Chapter 52
Abeline hurriedly tried to pull her wrist free, but Theron’s grip was stronger.
She was slightly flustered—she wasn’t used to being overpowered like this.
“What on earth… have you been eating to get this strong…?”
As she attempted to pull her other hand free, Theron’s tightly shut eyelids finally opened.
“Gah.”
Startled by the sudden eye contact, Abeline inhaled sharply.
“Why are you here… my lady?”
Theron asked, still holding her wrist without loosening his grip.
“Are we… still in a dream?”
He looked around, as if trying to confirm whether this was reality.
“No.”
Taking advantage of the moment Theron was getting up, Abeline quickly freed her wrist.
“Then,”
“I’ve come to visit your estate, Duke.”
Upon hearing Abeline’s explanation, Theron pushed himself fully upright with his arms supporting him.
At that moment, tears welled up in his eyes and streamed down his cheeks.
“Ah—”
Flustered by the sudden tears, Theron quickly wiped his face.
“You must have had a bad dream.”
“……”
Theron didn’t answer but fixed his expression and sat upright.
He then noticed the book he had been reading before dozing off and discreetly pushed it aside.
‘I’ve already read it all anyway.’
He might have wanted to say that, but seeing him just now calling out for his late mother restrained her from speaking.
“But why, my lady, have you come to my estate? I didn’t receive any formal notice of your visit.”
Theron’s question was perfectly reasonable.
Indeed, it would be startling to wake up and find an uninvited guest standing before him.
However, Abeline had a perfectly reasonable response to give him.
“You don’t usually send a formal notice when you visit my home either, Duke.”
After all, Theron was the one who had intruded first.
“I see.”
Theron chuckled lightly at Abeline’s words and nodded.
He seemed to realize that he wasn’t in a position to scold her.
Yet, perhaps still curious, he turned his gaze back to Abeline.
“However, it would have been difficult for you to come here on your own.”
That was true.
Not only was there a massive iron gate that alone could intimidate anyone, but also a strange forest, and a maze whose purpose was hard to discern.
Even if she had managed to get past the gate, she would have been lost in the forest until dawn.
“I just touched it lightly, and it opened.”
“You mean the iron gate at the entrance?”
“Yes.”
Theron tilted his head slightly, as if unsurprised.
“It’s a gate designed to respond to my magic.”
“Then…”
“It responded to the magic within your body.”
According to Theron, this meant Abeline could come and go from his estate freely at any time.
‘I’ll be able to access the documents I promised my father more easily than I thought.’
Of course, the forest was still a barrier, but she had roughly memorized the path while following Barom earlier.
Realizing that she could even sneak in at night if necessary, Abeline’s heart began to race.
“Even if the gate responds, how did you know I’d be here?”
“Someone helped you.”
“Someone… surely you mean Barom?”
“That’s right.”
When Abeline had gotten lost in the forest, a man she had often seen near Theron had approached her.
He introduced himself as Barom and guided her toward Theron’s location.
Abeline nodded, and Theron put a hand to his forehead.
“Always doing things his own way…”
Whatever it was, Barom seemed to have caused Theron some trouble.
“I got lost in the forest,” Abeline quickly added, worried that Theron might feel bad.
She trusted that he wouldn’t do anything harmful, but she still felt aware of being fully inside his domain.
“I see.”
Thankfully, Theron quickly regained his composure.
“Anyway, I can’t leave a guest waiting in my estate.”
He had already risen and extended his hand to Abeline.
She had been crouched on the grass, watching Theron sleep on the bench earlier.
Abeline cautiously reached out, and Theron firmly clasped her hand.
For some reason, Abeline felt a momentary stillness between them, as if silence itself had crept in.
“Shall we go?”
Theron helped her to her feet and led the way.
The mansion, which had seemed distant from outside the maze, now appeared much closer.
Theron escorted her across the center of the garden.
Glancing around, Abeline found the garden neat and well-kept.
It wasn’t overly extravagant, yet not too sparse either.
She thought its classic style suited Theron perfectly.
Only the sudden patch of yellow roses growing in one corner seemed oddly out of place, but it wasn’t too distracting.
“This is the first time.”
Before entering the mansion, Theron suddenly spoke.
“Hm?”
“For someone to step into my estate without my invitation…”
He pushed open the door and stepped inside.
Abeline walked behind him, pondering whether this was a warning.
Just as she was analyzing his intentions, a loud voice rang out from the entrance.
“Welcome!”
Inside the mansion, Barom stood dressed like a butler, waiting.
‘He’s not a friend?’
Because they had spent so much time together and he was so casual, she had assumed they were simply friends.
Barom’s sudden appearance seemed to surprise both Abeline and Theron.
“What is he doing?”
“Yes, the parlor is this way.”
Though Theron spoke, bewildered, Barom ignored him, grinning as he continued.
He looked positively thrilled by the situation.
Following quietly behind, Abeline finally realized Barom wasn’t a friend but a butler—or at least playing the role.
Theron’s brow was furrowed, clearly shocked by Barom’s behavior.
“I’ve prepared refreshments, so please, continue your conversation!”
Barom led them into the parlor, staying in character as a butler until the very end.
Once inside, he closed the door and left.
As he had said, the parlor was already set with refreshments.
It was as if he had known Abeline would arrive.
Like the garden, the parlor was orderly and understated.
It contained only essential furniture, yet the room didn’t feel empty; rather, it carried an antique elegance.
“Please, have a seat.”
Once the door closed behind Barom, Theron sighed and pulled out a chair for Abeline.
“So,”
After Abeline sat down, Theron took the seat opposite her and spoke again.
“What brings you to visit me?”
Abeline suddenly stood again.
Theron seemed a little surprised by her abrupt movement, but didn’t react otherwise.
He simply followed her movements with his eyes.
Abeline stepped slightly back, then boldly spread her arms.
She wore the dress Madame in the salon had recommended—one meant to express sincere feelings to someone you can’t be completely honest with.
It was plain, without patterns, but made of high-quality peridot-colored fabric.
It matched the orderly aesthetic of Theron’s mansion.
“So, what do you think?”
“What?”
“My dress.”
Theron tilted his head slightly, as if trying to understand her intentions.
It was not easy to derive an answer, and his mouth stayed closed for a while.
Finally, Abeline explained the reason herself.
“This dress was a gift from you, Duke. I came to thank you for it.”
“Ah.”
Only then did Theron let out a single, stunned exclamation.
“I’m glad you received it well… and even came personally to express your thanks.”
He followed up with a polite, well-mannered acknowledgment.
Abeline knew he had likely sent the expensive clothes merely to show off in the capital.
Even knowing that, she had come anyway because…
“It’s the first time someone has genuinely cared for my things. I’m grateful.”
It was gratitude that he had understood what she truly needed.
Theron’s pupils flickered slightly, clearly surprised by her words.
He had not expected this kind of reaction.
‘But that’s not all.’
Abeline had made a new arrangement with her father.
‘Where would he have hidden it?’
Her goal was to retrieve the documents Theron’s father and Ares had tried to secure.
Taking advantage of Theron’s momentary distraction, Abeline quickly scanned the parlor.
A wall of bookshelves caught her eye.
Squinting to read the smaller print, she noticed a few unusual books among them.
