Chapter 44
A week later.
After a long journey in the carriage, Benedict and Lucien finally arrived at the royal capital.
During their travels, they passed the time mostly by playing card games, under the common condition that the winner could make a wish.
By the time they reached the royal city’s gates, they had played thirty games—and Benedict had won twenty of them.
“Benedict, aren’t you taking this too seriously?”
Lucien, slumped over the carriage’s small table, raised her frowning face to glare at Benedict resentfully.
“What can I do? I keep winning even when I go easy.”
“You’re so annoying.”
Though she grumbled, Lucien still dutifully gathered the cards and fulfilled her role as the loser.
“Alright, what do you want me to do?”
“Hmm.”
Benedict appeared to be considering something. Lucien turned her head to look out the window, giving him space to think.
Once they passed the city gates, they were met with the lively commercial district.
Porters hauling goods, merchants shouting to promote their wares, and curious onlookers filled the streets.
Lucien leaned a little closer to the window, wanting to see them better.
“…I’m going to show some affection.”
But Benedict’s words drew her attention back. Still pressing her hands to the window, she turned to look at him.
“Affection?”
“Yeah.”
“To who?”
“…To you.”
Lucien didn’t quite understand what he meant.
After all, Benedict had never treated her coldly. Though he could be grumpy at times, she had always felt there was genuine friendship beneath it.
“So, let me explain again. What I mean is… I’ll pretend that I think you’re special.”
The phrase “think someone is special” was one Lucien often encountered in the books she loved to read.
It was a phrase usually used when referring to someone you had romantic feelings for.
So it didn’t seem quite appropriate between her and Benedict.
Lucien quickly got to the point.
“Did something bad happen?”
Something bad enough to warrant such a serious lie?
“Well, uh…”
Benedict hesitated for a moment, but then explained honestly—about how seriously the royal family was taking the duke’s engagement and marriage.
After hearing everything, Lucien slowly nodded.
“So that’s why you were so desperate to beat me? Just to ask for this favor?”
“Well… yeah, I guess?”
“You could’ve just asked. I’m Benedict’s special counselor, remember? If you’re in trouble, you can always talk to me.”
“I didn’t forget, but still… it’s kind of awkward.”
Fair enough. Lucien nodded in agreement to his vague feeling of “awkwardness.”
“Yeah, it would be a little weird.”
“Weird…?!”
Benedict’s voice suddenly rose and even cracked a little. Probably because the carriage jolted at that moment.
He quickly cleared his throat and spoke solemnly again.
“…Of course, I think it’s a dreadful thing, too.”
Lucien nodded emphatically in sympathy.
After a moment of biting his lips, Benedict sighed heavily and slumped his shoulders.
“But there’s no one else I can ask except you.”
For some reason, Lucien felt a little proud. That she was the only person who could help Benedict in his time of need.
“Alright, I’ll cooperate. So I just have to act like I think you’re special too, right?”
“What?”
“That’s how it works, isn’t it?”
Lucien straightened up and looked at him directly.
“If we don’t act like we think each other is special, won’t the royal family suggest you consider getting engaged to another lady?”
“Oh… yeah, you’re right.”
Come to think of it, he hadn’t thought about that at all.
“Ah, geez. Why is this so complicated?”
Benedict messed up his neatly combed hair in frustration.
“It’s not that complicated.”
To help Benedict, who seemed troubled, Lucien simplified the whole request.
“Just think of it like playing the protagonist in a novel. A kind of roleplay.”
“Roleplay?”
“Yeah. The more lightly you think of it, the less burdened you’ll feel.”
“Now that you say it like that, it does seem easier. You really are smart.”
Benedict nodded repeatedly and gave her a big thumbs-up.
“Calling it a game makes it feel like no big deal.”
“Right? So, want to practice a little?”
“Practice?”
“Everything gets easier and more natural with repetition. That’s what the butler told me when I was learning to dance—and it was true.”
As she spoke, Lucien held out one hand to Benedict.
“Let’s start with holding hands. Like the main characters in novels.”
“What?”
“Like this. Don’t you know?”
Lucien clasped her own hands together to demonstrate, intertwining her fingers one by one.
“Lovers do this all the time, you know. Even when people are watching, they don’t care.”
Benedict looked at her with a look of pure despair.
It was clear he didn’t want to do it. Of course, it would feel uncomfortable doing something so intimate with someone you don’t actually like.
“I know it makes you uncomfortable. But you have to push through, Benedict.”
As his special counselor, Lucien decided to be firm and extended her hand again.
“Keep in mind that if you don’t do this properly, I won’t be able to cooperate with your roleplay.”
“Alright, alright! I’ll do it… ugh.”
With a face like he was touching something disgusting, Benedict reluctantly pressed his palm to hers.
“There. Happy?”
He said this proudly and abruptly turned his head away. Clearly, he wasn’t used to it.
“Ugh, anyone who sees this will think you absolutely hate me.”
“Really?”
“Yeah, so let’s try to get used to it. If we hold hands more often, it’ll get easier.”
“…For some reason, my heart hurts.”
“Huh? It hurts? I didn’t squeeze that hard…”
“No, it’s not that!”
Benedict quickly shook his head. But since he still wouldn’t meet Lucien’s eyes, it looked like it would take a lot of effort for him to get used to it.
“You’re going clothes shopping with the young master?!”
The day after arriving in the capital, Lucien began preparing to go out into town with Juliet’s help.
“Yes. Technically, we’re going for a final fitting of clothes that were ordered by letter in advance.”
Benedict regularly ordered clothes for Lucien from shops in the capital, insisting that someone in the position of the duke’s special counselor couldn’t go around looking shabby.
Lucien agreed that appropriate attire was necessary for certain occasions. But this time, it felt like a bit much.
She didn’t even need something like an evening gown.
“He really doesn’t need to buy me this much. I heard there are places that rent formalwear too.”
Thankfully, Lucien was growing these days.
Though only a season had passed, she had already had two experiences where her pants had become too short and showed her ankles.
Buying multiple outfits in the middle of such growth felt like a waste.
“Receiving gifts is the young master’s joy. Don’t hesitate—just accept everything.”
Despite saying this, Juliet had clearly expected Lucien to respond with a “I can’t possibly accept that!”
“Uh… I’ll try.”
Juliet was visibly shocked by her answer.
“You’ve finally awakened!”
Lucien wasn’t quite sure what she had “awakened” to, but she then confessed that she and Benedict were roleplaying as a couple.
“I have to act like I like Benedict too, so while we’re staying here, I’m going to accept all the gifts gratefully. Though I hope he doesn’t go overboard.”
“Oh my goodness! Oh my goodness!”
Juliet jumped up and down in excitement, then suddenly ran to the window and flung it open.
“Look, everyone! My stock is finally skyrocketing to the limit!”
After randomly bragging about her investments, Juliet turned to Lucien with a deeply emotional expression.
“Roleplaying as the protagonist?!”
“Don’t say it so loudly!”
Lucien quickly raised a finger to her lips to hush her.
“If the lady dowager hears, we’ll be in big trouble! We promised not to tell her.”
Emma adored both Benedict and Lucien.
But only as long as they maintained proper manners and behavior.
If she found out they were engaged in such a shameless, deceitful game, she would truly be furious.
More than anything, she’d probably be disappointed in me.
Lucien deeply respected Emma, and the last thing she wanted was to lose her approval. She and Benedict had even made a firm pact not to let Emma find out.
“I can’t believe you two are getting into such a dangerous game!”
Juliet trembled and clutched her chest.
“You do realize what happens to the men and women who start this kind of audacious game, don’t you?”
Lucien shook her head. Her only goal was to help Benedict avoid annoying troubles through this game. She hadn’t thought any further than that.
“They always fall in love. Without fail. Just like the odds of a parachute dancing down the hallway and shaking its butt today.”
In other words: one hundred percent.
