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Episode 6
“Do you need to pack anything special?”
“Ah—no, not really. But I should at least bring some dresses I can wear right away and a few personal things…”
“Oh, a maid is coming over there.”
A maid from the ducal estate I’d never seen before was walking toward us carrying a large bag.
Huh? She’s coming this way.
“Good work.”
When Kael put a silver coin into her hand, her face lit up.
After thanking him, she quickly went back toward the ducal estate.
I opened the bag right away and checked inside.
My familiar things were all there.
Aside from a few plain dresses I wore daily, nothing fancy, and not many accessories either—so the bag still had empty space.
“Wait… this is all my stuff, but… are you seriously telling me to go to the count’s estate right now?”
“Is there a problem? We’re already practically a couple planning a wedding without permission.”
…Okay, that’s true.
I almost nodded at his logical argument, then snapped out of it.
Don’t be fooled so easily, Enrica!
Meanwhile, Kael continued calmly.
“You can think of it as a slightly luxurious inn. I’m rarely home anyway because of work.
“I’ll give you the entire second floor. If you’re uncomfortable, we won’t even have to meet.”
That level of consideration was honestly overwhelming.
I finally found my voice.
“This is suspicious. You’re being way too kind to a woman you just met yesterday.”
His answer surprised me.
“We didn’t just meet yesterday.”
I blinked.
“Wait… we’ve met before?”
“I think it would be better to explain that over dinner tonight—if Enri agrees, of course.”
Kael smiled as usual—cold, yet somehow gentle.
“And if I don’t come with you?”
“Then the explanation will be postponed.”
Ugh. That just makes me even more curious!
Before I realized it, he was already holding out his hand.
Long fingers. Strong-looking hand. Veins slightly visible—calm, steady, reliable.
I just stared at it blankly.
“Are you not going to take it?”
And like I was enchanted by his voice, I grabbed his hand.
Wait—no, that’s not what I meant!
I tried to pull away slightly, but Kael’s expression changed subtly.
Like a hunter locking onto prey, he held me firmly and wouldn’t let go.
Before I knew it, my feet were already moving with him.
“Won’t your father be furious?”
“I’ll handle that part.”
“What about the Grand Duke? What if he comes to kill us in the middle of the night?”
“…You don’t need to worry about that.”
Before I knew it, I was already stepping into a carriage holding his hand.
It was large and luxurious, though it bore no family crest.
Black hair, black carriage, black horses pulling it.
Even his clothes were mostly dark tones—only his blue eyes stood out vividly like a lake under moonlight.
“Do you like black?”
“Not particularly. It just ended up this way.”
He tilted his head slightly, as if he was aware of it himself.
We were chatting casually when I tried to ask how long it would take.
“About how many hours until the count’s est.”
But I couldn’t finish the sentence.
Something felt… wrong. Like I was missing something important.
Wait, what is it…?
And then it hit me.
“Huh?! Sara!”
Oh no, what did I do?!
Miss, go to the count’s estate! Sara, stay at the ducal estate!
It echoed in my ears like a hallucination.
I quickly shouted,
“Wait! We need to turn the carriage around! I left Sara behind!”
“Enri.”
“Hurry!”
Even now, Kael remained calm and pointed toward the carriage window.
Not that! That’s not important!
I turned my head—and froze.
“Eek!”
“Finally found you, miss.”
Bright red hair. A beautiful, sharp-eyed woman riding a horse.
It was Sara.
She was calmly riding alongside the carriage.
“Good heavens… how did you get here?”
“You forget me, but I never forget you. I’ll follow you for the rest of my life.”
“Sara…”
I was so touched I almost teared up.
But then Sara shifted her gaze past me.
Towards Kael.
The two of them stared at each other like they already disliked one another.
Right. Sara hated Kael.
I carefully asked,
“Is it okay if I go with Kael?”
“Even sleeping on the streets is better than staying in that place with those people. I’ve been holding back long enough.”
Right. If Sara loses patience, things get dangerous. I nodded in agreement.
“Don’t worry. I’m not running away. I’m just waiting for the right time. I won’t forget what they did to you, miss.”
She tapped her cheek lightly.
Honestly, it didn’t have to go that far…
I felt grateful, embarrassed, and guilty for forgetting her for even a moment.
Meanwhile, Kael was watching all of this with a very strange expression.
Right—I promised introductions.
I quickly said,
“Oh, Sara. You haven’t met him yet. This is Count Kael Belbrington.”
Sara, instead of looking at him, glanced at the horse he was holding and nodded blankly.
“Hello. I’m good at riding horses.”
I felt the blood drain from my face.
Wait—did she just steal the count’s horse?!
“Ahaha… she’s very polite. She just borrowed your horse.”
Right? Borrowed. Not stolen.
I tried to plead with my eyes.
Thankfully, Kael didn’t say anything.
But his smile was clearly different from the one he showed me.
Soon, Sara drifted farther away, and I leaned in and whispered,
“Kael… are you mad because of the horse?”
He frowned slightly.
“Because of the horse?”
“Then why are you.”
“Is there a problem?”
“The way you smile at me and the way you smile at Sara… never mind!”
I couldn’t say it properly and trailed off.
Kael sighed softly.
“Of course it’s different. You’re my fiancée.”
“You know that’s not what I meant.”
Before I could explain, he spoke again.
“I’ve decided on your nickname, Enri.”
“You already call me Enri.”
“That’s an affectionate name. This is a nickname.”
“What is it?”
I waited with a bit of hope.
Then.
“My little colt.”
“…What?”
A colt? Not even a puppy—now I’m a horse?!
Kael laughed quietly, covering his mouth.
“You asked if I was mad about the horse.”
Sighing, I gave up.
“Forget it.”
“Enri, are you mad?”
“Yes.”
“How do I fix this?”
“If you stay quiet for a while and let me sleep, I’ll be fine.”
With that, I leaned against the carriage wall and curled up.
The soft rhythm of the carriage slowly made me sleepy.
Before long, I drifted off.
She fell asleep that quickly.
Right in front of the man she’s trying so hard to avoid—completely defenseless.
Her soft breathing, slightly parted lips…
Like a small puppy.
He didn’t feel even a trace of guilt for deceiving her.
Raphael quietly watched her, then told the coachman,
“Slow down. Keep it steady.”
When he reached to close the window—
“Grand Duke Cronhart.”
Sara called him in a low voice.
“Even if Miss Enrica grew up locked in that mansion her whole life, I didn’t.”
“Just what kind of man are you?”
Her tone was so rude it would’ve justified a sword being drawn.
“Disgusting. It reeks. What kind of curse did you bring onto yourself?”
But the blue-eyed man only looked forward calmly.
“So you noticed it. Not bad for a wandering dark mage.”
Sara flinched slightly.
“Shut up. Don’t act like this is a legitimate engagement. You fraud.”
He replied calmly.
“Lower your voice. You’ll wake her.”
“If she hears, that’s your problem, not mine.”
“If that were true, you would’ve said something the moment you saw me.”
Sara gritted her teeth.
A father who saw his daughter as nothing but a tool.
Servants who treated Enrica poorly because of him.
She couldn’t speak further.
“I promise you this,” he said softly.
“I don’t know why Enrica fears me…”
His hand gently brushed Enrica’s hair.
“I will give her the best things in the world.”
His voice was cold and emotionless.
Yet his lips curved slightly.
“She is the only key that can break my curse.”
