“Your Grace. The meal is ready.”

“Quite fast.”

“We’ll withdraw, so please call if you need anything.”

“I will do so.”

Lucas and the servants bowed and withdrew. Naturally, only Derek and Audrey remained on the deck.

“Ahem.”

Derek, at quite a distance, secretly cleared his throat.

Perhaps due to the romantic atmosphere of the boat deck, he felt he should use a voice fitting for the early evening.

Along with a very affectionate term of address.

The moment had finally come to utilize what he had studied for months!

“Let’s eat before the food gets cold.”

“Ah, I’m fine not eating-.”

“My…”

“Yes?”

“Little kitten.”

“…!”

Audrey unconsciously looked down to check if her hands and feet were still attached.

‘I thought I was stuck to the floor!’

Was Duke Frith truly a person who knew no shame?

Her already queasy stomach from seasickness churned even more violently.

She felt like dunking her ears in seawater and scrubbing them vigorously.

Yet somehow, the way he looked at Audrey was excessively profound.

‘Surely not…’

There was a solemnity as if he were about to make a major life announcement.

‘I must stop this somehow!’

Having sensed the ominous atmosphere, Audrey anxiously fidgeted with the hem of her dress.

Her only hope was that she hadn’t yet heard anything directly from Duke Frith.

With the voracious eating strategy having failed, it was now or never.

She had to break his will by any means necessary.

Meanwhile, Derek was a bit embarrassed but secretly pleased.

‘…Dodori is shy.’

His attention was entirely on Dodori.

The way she fidgeted with her dress and couldn’t meet his eyes was unbearably adorable.

He would gladly endure any embarrassment to see such expressions.

‘It was a good attempt.’

With this, the two had taken a step toward a deeper relationship.

And at the end of that path was ‘marriage.’

“I’ve specially added salad. Since you seemed to enjoy it.”

“……”

“Is something bothering you?”

“Well…”

Derek’s face, which had been excited until just now, was suddenly shadowed.

‘Could she be ill?’

Dodori’s complexion looked particularly unwell.

As if she were harboring troubles she couldn’t speak of.

Seeing her unable to touch the salad she had so enjoyed made his heart sink.

‘Troubles are better shared.’

But he should wait patiently until Dodori brought it up herself.

Even if the two were destined to be husband and wife.

Derek smoothly changed the atmosphere.

“Have a glass of wine. It’s evening after all.”

“……”

Audrey fixed her gaze on the wine glass and tried to calm herself.

‘Yes, I can’t do this sober, so I’ll have some wine.’

That was the absolute limit of what she would allow herself.

Some point between a normal person and a dog.

After emptying this glass, her tongue might be a bit loose, but she should still be able to think somewhat like a human.

Clink.

A clear sound rang out as the two wine glasses touched.

Derek merely moistened his lips, pretending not to notice as she drained her glass in one go.

‘This won’t do.’

It seemed he needed to take the lead to bring up an honest conversation.

“I don’t particularly want children.”

“Cough, cough!”

“I think perhaps two would be appropriate.”

“Are you talking to me…?”

“We’ll surely create a harmonious family. One where we share our concerns and support each other.”

Derek subtly signaled to Dodori.

Since they were going to be family anyway, she should feel comfortable sharing her worries anytime.

But for Audrey, this was her chance to escape from Derek.

Emboldened by the wine, she also subtly cast out bait.

“Ha, haha. Just thinking about it makes me envious! Especially since I’m destined to never marry.”

“…What do you mean?”

What kind of bolt from the blue was this?

Dodori never marrying! Then, who would Derek marry?

Unaware of his confusion, Audrey drove in an absurd wedge.

“I-I’m an extremely lustful woman, you see!”

“…!”

The most damaging but most certain method.

She was directly applying the “Number One Disqualification for a Spouse” she had once read in a newspaper.

As expected, Duke Frith seemed thoroughly shocked.

Sensing her opportunity, Audrey decided to be even bolder.

“My head is full of nothing but dirty thoughts!”

“……”

“I’m afraid someone might discover the darkness inside me.”

“……”

“If someone like me were to marry, people would surely point fingers at my family too, wouldn’t they?”

“……”

Audrey used all her strength to convey that she was not a suitable match for him.

The list of character flaws she presented seemed endless.

‘It worked!’

Seeing Duke Frith at a loss for words, it seemed to have hit the mark this time.

After being lost in thought for quite some time, he slowly raised his head.

“…This lustfulness, does it include imagination or dreams as well?”

Why on earth would he ask that?

But Audrey, wanting to be completely rejected, quickly answered.

“Y-yes. I suppose so?”

“Then… I, too.”

“…?”

“When it comes to lustfulness, I’m no less guilty.”

“…!”

Derek confessed sincerely.

He had been feeling disgusted with himself and guilty because of the dream he had had last night.

And now, to have the opportunity to candidly share with Dodori!

The discomfort he had felt all day melted away like snow.

‘Dodori is just like me. This can only be explained as fate.’

It felt like being acknowledged as not abnormal.

At the same time, his bond with Dodori deepened immeasurably.

“We… would make a very well-matched pair.”

“…!”

By this point, Audrey felt like she was going crazy.

‘He takes it like this?’

Every time she delivered what she thought was a decisive blow with all her might, he would casually counter it.

It was truly maddening.

“B-but if I became a duchess, people would surely point fingers-.”

“…I would never stand by and let my family be subjected to finger-pointing.”

Derek tried to maintain his composure.

But inside, he couldn’t hide his anxiety.

‘What does Dodori know? And how?’

He wondered if Dodori had somehow noticed the ring he had been carrying in his inner pocket throughout the domain visit.

Only three people in the world knew about the ring’s existence.

Himself, Lucas, and the jeweler.

‘…I don’t understand.’

In any case, the ring he had prepared was a masterpiece that took a full two months just for the diamond setting.

It was fortunate that he had started preparations as soon as he received Dodori’s love letter.

Otherwise, he might not have been able to propose on time.

The diamond decoration, which became complete only when the two rings overlapped, symbolized their destiny.

At the same time, it was also a very firm resolution that it was either love or death.

Derek barely swallowed the words that had risen to the tip of his tongue.

‘I shouldn’t make an impulsive proposal swept up by the atmosphere.’

He shouldn’t propose here on this boat deck, with this romantic lighting as an ally, while sipping wine and gazing deeply.

Because he had a plan.

“Let’s finish our meal-.”

“It’s over!”

“…My little kitten?”

“It’s over!”

What situation was this?

Duke Frith froze in place.

Wasn’t this the same Dodori who had been exchanging looks full of love and trust just moments ago?

Now she was starting to make a scene with a heavily slurred tongue.

“It’d be faster to be reborn.”

“…What.”

“What’s it to Your Grace anyway?”

“…!”

Even in this situation, his heart raced at the sudden informal speech.

‘Oh.’

How audacious.

Her skill at twisting him around her little finger was extraordinary.

It was so thrilling that he wanted to give her everything he possessed right away.

Then his gaze suddenly fell on the wine bottle.

‘Wait. Why is it there…’

He had definitely poured only two glasses, but it was half empty, which was very suspicious.

As if three glasses had been poured and drunk.

‘…I see.’

Derek finally understood the situation.

While he was momentarily distracted by thoughts of the ring, adorable Dodori had emptied the wine glass by herself!

How could she think of such a thing?

Was that small head filled with nothing but cute thoughts?

Duke Frith looked with loving eyes at Dodori, whose face was flushed red up to her eyes.

‘I can’t understand what she’s saying, but her babbling is truly adorable.’

Finding it so cute, he even offered more wine without thinking.

“Have another glass.”

“Your Grace, pour it for me.”

“Of course. Anything you want.”

Derek forgot his dignity and eagerly served her wine.

Responding to his encouragement by gulping it down, Audrey soon collapsed.

“…Come.”

“You want me to come closer? To you?”

“……”

Duke Frith unconsciously looked around.

Even though he knew no one was watching, he felt strangely tense.

‘I hope I don’t look like a man with ulterior motives?’

But what could he do when Dodori was calling him? He moved closer to her with creaking movements.

“I’m here.”

“……”

“…My little kitten?”

“……”

But Dodori had already fallen asleep, using the table as a pillow.

He couldn’t help feeling disappointed.

He didn’t know why. He just felt a bit upset at Dodori for falling soundly asleep, oblivious to his feelings.

“…Haa.”

Even so, her sleeping face was so angelic that he couldn’t bring himself to resent her.

‘The wind is a bit chilly.’

Derek carefully took off his outer coat and gently draped it over her shoulders, afraid she might wake up.

Then, with quiet footsteps, he headed to the wheelhouse.

“Your Grace!”

“Shh. You’ll wake Dodori.”

“…But she’s so far away.”

“Anyway.”

“……”

“How long until we dock?”

“About 10 minutes or less.”

“Good. Lucas, prepare a stretcher at the port immediately.”

“What? Understood.”

Derek turned back and headed to the deck.

To watch over Dodori, who was sleeping alone.

“I wish our relationship would deepen like the sea, quickly.”

“……”

“Right now, there’s nothing I can do.”

“……”

“I can’t even carry you while you’re asleep. I can only watch over you.”

“……”

“It would be so nice if you would allow me to take one step closer.”

The words whispered to his sleeping companion were carried away by the wind.

Duke Frith knew this, yet he continued talking to Dodori for a long time.

Until the boat docked at the port.

“Your Grace. You may disembark now.”

“Dodori comes first.”

He only moved after watching Dodori being placed on the stretcher.

Dodori, in her inebriated state, was carried to the lodging on a stretcher.

Her entire body was covered with a cream-colored cloth, carefully protecting her privacy.