Chapter 14
That’s Not What Kissing Means!
—
*“Once you set your sights on something… you’ll follow it all the way to hell…?”*
If what Catherine said was true, didn’t that mean she herself could end up turning into a monster too?
She could already picture her future—being caught by the duke and crying out, “Ukkikki!” like some beast.
At the horrifying image, Evelyn sucked in a sharp breath.
No, that can’t be right!
She let out a hollow laugh, telling herself it was ridiculous.
And yet, just as unease slowly began to creep up—
A carriage stopped in front of the imperial palace’s main gate.
From here on, they had to walk to the research institute.
“Let’s report quickly and get off work!”
“Yes, Chief.”
The two of them hurried into the Imperial History Research Institute.
Their fellow researchers greeted them, asking if they had returned safely.
Unlike Evelyn’s tangled thoughts, her workplace was peaceful.
The next day, and the day after that, it was the same.
Contrary to her worries, calm days continued.
During that time, Evelyn was able to整理 her thoughts.
After replaying what had happened with the duke over and over—
She admitted it to herself.
She had feelings for the Duke of Ashford.
If they had been on more equal footing, she might have wanted a deeper relationship.
Alcohol had stirred up heated emotions, and the moment their lips met had been intoxicating.
But her feelings weren’t deep enough to cover the gazes fixed on a newcomer, their overwhelming difference in status, or even the rumors surrounding him.
Once she reached that conclusion, her heart felt lighter.
And since there had been no contact at all, the duke must feel the same way.
“Good morning! It’s a lovely day!”
Today as well, Evelyn began her day refreshed.
Just like always, her days were peacefully repetitive.
Occasionally, Oliver would come by and say something strange like, “Why are you… no, never mind,” but she brushed it off lightly.
As Evelyn greeted everyone good morning, Paul approached her.
He was her only fellow hire from the same intake.
“Your fortune is amazing today!”
Paul fussed excitedly as he held out a tarot card.
It depicted a man hanging upside down.
“So what about it?” Evelyn asked.
As if he’d been waiting for the question, Paul eagerly explained.
“Something big is going to happen! Something that’ll turn your everyday life upside down!”
Evelyn spoke calmly to her overexcited coworker.
“And what about your fortune? How’s it going with the librarian at the imperial palace?”
At that, Paul drooped.
Things clearly weren’t going well with the librarian he had a crush on.
Leaving the dejected Paul behind, Evelyn sat down at her desk.
As always, it was a neat space containing only what she needed.
Everything was arranged in the same way, and her assigned tasks never changed.
Just like her life.
That was when someone opened the doors of the research institute and strode in confidently.
A flustered researcher stepped forward to block him.
“Excuse me, who are you? You can’t just come in here—”
“I can.”
It was a calm, even voice—quite unlike the object he was carrying.
Thinking it was just a visitor, Evelyn paid no attention and focused on her work.
But the cold-looking man slowly scanned the room and asked,
“Who is Researcher Evelyn Hart?”
At the unexpected call of her name, Evelyn looked up.
The man let out a slightly irritated sigh, then broke into a faint smile.
At the sudden change, Evelyn blinked.
Then, blankly, she raised one hand.
“So you were here.”
The man had deep green hair and sharp features.
He set down the heavy object he had been holding all this time.
*Thud.*
Evelyn’s desk gave a low vibration.
The empty space was filled with a massive basket of flowers.
Fragrance spread across her once-bare desk.
“What is this…?” she asked, staring at the pile of white flowers.
The man didn’t answer. He only gave a small nod and left.
He looked as though he wanted to escape as quickly as possible.
Soon after, the other researchers cautiously gathered around Evelyn.
“Evelyn, is that for you?”
“Who sent it? Your family? A lover?”
Paul, seated beside her, clapped his hands and laughed as if it were his own affair.
At that moment, Catherine spoke in a stern voice.
“Everyone, get back to work.”
The researchers had no choice but to return to their desks.
The most confused of all was Evelyn.
It had happened far too suddenly.
At a loss, she stared at the mound of flowers.
The basket was filled with white hydrangeas.
There was no letter, no message—but she knew.
It was from the Duke of Ashford.
His confession at the restaurant resurfaced vividly in her mind.
As he gazed at the hydrangeas on the table, he had said—
*“Until flowers fully bloom, endless patience is required.”*
*“Even so, the reason we keep seeking flowers is to capture moments like this.”*
*“I’ll never forget today for the rest of my life—the moment you came to save me.”*
Evelyn understood the meaning of the gift.
The duke was clearly telling her—
That he still remembered her.
—
### * * *
“Do I really have to run errands like this?”
Julian complained to Theo with a disgruntled expression.
As the second son of Count Cox, a vassal family of the Duke of Ashford, Julian served as Theo’s aide.
Theo sat at his desk, showing no reaction to Julian’s irritation.
He was simply gently touching the petals in a vase.
The flowers were fresh again today. Strangely enough, the duke kept flowers close by.
It didn’t seem like he particularly loved them, either.
Unable to hold back any longer, Julian raised his voice again.
“Are you even listening to me?”
“How is Evelyn?”
Of course—he hadn’t been listening.
Julian sighed.
“She looked surprised. She clearly hadn’t expected the gift at all.”
“I don’t care about the flowers. I just hope she thought of me.”
Julian frowned deeply at that.
What on earth had happened in the North to change him like this?
No matter how much he asked the knights, none of them knew.
He even swallowed his pride and asked Vanessa, but she only laughed softly in response.
As expected, she was a woman he didn’t like.
The type who treated everything lightly and acted without thinking.
Julian spoke firmly to Theo.
“Anyway, have someone else do things like this. I have no intention whatsoever of getting dragged into Your Grace’s love life.”
“Next time, I’ll have you deliver a letter too. Make sure you keep it safe.”
Once again, Theo paid no heed to Julian’s words.
“Why does it have to be me?”
“The Imperial Research Institute isn’t a place just anyone can enter.”
Julian’s father, Count Cox, served as the chairman of the Imperial Historical Research Society. Thanks to his family’s influence, Julian could also gain access.
“You could’ve gone yourself.”
At the implication that his status was more than enough, Theo replied,
“I heard it’s polite to give notice before meeting a lady.”
“What kind of grand announcement is that? No—more importantly, who are you even having conversations like that with?!”
“…….”
Though there was no reply, Julian knew immediately.
“Vanessa? That knight?”
She was the only one around the duke who was constantly involved in romances.
“Why would you take advice from Vanessa of all people? I’d rather—!”
“Julian.”
“Yes!”
“How much experience do you have with romance?”
“…….”
Julian had spent his entire life buried in study and work.
Faced with the unspoken *If you don’t know, stay quiet*, he couldn’t bring himself to argue.
He decided to change the subject.
“About the pendant you brought back from the North.”
“Yes, the item handed over to the imperial palace.”
“It doesn’t seem ordinary. I hear even the palace mages were joined by priests.”
As soon as they returned to the capital, the pendant Evelyn and Theo had discovered was reported.
Including the strange phenomenon that occurred at the time.
The deeply devout emperor showed great interest and ordered a thorough investigation, suspecting it might be a holy relic.
As a result, Julian had been going to the imperial palace frequently.
“In particular, the stone set in the center seems to be the focus of the research.”
“I see. Tell them to handle it themselves.”
“They say they need Your Grace’s help.”
“What more am I supposed to do?”
Theo looked increasingly bored, as if it were all becoming a nuisance.
“They say it’s clearly a double-sided structure, but it won’t separate. However, Your Grace mentioned that the two sides rotated in opposite directions.”
“Yes, that’s right.”
“They asked for more detailed information about exactly what you did at the time—”
“Should I explain what happened before that as well?”
Theo thought for a moment, then began to speak.
Julian hurriedly wrote everything down, not wanting to miss a single word.
About the day they first discovered the pendant.
