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Chapter 18
“Couldn’t you be a little more gentle with His Grace, the Duke? The servants are starting to whisper.”
“Don’t mind them. They’re people I’ll never see again anyway.”
It seemed that rumors were spreading among the servants. Not that she cared what they said.
“What do you mean you’ll never see them again? Once you marry, they’ll be the ones serving you.”
Hanna adjusted the brim of her lady’s hat and spoke in a tone of frustration.
“Hanna, I’d rather die than marry the Duke. I’m going to break this engagement, no matter what.”
Better to die than marry Yuan. In fact, marrying him would mean death anyway. She had to sever ties with this cruel man as quickly as possible.
“My lady, please stop talking about breaking off the engagement.”
“Would you rather go to the zoo? Or to the museum?”
Serenet quickly changed the subject at Hanna’s nagging.
“Why, the zoo of course!”
Hanna, who had been frowning in worry, answered brightly at Serenet’s words. Serenet smiled faintly and headed toward the door.
“Are you going out, my lady?”
On her way to the lobby, Serenet ran into the butler. Seeing her dressed for an outing, the butler inquired politely.
“Yes.”
“I’ll have the carriage prepared.”
“No, I’ll take a hired cab. Don’t trouble yourself.”
“His Grace instructed that you are to be accompanied with comfort and respect. I shall have the carriage prepared.”
The butler’s tone was gentle, yet firm.
If she kept refusing, the elderly butler would surely be scolded by Yuan. Serenet, her heart softening, nodded.
In the end, she rode in the Frecktuster Duke’s carriage.
Before going to the zoo, Serenet stopped by Eve’s house. She worried that Eve might be busy, but luckily, Eve was free.
Together with Eve and Hanna, Serenet went to the zoo in high spirits.
In her previous life, she had never visited a zoo. The life of the Duchess of Frecktuster had been like a prison without bars, restricting her even from going outside.
Back then, everyone had watched her like hawks, scrutinizing her every move, always comparing her to Lydia.
“My lady, look! That’s a hippopotamus.”
Excited, Hanna stamped her feet and pointed beyond the railing.
“How strange it looks.”
Serenet couldn’t take her eyes off the hippo she was seeing for the first time. So fascinated were Serenet and Hanna that they even bought hippo souvenirs.
She had a light lunch of sandwiches, then spent the afternoon strolling through the park and browsing shops.
By the time she returned to the Duke’s residence, her gloomy mood had completely lifted, and she even greeted Yuan with a smile when they met in the lobby.
Yuan turned his head. Serenet was climbing the stairs with light, graceful steps.
Her golden hair swayed like it would taste sweet, like lemon candy if bitten. Her green skirts fluttered as she ascended.
Yuan’s gaze followed Serenet until she completely disappeared from sight.
“Your Grace.”
The coachman called once Serenet was gone.
“Where did she go today?” Yuan asked, his face expressionless.
“First, she visited a residence on Lashing Street. From there, she took her maid to the zoo. She spent quite some time in front of the hippopotamus enclosure.”
“The zoo?”
Hearing that Serenet had gone to the zoo, Yuan almost burst out laughing.
Even while demanding to break off the engagement, she went to watch hippos. How endearing.
“She seemed to like the hippos very much. She even bought a hippo doll as a souvenir.”
At that, Yuan finally laughed out loud.
He could vividly imagine Serenet’s delighted face as she watched the hippos, and the thought made it impossible to suppress his laughter.
The coachman glanced at him curiously. He had never seen his master laugh like this before, and it surprised him to realize the Duke even could laugh.
“And after that?” Yuan asked, collecting himself.
“She had a light meal of sandwiches, browsed some nearby shops, and spent time in the park. That was all.”
“She didn’t meet anyone in particular?”
“No, Your Grace. She remained only with her maid and servant.”
Satisfied, Yuan turned back.
He had ordered the coachman to discreetly monitor Serenet’s outings and report them to him—not under the guise of protection, but because he worried she might meet another man.
Fortunately, she hadn’t. Instead, she had just gone to see hippos. That was enough to put his mind at ease.
“Perhaps I should buy her a hippo.”
He even wondered whether, if she kept insisting on breaking off the engagement, he ought to hand her one. Smiling at the absurd thought, he went to his study.
As he sat at his desk reviewing documents, he found himself chuckling again. Between lines of text, he pictured Serenet’s expression at the zoo.
What face had she made when she smiled at the hippo? Which doll had she chosen?
Before he knew it, he was wondering whether his estate had enough land to build a zoo. He laughed at himself.
Building a zoo for a woman? It was absurd—even embarrassing. Most men would simply buy flowers or jewels.
Shaking off thoughts of Serenet, he forced himself to focus on the papers—reports about laborers’ wages in the textile factory. But her image wouldn’t leave his mind.
Should he drink? Take a walk in the garden? Finally, he rose, deciding a stroll might clear his head.
But when he reached the garden, he froze.
A black silhouette was already there, pausing beneath a lamppost.
It was Serenet.
Yuan gave a quiet laugh.
He had come outside to forget her, only to find her right in front of him. How ridiculous.
And she dared ask for a broken engagement, when she lingered so near?
As he stepped closer, Serenet turned, sensing his presence.
“Who’s there?”
Her voice was tense. From where she stood, the light did not reach him, so she couldn’t see his face.
“….”
He advanced without answering.
“State your identity.”
Her voice was sharp, as if she truly thought him an intruder. Yuan smiled faintly and continued toward her.
The closer he drew, the more tightly her face tensed.
“Serenet Inohater’s fiancé. That is who I am.”
Stepping into the lamplight, Yuan revealed himself. Serenet exhaled in relief.
“You scared me—I thought you were some strange man.”
She spoke irritably.
“The Frecktuster estate’s security is not so lax.”
“Yes, I’m sure,” she replied dryly.
“Were you out walking alone?”
“I ate a little too much at dinner. I was trying to walk it off.”
She answered coolly.
Yuan noticed what she held in her hand—a hippo doll, the very souvenir from the zoo. The sight of her clutching it made him burst out laughing again.
Startled, Serenet widened her eyes. That only made his laughter louder.
She instinctively stepped back, her guard rising again.
When he finally caught his breath, he closed the distance she had put between them.
“Don’t come any closer.”
She thrust the hippo doll toward him as if it could ward him off.
The gesture was so amusing Yuan covered his mouth to stifle another laugh.
Why was he like this? Ever since he heard she loved hippos, the thought of Serenet and hippos together made him want to laugh.
And now, seeing both at once, he simply couldn’t stop.
How long had it been since he laughed aloud like this? Did such a moment ever exist before?
Brushing back his hair, he looked at her. Yet her wary expression didn’t ease.
“Your Grace… Duke Frecktuster?” Serenet asked, as though to confirm.
Without answering, Yuan stepped closer. Serenet flinched and shook her head.
“I told you, don’t come closer.”
“Then don’t run from me, Lady Inohater.”
He spoke as she edged backward.
“How do I even know you’re really the Duke of Frecktuster?”
Her voice trembled.
What nonsense was that? How could she doubt his identity? Yuan barely restrained a laugh as he replied:
“What do you mean by that, Lady Inohater?”
“It’s strange. You’re not the kind of man who laughs like that. For all I know, you could be a Mechvia.”
She spoke without lowering her guard.
At the word Mechvia—a monster from legend said to eat people and then impersonate them—Yuan lost control and laughed again.
So she still had a touch of childish innocence, believing in such tales.
Thanks to her, he couldn’t stop laughing.
“This is absurd.”
With one hand on his waist and the other covering his mouth, Yuan laughed so hard that anyone watching would indeed suspect he was a Mechvia. Such laughter was rare for him—even foreign.
“Are you seriously suspecting me of being a Mechvia?”
He strode quickly toward her.
“Anyone would, seeing you like this,” Serenet retorted, looking up at him with doubtful eyes.
Then I’ll just have to prove it. Yuan’s lips curved.
“Then let me prove it to you—that I am your fiancé.”
In a swift motion, he wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her close. The distance between them vanished until he could feel her breath.
“Yuan.”
Her wide eyes locked on him.
Meeting her gaze, Yuan lowered his head slowly and captured her lips.
(To be continued…)
