What was he talking about? Do not spread groundless rumors? Claisey didn’t catch the meaning of Kishin’s words immediately. Her head felt muddled.
“I don’t know what you mean by…”
As Claisey faltered, Kishin’s eyes narrowed.
The gaze she had once found cold yet beautiful now felt ominous, and Claisey looked away.
“I dislike high society, Miss Claisey. There are so many people there who make up rumors as they please, blow them out of proportion, and delight in doing so.”
Before she knew it, the carriage had stopped, and Kishin opened the door with one arm, as if signaling her to get out.
Claisey clutched her skirt and looked at Kishin desperately. She still didn’t understand his words.
“I think you’ve misunderstood something.”
She gathered the courage to offer an excuse, but as soon as she met Kishin’s eyes, she decided to stop trying. She realized that no matter what she said, Kishin wouldn’t believe her.
It was the same when they first met. No matter what his friend Dernic said beside him, Kishin didn’t believe a word of it.
Claisey had been drawn to Kishin’s stubborn nature. But to think that the very trait she had fallen for would now be the dagger aimed at her.
“Today… wasn’t fun.”
“That’s fortunate. Since there won’t be any more dates between us.”
“Still, I liked it.”
“!”
“Take care on your way back.”
Claisey finally just offered a farewell, stepped out of the carriage, and ran off without looking back.
She ran at full speed past the main gate and up the main stairs, causing the passing butler to widen his eyes in surprise.
“Miss? Are you alright?”
The butler asked, but Claisey only shook her head and scurried up the stairs like a flying squirrel. If she stopped for even a second, she felt she would burst into tears.
Once she entered her bedroom, Claisey collapsed onto her bed and finally sobbed aloud. It was a sight so sorrowful that it would have made anyone’s heart ache.
However, it only lasted five minutes. After crying her heart out for exactly five minutes, Claisey wiped her tears and washed her face.
When Claisey adjusted her hair and came out of her room, Anna didn’t even notice that she had been crying.
“Miss, did you have a fun time? Why did that man call for you?”
“Just because of a previous matter. It wasn’t a big deal.”
Claisey replied calmly and asked Anna to bring her some sweet desserts.
As Anna went to the kitchen, Claisey sat on the rocking chair on the third-floor terrace, looked up at the sky, and thought.
‘There is a merit to being rejected dozens of times. After crying for five minutes, I feel fine again.’
Isn’t this being an expert at breakups? Claisey reflected on her own heart, which was too seasoned in goodbyes, and suddenly thought of the man Kishin had sent on an errand.
That man must be a guard too. He wasn’t as handsome as Kishin, but he had quite a neat face.
‘He seemed kind-hearted. He wasn’t even swayed by Merran’s face…’
Claisey’s wounded heart began to romanticize the nameless guard, and later, it even extended to Dernic.
Fortunately, Dernic didn’t get romanticized even in this state because his first impression was so bad. But thinking of Dernic made her wonder about something else.
‘What did Merran and Dernic do while I was gone? Did Dernic confess to Merran too? Will Sir Kishin and Dernic end up fighting over Merran?’
Claisey imagined how it would feel if two men fought over her, but she stopped, feeling her pride wounded.
‘Forget it. Let’s just forget about Sir Kishin and Dernic.’
However, while having dinner together, Merran happened to bring up the subject of Kishin, whom she had barely managed to forget.
“Did you have a good date with Sir Kishin without me?”
Moreover, for some reason, her tone was very strange. It was ambiguous—as if she were annoyed and amused at the same time.
Claisey, her pride stung, deliberately brushed it off vaguely.
“It’s a secret.”
Merran’s lips pouted. She seemed to feel offended again that Claisey was keeping secrets from her.
“Aunt, why do you insist on meeting men even though I tell you I don’t like it year after year? Can’t you just give up on marriage now? Do you like men that much? Do you like men more than me?”
Furthermore, she went as far as to show her open displeasure, which was unusual.
Claisey was annoyed and set her fork down with a loud clatter.
“I’ve never even dated once. Since I’ve never done it, why do you tell me to give up from the start?”
“Because you couldn’t even though you tried so hard?”
“Why are you interfering with my dating life? You give up, Merran. Why do you tell me to give up when you don’t?”
“Because I’m popular?”
“…….”
“Don’t be so upset, Aunt. Children are all like me. They hate it when their parents remarry.”
“I’m not remarrying. And you aren’t my child.”
“It’s the same as being a child.”
Claisey, fuming, picked up her fork again, only to slam it down with another loud clatter.
“No. It’s different. And if I don’t get married, what about my inheritance? Do you want me to just stand by and give it up?”
“When Grandpa and Grandma pass away, I’ll support you for the rest of your life, Aunt. What are you worried about? Do you think I can’t even feed you?”
Claisey’s anger rose to the top of her head.
To make matters worse, as Anna passed by exclaiming, “My, how thoughtful,” her blood pressure rose even higher.
‘Bear with it. I am the adult, even if only by a few years. Bear with it.’
Claisey recited prayers in her head dozens of times and forcibly changed the subject.
“What about you? Did your date go well?”
“Date, pfft.”
Merran replied with the same indifference she usually showed when talking about men. But today was different. Unlike her sullen voice, a slight smile was playing on her face.
‘Hm?’
Claisey quickly caught the change, and this time, she was truly curious.
‘What is it? Did she unexpectedly get along well with Dernic?’
* * *
A few hours ago.
Merran had led ‘Kishin’ to her parlor.
“Sir Kishin. I asked to meet you separately because I wanted to make one thing clear.”
Merran said as she perched on a single-seat sofa.
She intended to tell him that if he had business with her, he should speak to her directly, and not drag her aunt into it.
But before she could even say the words, ‘Kishin’ burst into loud laughter.
Why was he laughing? Merran felt a bit annoyed that he was laughing all by himself in a situation she didn’t understand. Since she was the one who usually led the conversation, she wasn’t used to being the subject of someone else’s laughter.
“Why are you laughing?”
When Merran asked with clear displeasure, ‘Kishin’ grinned and answered.
“No, it’s nothing. Go on, keep talking. Alright, what do you want to make clear?”
Merran felt even more annoyed. She hated that Kishin, who looked to be around her age, had been talking as if she were a child from the very beginning.
‘He says he knows my mother, but what’s the age difference between him and me?’
Merran sneered inwardly and admonished him.
“You came here because I returned the bouquet, right? Coming here is fine. But in the future, if you have something to say, I would like you to call for me directly. Please don’t talk through my aunt.”
Merran stopped mid-sentence. It was because ‘Kishin’ kept chuckling.
Merran let out a scoff, dumbfounded. She had never seen such an unpleasant man. Why was he snickering while someone was talking to him?
“Hmm. I understand. But I’m afraid I can’t grant that request, Miss Merran.”
Adding to that, when ‘Kishin’ refused a request she had stated politely, Merran was now beyond annoyed—she was outright angry. A request was putting it mildly; wasn’t this something any polite person should do?
“Why is that?”
“Well, because I’m not Kishin.”
The anger that had been bubbling right up to the point of explosion vanished as if cold water had been poured on it the moment she heard ‘Kishin’s’ reply.
“…….”
Merran blinked, not catching on immediately.
“Pardon?”
When she finally asked back, the man placed a hand over his chest and bowed like a knight.
“I didn’t get to introduce myself earlier. My name is Dernic. Kishin is the friend who came with me.”
“!”
Merran’s face turned as red as a beet in an instant. It was a very rare sight.
Seeing Merran’s reaction, Dernic burst into laughter all by himself.
“Marie-noona’s daughter is quite cute. Why on earth did you think I was Kishin?”
Merran pressed her lips together tightly and glared at Dernic.
Actually, it was inevitable that Merran had misunderstood. When she went to the Palace Guards, people said that Sir Kishin had called for her.
And then this man appeared. It was only natural for Merran to assume that this man was Kishin.
But to laugh at her like that! She had thought he was a strange man before, but seeing him today, he was also excessively mischievous. It was mean-spirited to put someone who made a mistake in such an embarrassing position.
But… why was it? The smile he wore while teasing others didn’t look all that unpleasant to her.
He was the first man to ever make Merran feel this flustered. Both the first time they met and now, this man felt refreshing.
Glancing at his exceptionally handsome profile, Merran pouted and turned her gaze away with a prickly air.
“It’s not my fault. When I went to the Palace Guards, everyone said Sir Kishin called for me. And then you showed up.”
* * *
As Merran recalled what happened a few hours ago, she couldn’t help but smile again.
However, when her eyes met Claisey’s, who was sending her a curious look, Merran quickly composed her expression.
“It wasn’t a date.”
Merran said firmly and continued her meal.
Claisey wasn’t fooled by that. She had lived with Merran for several years; how could she not know the girl’s inner thoughts?
But Merran was tight-lipped when it came to her own affairs.
Besides, Claisey didn’t care whether her annoying niece was dating or not. No, sometimes she even wished Merran would get married first. That way, she wouldn’t be able to interfere with her own love life anymore.
Of course, even so, Merran’s husband had to be a kind and good man.
“Fine.”
Claisey lost interest and rested her chin on her hand.
‘Forget it. Whether it’s Dernic or Kishin, I don’t care anymore. Whether Merran and Dernic are dating, or if she’s in a love triangle with Kishin, what does it matter to me?’
It was then.
“Miss Claisey, a bouquet has arrived for you.”
The butler entered the kitchen, carrying a massive bouquet in both arms.
Claisey took the bouquet in a daze, looking bewildered.
“What’s this bouquet for?”
Merran’s eyes immediately sharpened.
“Who sent it?”
The butler pointed to the center of the bouquet.
“A Palace Guard brought it. There was a letter with it.”
Claisey found an ivory-colored card tucked between the lilies and roses, and her expression stiffened. The name ‘Kishin’ was signed at the bottom of the card.
‘Is he playing a joke? He said we wouldn’t be meeting again, so why is he sending a bouquet?’
Claisey roughly pulled out the card and unfolded it.