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Calyx narrowed his eyes.
“……”
It seemed that his adjutant had gotten quite close to Marie in just a few days.
“Oh, it’s nothing like that. You really don’t need to go out of your way. I just need to stop by the Rudik Trading Company.”
“Rudik, huh…”
“Yes. Apparently, someone named Rudik is famous for supplying high-quality and diverse materials. I’m trying to open a business deal with him.”
Calyx was also familiar with the Rudik Trading Company.
In fact, aside from Rudik’s supply business, most others were too small to serve as reliable partners.
“I see…”
Calyx hesitated for a moment.
Looking into her beautiful green eyes made him want to avoid the situation for no reason.
But dropping someone off in the capital wasn’t a difficult task.
And he didn’t have a proper excuse to refuse.
“I’ll go with you in my carriage. I’ll take you to the capital.”
—
A little later—
Marie and Calyx were riding awkwardly together in the carriage.
Josh and Dwayne followed behind on horseback.
“The weather’s nice today.”
“Indeed.”
“……”
After that short exchange about the weather, their conversation dried up quickly.
He had nothing else to say and simply stared quietly out the window.
It was hard to read his expression because of the mask he wore.
Is he in a bad mood?
At the masquerade ball, he had been much more talkative, and his demeanor had been perfectly composed.
Well, that was just him acting anyway…
Compared to that, he was now incredibly silent.
Now that no one was watching, perhaps he had reverted back to their purely business-like relationship.
“……”
Their eyes suddenly met.
Through the slit in his mask, red eyes gazed at her intently.
Marie quickly looked away.
Why’s he staring so blatantly like that?
After a moment, she cautiously glanced back up.
Surely he’s looking away now…?
“Hm…”
But Calyx was still staring at her.
What the heck? He’s making this so awkward…
He suddenly made an odd face and started fidgeting with his mouth.
He even scratched the air near his lips with one finger.
What’s he doing?
Marie gave him a confused, wide-eyed look.
He spoke in an awkward tone.
“There’s… something white on the corner of your mouth.”
“What?”
Oh no!
She must have gotten gesso on her face while working on furniture earlier that morning.
“Where?”
Marie rubbed around her lips with her fingers.
“On the corner of your lips…”
She followed the direction of his pointing finger.
“Thanks for telling me. If it’s dried gesso, I can just scrape it off.”
Some white residue appeared at the tip of her nail.
But his gaze and awkwardly positioned finger didn’t move.
Is there still more?
She stuck out her tongue to wipe her lips.
“Uh… to the side…”
His red eyes followed the movement of her fingers.
How much did I get on myself anyway?
And then—
Thud!
The carriage must have hit a rock—one of the back wheels bounced sharply.
And it just so happened to be on Marie’s side.
“Ah!”
Marie was thrown upward like she was on a ride.
Then, she lost her balance and fell forward.
Right toward Calyx, who was sitting across from her.
“Ugh!”
“Ow!”
In that moment, sparks practically flew in her vision.
A sharp, stinging pain spread across her face—especially her lips.
“Ouch…”
Marie mumbled without thinking due to the pain radiating through her tender lips.
But as she moved her lips, something soft and squishy brushed against them.
What… is this strange sensation on my lips…?
Gasp!
She cracked her eyes open slightly—and found crimson eyes, framed by tousled black hair, staring right at her.
Those eyes were wide with shock.
They shimmered like blood-soaked jewels.
This position…!
She could feel the texture of the soft leather mask on her skin.
I didn’t want to feel something like this with my skin! No—more importantly, this isn’t mine—well, not that I want it to be…!
The problem was, their faces were… touching.
So close that she couldn’t even tell exactly what part was against what.
And her body’s weight was pressing him down, like a stamp.
It looked like she was… on top of him.
Her pupils practically quaked with panic when suddenly—
“Ugh…”
A groan slipped from his mouth, right next to hers.
“I-I’m sorry…!”
Both of them blurted out apologies at the same time.
But their warm breaths met midair.
And with her lips still slightly moving, it felt like something was moving in sync with them.
Gasp! What is this ticklish sensation! And this… smooth texture!
Marie recoiled in shock like a spring uncoiling.
Thump!
Her head slammed into the wall of the carriage.
“Oww!”
Stars danced above her.
The pain forced her to clutch her head with both hands.
“A-Are you alright?”
A flustered voice reached her ears.
But Marie couldn’t bring herself to open her eyes as the sensation lingered on her lips.
Heat burned across her face.
What do I do? I’m so embarrassed I could die! What just touched my lips?!
“Y-Yes… I’m fine…”
She couldn’t just sit there like that forever.
Marie finally opened her eyes, doing her best to look unfazed.
“……”
As expected, the man in front of her was blushing just as much.
Still, the best course of action was to pretend like nothing happened.
However—
The moment she looked up at his face,
“Gasp…!”
She couldn’t help but let out a shocked gasp.
“Wh-What is it?”
He asked, clearly startled.
All of his usual composure was gone.
His neatly combed bangs had fallen into disarray, and his crimson eyes were filled with panic.
But Marie couldn’t say the reason aloud.
Because… on his sensual lips…
There was a tiny white dot.
So then… what touched my lips just now was…?
She quickly lowered her gaze and covered her mouth.
“N-Nothing. Please forgive my rudeness.”
Marie rubbed her lips thoroughly.
As if trying to hide the fact that the gesso had disappeared.
No, as if she had just wiped it off herself.
But the more she rubbed, the more clearly she felt that soft, smooth sensation again.
What had touched her lips just now was definitely…
Oh no!
Marie squeezed her eyes shut.
She had never been in such a mortifying situation in her life.
“Ahem, ahem. No, it’s fine…”
He cleared his throat awkwardly.
“There must’ve been an obstacle on the road. I’m glad you weren’t hurt.”
“Y-Yes… sorry about that…”
Not knowing where to look, Marie turned to the window.
Clip-clop. Rattle-rattle.
The carriage rolled smoothly along the road, as if nothing had happened.
They seemed to be nearing the capital, judging from the paved streets.
When Marie finally turned away from the window and met his gaze again, he had regained some of his composure.
They resumed conversation as if nothing had happened.
“It would be best to officially start acting like lovers sometime next month.”
“Yes. That timing sounds good.”
As Marie kept rubbing her lips, he commented:
“I think… that’s enough. The white part is gone now.”
“Oh, yes! I-I wiped it off myself.”
Marie emphasized that she had removed it herself.
Calyx nodded as if to say, “Of course.”
But in truth, the gesso hadn’t been erased—it had merely transferred elsewhere.
And she would never say where.
White speck.
Red lips.
Ugh! Why do I keep staring at them?!
To stop her gaze from drifting to Calyx’s lips again, she turned back to the window.
“The supplier is far away…”
“Indeed…”
She fiddled with the carriage door handle, eager to get out.
The air felt thick and stuffy.
“Where shall I drop you off?”
He, too, seemed to feel the same way and asked the moment they neared a busy district.
“A-Anywhere is fine.”
“Alright. I’ll let you off at the corner.”
“Thank you for the ride.”
“Think nothing of it.”
He probably wanted this to end quickly as well.
Pretending to be calm, but clearly uncomfortable.
I could’ve come alone… What an embarrassment.
She wished she had turned down his offer.
The fact that it was a secondhand carriage with frequent issues only made it worse.
I need to get out. Get out and forget this ever happened.
Marie took a deep breath, steadying her pounding heart.
She looked out the window again.
“Huh…? That person…”
A roofless carriage had pulled up nearby.
Inside sat a gentleman in a blue-striped jacket.
His golden curls and vivid blue hat made him stand out even from a distance.
Knox…?
Knox was alone.
His coachman seemed to have stepped away briefly.
“Calyx, that’s Count Weatherwood over there.”
“Weatherwood…?”
Calyx also turned his head to look.
At that moment, Knox’s blue eyes lit up with recognition.
“Oh! Marianne?”
The window of their carriage was small, so Knox didn’t seem to notice Calyx.
Marie gave him a small, awkward smile and nod.
“Hello.”
“It’s been days, hasn’t it! It’s good to see you, Marianne.”
He even waved happily, clearly excited to see her.
His face glowed with conf
ident charm.
Perhaps because he was well aware of being considered the most handsome man in the kingdom.
Even though they had only met once at the ball, he was surprisingly friendly.
“Hey, slow down!”
Knox signaled to her driver, and Calyx’s carriage slowed, stopping beside Knox’s.
Leaning toward her, Knox asked:
“Marianne, where are you headed? Would you mind if I joined you?”
