Chapter 24
Should I interpret the word “cute” as meaning “madly adorable”?
Is this guy serious right now? Really? Seems unlikely… He’s not the type…
Cute.
The word, which came out of his mouth for the first time ever, felt very unfamiliar.
Meanwhile, Eileen seemed to have already finished her reconnaissance plan and called Floan.
“Anyway, Floan. Let’s go on our second inspection. You said there’s a village with hot springs, right? We should check it out in person.”
“Yes, let’s do that.”
At his gentle words, Eileen smiled brightly and left the room first.
Floan curiously examined the business plan she had handwritten—more like scribbles.
Interesting, anyway.
He didn’t say it aloud, but his face clearly showed that thought.
His gaze on the paper was soft, and the corners of his lips curved into a gentle smile.
Dalton remembered when Floan first came here.
That guy isn’t the warm, humane type… Does he really trust Her Grace the Duchess…?
No matter how he looked, he never thought Floan was the kind to be kind-hearted and affectionate, the type who would do anything the wife asks.
Of course, that thought hadn’t changed even now.
“Your Grace, what on earth are you thinking?”
Dalton asked Floan with fish-like eyes.
Floan wore a calm, shameless expression as if there were no problem.
“When I first met Your Grace, I thought I’d lose an arm from just the glare. Your eyes were so sharp, I nearly peed myself when I greeted you. Though that was two years ago. I still dream about it sometimes.”
“And?”
“So, why do you do everything she asks? You’re like an endlessly giving tree? Even trees don’t give this much. You’re going to mess up the South on your own. Won’t you stand out too much?”
Then Floan finally looked steadily at Dalton.
He flinched, as if that sharp gaze was a trauma, even though Floan hadn’t done anything.
“That’s exactly what I want.”
“Excuse me?”
“To stand out. Eileen says she’s a ‘scene stealer.’”
“A scene stealer? What’s that?”
“Someone who’s good at drawing attention and enjoys it, apparently.”
Floan’s eyes glittered as he continued.
“The more Eileen spreads her wings, the more famous the South becomes— the real culprit who killed the Duke of the South will surely come closer.”
“Is that so?”
“If not, what do you think, Dalton?”
“Ah, no, Helix— uh.”
Dalton paled and quickly covered his mouth after the name slipped out.
“I-I’m sorry. I don’t know what came over me.”
“You’re making mistakes you don’t usually make.”
“I’ll correct it.”
Dalton’s expression darkened.
“Be careful.”
Saying that, he passed by Dalton. Dalton hurried to follow.
Going down to the garden on the first floor, they saw Eileen talking with the servants.
Noticing Floan, she waved her hand mid-conversation and smiled.
“…Truly an amazing woman.”
Dalton muttered quietly, and pretended Eileen didn’t hear.
Changing into outing clothes, Floan had prepared a huge carriage.
Seeing Eileen approaching, Floan smiled softly and opened the carriage door for her.
What great manners.
And that sunshine-like smile was a bonus.
Ah, what am I thinking right now.
Eileen slightly shook her head and walked past Floan into the carriage with a proud expression.
He sat opposite her.
Soon, the carriage started moving.
Thus began the official second inspection tour of Duchess Eileen of the South.
They headed for the second village, Wiridia.
Along the way, she spread out the map and had a heated discussion with Floan, outlining detailed plans for her grand goals.
But maybe she used her brain too much and was overloaded.
Or maybe the carriage shaking violently over terrible roads gave her motion sickness.
Suddenly, a migraine made Eileen’s face turn a little pale.
“Are you feeling uncomfortable, Eileen?”
“…Maybe from staring too hard at the map. A slight headache. Nothing to worry about. I’ll just close my eyes for a bit.”
Removing her reading glasses, she pressed around her eyes and leaned back in her seat, closing her eyes.
Rattle rattle rattle rattle.
Wow, this is really shaking. We should fix the roads before attracting more people.
Just then, the carriage suddenly clattered and came to a halt.
Wondering what had happened, Eileen slowly opened one eye.
Right in front of her was her husband Floan’s face, almost touching hers.
“Eek!”
Startled to see his handsome face so close, Eileen jerked back and hit her head on the wall.
“Move slowly, Eileen.”
“Why are you attacking my face?”
“Face attack? Is there such a thing?”
“…There is.”
“Sorry. I didn’t mean to attack. I just worried because your face looked so pale.”
Floan then got out of the carriage, held the door, and helped Eileen out.
Looking around, she wondered if they had already arrived at the second village—
“Eileen, you have two choices.”
“What are they?”
“To go by carriage like now, it will take about a week around the long route. Walking, it’s only half a day.”
To avoid passing through a giant forest, they’d have to take a long winding path.
“The carriage roads are probably as bad as they are now, right?”
Eileen asked.
Floan smiled brightly.
Not the time for laughter, she thought.
“I’ll walk then.”
Eileen thought it would be better than bouncing around in the rattling carriage.
Floan smiled meaningfully.
“A wise choice, Eileen.”
Was he mocking or sincere?
Eileen felt some discomfort in that smile, though she couldn’t pinpoint exactly why.
Still, she got off the carriage and started walking.
“This is the village entrance?”
Wiridia truly began and ended in the forest, and it wasn’t an exaggeration.
Thick tree roots tangled on the dirt ground, and huge prehistoric fern-like plants were scattered everywhere, blocking the view ahead.
Looking quietly at the endless greenery, Eileen didn’t want to take back what she said now.
Ah, whatever. A short walk and it’ll open up. It can’t be some remote mountain village.
Though it was the less developed South, she thought it couldn’t be that bad.
She walked and walked.
Oh damn. This is way too hard.
Minutes, tens of minutes, no—hours straight!
Is there really a village? Is this even a village?
How much forest is there? Is there a village at all? Did the Duke of the South bring me here to kill me and bury me?
Even absurd thoughts started to seem reasonable in her exhausted state.
The servants following her had long given up.
Meaning only Eileen and Floan were stubbornly going through this place.
The terrain was so harsh it felt like hiking rather than walking, and Eileen’s breathing became heavier in her dress.
Floan, seemingly unaffected by the terrain, walked ahead but always turned back and waited whenever Eileen lagged behind.
“If it’s too hard, you can give up, Eileen. You don’t have to inspect this far.”
“Why?”
“Because it would be very hard for a woman to pass through such dense forest. Especially since you lived in the capital—this terrain won’t be easy for a city person.”
Though it seemed like concern, Eileen felt strangely uneasy.
What was this discomfort?
After thinking for a while, Eileen was sure of one thing.
She didn’t know what it was, but this man was testing her!
What is he testing? My patience? My stamina? My responsibility? If not, then what’s with that piercing gaze?
Maybe it was just his naturally intense eyes…
That steady stare felt instinctively unsettling to Eileen, who had lived as a celebrity in her past life.
Right. Whatever it is, I don’t want to lose.
That thought sparked a fighting spirit in Eileen.
