Chapter 11
That’s Not What I Meant by “Let’s Kiss”!
“Why do you keep touching your lips?”
At Catherine’s question, Evelyn gasped in surprise.
Since when had she been touching them?
Catherine frowned slightly and examined her face.
“Did something happen yesterday?”
“S-Something? What do you mean?”
“Nothing happened with the Duke? Come to think of it, it’s strange. You came back to the lodging very late.”
“The hike was so hard that I walked slowly!”
“Well… just in case…”
Catherine asked carefully.
“The Duke didn’t startle you or anything, did he?”
She spoke as if she knew something.
“For example…?”
At Evelyn’s question, Catherine looked troubled.
“N-No. If nothing happened, that’s good.”
“……”
“It’s just… he’s someone who likes jokes.”
“The Duke likes jokes?”
“Not the kind of jokes you’re thinking of… Anyway, I’m glad nothing troublesome happened.”
Catherine forced a smile.
That vague smile made Evelyn even more anxious.
One thing was certain—
I know nothing about him.
She had kissed a man whose name she didn’t even know.
And it had almost felt like they promised each other a future.
“…What kind of person is the Duke?”
Evelyn asked.
Seeing Catherine hesitate, she shrugged as if it didn’t matter.
“We probably won’t see him again anyway. I’m just curious.”
“Was it obvious that we were avoiding him?”
Catherine let out a sigh and sat at the edge of the bed.
“Sometimes he pulls dangerous pranks that make people dizzy just watching. Should I say he’s fearless…?”
Then she told a story.
Two years ago, in the neighboring country, the Kingdom of Zenok, a bloody change of royal power took place.
The king’s illegitimate son—who had been believed dead—drove out the rightful heir and took the throne.
The Emperor of the Solaris Empire sent a delegation to congratulate the new king on his coronation.
Officially, they were delivering gifts. But the real purpose was diplomatic negotiation.
Although the Empire was powerful, no one knew how the warlike new king would act.
The Emperor wanted to maintain his advantage and preferred that his officials handle everything smoothly without causing trouble.
The King of Zenok had a deep interest in swordsmanship and wished to meet the Duke of Ashford.
In the end, Theo Ashford visited the kingdom under what was essentially a request disguised as an imperial order.
The new king of Zenok had lived as a mercenary and was known for his cruel nature. The imperial envoys trembled as they attended the luncheon.
It was held in the royal palace garden, beautifully planted with flowers.
But they all knew—
Every attendant serving them had once been a mercenary who rebelled alongside the king.
No one knew what weapons they might be hiding.
To make matters worse, the king kept nitpicking over trivial matters.
The imperial envoys could only endure their displeasure in silence.
The tense atmosphere continued.
Then—
‘How bleak.’
The Duke of Ashford suddenly stood up.
Ignoring the stares directed at him, Theo excused himself briefly and left.
Has the Duke gone mad?
The envoys exchanged glances.
They knew he acted boldly even before the Emperor, but still…!
Even after several minutes, he did not return. The King of Zenok let out an irritated sound.
Just as everyone held their breath under his cruel gaze—
Theo returned.
With an armful of pink flowers.
He placed them in an empty vase—no one knew where he had found it—and decorated the table.
Everyone stared blankly.
Then—
“Ha ha ha!”
The King of Zenok burst into loud laughter.
“Isn’t that the Lumi flower! It must be meant for me.”
Across the continent, children received Lumi flowers from their families on Children’s Day.
The king believed Theo was gently pointing out how childish he had been acting.
“I will no longer behave like a child. Let us proceed seriously with the negotiations.”
In an instant, the murderous tension softened. The negotiations went smoothly after that.
The envoys followed the king’s lead and laughed.
The king seemed very pleased with Theo. After the luncheon, he even gifted him a precious magic stone and asked about swordsmanship.
Later, the envoys asked him how he had dared to do such a thing.
With a lazy smile, he replied—
“I was just bored.”
That was all.
At his answer, everyone was horrified.
Catherine finished the story and added her thoughts.
“Does it make sense to joke around at such an important event, in a situation where your life could be at risk?”
“Was it really a joke?”
For some reason, Evelyn felt a strange sense of déjà vu.
Hadn’t he also brought her flowers during their meal, talking about formalities?
“People kept asking him, and he only said it was a joke. Luckily, the king interpreted it favorably.”
Catherine shook her head, saying it could have ended terribly.
“Anyway, he’s crazy about pranks… no, he’s an expert at them.”
She lowered her voice.
“Actually, the magic swordsmen—no, the Ashford Knights—are all like that. Playful enough to confuse people about whether they’re serious or joking… But once they hold a sword, they show terrifying strength.”
“But is that enough reason for everyone to avoid him?”
Evelyn looked puzzled.
“Is that really why people keep their distance?”
“Well, there’s another reason… I’ll tell you if I get the chance.”
Catherine stood, saying they would be late.
Now Evelyn began to piece everything together.
The Duke—and the magic swordsmen—were always used to lighthearted jokes.
And among them, the Duke of Ashford played pranks so dangerous they could risk his life.
Was his confession truly sincere…?
The question lodged itself deeply in her mind.
As Catherine suggested, was it nothing more than a joke?
The confession at the restaurant. The kiss.
But what if it was sincere?
That was also a problem.
If she really started dating him as he said, realistic issues would arise.
He was a high-ranking noble—the Duke of Ashford.
Rumors would surely follow a newly hired researcher like her.
And what if his feelings changed?
If he fell in love quickly, perhaps they could cool just as quickly.
The unexpected thought increased her anxiety.
Her mind filled with question marks.
Evelyn sighed. She wanted to run away.
The Duke was staying in the same lodging.
Only a few steps away.
How should she face him?
“The first time may be forgiven. But after that, you must take responsibility.”
His voice, speaking about responsibility, echoed clearly in her mind.
If she went to him and brought up last night, how would he respond?
If he laughed and dismissed it as a joke—
Wouldn’t that be better?
To him, it might have been nothing more than an ordinary, fleeting moment.
She couldn’t predict his reaction at all.
One thing was certain—she did not have the courage to face him right now.
Without realizing it, Evelyn spoke.
“Senior, will we ever see the Duke again? I mean… outside of work?”
“Not at all. We live in different worlds.”
A world far away, where their paths would never cross.
I was worrying over nothing.
Once they returned to the capital, he would come to his senses.
Even if he had meant it at the time, it must have been influenced by the mood.
In a short time, countless thoughts passed through her mind.
All of them led to one conclusion.
Her connection with the Duke ended here.
Once she accepted that, her head felt lighter.
Resolving herself, Evelyn spoke.
“Senior, could you take me with you?”
“Back to the capital? Didn’t you like it here? You said it reminded you of home.”
“I—I want to get back to work quickly! Everyone must still be asleep, so let’s leave quietly!”
“If that’s what you want… Do you want to say goodbye to the Duke? I already did yesterday.”
“No, he must be tired. I can’t disturb his sweet sleep!”
“True. It’s better not to bother him.”
Catherine muttered something under her breath.
“I’ll pack my things.”
“I’ll be out soon too. Five minutes!”
“So fast?”
“Haha… haha…”
Evelyn answered with awkward laughter.
Catherine narrowed her eyes, clearly sensing something had happened between Evelyn and the Duke.
But she asked nothing.
“Then hurry and get ready. I’ll wait.”
“Yes.”
Evelyn quickly grabbed her luggage.
Was this the right thing to do?
Leaving without a word—that was her answer to his confession.
The clever Duke would surely understand.
I’m sorry. Please be generous and understand…
Evelyn desperately hoped that time would solve everything.
