Hoffman separated from the group on the way and entered his office with a sigh.

The subtle atmosphere between the lord and the lady worried him.

This marriage was not a typical one.

Only a few people were privy to the circumstances, and Hoffman was one of them.

A year ago, a marriage proposal had come from the Jericho Grand Duchy.

The grand duke had suggested a match with his niece, Cecilia.

On the surface, it appeared to be a mere marriage arrangement, but the unspoken implications and ulterior motives were clear.

The lord had consulted his closest advisors.

Opinions were split between ignoring the proposal and confronting it head-on.

Hoffman had been in favor of confronting it.

The lord made a bold decision.

He left to meet the grand duke and returned married.

The lord disclosed the grand duke’s stated purpose for the marriage to his close confidants.

The grand duke wanted Cecilia to be protected at Lagos Castle for approximately three years.

However, since there was no legitimate reason to send her to Lagos, marriage was used as a cover to deceive onlookers.

‘It’s ominous. Something feels tangled.’

Hoffman did not fully trust the grand duke’s words.

He was suspicious of the true intent behind the proposal, as well as Cecilia’s own motivations.

If that extraordinary beauty were to completely win over the lord, it would be disastrous.

‘Was I… too naïve?’

He reflected. The lord was only twenty-three, a young man full of vitality.

‘But when the lord returned after the wedding, he was so indifferent!’

This led Hoffman to speculate that Cecilia might not be as beautiful as rumors claimed.

Of course, that assumption was shattered the day he first saw her.

Even though he had seen her portrait and knew her general appearance, her real-life presence was on another level.

Clasping his hands together, Hoffman prayed fervently.

‘My lord, please keep your composure!’

For now, this was all Hoffman could count on.

 

❖ ❖ ❖

 

Left alone with Russell in the sitting room, Cecilia grew increasingly uncomfortable.

She felt as though she had overstepped.

‘It’s just gratitude. I’m grateful because he saved me from an accident.’

She rationalized her actions to herself.

“Thank you for earlier. If it weren’t for you, I would’ve been hurt.”

“I was careless. I should have checked the door for faults. You’re really not hurt, are you?”

Cecilia shook her head as she rose from the sofa.

“Then, I’ll take my leave…”

When Russell also stood, Cecilia quickly spoke.

“You don’t need to see me out. I can go alone.”

“Then let me call a maid for you.”

“No, it’s easier if I just go.”

“Cecilia.”

Cecilia paused with her hand on the doorknob.

Her heart skipped a beat.

She slowly turned her head back.

“The merchants will leave tomorrow evening, so there will be a dinner gathering tonight. You might not enjoy it—it could be loud and rowdy. But it might be fun. If you’re not feeling up to it, you can leave anytime. So, well…”

The more Russell spoke, the more he felt like a fool.

His words were disorganized and rambling.

“…What time?”

“After sunset. I’ll come to get you at the right time.”

Cecilia nodded and left the room.

Once alone, Russell slumped back onto the sofa.

An odd sense of exhaustion, as if the tension had drained from him, overtook him.

‘Cecilia…’

For the first time, he whispered her name to himself.

A few months ago, he had felt nothing for her.

Even when she had openly shown her disdain for him and looked despondent throughout the wedding, it hadn’t bothered him.

Russell raised one of his hands.

He could still feel the sensation of holding her waist earlier.

How could someone’s body be so slender?

She fit so easily within the circle of his arm.

He couldn’t quite describe how he had felt in that moment.

It was as if his insides churned and fluttered at the same time.

Now, he was curious about her. He wanted to know more about who she was.

 

⌜I’m not the type to sit face-to-face with someone I dislike and carry on a conversation.⌟

 

Russell recalled what she had said earlier.

‘That means she doesn’t dislike me, right?’

A faint smile returned to his face. He clasped his hands behind his head and leaned back against the sofa.