Chapter 34
“The wedding date came about suddenly, so that’s not the case. It must have just coincidentally overlapped in timing.”
I had changed into the indoor clothes I brought, and of course, we shared the same bedroom. Still, I wasn’t as nervous as before.
Damian was leaning comfortably against the bedframe, reading a book. It wasn’t one of the ones we had bought together. Because he immediately closed it upon seeing me, I couldn’t see the title.
“You must be tired. Go ahead and rest. We have to leave early in the morning.”
When I climbed into bed, Damian extinguished the candlelight. The room sank into darkness. The warmth beside me still felt unfamiliar—but it wasn’t frightening.
In the dark, I listened quietly to the sound of his breathing. Steady and peaceful.
Did he really like me?
When we went on a picnic to Lake Lafine, he told Estelle that he had fallen for me a long time ago.
‘I couldn’t remember that at all.’
If I asked him about that first meeting, maybe I’d know whether he truly loved me. I turned my head toward him.
“Damian, I have something I want to ask.”
“What is it?”
His voice sounded so close—low and gentle, brushing against my ear. My toes curled instinctively, and I clutched the blanket tighter.
“I’d like you to tell me the story you told Estelle.”
As my eyes slowly adjusted to the darkness, I could make out Damian’s figure. He was resting his head on one arm, turned toward me. His eyelids blinked slowly.
“You said you couldn’t remember.”
“Yes, unfortunately. I want to remember every moment I spent with you…”
As I fidgeted with my fingers, he smiled softly. His gaze carried a tender warmth. Then, carefully, he brushed his hand through my hair—his touch was gentle.
“Our first meeting was in the old Chardena Territory.”
* * *
Even as the little girl stroked his hair, she didn’t unclench her tiny fist. Damian saw the crushed blades of grass crumbling in her hand.
‘I’m really supposed to befriend a kid like this?’
Damian had no real desire to become friends with someone younger than him. But still, it was better than being stuck in the playroom with the other children.
<Why did you pick the grass?>
<To feed it!>
Rosalyn beamed, pointing with her short, chubby fingers toward the mansion. Were they keeping sheep or goats there? Damian tilted his head in confusion when Rosalyn suddenly shouted:
<I’m going to feed my baby sibling!>
<What?>
He remembered hearing that the Duchess had two children. If it was her younger sibling, that would mean a toddler barely able to talk—maybe three years old. Feed grass to a toddler? Alarmed, Damian quickly pried open Rosalyn’s hand and brushed away the grass.
Rosalyn struggled fiercely, but Damian was two years older. Eventually, when the grass fell to the ground, her small palm, stained green, was revealed.
<No!>
Rosalyn began smacking his arm with her little hand. The blows were loud and surprisingly painful, lacking any sense of control.
Infuriated, Damian forgot all about his intention to be kind.
<Hey, that hurts! And babies can’t eat grass!>
<They can! I ate it too!>
Was this child being bullied or neglected somehow? The thought crossed his mind for a moment before he recalled the salad served as an appetizer at meals. Then he shook his head.
<Well, you can eat some plants—but not this kind.>
Rosalyn’s face flushed bright red as she glared at him with fiery defiance. Damian, feeling smug, was about to grin back but remembered that if he made her upset, he’d lose any praise he might get for befriending her.
<Besides, grass doesn’t taste good, right? I have something better.>
Maybe he could get her some fruit from the playroom later. Not that he wanted to go back inside right now—he preferred staying out here.
And if the other kids saw that Rosalyn, the duke’s daughter, knew him, they’d all try to cozy up to her.
‘I might get her all to myself for a few minutes… but once the snacks come out, they’ll all swarm her.’
Finishing his quick mental calculation, Damian smiled at Rosalyn again. She was still wary of him, but compared to adults’ cold stares, her glare wasn’t intimidating.
<Before that, let’s talk. Why are you here?>
He sat back down on the bench and patted the seat beside him. Rosalyn eyed him suspiciously, then asked curtly:
<What will you give me?>
<Hmm… something your baby brother would like more than grass?>
At that, Rosalyn rolled her eyes and cautiously moved closer, finally sitting beside him. Damian felt oddly proud, as if he had just tamed a stubborn little animal.
That evening, Damian kept his promise.
When they met again the next day, Rosalyn looked unmistakably happy. For once, she was actually in the playroom, and as soon as she saw Damian, she waved both hands.
<Demi!>
Who said she could give him a nickname? He thought it was ridiculous—but seeing her laugh like that made him smile too.
Just then, a little girl standing beside Rosalyn gasped and covered her mouth.
<Oh my, Lady Rosalyn. You know him?>
‘Even with him right here, she says “him” like that.’
Damian’s face instantly went blank, though the children kept chattering.
<Yes, he helped me yesterday.>
<Helped you? You mean when he brought you some fruit?>
It was a blatant insult, treating him like a nobody. That girl—with her dress and her haughty little face—she must have been the daughter of Marquis Letté.
They were about the same age, but apparently her “manners training” involved looking down on others. Damian had to consciously keep his face neutral.
<Those fruits were prepared by your great-grandfather, the Count of Chardena, weren’t they? So they were yours all along. You don’t need to thank him for that.>
Hearing her go on like that, Damian couldn’t take it anymore. He left the playroom. But before long, he heard a familiar voice calling from behind.
<Demi!>
Rosalyn had followed him out. The other children chased after her but didn’t dare step past the door—they looked anxious about leaving the room unsupervised.
Damian smiled, then deliberately raised his voice.
<Rose, why’d you come out?>
<Because you went to play without me! I’m coming too!>
At her words, the expressions of the children by the door instantly twisted in envy. Damian grinned widely and opened his arms. Rosalyn, full of affection like a puppy, leapt right into them.
<My baby brother really really loved it yesterday! Thank you, Demi!>
<Nah, like your friends said, it was all thanks to your great-grandfather. I didn’t do anything…>
When he drooped his eyebrows in mock sadness, Rosalyn shook her head so hard her golden hair bounced like sunlight.
<It was all thanks to you, Demi. Don’t be sad.>
Children.
Watching her, the others who had been lingering at the door frowned and went back inside the playroom.
A strange sense of satisfaction filled him. Damian hugged Rosalyn tightly, wrapping his arms around her shoulders, one hand behind her neck.
<Yeah? Then, do you want to play again today?>
<Okay! What story will you tell me this time?>
Rosalyn tilted her head up, eyes bright, smiling wide.
After that, the two of them were inseparable. Once everyone knew he was friends with Rosalyn, no one scolded them for playing outside in the garden instead of in the playroom.
Snacks were specially prepared just for them. Servants set up parasols and picnic blankets.
And that wasn’t all.
<It seems my daughter has been troubling the young master. Thank you for looking after her.>
<Don’t worry about it. I believe Damian enjoys her company as well.>
The Duchess herself came to ask permission from the ducal couple. It was the first time Damian saw his parents so pleased.
At first, he had only wanted to tease the kids who bullied him.
But being friends with Rosalyn of Chardena gave him a sense of superiority.
He could now laugh off the scornful looks others gave him.
<Demi, do you like ladybugs?>
<You want to see them?>
<Yes! Ladybugs sleep under fallen leaves!>
Damian gradually came to admit that Rosalyn was actually a pretty good friend.
Of course, the age difference made things a little tricky sometimes.
‘Sometimes she doesn’t make sense. She’s more like a little sister than a friend.’
A little sister, huh. Damian thought of the current Empress. There were rumors that Her Majesty was pregnant with a girl.
