He hadn’t been home for days, so why the sudden commotion now?
‘Is it really such a surprise that I’m attending a party?’
“Go if you want, then.”
“No, it’s because you’re going with the Marquis!”
Ah, that’s what was bothering him. Lucia grimaced at how obvious his emotions were.
“Well, I’m going with Bern, who else would I go with?”
“You can’t go with him! Stop that! Go with me instead!”
“No. Bern will be here soon. Step aside and stop being annoying.”
Having nearly finished her preparations, Lucia waved lazily and checked her accessories.
Seeing her calm demeanor, Lucas thumped his chest in frustration.
“Listen to me. You absolutely cannot go with the Marquis.”
Lucas repeated himself, and Lucia sighed deeply before finally turning to him.
“Why not? If you’re just going to say you don’t like Bern…”
“He had a girlfriend he’d been with until just before marriage!”
Lucas’ words made Lucia pause. The maids sensed the tension between the siblings.
“Everyone, out.”
Sending the maids away, Lucia stood and faced Lucas.
“What does that even mean?”
“I was going to tell you directly, but something urgent came up and I couldn’t.”
He had intended to inform her immediately after learning about Bern from Becky but had been held up by piles of work.
“Marquis Casper had a girlfriend he’d been with since school. Their families were different, but they loved each other enough to promise marriage.”
Hearing this, Celine Lemario came to mind.
“After breaking up with her, he didn’t leave the house for a year! It was definitely heartbreak!”
“And what’s that supposed to mean for me?”
“Of course it matters! If she comes back, he’ll be shaken!”
Lucia flinched.
“If you get engaged and married to him, and that woman returns, there’s no way he won’t waver. They’d promised marriage.”
It made sense. If true, Bern would be unsettled. Compared to a woman he loved madly, she was just a political match. But—
“Is that all?”
“Lucia. That’s all? This is a huge deal!”
“Everyone experiences first love, and people break up and fall in love repeatedly. Even you, brother. How many girlfriends have you had?”
“Not the same! I loved my girlfriends, but not like Marquis Casper.”
“Judging by what you say, Bern must have been very close to his ex. But I’m no different.”
“What do you mean, no different…?”
Lucas couldn’t finish his sentence, his eyes widening.
“Even though I never dated Herwin, I loved him for a long time and haven’t let go of my feelings. If he proposed now, I’d be shaken too. I’m no different from Bern.”
He opened his mouth, but seeing her sad expression, he couldn’t finish.
“And nothing like that will happen. Bern’s ex is already married.”
“What?!”
“You didn’t know that, huh?”
Lucia began gathering her things.
“No, did you know this?”
“Not exactly, but roughly. I saw her a few times at tea parties.”
“And yet you…?”
“That’s how political marriages are.”
Lucia gave a bitter smile.
“And Bern won’t cheat on me. Neither will I.”
She had made that promise when deciding to be engaged to Bern. She hadn’t asked him, but she assumed he felt the same.
“Miss, the Marquis has arrived.”
Hearing the maid, Lucia opened the door.
“Bern’s here, so I’ll be going. There are more invitations, so come anytime if you want.”
Lucas couldn’t stop his sister from leaving.
It wasn’t that Bern had done anything wrong in the past—just that he had loved his ex so deeply he hadn’t left the house for a year. But Lucas couldn’t accept it. He just wanted her to have a man who loved her unconditionally, even in a political marriage.
“…Damn it!”
Lucia, ignoring his faint curses from the room, headed to the front gate.
Bern was there.
“You look beautiful today, Lucia.”
As always, he was composed and polite. Lucia silently placed her hand in his.
His compliment didn’t feel empty, but it wasn’t like she was in love.
His eyes were soft, but the golden gaze within felt cold and detached.
“You look handsome too.”
‘Likewise.’
They weren’t truly in love, so that was natural.
Lucia, escorted by Bern, climbed into the carriage.
When Bern smiled at her from across, she returned the smile.
A thought from the past crossed her mind:
‘Could this be why he said we’re similar?’
She had loved Herwin for a long time, and Bern had loved someone else deeply, yet neither had been able to be with their beloved. Perhaps that’s the similarity they shared—love unfulfilled.
