His hands were strangely hot, even in the dead of winter.
“Are you that happy to see me?”
Dernic grinned brightly as he helped Claisey regain her balance.
What an awkward moment for this to happen. Claisey looked up at Dernic, feeling dazed, until a sudden suspicion flared up, causing her to turn toward her friend.
*‘Did Florence bring me here just to have me meet Dernic?’*
After all, weren’t all nobles connected through one acquaintance or another?
However, Florence looked even more surprised. Her eyes were round, and the way she shifted her gaze between Claisey and Dernic was quite telling. Today’s meeting was truly a coincidence.
“A friend of yours?”
When Dernic asked, Florence immediately put on a scheming smile and reached out to introduce herself.
“I’m Florence. I’m married to Viscount Junior Imul.”
The title of “Viscount Junior” did not exist in current law, but heirs of noble houses often introduced themselves this way once they married and became independent. It was a way to let others know they would inherit the title in the future, while distinguishing themselves from their parents. Furthermore, since those with territorial titles couldn’t use such expressions, those with family titles used them to set themselves apart from the territorial nobility.
Florence usually thought such expressions were ridiculous and never used them. But now, she was using it intentionally. It seemed she wanted to know which family Dernic belonged to and who he was.
Claisey felt heat rising to her face. She wanted to tell Florence right away, ‘Don’t misunderstand! He’s just someone passing by!’
“Aha. I see.”
However, Dernic was different from other nobles. Usually, if one party stated their status clearly, the other would reciprocate. It wasn’t a law, but it was accepted etiquette.
Conversely, Dernic just kept smiling and shook her hand, never revealing his identity. Florence’s eyes narrowed further.
“Are you a friend of Claisey’s, too?”
Florence had a straightforward personality; she wasn’t one to back down. Since Dernic wouldn’t introduce himself, she asked him directly.
Claisey couldn’t help but intervene.
“No. He’s just someone I happened to get to know.”
After giving Florence a glare that signaled, ‘You’re misunderstanding the situation,’ she saw Florence look disappointed.
“Hmm? Weren’t we friends?”
Yet, Dernic insisted on reviving Florence’s fading interest.
Florence covered her mouth with her gloved hand and smiled with her eyes.
“Oh my. The two of you are saying different things. What kind of relationship do you have that your stories don’t align?”
“It’s really nothing. It just so happens that… he’s a friend of Meren.”
“‘It just so happens that he’s a friend of Meren’—what does that even mean?”
Claisey wanted to kick Dernic and chase him away immediately. The fact that he had helped her earlier vanished from her mind in an instant.
Claisey grabbed Florence’s hand and spoke to Dernic with a tone that emphasized distance.
“Thank you for your help. But I’m here to have a comfortable time with my friend, and it’s uncomfortable having Sir Dernic here. We’ll be going now.”
Having drawn a sharp line, Claisey pulled Florence away from Dernic. But perhaps because she had almost slipped badly earlier, her legs failed her again at the worst possible moment.
As soon as Claisey felt the strength drain from her legs, she let go of Florence. She didn’t want to drag her friend down onto the ice with her.
Florence and Dernic each grabbed one of Claisey’s arms as she fell.
“Are you okay? Your legs again—!”
Florence knew Claisey’s physical condition well. She supported Claisey and sighed.
“I’m fine.”
Claisey quickly covered Florence’s mouth before she could blame herself. Florence was the only one who would take Claisey out, even knowing she might lose the use of her legs at any moment. Meren disliked Florence, calling her thoughtless, but Claisey actually liked this side of her.
“I’ll get your cane. It’s in my carriage.”
Florence even carried Claisey’s cane in her carriage.
“Thank you.”
Claisey whispered, trying her best not to look toward Dernic. However, Florence asked Dernic for a favor.
“The white carriage at the end of the lake is ours. My maid is drinking coffee in front of it. Could you tell her to bring the cane?”
Dernic answered readily.
“You won’t be able to skate anymore anyway. How about I carry Miss Claisey to the carriage myself?”
“That would be even better.”
Florence replied quickly. Claisey almost shouted, “Hey!” but bit her lip to refrain. If Dernic didn’t carry her, she would have to rely on Florence and her cane to get across the ice, which would be quite difficult for her friend.
“Please.”
Claisey grabbed Dernic’s arm reluctantly and muttered. Dernic whistled, then scooped Claisey up into his arms in an instant.
As a tall man carried a young lady like a princess across the ice, the attention of everyone nearby was immediately drawn to them. Embarrassed, Claisey took off her glove and covered her eyes. Dernic burst into laughter.
“Miss Claisey, does covering your eyes give you courage?”
“It doesn’t give me courage, but it makes the shame disappear.”
When Claisey answered in a low voice, Dernic’s chest shook with laughter.
“You’re more eccentric than you look. Don’t people usually hide their faces in my chest in this position?”
“That’s not the kind of relationship we have!”
“Still, it would look better than covering your face with a glove.”
Claisey used her other glove to cover her mouth as well. Because of that, Dernic almost slipped on the ice while laughing, and Claisey had to grip his shoulder tightly.
“Walk properly!”
As Claisey urged him, Dernic’s shoulder trembled with suppressed laughter. Claisey decided to just keep her mouth shut. If he laughed and fell, the number of injured people would double.
However, as she hid her face, she grew curious about what was happening outside. Claisey slightly lowered the glove covering her eyes.
She had meant to look for Florence, but the moment she lowered the glove, she saw Dernic’s gray eyes.
Looking into those silver-tinged eyes, Claisey suddenly remembered a boy from ten years ago. Their hair and eye colors were completely different, so she hadn’t thought of it before. But seeing him this close, Dernic’s eyes looked remarkably similar to that boy’s.
Of course, that boy didn’t have a broad-shouldered, tall build like Dernic; he was short and very thin—though his face was much better than Dernic’s.
“Why are you staring at me so intently? Did you fall for me even more after seeing me up close?”
Besides, that boy wasn’t this cunning, either. Claisey didn’t respond and covered her eyes with her glove again.
For some reason, Dernic didn’t tease her anymore after that. After what felt like a very long time, Claisey was finally able to get into Florence’s carriage.
Feeling her body lift, she moved her glove away from her face, only to find Dernic depositing her into the carriage like a piece of luggage.
Florence helped Claisey sit comfortably with her legs stretched out and brought a blanket to place over her knees.
“Let’s take the carriage for a spin around the plaza before we go in. You’ll feel better.”
Florence took the skates off Claisey’s feet and handed them to a servant.
“You must have come out to have fun. I’m sorry.”
Claisey muttered timidly, and Florence laughed, lightly flicking Claisey’s forehead.
“Don’t do that. If you do, I have to be sorry to you, too.”
“Okay. Oh, where are my shoes?”
“Right! I need to get them. I left them at the skate rental place……?”
The heartwarming atmosphere shattered as both women spotted Dernic.
Somehow, he had managed to retrieve them, and there was Dernic in the distance, holding Claisey’s shoes… He was walking toward them with long strides, carrying one in each hand.
Claisey’s face turned bright red in an instant.
*‘Why does that man always carry my shoes?’*
He had done the same thing the second time they met.
“It seems there’s a deep connection between Lady Claisey’s shoes and me.”
Perhaps thinking the same thing, Dernic teased as he reached the front of the carriage and set the shoes down on the floor.
Florence’s eyes filled with suspicion once again. Claisey poked her in the side and quickly greeted Dernic.
“Thank you for your help today. I’ll send my regards through Meren later.”
It was a brief moment, but she had racked her brain to come up with that response. After all, Meren had said she liked Dernic. If Claisey delivered a token of appreciation to Dernic through Meren, Meren would naturally get to meet him again. Wasn’t that a win-win?
However, Dernic responded with indifference.
“You’re a strange person. Lady Claisey received the help, so why is Marie *noona’s* daughter giving the reward?”
“I am the one giving it. I just meant that I would send it through Meren.”
“Why go through all that trouble? Just come yourself. Or I could go visit you directly.”
“That won’t do.”
“What kind of nasty attitude is that? Are you trying to use Marie *noona’s* daughter as an errand girl?”
Florence’s eyes grew even sharper. They were like well-honed blades. It looked as though she wanted to demand to know exactly what kind of relationship Claisey had with Dernic right then and there.
That fierce curiosity finally made Florence speak.
“It seems you two aren’t on the same page. Then let’s do this. Let’s all get in the carriage and head to my house. Right now. I have a few of Claisey’s clothes at my place. Claisey can change there, and… you, sir, can rest for a bit. In the meantime, my chef can prepare some delicious, warm food. We can have a meal and some coffee together, right?”
Claisey was about to refuse, but Florence gripped her hand tightly. Before Claisey could even answer, Dernic hopped into the carriage and smiled brightly at her.
“That works out well. I was about to freeze to death.”