HBM 10

chapter 10

Grace stepped out into the city streets, wearing a wide-brimmed hat that partially hid her face.

Catching a glimpse of herself in a passing window, she let out a quiet sigh.

‘Still swollen…’

One side of her face, shadowed by the hat, was puffy.

It was the cheek Norman had struck the day before.

Despite having kept it iced all day yesterday, the swelling hadn’t gone down.

A faint bruise remained, though makeup had covered it well.

But the puffiness… there was nothing she could do about that.

Yesterday, it had been so swollen she couldn’t go out at all.

Because of that, she hadn’t been able to buy the gift she wanted to give Lucas.

Anyone with a sharp eye might notice something off about her cheek.

‘…Maybe I should have sent it with a servant.’

Lucas Black’s coat. He had invited her personally to return it.

Grace had agonized over what to do.

Should she see him in this state, or muster the courage to send his coat back through a servant?

She had finally decided to send the coat through a servant.

But just then, a servant from the Black household arrived.

“This is the official invitation. By the Master’s order, we have prepared a special bison dish for today. It is a specialty our chef takes pride in. A carriage will arrive around 5 p.m., and we would be grateful if you could wait.”

Alongside the neatly wrapped invitation was a small, slender bottle of fragrant oil.

In Zeronium, distant guests were often sent small treats, books, or relaxing oils along with invitations to make the journey less tedious.

Relaxing oils had recently become popular—applied lightly behind the ears, they relieved fatigue and eased the body.

The oil sent to her was known as “Bardor’s Greenhouse”, rare and not easily obtained.

Its scent—a delicate blend of herbs and flowers—was lovely and refined.

Once applied, the oil’s aroma changed over hours, earning it another name: “Invitation to the Greenhouse.”

The subtle, clear fragrance transformed into a sophisticated, sensuous scent, intoxicating anyone near the wearer.

It was popular among noblewomen, but extremely difficult to obtain—handmade, secret recipe, and rare ingredients made it a challenge to produce.

‘And Lucas Black sent me this…’

Grace muttered under her breath:

“…I’m doomed.”

To refuse such a meticulously prepared invitation would undoubtedly trigger his piercing glare.

Even if he didn’t rage like her father or brother, he could still make her uneasy.

Men didn’t tend to hide their feelings—if offended, he might even brandish that fearsome sword in anger…

‘No… he probably wouldn’t go that far. But still… it’s scary.’

Even without anger, his heavy, intense gaze could make her faint.

‘…No, it’s actually good. I could go, show him my swollen cheek, and tell him I want to cancel the engagement. Might be more effective. And now that I’ve seen Father’s temperament, it’s a good chance to show that getting involved with this family wouldn’t be wise.’

If done right, Lucas might even reconsider the engagement himself.

Feeling a surge of courage, Grace quickly organized her thoughts, dressed, and stepped out to buy the gift she hadn’t managed to get yesterday.

If she was going to do this, she might as well choose a gift he would like.

‘But first, there’s one more stop I need to make.’

She had a place to visit and needed to hurry to keep her schedule.

“This is…”

Doctor Notia Rias of the National Medical Institute frowned at the vivid blue bruise decorating Grace’s pale, slender stomach.

Grace lay obediently on the bed, exposing her abdomen. She smiled awkwardly, embarrassed.

Notia’s hand gently touched Grace’s swollen cheek, her eyes filled with concern.

“I had a feeling from your cheek… it’s that damn idiot again, isn’t it?”

Grace laughed at the rough curse.

“Yes. Already the third time this year.”

She answered honestly, then shyly covered her stomach with the medical gown.

Grace and Notia had attended the academy together as children, a friendship that had lasted until now.

Notia, daughter of a fallen baron, had completed all ninth-grade courses with a scholarship and studied medicine, eventually becoming a royal physician.

Grace, daughter of a minor noble family, had completed six grades before leaving the academy, as was common in noble families that discouraged female education.

Though her grades were good and her enthusiasm for learning high, her frail body prevented further study.

Moreover, whenever she performed well, Norman’s hysterics made attending school even harder.

Still, Grace and Notia had often spent time together at the academy.

That was why Grace always came to Notia for examinations that required revealing her body.

…Though there were other reasons too.

Dressed neatly in her gown, Grace smiled at Notia and said:

“Please record everything meticulously, Notia.”

“I always do, with full detail… but, Grace, you really intend to use this someday, right?”

Grace shrugged.

“Hopefully this never sees the light of day. But you never know. There may come a day when I need this for independence.”

Notia adjusted her glasses, chuckling.

“The fragile lily of the Oelin family is actually so sharp and capable… People should know. Honestly, this family should be led by you, not that idiot. You handled the orphanage tax evasion, didn’t you? See, how clever you are.”

Grace simply smiled politely.

She appreciated the praise but didn’t see herself as that remarkable.

She had made preparations for independence, but otherwise had no grand ambitions.

Grace went into a private changing room to put on a dress.

Julie, waiting outside, assisted her.

After a quick greeting to the busy Notia, Grace headed to a men’s accessories boutique.

Standing before its grand, luxurious facade, she hesitated between it and the nearby fountain pen shop.

“I don’t know much about men’s accessories… Would he even like ready-made items?”

Though she thought a pen might be safer, she lacked the courage to enter a shop full of sharp nibs.

“…No, no. Pens are out of the question.”

Eventually, she stepped into the boutique.

Just as she opened the glass door, she noticed someone inside radiating an overwhelming presence.

A man in a suit, hair black and sleek, eyes flashing with a cold blue light.

And an air of commanding quiet surrounding him.

“…Oh, no.”

Lucas Black, Duke of Black… here?

The bell chimed as she partially opened the door, and Lucas slowly turned toward her.

Without thinking, Grace instinctively turned and ran.

In her haste, she didn’t even notice her hat falling from her head.

‘Did he see me? Did our eyes meet? What do I do?’

Julie hurried after her.

“Miss, where are you going!”

“Don’t follow me, Julie! Stay there!”

Grace darted into the next shop, the quickest hiding spot she could find.

Inside, she scrambled behind display cases, heart hammering.

Her pulse raced, likely from unexpectedly encountering him.

So startled, she hadn’t even noticed the dozens of pen nibs on display.

She kept her gaze down, pressing her rising chest to calm her breathing.

The door to the pen shop jingled open again.

And then…

Thud. Thud. Thud.

Heavy footsteps, unmistakably a man’s.

‘What do I do… what do I do…!’

Whether real or imagined, the sound seemed to be drawing closer.

Grace’s heart pounded even harder.

‘Stay calm, Grace Oelin.’

She clenched her eyes shut, biting her lips.

Yet her mind couldn’t stop wondering why he was here.

Nothing came to mind.

She had only moved instinctively.

Never expecting to meet him here, she was simply shocked—shocked beyond reason.

Thud. Thud…

Could it really be him approaching?

‘No… he couldn’t have seen me. He couldn’t have.’

Even thinking that, her body instinctively recoiled.

She took a few steps back, but something blocked her, preventing further retreat.

Frantically staring at the floor, her gaze snapped backward.

“…!”

In that instant, her heart seemed to plummet.