Chapter 15

"Hey Zain, how was your date with Miss Grace?"

"Who told you?"

"No one, but the talk of you and her dating at the theater and café is the hottest topic in society right now."

Two days after going out with Grace, Boris came to the duke's mansion, looking unusually cheerful as he said this.

Just like with the Maria贝尔的事，流言蜚语的传播速度令人惊讶。看来贵族们确实都很闲。

不过，这次我特意去了人多的剧院，叫了她的名字，表现得很亲密，就是为了让陛下也能听到关于我和Grace的关系。

我和Grace的组合似乎出乎所有人的意料，据Boris说，这是今年最热门的八卦。

"So? What do you think?"

"…I almost lost faith in women."

"Haha, what kind of date was it?"

Laughing out loud, Boris said, "I'm glad I came to hear this," and took a sip from his teacup.

"Miss Grace apparently had a different aura. She was quite the talk among the men."

"It wasn't just the aura. Everything about her was different."

The Grace from the other day was completely different from the Grace Centsberry everyone, including myself, knew.

"I tried to get closer to your tastes, so I wore unfamiliar clothes and got nervous."

She appeared in an outfit completely opposite to her usual flashy style and said this with a shy smile.

"I've never heard of her changing her appearance to suit a man before. Of course, she was cute, right?"

"…I guess so."

"You're not being honest. No man dislikes that face."

Grace is said to be one of the most beautiful women in the country. If she dressed to appeal to everyone, it's natural that she would attract attention.

Even so, the moment I called her name and people realized she was Grace Centsberry, negative comments about her started to come from all around. Of course, she must have heard them too, but Grace remained calm and smiled.

I thought she would at least complain, but her composed attitude surprised me. I even wondered if she was feeling unwell.

"Miss Grace, this seat offers a better view."

"Yes, that's true. Then, I'll let you sit there, and I'll sit here."

Despite saying she had always admired me, she sat in a place that seemed to avoid me. I couldn't understand what she was thinking. Was it some kind of game?

And as a marquise's daughter, Grace, who must have been familiar with opera since childhood, looked as if she was seeing it for the first time.

"Wow... amazing...!"

Honestly, as someone who has no interest in romance, I found it cliché and uninteresting.

Throughout the performance, she never looked at me, and her expressions ranged from crying to laughing.

Even at the café, Grace maintained her different attitude, hesitating even to order a cake set.

"Wow... it's so delicious! It's fluffy yet crispy... wow, it's so good..."

If she wanted, she could easily get the entire shop.

Despite this, I couldn't help but be captivated by her genuine appreciation for each bite. If it was all an act, she could have become the best actress in the country.

"Wow, she was that different. Was it a technique to win over men? What happened after that?"

"…I made her cry."

"Huh?"

"I mean, I made her cry."

On the way back, when the carriage stopped suddenly and our bodies collided, she didn't complain at all.

Moreover, when she rushed out to check on a child, I began to doubt if she was really Grace Centsberry.

Could she even act so convincingly in a moment of instinct? Just as I was thinking this,

"A, eh... d-did you see...!?"

I found a strange piece of paper among the contents of Grace's bag. It read, "10 Goals to Get Closer to Zain-sama."

Written in a woman's handwriting were goals like "be called by my name" and "hold hands," while the latter part, clearly written in a man's handwriting, included "kiss" and "be pinned down."

I immediately realized I was being toyed with. There was no way the real Grace would do such a thing.

In the end, Grace is this kind of person, and she must be playing with me for some bet or game.

So, I decided to test her by giving her what she wanted and making her stop her silly act.

"– Do you want to do this with me?"

Pushing her against the wall and whispering in her ear, she instantly turned red. Her body stiffened, and she quickly averted her eyes, looking flustered.

Feeling frustrated by her unwavering act, I touched her small face and brought my face close enough for our lips to almost touch.

Large, teardrop-shaped droplets overflowed from her big, sky-blue eyes framed by long lashes.

"…u…s-sorry…"

Her completely unexpected reaction left me surprised. Seeing her like a naive girl, a sense of guilt welled up inside me.

After that, she said a polite thank you through her tears and hurriedly got out of the carriage.

– For Grace, who repeatedly plays with men, that must not have been a big deal.

Even though I knew this, her crying face wouldn't leave my mind, and a lingering sense of guilt followed me.

"Is that really Grace Centsberry? I can't believe you mistook her for someone else."

"…I can't understand what she wants at all."

"Ah, maybe she really likes you."

"Stop saying nonsense."

Still, I was troubled by whether I should apologize for touching her without permission. Just then, Mariabel peeked in from the door of the hall.

"Oh, it's you, Lord Boris!"

"It's been a while. You look as lovely as an angel today."

"Hehe, you're so good at compliments."

Mariabel, looking cheerful, came to my side with a pink envelope in her hand. She then looked up at me with a somewhat uneasy expression.

"Um, big brother. I actually have a favor to ask."

"What is it?"

"I want to invite Miss Grace to a tea party. I've written a letter. Can I send it?"

At that moment, Boris coughed from the corner of my vision.

Mariabel has apparently admired Grace since that day. It was the first time she had tried to approach anyone other than me and Boris since losing her parents.

I don't want Mariabel to get close to Grace, who is no longer a villain but an enigma.

"I was so nervous that I rewrote it many times. I hope you can read it... hehe."

Despite her carefree smile, I couldn't refuse. If I supervise on the day, there shouldn't be any problems.

"Hey, Mariabel. Can I join that day?"

"Of course! A tea party with big brother, Miss Grace, and Lord Boris would be wonderful. I need to prepare well!"

While Boris, who was clearly amused, and Mariabel, who was excited, were in high spirits, I felt a heavy heart.

However, after what happened, I expected her to refuse, but the next day, I received a reply saying, "I would be delighted to attend."

"…What does she really want?"

In the end, her crying face wouldn't leave my mind.