Chapter 67
“Help me!”
Hearing a man’s voice from behind the crowd, Becky, not knowing who it was, shouted for help. At that, a path slowly began to open from the direction of the man’s voice. A polite request from him to make way gradually calmed the atmosphere.
“Ah!”
“Eek! A thief!”
Just as Yulia felt relieved, a small boy standing at the front snatched Yulia’s purse and ran down the path that had opened through the crowd. Yulia could only stare in shock at the boy’s retreating back, and soon a loud thud was heard somewhere—apparently, the boy had tripped.
“You shouldn’t lay hands on others’ belongings recklessly.”
The man who had called out earlier soon appeared, grabbing the boy by the scruff of his neck. Once the boy who had stolen Yulia’s purse was caught, the rest of the crowd, seeing there was nothing more to gain, dispersed. Finally, Yulia could properly face the man who had helped her.
“Are you alright? You almost got hurt trying to do a good deed.”
With blue eyes reflecting the summer sea and neatly combed blonde hair, the man handed Yulia her purse with a light, refreshing smile. Becky let out a small “Oh!” of admiration, her cheeks flushing slightly at the sight.
“Good deeds are fine, but you need to be careful. Not all of these vagrants are entirely harmless.”
“Thank you.”
“Thank you! We almost got into serious trouble!”
Judging by his attire and posture, he was clearly a noble, strikingly handsome in a completely different way from Cayente. If Cayente captivated women with his masculinity and commanding presence, this man, equally tall, drew attention with his bright and approachable aura.
“Oh, I should introduce myself. I’m Cain Dines from the Kingdom of Casad.”
“I’m Yulia Lu… Yulia Clue, from the Luscian Empire.”
“Waaah!”
While Yulia exchanged greetings with Cain, the boy in his grip burst into loud crying. Checking him, it seemed the boy had fallen hard, both knees bleeding. Yulia, unconcerned with dirtying her dress, bent down to examine the boy’s wounds.
“Are you alright? Does it hurt a lot? What should I do…”
She hesitated, unsure whether to touch the injuries with a handkerchief from her small bag, when the roughly seven-year-old boy suddenly stopped crying and held out his hand.
“Give me money.”
“Huh?”
“I need it for medical treatment.”
“Shouldn’t an apology come first?”
Yulia laughed, taken aback by his boldness, and the boy wriggled free from Cain’s hold, dashing into the alley where the other vagrants had disappeared with her purse. As Yulia froze, stunned, Cain laughed heartily.
“That’s why I said you should be careful.”
Normally, one would expect her to feel upset at having her generosity turned against her, but Cain’s hearty laughter left no room for that.
“Please, rise. If you allow, I would like to make it up to you by treating you to the duchy’s most famous peach pie. Will you give me that opportunity?”
The boldness of the offer made Yulia forget that she had just met Cain, and she followed him with a smile.
Even sitting in a pie shop behind him, Yulia couldn’t believe a small child had stolen her purse.
“You could call it the downside of rapid industrialization. Esacudia Duchy had little farmland, so the commoners weren’t well-off. They replaced the farmland with sheep-raising. Coming into the city to find work is difficult, so they become vagrants.”
Even in the empire, people flocked to the capital, but here it seemed worse. Cain explained that the dense construction left no space even for planting a tree.
“I see…”
But this place had a different atmosphere. No vagrants were in sight, foot traffic was light, and the small park nearby was full of trees and flowers, with people’s faces bright and cheerful.
“Here we are. Please, have a bite first. Just one bite will lift your spirits.”
Yulia glanced at the menu and understood why this place felt different. A single slice of pie was incredibly expensive—beyond the reach of most nobles without significant wealth. The care in the exterior materials and the ambience of nearby shops suggested this area was frequented by well-off nobles.
“By the way, you said your family name is Clue… Could you be related to the Clue family of Clue Textile? Maybe a distant relative?”
Becky had made sure Yulia didn’t come through the main entrance. Since the servants said there was a waiting area, Yulia entered with Cain alone. She snapped out of her daze, realizing how foolish it was to follow a stranger here. Even in the empire, such situations were rare.
“I heard Count Clue got married recently…”
“Yes. I became the wife of Count Cayente Clue, who runs Clue Textile.”
Cain visibly flinched at Yulia’s reply, clearly surprised.
“This is a serious faux pas. Asking for a meeting without the husband’s permission… In Esacudia Duchy, that’s strictly forbidden. Seeing no wedding ring, I assumed you were a young lady from some noble family and tried my luck, haha.”
Yulia felt equally awkward. Unlike the empire, Esacudia had stricter customs regarding men and women. She also realized she wasn’t wearing her wedding ring, having removed it long ago due to its weight, but couldn’t remember exactly when.
“Fortunately, you’re from the Luscian Empire. I hope that allows me some relief? There, even after marriage, men and women can maintain deep friendships.”
“Yes, I’ve heard that too. But…”
“But?”
“My brother… no, my husband is from here. Though I’ve spent a long time in the empire, I’ve lived here longer, so perhaps it’s not something that can be overlooked lightly.”
“If it’s Count Clue… that might be the case.”
“You know my brother?”
Planning to return home, Yulia paused at Cain’s words, and he laughed broadly as before.
“Perhaps? If you’re in business, you can’t avoid knowing him.”
“Are you in business, Cain?”
“Oh, you don’t know. The Dines family is known for the pink diamonds from Casad. When my father passes, I’ll inherit the marquis title and continue the mining business.”
“I see… Ah! Then, was the wedding gift from you as well?”
“Wedding gift…?”
Cain paused at the question, his blue eyes sparkling like jewels in the sunlight. Yulia was momentarily captivated by the vibrant, lively hue—unlike any she had seen in the empire.
So that’s why she had followed him to eat pie without thinking. Compared to the heavy, intense gaze of Cayente, Cain’s lighter eyes made her actions feel freer.
Reading her thoughts, Cain smiled and casually answered:
“My sister probably chose it.”
“Your sister?”
“Not important… Did you like the gift?”
“Yes.”
“Although my sister selected it, I chose it. I only make a few personal pieces a year. I heard you are very beautiful, so I offered one of my creations. Luckily, the rumor about you wasn’t exaggerated. You’re so stunning even in person.”
Though compliments were common, Cain’s gaze showed a raw admiration Yulia hadn’t seen in Cayente, making her glance away.
“If I had known someone so lovely existed in the Luscian Empire, I would have acted sooner. What a shame.”
His words didn’t sound like idle flattery. Yulia found it hard to meet Cain’s eyes casually, a feeling she hadn’t experienced with Cayente, despite their intimate encounter the night before. It seemed he craved affection, and even a small, lighthearted interest couldn’t be brushed off casually.
