The man had beautiful black hair. Where Juan’s silver hair evoked the sharp edge of a blade, this man’s was dark and brilliant, gleaming richly. His black eyes were still and deep, as if they could absorb everything around them. He sat quietly drinking tea, and the whole picture was like something out of a painting.

‘He’s exactly the northern grand duke type I always dreamed of!’

Not even the paper northern grand dukes she’d fangirled over in her previous life could compare to this man.

If she were to meet someone like him at a matchmaking meeting, she’d want to marry him on the spot.

This meeting was just a formality anyway. Maybe once it was over she could approach him and ask if he’d like to share a cup of tea?

Talking to a stranger would be a first for her!

But fortune favors the bold, as they say.

After more than a decade of fangirling, she couldn’t just walk away from a man like that.

Raelia was watching him from the corner of her eye, trying to work out what to say, when……!

“Dad!”

A small figure came running toward him. The man turned, and a warm, radiant smile broke across his face.

“A…… dad?”

Despair crept in. Raelia dropped her head and let her face fall.

Of course.

Right. A man that extraordinary couldn’t possibly still be single!

Resigned, she glanced at the clock.

Her matchmaking partner was due to arrive. Her tea was nearly gone, so she got up, took hold of the blue door handle, and walked into the private room.

* * *

Juan watched Raelia from outside the teahouse. Her father had told him to keep a close eye on things.

Through the window he watched her go inside, and he relaxed for a moment before his brow furrowed. The memory of Raelia refusing him that morning came back to him.

“Honestly.”

Keeping her distance now, of all times.

“Ridiculous.”

Juan gave a small, dismissive laugh. By tomorrow she’d be back at his side, craving his attention, just like always. All this posturing was pointless.

“I showed pity to a lonely little thing and now she’s getting ideas.”

He muttered it under his breath.

But he still needed her. It wasn’t the right time yet, so he’d let this one go. He was being generous.

He wouldn’t forget today, though.

The nerve of her, refusing him.

The fact that something he owned was developing a will of its own was deeply irritating.

“Let’s hope the meeting goes well for the lady.”

Seria spoke up beside him. Juan answered in his usual dry tone.

“Of course it will.”

Seria was one of the maids who felt sorry for Raelia. Juan had tried to bring her over to his side, but she hadn’t budged. Still, because she knew how Raelia felt, she didn’t keep her distance from him either.

“I’m worried about her.”

Juan nodded at Seria’s words.

Raelia needed to marry well for his plans to work out.

* * *

The matchmaking partner was the second son of a family that had recently become a business partner of Raelia’s father, Marquis Lateran. The meeting had been arranged to strengthen ties between the two households.

But that was the adults’ concern.

‘He seems to be in the same position as me. He clearly has no interest in this meeting at all!’

Raelia studied the man. He was a typical nobleman, brown-haired and neat in appearance, with a clean image. Tall, and capable of a polite smile when needed.

But.

“Your tea’s run out.”

The bottom of Raelia’s cup was showing. The man picked up the teapot and offered to pour, giving her a courteous smile. He didn’t seem particularly interested in her.

“Thank you.”

Raelia smiled and drank the tea he’d poured.

‘How do I keep this conversation going.’

He wasn’t a bad match, objectively. But he was making it very clear he hadn’t come here willingly.

Was there any point in dragging this out?

She was still mulling it over when the man spoke first.

“Did you know this was a matchmaking meeting when you came, Miss Raelia?”

“Not at all. I found out when I got here.”

“Same for me.”

Raelia let out a small laugh.

“It’s remarkable how parents all think exactly alike.”

She shook her head slowly.

“We’ve spent enough time here. Let’s just go. Neither of us is interested anyway.”

The man nodded agreeably at her suggestion.

The meeting was going smoothly, mercifully so.

Today felt like a lucky day.

“You’re very direct, Miss Raelia. I enjoyed today. But I already have someone I’d like to marry.”

“She sounds like a wonderful person. I hope it works out for you.”

“Thank you.”

It crossed her mind that the woman he wanted to marry might be someone his family wouldn’t approve of. But that wasn’t her concern.

Now that they’d both established there was no intention of marriage, the man seemed to relax.

She waited until he’d left first, then rose from her chair.

A handsome face drifted through her mind.

‘Please still be there.’

He was a married man, but fangirling had always been about enjoying a beautiful face. So she’d take one more look before leaving!

A face like his could sustain a lifetime of fangirling. Truly the northern grand duke of her dreams, just in the flesh!

Raelia stepped out of the private room.

The father was nowhere to be seen, but the child sat alone at a table, poring intently over something.

“What looks good……”

The child stared at the menu with a small sigh.

‘The kid really is adorable. Like father, like son.’

Raelia thought that and walked over.

‘His mother must be so happy.’

A handsome husband and a cute son like this.

“Hello there. What are you trying to pick?”

The child looked up at her voice.

“Hello!”

Wide, clear eyes blinked up at her. The child was so endearing she wanted to ruffle his hair. Raelia curled her hands into fists and looked at him.

“Excuse me, do you know which drink is good here?”

Raelia pointed to a spot on the menu.

“Drinks are always best when they’re sweet. Do you like sweet things?”

“Very much.”

“Then the fruit juice would be perfect.”

A dessert item on the menu caught her eye.

“Would you like this?”

The child blinked and looked at her.

“Is that for me?”

“Meeting like this is its own kind of fate. Think of it as a gift for a friend I made today.”

She’d done something good, so maybe next time she’d get a decent matchmaking partner who could actually help her escape Juan.

And ideally, someone as handsome and coolly atmospheric as the man she’d just seen. Northern grand duke energy, the whole package. That would be perfect.

She went to the counter to pay, pleasantly lost in that daydream, and the handsome man happened to be walking in at that very moment.

‘Oh, I get to see him one more time.’

Lucky.

The child called out.

“Dad! That lady over there bought me sweets! She looks like an angel!”

The man who looked just like a northern grand duke turned and looked at Raelia.

Raelia smiled at him.

“Thank you.”

He returned the greeting, stiff but courteous.

‘Ah…… that cool tone of voice, perfectly matched to his face. Truly flawless.’

She was quietly marveling to herself when the servant standing beside the man also offered his thanks.

“Buying sweets for the young grand ducal lord, how very kind of you.”

Raelia blinked.

“The young grand ducal lord?”

Young grand ducal lord was a title usually reserved for a grand duke’s son.

Could it be?

The man she’d been fangirling over gave a composed smile.

“It seems my son forgot to introduce us. I’m Grand Duke Cassian Lorentz, and my son is the young lord of Lorentz.”

The words hit her like a blow to the head.

‘Cassian Lorentz? But you’re not a northern grand duke!’

He was the grand duke who governed the southern region.

An extra in this novel, but one who’d left an impression. A southern grand duke she remembered.

Of course, since he was a southern grand duke rather than a northern one, he’d been a slight mismatch for her fangirling interests, and she’d let him slip by.

But she shouldn’t have let him slip by!

If she’d known he was exactly her type, she’d have saved him carefully in her fangirl diary!

‘No, it’s not too late! And what does it matter whether he’s a southern grand duke or a northern one? His looks, his voice, his manner of speaking, everything is perfect. Grand duke is grand duke.’

Most importantly, he had no wife. Grand Duke Cassian Lorentz’s son was also an adopted child.

Marrying this man could mean a truly happy fangirl life!

“Oh, is that so. It’s an honor to meet you, Your Grace. Please enjoy the sweets with your son.”

Today wasn’t the right moment to make a move on him, though.

She couldn’t exactly confess that she’d fallen for him at first sight.

This called for one step back in order to take two steps forward.

“Ah…… just a moment.”

Grand Duke Cassian seemed slightly flustered by her quick farewell and looked as if he wanted to stop her, but Raelia slipped out of the teahouse.