Chapter : 69
“Anyway, that date list you made back then.”
“Hm?”
“This time, let’s try doing everything on it.”
Hartin, who had been enjoying my touch, looked confused.
I smiled faintly at him.
“I’m going to try using my long vacation too~.”
Since Tadivna had entered a period of stability, it was about time to advance to the capital~.
Actually, when Hartin came to see me, I was a bit surprised.
His itinerary was quite inefficient.
‘Anyway, I had to go up to the capital.’
Because soon… ‘Hartin’s birthday’ was coming!
The birthday of Hartin, the minor duke of Saind, was always celebrated with a grand, lavish birthday banquet.
‘As his official fiancée, I can’t miss that event.’
Besides, since I was going up to the capital anyway, I planned to take care of everything that could be handled there.
So the schedule was expected to be quite long, which made me focus even more on Asheel’s training and handover.
‘Of course… the archmage’s wage was beyond imagination.’
No matter how much I needed his help, I couldn’t have an archmage work for free.
I didn’t know what kind of backlash might come later.
Above all, Asheel was naive and a little clueless about the world, but having served under the tower’s orders in various countries, he knew his own value perfectly.
-Based on the amounts the tower offers to foreign countries, it seems this would be an appropriate wage for working at a resort.
‘The bill he handed over with that innocent smile had so many zeros.’
Even more, I had asked him for a simple task, focused on building trust with me, so he’d applied a discount.
Indeed, even the discounted amount was extraordinary for an archmage whose fee itself was a “body price.”
‘It can’t be helped. That’s just the wage of high-level talent…!’
Anyway, I was steadily preparing for a long stay in the capital, when Hartin, unable to wait, came down to Tadivna.
Even though I had explained everything in letters, he still acted like that.
So very typical of Hartin.
‘Cute, really.’
Turning a page in the book I was reading, Hartin asked with a voice mixed with amusement,
“Is the book interesting?”
“Eh?”
“I hear this book is rather difficult.”
He was smiling as he looked at me.
I raised my hand to touch my lips.
Sure enough, the corners of my mouth were slightly upturned.
‘Huh… why am I smiling?’
There’s nothing to smile about right now.
What was I just thinking?
“…Ah.”
Hartin is… cute.
I blinked rapidly at the realization.
I swear, I had never once thought anyone was cute in my life.
Especially not a grown man of his size.
‘Then why now?’
Curious, I furrowed my brow slightly and glanced sideways.
Hartin was tapping the cover of the book I was reading, his eyes sparkling.
“Should I try reading it too? If it’s fun for you, I’m a little curious.”
Oddly, that small curiosity toward me also struck me as cute.
Once I noticed, the thought of him being cute kept popping up unexpectedly.
I tilted my head several times at this unfamiliar feeling.
‘I don’t know why I’m like this….’
Then I shrugged.
‘But I don’t dislike this feeling.’
In the capital, I’d be with Hartin all the time.
If he looks cute to me, isn’t that actually beneficial?
Having sorted out my thoughts neatly, I snapped the book shut.
“Do you think you can even read this book?”
Then I leaned back in my train seat with a sly smile.
“If we try to do all the dates on the list, we won’t have enough time~.”
The moment I finished speaking, the steam train screeched and stopped loudly.
[“Our train has arrived at the terminal station of this line, the capital. Passengers, please disembark safely.”]
With the announcement echoing through the train, people began moving busily.
Only then did Hartin seem to come to his senses, muttering quietly,
“Already arrived?”
Time flies too fast when I’m with you.
I chuckled and reached out my hand toward him.
“Escort me, please, sir~.”
Hartin beamed and took my hand firmly, helping me up.
“I’ll do my best to serve you, my lady.”
And so began our joyful outing in the capital.
The dates Hartin had chosen were satisfying in many ways.
The dates themselves—strolling through a beautiful garden, attending an opera, having a fancy dinner—were all quite classic, but they were also perfect for showing many people how close Hartin and I were.
‘Before, there must have been endless rumors that the minor duke of Saind was completely smitten with his fiancée, but now he even lets me check it personally.’
Thanks to that, my position was strengthened~.
‘Well… there were a few moments when Hartin was a bit frustrating.’
As I pondered this briefly, Elin, who was helping me get ready to go out, gave a faint smile.
“It feels a little strange to serve Lady Eani here at the capital mansion.”
“Really? Well, the last time I visited, it wasn’t you but Celine who accompanied me~.”
“That’s right. And originally, in the capital, it wasn’t me who attended Lady Eani, but another child.”
I glanced lightly at Elin’s words.
The maids standing neatly beside me flinched.
I focused on a few particularly pale, dark-circled, emaciated ones.
‘I can tell just by looking.’
A secret rumor had been spreading in the Saind duke’s capital mansion.
The group that had tormented Eani Nasel in the past had been plagued by terrible nightmares every day.
Those who had led the torment couldn’t endure the excessive nightmares and all quit their positions.
‘Well, if they really are cursed by the Sun Mage… quitting their jobs won’t end the nightmares~.’
The ones who had already quit were no concern of mine.
The ones remaining here, despite their pale complexions, were somehow managing, meaning they probably weren’t actively tormenting me.
As I quietly scanned them, one of the pale-faced maids finally spoke.
“Um… Lady Eani, I…”
“Shh. I don’t like it when people who aren’t mine speak without permission~.”
“I- I’m sorry.”
Whether it was the warning I gave the head maid during my last visit to the capital or the effect of the nightmares, the maids were trembling at every breath I took.
‘Better they fear me than ignore me~.’
If I gave them any say, they would just bow flat and apologize profusely.
But I wasn’t their victim, so there was no reason or need to accept their apology.
‘Besides, they’re not going to be around long, so why bother getting close?’
Thus, while staying at the capital duke’s mansion, the maids were strictly limited to assisting Elin. I didn’t want to waste energy on unnecessary things with so much to do in the capital.
“Lady Eani, you’re ready.”
“Mm~. As expected, Elin is skillful~.”
“Thank you.”
I praised my own people generously and stood from the vanity.
Having spent the day happily with Hartin, it was finally time to start working.
‘Luckily, Hartin also used up his accumulated vacation and returned to the office, so our schedules align perfectly.’
The capital, with its distinct four seasons, was slowly approaching autumn.
After checking the feathered hat that was in fashion for the season, I left the bedroom and walked down the corridor.
As I wondered what my appointment today would say, someone called me from behind.
“Eani Nasel! Where are you going again?!”
I turned to see the duchess glaring at me, fan in hand, with a sharp voice.
She snapped the fan shut and quickly approached.
“The girl who will become this house’s daughter-in-law! Instead of helping prepare Hartin’s birthday banquet, you’re always running off outside!”
True, I hadn’t properly greeted the duchess because I was busy going out with Hartin.
She must have been quite annoyed, judging by the sharpness in her voice.
“Did you come to the capital just to play?! How can you expect to become the lady of the Saind duke’s house with that attitude?”
I tilted my head at her.
“Oh my, I never thought you’d want my help.”
“What?!”
“When you helped with my engagement preparations, I tried to assist you here and there. Every time… you seemed quite troubled~.”
Don’t you remember?
I smiled, reminding her of that memory.
The duchess, realizing what I meant a beat too late, gradually paled.
