Chapter – 27
I narrowed my eyes and spoke firmly.
“Is there any chance someone could catch us?”
“I’ll just behave and quietly look around the garden. Okay? Are you worried about rumors? But look at me, ma’am. Who would think someone dressed like this is my companion?”
I glanced him up and down at his words.
Indeed, it seemed the gods had given him everything—except a sense of fashion. He wore rags that looked more suitable for a stable hand than a partner at a noble’s side.
“C’mon, ma’am. Just once!”
Blake’s urging made me hesitate briefly.
I had no real reason to grant the favor of a man who was merely my business partner.
Of course, our meeting wasn’t exactly secretive enough to worry about being seen by others.
But it was certainly enough to spark misunderstanding.
If Cidreon caught sight of us…
‘No, maybe it’s fine?’
If I used the excuse that I had a lover, at least it would somewhat justify the grounds for divorce.
‘Yeah… that could work.’
I cleared my throat lightly and told Blake,
“Just be careful, though.”
“Of course.”
A flush of excitement spread across Blake’s face.
I felt a quiet sense of satisfaction, too, even if it was incidental.
Blake sprang to his feet with glee.
“Then, shall we take a stroll through the garden? I want to hear things about your husband I couldn’t catch through the communicator.”
A small smile tugged at my lips.
Who am I kidding?
I was the one who had been looking forward to this the most.
‘Blake’s the perfect target for teasing Cidreon.’
Mary hadn’t dared cheerfully back me up, probably out of fear of the fallout.
“You really need to be careful,” I reminded Blake as he walked ahead with his hands clasped behind his head.
He shot me a smug smile.
“What do you take me for? I’m Blake, remember?”
Yeah, yeah. You’re Blake.
Flawless and capable.
“See! The grand duke’s garden really is a sightseeing spot! It’s such a shame they keep a place like this hidden, isn’t it?”
Following Blake’s admiring gaze, I nodded as we walked.
He wasn’t wrong.
This vast garden was filled with countless beautiful flowers.
Whenever I felt down, absurdly enough, the flowers seemed to comfort me.
In a place where there weren’t many things to hold onto, this garden was one of my favorites.
If it were open to more people… hmm…
‘It would probably be ruined.’
“But, you know, ma’am…”
As I bent to pluck a flower, Blake took it from me.
I looked up to see him spinning the stem between his fingers with a mischievous smirk.
Then, his playful expression faded slightly, and he asked seriously,
“I really don’t get it. Why are you getting a divorce?”
My slightly parted lips snapped shut.
It wasn’t a question I wanted to answer.
I tried to dodge it, but when our eyes met through his silver hair, I found I couldn’t look away.
Blake continued in his calm, gentle voice.
“You have a handsome husband returned in glory. Power and honor second only to the emperor, wealth… You have everything anyone could want. And yet you want to throw it all away and wade into the mud? That’s strange.”
Is he a romantic chasing after love?
He asked in a low, quiet voice.
“That’s…”
“I’ve known you for seven years. I’m just genuinely curious. I’ll keep it a secret, I promise. Okay?”
Blake extended his pinky as if to seal the promise.
I reached out slowly, almost hypnotized.
But at the last moment, I snapped out of it, shook my head, and stepped back.
‘What was that just now?’
“Ma’am?”
Blake looked at me, puzzled.
“Oh, nothing. I told you, I just haven’t adjusted to life here. It feels suffocating, like wearing clothes that don’t fit.”
“Is that really all?”
“What else could there be?”
“Hmmm, I see…”
“Yes.”
I answered nonchalantly and turned away from Blake.
Yet my hand trembled faintly.
‘What was I about to do?’
Had Blake tried something? I glanced at him, and he just grinned, shrugging his shoulders.
“I was just curious. It seemed a little odd that you’d run away for such a simple reason. Or maybe… there’s another reason?”
One question might be fine, but the continued probing made my expression stiffen.
“There isn’t. Even if there were, it wouldn’t concern you.”
“Right, right. Sorry if I made you uncomfortable.”
Blake handed me the flower he’d picked.
A pleasant fragrance wafted into my nose.
“This is a gift.”
Watching him wink playfully, I couldn’t help but chuckle.
‘Who just plucks someone else’s garden flowers and acts this confident?’
Anyone watching would probably think this was Blake’s estate.
Despite the absurdity of the situation, his brazen attitude kept tugging a smile onto my lips.
I studied Blake for a moment.
He had always behaved rudely, yet somehow always stayed just on the right side of the line.
Blake was perceptive.
Or more accurately, he skillfully walked the fine line without crossing it.
‘It’s a little unsettling, though.’
The scent of the flower seemed to soothe my lingering unease.
After a brief silence, we continued our stroll.
‘Not much longer now.’
The days I would spend here.
Thinking about leaving the place I had lived for seven years made my heart flutter.
A mix of relief and emptiness.
Then Blake broke the silence.
“Have you talked to the grand duke?”
It had to be about the divorce papers.
Talk… I had tried…
“Haah.”
“Why? You didn’t?”
“No, I did. I did, but… well, there wasn’t much progress.”
I had brought up the topic, even the words “let’s divorce,” twice.
But both times, it was brushed off lightly.
At first, I thought he was just exhausted from the war, but after seeing Cidreon’s earlier reaction, I wasn’t so sure.
‘Why is this happening? Did I rush too much…?’
“Ma’am?”
I stopped dead in my tracks, and Blake called after me.
But I couldn’t answer.
‘Cidreon?!’
Our eyes met just as he was walking this way.
My heart pounded loudly in my ears.
Y-you’re… why here?
Cidreon’s gaze, suspicious, shifted past me…
To Blake.
‘Ah, no. Stay calm, Lilia.’
I was confident. I had done nothing wrong.
At this point, if Cidreon misunderstood, it might actually work in my favor.
Coincidentally, Blake shuffled forward and bowed slightly.
“Uh… hello?”
A tense silence stretched.
Cidreon’s gaze didn’t leave Blake.
‘Just… look at me.’
Cidreon frowned sharply.
“I didn’t know you had such a young man around.”
“Oh, it must not have seemed important enough to mention.”
“I don’t like it.”
“Huh?”
“No matter how much of a merchant he is, it doesn’t look good for the grand duchess to be meeting a young man often. If he’s a merchant, I can find a better one, so send this one away.”
Having said his piece, Cidreon turned as if satisfied.
“W-wait—”
“There’s no merchant better than me, though, right?”
Blake grinned and began walking toward Cidreon.
Is he insane?
I whispered urgently, just loud enough for Blake to hear,
“Hey, you’ll really die if you keep that up!”
“It’s fine, ma’am. I’m used to dealing with high-ranking people.”
For now, we seemed to have succeeded in drawing attention, as Cidreon stopped and turned his head.
“What do you mean by that?”
“Even so, I’m a fairly successful merchant in the capital. You barely managed to meet me, ma’am, so most merchants wouldn’t—”
Whoosh!
A sound cut through the air, and several strands of Blake’s silver hair floated in the breeze.
