-15-
3. Shall We Get Married?
Other than the drawing room I first saw, I was shown the grand living room, the dining hall, the shared library, his office, study, and even the bedroom—we toured all around the estate.
On top of that, I saw endless corridors, countless rooms, and what seemed like dozens of servants. It truly felt like the ducal residence.
The Duke’s mansion was large enough, but it was nothing compared to this Grand Duke’s estate.
Behind the mansion were multiple buildings used by the knights and training grounds, and even separate residences for the servants located on one side of the grounds. Its sheer scale was unimaginable.
I heard there were also stables and separate buildings for the coachmen, but seeing all of it in one day would’ve been impossible.
Lucius must’ve thought the same, as he only showed me the important areas and said I could gradually get to know the rest. I nodded eagerly, touched by his thoughtfulness.
After finishing our tour and taking a short break, Lucius and I headed to the garden as our final stop.
“Oh…! My goodness…!”
The Duke’s garden was already spacious and beautiful, but this garden—easily two or three times larger—was breathtakingly magnificent.
It was obvious how much care had gone into it. Elegant sculptures were placed throughout, and the fresh greenery and dazzling flowers displayed their beauty with pride.
The trees nestled between the garden walls soaked up the sunlight, their leaves fresh and unblemished.
I couldn’t take my eyes off the garden, clearly maintained by a meticulous gardener. I never imagined such beauty could exist in a household without a mistress.
Lucius didn’t seem like someone who would neglect things, but to see it so flawlessly kept was still a surprise. It almost made me feel disappointed that there was nothing left for me to do—but in truth, it was a good thing.
Though I was given full authority as the future lady of the house to change or manage the garden, I didn’t want to alter a single thing.
I didn’t know who the talented gardener was, but they had styled it perfectly to match the mood of the estate.
It even suited Lucius well, and I didn’t want to recklessly ruin such a lovely garden. I hoped to meet the gardener someday.
When I turned to see Lucius quietly watching me as I admired the garden, I smiled brightly.
“It’s truly beautiful, Lucius!”
“……”
The weather was pleasant, and the sight of the garden had excited me. I twirled and danced to the center of the garden, reveling in the scent of the flowers.
As I reached up to catch my wind-blown hair and looked at a lone cloud in the blue sky, a shadow fell over me.
“The weather is nice, but the sun is strong.”
Before I knew it, he had taken a parasol from a maid and was gently holding it over me. Embarrassed by the warmth in his gaze, I took the parasol and smiled shyly.
“Sorry. I got too excited, didn’t I? The sun and weather were just so perfect… Ah, thank you for the parasol.”
“No need. It was nice to see. I’m happy when you’re happy, Tiana.”
“Do you like the sunlight too, Lucius? On days like this, I want to walk under the sun without a parasol, but my maid never lets me. Oh, but I’m not blaming you! I really am thankful for the parasol.”
“I know.”
He nodded at my flustered explanation. His gentle gaze made my face flush, and I quickly turned away, hiding behind the parasol.
Gripping the handle, I gave it a little spin and slowly walked forward.
After about ten steps, I noticed he wasn’t following. I turned back to find Lucius standing still, watching me.
Even from a short distance, his golden eyes shimmered even brighter under the sunlight.
It felt as though he was right in front of me, and I couldn’t help but smile.
“Lucius, your eyes shine at any time—day or night. They’re truly beautiful.”
“……”
“Lucius?”
“Tiana…”
His voice, thick with emotion, called out to me in a way that made my heart thud. I was about to walk back to him when he slowly stepped toward me and began to speak.
“The first time… we met, you weren’t using a parasol.”
“……”
“Even when your maid repeatedly offered it, you stood under the sun without it.”
With each step he took, I was captivated by the glimmer in his golden eyes, unable to move.
“Eventually, you reluctantly accepted the parasol, looked up at the sky, and I… I couldn’t take my eyes off you.”
“……”
“Your eyes sparkled as you gazed at the sky with such pure joy. Just like now… Your eyes were clear and bright.”
His words wrapped around me like a spell, holding me from the tips of my toes. When he was five steps away, he stopped and carefully pulled something from inside his coat.
Holding a luxurious black box in his hand, he took a deep breath and approached me again.
“When your eyes met mine after turning from the sky… I still remember that unwavering gaze. It was a feeling I had never known before.”
“……”
“You said the same words back then. That my eyes were beautiful—eyes others could barely look at.”
“Lucius…”
“In that moment, I thought: If it’s this person, maybe they’ll truly see all of me. Maybe they’ll smile even while standing by my side. Someone with such pure eyes… I wanted to stay by you.”
He took two more steps closer, his lips tightly pressed together, a tense expression on his face as he carefully opened the box.
Inside was a ring, embedded with a large gemstone that sparkled brilliantly. It resembled a diamond, but with a faint bluish-gray hue—something I had never seen before.
I stared blankly, stunned by the unexpected proposal. With a gentle smile, he extended the box toward me.
“Will you… marry me, Tiana?”
Is this what it feels like when your heart is about to burst? I covered my mouth instinctively, overwhelmed by the sensation.
I hadn’t expected this.
A ring… A proposal! Lucius, smiling so tenderly with a ring in hand, looked like a dream.
Am I dreaming? My favorite person just proposed to me… with a ring, no less…
I was so caught off guard that my hands shook. I wanted to say yes immediately and take the ring, but my heart pounded so wildly that even opening my mouth was hard.
“……”
“Ah… Is this… not okay? You don’t want the ring…?”
When I remained speechless, Lucius’s face dimmed, and the hand holding the box slowly lowered. No! That’s not it!
“I want it! Please give it to me! Please!”
“…What?”
“No—I mean, I do want it! I’m sorry! I was just so surprised…”
My words tumbled out in a panic. My cheeks burned as I cupped them in both hands. Ugh, I want the ring, but this proposal is just too heart-thumping! This should be illegal!
Flustered yet overjoyed, I couldn’t control my facial expression.
While I babbled in confusion, he simply stared at me.
Unable to speak, I met his eyes and nodded fervently, putting all my feelings into that gesture.
Perhaps understanding my heart, Lucius gave a small smile, took the ring from the box, stepped forward, and gently took my left hand.
Ever so carefully, he slid the ring onto my fourth finger.
“…It’s beautiful.”
The ring on my left hand sparkled under the sun. With its silver-gray base and soft blue shimmer, it was incredibly beautiful.
Along with the weight of the gemstone, I could feel his touch as he held my hand—making it tremble.
So this is what it feels like to receive a proposal and a ring. I got to experience something I never thought I’d feel in my lifetime.
A proposal and ring from the person I love most. I was too overwhelmed to speak.
When I slowly looked up at Lucius, he was gazing at me without looking away for even a second.
His quiet patience touched me deeply. For his sake, I took a deep breath to calm myself, then spoke.
“Thank you… so much… I was just really surprised.”
“I’m sorry, Tiana. I wanted to make you happy, but I ended up startling you instead.”
“No, you have nothing to apologize for. I was just surprised… I didn’t expect you to even prepare a ring…”
“There will be wedding rings later, of course. But I wanted to give you something personal as well. Though our wedding is two months away, I wanted to leave a mark on this hand—one that says you’re my wife.”
“Ah…”
“I’m your fiancé, after all. I at least wanted to give you an engagement ring. Even if it’s late…”
His smile shone dazzlingly. A surprise event like this? I’ll gladly take them all.
He said he wanted to leave a mark. My future husband showing possessiveness already? Thank you very much.
But seriously—I was shocked. A proposal, sure, but a ring too? Seeing such a beautiful ring lifted my spirits. No wonder women love rings.
Since it’s an engagement ring, it probably wasn’t a diamond. It looked similar but had a unique glow.
“Thank you. I’m so happy. I’ll treasure it.”
“I’m glad you’re happy.”
“It looks like a diamond, but it’s not, right? What kind of stone is it?”
“It’s a gemstone called sillimanite. It has similar clarity to a diamond but a unique pleochroism. It’s rare and difficult to obtain.”
“Pleochroism?”
“Yes. Look closely—depending on the angle, the color changes.”
I looked again as he said, and it was true. Each angle revealed a different color.
From the front, it was transparent silver-gray tinged with pale blue. From the left, it showed a yellowish green. From the right, deep emerald. From above or below, a rich sapphire blue.
“You’re right! That’s amazing…”
“I thought it matched the color and mood of your eyes… I’m glad you like it.”
“Of course I do! I’ve never seen such a beautiful stone. I love it. Thank you so much. Ah—!”
“What’s wrong?”
As I let out a small exclamation, Lucius looked puzzled. I’d been so mesmerized by the ring that I almost forgot something important. He gave me such a wonderful gift—I had to respond in kind.
Slightly embarrassed but determined, I gently took Lucius’s left hand.
As he looked at me in surprise, I smiled and brought his hand up to place a soft kiss on his fourth finger.
“……!”
When I slowly looked up, his eyes were wide and his cheeks flushed as he stared at me in astonishment.
The embarrassment faded quickly, and I beamed brightly.
“I didn’t prepare a ring, so… this is how I’ll express my feelings. I gladly accept your proposal. And also…”
“……”
“Please marry me, too. I’ll become your wife.”
“Tiana…!”
With an overwhelmed expression, he suddenly pulled me into his arms. I was startled at first, but his warm embrace felt strong and reassuring.
Our pounding hearts gradually synced together. Wrapping my arms around his waist, I gently held him back.
I never expected our first hug to happen like this. But hey, what could be better?
As I leaned into him more comfortably, I felt his arms tighten around me. I’d received the ring and declared I’d become his wife—he could now truly be my husband.
But what lingered was the fact that he’d become Tiana’s husband, not mine. I might be in Tiana’s body, but I wasn’t her.
I had decided to live as Tiana, but the one he loved was her. I couldn’t hide the bitterness that crept in.
Will I ever be able to tell him?
That I’m not Tiana. When he finds out the truth, will he still say he loves me?
As I savored his embrace, a faint unease remained—one I couldn’t shake.
