Chapter 61…
Cynthia lowered her gaze and quietly stared at Tesion’s full lips.
In the darkness, they gleamed faintly, drawing her eyes again and again.
The purple eyes fixed on her seemed to hold a deep, desperate thirst.
Tesion is being so sincere, and yet I…
Cynthia let out a small breath.
She felt regretful—and somehow sad—that she could only lie before him.
Was she even allowed to accept such heavy emotions?
If it were truly for Tesion’s sake, she should push him away, but that wasn’t easy.
…Just this once.
Maybe it was the mood.
But just this once, she wanted to be honest with him too.
Cynthia, who had been standing still, slowly wrapped her arms around his neck.
It had nothing to do with the Ritemper Company, or contracts, or deals with Bailey—
this was purely her own will.
Understanding her gesture as consent, Tesion closed his eyes and gently pressed his lips to hers.
Cynthia followed him, closing her eyes and tilting her head slightly.
Moving his lips, Tesion tightened his arm around her waist, pulling her closer.
Boom!
The loud burst of fireworks echoed all around them.
After a moment, the explosions that had been shaking the air subsided.
Silence filled the space, and then came the distant, cheerful chatter of people below,
talking excitedly about the fireworks.
As their voices reached her ears, Cynthia came back to herself and leaned away,
breaking the contact of their lips.
Tesion followed her instinctively, but she turned her head aside and stammered—
“W-wait, just a moment…”
She squeezed her eyes shut.
The tips of her ears burned hot, refusing to cool down.
Tesion only smiled, pressing light kisses to her flushed cheek instead of answering.
Cynthia, still red-faced, muttered in a half-grumbling tone,
“You really are a planner, Your Grace.”
“In what way?”
Tesion chuckled softly as he continued to kiss her cheek.
The corners of his eyes were tinted faintly red.
Cynthia glanced at him sideways before replying,
“You always make me lower my guard.”
“Did you lower it, then?”
Tesion smiled again, his eyes curving gently.
“Of course I did! T-today I… I had no intention of doing anything like this!”
“No intention, you say? That would have been a shame.
What made you let your guard down?”
“What made me—what?”
“It’s important. I’d like to remember it.”
Cynthia glanced around instead of answering.
The dark night, the romantic atmosphere,
the soft, affectionate, and somehow sticky look in his eyes…
“Everything! Everything around me—the mood, the place, you, Your Grace!”
“Not too difficult, then.
So, will you keep letting your guard down for me?”
“No! I’m not falling for that again.”
“Adorable.”
Even as she pouted, Tesion kept smiling warmly, meeting her gaze.
Why did he look at her like that…?
Cynthia stared at him, puzzled.
That expression—it looked just like someone completely in love.
‘All you need to do is care for me, Cynthia—care for me deeply.’
At that moment, she remembered their “contract”—
the not-quite-contract between her and Tesion concerning the Ritemper Company.
Now, after kissing him again,
she could almost have said brightly, I think I’ve fallen for you. I really like you now.
…No, forget it.
She quickly shook the thought away.
The contract with the Bailey family and money still mattered,
but she didn’t want to ruin this moment with talk of business or debts.
Still… I have to repay what I owe…
Tesion looked down at her, smiling as he spoke.
“Cynthia, I just saw that thoughtful look in your eyes.”
“Huh?”
“I can practically hear that little brain of yours whirring from here.”
“I-I wasn’t thinking anything!”
Startled, Cynthia raised her voice.
“Then let me guess what you were about to say.
Perhaps you were about to tell me…”
Tesion tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear, a teasing smile playing on his lips.
“…that you’ve fallen in love with me?”
How did he know!?
Cynthia blinked in surprise.
His violet eyes seemed to see straight through her,
and she swallowed dryly.
“…Was it that obvious?”
“Quite. After all, Cynthia, you only care about reclaiming the Ritemper Company.”
Tesion spoke with a faint hint of hurt.
I only care about the Ritemper Company?
Cynthia paused in thought.
To be honest, she really had been planning to tell him she liked him after tonight’s party…
After thinking for a bit, she murmured,
“B-but this time I kissed you purely of my own will, didn’t I? So…”
Maybe…
As she spoke, she realized her feelings toward him might truly have changed.
“So maybe…”
Realizing that, she trailed off, staring blankly into the air.
Have I really come to like Tesion?
Could someone like me—a fake noblewoman bound by a contract—
really be allowed to have such feelings?
Tesion gazed quietly at her uncertain face,
then gently poked her cheek with a long finger.
“Cynthia, do you know how adorable you look at times like this?”
“Huh?”
Snapped out of her thoughts, Cynthia looked up at him.
“Don’t hide it. Don’t cover up your true feelings with another layer.
Show me your real heart.”
My real heart…?
Cynthia repeated the words inwardly.
Her true feelings for Tesion were—
She blinked slowly, then asked,
“…What do you think, Your Grace?”
At her question, Tesion frowned playfully and looked her over.
“Let’s see… I don’t think you’re exactly in love with me yet.
I don’t feel much emotion in your eyes.”
“No emotion?”
“No. It seems I haven’t succeeded in making you fall for me.
How tragic.”
“T-that’s not true! It’s not like that!”
Tesion, watching her fluster, lifted the corner of his mouth.
“Oh? Then are you saying you do feel something special for me?”
“Something special…?”
“Say it clearly.”
He looked straight at her.
“What kind of feelings do you have for me, Cynthia?”
Cynthia mulled over the question.
“It’s not exactly something I can call love yet, but…”
It was true that her feelings for him were more than simple fondness.
Her eyes sought him without her realizing;
her heart pounded whenever he touched her;
and she often found herself thinking of him at random moments.
Still, she wasn’t sure her feelings carried the same weight as his.
Seeing her hesitate, Tesion sighed softly.
“So I was right. You don’t feel much for me after all.”
That’s not fair!
You can’t define someone’s heart that easily!
Feeling unjustly accused, Cynthia blurted out,
“But I did kiss you! Twice!
Do I look like the type who kisses someone I don’t like?”
“You do like my looks, though.
I’ve been told since childhood that I fit the general taste of women.”
Tesion shrugged casually.
Ah—ouch.
Cynthia closed her mouth, struck speechless.
Wait, did he just say that himself?
“…Since when did you become so shameless, Your Grace?”
“Since I met you, apparently.”
“So I’ve been a bad influence on you.”
“No, Cynthia. You’ve only ever been a good one.”
With that, Tesion subtly drew closer again,
slipping an arm around her waist and leaning in.
“W-wait—just a second!”
Flushing scarlet, Cynthia raised both hands,
firmly blocking his approaching lips with them.
