Chapter 08
The head maid, Alice, opened her eyes wide and spoke in a pitiful voice.
“Count, I know very well that lately you’ve been dreaming of a romance like the heroine and hero in romance novels. But for that to happen!”
“…For that to happen?”
“You can’t have a romance allergy!”
She was right.
Terry was utterly powerless in the face of a correct argument.
If someone looked down on him, he could crush them with facts and mock their stupidity.
If someone tried to scheme, he could shut them down with an iron wall.
If someone was a bastard, he could punish them with force.
But there was no way to counter such an honest remark.
“But how am I supposed to put flour in my mouth—no, not flour—no… flour scraps—no… flour… flour… how do I even say it?”
“…Count…”
“Ha. This must be an incurable disease.”
Why had the author insisted on putting romance into this novel?
Terry Romance would have lived just fine without romance.
Why had they suddenly placed a translucent window in front of him and told him to find the male lead?
And then tossed him only a few useless conditions that helped nothing?
If they were going to give clues, they could at least have given him a name.
Targeting just one person would have been better.
Being forced to approach every handsome black-haired man who might get involved with him was something he really wanted to avoid.
Even right now, it was like that.
Only a week after starting his search for the male lead, he had already gone on a “date” with Handsome Black-Hair No. 1, and he was required to “cherish” Handsome Black-Hair No. 2 the most.
The romance he had avoided for fourteen years had come flooding in the moment his iron wall cracked open.
It was overwhelming. Truly.
Terry squeezed his eyes shut, took a deep breath, and stood up.
“I’ll go and get it done.”
Alice looked at her employer’s resolute expression with deep concern.
‘Why do you treat a date like a monster you have to defeat, Count…?’
She was genuinely worried.
Unaware of Alice’s thoughts, Terry headed toward a lakeside on the outskirts of the capital, Sarbana.
The theme of today’s “date” was a picnic.
Normally, couples would walk around the city, but since Terry and Dante were somewhat well-known figures, they had chosen a secluded place.
Terry hadn’t known that, but according to Dante, who had chosen the location, that was the reason.
It seemed Dante was sincerely devoted to teaching Terry about romance and romantic gestures.
That assumption turned into certainty the moment Terry arrived at the lake and saw him.
A neatly spread picnic mat.
A table and chairs set beside it.
All kinds of tea snacks and a parasol.
Even flowers inside the picnic bag.
The moment Terry saw it all, he blurted out two words without thinking.
“Wow.”
Dante, who had been standing by the table and looking at the lake, turned toward him.
“Your Excellency, this is truly romantic.”
At that moment, Terry felt something similar to when Liam had kissed the back of his hand.
Dante Garvan standing in the sunlight.
Grass swaying gently in the breeze.
The entire setting seemed to declare:
“From now on, we will spend a tender moment in these pastel-colored surroundings.”
“Count Romance.”
The man—whose looks young women in the Feltra Kingdom would describe as “the kind who would say, ‘Did you sleep well, darling?’ in the morning”—looked at Terry with a charming smile.
“Today is really…”
“I’ll pass on compliments like ‘beautiful,’ ‘pretty,’ or ‘dazzling.’”
Faced with that melting gaze, Terry blurted out reflexively.
“…Um, yes. But you know, Count. What just happened was…”
“Romantic.”
After taking a deep breath and slowly exhaling, Terry managed to reply.
“I know.”
“Count, you should manage your expressions better.”
“I’m sorry.”
Terry answered honestly.
“I have a romance allergy.”
Dante let out another dry laugh.
“Then why did you decide to learn about romance in the first place…?”
“Because unlike ordinary allergies, this one might be treatable through direct exposure.”
With determined steps, Terry walked to the table, about to ask if he should sit there.
Before he could, Dante naturally approached him, gently pulled out the chair, and gestured for him to sit.
Terry realized once again.
So this is what ‘romantic’ means.
After somehow sitting down, Terry looked at Dante with doubtful eyes.
“Your Highness, forgive me, but… are you experienced at this?”
“Count, even if it’s just for show, we are on a date.”
“Could you please not pronounce those three syllables so naturally?”
“Three syllables? ‘Date’? If I don’t say it naturally, how am I supposed to say it?”
“Please say it like this: ‘<Date>.’ As if you’re emphasizing every syllable of a crucial mission.”
“…Why on earth is dating so…?”
“It’s ‘<Date>,’ Your Highness.”
“…F-Fine. ‘<Date>.’”
We still have a long way to go.
With a bitter smile, Dante sat across from Terry.
“Please understand. This is my first time ever doing a ‘<date>.’”
First time in both his past and present lives. Truly the first.
In his usual flat tone, Terry continued before Dante could respond.
“And, Your Highness, I’d like to tell you in advance that I can’t cherish you the most.”
“…Huh? What did you say?”
Dante asked in genuine confusion.
“Cherish… me?”
“There’s someone I’ve promised to cherish the most. I have to keep my promise.”
Where was he even supposed to start reacting?
Dante Garvan, age twenty-four.
A prince who had walked a smooth path of life, fulfilling his duties while honing both intellect and martial skill.
Never in his life had he felt this mentally dizzy.
Covering his eyes with his large hand, Dante burst into helpless laughter.
He laughed for quite a while before finally speaking.
“Count…”
Terry replied blankly.
“Yes, Your Highness.”
“I didn’t really intend to take… this seriously.”
“Yes. It’s fine if you’re not serious.”
Even if Dante Garvan turned out to be the real male lead.
‘Wouldn’t it be enough to just pretend to date?’
Of course, the most reliable way was genuine romance, but if he did well, maybe he could compromise at the level of just being “entangled.”
After all, the translucent window had only told him to get deeply involved with the male lead and show romantic behavior.
At the time, Terry Romance clung to that futile hope.
“But you keep making me feel competitive.”
Dante lowered the hand covering his eyes.
His slightly tousled bangs fluttered softly in the breeze.
Clear eyes shone between his fingers.
Terry blinked and met his gaze.
“Count.”
Dante’s gentle voice drifted through the air.
“Terry.”
Their names wandered between them, framed by sunlight sparkling on the lake.
“Yes, Your Highness. I am Count Terry Romance.”
“Suppose I’m the destined partner you’re looking for.”
Terry, recalling Lily’s tearful face, answered calmly.
“Yes.”
“Then wouldn’t it be… problematic to have someone you cherish more than me?”
Under the shade of the elm tree, Terry Romance froze.
Literally froze.
His lips pressed into a straight line.
His wide-open eyes didn’t even blink.
Like someone who had just heard an utterly unexpected hypothesis.
“…Is it?”
Terry grew serious.
“It is. Very.”
“But I made a promise.”
“That and fidelity between lovers are different issues.”
“Lo… vers.”
Like an under-oiled robot, Terry repeated the word, his face draining of color.
“…Ha.”
Unable to even wash his face properly because of his makeup, Terry muttered in inner frustration.
“So, Your Highness, you’re considering the possibility of becoming my lover.”
“You seem to be forgetting something, Count.”
Tilting his head slightly, Dante looked at him and curled his lips upward.
“We’re on a blind date.”
A sigh escaped from Terry.
