Chapter 66

Tap, tap, tap, as if stepping in rhythm, the girl walked lightly down the dim corridor of the Clive Viscount's mansion.

A young man with black hair, who had been watching her from a little behind, softened his obsidian-like eyes.

"Miss Charlotte, you seem to be in a good mood."

"Hehe, of course, I'm happy. I got to touch Lord Zain so much, and he called me by my name for the first time."

Swinging the skirt of her dress, Charlotte turned around, her expression that of a girl in love. The young man smiled, and watched her as she covered both cheeks with her hands.

"But, Miss Clive is so formal. I wish he would call me Charlotte."

"Why don't you ask him to do so the next time you meet?"

"No, Lord Zain doesn't like it when women come on too strong. I have to be careful."

Swinging her bright chestnut hair, Charlotte resumed her walk.

"Ah, Grace has it easy. Thanks to Mariabel being killed in such a mess, she can get closer to Lord Zain. ...But it's strange that she's still alive. Did something go wrong there?"

Putting her index finger to her lips, Charlotte tilted her head.

"Lord Zain should have closed his heart after Mariabel's death and being abandoned by Grace, but he's so gentle, it seems like a lie that he was called the Cold Duke."

Charlotte let out a deep sigh and stopped walking, turning her gaze to the young man.

"Hey, Isaac. I'm tired. Can you carry me to my room?"

She issued this command as if it were the most natural thing in the world, as if she were asking him to carry a small bag. Isaac smiled gently.

"As you wish."

He approached Charlotte, gently placed his hands around her slender body as if touching a treasure, and lifted her with practiced ease.

She, in turn, wrapped her arms around Isaac's neck without hesitation, leaning into him naturally.

"In novels, by now we should have had a chance to have tea together, but it's not going well at all."

"Perhaps it's due to Grace Sentsberry?"

"Probably. They haven't separated yet, and everything is strange. They were supposed to break up on the day of the ball celebrating the engagement of the second princess, but they didn't."

She lowered her eyes, as if truly sympathizing and pitying.

"Poor Lord Zain is just being brainwashed by Grace. I need to free him from it quickly."

"If Grace Sentsberry were gone, would Miss Charlotte's heart be at ease?"

"Indeed, it would be easier if that were the case... But I don't hate Grace. After all, it's because of villains like her that the heroine, me, can shine."

Reaching out to the moon floating in the night sky through the window, she clenched her hand as if trying to grasp it.

Isaac looked at her with a passionate gaze.

"I will make you shine more than anyone else."

"Thank you. But you mustn't do anything bad."

"–Yes. I will make everything work out."

"Hehe, Isaac is such a good boy. You're willing to do anything for me."

Stroking his lustrous black hair as if praising a child, Charlotte smiled contentedly.