Chapter 44

────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────

Chapter 44

Cassius’ low, yet dangerous voice continued one after another.

​​“You’ll eventually come back to me, like all other nobles… Until then, you can play with that man as much as you want. I won’t hurt you.”

​​

“…Cassius Brudenell.”

I couldn’t stand it, so I cut off Cassius’ words.

“If you heard the conversation today, you know, nothing happened between me and him. You would know better if you heard it from the beginning.”

“Are you trembling?”

His tone resembled a sulky child. And, by nature, children are even more cruel.

​​

“You wanted to leave with him.”

I had nothing to say.

Whatever the case, it was true that I unexpectedly nodded my head then.

“Evelyn.”

Cassius’ slender hand brushed my cheek as he opened his mouth again, “You promised not to leave me. Just as I have kept my promise, please keep it as well.”

I gazed straight at him, hoping he did not notice my shaking eyes.

“I won’t leave.”

“Good.”

Even though he nodded, it did not seem that he believed me. Of course, it would be stupid to believe. Just a while ago, I showed Cassius how I was being swayed by Gabriel.

“Please, go back now. If you get caught like this…”

I abruptly stopped talking and frowned.

Come to think of it, even if I tell him to go back, Cassius will continue to hide and monitor me. On the contrary, the surveillance might be more severe.

‘….’

I was appalled.

In a way, it was better if he walked around openly like this. That way, I can predict when and where I am being monitored.

“Even if I told you to go back, you wouldn’t really want to go back.”

Cassius immediately reacted to the words that were spilled like he was talking to himself.

“If you want, I’ll go back right away. However, there is one condition.”

“Conditions…?”

Asking back, I blinked my eyes. It seemed that the conditions I placed on him during that time had an effect on Cassius as well. Should I say that I am adapting quickly or that I have an excellent ability to learn…

Despite it being an unwelcome change, I could not say anything because it was a skill that I had used several times in the past.

“Didn’t Evelyn promise to visit often, instead of me going to the Empress Palace to see you?”

“Yes.”

“Please come and meet me now.”

“…Yes?”

I glanced up blankly at Cassius.

​​

What does that mean? It was clear that I did not even know what he was talking about.

“Right now… Aren’t we meeting?”

Cassius tilted his head at my words.

“You really don’t know, Evelyn?”

I swallowed dry saliva.

No… I know. There is no way I can know at this point. I just wanted to deny it for a moment.

“It means going back to the Duchy together, Evelyn.”

Although his lips were drawn with an arc, Cassius’ eyes were not smiling.

“Right now.”

“Lady Ophelia, they tried baking carrot cake to develop a new menu in the kitchen. Would you like a piece?”

Saying so, a smiling maid held out a tray to Ophelia.

Ophelia gazed down at the tray tremblingly. She just happened to be hungry, and she also liked carrot cake as well, unlike at the County, where she could bake bread in the kitchen whenever. Ophelia was happy to see this since she had not eaten any baked goods since she came to the Duchy.

The problem was that now was not mealtime.

So, this would be a snack.

A snack given purely as a favor.

‘…Strange.’

Her position at the Duke of Brudenell was nothing more than a hostage. This means that there is no reason for anyone to pay such close attention to her.

Of course, she could only be suspicious of her intention, though Ophelia nodded her head without showing it.

“I’ll eat it deliciously. Thank you for bringing it.”

However, the maid who put her tray down did not leave her room. Instead, she fumbled into a chair.

“….?”

Surprised, Ophelia gazed at her maid. Meanwhile, the maid stared at her and smiled suspiciously before opening her mouth.

“You know, aren’t you curious who sent me?”

“By any chance, my sister… No, Did Miss Evelyn send you?”

“Oh, my.”

The maid rolled her eyes.

“You really have a good relationship with your sisters. I apologize, but it’s not. Sir David sent it.”

“….!”

Ophelia’s heart began to beat rapidly.

Sir David.

Just hearing the name out of someone else’s mouth reminded her of the soft brown curly hair and gentle yet intelligent blue eyes.

The maid grinned and continued her words.

“After an hour, he asked me to tell the Lady to meet him at the meeting place.

“He always sent me a note…!”

Ophelia exclaimed urgently.

David was extremely reluctant to find out about their meeting. That was why he would sneak notes into Ophelia’s visit, or drop her notes on the items that would be sent to her.

It was not David’s way to send someone like this.

Seeing her reaction, the maid shook her head.

​​

“Lady, why do you think our chef baked a carrot cake for the first time?”

“…No way.”

​​

Ophelia’s mind flashed back to the conversation she had with Sir David a few days ago.

‘Do you like the food?’

‘Yes. You’ve been so kind that it’s too much for me… I’m always grateful.’

‘I didn’t mean that. Do you have any favorite food…’

​​

‘Me?’

‘Yes. I want to know what Miss Ophelia’s favorite food is. ’

‘Hmm… I like cake.’

‘Do you like all cakes?’

‘Yes. In the County, I can use the kitchen… I’m really good at baking carrot cakes! If I get a chance, I’ll bake it for you.’

As if the maid had seen through Ophelia’s thoughts, she let out a shrill laugh.

“Indeed, you know it is.”

She then slightly pushed the cute plate with a slice of carrot cake toward Ophelia.

“So, enjoy it. Because Sir David bribed the chef and asked him to do it.”

After the maid had left, Ophelia took a fork and took a slice of the carrot cake.

‘…It is delicious.’

A combination of well-ground carrot minced and cream cheese danced in her mouth. Of course, it did not even compare to her crudely baked carrot cake.

But, Ophelia put her fork down after taking a few bites.

She was afraid that if she ate all of this cake, she would lose even the fact that Sir David had asked the chief to bake a cake for her.

‘I will have to go out and wait.’

The cake would be waiting even after she had met Sir David.

Thinking so, Ophelia combed her long hair in front of her mirror.

Even though her hair had not been groomed, her hair was soft with just a few brushes. Then, she chose a few accessories for a while. They were all ornaments Evelyn had given her, but there were not that many.

After going out and dressing up, she learned that David did not seem to particularly like anything. Still, she enjoys it a little more when going out with a hair ornament that she likes.

Eventually, Ophelia chose an amethyst headdress similar to the color of her eye color, put on a light cardigan, and hurried to her appointment.

It was also thanks to him that she was allowed to roam freely as long as she did not leave the mansion.

Ophelia’s steps toward the secluded room, the meeting place, speeded up spontaneously.

‘Should I wait a little bit…?’

​​

Although David asked to meet her in an hour, she left half an hour earlier. Even so, she could not help but speed up her steps.

The moment she finally entered the room, Ophelia’s eyes were wide open.

“Sir David…!”

“Are you here, Miss Ophelia?”

David smiled faintly and spread his arms slightly toward Ophelia. As soon as she saw that, Ophelia jumped into his arms.

His sturdy body wrapped around her gently.

“Carrot cake… Thank you.”

“You don’t have to say that.”

David’s face turned red.

Without delay, Ophelia brought up the question that had been hovering over her mind since earlier.

​​

“Why did you suddenly ask me to meet you?”

At the same time as those words, David’s complexion darkened a little.

No, he seemed nervous, too.

Ophelia’s heart tightened. Yes, she knew this day would come… After all, David was the Duke’s up-and-coming knight commander, and she was just an illegitimate child.

Silence passed.

Ophelia shut her eyes tightly. She just wanted to tell him not to say if he felt that way.

…Because she wanted to delay the breakup even a little.

Finally, David moved.

He knelt down on one knee and pulled something out of his pocket.

‘….?’

Ophelia looked down at him as if frozen. On David’s palm was a small box… a small box large enough to hold only one jewel.

With the sound of the box clicking open, David opened his mouth.

“Miss Ophelia, will you be my wife?”

────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────