CH 3.13

t/n: hi. in case you haven’t noticed, i mistakenly titled 3.11 to 3.10; 3.12 to 3.11. as a result, i somehow messed up the novelupdates links bc 3.11 redirects to 3.12, skipping the og 3.11 altogether. the links are auto-generated so idk how to edit those… my bad to nu users ! if it’s fixed already ignore this psa

While Marie was looking sheepishly at the floor, Kierhan said something unexpected. “It’s really nice to see you after such a long time, but there’s something about you that bothers me a little.”

“Pardon? Me?” Marie exclaimed in surprise. Had she done something to displease such a patient man like him?

“Yes, Miss Marie.”

“What is it?”

“Well, why have you become so thin?”

“Ah.”

Marie examined her body at his words. Indeed, she had become thinner, given the recent hurdles she’d faced. Suddenly, her already homely figure appeared even more homely.

“Well… it’s because I’ve been busy…”

Kierhan, displeasure emanating from him, said, “Do you not realize how upset I was seeing you so thin today?”

“I’m sorry.”

Marie smiled, feeling good at his concern.

“I’ll take care of myself from now on.”

“Truly?”

“Yes, I promise.”

“Then please do me a favor.”

“What is it?”

“I will only tell you if you promise me you’ll do it.”

Marie nodded her head, wholeheartedly willing to do anything for him.

However, Kierhan’s request was something she never would have expected. “If you aren’t busy, could you please spend some time with me today?”

“……Pardon?” Marie was stunned. Even if she had some free time, how could she?

“I can’t bear to see you so skinny. I figured I should treat you to something delicious.” As Kierhan extended his hand towards her, he said, “So please lend me some of your time, Miss Marie.”

Flustered, Marie tried to refuse, but Kierhan stubbornly insisted. The contrast between his usual gentle demeanor and the sudden assertive behavior caught Marie off guard, and before she knew it, she found herself getting dragged along.

“Let’s go.”

Shortly after, Kierhan took her to the finest restaurant in the capital, located near to the palace.

Suddenly, a smartly dressed restaurant staff warmly welcomed them. “It’s been a while, Your Lordship. Oh, who might this lady be?”

When Kierhan, the lord of the March of Seyton, brought a woman with him, the staff was couldn’t hide his surprise.

“Oh, I’m just…” Marie hurriedly tried to clear the misunderstanding, but Kierhan spoke first.

“She’s someone I hold dear.”

Marie gaped at Kierhan in shock. ‘What is he saying?’ But Kierhan, as usual, looked nonchalant after dropping such a bombshell.

‘Well, technically, I am his dear friend.’

But still, saying things like that can lead to misunderstandings! Marie averted her gaze, her face inexplicably flushing.

“Ah, I see! It’s an honor to meet you. Please come inside.”

Soon, a waiter guided them to the VVIP room.

‘I can’t believe I’m in a place like this.’

As Marie walked down the hallway, she stole glances at the opulent decorations, the antique fireplace, and the magnificent paintings. Somehow, it surpassed the grandeur of the Cloyan Kingdom Palace—no, even the Imperial Palace itself.

“Please have a seat here, Milady,’ the waiter said, carefully pulling out a chair for her.

“Ah… yes.”

As she awkwardly took her seat, a waiter brought finger bowls and set the napkins and utensils in a graceful manner, as if he were serving a princess.

‘This restaurant is truly remarkable.’

Marie shifted her gaze to look outside the window. The restaurant was perched on a low hill beside the palace, overlooking a whole view of the capital. As one of Europe’s most magnificent cities, the view was truly breathtaking.

‘It’s nice, but is it appropriate for me to be here?’

In truth, she didn’t mind being in a place like that. With its luxurious ambiance, what woman wouldn’t appreciate it? Any woman would have the desire to visit such a place at least once.

‘However, I wonder if it’s really okay for me to dine here…’

At that moment, Kierhan asked, “Are you feeling uncomfortable?”

“Ah… No.” Marie shook her head in embarrassment. It seemed like her uneasiness was clearly written on her face.

Kierhan then opened his mouth to apologize.

“I’m sorry. Since this our first meal together, I wanted to treat you to the best food possible, so I may have been a bit greedy. If it made you uncomfortable, I’m really sorry.”

Marie shook her head in surprise. “Ah, no! There’s no need to apologize. In fact, I’m really grateful.”

Marie truly appreciated Kierhan. Not only had he brought her to a place like that for her sake, but he also showed great consideration of her comfort. How could she not be thankful?

‘Since he went through the trouble to bringing me here… let’s just enjoy it.’

If it weren’t for Kierhan, when would she ever have the opportunity to visit a place like that?

In his presence, Marie couldn’t help but feel like she had become Cinderella herself.

“Here is the warm lobster soup. Enjoy your meal.”

Shortly after, a variety of dishes, such as hors d’oeuvres, cold and warm entrées, grosse pièce, and so on, were served.

“Please eat to your heart’s content, Miss Marie.”

“Yes, thank you.”

They engaged in various conversations throughout the meal, just like they had done on previous occasions. The meal, like everything else with him, was enjoyable.

Each gourmet dish delighted her taste buds, but above all, the most enjoyable part was the conversation they had shared. It was strange, really. They weren’t having particularly profound discussions, but as always, whenever she talked with Kierhan, Marie felt at ease.

“So, do you alternate between the palace and the Seyton march for your duties?”

“Yes, as the Marquis of the Seyton March, my duty to protect the borders is equally important as my role as a Commander of the Imperial Guard. Since the borders are stable at the moment, I currently stay at the palace. But usually, I spend more time at the estate.”

Marie nodded in response to Kierhan’s words. Like he said, the position of the Imperial Guard’s commander was a prestigious role held by the Seyton family for generations, serving as the sword and shield of the Imperial family. However, it seemed that his actual duties were more focused on defending the borders as a Marquis.

“What is the March of Seyton like?”

Upon hearing her question, Kierhan’s face lit up, perhaps at the thought of his hometown. “It’s a borderland, so it can be quite dangerous, but it’s a wonderful place. It has a lot of beautiful sceneries, and the people there are friendly.” He hesitated for a moment before continuing, “If you have the opportunity, would you consider visiting?”

“Yes, I would love to.”

Marie nodded with a sincere smile in response to Kierhan’s question, much to his surprise.

“Really?”

“Yes.”

“Promise?”

Marie smiled at Kiel for asking again. “Yes, if the opportunity arises, I will definitely visit.”

Then she thought to herself, ‘Once I leave the palace, I will finally be free. It wouldn’t be a bad idea to visit his territory.’

In fact, she even considered settling down there. Although it was a borderland close to the Cloyan Kingdom, but if it’s a territory ruled by Kierhan, it seemed like a pleasant place to live.

Anyway, that was something to ponder later on. As they continued their conversation, the meal had come to an end.

“It’s getting late, shall we go head back now?”

“Yes, Your Lordship. Thank you so much for today.”

With Kierhan escorting her, Marie boarded the carriage heading towards the Imperial Palace.

Clip-clop. Clip-clop.

As the sound of the carriage cluttered, the palace draw nearer. Suddenly, Marie thought to herself, ‘It’s time for me to say goodbye to Cinderella now and return to reality.’

At that moment, Kierhan, who was sitting across from her, spoke up, saying “Miss Marie.”

Kierhan had his usual smile, but there was something off about it, causing Marie to tilt her head in confusion.

“Don’t trust Lady Rachel too much.”

Marie looked at him in surprise. “What… do you mean?”

“Exactly what I said. Don’t trust Lady Rachel too much.” Kierhan spoke gravely, “Don’t you have a vague idea why I’m telling you this?”

“…”

“No?”

Marie shut her mouth. Kierhan was right. She, too, harbored suspicions about Rachel.

‘She’s not a trustworthy person.’

“I don’t know much about her, but I advise you not to get too close to Lady Rachel… Lady Rachel is probably taking advantage of you.”

Silence hung in the air between them. After a moment of silence, Marie said, “…I know.”

“You do?”

“Yes.” Marie nodded. She was aware of it too. It was evident that Rachel never saw her as a person, but rather a means to an end.

“So, about Lady Rachel…”

However, Marie shook her head and said, “I know, but I don’t mind.”

“…!”

“It doesn’t matter if she’s using me, as I am also staying by her side to gain something from her,” Marie said firmly. “It’s no different from using her for my own purposes.”

She didn’t trust Lady Rachel, but it didn’t matter. Even if Rachel used her, as long as Marie could achieve her own goals through Rachel, she was fine with it. After all, their relationship was built on a mutually beneficial agreement.

“…I understand. Since I don’t know what’s exactly going on, I won’t say anythong more about it.”

Marie felt both sorry and grateful for Kierhan. “Thank you for your concern, and sorry for worrying you.”

Kierhan shook his head as if to say it was alright. “Instead, promise me one thing.”

“…?”

“As I mentioned before, if something difficult happens, don’t try to handle it on your own. Come find me. Do you understand?”

When Kierhan said those words, Marie’s heart fluttered. It wasn’t just empty words; she felt that he genuinely cared for her.

“…Yes, thank you. Your Lordship.”

Kierhan smiled softly, as if to say not to worry. “Don’t feel burdened by it. We are friends, after all.”