“That is not it. It is just that… I want to be the only one who sees you like this. …Ah, please forget what I just said.”
As expected, even when flustered by an awkward question, he answered earnestly. That was just like him.
‘My goodness, to phrase something like “it looks bad” in such an elegant, roundabout way.’
Perhaps even in my previous life, he would have said something like that to me as a friend, out of a desire for others not to see a precious friend’s figure like that.
‘That troubled look on his face is cute to me, but no one else in the world would agree, right?’
I chuckled inwardly and decided to let it slide, changing the subject.
“Then when we meet next time, are you planning to send clothes again?”
At the slightly redirected topic, the Duke’s expression brightened a little, and as if he had been waiting for it, he answered quickly.
“That would be preferable. If you wear the clothes you usually do, it will be easier for others to identify you as a young lady.”
“Ah, I see. You are even more thorough than I thought.”
“I will take that as a compliment. I often end up attracting unnecessary attention from people, so I tend to prepare for various possibilities.”
As we talked, the curtain rose on the performance.
‘Wow, it has been so long since I last watched an opera.’
In our ruined household, there had been no money to buy opera tickets like these.
I focused on the performance with interest. Of course, I didn’t forget my business regarding the actors. Still, it was harder than I had expected to see their faces clearly.
‘Some of the actors are wearing masks, and everyone has such heavy and flamboyant stage makeup…’
As I concentrated on the stage while thinking deeply, during a moment when the flow loosened slightly, the Duke leaned closer to me and asked quietly,
“Are you enjoying it?”
I flinched in surprise at the breath I felt near my ear.
‘Why is he talking so close all of a sudden?’
Because I didn’t want to lie to him, I decided to honestly tell not the whole plan, but only the part of it that was visible on the surface.
“I have some actors I want to recruit.”
Since it was a rather unusual matter, I thought he would ask why, but instead he said something else.
“It is not because there is a handsome actor, is it?”
‘What? With a face like that, he asks something like this so easily…’
Holding back the urge to shake my head, I answered.
“No. Your Grace, you are far more handsome.”
At that, his eyes widened slightly.
“Do you find my appearance acceptable, my Lady?”
“Of course. I have never seen anyone as handsome as you in my life.”
“No, not just objectively acceptable. I am curious whether I suit your personal taste.”
Why was this man so persistent today?
“Uh, then… yes.”
Only after answering with a slight stutter, feeling inexplicably flustered, did the corner of his handsome lips lift faintly.
“I am relieved that at least my appearance pleases you.”
With his earlobes slightly reddened, he turned his gaze back to the stage and continued the topic from earlier about recruiting actors.
“…In that case, how about this? I will take care of the recruitment, so today, please focus on spending time with me.”
“We came to watch an opera, and you are telling me not to watch it?”
When I asked in confusion, he replied in a gentle voice.
“If you are enjoying it, you should watch it. But if you are only here because you have business to attend to, then it means I would like to buy that time from you. I will show you operas as many times as you wish in the future, even hundreds of times.”
‘There he goes again.‘
Those blue eyes fixed only on me, that low, mid-range voice that seemed capable of melting my ears. Caught in that strangely enchanting atmosphere, my heart began to race and my thoughts tilted toward him, regardless of my will.
‘He’s saying this much… maybe I should just go along with it.’
In any case, if he took care of the recruitment for me, there was nothing for me to lose…
“All right, then. But you really have to help me properly, alright?”
I spoke haughtily, pretending to grant a favor for no reason. But instead of mocking my flimsy attempt at acting high-class, he simply smiled pleasantly.
“Understood. Trust me, and today, just relax and enjoy yourself.”
In the end, I withdrew my face, which had been craned forward as if it might leap from the balcony toward the stage, and leaned back comfortably against the sofa.
Only then did the Duke also sit down beside me with a satisfied expression. Even though there was plenty of space, for some reason he sat right next to me. As he did, a heavy, subtle scent drifted over.
As I took in that scent, reminiscent of damp earth or wood, the strange tension melted away.
Because of that, perhaps, my posture gradually became more and more relaxed.
As I followed the actors’ movements on stage and turned my head slightly, I ended up, without realizing it, resting my head lightly against his shoulder.
It seemed that despite having just promised him, I had unconsciously become absorbed again. I hadn’t even noticed that I was leaning on him.
How long had it been like that?
‘Why does my body feel so comfortable?’
That thought suddenly crossed my mind, and when I casually turned around, I realized that I was resting my head and even my back comfortably against the Duke’s arm.
“Oh!”
Startled, I jerked my body away from where it touched him.
“I-I am sorry. I got too comfortable…”
But strangely, rather than looking displeased, he looked as if he were regretful.
“Not at all. If you are tired, feel free to make use of it as much as you like. My shoulder, of course, and if you get sleepy, you may even lie down on my lap.”
What was he talking about?
‘Is he being sarcastic right now? Why can’t I read his intentions?’
With a flustered heart, I examined his face again.
“Um… are you perhaps angry…?”
At my question, the Duke narrowed his brows slightly, as if taken aback.
“Angry? I could never be angry with you.”
Why could he never be angry? Before I could even ask, he continued speaking quickly.
“I truly like it when you lean on me comfortably. Now, please, lean back again.”
“But this is…”
“As I said earlier, no one can see us here. So please, make yourself comfortable. Go on.”
“…”
No matter how much I tried to decline, there was no sign that it would work. In the end, I gave up and lightly rested the side of my head against his shoulder.
In my previous life, he had always been nothing more than a dignified, composed gentleman, but the man I met after returning often showed sides of himself that were different from before.
‘Still, my body does feel more comfortable like this.’
When I rolled my eyes slightly and glanced toward the Duke, his gaze was fixed on the stage. A gentle smile rested on his lips. The problem was that on the stage right now, one of the characters had just died.
‘He’s watching a scene of mourning and smiling so softly and happily?’
I grew curious about what he could possibly be thinking, that he couldn’t even focus on such a dramatic scene.
In the meantime, the first act of the opera came to an end. The Duke turned toward me with a regretful expression and made a suggestion.
“It is intermission. Shall we step out for a moment and buy something to drink?”
“Shall we?”
The moment I answered, he rose lightly, went to the back, and picked up my cloak where it had been hung.
“Here, please put this on.”
Even if we went out, it was still indoors so it wouldn’t be cold. He must have meant for me to cover up because the outfit was revealing. But I shook my head slightly.
“If I do that, there is no point in wearing this outfit to avoid being recognized, is there? I will go out looking as unlike myself as possible.”
“That is… true. Understood.”
His voice sounded reluctant, but he didn’t object any further.
We went down to the first-floor hall. While the Duke ordered and paid for drinks at a bar in the lobby, I stood for a moment in the center, watching the people around.
‘Some people are wearing masks, and some aren’t. If they aren’t wearing one, does that mean they aren’t an adulterous couple?’
When the word adulterous came to mind, a name naturally followed. Gerald.
‘Did that bastard frequent places like this too?’
While I was thinking such pointless thoughts, I spotted a very familiar face over there. He was certainly not someone one could call a gentleman.
‘What? That’s really Gerald?’
He was with a woman I knew.
That mistress he had brought all the way home in my previous life, Dona Hagen.
That couple, boldly enough, weren’t wearing masks. Seeing them, I immediately discarded the hypothesis that those without masks weren’t adulterous couples. It was also the first time I had ever seen them out on a date like this.
‘Tsk. His fiancée is moving into his home next week, and this is what he’s doing.’
Dona, wearing the same exaggerated makeup as in my previous life, seemed to step away for a moment, perhaps to go to the restroom.
Because I had been watching them, my eyes met Gerald’s shortly afterward.
“…!”
I flinched for a moment, but right now I was wearing a wig, clothes in a style I would never normally wear, and even a mask.
When I faced him with a confident gaze, pretending not to know him, Gerald seemed to understand. With a greasy smile, he started walking toward me.
