Chapter 2.8

“Are you alright?”  

The warmth disappeared almost instantly.  

“How is it even possible to trip over nothing?”  

“There was something there. Ah, look here. See how this tree root is sticking out? That’s what I tripped on.”  

“So, you’re not hurt anywhere?”  

“No, I’m fine. Thank you so much. Your Grace, you’re really amazing. You’re quick to react, and—ow!”  

The moment she stepped forward with her right foot, a sharp pain shot through her.  

“What’s wrong?”  

“I think I twisted my ankle.”  

She tried walking again, but once she became aware of the pain, it became unbearable even when she stayed still.  

“Ah! What are you doing?”  

The Grand Duke suddenly bent down on one knee, and before she realized it, her bare leg was exposed.  

Startled by her reaction, the Grand Duke froze in place, holding her skirt slightly lifted.  

“I-I was just trying to check what happened. I-I thought your ankle might be swollen….”

It seemed that his actions were truly thoughtless, as his flustered expression made it clear.  

The Grand Duke’s face was scrunched up as he stammered out an excuse that wasn’t really an excuse, but his flushed ears betrayed his embarrassment.  

“Ah. It’s fine…”  

“Hold on… Let me check.”  

When she gave a small nod, the Grand Duke placed her ankle on one of his knees and carefully examined it.  

His touch was so gentle and soft that it was unimaginable from his usual demeanor.  

The Grand Duke’s long fingers hovered around her injured ankle. The ticklish movements were far more embarrassing than she had anticipated.  

‘Ahhh, I can’t take this anymore.’  

“Aren’t you looking at it for too long? Pervert!”  

Tilting her head back, she shouted at the sky.  

In truth, it probably hadn’t been as long as it felt to her.  

“Ha, who are you calling a pervert?”  

The Grand Duke grumbled indignantly but still carefully lowered her foot and stood up.  

“If anything, I’m the one in danger. What about my collarbone?”  

“Well, that’s just because it’s… visible…”  

It wasn’t as if she had intentionally looked. It had simply been visible through his unbuttoned shirt. Of course, it was true that she had stared at it, unable to look away.  

The Grand Duke, who had been looking at her with exasperation, pointed seriously at her ankle and said,  

“It’s already swollen. You won’t be able to walk any further.”  

There was still quite a distance to the mansion. The distance that had felt pleasantly far earlier now seemed like a daunting obstacle.  

“There’s no other choice.”  

At that moment, without any warning, her body was lifted into the air. Strong arms effortlessly scooped her up.  

“Eek!”  

Startled, she let out a strange noise and hurriedly covered her mouth with both hands.  

‘This can’t be happening.’  

Oh my. To think there would be a day like this in my life. 

It was the kind of princess carry she had only ever read about in novels.  

The Grand Duke’s face was right in front of hers. This was a completely different level from secretly observing him while he had his eyes closed.  

Not knowing what to do, she eventually raised her hands, which had been covering her mouth, and covered her entire face instead.  

“You might fall like that. Why don’t you hold on tight?”  

The Grand Duke’s voice reached her, but she couldn’t bring herself to uncover her face. Her face was surely bright red and must have looked ridiculous.  

“Ugh. I can’t do this. Just put me down.”  

Unable to endure it any longer, she groaned and pleaded.  

“You can’t walk on that leg anyway.”  

“Still, just put me down already.”

Unfortunately, she lacked the inner strength to fully enjoy this happiness.  

“Please.”  

At her repeated plea, the Grand Duke had no choice but to bend down and slowly set her down.  

“The sun will be setting soon. Are you planning to just stand here alone?”  

“Are you really going to leave me behind?”  

“Who was the one who said no when I offered to take you back?”  

“Well…”  

She hadn’t exactly said no. She had just been so overwhelmed with joy that she couldn’t handle it.  

“Then, how about giving me a piggyback ride instead?”  

“What?”  

He turned to her with a bewildered expression.  

Though being carried on his back was also embarrassing, it seemed like the better option. At the very least, her flushed face wouldn’t be visible.  

“I prefer piggyback rides.”  

“Ha, you’re full of demands. Saying you prefer it—have you been carried on someone’s back a lot before?”  

His sarcastic tone contrasted with his actions. She couldn’t help but laugh.  

Despite his words, the Grand Duke bent his knees slightly and reached his hands behind him, as if urging her to climb on.  

She quickly moved behind him and threw herself onto his back. Wrapping her arms tightly around his neck, she heard him let out a small groan before he even stood up.  

He hadn’t even risen yet, so why was he acting like I was heavy? He had lifted me effortlessly earlier.  

Swaying, swaying. With every step he took, her legs, which were dangling in the air, swung pleasantly.  

This was a good decision. His broad back felt stable, and above all, not having her face visible made her feel much more at ease than before.  

However, it seemed the Grand Duke didn’t feel the same way.  

“Hey, isn’t this even weirder? I think carrying you like before would be better.”  

Fearing he might put her down, she pressed herself closer and hugged him tighter.  

“This is better.”  

“Ugh. Better… you say.”  

When he turned his head to look at her, his gaze was the same as before, as if he were staring at some kind of pervert. She quickly added more to her explanation.  

“No, not in a weird way. I mean, this must be more comfortable for you too. If it were just for a moment, carrying me like before would be fine, but if you kept doing that, your arms might fall off.”  

“Seriously, what an exaggeration. What do you take me for? My arms wouldn’t fall off over something like that.”  

“Fine, let’s say that’s true. Anyway, what’s your favorite food, Grand Duke?”  

If she had to guess, the Grand Duke must have had an utterly exasperated expression right now.  

The faint snort he let out, so quiet that she wouldn’t have heard it if she weren’t so close, confirmed her suspicion.  

“Didn’t we already finish talking about that earlier? Honestly, don’t conversations have some kind of flow?”

“It wasn’t over; it was just briefly interrupted. Due to an unexpected incident. Ah, I didn’t get to finish what I was saying earlier. My favorite flower is the campanula. Do you know the campanula? I like the color purple, and the bell-shaped flowers are so adorable and cute.”  

“……”  

“Hmm, and… my favorite season is winter. I don’t like the cold, but I love snow.”  

She continued talking about the things she liked for quite a while, but the Grand Duke didn’t respond at all.  

“Grand Duke, am I heavy?”  

“……”  

“So heavy that you can’t even answer?”  

“……”  

“Hello? Say something. Earlier, you asked what I take you for, and now this? Really?”  

“Fine. You’re so heavy I can’t even talk. So could you just stay quiet?”  

Hmm. Was it really that annoying?  

If he said it like that, she really had no choice but to stay quiet.  

When she closed her mouth, a heavy silence fell between them.  

Step, step. The only sound was the Grand Duke’s footsteps.  

And in addition to that…  

“Sniff.”  

The sound of her sniffing.  

Perhaps because her sweat had cooled down, her nose kept running.  

She couldn’t pull out a handkerchief in this position, nor could she just wipe it with her hand, so she kept sniffing and drawing in her runny nose.  

“Sniff.”  

But why was it that every time she sniffed, the Grand Duke’s body flinched?  

“Hey, are you… crying?”  

At the Grand Duke’s cautious question, this time it was she who flinched.  

What was this? He thought I was crying just because I was sniffing?  

“……It was a joke. I didn’t mean anything by it. You’re not heavy. You’re light. So light it doesn’t even feel like I’m carrying you.”  

It seemed the Grand Duke thought she was hurt by his earlier comment and was now crying.  

Well, weight is a sensitive issue for women, after all. Though she hadn’t taken his words seriously and wasn’t bothered at all.  

“Still, I think I was a bit inconsiderate. I apologize.”  

Ah, what should I do?

If he apologized so sincerely like that… it would be far too embarrassing to admit now that it was just because of her runny nose.  

“……Say something, anything.”  

When she didn’t respond, the Grand Duke shifted slightly, urging her to reply.  

Well, what could she do now that things had come to this point? Her runny nose was reaching its limit anyway.  

“Um… could you lend me a handkerchief?”

At her words, the Grand Duke flinched again and tried to put her down.  

“No! Just like this. Please carry me like this. I don’t… want to show my face.”  

My nose was already running!  

“Ah… alright.”  

The Grand Duke slightly bent his waist, supporting her with one hand while pulling a handkerchief out of his chest pocket with the other.  

Then, as if respecting her wishes, he kept his eyes forward, extending the handkerchief behind him without turning around.  

It was her turn to thank him. After all, as he had said, conversations needed a flow.  

But.  

“I like you.”  

At that moment, those were the only words that came to her mind.