Like Juan, for instance.

Raelia thought to herself and remembered the afternoon’s plans.

‘I get to see adorable Zenon too.’

Last time, Zenon had cried and they hadn’t been able to talk much, but today would be different. There’d be plenty of chances to talk with the child.

* * *

Zenon’s small hand held tight to Cassian’s large one. Zenon’s round eyes shone with anticipation as he smiled brightly.

“Miss Raelia will be waiting for us, won’t she?”

Zenon asked Cassian in an excited voice. It had been so long since Zenon had been this giddy that Cassian smiled and nodded.

“Of course. Miss Raelia is probably holding the gift she prepared and waiting for our Zenon right now.”

When she’d received gifts from Cassian and Zenon last time, Raelia had said at parting that she’d definitely bring something next time.

She’d written yesterday to decline Cassian’s suggestion to see an opera. Instead, she’d asked him to keep the afternoon free because she had a gift to show them.

What kind of gift could it be, that she’d turned down the opera for it?

“Whatever Miss Raelia gives me, I’ll love it.”

“Even a jar of bugs?”

Bugs were the one thing Zenon hated most. Some people kept insects as pets, but Zenon wanted nothing to do with them.

Zenon’s face scrunched up at Cassian’s teasing, then he seemed to steel himself and quietly balled his fist.

“Even if it’s a beetle, I’ll try to like it.”

“Good.”

He said it, but Cassian was privately curious about what Raelia had prepared too. The grand ducal family could obtain almost anything money could buy, so even expensive gifts rarely felt truly rare to Zenon.

Zenon would be happy to receive anything from Raelia, but it probably wouldn’t be a particularly special gift.

Raelia knew that too, which was why she’d agonized over it.

Lost in thought, Cassian’s carriage arrived at the Lateran marquisate residence. Raelia wore a pink dress suited to spring, embroidered with shining thread. Every time the sunlight touched it, it glittered like set jewels.

The carriage door opened and Cassian stepped down to face Raelia.

“You could have waited inside. We must have kept you.”

“Not at all. The sunlight was lovely, so I came outside.”

Raelia answered with a smile.

Her bright smile was a pleasure to look at.

Cassian thought Raelia was the most beautiful lady he’d ever met.

Most ladies had looked at him with admiration, but none had ever looked twice at Zenon. It was understandable. The child wasn’t theirs by birth, and they’d still have to raise him as the heir. So every time they declined the proposal, Cassian had nodded. He thought he’d probably refuse too, if he were in their position.

It had started to feel foolish, sending out proposals that went nowhere, and he’d put in the Lateran marquisate’s name as a last attempt, thinking of the unknown lady there. If this one was refused too, he’d been planning to stop looking among unmarried ladies and seek a widow instead.

There had been many rumors and speculations about Raelia. Part of why he’d sent the proposal was his sense that she wasn’t a typical noble lady. He wasn’t a typical match either.

But the Raelia he’d met in person was bright and beautiful. It was remarkable to him that a lady like her was willing to love Zenon and accept him as a husband.

At first, he’d been suspicious.

‘What could she possibly gain from this.’

That was right. There was nothing Raelia stood to gain from this marriage.

Cassian counted it as luck that had come to him, and helped Raelia into the carriage.

“Have a wonderful time, Miss!”

Seria called out loudly. Raelia waved and smiled back at her maid.

* * *

Raelia saw Zenon’s face full of anticipation and crouched to his level, smiling warmly.

“Zenon, did you miss me?”

“Of course!”

“And you’re curious about the gift?”

“Yes.”

Zenon said it loudly, and Raelia made a playful face.

“Today, if you eat well and play well with me at lunch, I’ll take you to where the gift is.”

“Where the gift is?”

“Where the gift is?”

Zenon and Cassian both looked at Raelia and asked at the same time. Zenon wasn’t Cassian’s biological son, but the two were remarkably alike. Perhaps because Cassian was Zenon’s uncle by blood.

“It was awkward to bring, so I left it at a borrowed place for the time being.”

What kind of gift could possibly warrant that explanation?

“We’ll go see it after the meal.”

Today they’d be visiting a well-known upscale restaurant in the capital for steak and pasta. The steak was said to be tender and the pasta perfectly chewy. It was a place frequented by high-ranking nobles for its refined flavors, and rumor had it that even members of the imperial family occasionally came.

Because of that, getting a reservation was nearly impossible, yet Cassian had managed to book the entire place within a week without any fuss.

Sara had mentioned a few days ago, while shopping for clothes, that the restaurant was impressive not only for its food but for the quality of its tableware, furniture, and décor.

‘If even my stepmother says so, it must be extraordinary.’

Raelia looked across at Zenon, brimming with anticipation.

Zenon glanced around, then quietly slid away from Cassian’s side and sat down next to Raelia.

Then, his cheeks flushing faintly, he whispered.

“I thought I should get closer to my new mother.”

His manner delighted her.

“You’re always welcome.”

Raelia took Zenon’s hand and held it firmly.

* * *

The restaurant was in the capital’s main shopping district. Cassian stepped out first and escorted Raelia. Then Zenon took Raelia’s hand and stepped down after her.

Cassian was a well-known face, so his arrival wasn’t entirely out of the ordinary here. But an unknown lady at his side was another matter entirely.

“Who is that lady?”

“I’ve never seen her before.”

“His Grace is escorting her himself!”

“Isn’t she the one who was shopping with the Marchioness Lorentz a few days ago?”

Someone claiming to have seen her before drew all eyes toward Raelia.

‘More attention than I expected.’

It made sense. Cassian was a grand duke nearing the end of his marriageable years. A lady dining with him was clearly no ordinary acquaintance.

‘Who is the woman who accepted the proposal every other lady turned down?’ The public’s curiosity was inevitable.

“You’ll be receiving this kind of attention from now on.”

Cassian seemed to have heard the murmuring too. He drew Raelia closer to his side in a protective gesture.

“It was like this when the news first broke that I’d taken Zenon as my adopted son. Brace yourself.”

He’d been through it before, so he warned her. Zenon, walking beside them, held her hand tight and walked close, as if shielding her too.

But.

‘Being well-known isn’t a bad thing.’

Raelia shrugged inwardly.

A lady who’d accepted a grand duke’s proposal had appeared. Society would naturally take interest. Invitations to banquets would follow. That meant bringing Archan, who hadn’t been invited, wouldn’t be difficult at all.

“What if we all gathered for a meal with my family from the marquisate sometime? You’ll need to meet my younger brother Archan and my parents at least once before the wedding.”

Cassian turned to look at her at her suggestion. He’d heard enough about her family to understand the situation.

“Are you sure that’s alright?”

“Yes, I’m fine. I’m working on getting closer to my brother and stepmother now.”

That was different from before.

Cassian found it genuinely unexpected, and yet he frowned slightly.

“Deciding to do something doesn’t make it happen…… it won’t be easy.”

They hadn’t been close, and they’d essentially grown up as strangers. Raelia shook her head at his words.

“I don’t think so. That part also seems to come down to deciding to do it.”

〈My dear, the way the world works comes down to what you decide in your heart.〉

The words of her stepfather from her previous life came back to her. Before she’d come to this world, he’d appeared like a miracle before her and her divorced mother and wrapped them in warmth.

Neither of her parents from that life had lived long, but she’d been happy while they were together.

Building the relationship of a family didn’t require a long time, and it didn’t require shared blood.

That was what her father had taught her.

They stepped into the restaurant’s main hall, and the crowd outside disappeared.

Raelia looked at the empty space and glanced around, a little surprised.

“There are no other guests besides us.”

“There won’t be. I booked the entire restaurant for today, so eat comfortably without worrying about anyone else.”

His tone was blunt, but there was something warm underneath it.

‘You can’t buy something like this with money.’

He’d done this out of concern for the attention they’d attract. Raelia was pleased and took her favorite seat by the window. Zenon sat beside her, and Cassian sat across from her.

“Welcome, Your Grace, Young Lord. It’s an honor to have you, my lady.”

A man who appeared to be the restaurant manager appeared in a black suit. Raelia greeted him first with a light bow.

“I’m Raelia Lorentz.”

“I’m Iaros, the restaurant manager. So you’re the Lorentz lady. I heard you’ll be becoming His Grace’s wife. Congratulations.”