CH 60

<CHAPTER 60

At the height of the conversation over dessert, Bern’s aide approached.

“Marquis, please excuse me for a moment.”

The aide whispered something to Bern. Hearing it, Bern’s face darkened and he looked around.

“I’m sorry. Something suddenly came up, and I’m afraid I’ll have to leave.”

“Really? Since we’re almost done eating, should we go out together?”

As Lucia stumbled to her feet, Bern looked at the other three, including Lucia, apologetically.

“I’m sorry if I’m the one who made this meeting wrap up so quickly.”

“No, it’s just that it’s almost time to go home.”

Arista agreed with Lucia, and they all followed Bern to the door.

Outside the dining room, Bern’s aide stood fidgeting with the carriage already waiting for them.

“Marquis, you must be quick.”

But despite his urging, Bern could not get into the carriage quickly enough. When he glanced back at Lucia, she smiled and pushed him on the back.

“Hurry up and go. From the looks of it, you’re in a hurry.”

“But, I have to take you to…….”

The reason Bern cared about Lucia was that today she had ridden out in Bern’s carriage. So he had to walk her back since she had no maid or carriage.

“Don’t worry about me, I have friends here, too, and I’m going to talk to them for a while longer.”

Glancing at Herwin and Arista behind Lucia, Bern squeezed Lucia’s hand and whispered something only she could hear.

“If you’re still uncomfortable, let me know. I can walk you home.”

Herwin was among them, no matter how many friends could take her home. Lucia had argued with Herwin at the restaurant.

If Lucia was uncomfortable with Herwin, Bern was willing to put off any work and walk her home.

Recognizing this, Lucia shook her head.

“It’s really fine, come on, you’ll be late.”

She rejected Bern’s offer outright. Bern climbed into the carriage, unable to resist the urging.

“……Well, I’ll take my leave now, and please take care of Lucia.”

He did not forget to ask her friends to take care of Lucia. When he locked eyes with Bern, Herwin returned his cold gaze.

“We’ll take care of it, so why don’t you go.”

“I hope to see you later.”

The door closed, and the carriage carrying Bern sped away. The three looked at each other as the carriage disappeared in an instant.

There was an awkwardness in the air, as they hadn’t had a proper conversation since the argument between Herwin and Lucia.

Glancing back and forth between them, Arista checked the time with an exaggerated gesture, and her palms met.

“Oh, right! My father told me to come home early today, too!”

Lucia was about to ask Arista when she was caught off guard. Before she could open her mouth, Arista beat her to it.

“I’m sorry about this, but I’m late and I think I should get going. Lucia, tell Herwin to take you home. Okay?”

“Okay, wait. Arista……!”

“Okay, I have to go. I’ll see you later!”

Before Lucia could catch her, Arista took off with her characteristically quick steps away from the two of them.

She looked at Herwin in disbelief, and he was staring at Lucia, too.

‘I made room for you, so you can make your way.’

Arista headed straight for her carriage, hoping that at least they could make peace with what had happened today.

In the end, Lucia was left alone with Herwin.

At least she had Arista, she thought, but she hadn’t expected her to leave in less than five minutes.

Lucia felt a cold sweat run down her back and awkwardly turned her head. Herwin was staring at her.

She wiped the sweat off her face as if she were about to get hiccups.

Seeing Lucia’s nervousness, Herwin said nonchalantly.

“You’re going straight home, right?”

“Huh?”

“You’re not going home?”

Lucia froze at the unexpected answer, then snapped out of it.

“Let’s go!”

“Okay, then. Wait here for a while.”

Herwin left Lucia for a moment and went off somewhere, returning shortly afterward.

“The carriage will be here soon, you just have to wait.”

“…… Okay.”

That was the end of the conversation. A heavy silence fell, and Lucia rolled her eyes.

Then she glanced over at Herwin, who was staring straight ahead. He looked lethargic and uninspired.

Forgetting that she and Herwin had argued, Lucia blurted out.

“Over there……!”

Herwin’s head snapped around, his red eyes focused on Lucia.

“……, are you sick?”

“What?”

“You haven’t eaten much, and your complexion doesn’t look so good… Is it an upset stomach, or is your stomach still rumbling?”

Lucia impatiently inquired about his condition, the worries she had kept bottled up inside her head bursting out.

When Herwin didn’t answer and remained still, Lucia became impatient and rushed over to him.

“Come on, let’s go to the doctor. If we get into trouble…….”

For a moment, Lucia looked dumbfounded.

Herwin, who had been expressionless until now, smiled sheepishly.

“You’re worried about me, aren’t you?”

“……….”

“I thought you were firmly pissed at me when everyone else asked how I was, but you stayed quiet.”

“I was… angry.”

She’d expected that Herwin didn’t like Bern, but it had gone too far, and she’d been angry, and it was the first time she’d raised her voice to him.

“But it’s natural to be worried.”

She had been worried about him, though. She just didn’t show it.

Sensing sincerity within the unshakable walls, Herwin breathed an involuntary sigh of relief.

The uneasiness that had been growing inside him melted away as quickly as snow.

“So, you’re not really sick?”

Lucia leaned in and studied Herwin’s complexion once more.

“Nothing like that, I just didn’t have a good appetite. I’m not sick, you know, I’m pretty much disease-free.”

“……I’m glad to hear that.”

The carriage arrived just as Lucia finished speaking. Herwin held out his hand for an escort, and Lucia took it and climbed into the carriage.

Once inside the carriage, the atmosphere was much more relaxed than it had been when they were alone.

So, taking advantage of the situation, Herwin asked.

“Then why didn’t you ask me if I was worried in that situation?”

“Because you weren’t in a position to, and Bern was there…….”

At the mention of Bern’s name, Herwin frowned. But it was dark in the carriage, so Lucia couldn’t see his face.

“Why did you do that today? Do you know how nervous I am whenever you talk to Bern?”

“I don’t ……I don’t like him very much.”

“I know. I could tell.”

Lucia sighed heavily. Her sigh sent a boulder crashing into his chest. Herwin crossed his arms, his brow furrowing in discomfort.

“I don’t know why you don’t like Bern, but he’s not as bad as you think he is.”

Lucia explained, eager to change Herwin’s perception of Bern.

“I’m new to relationships, so my reactions are very slow, but he always takes his time with me and never rushes me. He’s so considerate, and he’s saved me from a lot of trouble a few times, and…….”

Lucia had been talking for a while. She wanted to say that he was not asking about her crush on him but she didn’t feel comfortable saying it in front of her crush.

After clamping her mouth shut, she softened her words.

“He’s the one who accepted someone like me for who I am without saying anything.”

When all the others had been tripping over themselves over their longtime crush on Herwin, Bern was the only one who accepted Lucia for who she was.

“……you’re not good enough?”

“Yes. So you need to stop being a jerk and treat Bern well…….”

Lucia, who was responding roughly, couldn’t finish her sentence. The red eyes across from her glowed eerily.

Just then, a ray of light from the window fell on the carriage. The dark interior was illuminated, and Herwin’s face was now clearly visible.

His face was set and angry. It was an anger that could not be compared to the one she’d seen when they’d argued in the dining hall.

“What bastard says you’re not good enough?”

When Lucia had no answer, the red glare grew more vicious.

“No way, did the Marquis say something like that to you?”

“No, nothing like that.”

“Then, why on earth do you say that you’re not good enough!”

After a moment of silence, Lucia lowered her gaze. How strange this situation was now.

She had been ignored by other men for liking Herwin, and now Herwin was being angry with her for it.

It made her feel both grateful and bittersweet.

Even if he was being angry with her, it didn’t mean he had feelings for her after all.

“I just made that up. No one ever said I wasn’t good enough.”

Herwin couldn’t believe Lucia’s words. No, he didn’t think this would convince him.

“What I’m trying to say is, Bern isn’t such a bad person, and you’re putting me in an awkward position if you keep coming out like that.”

Lucia tried to smile, but Herwin realized she was faking it and didn’t lift his expression.

“I still don’t like him.”

Herwin locked eyes with Lucia again, trying to persuade her.

“I know you’re not the kind of person to say you’re not good enough for no reason, but for you to say that in the middle of a date with him, there must have been something you couldn’t talk about.”

“It’s not like that.”

“I’ve talked to the Marquis enough times to know he’s a nice enough guy, but he’s not the one.”

“Why?”

Lucia couldn’t understand why he didn’t like him if he knew he was a good man.

“Why not Bern?”

Herwin hesitated to answer. More accurately, he didn’t have a clear answer.

There was something in his heart, up to his neck, against Bern, but he couldn’t quite put it into words.

The answer was a mix of emotions that he didn’t even recognize himself.

“I have this …… thing. It’s just a gut feeling.”

“What’s… that.”

“Anyway, my gut is screaming at me that it’s not good, so think about it! Do you want to get engaged to the Marquis?”

Lucia felt frustrated by the continued opposition, and as she looked at Herwin, she suddenly remembered the way he had acted toward her and Bern all day.

Lucia wiped every expression from her face and opened her mouth.

“Herwin, do you happen to…….”

Thud-

The carriage shuddered, and the light once again seeped into the interior.

“Do you like me?”

It was instant, but the red-eyed gaze was intertwined with the wall.

Unlike Lucia, who was calm, Herwin was shaking, but his agitation was shrouded in darkness.

When time passed and Herwin said nothing, Lucia spoke.

“You don’t like me.”

“……….”

“You’re not going to marry me.”

“……Lucia.”

“He’s the one I chose after meeting several other men, and I think he’s fine.”

There was no wavering in her voice as she spoke slowly, and for that moment, what little resentment she had left for Herwin slipped into the depths, helping Lucia maintain her composure.

“So… are you going to marry him?”

“I suppose.”

Herwin’s heart dropped with a thud. His entire insides shook violently with the first shock he’d ever felt.

The rattling carriage came to a halt in front of Countess Agnes. Lucia stepped out of the carriage, leaving a frozen Herwin behind.

“Herwin.”

Herwin barely turned his head at Lucia’s call.

Lucia gave him a gentle smile.

“I’m going to marry someone someday, even if it’s not Bern.”

Herwin frowned. For a moment it looked like he was crying, but Lucia thought she was mistaken in the dark.

“So please cheer for me so that I can get along well. We’re… friends.”

It was Herwin, who always said he was friends with Lucia, but he couldn’t say anything at that moment.

Lucia looked at Herwin, who said nothing, and finally turned and walked back into the mansion.