🔊 TTS Settings
Chapter 8
After the Explanation Was Over
Thud. Thud.
At the heavy metallic knocking coming from the front door, Serenia reluctantly lifted the curtain a little.
She was already worrying about what kind of article the reporters would write tomorrow after seeing a handsome host visiting the Barishart estate early in the morning.
But unlike her expectations, the one knocking at the door was a mail carrier.
‘At least tomorrow’s paper won’t have an article like: [Shock! The Duke’s Betrayed Love — The Identity of the Host Frequently Visiting the Barishart Estate?!]’
Thinking that, she quickly went outside.
Of course, she did not forget to wrap a scarf around her face to hide herself.
Even then, rapid camera shutters exploded from every direction.
The reporters were so noisy that it was hard to even hear the mail carrier’s voice.
“Good morning, Young Lady. I apologize for coming so early.”
Seeing the familiar delivery man bowing with an exhausted face, Serenia looked apologetic.
His dark green uniform was wrinkled everywhere, making it obvious how hard it must have been for him to push through the crowd of reporters.
“Whew. Anyway, this is an urgent express delivery.”
He wiped the sweat from his forehead after taking off his hat and pointed behind him.
Serenia followed his hand with her eyes.
In front of a large dark green cargo wagon sat an enormous box.
It was covered in warnings like Fragile and Handle With Care, and it was big enough to fit a small wardrobe inside.
Serenia unconsciously opened her mouth in shock.
‘Did Rascal send this? Don’t tell me it’s some kind of poison gift set?’
While she was imagining such terrible things, the delivery man handed her a receipt ledger and a pen.
“Please sign here to confirm the delivery.”
While she absentmindedly signed it, the delivery man strained as he moved the huge box.
After carrying it all the way to the entrance, he panted heavily and bowed.
“Then, have a good day, Young Lady.”
Then, just as he started walking back toward the cargo wagon, he suddenly turned around and shouted:
“Oh, right! Congratulations on your marriage!”
“⋯⋯.”
With the expression of someone chewing dried dandelion roots raw, Serenia watched him leave before dragging the box inside with great effort.
After locking the door, she took a deep breath and coldly spoke toward the box.
“Come out right now.”
The moment she finished speaking, the box began to shake.
After several loud rustling noises, the top burst open with a crack.
And from inside—
a head of bright red hair slowly popped out.
“Well. I’ve been caught.”
Smiling brightly, he brushed back his hair. As always, he was wearing his tinted glasses.
“But how did you know? I didn’t even make a sound.”
“Is that really the important part right now?!”
She shouted furiously and continued glaring at him.
“How could you even think of hiding inside a box and getting shipped here?! Do you realize how dangerous that is?!”
At her scolding, he deliberately made a sad face.
“But I couldn’t think of any other way to get through that swarm of reporters. And I couldn’t exactly break my promise to pick you up.”
The sight of him looking so pitiful and beautiful like a delicate flower unintentionally captured Serenia’s attention.
She had no idea she was falling straight into the famous honey trap.
Suddenly feeling like she should hug and comfort him immediately, she flusteredly replied:
“S-Sorry. Th-that’s not what I meant⋯⋯.”
Taking advantage of her confusion, Ain lightly climbed out of the box.
After straightening his slightly wrinkled collar, he immediately changed expressions and added with a charming smile:
“Still, I risked myself to keep my promise, yet you broke yours and didn’t even apologize.”
“⋯⋯Huh?”
The sudden change in atmosphere completely caught her off guard.
In front of her confusion, he twisted his expression dramatically and pretended to realize something.
“Oh dear, my mistake. I should call you future Duchess, shouldn’t I?”
Only then did she remember the true cause of this morning’s disaster.
‘Right! The extra edition!!’
She had forgotten all about it because of his ridiculous entrance.
‘No, seriously, how could I forget something like that?!’
Scolding herself internally, she quickly waved her hands.
“N-No! That’s not it! Seriously, it’s not!”
But he completely ignored her and pulled out the newspaper extra from inside his coat.
The article had already treated the marriage between the two as a confirmed fact, mixing endless speculation with the story of Rascal Admancanon’s proposal.
After quickly reading through it while nodding along, he smiled sweetly.
“Well, I suppose six million crovats would be nothing for the Admancanon Ducal House.”
“That’s not what happened! I’ll explain everything! I really will—!”
“Ah, since it’s come to this, I suppose an ordinary commoner like me, who can’t even compare to the Duke, should just earn as much money as possible and disappear.”
“No, wait, listen to me—!”
“Congratulations on your marriage. Ah, and don’t worry, you don’t need to send me an invitation.”
“Hey? Excuse me?!”
“Oh, but please pay the penalty fee within this month.”
After saying only what he wanted, he immediately tried to leave through the front door.
Terrified, Serenia dashed over like lightning and blocked the door.
Then she grabbed his collar just before he could collide with her and shouted while staring directly into the eyes hidden behind his tinted glasses.
“Will you please listen when people are talking?!”
“⋯⋯I am listening?”
“You’re clearly not! I said it’s all a misunderstanding!!”
“Hm? A misunderstanding?”
“It is! I can explain everything! From beginning to end, perfectly!”
He stared silently at her desperate shouting before finally speaking with a deep smile.
“Very well.”
The strangely resonant low voice ringing near her ears made Serenia flinch.
Only then did she realize—
how close she had unconsciously gotten to him.
She tried to step back in panic, but the door blocked her path.
Meanwhile, he slowly slipped his gloved fingers between her weakened grip and gently loosened her hand from his collar as he whispered softly:
“Then let’s hear it.”
And then—
SMACK!
Ain was punched directly in the jaw by Serenia’s reflexive fist.
A little later, Serenia handed him an ice pack filled with snow she had gathered from outside.
Sitting on the old sofa in the Barishart estate’s drawing room, Ain obediently pressed it against his bruised jaw.
Carefully watching him sit there looking utterly defeated while applying cold compresses, Serenia cautiously spoke.
“Um⋯⋯ sorry for hitting you. I got startled for a moment.”
“⋯⋯No. It was my fault.”
Serenia quickly accepted that answer.
“Well, that’s true. Why were you doing something weird like that anyway?”
“⋯⋯.”
“Ahem. Anyway, at least nothing broke or got knocked out.”
“⋯⋯Yes.”
“Th-the bruise can probably be covered with makeup. It shouldn’t interfere too much with your work, right?”
Of course it wouldn’t.
Though the makeup artist would definitely scream in horror and report it to the theater director, who would then come raging at him for not taking proper care of his face.
Ain swallowed those thoughts internally and replied gloomily:
“⋯⋯Yes. Thank you for your concern.”
His weak reaction bothered her a little.
But there was not much else she could do, so Serenia quickly changed the topic.
“Anyway, let me say this first. That newspaper extra was completely fabricated.”
At those words, Ain narrowed his eyes while holding the ice pack to his jaw.
“Ah. Completely fabricated?”
The strange emphasis made Serenia awkwardly laugh and correct herself.
“Well, technically something like that did happen, so maybe not completely fabricated⋯⋯ maybe about ninety percent fabricated?”
“Ahh. ‘Something like that,’ you say. And what exactly would that be?”
He asked with a crooked smile and sharpened eyes.
Avoiding his gaze, Serenia answered awkwardly.
“W-Well⋯⋯.”
“Well?”
“Th-there was something kind of similar to a proposal⋯⋯.”
Before she could even finish speaking, Ain immediately interrupted her.
“Young Lady. In case you didn’t know, double contracts are a classic form of fraud and deception.”
