Chapter: 20
The low, soft voice of Diarmuid carried an astonishing impact.
The employees, staring blankly at him, blushed and either lowered their heads or pretended to be busy elsewhere.
Even Lisitea, who had intentionally thrown herself into his arms, instinctively pulled away slightly, as if a shiver ran through her.
Muttering the words she had prepared in advance under her breath, she looked up at him and smiled as brightly as possible.
“I’ve missed you, Your Highness.”
The Aster Marquis’s employees, seeing Lisitea smile like they had never seen before, exchanged incredulous glances.
‘Miss Lisitea smiled?’
‘Not a smirk… she just smiled? Happily? She didn’t hit anyone or insult anyone?’
Lisitea smiling brightly—it was as unbelievable as Diarmuid’s unreal beauty.
Ryan, glancing lightly over the confused employees, carefully observed Lisitea, half in Diarmuid’s embrace.
He was there to carry out his mother Bernadette Diltin’s order to gather some information while accompanying the future Grand Duchess.
Lisitea Lowen Aster.
Unlike Diarmuid, she wasn’t a recluse, but compared to her fame, very little was known about her.
She had little interest in socializing, rarely showed up unless necessary, and only spoke with a very limited number of people.
‘Still, her presence was remarkable.’
Though no one dared approach her due to her cold expression and formidable reputation, whenever she attended a banquet, people couldn’t help but steal glances.
Her piercing eyes, black hair, and golden eyes—an unusual contrast like a sun in the night sky.
Coupled with her imposing aura, she naturally drew attention wherever she went.
Of course, there were those who tried to approach her.
But such attempts were quickly dealt with.
Everyone had witnessed Lisitea slam a man who flirted with her to the floor, force a quarrelsome knight to be unable to draw his sword, and verbally devastate a count who insulted her lineage until he cried.
After witnessing such overwhelming punishment, no one dared act recklessly again.
‘The scene where she beat a knight to the point of being incapacitated, just for mocking a one-armed man who couldn’t become a dark magician, was absolutely spectacular.’
I had heard he had quit his knight training, but her skill was so overwhelming that even prominent knights didn’t dare show themselves.
Thanks to her display that day, Ryan had a favorable impression of her, but objectively, Lisitea’s reputation in society was in the gutter.
She had caused incidents like that without any attempt to clean up afterward.
Neither she, her family, nor her fiancé Joel Spencer defended her.
Naturally, her reputation plummeted further.
‘Judging by the employees’ reactions, it seems her reputation wasn’t good even inside the house…’
There were generally two reasons household staff disliked a member of the master family: either they were mistreated, or they were poorly regarded within the family.
‘I’ll find out which one by watching.’
Standing still, Ryan felt the stiffness in his shoulders and arms.
Shaking off the soreness, he glanced sideways at the future Grand Duke and Duchess.
‘But what on earth is His Highness thinking…’
Diarmuid said he just wanted to be with the person he loved, but the servants didn’t believe it.
Their master was not the type to make crucial decisions on a fleeting whim.
They could only guess there must be some private matter he couldn’t yet reveal.
Well, regardless of the reasons, the handsome young man and the beautiful young woman together looked perfectly matched.
Diarmuid leaned down to meet Lisitea’s gaze, lifting his sleeve to gently wipe the sweat from her forehead.
“Did you really run all the way here? Because you wanted to see me?”
Seeing his face, smiling as if overjoyed, Lisitea calmed her excited breathing.
“….”
Even though she knew she had to act suitably and continue the performance, she found herself at a loss for words.
“Drink some water.”
Diarmuid took her hand and pulled her to sit beside him, personally pouring water into a cup and bringing it to her lips.
Lisitea drank quietly as instructed, while wondering if everyone behaved this dramatic when in love.
After she drank enough, he set the cup down and wiped the water from her lips with his finger, locking eyes with her again.
The one most surprised by Diarmuid’s excessive display of affection was Ryan.
‘So it really was true that he had found someone he loved?’
Diarmuid’s kind personality aside, he was extremely fastidious when it came to relationships.
He preferred to handle his situation alone.
Diarmuid never allowed anyone who showed romantic interest to get close to him.
His servants even wondered if he had an aversion to romantic relationships.
And yet here he was, holding her hand, meeting her gaze, looking into her face, and smiling—like a man completely in love.
Ryan’s face grew hot, as if he were peeking at something he shouldn’t.
“Ritsie, how have you been?”
“I’m well… Your Highness.”
“Hm, still calling me Your Highness?”
Diarmuid tilted his head with a dissatisfied tone.
“….”
Lisitea opened her mouth slightly, then lowered her head.
Even if she intended to act as if in love, they had only met twice.
She thought that just running up and hugging him was enough spectacle for today.
Her partner in this act was far too capable—she almost wondered if he had been born to act.
No, what did a mere title matter?
On reflection, it wasn’t difficult at all. She had only been momentarily flustered by an unexpected question.
Muttering his name a few times in her heart, Lisitea braced herself and lifted her head.
As if waiting for that moment, he smiled widely and said,
“Well, I can wait as long as it takes until you’re ready.”
“…Yes.”
Her little act of courage seemed in vain, but the reassurance brought an immediate sigh of relief.
“Answer me just one thing.”
“Anything.”
“Where is your residence?”
At his question, the Aster employees who had been pretending not to watch flinched and drew in their breaths.
Diarmuid’s hand lightly brushed Lisitea’s nape, as if confirming something.
The first thing she noticed when she had run into his arms moments ago was that her body had cooled in the wind.
Although it was spring, the weather still held a chill.
It was clear she had dashed through the outdoor air upon hearing he was coming.
He soon considered another possibility.
Perhaps her residence was not in the main house.
“…Ah, have you been waiting long?”
“Waiting for you? How could it feel long? I’m not asking because waiting is boring. I just had a strange thought.”
Even knowing it was acting, his ongoing attentiveness was sweet.
“What kind of strange thought?”
“That perhaps the eldest daughter of the house was left in seclusion.”
Lisitea blinked slowly and organized her thoughts.
In noble families, allowances, residence locations, banquet sizes, and gift exchanges were all indicators of a member’s status.
Among these, the location of one’s residence was highly sensitive.
Typically, a separate building was for guests, illegitimate children, or mistresses—not direct heirs, especially not the eldest daughter.
Lisitea guessed Diarmuid had deliberately amplified the situation to leverage it to her advantage.
There was no reason to overturn a scenario that favored her.
“I like quiet, so I stay in a separate building. That’s why Your Highness had to wait.”
Lowering her eyes intentionally, Lisitea replied bitterly.
“Staying in a separate building? Really?”
“Yes, but I moved there of my own accord…”
Hearing her voice faintly tinged with sadness, the Marquis’s employees looked at each other in sympathy.
Diarmuid let out a small sigh and carefully took her hand.
“No, Lisitea. This is unjust and abusive. You shouldn’t get used to it. Don’t give up your rights yourself.”
Could this really be considered abuse?
Lisitea realized her assumption was wrong when she saw his serious eyes.
He wasn’t pretending to be angry to escalate the situation for his own gain.
He genuinely thought the treatment she received was unfair and was sincerely worried.
“You are the legitimate eldest daughter of the Aster Marquisate and the future Grand Duchess. No one should treat you like that.”
He nodded reassuringly and rose.
“Where is the Marquis? I must see him immediately.”
Glancing sharply at the employees, he pressed for an answer.
Lisitea, forgetting both her acting and her calculated advantage, stared at Diarmuid.
It felt strange to see someone fighting for her, someone on her side.
Watching her first ally fight for her, she felt both ridiculously weak and immeasurably strong at the same time.
“The master went out on business today.”
One of the employees, unable to resist Diarmuid’s pressure, stepped forward and revealed the whereabouts of Marquis Aster.
“Then I will wait until he returns. Send him a message that I am waiting.”
Just as the employee was about to leave the reception room to deliver Diarmuid’s order,
“His Grace, Grand Duke Cassius, Eric Aster sends his greetings to Your Highness.”
The reception room doors opened, and Marquis Aster appeared.
