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Chapter 21
The early summer breeze tousled Ares’ hair.
Herina now realized that his face, still carrying a trace of a smile, had become remarkably similar to the Ares she had known.
His previously delicate jawline had become more defined, and his face was moving from that of a boy toward that of a man.
“You’ve grown taller. Your body seems bigger too.”
Ares touched his own face and nodded.
“I guess it’s the growth spurt. I’ve noticed that clothes that used to be loose are starting to fit better.”
Is it really just a growth spurt? For some reason, Herina felt it wasn’t just that.
Just as her husband had suddenly become 17, it seemed that his growth wasn’t simply due to the passage of time, but for another reason.
“The breeze is nice. Shall we go watch the sunset before heading inside? There’s a good spot at the estate for that.”
Ares, seeing that Herina wasn’t tired, took her hand and led her along.
Herina, still preoccupied with her own thoughts, let herself be pulled along.
At the center of the garden stood an unexpected tea table.
“This place…”
‘This is a place I sometimes go when I feel suffocated. When I was very young, before I even held the title of the heir of the House of Avernant, my mother used to lift me onto her lap here to watch the sunset.’
The 24-year-old Ares had said this here.
‘All the rest I had in life was this little table and chair. Until I met you. Meeting you expanded my rest. Now, I no longer need to come here.’
“It’s a place with good memories. Sometimes, when I felt worn out, coming here and sitting down gave me the strength to start again. This was the only place where I could rest.”
The younger Ares of that time spoke as he pulled out a chair for her.
“After working with you, I no longer needed to come here. Being together, I didn’t need rest. It’s far more challenging than anything I’ve faced before, yet thanks to you, I don’t get exhausted.”
Though the Ares of the past and the Ares standing before her now were different, with different hearts, he spoke the same words to her.
Herina felt confused.
“Still… am I not your type?”
She couldn’t hide the sincerity mixed into the question that slipped out unconsciously.
Ares paused, then just smiled.
“Does it matter? We’re already doing well together. Type matters for choosing at first, but for those of us who are already doing well, I don’t think it’s that important.”
That might be true for Ares, but it mattered to Herina.
Still, pushing further now would only reveal her emotional unrest, so she decided to retreat.
“Right… Ah, I heard from Countess Osdel earlier that the national railway project bid will be announced soon. It seems Count Osdel is putting effort into that as well. I thought we might participate in the bid. What do you think?”
Ares thought for a moment before speaking.
“If it’s a national project, the scale would be quite large. Can the House of Avernant handle it? It’s not just about the cost; the actual project plan and design would have to be done by us.”
Herina had also worried about that.
Although the House of Avernant was an old and distinguished family, it was one of the five sacred houses that prioritized legitimacy. Only a direct heir could inherit the Avernant name.
Thus, the extended relatives of the House of Avernant didn’t favor the direct heir much.
“We have no trustworthy relatives…”
So the family was inevitably smaller than other houses. The only pure-blooded Avernant of the current generation was Ares, standing in front of her.
“Since it’s a national project, the empire will provide subsidies and investments. The rest of the investors can be gathered. While the House of Avernant isn’t debt-free, our assets are substantial, with steadily mined mines and fertile lands.”
Herina, having worked alongside Ares after he became younger, was aware of the scale of the Avernant assets.
No matter the endeavor, it was necessary to know the resources at hand before tackling it.
“There are wealthier families if we consider just assets. The real question is not whether we can repay, but whether our project plan can attract investors and secure the bid. For a project of this scale, realistically, it’s overwhelming for just the two of us. Even with your current Ares’ ongoing matters and our estate affairs, we’re already tied up all day. It’s too much.”
Ares spoke firmly.
He pointed out the hard reality, but Herina didn’t want to compromise.
“Mines will deplete someday, and land has too many variables. But the railway, if we secure it, will give the House of Avernant lasting influence for generations. It’s a national bid. The larger the project, the greater the profit. The railway would be laid across the empire under the House of Avernant’s name.”
As they exchanged opinions, the sun set in the distance. The garden was lit by lanterns, so it wasn’t dark, but the chill made Herina shiver.
Yet, in the heat of their debate, she couldn’t show it.
“I’m not thinking about the immediate House of Avernant. I don’t want to be complacent. I want to become the best, among the five houses of the empire, excluding the emperor…!”
Ares suddenly stood, walked forward, and wrapped his jacket around Herina’s shoulders, lifting her up.
“I’m not finished speaking yet!”
Wrapped in his jacket, Herina shouted in exasperation.
Ares sighed.
“I know. But let’s go inside. You’re cold. It’s my fault. Even though I knew it would be chilly after sunset, I didn’t consider your outfit. We can finish the rest of the discussion inside, with warmth and food. I’ll hear about your ambitions thoroughly.”
Herina finally realized the chill in her body as Ares carefully adjusted the jacket around her.
Shivering, she hunched her shoulders. Ares held her close, as if sharing his warmth, and headed toward the estate.
“Once inside, I’ll have hot water ready for a bath. If we don’t, you’ll catch a cold tomorrow.”
Herina nodded slightly.
It was fortunate that the estate wasn’t far, or the cold would have made her shiver endlessly.
At the estate entrance, the servants bowed and awaited them. Ares immediately gave them orders and led Herina to her room.
“Ah… I’m saved…”
Only after soaking in warm water did she feel the chill dissipate.
Relaxing, her thoughts returned to the earlier scene. Ares’ concerned expression and gentle touch unnerved her.
“Is this really just simple kindness?”
Whenever she sensed that Ares cared for her, she felt confused.
Was his attentiveness, noticing even the smallest changes before she did, just keen observation, or was there another reason?
No, she knew, but she hated that her heart kept reacting differently.
“This is why my goals keep wavering… It’s not because my heart is weak…”
She lamented, leaning against the bathtub.
Somewhere, they say unprovoked kindness is a sin, and understanding the reason behind Ares’ care made her hold her wavering heart firmly.
“The lady of the House of Avernant’s well-being cannot waver; otherwise, work would be disrupted…”
Rising from the bathtub, she called for the maid, who entered with towels and a robe.
“Milady, the Duke asked if you would prefer to have a simple meal in your bedroom. Should I help you change into something for bed right away?”
Herina was relieved to hear this, as she had been pondering whether to wear her indoor dress for dinner.
“How does someone so young understand a person’s heart so well?”
She muttered under her breath, unnoticed.
So, all the confusion and wavering of her heart was because of the young duke—his deliberate kindness was enough to make her misinterpret it.
