Aloken was really there. As soon as Fanora heard that he was waiting in her room, it felt like cold water had been poured on her back. If she knew this would happen, she would skip meals and wait calmly in her room. Fanora regretted it belatedly.
All traces of other revenge have been destroyed, but the ink bottle is still there.
Could it be that he searched her room while she was gone? He was a man with many uncommon senses, so it was quite possible. That’s why as soon as Fanora entered the room, she argued in an angry tone.
“You can wait in the parlor. Besides, what kind of rude behavior is this to enter the room while its owner is away?”
“It’s rude?”
“No matter how I look at it, it’s not polite!”
Then Aloken, who was sitting at her desk, tilted his head. “You used to be alone in my office too, didn’t you?”
“The situation is different from that situation. Entering with the owner’s permission is different from coming on your own.”
“I see. I’ll be careful next time.” Aloken replied that he really didn’t know it was rude, and since he’s her fiancé, he thought she would allow it. However, compared to his polite tone, he didn’t seem particularly apologetic.
“Is there anything to be so angry about? It’s not like there’s anything you can’t show me in the room.”
“…”
“I was just curious about you.”
From Aloken’s reaction, it looked like he didn’t find anything strange in this room.
“You were curious? About me?”
Fanora hid her nervous mind and slowly calmed down her anger. It was because she knew that overreacting would turn things around.
Aloken responded with a similar expression to her calm face. “My mother said when I was little. ‘In the future, if you find someone you want to be close to, go to that person’s room.’”
“Why?”
“Is the top of their desk tidy, how are the decorations placed, and what kind of books are in the room. She said that a person’s personality is contained in these little things.”
Aloken reached out and picked up the frame on Fanora’s desk. It was a portrait of her as a child and her mother. Aloken noticed that the lady in the portrait had a different hair color than Hanar.
“Is the woman next to you your biological mother?”
Fanora did not answer his question but brought up another word. “So how is it? Did you know what kind of person I’m by looking at this room?”
Aloken burst into laughter at her words. He shook his head and spoke in a playful tone. “Fanora, if that were the case, I would have quit the duke and become a psychologist.”
He said, shaking the frame in his hand lightly. “Can you give me this?”
Fanora replied coldly. “It’s the only thing I have left.”
After answering, she approached the desk. “Move aside for a moment. There’s something I need to take out from inside.”
Fanora soon bent over and quickly checked the bottom drawer. And the visible result was…
Phew. There was no change in the arrangement of the ink bottles. No matter how she looked at it, it seemed Aloken hadn’t touched the ink bottles.
Ah, it’s really hard to live a life of sin. Fanora thought as she roughly took out a pen from there. She was safe now, but how many more times will she face this kind of crisis in the future?
…Maybe I should tell him the truth before we get married. She lowered her eyes and agonized. But it was then that Aloken examined the frame, took his eyes off it, and talked.
“Ah, right.”
“?”
“I realized something when I saw this room.”
He rose from the wooden chair he had been sitting on and headed somewhere in the room. What he then pointed to was the old bed Fanora had been using.
“The Lady Celsius I know has grown a lot in the meantime, so this bed is too small for you now, right?”
“…A little.”
“And looking at the shape of the furniture in this room, it’s all in the Seicrid style, which was popular twenty years ago.”
“Uh? That’s right. They matched the furniture before I was born.”
“However, the hallway outside is decorated in the latest fashion, starting with the wallpaper…”
Aloken smiled softly and said he sat on the little bed when she began to turn around, “I know for sure that Count Celsius and his wife are treating my precious fiancée like a bug.”
“…!”
“Haha, what a load of rubbish.”
Fanora looked at his face smiling at herself. She felt suffocated for some reason.
“…You already knew.”
Fanora was ashamed that her private life was exposed. He must have only been exposed to the rich environment of the duke’s family since he was born. Still, since she was a young lady treated like this, he must have thought this different environment was so worthless. However, Aloken led the conversation with an expression that did not care at all.
“I know, so…”
“?”
Of course, she didn’t expect him to make such a bombastic remark with such a gentle expression.
“If you wish, I can change the owner of this County.”
“Yes?”
“If you had been treated like this since childhood, you would have had a lot of complaints.”
Fanora didn’t understand what he said at the moment. It was because ordinary nobles wouldn’t dare to say such a sentence.
“The brat named Purson who insulted you. It seems that he only believes in his right to succeed as the heir. So, if we catch him off guard and provoke a rivalry with a close relative, we might be able to bring him down…”
“What?”
“Or should I just make an accident?”
Fanora was so surprised by his words that followed, so she hurriedly raised her voice. “It’s okay, it’s okay! I have no intention of doing so. I don’t even care about my family anymore.”
Then Aloken raised his eyebrows as if he was disappointed. You made that expression in this situation? Even when the other person is on the verge of collapsing? I forgot because he had been quiet for a while. That Aloken was like a bomb.
Aloken, whose complexion didn’t change, seemed to be in the mood to do something to anyone who seriously harmed his fiancée, regardless of their status.
“I’m afraid of the consequences because you keep behaving like this. The Celsius family is now allied with you. It’s better to soften your temper a little…”
“Hmm.”
Fanora cautiously stopped him. Then Aloken, who was sitting on the bed, gestured lightly. It meant for her to come closer.
“Why?”
Fanora complied with his suggestion without much thought. Eventually, as she drew closer to him, Aloken grabbed her by the wrist and dragged her to the bed.
“?”
It happened in a flash. As Fanora looked up while lying down for some reason, Aloken whispered affectionately with a smile.
“If you say so, I’m willing to. So don’t worry.”
Aloken said so and moved his hand to slowly sweep down Fanora’s black hair, which had been disorganized on the bed. His touch, which was quite affectionate, made Fanora feel strange. So she jumped out of bed with a face that was several times more hardened than before.
“Don’t do anything useless, so let’s get out. We have an appointment with the dressing room.”
“Where in the world is there a seamstress who can’t wait for the duke and his lover?”
“I-it’s because I’m busy preparing for New Year’s Eve.” She soon left the room without looking back.
“Does she hate this kind of behavior? If not…” Aloken left alone in the room, followed her back with his eyes, and murmured quietly.
* * *
The two arrived at a dressing room in the capital when the afternoon sun shone on the street. It was where he bought a dress for Fanora’s birthday party before getting engaged to Aloken.
“Welcome, Duke and Lady Celsius, who will become the duchess!”
As soon as they entered the dressing room, the highest-ranking person here responded to them. The place where the staff led them was only for the high-ranking nobles.
Oh my gosh. However, Fanora pulled back the curtains and opened her mouth as soon as she got there.
“Don’t tell me this is…”
“Yes! This is the dress that Lady Celsius will wear this New Year’s Eve.”
As she entered, she could see a colorful dress at a glance. It had a small white lace-like cape on the exposed neck and shoulders, which didn’t go against the current fashion of the Kasius Kingdom. It was rare for people in Kasius to use much lace. However, this dress’s sleeves were full of lace woven stitch by stitch. In addition, the small decorations were all high-quality pearls when viewed up close.
“…” She was speechless to see such a beautiful and elegant dress.
Fanora glanced at the sky-blue dress with her eyes, fiddling with the navy ribbon adorning the chest and shoulders.
“This dress… Isn’t this more expensive than me?”
She wasn’t joking. Wouldn’t the value of this dress be worth more than human life? The pressure slowly crept on her.
“I’ll be waiting, so try it on over there. If there is any inconvenience, we have to adjust it.”
However, Aloken did not seem to listen to Fanora’s words. Fanora had no choice but to try on the dress at the hands of the staff.
“You’re really beautiful. By order of the duke, we made the dress with the most popular color in the capital, but how could Lady suit this color so well!”
“…”
“It’s an honor that I will never again be able to make clothes like this. I want to see it on New Year’s Eve too. The sight of Duke and Lady standing together is surely better than any other painting.”
Aloken turned around to look at the accessories sold in the dressing room. After a few minutes, he heard a familiar voice from behind.
“I think it’s too much for me.”
“Are you all dressed up?”
Aloken turned around as soon as he heard his fiancée’s voice. Then what he saw.
“I’m only trying on a dress, but you don’t need to do my hair like this…”
“This dress should be worn like this. Lady, now you’re like a fairy appearing from the ground!”
He saw a fair-faced woman who was awkward wearing the dress he prepared. With the help of the staff, the woman with her hair braided to one side was looking at the distant mountain, not knowing what to do. Every time she lowered her head in an insecure position, the lace draped around her neck shone.
“…”
Aloken froze with a brooch in his hand. He stood there like a statue for a moment, without even blinking, and then belatedly uttered his comment. “At this rate, even Vasago would be jealous and kill you.”
“Can’t you compliment me normally?”
The atmosphere became a little strange. But it wasn’t only one or twice that Aloken made a wrong choice of words. Fanora understood roughly and decided to move on.
Aloken was really there. As soon as Fanora heard that he was waiting in her room, it felt like cold water had been poured on her back. If she knew this would happen, she would skip meals and wait calmly in her room. Fanora regretted it belatedly.
All traces of other revenge have been destroyed, but the ink bottle is still there.
Could it be that he searched her room while she was gone? He was a man with many uncommon senses, so it was quite possible. That’s why as soon as Fanora entered the room, she argued in an angry tone.
“You can wait in the parlor. Besides, what kind of rude behavior is this to enter the room while its owner is away?”
“It’s rude?”
“No matter how I look at it, it’s not polite!”
Then Aloken, who was sitting at her desk, tilted his head. “You used to be alone in my office too, didn’t you?”
“The situation is different from that situation. Entering with the owner’s permission is different from coming on your own.”
“I see. I’ll be careful next time.” Aloken replied that he really didn’t know it was rude, and since he’s her fiancé, he thought she would allow it. However, compared to his polite tone, he didn’t seem particularly apologetic.
“Is there anything to be so angry about? It’s not like there’s anything you can’t show me in the room.”
“…”
“I was just curious about you.”
From Aloken’s reaction, it looked like he didn’t find anything strange in this room.
“You were curious? About me?”
Fanora hid her nervous mind and slowly calmed down her anger. It was because she knew that overreacting would turn things around.
Aloken responded with a similar expression to her calm face. “My mother said when I was little. ‘In the future, if you find someone you want to be close to, go to that person’s room.’”
“Why?”
“Is the top of their desk tidy, how are the decorations placed, and what kind of books are in the room. She said that a person’s personality is contained in these little things.”
Aloken reached out and picked up the frame on Fanora’s desk. It was a portrait of her as a child and her mother. Aloken noticed that the lady in the portrait had a different hair color than Hanar.
“Is the woman next to you your biological mother?”
Fanora did not answer his question but brought up another word. “So how is it? Did you know what kind of person I’m by looking at this room?”
Aloken burst into laughter at her words. He shook his head and spoke in a playful tone. “Fanora, if that were the case, I would have quit the duke and become a psychologist.”
He said, shaking the frame in his hand lightly. “Can you give me this?”
Fanora replied coldly. “It’s the only thing I have left.”
After answering, she approached the desk. “Move aside for a moment. There’s something I need to take out from inside.”
Fanora soon bent over and quickly checked the bottom drawer. And the visible result was…
Phew. There was no change in the arrangement of the ink bottles. No matter how she looked at it, it seemed Aloken hadn’t touched the ink bottles.
Ah, it’s really hard to live a life of sin. Fanora thought as she roughly took out a pen from there. She was safe now, but how many more times will she face this kind of crisis in the future?
…Maybe I should tell him the truth before we get married. She lowered her eyes and agonized. But it was then that Aloken examined the frame, took his eyes off it, and talked.
“Ah, right.”
“?”
“I realized something when I saw this room.”
He rose from the wooden chair he had been sitting on and headed somewhere in the room. What he then pointed to was the old bed Fanora had been using.
“The Lady Celsius I know has grown a lot in the meantime, so this bed is too small for you now, right?”
“…A little.”
“And looking at the shape of the furniture in this room, it’s all in the Seicrid style, which was popular twenty years ago.”
“Uh? That’s right. They matched the furniture before I was born.”
“However, the hallway outside is decorated in the latest fashion, starting with the wallpaper…”
Aloken smiled softly and said he sat on the little bed when she began to turn around, “I know for sure that Count Celsius and his wife are treating my precious fiancée like a bug.”
“…!”
“Haha, what a load of rubbish.”
Fanora looked at his face smiling at herself. She felt suffocated for some reason.
“…You already knew.”
Fanora was ashamed that her private life was exposed. He must have only been exposed to the rich environment of the duke’s family since he was born. Still, since she was a young lady treated like this, he must have thought this different environment was so worthless. However, Aloken led the conversation with an expression that did not care at all.
“I know, so…”
“?”
Of course, she didn’t expect him to make such a bombastic remark with such a gentle expression.
“If you wish, I can change the owner of this County.”
“Yes?”
“If you had been treated like this since childhood, you would have had a lot of complaints.”
Fanora didn’t understand what he said at the moment. It was because ordinary nobles wouldn’t dare to say such a sentence.
“The brat named Purson who insulted you. It seems that he only believes in his right to succeed as the heir. So, if we catch him off guard and provoke a rivalry with a close relative, we might be able to bring him down…”
“What?”
“Or should I just make an accident?”
Fanora was so surprised by his words that followed, so she hurriedly raised her voice. “It’s okay, it’s okay! I have no intention of doing so. I don’t even care about my family anymore.”
Then Aloken raised his eyebrows as if he was disappointed. You made that expression in this situation? Even when the other person is on the verge of collapsing? I forgot because he had been quiet for a while. That Aloken was like a bomb.
Aloken, whose complexion didn’t change, seemed to be in the mood to do something to anyone who seriously harmed his fiancée, regardless of their status.
“I’m afraid of the consequences because you keep behaving like this. The Celsius family is now allied with you. It’s better to soften your temper a little…”
“Hmm.”
Fanora cautiously stopped him. Then Aloken, who was sitting on the bed, gestured lightly. It meant for her to come closer.
“Why?”
Fanora complied with his suggestion without much thought. Eventually, as she drew closer to him, Aloken grabbed her by the wrist and dragged her to the bed.
“?”
It happened in a flash. As Fanora looked up while lying down for some reason, Aloken whispered affectionately with a smile.
“If you say so, I’m willing to. So don’t worry.”
Aloken said so and moved his hand to slowly sweep down Fanora’s black hair, which had been disorganized on the bed. His touch, which was quite affectionate, made Fanora feel strange. So she jumped out of bed with a face that was several times more hardened than before.
“Don’t do anything useless, so let’s get out. We have an appointment with the dressing room.”
“Where in the world is there a seamstress who can’t wait for the duke and his lover?”
“I-it’s because I’m busy preparing for New Year’s Eve.” She soon left the room without looking back.
“Does she hate this kind of behavior? If not…” Aloken left alone in the room, followed her back with his eyes, and murmured quietly.
* * *
The two arrived at a dressing room in the capital when the afternoon sun shone on the street. It was where he bought a dress for Fanora’s birthday party before getting engaged to Aloken.
“Welcome, Duke and Lady Celsius, who will become the duchess!”
As soon as they entered the dressing room, the highest-ranking person here responded to them. The place where the staff led them was only for the high-ranking nobles.
Oh my gosh. However, Fanora pulled back the curtains and opened her mouth as soon as she got there.
“Don’t tell me this is…”
“Yes! This is the dress that Lady Celsius will wear this New Year’s Eve.”
As she entered, she could see a colorful dress at a glance. It had a small white lace-like cape on the exposed neck and shoulders, which didn’t go against the current fashion of the Kasius Kingdom. It was rare for people in Kasius to use much lace. However, this dress’s sleeves were full of lace woven stitch by stitch. In addition, the small decorations were all high-quality pearls when viewed up close.
“…” She was speechless to see such a beautiful and elegant dress.
Fanora glanced at the sky-blue dress with her eyes, fiddling with the navy ribbon adorning the chest and shoulders.
“This dress… Isn’t this more expensive than me?”
She wasn’t joking. Wouldn’t the value of this dress be worth more than human life? The pressure slowly crept on her.
“I’ll be waiting, so try it on over there. If there is any inconvenience, we have to adjust it.”
However, Aloken did not seem to listen to Fanora’s words. Fanora had no choice but to try on the dress at the hands of the staff.
“You’re really beautiful. By order of the duke, we made the dress with the most popular color in the capital, but how could Lady suit this color so well!”
“…”
“It’s an honor that I will never again be able to make clothes like this. I want to see it on New Year’s Eve too. The sight of Duke and Lady standing together is surely better than any other painting.”
Aloken turned around to look at the accessories sold in the dressing room. After a few minutes, he heard a familiar voice from behind.
“I think it’s too much for me.”
“Are you all dressed up?”
Aloken turned around as soon as he heard his fiancée’s voice. Then what he saw.
“I’m only trying on a dress, but you don’t need to do my hair like this…”
“This dress should be worn like this. Lady, now you’re like a fairy appearing from the ground!”
He saw a fair-faced woman who was awkward wearing the dress he prepared. With the help of the staff, the woman with her hair braided to one side was looking at the distant mountain, not knowing what to do. Every time she lowered her head in an insecure position, the lace draped around her neck shone.
“…”
Aloken froze with a brooch in his hand. He stood there like a statue for a moment, without even blinking, and then belatedly uttered his comment. “At this rate, even Vasago would be jealous and kill you.”
“Can’t you compliment me normally?”
The atmosphere became a little strange. But it wasn’t only one or twice that Aloken made a wrong choice of words. Fanora understood roughly and decided to move on.
