~Chapter 113~
Riden answered calmly.
“Did you have a good dinner?”
“Yes. Better than I expected.”
“Sounds like it wasn’t very good. Maybe I shouldn’t have called you.”
“Oh, no. I’m glad I came along.”
“Really? That’s good then. I only asked you because I thought Mari might get bored.”
“But… Riden…”
Mari twisted her body nervously as she sat on the cot.
What is she trying to say?
When Riden stayed silent and waited, Mari finally spoke.
“Sir Damian helps me with my personal faith studies.”
“Yes. How is it? He teaches you well, doesn’t he?”
But Mari’s reaction was strange.
Her slightly blushing face looked almost shy.
“Yes, he’s very kind. But… you were the one who asked Sir Damian to help me with my faith studies. What was his reaction when you asked him?”
Riden’s eyes widened without realizing.
Well, well… look at her.
She hadn’t known Mari was the type to have such a clear one-sided crush.
To Riden, Mari definitely seemed interested in Damian.
‘Does she like him because she knows who he really is? Or even without knowing?’
Either way, Riden found it amusing.
She answered brightly.
“Actually, even though it was a difficult request, he accepted very willingly. Maybe he thought well of you, Mari.”
“Really?”
Mari looked flustered and excited.
“I thought he was only being kind because you asked him… but maybe not.”
“What do you mean? Of course it’s because Sir Damian likes you.”
“Ah…”
Looking around as if thinking hard, Mari bit her lower lip and asked:
“Has Sir Damian ever spoken about me?”
“Hm…”
Not even once.
It seemed he hadn’t noticed your true identity at all. Strangely enough, he showed no interest in you whatsoever.
‘What should I say?’
Riden thought for a moment.
If she told Damian that Mari was the manager, how would he react?
Would the two of them clasp hands happily, saying they could now finish the love they couldn’t in their past lives?
Just imagining it sent dopamine rushing through her.
Rather than feeling sad or bitter, she felt excited to witness the scene herself.
‘It would be fun.’
Riden moved to sit next to Mari on the bed. Meeting her eyes, she spoke warmly.
“Sir Damian once asked me a few questions about you. At the time, I thought he was only asking because of the faith studies request.”
“…Yes.”
“But now that I think about it, maybe it was out of interest.”
“Ah…”
Mari pressed her burning cheeks with the back of her hand. Riden smiled kindly.
“I think today is a good chance, Mari.”
“Eh?”
“Sir Damian is alone in his personal tent right now. It’s the perfect time to talk quietly, just the two of you.”
“But… we’re not like you and His Excellency, an official couple. If I go into his tent and stay long, won’t people gossip? There are already rumors…”
Riden had to force herself not to laugh.
Coming from someone who had no problem with another woman’s husband, that line was too funny.
‘So she does care about rumors after all.’
Riden threw out a suggestion.
“Then how about leaving him a note? Either wait outside or invite him to my tent.”
“My tent?” Mari repeated, eyes widening.
“Yes. I’ll be going to see His Excellency, so my tent will be empty. If it looks like the three of us are there together, no one will suspect anything.”
“Ah…”
And just like I noticed your identity from a note, maybe Hwang Sung-min will realize too?
‘I’m too curious.’
But unless she drew that special heart pattern, he wouldn’t recognize it. And Riden couldn’t go so far as to encourage her to do that.
“I’ll be going now. I have something to discuss with His Excellency.”
“Ah! Yes.”
Mari hesitated, then finally spoke.
“Thank you, Riden.”
“For what?”
Tomorrow, how will the two of them look at each other? She couldn’t wait to find out.
‘Please don’t disappoint me.’
Riden ended the conversation with a smile and left the tent.
“Your Excellency?”
Riden stepped into Ethan’s tent and looked around.
It seemed he had just left — the tent still felt warm, but no one was inside.
‘I guess I’ll wait here.’
She sat at the small desk, glancing at the things on top, trying to guess what he had been doing before stepping out.
“Your Excellency, it’s Damian. May I come in?”
Startled, Riden fumbled and dropped the paper she was holding along with the paperweight.
‘Ah, crap.’
As she carefully gathered the relic and scattered sheets, a shadow fell over her.
Damian had already entered and was staring down at her.
“Ahh! At least make some noise when you come in!”
“My apologies. There was no reply, but I heard a sound inside… Are you hurt?”
“No.”
An awkward silence filled the tent.
‘Why is he just standing there? He came for Ethan, not me.’
She thought she should tell him Mari was looking for him. Then he’d leave.
But Damian moved first.
As Riden clumsily placed the papers back on the desk, he noticed the cut on her finger.
“You’re hurt?”
Blood was seeping from her left index finger.
“It’s fine. It’s nothing.”
“It’s not fine.”
Damian stepped closer and wrapped her hand carefully with a handkerchief.
It was one of the many handkerchiefs noble ladies had given him.
Riden felt stunned at his boldness, doing this without even asking.
‘Wow, flattering me this much just because I’m the future duchess?’
From college until not long ago, the man she knew wasn’t the type to flatter anyone.
Yet here he was, looking endlessly worried just because she had a small cut.
He felt like a stranger.
“I feel like it’s my fault you got hurt…”
“No, it’s not!”
Her voice came out louder than intended.
She even shot him a sharp look.
‘Calm down. Look, you scared him.’
Seeing him stand silently, she turned her head away.
It really wasn’t a big deal.
In fact, she wished he and Mari would fall deeply in love again, live happily, and never ruin anyone else’s life.
But every time she saw how different he was from the man she used to know, anger bubbled inside her.
‘What did I ever think I knew about him?’
Keeping her lips tightly shut, Riden finally muttered in a low voice:
“It’s uncomfortable, just the two of us here. I’m waiting for His Excellency, so when he returns, I’ll let him know you stopped by.”
So please leave. Go to Mari, who’s waiting for you.
“And Mari is looking for—”
“Lady McCurry.”
Damian cut her off.
Riden ignored him, focusing instead on untying the handkerchief he had wrapped.
“Mari is looking for you. And this—keep it. It’s just a small cut, and if I need treatment, I’ll call the medic.”
Damian stared at the handkerchief she returned, his eyes lingering on the thin red line staining the white cloth.
He found it strangely hard to look away.
Then he finally spoke again:
“Lady McCurry… do you believe in past lives, or in reincarnation?”
