Chapter 56
“There’s no particular reason that Rixion Luhanes is absolutely unacceptable, right? If that’s the case… I’d appreciate it if you could watch him a little longer.”
His answer was polite yet earnest—so much so that I couldn’t help but promise to keep watching, as if bewitched. Back then, that was truly how I felt.
“So then, as promised, I hope you’ll continue watching.”
The cold blue eyes staring at me today made it obvious: just as I suspected, he had only pretended to act gentle back then to look good in front of me.
The way he instantly revealed a glimpse of his true nature the moment someone tried to take what he wanted… it bothered me a bit.
But on the flip side, didn’t men need some level of boldness?
Whether Rixion Luhanes was a suitable partner for my younger sister—or utterly not—I still wasn’t sure.
“I guess I really do have to keep watching for a bit longer.”
Michael brushed a fingertip over the dried tear marks beneath his sister’s eyes before pulling his hand away.
As if she somehow heard his muttering, Elizabeth’s brows furrowed in her sleep.
Seeing that, Michael let out a short laugh. He reached out again and pressed down gently between her brows as he murmured,
“I wonder if the Duke can manage to win the heart of this little foal…”
Both sides worried him. A relationship that began with an arranged meeting—could such a thing end properly at all? He had absolutely no confidence in that.
Even so, he also wanted to watch a little longer. Whether things would spiral into disaster or whether Rixion Luhanes would unexpectedly win over his sister’s heart.
After much internal conflict, Michael exhaled a long sigh.
“If it doesn’t work out, I’ll just cut everyone away and keep her by my side for life.”
Yes—so for now, it seemed fine to watch their relationship unfold with a little more leeway.
A simple conclusion, and a relaxed smile settled on his lips.
When I opened my eyes, I stared blankly at the ceiling of my room and thought: I’m so sick of this pattern already.
At least this time, the ceiling wasn’t unfamiliar—it was one I knew well.
I blinked my dry eyes and wiggled my fingers. The muscle aches twisting my body had become familiar enough to ignore by now.
I slowly rolled my eyes around the room. It was empty. I was alone.
Once I confirmed no one was inside, I took a deep breath. Then, moving sluggishly, I grabbed the blanket with both hands and pulled it over my head.
And then—
‘Aaaaaargh!!’
I let out a silent scream, twisting my body, kicking wildly under the covers and venting the torment inside me.
‘Why me!!’
I squeezed my eyes shut and tugged and bit the poor innocent blanket.
‘Why did I do that?!’
Because I remembered with perfect clarity how I cried and wailed like a child in front of Michael and Rixion Luhanes.
‘It was already humiliating enough in front of Michael, but why—WHY—in front of Rixion Luhanes too?! WHY!’
I smacked my head with my fists, wishing I could just lose my memory.
How old was I again?! Why did I bawl like that at age twenty-three?! And if I add my past life’s age—ARGH!!
‘Just die! Just diiiiiie!!’
I thrashed for quite a while, but no matter what I did, the shame inside me didn’t fade.
Even when I stopped to rest from sheer exhaustion, my face was twisted in agony as I continued berating myself.
‘Yes, just die! My dignity is already in ruins—socially, I’m basically dead anyway!’
Resolving myself, I sat bolt upright. Not even muscle pain could stop me now.
If I’d waited just a little longer and asked Michael quietly after we returned to the marquisate, none of this would have happened.
But instead, I opened my mouth there, got overexcited, then cried like a lunatic. It was ridiculous.
Even crying after hearing Michael’s answer would’ve been less humiliating than this.
I froze mid-movement and stared up at the ceiling again. I sighed deeply to calm myself.
I had assumed that Michael’s return meant Ji Eun-ha had come with him.
So I let my guard down.
Once I thought Eun-ha was here, Rixion Luhanes became irrelevant to me completely. I treated his existence like an NPC in a game. I mentioned Eun-ha’s name freely in front of two clueless people.
But now that Eun-ha wasn’t here at all, everything went black before my eyes.
What did the two of them think watching me act like a madwoman looking for someone who didn’t exist?
Especially… what did Rixion Luhanes think?
Hopefully, he found me so unhinged that he’d never want to get involved with me again. Yes—that would be perfect. I never wanted to see him again.
“Oh my, My Lady!”
At the sound of the door opening, I turned to see Anne entering with a startled expression.
Seeing her familiar face finally made me feel like I had truly returned home—to my normal life.
But contrary to my hopes, Ji Eun-ha hadn’t appeared. And I had shown an absolutely disgraceful display in front of Rixion Luhanes.
Yet, none of that was as urgent as the thing that had been tormenting me since the moment I woke up.
My stomach—which felt like it hadn’t eaten in days.
“Anne…”
I trudged toward her with a worn-out expression.
“I’m seriously starving to death…”
Growwwl.
My stomach, always doing its job faithfully.
After that day, Michael suddenly started treating me strangely kindly. After observing him for several days, I reached that conclusion.
“Well… when people are tired, they get confused sometimes. Don’t worry about it.”
That’s what he said the day after I slept for an entire day, when he came home from work and I tried to explain myself.
I had spent all day agonizing over how to defend my embarrassing meltdown, only for the issue to resolve absurdly easily.
“Eating well is important, but so is sleeping well.”
The next day, I overslept and woke up past lunchtime, only to run into Michael on his day off. Those were his words.
It sounded like he was comforting himself for supporting his useless, unemployed sister—but I was just glad he didn’t scold me.
“These are sweets imported from the Kingdom of Caesar. Try them. If you like them, I’ll bring more.”
That evening, after we ate dinner together, he gave me a whole armful of foreign treats he thought I’d enjoy.
And when I asked for more because they really were good, he complied without a single complaint or lecture.
Normally, he’d nag all day about me obsessing over food instead of doing something productive.
So by then, even I couldn’t help but notice the difference. But I had no idea why, which left me confused.
Was it because I cried so much? Or because I kept collapsing recently and being out of it for days?
Whatever the reason, it felt nice—but also slightly unsettling.
Still, there was no reason to tell him not to be nice to me, so I enjoyed his kindness freely.
For three peaceful days, I stuffed my mouth with delicious new sweets and lazed around flipping through gossip papers.
Then—
“My Lady, you have a visitor.”
The butler knocked on my door. I sat up and narrowed my eyes. Only two people could be coming to see me right now: Reina, or—
“His Grace, Duke Luhanes, requests an audience with you.”
I shot up from bed. Then I rushed to the door and flung it open.
“Tell him I’m not here. And if he comes again, keep telling him that.”
I declared firmly and tried to close the door, but the butler spoke with a troubled expression.
“Because of the recent gossip papers, it’s widely known that you barely leave the house. Saying ‘the Lady isn’t home’ would be an obvious lie.”
“Fine—then say I’m not feeling well and can’t meet anyone!”
“Understood. That seems to be the better option.”
People in this house, including Michael, had a habit of saying things that didn’t need to be said.
Ignoring my disapproving glare, the butler finished speaking and left.
As soon as he was gone, I ran to the window. Hiding behind the curtain, I peeked down.
After waiting a moment, I saw Rixion Luhanes leaving the estate.
It had only been a few days since I last saw him. But strangely, his back looked unfamiliar.
I swallowed nervously as I watched him walk away.
Then, as if sensing my gaze, Rixion turned around.
His eyes landed directly on the window of my room.
It felt like our eyes met.
