Chapter 7 – Part 4

“Hello, Your Grace.”

The awkward greeting was met with a shaky stare. Liese glanced through the window at the driver’s seat.

“Did you come alone without any attendants?”

“I ditched them because I didn’t want to be bothered. Get in.”

Are attendants something you can just leave behind? Not knowing what he didn’t want to be disturbed by, Liese silently followed his instructions.

When they were alone, Marcus’s language was unapologetically unrefined. She was used to it by now. Traveling side-by-side in a car he drove himself wasn’t so much.

The car left the hill and entered the city center. It was the weekend of the social season, and the city was packed, and the streets quickly became congested. This allowed Liese to relax and watch the scenery outside the car window.

Fountains spouting water, crowded streets, and people strolling along the sidewalks in the warm sun. The city in the bright, lively afternoon was a world away from the silence of the car.

Shifting her gaze, Liese squinted at Marcus, the glint of the Melir River glistening on the side of his face.

“Has the Duke ever been to Bloomberg Street?”

“No. If it weren’t for you, I wouldn’t go.”

The indifferent response made her feel foolish for carefully choosing her words. Her hands, neatly placed on her lap, fidgeted slightly.

“Sounds like I’m the reason you took the time to do this.”

“I’m glad you got the message.”

Marcus added in a flat voice.

“For someone so oblivious, you caught on quickly.”

“That must have been a hassle, why did you do it?”

“It’s obvious. I wanted to spend time with you.”

Liese doubted her ears at Marcus’ repeated words. He casually flicked his fingers on the steering wheel, staring straight ahead with a calm expression.

‘Then why did he say he’d pay me?’

She couldn’t help but think it was just another transaction when he mentioned paying her. Despite the fact that she had already accepted the schedule before he even brought up money.

Could he want something else? Liese’s heart sank as she recalled the events of the past day. Her eyes narrowed slightly.

“Your Grace, there’s nowhere I want to go today except the outdoor café.”

Her voice was quite firm. Marcus, who understood what she meant, chuckled soon after.

“Did you think I was going to kidnap you and take you to a hotel?”

“Hotel or wherever, I don’t want to do what the Duke wants me to do.”

“What do you think I want to do?”

“You mentioned it before. Please don’t make me say it out loud, it’s embarrassing.”

“That’s right. You said you hated it to the point of tears.”

Marcus’ eyes held a strange light, as if recalling the night she had cried. His eyes bore a self-deprecating smile.

She hated the foolish proposal, but it wasn’t the only thing that upset her.

She’d barely managed to ignore how she felt like a worn and tattered woman, taking the Duke’s money to do business, and now, with such a direct offer, she felt humiliated, like she’d been reduced to a pr*stitute. It was a wound she didn’t know how long it would take to heal from.

When she saw Marcus claiming it wasn’t intended as mockery but was just his sincerity, she was truly flabbergasted. As her thoughts trailed off to a conclusion, Liese furrowed her brows.

‘…Was that an apology?’

Impossible. Saying he wanted to sleep with her even if he had to pay couldn’t be an apology.

Only a twisted person who never acknowledged his mistakes or considered others’ feelings could think that way.

Liese sharply turned to look at Marcus. He was exactly that kind of person. She was stunned at the possibility that it might actually have been close to an apology and couldn’t take her eyes off him. Marcus, aware of her gaze, met her eyes leisurely.

“So today, the only place you want to go is a restaurant?”

“…Yeah.”

“Does it make you feel safe because it’s hard to do that there?”

“So you’re saying it’s possible?”

“It’s not entirely impossible.”

Liese almost yelled at him to turn the car around. She was stunned that he could so casually utter such a ridiculous statement.

“I’m kidding. Even though I still feel the same, let’s just have a meal today.”

With that monotone, Marcus turned his attention back to the road ahead. The wheels of the car rolled lazily after a brief stop. Not knowing what to say, Liese remained silent for a while.

***

Bloomberg Street was one of Liese’s favorite places in Bachmann.

There was so much to see on the street, with its old bookstore run by a grizzled old man, florists selling colorful baskets of flowers on the sidewalk, and unassuming shops. The fact that they were right on the riverfront meant that they could stroll along the river at any time.

Walking shoulder to shoulder with Marcus’s strong arm, Liese lowered her gaze to stare at his hand.

Marcus had nonchalantly offered his hand when they got out of the car, leaving her no choice but to take it. Although it might have been for appearances, the unnecessary contact nagged at her mind.

Since it was a street mostly frequented by commoners, there was little chance of running into anyone from high society. And thanks to her low-heeled shoes, she could walk freely without needing an escort.

Liese finally admits that these dizzying thoughts stemmed from discomfort. She had never felt comfortable alone with Marcus, but the current discomfort was of a slightly different nature. It frustrated her that she couldn’t pinpoint why.

Meanwhile, Marcus seemed surprisingly interested as he looked around. He was used to the bustling center of the capital, so perhaps the quaint street intrigued him.

Out of the corner of her eye, Liese caught sight of him and quickly looked away. The unnecessary heat in her cheeks was probably due to the unfamiliarity of walking down the street with him.

“Ah.”

Liese exclaimed as she spotted her favorite bookstore. Marcus glanced at her, then returned his gaze to the same spot.

“It’s my favorite bookstore. I was planning to buy your gift from there.”

“I don’t recall ever receiving a book as a gift.”

He pointed out solemnly, and Liese fell silent for a moment. Surely he wouldn’t ask what book she had intended to buy.

“I thought the Duke wouldn’t like it, so I chose something other than a book.”

“But you thought I’d like poisoned candy and a waltz album?”

“Uh… I didn’t mean to imply that.”

That wasn’t a successful gift either. Liese fidgeted and arched an eyebrow, as if cornered.

“I just want to emphasize that the candy was perfectly safe to eat. As for the waltz… I have no excuse. I’m sorry. If I’d known, I wouldn’t have made such a mistake.”

“You still don’t get jokes, do you?”

After a flurry of explanations, Marcus let out a light chuckle.

“Relax, I told you I liked your gift.”

Then the conversation broke off again. Liese pushed the tangle of thoughts aside and focused on her steps.

Soon, they reached a cozy sidewalk café.

“Welcome. Are there just two of you?”

As they pushed open the glass door, a warm-looking hostess greeted them cheerfully, also giving Marcus a curious glance. It was clear she recognized the face of the noble she had seen in the newspapers, but she seemed unsure if this was the same man now entering her quaint restaurant.

Marcus didn’t mind, and after a quick glance around the seemingly empty interior, he asked.

“Will I have to wait long?”

“No, you’re lucky. There’s a spot by the window on the second floor.”

No way. Liese sucked in a surprised breath. Even when she and Ian avoided peak hours, they couldn’t sit at that seat, and now it was unexpectedly available on a lazy weekend afternoon. It was indeed a peculiar day.

They climbed the narrow wooden staircase and headed upstairs. There was silence again as they sat across from each other at the square table. Liese managed to escape the discomfort for a moment by distracting herself with the view from the open window.

Through the lace curtains, which fluttered in the breeze, she could see the Melir River, which was just beginning to take on the color of a fiery sunset. The river is so wide and long as it cuts through the metropolis, it seems endless.

The Festival of Lanterns was still going on today.

At night, when the sun has completely disappeared, hundreds of wind lanterns are floated in the air and boats are driven around. She really wanted to see it, but couldn’t suggest going with the man before her.

Especially since she knew the romance behind the festival.

“I heard there’s a lantern festival on the river.”