Chapter 36. I Do Have Feelings

Lady Ashwood, also known as the Saintess of Healing, Penelope Ashwood, was a stunningly beautiful person who could captivate anyone’s attention in an instant.

Her radiant silver hair shimmered like the ripples on a river under the sunlight, and her sapphire blue eyes sparkled.

Her clear and transparent skin was smooth like porcelain crafted with the utmost care by an artisan.

She was indeed a great beauty who could make anyone fall in love with her, but her charm was not limited to her appearance.

Her always confident demeanor, cheerful personality, witty speech, and skilled social tactics that naturally took the lead while considering others…….

Ever since I saw her from afar, I secretly envied her. A bright and beautiful person without a flaw. It was as if a protagonist from a novel had come to life.

“Enoch, I’m here―hmm?”

She stopped as she was about to enter the living room and raised her eyebrows when she saw me. Seeing the butler flustered behind her, it was clear she had barged in unannounced.

Usually, when a guest visits a mansion, they are guided to a reception room or waiting room. But Lady Ashwood ignored such etiquette and came straight here. This time, as well as the last time we met.

Such rudeness was permissible because she was that close to Enoch Bayern.

“Oh…… so…… Miss Ellenore Lopez?”

Surprisingly, she seemed to know who I was. Or would it be strange if she didn’t? I had been a topic of scandal in the social circles ―in a bad way―for a while.

However, it seemed that what happened at the Lopez mansion and with Marquis Anderson had not yet become public knowledge. Well, it hadn’t even been a day yet…….

“……Hello, Lady Ashwood. It’s a pleasure to meet you for the first time.”

I stood up slightly and greeted her politely. There was no need to use the highest form of honorifics, but even though we were both noble ladies, our statuses were worlds apart. I painfully realized how much lower my status was compared to a high noble like her. A bitter taste lingered in my mouth.

“Hmm, I think I’ve seen you from afar a few times. This is our first proper greeting, isn’t it? I didn’t expect Enoch to have a guest at this hour. And Miss Lopez, no less…….”

Her scrutinizing gaze swept over me. I forced a painted smile. The strange situation was that the owner of the mansion hadn’t even greeted this sudden guest.

I subtly showed signs of discomfort and spoke in a deliberately passive tone.

“I think it’s best if I leave. Please, have a comfortable conversation…….”

What could I possibly say between Lady Ashwood and Grand Duke Bayern? Now was the perfect time to leave. When I quietly tried to move, a sharp voice came from the opposite side.

“No, stay right there.”

I froze in place, awkwardly standing still. While I rolled my eyes, trying to gauge the situation, Enoch Bayern got up from his seat and closed the distance in one step.

He settled into the sofa where I had been sitting just moments ago. It was a languid movement, as if he had collapsed there, but his eyes were sharp.

He tilted his head slightly and looked up at me. To be precise, he glared at me. He nodded his chin towards me and commanded.

“Sit.”

“…….”

With the homeowner telling me to sit, there was no way I could refuse. It was an extremely uncomfortable situation, but I had no choice but to sit down, swallowing the sigh that threatened to escape.

“What are you here for? If it’s something useless, get lost.”

Enoch Bayern asked Lady Ashwood in an unbelievably rude tone. She was watching us with a curious look. She seemed unfazed by Enoch Bayern’s attitude, like she was used to it.

Even though the homeowner didn’t invite her to sit, Penelope Ashwood sat comfortably on the sofa as if it were her own home. It was the seat opposite Enoch Bayern and me.

When a maid approached and poured her tea, she took a sip, elegantly set the cup down, and then spoke.

“Have you reconsidered my proposal? About marriage.”

“Why would I?”

“What do you mean why? As I explained, it benefits both of us…….”

“That’s why I’m asking, why would I.”

There was a sharp edge to Enoch Bayern’s voice. He was smiling, but it was definitely a sneer, and his eyes were cold. Anyone would think Lady Ashwood was his enemy.

“I have my fiancée right here.”

“……What?”

The one shocked by the bomb he dropped was not only Penelope Ashwood. I, too, widened my eyes and stared at him. Was it okay to reveal the engagement so easily?

“Fiancée? ……Really?”

Lady Ashwood looked back and forth between Enoch Bayern and me with a disbelieving expression. I could only awkwardly smile and avoid her gaze. I couldn’t reveal anything about my magic and this contract to anyone…….

“……This is really unexpected. This is different from what you said last time. Have you suddenly matured……?”

Lady Ashwood seemed genuinely surprised. Judging by what she said earlier, her purpose seemed to be proposing to Enoch Bayern, but despite the difficulty in achieving that goal, she didn’t seem particularly disappointed.

She didn’t appear to have much attachment to Enoch Bayern……? So I subtly relaxed the tension I had been holding. I felt that Lady Ashwood wouldn’t see me as a rival or an obstacle.

“Life is full of surprises. Haha……. The impact will be enormous once people find out. Well, congratulations, anyway.”

She seemed curious about many things but instead of bombarding us with questions, she offered a formal congratulation. Her blue eyes sparkled with curiosity, and a meaningful smile played on her lips.

“But I still can’t believe it. How on earth……? Miss Lopez, what do you like about this guy? Are you sure you’re not being deceived or threatened?”

Penelope Ashwood’s tone completely disregarded the etiquette of the social circles. Either she was so confused that she forgot her manners, or this was her usual way of speaking to Enoch Bayern.

I wasn’t sure, but it was probably the latter……. They had fought on the front lines together, facing life and death. It wasn’t strange for them to be this close.

“Threaten? Bullshit. Do I look like that kind of trash?”

“……Well, sometimes you do.”

“You’re one to talk, you’re not exactly sane yourself…….”

“Hey, I’m still more sane than you.”

……These two, they surprisingly get along well. Did I interfere with a perfect match? The aftertaste of the tea was bitter.

“Be honest, Enoch. Have you finally developed human emotions? Do you genuinely like Miss Lopez? You’re getting engaged because you like her, right? But I can’t believe it.”

“I have nothing to tell you, so get lost. You’re annoying.”

“You’re still as bad-tempered as ever…… I really can’t believe it……. How can Enoch Bayern…….”

Penelope Ashwood scrutinized me and Enoch Bayern as if she were facing the mystery of the century.

Since I couldn’t respond to her gaze in any way, I just sipped my tea with a troubled expression.

Seeing me like that, Lady Ashwood’s eyes narrowed.

“Something’s definitely off.”

“If you’re going to spout nonsense, get lost.”

“The atmosphere is too bland for a couple in love. What’s going on? Miss Lopez, are you really in a difficult situation?”

Her added question carried genuine concern. She wasn’t just saying it; she was truly worried about me, which was a bit surprising.

Come to think of it, Penelope Ashwood, despite being a duke’s daughter, had a unique background, having experienced war. Her personality might be innate, but it could also have been shaped by her experiences.

While it was truly kind of her to worry about me without any ulterior motives…… there was nothing I could tell her. So I lied, hoping it would sound convincing.

“……I’m just not good at expressing myself.”

“Hmm? So, you do like Enoch, after all?”

“Yes, I do have feelings.”

That was not a lie. I was grateful to him for helping me, but at the same time, I was afraid of him, and I was cautiously trying to use him……. Anyway, it was true that I had feelings.

Enoch Bayern seemed to be looking at me with a dumbfounded gaze from the side…… but let’s ignore that. No, but you’re supposed to be acting too, aren’t you? Why are you scolding someone who’s trying hard to manage this situation with such a look.

“Well…… if Miss Lopez says so, there’s nothing more to say as a third party…….”

Lady Ashwood glanced at Enoch Bayern, muttering softly that she couldn’t understand what was so good about a guy like him.

She left the grand ducal mansion about five minutes later. She still looked puzzled, but fortunately, she didn’t pry further into this suspicious relationship.

“That damned lady. I should ban her from entering.”

Enoch Bayern’s eyes were ferocious as he glared at the spot where her carriage had disappeared.

The rest of the afternoon was spent in idle tranquility. The Grand Duke of Bayern had gone out, saying he had some issues to deal with first, and returned late at night. I finished my dinner alone without waiting for him and went to bed early.

It’s a bit funny, considering I had gone through quite a harsh ordeal during the day, yet I planned to eat well and sleep well.

I might be a tougher person than I thought…….

* * *

Recently, an unusual rumor was circulating in the capital’s social circles.

The gist of the rumor was that Grand Duke Bayern had fallen in love with Lady Lopez at first sight and had kidnapped her, confining her in the Winter Palace.