CHAPTER 42
As the shop door closed behind him, the breeze that had slipped in gently brushed past me once more.
My hair, which had just settled from the earlier gust, fluttered lightly again. A few strands blew across my face, covering my vision—but this time, I couldn’t move to brush them aside.
I was staring at the man who had entered the Parome store—and he, in turn, was staring right back at me.
The world around me seemed to freeze under the weight of his gaze.
So much so that I didn’t even notice Sai approaching from inside the shop until he was nearly right beside me.
“Madam?”
Sai’s voice finally reached me as I stood there dazed, staring at the shadowed face of the man. As if a spell had been broken, I exhaled slowly and heavily.
“Ah… Sai.”
“Are you feeling unwell?”
“My lady?”
Sai and Sir Roim both looked at me with concern. I raised my right hand, palm out, and reassured them.
“I’m fine. Just… just…”
I tucked my hair behind my ear and cast another glance at the man.
He was still watching me.
Why?
“I think the sudden breeze startled me.”
I turned back to Sai with a small smile. He nodded in relief.
Then he turned toward the man and greeted him.
“Ah, Master. We found Lecto.”
“I noticed. He’s right in front of me.”
The man brushed past Sai, pushing his shoulder aside as if it were in the way.
After that, his eyes slowly traveled from my face to my neck, then down to my shoulders. Then he raised his right arm toward Lecto, who was still in my arms.
“Lecto.”
“Peep.”
Lecto chirped once in response to the call, then flew out of my embrace without hesitation and returned to the man.
The warmth that had filled my arms vanished in an instant, leaving me bewildered.
The man stroked Lecto from beneath his beak to his chest with his other hand. Then, lifting his gaze to meet mine, he asked Sai the same question again.
“Is she a customer?”
“Ah, yes, Master. This is the lady I mentioned before—the one who gave up the Oterang cake. And she’s also the one who found Lecto!”
“Ah.”
He gave a slight nod as if recalling the incident. Then, without a word, he gently flicked his arm—and Lecto flew off toward Sai.
Startled by the abruptness, I looked at Lecto as he fluttered away. And in the next second, the man closed the distance between us in a single step.
“Ma’am—!”
The knights behind me started to move protectively, but the man halted just in front of me and bowed his head.
He reached out and delicately wrapped his fingers around my right wrist, his touch far warmer than I’d expected.
His hand moved from my wrist to my palm in a soft, sweeping motion, then he gently lifted my hand toward his face.
Realizing what he was about to do, I raised my other hand to signal the knights behind me that everything was fine.
“It’s an honor to meet you in person.”
In a low voice, he expressed his gratitude—and then lowered his lips to the back of my hand.
Time seemed to slow.
I couldn’t look away as his lips brushed my skin.
His long eyelashes, nearly the same brilliant gold as his hair, came into view as he tilted his head slightly for the kiss. They fluttered upward ever so slowly.
Following the ticklish motion, I looked from his lips to his eyes—only to meet the sharp, narrow gaze peeking out beneath those lashes.
“Ah…”
Feeling suddenly self-conscious, I gently tugged my hand back, wordlessly asking him to stop. He obediently let go and lifted his head.
Even in that brief moment, I could still feel the lingering sensation of his fingers tangled between mine. I lowered my hands and clasped them together tightly.
The man smiled and spoke again.
“And you even found Lecto for us. It seems I keep owing you favors, Duchess.”
I felt oddly overwhelmed by his gaze as he looked down at me from above.
How… How was it possible to run into that man again?
The man who had approached me when I was standing alone, soaked to the bone in a heavy dress. Without a word of pretense, he had taken off his coat and wrapped it around me—a simple act of kindness, but one that left a deep, unforgettable impression.
Now he stood before me again.
“It was nothing. Just something anyone would do.”
Though his gaze wasn’t quite the same as that day, the overlap of his current appearance with that memory made me hastily turn away, pretending to take interest in the jewelry behind the glass.
Seeing me avert my eyes, the man shifted his gaze and tilted his chin toward the back of the shop, giving Sai a subtle signal.
Then he turned back to me and gave a formal farewell.
“Then, until next time, Duchess.”
It was clear he intended to leave. And before I could stop myself, I looked back at him.
His lips, tinged with amusement, curved upward in a gentle arc.
But his eyes still held that intense glow.
“Duchess Dylan.”
“Yes… Of course.”
After I responded, he held my gaze for a brief moment, brushed his fingers through his hair, and walked toward the inner door where Sai had emerged earlier.
As his figure disappeared, I found my gaze trying to follow him. But I forced myself to look away and turned to Sai.
“Sai, unfortunately, I won’t be able to stay much longer. I’ll have to come back another time.”
Now that the man was out of sight, all the strength drained from my body. It felt as if I’d been abruptly dropped from a bright room into a dark one.
That fleeting encounter, that old memory—it left a hollow space in my chest.
I hadn’t realized just how much I’d held onto that moment.
To run into a piece of my past so suddenly—only to part with it again just as quickly—it left me feeling oddly bereft.
‘I guess when you’re desperate, even a small kindness can leave a big impression.’
He hadn’t expected anything in return. He had simply offered warmth to someone in need.
And now, today, I’d met that same man again… and done nothing but say goodbye.
[“…This coat!”]
[“You don’t need to return it.”]
Even if I thanked him now, he’d probably think I was strange.
I wanted to say what I hadn’t been able to say that day, but he had already left my sight.
Back then, I had been drowning in such deep despair that I wanted to vanish into the earth beneath my feet.
I had nearly collapsed where I stood—until a soft, warm fabric, still carrying someone else’s body heat, was gently draped over my cold, soaked shoulders.
Even after dying once and coming back to life, that memory remained as vivid as ever.
“Huh? You’re leaving already—ah, understood.”
Sai’s voice pulled me out of my thoughts just as I was about to lose myself in the memory.
He seemed disappointed that I was leaving so soon, but noticing the expression on my face darken, he quickly changed the subject as something came to mind.
He recalled reading in the imperial paper that the Duchess of Dylan had collapsed but was recovering—and felt a pang of concern.
“You must still be recovering. When we received word you were visiting our store, we assumed you were feeling much better.”
I realized how Sai must have interpreted the situation—but I didn’t correct him.
It was a more convenient excuse than the real reason.
“Yes… I visited the Bayron Orphanage before coming here and brought gifts for the children. I think it tired me out more than expected. I’ll return another time. I feel a little guilty for leaving so quickly.”
I smiled sheepishly, brushing lightly at the hem of my perfectly smooth dress.
Sai, perhaps unsure how to respond, made an odd expression as he handed me the brooch he had been holding since he returned from the back room.
“Please don’t overexert yourself, Duchess.”
“Thank you, Sai.”
The brooch sparkled even more brightly than before.
I ran my thumb over it once, then pinned it back to my chest. Lecto chirped happily, as if to say it looked perfect.
“Sai, could you wrap up this hair ornament for me? I’d like to buy something while I’m here.”
“Oh, there’s really no need to—!”
He must have thought I was trying to make up for my sudden departure with a purchase, and waved his hands quickly in protest.
“No, really. I truly like the piece—and I have someone in mind who I think it would suit. I’m buying it as a gift, so please don’t misunderstand.”
“Haha, I see. Very well, then. I’ll make sure it’s packaged with extra care. Victor!”
At Sai’s call, the same staff member who had helped me earlier appeared.
“Please package the ornament the Duchess chose. Include the new product, too.”
“Yes, sir.”
As Victor answered with a bow, I pointed to the item I’d selected.
It was a familiar piece from the hair accessory display—an accessory once treasured by the imperial princess, made from a one-of-a-kind Crosenne gem.
I had no idea why it was here.
‘Perfect.’
Victor, the staff member, carefully lifted the ornament with a white cloth.
He retrieved a red velvet box from the back, about the size of a fist, and placed the ornament inside. Then he added several ampoules, each no larger than half a pinky, along with a small cloth no bigger than a thumbnail, in a white velvet pouch.
“What are those?”
“They’re our exclusive gemstone polish and cleaning cloth—only available from the Parome Trading Company. They haven’t been released yet, but we’re offering them to you first, Duchess. Whether you use them yourself or gift them to someone else, I’m sure they’ll be well received.”
“Oh my, thank you.”
Delighted by the unexpected gift, I thanked him, and Sai smiled as well, saying nothing was too good for a duchess.
I promised I would mention it was a Parome product if anyone asked.
While I chatted with Sai, Victor closed the box, wrapped it in golden ribbon, and tied a large bow around it.
Sir Roim took the finished package, and just like that, I left the Parome Trading Company—much sooner than I had anticipated.
