Chapter 02
From the moment Sephine was born until she turned thirteen, she had been raised by Hannah. Though they shared no blood, Hannah was practically her mother.
“Oh my, your skirt!”
Hannah’s eyes widened at the hemline, which revealed Sephine’s ankles in accordance with the latest fashion.
“My lady, fashion is all well and good, but… no hat, and your skirt—good heavens, showing your ankles like that…!”
“I lost my hat.”
Sephine grinned and spun around on the spot.
“How is it, Hannah? Does it suit me? If I’d had the matching hat, you would’ve said I looked pretty.”
As her calves were exposed, Hannah quickly shut her mouth and glanced toward the man stepping out of the carriage behind them.
“Sir Felix is coming. You must behave properly, my lady. That’s enough.”
Grabbing Sephine’s arm, Hannah muttered quietly,
“Even if he’s the man you’ll marry, there are things you shouldn’t show. No—if anything, you should be more careful.”
Sephine laughed, eyes wide.
“Marriage? We’re not even engaged yet. No one knows who my future husband will be.”
Hannah knew very well that Sephine’s father, Count Buchanan, would never prefer any son-in-law over someone from the Rohfman family.
“As far as I know…”
Hannah trailed off, closing her mouth as Felix approached. Unlike Sephine’s excitement, his expression was sour.
“You must have had a difficult journey, Sir Felix.”
Felix frowned as he checked the dust on his trousers.
“It certainly was far. I don’t know if I’ll ever come again. I never imagined I’d travel four hours from the train station. First the porter couldn’t find my luggage, and then the gravel road was unbearable.”
Rather than asking about others’ well-being, he listed only his own hardships—typical behavior of an arrogant noble.
Sephine, as usual, responded with a teasing remark.
“That won’t happen, Felix. Next time, I’ll come alone. Even if you want to come again, there won’t be a next time.”
Behind her, Hannah squeezed Sephine’s hand—a silent reminder to be polite.
Felix cleared his throat awkwardly, and Hannah smiled brightly.
“You must be tired. Shall we go inside? Lucas is waiting. His legs have gotten worse, otherwise he would’ve been out here earlier.”
Hannah gestured toward the house, apologizing in advance for her husband.
Lucas Beringheim stood near the entrance, leaning on crutches and looking their way.
Sephine waved her hand high above her head.
“When he heard you were coming, he prepared brandy since morning. You know our region produces excellent brandy. But perhaps not right away—some lemonade first would be better.”
Feeling thirsty, Felix nodded and turned toward the house.
Sephine slipped an arm around Hannah’s shoulder, leaning in close.
“I’ll tell you how I lost my hat. And how there wasn’t a single gentleman beside me to pick it up.”
Blaming Felix playfully, she lengthened her stride. Her skirt swayed heavily, revealing her ankles again.
Just then—
The sound of a car rolling over dirt reached them.
At the same time, Hannah let out a deep sigh—though no one noticed.
All three turned toward the sound.
It was a large, impressive automobile.
The same one that had overtaken their carriage earlier.
“What is that now?”
Felix muttered, watching the rapidly approaching car. It passed a large oak tree and headed straight toward Hannah’s house.
“Honestly, like some kind of ghost, appearing everywhere…”
“A ghost?”
At Hannah’s irritated expression, Sephine looked at her curiously.
“There’s no need for you to know. Just go inside—I’ll send them away.”
Despite Hannah’s curt attempt to brush it off, the car quickly arrived.
Before anyone could explain, the car door opened.
Sephine saw a long leg step out without hesitation.
A man dressed to match the black car stepped out with a smile.
Or perhaps “bright” wasn’t the right word.
Could a man like that truly have a bright smile? It wasn’t even a wide grin.
The man fully stepped out, hands in his pockets, facing them.
Like wealthy foreign capitalists, he wore a relaxed expression—but somehow gave the impression that they were the guests, and he the host.
“You have visitors, Mrs. Beringheim.”
He spoke first.
His voice was low and pleasant.
Hannah pursed her lips.
It was a reaction rarely seen from her normally kind and gentle nature.
Sephine tried to read Hannah’s expression for clues about the stranger—but found her gaze fixed on the man, unable to look away.
“Now that you know, that’s enough. I don’t have time to entertain guests.”
Hannah’s cold reply came just as the man’s smile slightly faded.
At that moment, Sephine’s eyes widened as someone wrapped an arm around her waist.
It was Felix, pulling her toward him.
He had never even held her hand before, let alone touched her like this in front of others—so the firmness of his grip surprised her.
But she couldn’t push him away in front of a stranger, so she stood awkwardly.
The man observed them carefully, then let out a brief, crooked smile.
It vanished so quickly it was hard to tell when it had even been there.
“I see. I had hoped for an answer today.”
Still smiling, he spoke.
Hannah replied sharply,
“Today isn’t the day. Next time—no, there may not even be a next time. It’ll be hard for you to find us again. So please leave.”
She then turned to the couple.
“Come inside, my lady. My apologies, Sir Felix.”
“Wait.”
Felix stepped forward, stopping her.
“Shouldn’t we at least exchange greetings? May I ask where this gentleman is from?”
Releasing Sephine’s waist, he turned to the visitor.
Sephine felt like the only one who didn’t understand what was happening.
The man didn’t move.
So Felix approached first and extended his hand.
“I am Count Rohfman.”
Normally, Felix wouldn’t introduce himself first unless he wanted to assert his superiority—and calling himself “Count” before inheriting the title made that intent clear.
But what was truly surprising was—
The man didn’t react at all.
As if Felix’s status meant nothing to him.
Still with his hands in his pockets, standing casually with one leg relaxed, his gaze remained somewhere beyond Felix’s shoulder—perhaps on Sephine, perhaps on Hannah.
“Well… no need.”
It was outright rude.
Who refuses a greeting like that?
Unless it were wartime, when one couldn’t tell friend from foe, such behavior was unheard of.
And yet—
Strangely, it suited him.
Sephine realized her heart was beating faster.
For some reason, she felt as though she had seen him somewhere before.
If she had, she would surely remember—a man sculpted like that wasn’t easily forgotten.
As Felix withdrew his awkward hand, the man spoke again.
“I’ll come another time, Mrs. Beringheim. You always seem busy, so I’ll visit again.”
He smiled fully, faint lines forming at the corners of his eyes.
Hannah muttered something, but Sephine didn’t hear it.
There was something about the man that made it impossible to look away—even as he folded his long legs into the driver’s seat.
Was it his rare black hair?
Or his almost transparent blue eyes?
Or the long legs wrapped in perfectly fitted trousers?
Hannah’s irritated snort and Felix’s displeased stance faded into the background.
As the car drove off, carrying the man with the striking presence—
his smile lingered in the air, scattering like dust.
