Chapter 10
My heart pounded uneasily.
But that was all.
It was simply because his voice sounded so much like the voice that had once pleaded with me so desperately.
In my previous life…
I had been hopelessly in love with him.
He had seemed just as deeply in love with me.
Even when one of us made an unreasonable request, the other would always try to fulfill it somehow.
Granting each other’s wishes—
We believed that was proof of our love.
Never realizing…
Those very things were slowly wearing our love away.
That was why I disliked hearing him speak in that pleading tone.
Because I feared I would once again be captivated…
By his voice.
Or by my lingering feelings for him.
And then…
I’d end up giving him anything he asked for.
“Please… Rose. I’m begging you. Please don’t ever give me another reason to doubt you.”
Those words remained vivid in my memory.
Words the current Asierad could never possibly remember.
After hearing the filthy rumors surrounding the Crown Prince and me…
He had looked utterly devastated as he said them.
With an expression painful enough to break anyone’s heart…
With a voice so full of sorrow…
He begged me not to return to the Imperial Palace.
After that…
I repeatedly declined Princess Delphina’s invitations, making one flimsy excuse after another.
The outcome…
As I already knew…
Had been nothing short of disastrous.
Perhaps that was why I was so frightened now.
Because I knew the man who had once held onto me with such heartbreaking desperation.
Because hearing him quietly say he wanted to see me again…
Made my heart tremble.
Without turning around, I forced myself to answer calmly.
“Is there still something you wish to say to me, Your Grace?”
“There are always countless things I wish to say.”
“I spent the entire night wondering which words I should speak first when I saw you again.”
“…I see.”
“I knew you would be reluctant to meet me.”
“So I had no choice but to resort to a more indirect method.”
“If it wouldn’t inconvenience you…”
“Would you spare me a little time after dinner?”
“I’m sorry, Your Grace.”
“I brought quite a bit of work with me from the North.”
“I’m afraid I won’t have the time.”
“I’ll need to leave immediately after dinner.”
His request was gentle.
Careful.
Filled with quiet longing.
Even so…
I rejected him without hesitation.
I had no idea what he wanted to say.
But instinct warned me—
Remaining with today’s Asierad for too long was dangerous.
“I’m grateful that you helped save me yesterday.”
“I’ve prepared a gift for you to take when you leave.”
“I only hope you’ll like it.”
I spoke even more firmly this time.
That…
Was the limit of what I could allow him.
I could feel his gaze resting on my back.
It weighed heavily on me.
Still…
I never looked back.
I led him all the way to the dining room.
“Aunt?”
“They’re waiting inside.”
When we reached the door, I saw the head butler, Randel, standing there.
The sight brought me such relief that I nearly sighed aloud.
Knowing Aunt and Uncle were already waiting inside…
I quickly stepped into the dining room.
Asierad followed a moment later.
“Oh, you’ve arrived.”
My uncle stood immediately, smiling brightly as he welcomed him.
Had he truly been that grateful for Asierad’s help yesterday?
The warmth in his greeting reminded me so much of my previous life…
When Asierad had been his nephew-in-law.
For some reason…
That only made me more uneasy.
I quietly took my seat while watching Aunt and Uncle welcome him.
“Thank you for inviting me.”
“Please, don’t say that.”
“My wife and I feel embarrassed serving such a modest meal to the man who helped our niece.”
“A modest meal?”
“I was already delighted that you invited me on such short notice.”
From my seat…
I silently watched the three of them settle down.
Ever since realizing I had returned to the past…
Every day of this new life had felt unfamiliar.
Yet nothing was stranger…
Than the man I loved.
To see Asierad behaving with such easy humility…
It was almost unbelievable.
Of course…
It wasn’t that he had ever been rude.
He had always been impeccably polite.
But there was a difference.
He wasn’t the sort of man who casually showered strangers with kindness or pleasant words.
He certainly wasn’t someone who would openly express goodwill toward people he had only just met.
Yesterday…
Today…
Is this really the Asierad I knew?
Unable to shake the strange feeling, I watched them.
After taking his seat, Asierad glanced around before speaking to my uncle.
“By the way…”
“Will Count Mason not be joining us today?”
My uncle laughed awkwardly.
After hearing what had happened yesterday…
Father’s very first question to me hadn’t been whether I was alright.
He had asked whether the Crown Prince was unharmed.
Then he criticized the way I had behaved toward a member of the Imperial Family.
Not once…
Did he ask how frightened I had been.
Nor whether Aunt or Uncle had suffered any consequences because of me.
Even today…
Upon hearing Duke Fontaine would be visiting…
His only concern had been warning me not to get close to him.
No doubt…
He had gone running to flatter the Crown Prince again.
Whenever the Five Great Noble Families weren’t holding a council…
Father spent most of his time in the capital building connections or seeking advice for businesses he intended to expand in the North.
And if the Crown Prince happened to be at the center of those connections…
All the better.
That was probably why he looked for every excuse to visit him.
I inclined my head politely toward Asierad.
“My father already had another engagement today.”
“He asked me to convey his gratitude to you in his place.”
“I see.”
“What a shame.”
“I had hoped to become acquainted with Count Mason as well.”
“Haha.”
“Then next time I’ll arrange a proper gathering with the Count present.”
“I hope you won’t be disappointed.”
“Disappointed?”
“Not at all.”
“I was the one who unexpectedly asked for this dinner.”
“I’m simply grateful for such a warm welcome.”
Good-natured laughter filled the dining room.
It suited my uncle perfectly.
But Asierad…
Why was he acting like this?
Unable to join their cheerful conversation…
I quietly lowered my gaze.
Still…
I only needed to endure this evening.
Even though something inside my chest felt painfully strained…
It was bearable.
Silently…
I continued eating while the three of them chatted happily.
Yes.
Everything was manageable…
Until then.
“So…”
“You’re familiar with Othello, Your Grace?”
“Young people these days hardly know that game.”
“My grandfather raised me.”
“I played it with him a few times.”
“I only remember the basic rules.”
“Othello is a simple game.”
“The basic rules are enough.”
“But still…”
“I’m surprised.”
“I never expected anyone your age to know such an old game.”
“I was just as surprised.”
“I thought it had only been popular during my grandfather’s generation.”
“Not at all.”
“Chess may have overshadowed it these days…”
“But when I was young, I often played it with my parents.”
The problem…
Was that the two of them got along far better than I had ever expected.
During dinner…
Asierad casually mentioned that he had recently become interested in Othello.
And my uncle—
Who would leap out of bed at the mere mention of the game—
Immediately joined the conversation.
No…
Since when did Asierad know anything besides sparring with knights?
Where had Othello suddenly come from?
“My husband actually prefers Othello over chess.”
“I only know the rules, so I’ve never been much of an opponent.”
“This works out perfectly.”
“If you don’t mind…”
“Why don’t the two of you play a match after dinner?”
“Is that alright?”
“If the Marquis doesn’t mind…”
“I’d love to learn from you.”
“Hahaha!”
“I should be the one learning from Your Grace!”
“Surely not.”
My aunt eagerly encouraged the idea.
And Asierad accepted without the slightest hesitation.
What in the world…
Was happening?
✦ ✦ ✦
“Eloise.”
“You should come too.”
After somehow maintaining a composed expression throughout dinner…
I quietly tried to return to my room.
A man who had never shown the slightest interest in noble games was suddenly acting like this.
Everything felt so strange.
More than anything…
I needed time alone to organize my thoughts.
So I quietly tried to leave.
But…
Just as Aunt appeared to be following the two men…
She suddenly turned around and approached me.
She wanted me to come watch them play.
“…Me?”
“Who else would I be talking to?”
She blinked as though the answer were obvious.
Well…
She wasn’t wrong.
“I don’t think there’s any reason for me to be there, Aunt.”
“Does a hostess need a reason to entertain her guest?”
“Besides…”
“He helped you, not me.”
“So naturally, you should be the one to accompany him.”
“But Aunt…”
“I think I’ve already done everything I needed to.”
Why…
Why did she keep…
Pushing me toward him?
Of course…
She had no idea I was avoiding Asierad.
To anyone else…
There was absolutely no reason I should avoid him.
“Whether you’ve done enough or not is beside the point.”
“He’s someone worth getting to know.”
“There’s no need to keep drawing such a firm line.”
“You only need to exchange a few words.”
“Is there really any reason to avoid him so much?”
She wasn’t wrong.
After all…
He was one of the Five Great Noble Families.
And once I inherited the Mason title…
We would inevitably meet regularly in the capital.
Everything she said made perfect sense.
Except…
That only applied if we were ordinary nobles.
If Asierad and I truly had no history between us.
I firmly shook my head.
“I’ll get to know him after I inherit my title.”
“There’ll be plenty of time afterward.”
That should have been a perfectly reasonable explanation.
Surely…
She would understand now.
Just as that thought crossed my mind—
“Hah.”
A quiet scoff escaped her lips.
Small.
Yet filled with unmistakable disbelief.
She looked at me as though I had said something utterly ridiculous.
“Don’t tell me…”
“You actually believe your father intends to give you the title?”
“…What?”
“Is that why you rejected Duke Fontaine?”
“Because you think you’ll inherit the title anyway?”
“…Aunt.”
“Hah…”
“What exactly do you mean?”
She was almost laughing at me now.
The same aunt who had always criticized me for being naïve…
For failing to understand people…
Smiled faintly.
Then looked directly into my eyes.
“Eloise.”
“I told you before, didn’t I?”
“Be wary of your father.”
A bitter laugh escaped her.
“As much as it pains me to say it…”
“He is still my brother.”
Then…
The warmth vanished from her eyes.
She looked at me with chilling seriousness.
And quietly said—
“Eloise.”
“Your grandfather originally chose me to become his successor.”
Her words struck me like a bolt from the heavens.
