CH 28

At that time, Maximilian was obsessed with a strange sensation through the winter gloves, and the firecrackers filling the sky didn’t catch his eye at all. 

How did that happen?

He looked again at his wife, who was now entering the carriage.

She looked no different than usual.

‘You probably don’t know. You were just staring at the sky….’

Well, if she had known, she wouldn’t have stayed silent.

She must have dropped her hand quickly because the back of her hand touched the person she was afraid of.

He smiled bitterly and looked out the window.

Suddenly, the carriage started, and the scenery was changing little by little.

“So?”

Clarisse was talking nonstop in the carriage to the Duchess sitting next to her.

Seeing that the tone was slightly high, it seemed that they were very excited.

“Noah and I became friends who shared the ribbon.”

“So there’s only one ribbon left?”

“Yes, we decided to wear the same ribbon the next time we see each other. I want to meet Noah again soon.”

“That’s great. A friend of your age.”

“Does the Duchess have any friends your age?”

“I… have.” 

“If she is the Duchess’ friend, I think she must be a beautiful aristocratic lady. Has she ever been invited to Sheridan?”

“Ah… yes. By the way, Noah seems to be a very bright child.”

“That’s right! Noah studies the collapsed golem. I’m so proud that my friend is such a great person.”

Clarisse dangled her legs and smiled, and the Duchess laughed together, removing the hair that clung to the child’s face.

Before he knew it, Maximilian turned his gaze from looking out of the window to stare at them.

It was an everyday life that was nothing special.

The adult adores the child, and the child chats with the adult—.

‘It’s… like a family.’

He was startled by the sudden idea.

A family? 

There’s no such thing here.

In this position, he is a coward who made his brother a lonely king and fled.

With the coward’s victim, who got caught up in his downfall and married a man she didn’t like.

And there was only one prisoner of war, the last one to be decided at eighteen.

There was nowhere in the cruel list where the soft word ‘family’ could settle.

“I hope the day Noah comes soon.”

“Then, in preparation for that day, shall we practice guiding the mansion when we return to Sheridan?”

“M, me?!”

“Yes, of course… Ah, the Duke would have to allow it, but…” 

The two eyes turned to Maximilian.

Perhaps it was because they had the same expectations, it was to the extent that they looked alike, even if it was not a family or anything.

“…I will give permission.”

When answering like that, Maximilian realized that he was smiling faintly.

He quickly hardened his expression and looked out the window again.

The two were excited and began to plan for the mansion.

Maximilian listened unknowingly to the cute story.

* * *

A carriage carrying three people was entering the Sheridan mansion. 

The adults didn’t feel tired when they arrived because they stopped at a village in the middle and took a short break.

However, Clarisse, who was still young, seemed quite tired.

Now she was lying with her head on Maximilian’s lap.

He moved the sleeping child and laid it on his lap.

“Doesn’t your leg feel uncomfortable?”

Brielle felt sorry for letting the nobleman handle the uncomfortable things.

“That’s all right.”

“It’s a mansion again now.”

“That’s right.” 

Brielle stared at Maximilian’s face.

She wondered if he cared too when the backs of their hands touched.

“Thank you for your hard work.”

However, the moment she heard a business-like word, she felt something go wrong.

As expected, it doesn’t seem to have been a big deal for him either.

‘Well, they used to say he was a popular prince.’

With his handsome face and high social standing, it was clear that he had had several flirty relationships with beautiful women.

It would have been nothing if the back of the hand had barely touched the man like that.

‘But…. it was the first time for me.’

Brielle somehow became depressed.

“Would you like to go?”

At that time, Maximilian made some suggestions.

The problem is that Brielle didn’t hear it.

“Y, yes?” 

“It’s okay if you’re not feeling well. Even if it means just looking around the town for a while, it will take quite a bit of walking.”

Every New Year, Maximilian used to go out and meet people in downtown Sheriden.

Until now, he had never asked Brielle to go with him—.

‘Perhaps the Duke…. No, there’s no way with someone like me!’

Brielle was excited and quickly pressed down her expectations.

“Come to think of it, I offered you a hard job for no reason.”

Brielle quickly shook her head at the story that seemed to blame himself.

Come to think of it, is she subject to worry about at the Duke’s recommendation?

It was what she should have done if she were a real Duchess in the first place.

“I’ll go!”

Brielle quickly responded in a loud voice.

For some reason he seemed a little happy, but that must have been an illusion created by her expectations.

There’s no way such a great man would be happy with just walking around the city with Brielle.

‘But… I.’

She’s going out with him.

Brielle didn’t want to let her heart get too excited. 

This wasn’t a date, it was work as a Duke and Duchess couple.

‘…That’s why the Duke had no choice but to go with me.’

For some reason, Brielle felt depressed.

* * *

The carriage passed through the garden and came to a gentle halt in front of the front door.

A group of servants waiting for their arrival bowed to welcome their return. 

Clarisse, waking up from sleep, rubbed her eyes and got off the carriage with Maximilian, and Brielle followed. 

‘It’s just like a father and a daughter.’

Of course, she couldn’t say it out loud, so she just smiled. 

“What’s special about it?”

As Maximilian asked the question, Clarisse shrugged her shoulders to hold back her yawn.

Apparently, it seemed that Brielle wasn’t the only one who couldn’t take her eyes off the stark contrast between the blunt man and the cute child.

It was to the extent that the servants glanced at them with a glance.

“It’s rare… Is it someone close to wife?” 

Brielle did not hear Maximilian again this time.

‘Don’t think about anything else!’

She scolded herself hard and carefully asked him to understand.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t hear you.”

Then the butler moved her steps in front of her and spoke kindly again.

“Your friend has come and is waiting for you. She even brought her maid to stay for a few days.”

“…Yes?” 

What does it mean by friends? 

All of Brielle’s friends were from her maid days. Even so, they were no longer in touch.

Could she be Asela’s friend?

“W, who did you say?” 

Brielle asked with a frightened face, but the answer came from beyond the front door.

“Long time no see.”

At her familiar voice, Brielle shrugged both of her shoulders and raised her head.

A silver-haired woman in a dress was approaching.

“L,La…” 

Lady.

Like an old habit, Brielle tried to call her out but quickly shut her mouth.

“Nice to meet you, Duke.”

Asela, who came right in front of them, greeted the Duke with a beautiful movement like a swan.

“….Nice to meet you.”

“I’ve been abroad for a long time, so I’ve only heard about Asela’s marriage.”

She crossed her arms with Brielle’s and gently stroked the back of her hand. It’s like dealing with a close friend she hasn’t seen in a long time.

“You, too, should have sent me a detailed letter if you had married such a wonderful person.”

“I, I’m…sorry.” 

“No. The Duchess’s seat won’t be too free, so well.”

She turned back to Maximilian with a seductive smile on her face.

“I ran recklessly because I was in a hurry, so I caused you trouble staying in a house without an owner.”

“You don’t need to worry.” 

“You are such a kind person. Oh, yes. I heard that the Duke had made great achievements in Grezekaia. You are so amazing.” 

“…Excuse me, but I think I have to go in first.”

“Oh my, of course. I caught a person who was tired from a long trip. It’s embarrassing. Then I’ll greet you later, Duke Sheridan.”

“That would be better. Well…” 

After he hesitated for a moment, the woman smiled and introduced herself.

“My name is Brielle Woods. Please call me Brielle.”

When she suddenly heard her name, Brielle was so startled that she was at a loss for words.

In this situation, she wouldn’t even have anything to say.

‘What… are you thinking, Lady!’

She didn’t want to marry the Duke of Sheridan, so she went instead of her, and she appeared out of nowhere!

“I see. Then excuse me first.”

Maximilian greeted them politely with the courtesy of a gentleman.

And after correcting his posture, he spoke to her in a gentle tone.

“Welcome to Sheridan, Miss Brielle Woods.”

Brielle felt for a moment like she had been stabbed in the middle of her heart.

Her real name came out of his mouth—.

That, she planned to tell Maximilian her real name someday.

But it wasn’t like this.

Furthermore, she didn’t expect to hear that name while he was calling someone else—.

Brielle bit her lip for a moment and crumpled her painful heart into one side of her heart.

She doesn’t know what made her Lady come here, but she didn’t want him to find out right now that she was a fake.

Brielle tried to smile.