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Chapter 8
“Stop laughing, Masha!”
Elina sat up from her bed, her cheeks bright red as she shouted.
After the grand birthday banquet ended, she hadn’t even opened the pile of gifts. Instead, she got ready for bed in a gloomy mood—and then told Masha everything that happened.
“S-sorry… I—haha—”
“This isn’t funny. Why would Sir Kaian act like that?”
“Has the young duke ever expressed his feelings to you?”
Masha barely held back her laughter and asked seriously.
“Of course. He stiffens whenever he stands in front of me, and he accepted my request to be my partner right away. Maybe I moved too fast?”
“Not like that… I mean, has he ever said it out loud?”
Masha gently held Elina’s trembling hand.
“…That…”
Elina suddenly fell silent.
“Never?”
Masha sighed softly.
“Does it really have to be said? When feelings are too big, it’s hard to say them out loud.”
Even as she spoke, Elina felt her confidence fading. She pulled the blanket over her head.
Kaian must have left because he didn’t want to see her dancing with Verdin.
She understood that feeling well—because she had felt the same way before.
There were even times when she got upset and went home.
When she couldn’t find him anywhere, she assumed he had left for that reason.
Luckily, she found him by the lake.
Was that really lucky?
She couldn’t understand why someone who clearly liked her would reject her so coldly.
And thanks to Masha teasing her—
she even felt wronged.
I can’t tell her everything honestly.
If she talked about her past life, she would probably end up lying in bed with a doctor waiting beside her.
But enduring this rejection wasn’t easy either.
Elina wasn’t used to being rejected.
In fact—
this was the first time in her life.
Even when Kaian refused her dinner invitation before, she was only surprised, not hurt.
She thought he was just shy.
Even Verdin had never pushed her away this coldly.
“How am I supposed to face him now?!”
Still—
she couldn’t give up without achieving her goal.
Unable to endure the embarrassment, Elina kicked her blanket wildly.
“Please don’t be like that, Miss. He might have misunderstood.”
Masha laughed again before calming her down.
“No, it can’t be a misunderstanding… it really can’t be. Then why did he reject me? Think about it, Masha. If someone you liked suddenly proposed to you, would you reject them?”
Elina peeked out from under the blanket, her eyes desperate—like when she used to beg for one more pudding as a child.
In the past, she had only waited for Verdin to propose.
She couldn’t understand this situation at all.
Masha was only three years older, but she was clever and experienced.
Maybe she could find the answer.
“Suddenly? Hmm… I would probably accept first and think later. But everyone is different.”
Masha avoided saying the truth—that Elina might be mistaken.
Teasing her felt like the old days—
but she was also afraid of what Elina might do if she realized reality.
Because—
once Elina wanted something, she always got it.
At least Kaian didn’t seem as frightening as the Crown Prince.
Masha just hoped this love would succeed—
so Elina wouldn’t go back to chasing Verdin.
After hearing her, Elina thought carefully.
Was it too sudden?
Now that she thought about it—
they barely interacted, then suddenly became partners—and she proposed right away.
It was too much.
“It’s not like I’ve ever had a normal relationship before…”
The love story of Duke and Duchess Estria was famous across the empire.
Most noble marriages were just contracts without love.
But Duke Estria married someone he truly loved.
Hearing that story while growing up—
it was natural that Elina fell for the handsome Crown Prince.
When they were young—
Verdin had been kind, like her father.
Is that why I never noticed?
Verdin and Kaian were equally handsome.
It just depended on preference—
gentle and warm, or cold and sharp.
Elina had only looked at Verdin because she wanted a love like her parents’.
Even when that illusion broke—
she believed she could change him.
“So what should I do? Should I apologize?”
“For what? For proposing?”
“….”
Elina bit her lower lip.
Apologize for proposing after being rejected?
Even for her—
that was too much.
She had always been called bold—even criticized for it.
But this?
Too difficult.
“That would be strange, right? He said he’d pretend it never happened… so I should just act like nothing happened.”
She laughed weakly.
“Miss… do you really like him that much?”
Masha looked at her with concern.
Just a week ago—
Elina had acted like she couldn’t live without Verdin.
It was hard to believe this was just a simple change of heart.
But Elina couldn’t say the truth—
that she wanted to see Verdin jealous and angry.
So she chose a believable excuse.
“I told you. I want to stop having one-sided love. I’m old enough to marry now. If I want a loving marriage like my parents, I need to be serious.”
Masha nodded—
but silently swallowed her emotions.
Because—
this love was still one-sided.
* * *
“Don’t you have a home?”
Derrick brushed back his sweat-soaked reddish-brown hair and mocked Kaian.
Derrick, the second son of Count Duncan’s family, was practically Kaian’s only friend.
“I finally understand why you’re always here.”
That was Derrick’s thought.
Kaian ignored him and kept swinging his sword, recalling recent events.
What is she planning?
He thought her sudden proposal meant some big scheme—
but nothing had happened for over two weeks.
Duke Estria had one rule:
Never deal with any family that wronged Elina Estria.
Kaian had prepared for the worst after rejecting her—
but nothing happened.
It felt almost ridiculous.
Then he remembered her face—
frozen in shock, unable to say anything.
Her confidence—
that she could have anything—
was still the same.
He thought she would immediately run to her father and complain.
But—
Elina always went beyond his expectations.
“Hey! What are you doing?!”
Derrick shouted.
Kaian snapped out of his thoughts.
Derrick had already dropped his sword and fallen at his feet.
If Kaian hadn’t stopped—
he could have seriously injured him.
Though surprised by his mistake, Kaian showed nothing.
He lowered his sword and helped Derrick up.
Ignoring Derrick’s questioning gaze, he walked to the bath.
After changing into lighter clothes, he stepped out of the training ground—
And then—
the one person he didn’t want to see appeared.
Elina Estria.
It was her again.
