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Chapter 12
She thought she had seen it wrong. There was no reason for that woman to come to her and Killian’s engagement ceremony.
Yuse had always been confident in her memory. That was why she knew even more clearly. Blonde hair. Green eyes. And the noble elegance flowing from that woman was something no one could easily imitate.
Then their eyes met. In that brief moment, countless emotions that could not be described passed between them.
“Excuse me…”
She wanted to ask.
So without thinking, her feet moved first to catch up to the woman.
“Wait a moment…”
But there were too many people in the way.
“Oh my, Lady! Congratulations on your engagement!”
Everywhere Yuse passed, people stopped her.
“Thank you.”
As soon as Yuse gave a short greeting, another person stepped forward and stopped her again.
“Lady, you must be so happy!”
Everyone tried their best to gain favor with Duke Killian’s fiancée. Yuse could not refuse their greetings, so more and more time passed.
“Lady Yuse!”
At that moment, someone pulled her out from the crowd.
“Floheta! …Young Marquis.”
That familiar voice. The playful tone she always recognized made Yuse smile naturally.
Still, she was used to calling only his name. Adding “Young Marquis” at the end still felt awkward to her.
“Floheta? Isn’t he the second son of the Vermillion Marquis family?”
With his appearance, the whispers that had briefly stopped began again.
“That troublesome son, right?”
“Yes, but I heard he’s been staying in the annex for a few months because he’s close friends with the Duke.”
“I heard that rumor too. But I didn’t know he had already become close with the Lady.”
“Let’s move away. If we get involved, it might cause us trouble too.”
Even though Floheta was standing right there, they spoke as if he could not hear them, busy talking badly about him.
“Excuse me.”
Yuse’s expression clearly showed her anger as she was about to stop them.
But Floheta quickly called out to her.
“Congratulations on your engagement, Lady.”
He smiled and deliberately drew her attention to himself.
“Mm… thank you.”
Yuse finally gave in and looked at him.
In a quiet voice so no one else could hear, she asked,
“They were speaking badly about you. Are you really okay with that?”
“I told you, it’s fine.”
Floheta looked at her worried face and shook his head gently.
“I’m used to it. By the way, where were you hurrying off to?”
“Ah, you saw?”
“Yes.”
Only then did Yuse remember why she had been walking so quickly. She hurriedly turned her head toward where the woman had been standing.
But the woman was gone.
As if she had never been there.
As if it had only been Yuse’s imagination.
“Ah…”
“What is it?”
“N-Nothing.”
“It doesn’t look like nothing.”
Floheta had never failed to notice the emotions on Yuse’s face.
“Um… you know.”
If anyone knew, it would be Floheta, Killian’s close friend.
Yuse cleared her throat and gathered her courage to ask him about the woman.
“Yuse, here you are.”
Suddenly, Killian appeared and gently pulled Yuse toward him.
At his sweet voice, her thoughts stopped again.
“I was surprised when you suddenly disappeared.”
“Haha… I’m sorry. I saw someone familiar in the crowd.”
At Killian’s words, Yuse spoke quickly, like someone who did not know how to lie. It could not be helped. Yuse was weak when it came to Killian. Even though she knew that very well, she could not resist him.
“Someone familiar?”
Killian asked back. For a moment, Yuse’s mind went blank.
Was it really all right to bring up that woman here, on such a happy day?
For some reason, she was afraid to say it.
“Th-that is…”
“And that was me.”
Before she could finish, Floheta stepped in and continued.
“Ah.”
Killian looked at both Floheta and Yuse for a moment, then slowly nodded.
“That’s right.”
Yuse also nodded, and their strange conversation ended like that.
“Yuse.”
A short silence surrounded the three of them.
“Shall we continue greeting the guests?”
Killian held out his hand with a gentle smile, and Yuse naturally took it. She looked only at Killian, who was endlessly kind to her, not noticing Floheta’s lingering gaze.
After everyone left that night, Yuse and Killian, tired from the long day, sat across from each other at a table and shared wine.
Yuse had suggested this herself. Even though she knew she was tired, she did not want such a good day to end so simply.
“How was today?”
Yuse carefully asked, watching Killian lean back in his chair with his eyes closed.
“It was good.”
He slowly lifted the corners of his lips and opened his eyes.
“It was even better because I was able to be connected to you like this, Yuse. How about you?”
“Me too! It was wonderful!”
Before he even finished speaking, Yuse nodded eagerly, her eyes shining.
Beila had told her many times to be careful about reacting too quickly to Killian, but for Yuse, that was impossible.
She knew that better than anyone.
“Are you not tired?”
Killian asked.
“A little…?”
Yuse answered softly. If she admitted she was tired, he might immediately suggest they go to sleep. At that moment, a thought suddenly crossed her mind.
Today was their engagement night.
Did that mean they could sleep together from today? Until now, they had used separate rooms, but now that they were officially engaged, they had a reason to share the same room.
“Killian!”
As soon as that thought formed, all her tiredness disappeared.
“Yes?”
Killian calmly answered and took a sip of wine.
Even that small action looked handsome to her. Yuse watched him carefully before speaking again.
“From today… can we sleep together?”
“Pfft.”
At her sudden and shocking question, Killian lost his composure for the first time.
The wine he had been drinking elegantly spilled from his mouth.
“Oh my, Killian!”
Startled, Yuse quickly stood up and approached him with a handkerchief.
Cough.
He coughed several times before finally calming down.
Did this woman know what she was saying? His expression twisted slightly.
Yuse gently patted his back and watched him carefully. When his coughing eased, she asked softly,
“Are you okay?”
“Yes… I am fine.”
Killian steadied his breathing and adjusted his clothes.
“And Yuse, what did you just say?”
“Why…? What did I… Ah.”
At his question, Yuse tilted her head, then remembered her words. Her cheeks turned red.
“Ahem.”
After a brief silence, Killian spoke again.
“I think it would be better for us to share a room after the wedding ceremony.”
“What?”
Yuse’s eyes widened.
“Yuse.”
He shook his head.
“We have not held the wedding yet. I do not want you to become the subject of gossip. In the Empire, many people do not take engagements seriously. Most couples share a room only after marriage. Since you are from the Duchy, you must be even more careful.”
Killian did not give her a chance to reply.
“You must be tired. Please go and rest now.”
And he simply guided Yuse back to her room.
