Chapter 39
That place was yet another dressing room. To be precise, it was a spacious room that looked as if an entire small boutique had been moved inside, filled with clothes.
“This room is reserved for especially distinguished guests among our VIPs. No one other than staff is allowed to enter, so please feel free to look around at your leisure.”
The boutique owner explained with a proud smile.
As if accustomed to situations like this, Reinhardt simply nodded with an indifferent expression. Leaving behind a remark to call if anything was needed, the owner exited the room.
When the door closed with a click, Reinhardt went over and sat down on the sofa. The way he crossed his legs leisurely looked as comfortable as if this were his own home.
Lifting the teacup that a staff member had set down and savoring the tea, he spoke while looking at Aileen.
“Shall we take a look around, then? Or would you prefer to look at the catalog?”
“I think we should start with the catalog. There’s no way we can look through all these clothes one by one.”
Aileen glanced at the countless racks filling the room with a slightly overwhelmed expression, then sat down on the sofa beside him.
Reinhardt watched Aileen, who sat calmly next to him and opened the catalog, with a strange look.
And understandably so……
“Aileen.”
“Yes?”
“Why are you not sitting across from me, but instead…….”
Next to me?
He trailed off, swallowing the rest of his words, careful not to sound as though he were dissatisfied with the situation.
Still, he was genuinely curious. Why choose to sit beside him when there was an empty sofa?
Understanding the words he had swallowed, Aileen tilted her head slightly and spoke.
“Well, it’s easier to choose clothes if we look at the catalog together, isn’t it? We can hear each other’s opinions too.”
“I see.”
He replied as if unconcerned.
That was all it was—as if. From the moment Aileen sat beside him, his heart had already failed to calm down.
Worried that she might hear his heartbeat at such close range, Reinhardt deliberately turned his gaze away from her and instead stared at the innocent cup of tea.
Yet even while drinking, his eyes kept flicking toward Aileen.
“…She’s really close.”
Her beautiful face was right there within arm’s reach. Her sparkling light-colored eyes, her straight nose, and even her pale skin filled his vision.
At first, he had only glanced at her occasionally, but as time passed, his gaze became completely fixed on Aileen.
“This is driving me crazy.”
Along with that, he could even sense the pleasant fragrance coming from her.
At that point, Reinhardt forced himself to think about work so as not to harbor improper thoughts.
“Claude said this morning that the lord of Veldar Territory has been plagued by desertification. We’ll need to send supplies soon. The land may be dry, but it’s useful in many ways.”
As he was thinking that far, his thoughts suddenly veered in a different direction.
“Come to think of it, wasn’t there a diamond mine in Veldar Territory? I should ask Count Veldar to make some jewelry for Aileen—”
“Reinhardt!”
Reinhardt sharply inhaled.
Aileen had suddenly pressed right up against his side.
The warmth he felt through his arm made his mind momentarily go blank.
“Reinhardt, look at this.”
Unaware of what was going on in his heart, Aileen pointed to one side of the catalog. At the tip of her finger was an illustration of formal men’s attire.
“How about this? I think it would suit you really well. Do you want to try it on—”
Aileen, who had turned to look at Reinhardt, fell silent.
Again. That look—the one she had seen last time at the Aster Trading Company.
But this time, it was different from before. It was deeper, more intense.
Staring blankly into his eyes, Aileen suddenly realized just how close his face was.
“Ah…….”
Aileen reflexively leaned back. At the same time, her hand was caught.
“Let’s take a look.”
Reinhardt gently pulled Aileen’s captured hand toward himself.
There was only the slightest amount of force in it, but Aileen was helplessly drawn in.
Before they knew it, the two were pressed together intimately, both gazing only at the catalog.
“Which one are you referring to?”
“Ah, this one. I thought this would suit you well, Reinhardt……”
Even as she spoke, Aileen stole glances at him. His good looks, which she had always been aware of, seemed especially dazzling today.
And more than anything else……
“His hand is hot.”
Reinhardt’s right hand was covering Aileen’s left hand, which rested on the sofa. His left hand held one side of the catalog, just like Aileen’s right hand.
Because of that, the two of them were closer than ever.
“It’s distracting.”
Feeling pressured, Aileen fixed her gaze on the catalog instead. And Reinhardt was carefully taking in every detail of her 모습.
“So I’m making her uncomfortable.”
A faint bitterness rose within him.
His instincts urged him to kiss that pale cheek, but Aileen did not want that. Because of this, his heart quickly settled down.
Though he felt a little petulant, he wanted to cherish this emotion—one he was feeling for the first time in his life—and Aileen, who had made him feel it.
So for now, he decided to be considerate of her.
Swallowing his regret, Reinhardt slowly stood up.
Calling over a staff member who had been standing at a distance and handing over the catalog, he soon received the formal outfit that had been hanging on the rack—the one Aileen had recommended.
As Reinhardt headed toward the curtained changing room, he turned back.
“Then I’ll go try it on.”
“Ah, yes!”
As Reinhardt disappeared behind the curtain with the outfit she had chosen, Aileen let out a sigh of relief—so quiet that no one around could hear it.
“What am I even thinking on my own?”
When she met Reinhardt’s intense gaze, that thought had crossed her mind.
Could it be that Reinhardt likes me?
It was a truly ridiculous idea, yet the more times she met his gaze, the more her thoughts tilted in that direction.
Although Aileen had never experienced anything like love in her life, she was sensitive to the gazes of others. As a result, she had naturally learned to read the room.
And the Reinhardt she saw……
“Stop it.”
She almost let out a hollow laugh.
It was nothing more than suspicion, not certainty. And even if she were certain, Reinhardt might feel something entirely different.
“Let’s just focus on what’s at hand.”
She didn’t have time to waste on worries that were unlikely to be true. The tasks before her were already more than enough.
When her mind had calmed somewhat, the curtain was drawn aside. Turning her gaze there, Aileen was a little surprised.
“I really do have a good eye. Or maybe the clothes hanger was just that good.”
The outfit Aileen had chosen wasn’t particularly flashy. That was because Reinhardt didn’t seem to enjoy such designs.
Of course, since the host of the banquet was the First Prince, it wouldn’t do to dress more flamboyantly than him. But that didn’t mean Reinhardt could appear plain either—he was the Second Prince.
So Aileen chose an outfit with minimal ornamentation but a vivid color. That was the pale green formal wear Reinhardt was wearing now.
After changing, Reinhardt stood in front of a full-length mirror and looked himself over. His lips were set in a slightly awkward line.
Seeing that, Aileen approached him and asked,
“You don’t like it?”
“It’s not that…… I’ve just never tried a style like this before.”
“I think the challenge was a success. It suits you very well.”
A faint smile formed on Reinhardt’s lips. After hearing Aileen’s praise, the reflection in the mirror that had seemed awkward now looked somewhat better.
At that moment, the staff member who had been watching from the side stepped forward. In her hands was a cravat that matched Reinhardt’s outfit.
As she would with any other customer, she was about to put it on him herself. But Reinhardt slightly raised his hand to stop her.
“I’ll do it.”
As befitting someone accustomed to serving VIPs, the staff member showed no particular surprise and silently handed him the cravat.
However, Reinhardt couldn’t bring himself to take it.
“Aileen?”
“I’ll tie it for you. You’re not very good at it, Reinhardt.”
Aileen smiled softly and lightly lifted the cravat.
Reinhardt hesitated for a moment, then nodded.
“Then please do.”
“Yes.”
Aileen stepped closer and draped the cravat around his collar. Then she skillfully tightened and fixed it in place.
Reinhardt looked at Aileen as naturally as he could. Still, a sense of grievance crept in.
She wouldn’t let him approach, yet she herself came close without hesitation.
Feeling unnecessarily conflicted, he simply closed his eyes. After a moment, he heard Aileen’s voice.
“All done.”
Reinhardt opened his eyes again. What greeted him was Aileen’s clear smile, brightening his field of vision.
Smiling, she said,
“As expected, it really suits you.”
Reinhardt lightly bit the inside of his cheek to steady his wavering heart.
But in the end, he couldn’t help but smile.
“…Thank you, Aileen.”
Because he couldn’t bring himself to hurt her feelings.
❧ ❧ ❧
After preparing this and that, before they knew it, the day of the birthday banquet had arrived.
Having finished their preparations, Aileen and Reinhardt departed immediately, making sure not to be late. Adrian had wanted to come along as well, but couldn’t.
Since the host of the birthday banquet, the First Prince, was an adult, children were not allowed to attend. There was no rule explicitly stating this, but it was an unspoken rule of high society.
Knowing this, Adrian merely showed his disappointment. Instead, he whispered something to Reinhardt and to Cain, the escort knight.
To Cain, he said to protect his sister well. And to Reinhardt, he told him not to make moves on his sister.
Not understanding the hidden meaning, Cain simply nodded seriously, but Reinhardt only smiled faintly. Adrian felt uneasy for no clear reason, but he didn’t stop them and saw the two off.
Then, inside the carriage heading toward the imperial palace, Aileen was rubbing the back of her left hand.
“I’m nervous.”
“Is that so?”
“Yes. It’s my first time at the imperial palace.”
Aileen had never had reason to go to the imperial palace. The former Count Walker had been addicted to gambling since she was young, and he valued gambling more than his duties as a count or his relationships.
Because of that, Aileen hadn’t even been able to properly hold her debutante ball. She had merely worn a pretty dress and enjoyed a simple celebration with her mother, eating good food.
But to Aileen, that was one of her precious memories.
As she compared then and now, caught up in tension, Reinhardt spoke in a gentle voice.
“Though the location is the imperial palace, it’s no different from any other party. Please think of it comfortably.”
“Mm…… all right.”
She replied, but the tension didn’t easily fade. Still, she didn’t add any unnecessary words.
“Your Grace, Madam. We’ll be arriving at the imperial palace shortly.”
Listening to the coachman’s words, Reinhardt looked at Aileen. She had already turned her gaze toward the window.
The immense sight of the imperial palace filled her vision.
