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Chapter 55
“Someone who ought to be carrying out an imperial order—what business do you have in my house?”
At Kartan’s cold question, Jeffrey let an unreadable smile curve his lips.
“I came to see Lady Lillian.”
Kartan let out a scoffing laugh, as if he found it absurd.
“So you dared to abandon your post without even reporting?”
“My apologies. But I have no intention of returning. I’ve already reported multiple times that all matters there have been resolved.”
‘Why is the Grand Duke being so sharp? I don’t think he was usually like this….’
The man she knew was someone who clearly distinguished between public and private matters. He wasn’t so reckless as to abandon his post simply because he hadn’t received a reply to a letter. And he certainly wasn’t someone who would show such a sharp reaction toward a superior.
At that moment, Lillian noticed Kartan’s hand clenched tightly.
‘It seems His Grace is very angry—what should I do?’
Watching the tension between the two, Lillian found herself at a loss, as if she were someone caught at the scene of an affair.
“Uh, p-please don’t be like that. Since you’ve come all this way, perhaps some tea—”
Bang.
In an instant, Kartan—who had been crossing his legs—kicked the table as if by mistake. As a result, Lillian’s attempt to mediate was abruptly cut off.
Leaning languidly back against the chair, Kartan spoke to Jeffrey.
“It seems news reached you late while you were carrying out an imperial order. Lillian is no longer an ordinary noble lady. In the future, I would appreciate it if you didn’t suddenly barge in and casually meet my lover like this.”
For some reason, Lillian felt strangely unsettled. It didn’t seem as though His Grace was angry simply because the baron had abandoned his post.
‘Were the two of them always on such bad terms? If I’d known this would happen, I should’ve just said I wouldn’t meet him and sent him away. This is awkward….’
She felt as though things had turned out this way because of her. If she had replied to the baron’s letter, this never would have happened.
After quietly observing the two of them, Lillian spoke up once more.
“Um… just a moment, please.”
At her words, both of their gazes turned to Lillian at the same time. Being the center of attention so suddenly made an overwhelming sense of pressure wash over her.
‘Still, I’m the only one who can mediate this situation right now. The baron said he left his post because of me. And besides, he’s my guest.’
Gathering her courage, Lillian looked at Kartan.
“Your Grace, I heard you were busy with official duties, so I let a guest in without seeking your permission. I’ll be more careful next time.”
Then she turned to Jeffrey.
“Baron, as you can see, I’m doing well here. His Grace is in a poor mood today, so I think it would be best if you returned for now and we met again another time.”
Jeffrey rose from his seat without protest.
“Very well. Let’s do that.”
Meanwhile, Kartan watched Jeffrey bow to Lillian with clear displeasure. Then he grabbed Lillian’s arm as she tried to follow Jeffrey out to see him off.
“So you plan to meet him again?”
The baron had once held a place in her heart, but more than that, he was her benefactor. He had arranged jobs for both her and her father, and he had helped her time and again whenever she was struggling. To cut ties from her side felt ungrateful.
‘But at the same time, I don’t want to create trouble with His Grace….’
For reasons she didn’t know, it was clear that the two men didn’t get along. And in that situation, she couldn’t very well insist on continuing her relationship with the baron. She was stuck in an awkward position.
After some deliberation, Lillian looked down at Kartan and asked,
“Am I not allowed to meet him?”
In an instant, Kartan pulled the arm he was holding. Lillian was drawn back into her seat, the soft backrest pressing against her back.
Bracing his hands on either side of the chair, Kartan stared down at the flustered Lillian for a long while. His breath brushed against her face, heating it.
‘Why is he staring at me like this? Is he angry because I said I wouldn’t cut ties with the baron…?’
Lillian looked up at Kartan with trembling eyes. An indescribable tension filled the space between them.
After a long moment, the words that left his mouth were entirely unexpected.
“Why are you asking me that?”
“Well… it just seems like the two of you aren’t on good terms.”
“……”
The gaze that slowly swept over her was unbearably hot, like standing directly under the blazing summer sun. Unable to endure it any longer, Lillian averted her eyes first.
“Lillian.”
At the low voice calling her name, her heart dropped with a thud, as if responding on its own.
“Y-yes?”
Her breathing was rapid, as though she had been running. Then his hand touched the crown of her head.
“You need to keep your course straight.”
In that moment, she felt as though she had turned back into a child. As if guided by something, Lillian nodded before she even realized it.
And for some reason, she began to think that he might kiss her again.
Nervous, Lillian swallowed unconsciously.
‘Come to think of it, I never even asked why you did that back then… is it really okay for this to happen again?’
As she struggled with her thoughts, a quiet chuckle sounded above her head. Only then did Lillian realize that she had her eyes closed. Her face flushed hot in an instant.
“W-why are you laughing? I just—something suddenly got into my eye, that’s all. Don’t misunderstand!”
In her fluster, she blurted out something absurd. Then she pushed against his shoulder and stood up.
Bang.
Her hand was caught again in an instant. Kartan tugged one corner of his mouth upward as he spoke.
“Who said anything?”
“……”
“Why are you overreacting all by yourself?”
‘Overreacting?’
An odd feeling washed over Lillian.
‘Was it the same back then too? Did he just kiss me because he got swept up in the moment, and I’m the only one assigning meaning to it?’
A chill ran through her chest.
‘Yes, that could be it. It was just a kiss, after all….’
Moreover, all he had done back then was show her the mistake she had made. It might not have been sincere. The problem of not knowing what that supposed mistake was still remained, but in any case…
‘Let’s not expect too much.’
Avoiding Kartan’s gaze, Lillian lowered her head. In a subdued voice, she finally spoke.
“The baron is my benefactor. He said he came this time because he was worried when he didn’t receive any replies to the letters I sent several times. So please don’t scold him too harshly.”
“……”
Instead of answering, Kartan simply stared at Lillian.
‘Did it sound like I was defending the baron too much? Come to think of it, this could easily be misunderstood. His Grace doesn’t know the nature of my relationship with the baron….’
Recalling the previous scandal with His Majesty the Emperor, she felt she couldn’t leave things unexplained.
‘I don’t want even the smallest misunderstanding to pile up. Does His Grace even know how I feel?’
“Your Grace, the baron and I are nothing of that sort. He’s just a kind person who cares for me.”
In the past, those words would have been unbearably bitter, but now they felt nothing at all.
‘Yes, if I’ve sorted out my own feelings, then there’s no problem anymore.’
“I understand.”
At his words, Lillian felt relieved.
And yet, it was strange. Even though the misunderstanding had been cleared up, his expression still didn’t look good. It was clear that there had been something unpleasant between His Grace and the baron that she didn’t know about.
“By the way, Your Grace.”
Once again, he merely stared at her instead of answering.
“If you don’t mind, how did the two of you end up falling out? Did the baron make some kind of mistake…?”
He replied in a voice far plainer than she had expected.
“Just because.”
‘So… you just dislike him. I thought there might be some significant reason….’
For some reason, she felt a bit deflated.
“Then I’ll be going to my room now.”
Lillian crossed the drawing room and was just about to turn the doorknob when a low voice sounded from behind her.
“He took something I cherished far too easily. That’s why I just don’t like him.”
