Chapter : 08
“The wager is to see whether the misfortune you fear will occur, or if the day will pass safely.”
“……That’s an absurd bet. So, Evan, which side are you on?”
“Of course, I’m on the latter. But could it be that you, Lily, want to bet on the former?”
He knew too well that such a naive girl could never have such a cunning thought.
Yet Ersivan seemed determined to see her composed face turn into a look of confusion.
Soon, he noticed her fair skin flush crimson, and a secret smile tugged at his lips.
“……If we both choose the same side, the bet won’t even exist.”
“Do not worry about that. No matter which side you choose, Lily will ultimately benefit.”
Now, what would her reaction be this time?
Boldly predicting, she would probably blink in surprise and ask again.
“Eh?”
He had never been wrong before.
Ersivan stifled a laugh, barely covering it with a cough.
“What I mean is, whether you choose the former or the latter, you will gain something. So there’s no need to worry about the outcome or process.”
“Gain something? What would I get from winning a bet?”
“I will grant you a single wish.”
A wish, out of nowhere?
The vague reward made her hesitate for a moment, but then she began to imagine possibilities.
“……Any wish, really?”
“Yes. Anything I can fulfill.”
“So no matter what I wish for, you’ll grant it, without exception?”
“Well, except assassination requests or acts of terror.”
“I assure you, my wish will be far less extreme than that.”
“In that case, it’s only right I fulfill it. I swear it to you.”
Ersivan Valencia was a true knight.
To a knight, a vow was like a lifeline. He would not risk dishonor just to back out of a bet with Diana.
“Alright. I accept the bet.”
It seemed like a good move—something to use in case a contract failed or in emergencies, to buy a little time.
Diana wasted no time and grabbed the rope he tossed.
Still, one thing bothered her……
“Come to think of it, Evan gains nothing from this bet. Why propose it if it only brings you loss?”
“Well…….”
Ersivan stared at Diana, lost in thought.
The truth was, there was no special reason. It was just a small amusement.
A fleeting moment of joy in a dull routine felt more precious than any treasure.
“Games are the best way to build rapport.”
“Rapport……?”
“Today will be a perfect chance to grow closer to you, so it cannot be considered a loss.”
Yet if he said it plainly, she would surely panic and run.
Ersivan added just enough explanation to make the reasoning sound proper.
“……I see.”
Suspicious as it seemed, she decided not to press further.
The long conversation had made her tired. Eventually, she dozed off, ignoring manners.
“Shall we head to bed, then?”
Ersivan’s suggestion felt unexpectedly sweet. Diana nodded eagerly.
She saw correctly—a single bed wide enough for several people lay in front of her.
Yet as she tried to lie down, tension returned. Hesitating and wasting time, she noticed a sweet scent close by.
“Will you back out of the bet?”
“…….”
“If you do, I’ll gladly let you go.”
Earlier, he had been eager not to let her go, and now he was offering so easily.
Was he fickle, or just skilled at handling people?
Her momentary hesitation vanished with a surge of stubbornness.
“No. But you must absolutely keep your promise.”
“I swear it on the name of Valencia.”
After speaking, Ersivan gently pulled her fingertips closer. Then, his lower lip pressed lightly against her hand.
Reading his intention, Diana sharply turned her head away.
“……You didn’t have to make it so grand.”
“I just wanted to ease your doubts.”
He even promised to write it officially if needed.
Finding that too cumbersome, they finally agreed by linking pinkies as a seal of promise.
With all matters settled, Diana finally let herself sink into the bed.
The sheets and blanket, worth their price, felt already warm and inviting, lulling her toward sleep.
Ersivan did not lie down immediately. Instead, he lit a scented candle beside her.
“You seem to like this scent.”
Diana inhaled, recognizing the floral fragrance she had smelled during a shower before.
“Someone recommended it long ago, and I’ve liked it ever since.”
“You have a keen sense. You recognized my taste instantly.”
“That sounds like you’re calling my taste picky.”
“Even so, you are a Duchess, after all.”
“I suppose that makes it easier to relax a little.”
Ersivan now lay beside her. The laughter from nearby sounded strangely new to her.
“He even prepared a bet to build rapport—I should open my heart too.”
Diana, stealing glances at him, suddenly withdrew when their eyes met.
Like a thief caught stealing a fish.
Yet she felt his intense gaze from beside her. Unlike her, he paid no mind to her embarrassment and continued watching.
“……Why are you staring like that?”
“Just… I think it’s time to sleep. Good night, Lily.”
“……Good night, Evan.”
Silence came over the room, long and rare.
Afraid of even swallowing too loudly, Diana slowly moved her throat, tense yet tired, but sleep did not come.
She quietly counted sheep until hundreds of them were trapped in fences, finally drifting off.
Diana woke with messy hair, slowly rising from the bed.
She waited a moment, shaking off the remaining drowsiness.
By the time her mind cleared, the man who had slept beside her was gone, leaving her alone.
‘What time is it?’
The silence outside made her alert. She hadn’t overslept on the first day, had she?
She hurried to the window and drew the curtains. The sun shone bright, like champagne-colored drapes.
She had indeed overslept.
‘……You could’ve woken me.’
Diana blamed Ersivan for not being there.
Looking at his neatly made bed, she noticed a note on the table.
「You looked tired, so I didn’t wake you. Ring the bell when you rise. Daisy will help you get ready. Have a pleasant day.
From your peace, Ersivan.」
His elegant handwriting matched his appearance. Even without the name, she could immediately tell it was from him.
Flipping the paper, she found a stamp in deep red—the Valencia crest, matching the color of Ersivan’s eyes.
Though some commoners and rival families disliked the Valencia family’s colors, the crimson emblem looked more beautiful than any red.
Perhaps that’s why, despite wishes to the contrary, the Valencia mansion grew in power, likely to rival even the royal family one day.
“‘From your peace,’ huh……”
The phrasing sounded rather arrogant. Diana chuckled, noticing the last part was written neatly.
She wrote her reply in the remaining space:
「Thank you for your kindness, but a true gentleman never lets a lady greet the morning alone. Still, thanks to you, I can enjoy my day.」
Writing carefully to avoid the stamp, the page soon filled. There was no room for the recipient’s name—like Ersivan, he would know.
‘I hope he’ll recognize it anyway.’
Wanting to write boldly like him, Diana turned the page forward and wrote:
「From your peace, Ersivan.
Subversive Lilian.」
Placed together, the handwriting difference was striking. The size difference reflected their physical differences.
After the ink dried, the writing was perfectly set. Diana loved the note and repeatedly touched it.
“Strangely, he shouldn’t have gone yet.”
She left it on the empty dressing table so he could find it easily.
Next, she stood in front of the mirror, tilting her head. Her hair was messy and uncooperative.
“……No sleep-talking, at least.”
She had always slept quietly, even trained strictly at the Count’s mansion.
“But why…….”
Why did her hair look so wild, as if she had tossed and turned all night?
Golden strands curled strangely, as if someone had tousled it while she slept.
“Was I just too tired yesterday?”
Tying her hair up hid most of the mess.
As she touched her braided golden hair, Diana let go of her worry, thinking nothing serious had happened.
