Chapter 15

“Of course. But you never know where or what might happen. Even if our family’s fortunes have declined, we’re still nobles with a territory. Who’s to say you won’t run into one of your students by chance? Or even a parent?”  

Hazel wanted to retort, asking who on earth she would meet in such a rural place, but she kept her mouth shut. Arguing with Vanessa would only lead to trouble.  

Sighing inwardly, Hazel tried to push Vanessa away. But Vanessa was so stubborn that it wasn’t easy.  

In the end, Vanessa adjusted Hazel’s outfit to her satisfaction, then looked her up and down with a wide grin.  

“See? You look much better when you’re dressed up.”  

“Are you saying I looked bad before?”  

“Of course. You were so dull I couldn’t bear to look at you. Being modest and quiet is fine, but sometimes you should dress up for yourself. It’s not like you hate these clothes, right?”  

Hazel let Vanessa’s words go in one ear and out the other.  

Given her tight finances, dressing up was only a drain on her budget.  

No matter how much she wanted something, she refrained from spending on personal luxuries, knowing it would burden her household.  

She always sent a portion of her earnings to her father’s account and saved the rest carefully. She didn’t want to invest in an uncertain future. What mattered to her was the present situation right in front of her.  

Unaware of Hazel’s thoughts, Vanessa finally seemed satisfied after pinning a small accessory in Hazel’s hair.  

“Have a good time. I won’t say anything even if you come back late.”  

Hazel could only glare at the obvious remark.  

* * *  

Just as Vanessa had said, Hazel found herself marveling at how much her hometown had changed.  

What was once more of a village than an Earl’s territory had grown significantly, now bustling with many residents. This was the result of years of road improvement projects.  

Though the territory hadn’t developed dramatically, it was a far cry from the barren past.  

Emily puffed up with pride as if she had been personally responsible for the changes, enjoying Hazel’s astonished reaction.  

Feeling thirsty, Hazel sat on a nearby bench while Emily went to buy drinks.  

Even with all the changes, it was still her hometown. Simply sitting there brought her a sense of peace, and she leaned back against the bench with a light sigh.  

‘Come to think of it, why hasn’t Vanessa played any pranks yet?’  

The lack of any incidents made her uneasy. By now, Vanessa should have been sneaking around, ready to scare her.  

As she glanced around nervously, a familiar figure caught her eye.  

“…Enoch?”  

Dressed in casual clothes instead of his knightly uniform or training attire, Enoch appeared to be searching for something, glancing around.  

Hazel rubbed her eyes, but nothing changed. Startled, she instinctively stood up, drawing Enoch’s gaze to her.  

Could this be one of Vanessa’s schemes?  

It seemed unlikely, but Hazel couldn’t help thinking so. The odds of running into Enoch in such a quiet rural area were astronomically low.  

Enoch appeared just as surprised, his eyes widening as he strode toward her.  

“What are you doing here?”  

What am I doing here? Don’t you know my last name is Hoover? 

Hazel almost said but stopped herself, realizing he might not know.  

“That’s what I should ask you. Why are you here?”  

Hazel looked him up and down.  

He was dressed casually, as if trying to hide his status. His unkempt hair and slightly open shirt revealed…  

Hazel snapped out of it, scolding herself for letting her gaze wander. No matter how different he looked from usual, it wasn’t right to stare. That would make her no better than him, a known flirt.  

“I’m here because His Highness asked me to handle something. So you don’t need to look at me like that.”  

“Like what?”  

“Like you’re wondering why I followed you all the way here.”  

What nonsense is he spouting?  

Hazel was too dumbfounded to speak. Enoch, meanwhile, looked at her with wide, innocent eyes, as if he couldn’t understand what he’d done wrong.  

Hazel opened her mouth to retort but couldn’t find the words. Just then, someone interrupted.  

“Miss! I got the drinks!”  

It was Emily, holding two cups of chilled fruit juice.  

Wait, she can’t meet him now!  

“Excuse me, but who are you?”  

Emily’s sharp gaze turned toward Enoch as she handed Hazel one of the drinks, urging her to quench her thirst.  

“He’s an Academy classmate! It’s not what you think, so stop glaring!”  

“…An Academy classmate?”  

Hazel whispered just loud enough for Emily to hear. Emily spun around to face her.  

“Miss, since when were you acquainted with such a handsome man? You never mentioned this! You told me you didn’t have any friends!”  

She must have thought she was whispering, but given how close they were, it was obvious Enoch had heard everything.  

Embarrassed by the entire situation, Hazel tried to act nonchalant as she covered Emily’s mouth.  

“It’s nothing like that, so please be quiet.”  

But Emily seemed convinced that it was unbelievable for Hazel to have such a good-looking friend.  

Her confused gaze darted between Hazel and Enoch, who was trying to suppress a laugh.  

Then Emily seemed to realize something and gasped.  

“Miss, don’t tell me this is the one you used to like…!”  

“Emily!”  

Hazel quickly clamped a hand over Emily’s mouth.  

What on earth was she about to say?  

Hazel didn’t need to hear the rest to know. Emily had been about to ask if Enoch was the man Hazel had once liked.  

Enoch’s eyes sparkled with interest at their conversation, making Hazel feel even more flustered. She avoided his gaze, pretending not to notice.  

Despite his casual attire, Enoch’s striking looks drew increasing attention from passersby.  

Hazel needed to send him away before things got more chaotic.  

Glancing around, she gave Enoch a polite smile.  

“If you have business here, I hope it goes well. Goodbye.”  

“Wait.”  

Hazel tried to leave with Emily, who still looked like she had more to say, but Enoch was quicker.  

Though his grip on her wrist wasn’t strong, Hazel felt a strange heat where his hand touched, making it hard for her to pull away.  

“I’m unfamiliar with this area and don’t know my way around. Could you help me?”  

He even pulled out a neatly folded piece of paper from his pocket to show her, waiting patiently for her response.  

Hazel looked up at him. He didn’t seem to be lying. If anything, he appeared relieved to have run into her in this troublesome situation.  

In the end, Hazel sighed deeply and nodded.  

“…I suppose I could.”  

Enoch’s radiant smile at her agreement was dazzling, leaving her heart pounding.  

But Hazel dismissed it as no big deal. After all, anyone would feel flustered if someone this handsome smiled at them.  

The most confused person, however, was Emily.  

What on earth is going on? Who is this man who seems to be “that person” Miss Hazel once liked?  

Yet one thing was clear.  

Emily glanced at Enoch with a determined expression before whispering to Hazel.  

“Miss, should I leave you two alone?”  

What?! Absolutely not!  

Emily seemed certain of her conclusion, staring at Hazel with resolute determination.  

No way! Stay right here and protect me! Are you seriously thinking of leaving me alone with a stranger?!