Chapter 23

"……Could it be that he likes me?"

Today, as I faced the letter and numerous gifts sent by Lord Zain, I tilted my head in confusion.

At first, I thought he was dating me out of a sense of duty, as a thank you for saving Mariabel, but... it seems to go beyond that.

"But he's never said he likes me, right?"

Evan, who was sitting next to me and elegantly sipping tea, tilted his head and said, "That's true, but... all of his gestures are so refined. I often keep him company because drinking tea alone can be lonely."

"Indeed, but... he calls me cute and, well, he's hugged me."

"Cute is something men can say to anyone. In fact, they might be more likely to touch someone they're not serious about. It's too early to let your guard down."

"Huh... touch...?"

"Conversely, it might be easier to say casually if they don't really think about it. At least, that's how I am."

I flinched at Evan's sudden adult demeanor. Seeing my reaction, Evan continued, "But, you are cute. It's fine."

"Do you remember what you said thirty seconds ago?"

Still, Evan might be right. As someone with no experience with men, I might be making an embarrassing mistake.

Lord Zain, after being harshly rejected by Grace, will be known as the cold-hearted duke.

So, while I knew he wasn't in full cold mode yet, his kindness and sweetness were beyond what I had imagined, and I had accidentally misinterpreted it.

I decided that I shouldn't let my guard down and needed to take the initiative. With that in mind, I decided to ask about something that had been bothering me.

"So, who is he? The handsome young man over there."

Indeed, there was an unfamiliar handsome young man sitting at the table. With his black hair and black eyes, he gave me a nostalgic feeling.

And for some reason, he was tied to a chair and had a gag in his mouth. The situation was so outrageous that I couldn't bring myself to address it.

"I've been noticing him loitering around you recently, so I thought he was suspicious and caught him. Also, I noticed that the number of people at teatime was low, so I decided to bring him here."

"That's scary."

"Don't worry, if he makes any suspicious moves, I'll kill him in a second. Besides, I have a good eye for people."

"That's not what's scary."

Evan, who is undoubtedly a psychopath, said something completely unbelievable with a smile and then removed the gag from the handsome young man.

"Why am I... ugh, kill me!"

Despite his violent words, his voice was pleasant. He seemed to be a bit younger than Grace. Still, I hadn't noticed him loitering around at all.

"Why didn't I notice you? That's strange."

"I'm a great wind mage, so I can hear sounds that normal humans can't with the help of the wind."

"Why were you loitering around me?"

"…I have no intention of telling you. Just kill me quickly."

"Maybe he's a fan? We've had stalkers before who claimed they were watching over you."

"Huh."

The handsome young man's face turned red, and his eyebrows furrowed, as if he was genuinely angry. Perhaps he was blushing because it hit a nerve. With Grace's beauty, it's understandable to have troublesome fans.

"Besides, he definitely didn't have any murderous intent, so it's fine."

"Could it be that you like my sister?"

"I hate women who seem stupid like you."

"Ah, you think I'm... stupid..."

Grace's appearance is dignified, and I was shocked to think that it might be due to me. Evan, who rarely shows anger, looked genuinely upset.

"You...! There are things you can say and things you can't, even if you think them!"

"Hey."

That's the most disrespectful. If only Yana, who usually provides the proper reactions, were here... but she is currently on vacation.

Now, I am being taken care of by a new Sakura, Patty. She is timid but a very good girl.

"Patty, please serve tea to the handsome young man too."

"Y-Yes, I will."

"What the hell are you people doing! Either let me go or kill me!"

I decided to serve him tea, and he drank it obediently, muttering something like a defeated dog before leaving.

After that, he continued to loiter around me, and Evan would catch him, forcing him to attend the tea party.