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Chapter 53
Ian chose sword training to clear his thoughts. Ever since long ago, whenever he needed to organize complicated thoughts, this was what he did.
“I need to… sort things out with Betty.”
He needed to properly reestablish his relationship with Betty from the beginning, step by step.
Because everything had gotten tangled from the very start due to the letters, he had to simplify the situation. He wanted to convey what kind of feelings had driven him all the way to find Betty here.
“Betty is right—letters aren’t what really matters.”
The letters had been the cause and the trigger, but in a way, Betty’s words had some truth to them.
Looking back now, the letters were more like a bridge that connected him to her.
Rather than meticulously analyzing who the letters belonged to or why they were written, the important thing was to focus on the Betty who was here in reality.
At that moment, he heard the sound of footsteps crushing the grass. The lightness of the steps told him this was not one of his subordinates.
Since no servant would come to disturb him at the training grounds this early, the answer could only be one person.
Ian glanced at Inyeong standing hesitantly in the distance and let his sword drop, then composed himself.
As expected, Betty froze in surprise when she saw him and quickly turned away. A bitter feeling lingered.
Even though he acknowledged that he had caused this situation himself, witnessing the results firsthand was an entirely different matter.
“Betty. Wait a moment. I have something to tell you.”
Ian hoped that his words wouldn’t drip with lingering attachment. He tried to speak as if it would be fine if she left immediately, concealing his desperate hope that she would at least turn toward him.
Fortunately, Betty stopped in her tracks and looked back at him.
Not wanting to miss the opportunity he had gained, Ian quickly brought up the important matter.
“It seems difficult to go immediately, since the Marquess of Prowell’s residence is currently empty.”
“Huh?”
He could have sent this message through Kane, but delivering it personally gave him an excuse to start a conversation.
Since she hadn’t said she disliked him, he thought it might be fine.
Fearing that even this might burden Betty, he maintained a slightly greater distance than usual while speaking, feeling a little awkward about it.
Still, seeing Betty’s much healthier appearance compared to yesterday eased his mind a bit.
“The Marchioness’ long-time friend, Baroness Hales, has come to the capital after a long time, so the Marquess has gone to the suburban residence with her. He is expected to return in a few days…”
“If it’s Baroness Hales… I’ve heard that name a few times before.”
Recently, Betty had been exchanging letters frequently with the person, so she was familiar with the name.
Not showing Betty the letters but noticing her troubled expression, he had wondered if it was a serious matter. It turned out she was simply sharing personal concerns with a close friend.
“So, it seems you’ll need to stay here a few more days.”
“Oh, I see.”
Only then did Betty understand why he was explaining so much. It was clearly an awkward situation.
Thinking of yesterday, she probably assumed he didn’t particularly want her to remain here either, and that it would be uncomfortable for him.
Even if the Marquess’ superiors weren’t around, the servants of the residence would still be there.
Would it be okay to have given notice and stayed at the empty residence?
“If it’s uncomfortable for you that I’m here…”
“If it’s uncomfortable for you that I’m here, then I…”
As Betty was about to speak, Ian spoke at the same time, and their voices mixed together.
“You may speak first.”
Betty stepped back. Ian read in her expression that she still wanted to leave immediately, and he quietly swallowed the bitterness again as he spoke.
“It may not be comfortable for you to stay here, but it’s better than the empty Prowell residence, where no one dares to act, to stay here.”
“I’m not uncomfortable. It’s fine.”
Her hurried answer unintentionally sounded awkward, as if the opposite were true.
Finally, in the awkward silence, Betty hesitantly spoke again.
“I was worried that, because of yesterday, my being here might be a bother to Your Grace.”
Her voice grew increasingly timid, becoming almost inaudible by the end.
Hearing her say this so calmly despite having acted so rudely yesterday made Ian seem almost strange to her.
“It’s fine with me that you’re here.”
Those words carried so much meaning. Betty was left speechless.
She wanted to look away from the intense emotion in his navy-blue eyes, yet at the same time, she wanted to face it directly.
If she ran without looking back, would she regret it?
Would the man in front of her have any regrets?
She didn’t even know how to handle his gaze, which was so completely focused on her.
She feared that her own feelings might just be her imagination, and that thought frightened her.
“You can stay here as you wish. I’ve given notice, so let me know if you need anything.”
Ian hesitated for a moment and, just in case, added:
“If it’s urgent, you can ask any of my knights for help.”
Betty was puzzled that none of the familiar knights’ names were mentioned.
“What about Sir Kane?”
“He’ll be busy with something I assigned him.”
Ian decided that he should prioritize the task he had given Kane—to acquire the closed theater—more urgently.
Before Betty left this residence, he wanted to properly fulfill the promise he had made her.
“You seem to have become quite close to Kane.”
“He’s a good person. And he serves Your Grace.”
Since Ian was sure of Kane’s goodness, he had no reason to judge him otherwise, and had been favorable toward him from the start.
As soon as Ian mentioned Kane, he watched Betty closely as she smiled freely, her tension visibly easing.
For matters unrelated to him, for anyone but him, such a smile seemed easy for her.
Yet when facing him, it felt strangely difficult to see her smile like that.
Perhaps she couldn’t accept that her bright smiles, which had appeared so often before Vivian Charte, could never really belong to her.
Before discussing priorities, she couldn’t even admit that she wasn’t included in the list.
“I’ve made sure your family is safe, so they’ll be fine.”
Ian spoke slowly, hiding his complicated emotions.
He couldn’t ask why he couldn’t easily be with her while others could, nor could he press the matter.
“Thank you so much.”
Still, seeing that faint smile finally settle on Betty’s face toward him gave him renewed, reckless hope.
Perhaps they could start their relationship properly from now, standing before each other as themselves.
“This will be useful.”
“What is this?”
Betty received a small container that was suddenly handed to her and turned it over in her hands. Ian gave her a glance toward her neck.
“…It will help reduce the bruise faster.”
“Oh, I see.”
Opening it, she found an ointment-like substance and immediately understood. She awkwardly rubbed it on her neck.
She hadn’t even thought to look in a mirror and hadn’t realized the bruise was that noticeable.
“Does it look very bad?”
“No. I just thought it might hurt.”
“It doesn’t hurt that much. I’ll apply it properly. I forgot it would be so noticeable.”
Every time she saw it, the person who caused it came to mind, and the anger she had barely suppressed rose again.
Thinking that Ian might want to dash out of the room made her feel at least a little relieved to respond in this way.
