Chapter 51

After requesting that samples of the furniture designs she liked be delivered to the mansion, Viela was invited by Lukas to a nearby traditional café.

The seat she was led to was a private room on the second floor, where there was no worry of being seen or overheard by others. They sat across from each other at a small round table. As it was close to dinner time, they did not order cake, and Viela only sipped the recommended daily special tea.

"Wow, it's delicious."

The sweet scent of peaches filled her nostrils, but the taste was not overly sweet, with a refreshing mouthfeel. The tension in Viela's body, which had been stiffened by the attention she received at the furniture store, began to ease.

Lukas, sipping the same tea, smiled wryly.

"You seem tired today."

"Being the center of attention makes me nervous. It was tough for a shut-in like me. You, Lord Lukas, are always so composed; you're truly amazing."

"It's just a matter of getting used to it. Since my face is known, I get attention wherever I go in the palace, and people look at me boldly... though there was one exception, it seems."

"Ah!"

Struck at a sore point, Viela almost spat out her tea. She recalled the night of their first meeting, when she had done something outrageous to the country's hero. Lukas was not only born into a prestigious family but also held a position of overwhelming status.

In a drunken state, she had proposed to him. It would have been understandable if he had been angry at her rudeness. She had been saved by his kindness and broad-mindedness.

"At that time, I was terribly rude. You are a god, Lord Lukas."

"Too dramatic. You were a type of young lady I had never encountered before, and I found you quite interesting and enjoyed myself."

"Ah, so I'm the 'interesting woman'! I thought that was just a role in stories."

Lukas had been on her mind, wondering why he had fallen for her, but now the mystery was solved. Recently, he had often called her "cute," which she had found delightful, but it didn't seem like the reason he liked her. However, being called an "interesting woman" made sense. She was confident that no other young lady would drink whiskey straight, complain, and propose in a fit of desperation in front of a handsome nobleman.

Satisfied, Viela nodded.

"You think I'm an interesting woman, so that's why you fell for me, right?"

"Huh? Is there no other charm in you?"

She crossed her arms and thought, but found nothing. She was poor, not beautiful, and her manners were far from ladylike. She was also not fashionable.

Unable to find an answer, the wrinkles between Viela's eyebrows deepened, and Lukas's index finger gently tapped them.

"It's because you're cute."

The answer was unsatisfactory. Usually, she would have blushed, but this time, the wrinkles between her eyebrows wouldn't go away.

Lukas chuckled softly, then slid his finger from her forehead to her cheek. He narrowed his blue-gray eyes and smiled beautifully, his gaze warm and alluring.

"I think both your appearance and personality are incredibly cute."

"---W-what?"

"Your innocent reactions are also incredibly cute."

Buried under a mountain of sugar, Viela felt like she was suffocating. She arched her back to escape the hand on her cheek, her heart pounding painfully.

Being looked at with such intensity and called "cute" by a man for the first time, especially by someone she liked, was overwhelming.

"Would you not take me seriously if I didn't say it this straightforwardly?"

It seemed to be a calculated move, knowing her bluntness as his fiancée.

Viela, aware of her own dullness, couldn't complain outright. The best she could do was...

"Could you tone down the charm a bit? I feel like I might faint, like those young ladies at the furniture store."

"Charm? I wasn't particularly aware of it... but it would be a problem if you fainted."

He seemed genuinely unaware, furrowing his brows in confusion.

"Standard equipment, I see. That face is troublesome."

"Do you dislike my face?"

"On the contrary. Lord Lukas, you are the most handsome person I've ever met. I really like your face. That's why it's a problem when you use it to be charming."

Even famous stage actors wouldn't have a face as handsome as Lukas. When she praised him sincerely, he gave an unexpected reaction.

"I'm glad you like this face."

Lukas, who was used to being told he was handsome, looked down at his teacup, his ears slightly red. He then took a sip of tea, as if to cover his embarrassment.

Viela's heart fluttered at the rare sight of him blushing.

(Lord Lukas... is so cute! So incredibly cute. Now I understand the urge to hug someone you find cute.)

She now understood why Lukas often pulled her close, hugging her shoulders and waist, and insisted on hugging her upon returning from expeditions.

Still, she didn't know what made her cute.

(Someday, I'll hug Lord Lukas. And even if it's embarrassing, I'll try not to run away when he hugs me.)

Viela resolved this as she sipped the remaining tea. The sky outside the window was changing from orange to indigo.

"Shall we go, Viela?"

Lukas stood up and offered his palm. When she placed her hand on it, his large hand enveloped hers. The closeness was more intimate than an escort on the elbow, and Viela couldn't help but smile.

"What's wrong?"

"Shopping together, having tea, and holding hands on the way home—though I'm tired, it felt like a date and was fun."

"I intended it to be a date. Next time, let's have a pure date without any plans."

"Yes! But, Lord Lukas, can you blend in?"

In the palace and this high-end shopping district, people immediately noticed Lukas and paid attention. If they were recognized, Viela would be nervous, and Lukas wouldn't be able to enjoy himself.

"Of course, I'll disguise myself. A wig, glasses, and plain clothes should do the trick... I think."

"I'd like to see you with glasses. I remember there's a magical technique that changes the color of glass depending on the side. I'll look into whether it can be applied to glasses to change the color of your eyes."

"Interesting. Can you do it?"

"Yes!"

They held hands as they got into the carriage, discussing the disguise while heading back to the mansion. When they returned, the furniture store had already delivered the wood samples and catalogs. After dinner, they reported the day's plan to Duke and Duchess Ambroise in the salon and looked at the catalogs together.

Suddenly, Duchess Hermine stopped flipping through the pages.

"You've been busy preparing for your new life, but... Viela, have you given Lukas a reward?"

"A reward...?"

"Hmm, remember our bet in the salon? I want to know the result."

"Ah!"

Viela remembered the bet she had with Hermine the night before her expedition. The bet was that if she kissed Lukas as a reward for his efforts, and he was happy about it, Hermine would win. If he was unhappy, Viela would win.

With her mind preoccupied, she had forgotten to report the result.

"Hermine won."

"Hmm, I thought so."

Viela hung her head in defeat, while Hermine clasped her hands in joy. Duke Ambroise, Victor, chuckled and sipped his brandy.

However, one person was still in the dark.

"My reward and a win or loss?"

"Oh, you didn't know, Lukas? Well, you see—"

After hearing the explanation from his mother, Lukas said, "Hmm," and gave Viela a sly smile.

A chill ran down Viela's spine.

"Lord Lukas, are you angry?"

"I'm not angry. I was happy that you liked me enough to kiss me, but it was a bit disappointing that it wasn't spontaneous."

His gaze was cold, but something was burning in his eyes. Despite the fear, she couldn't look away. Viela trembled and apologized.

"I'm sorry."

"I'm not angry. I'm just thinking about what wish you'll grant me."

The loser had to fulfill the winner's wish as a penalty for misreading Lukas's feelings. She was scared to hear what his wish would be, but she had to keep her promise.

"What do you want me to do?"

"I'll keep it on hold. I'll use it when it's most effective. It's okay to choose the timing, right?"

In other words, he had no intention of making a trivial wish.

But the loser couldn't run away. Viela nodded reluctantly, and Lukas smiled innocently.

"I'm looking forward to it."