Chapter 5.5

When Pharone saw Elena approaching from a distance, he found himself momentarily breathless.  

The thin dress she wore revealed hints of her silhouette with every step she took.  

The shawl draped elegantly over her shoulders accentuated her neckline, making her appear even more alluring than if she had fully exposed herself.  

Pharone thought back to the first day he had seen the Grand Duke’s entourage.  

He had been stunned to see not just one, but two, three, four women of extraordinary beauty.  

So this is what noble ladies from the capital are like.

He had thought. Each one was breathtaking, with a unique charm that made him wonder how the Grand Duke could possibly choose just one as his bride.  

Pharone had been envious—no, downright jealous—of Helio, who had brought such stunning women as his potential duchesses.  

Among them, Diana had stood out the most. She was so dazzling that Pharone had thought she might be a goddess. He couldn’t take his eyes off her.  

He had pursued Diana relentlessly, expressing his interest in her time and again, but her cold indifference had left him increasingly disheartened.  

But now, this morning, something unexpected had happened.  

At breakfast, Elena had shown interest in him.  

At first, he had dismissed it as coincidence. Their eyes met frequently, but she was seated across from him, so it was only natural.  

But then she kept smiling at him—sweet, enchanting smiles that made his heart race.  

Her large, round eyes curved adorably as she looked at him, and Pharone found himself captivated.  

She’s definitely interested in me.

He thought.  

If he played his cards right, marriage might not be out of the question. Pharone’s confidence grew stronger by the minute.  

“Have you been waiting long?”  

Before he knew it, Elena had reached him.  

“No, I just got here myself.”  

Pharone greeted her with the most confident smile he could muster.  

***

“This temple was built by the island’s residents to honor those who went out to sea and never returned. It’s a place where we remember those who lost their lives and pray for safety before venturing out to sea.”  

“It’s a very sacred place.”  

“Yes, it is.”  

Then why is he acting so touchy in such a holy place?

Pharone had been subtly brushing against her shoulder and leaning in closer since earlier. She had tried to inch away, but now there was hardly any space left to move.  

“Excuse me, could you move over just a little? It’s a bit cramped here.”  

“Oh, my apologies. Please, come this way.”  

‘Apologies? You’re the one pushing into me!’ 

Frustrated that she couldn’t say it out loud.  

Was the Grand Duke following me properly? 

He had said he would watch from the shadows, but she hadn’t seen him anywhere, and it made her uneasy.  

Surely he hadn’t gotten bored and left, had he?  

“Shall we head over there next?”  

“Oh, yes.” 

Pharone had already shown her half the island, acting as though he were a professional guide. She needed to steer the conversation toward the ledger soon, or this would turn into nothing more than a sightseeing tour.  

“Would it be alright if we sat down for a bit? I could use a short rest.”  

“Oh dear, I hadn’t even thought of that. You must be tired from all the walking. There’s a bench over there—let’s sit.”  

It had been three hours since she first met Pharone. Elena finally got a chance to sit down and rest her legs.  

Now was the time to get to the main point.  

“By the way, I heard Anes Island is famous for its pearls, but I haven’t seen any so far.”  

“Oh. It used to be, but the pearl harvest has significantly decreased in recent years, so they’re hard to come by now.”  

It was just as the Grand Duke had said at the port.  

“I was hoping to buy some beautiful pearls while I was here… It’s such a shame. I’ve never seen Anes pearls before, but I’ve heard they’re stunning.”  

“There are still some pearls left at the estate from previous harvests. If you’d like, I could gift you one.”  

“Oh my, really? Lord Pharone, you’re so thoughtful.”  

“Am I? Really?”  

Pharone blushed, scratching his cheek as if embarrassed by the compliment.  

“Where are the pearls kept? Do you have a special storage place for them?”  

“Why do you ask?”  

His expression shifted from curiosity to suspicion, his face gradually stiffening.  

Elena had thought the ledger might be stored in the same place as the pearls, but even she realized her question had been too obvious.  

‘Ugh, you fool. You might as well have just announced, “I’m suspicious!”’  

Panicking, she quickly backtracked.  

“Oh, you know, women usually keep jewelry in a jewelry box. But I figured men probably don’t have jewelry boxes, so I was just wondering where you might store such things. Haha.”  

“Jewelry boxes, huh? That’s adorable.”  

Pharone relaxed, bursting into laughter.  

It worked? Did he really fall for that?

Elena wondered. Thankfully, the suspicion had vanished from Pharone’s face.  

“The pearls belong to my father. He keeps them in a personal safe in his room.”  

“Oh, silly me. That’s such an obvious answer—I shouldn’t have even asked.”  

Elena playfully scrunched her nose and lightly tapped her head with her fist, feigning embarrassment.  

“My father also keeps important things in a safe. He’s so protective of it that he never lets the key out of his sight.”  

She smiled as naturally as possible and carefully asked, 

“Is that the case for you too, Lord?”

“Haha, no, my father isn’t that meticulous. He just keeps the key in a drawer.”  

The Lord’s room. Personal safe. Key in the drawer.  

Elena repeated the details in her mind several times to commit them to memory.  

“But if the pearls belong to your father, is it really okay for you to give one to me? I’d feel terrible if you got in trouble for sneaking one out…”  

“Don’t worry. There are so many that no one will notice if just one goes missing.”  

“What? But earlier, didn’t you say the production had decreased so much that there were hardly any left?”  

“Ah… well… that is…”  

Wait, something seemed suspicious.  

If she could just catch a glimpse of the inside of the safe when Pharone retrieved the pearls, she could confirm things for sure. That way, she wouldn’t have to take the risk of sneaking into the Lord’s room.  

“Um, when you go to get the pearls, could I watch too? I’d love to see them since there are so many. It’s not every day you get such a rare chance.”  

“That won’t be possible.”  

Given his behavior so far, she had thought he might agree easily, but Pharone firmly refused.  

“Really? Are you sure it’s not possible?”  

Lowering her eyebrows, she asked again in a plaintive voice.  

“It’s really not… possible.”  

His hesitant tone made her think she might be able to convince him with just a little more pleading.  

“Please? Pretty please? I really want to see them.”  

She clasped her hands together and leaned in closer. In doing so, the shawl draped over her shoulders slipped off and fell to the ground.  

As she bent down to pick it up, it happened.  

“Eek! What… what are you doing?”  

A scream escaped her lips. Pharone had suddenly grabbed her in an embrace.  

A shiver ran down her spine, and her entire body tensed as if her hair were standing on end.  

She tried to push him away, but it was like pressing against a stone wall—he was solid and immovable. He might have looked thin and weak, but he was still a man.  

“Let go of me! Why are you doing this all of a sudden?”  

“You were the one who seduced me first, my lady.”  

“W-when did I do that?”  

“Wearing clothes like this… isn’t this what you wanted? Don’t be shy.”  

This was bad. His eyes were slightly unfocused, and it was clear he had lost his sense of reason.  

She shouldn’t have worn this outfit. She should have listened to the Grand Duke when he told her to change.  

No, perhaps the real mistake had been toying with someone’s feelings in the first place.  

A hot breath brushed against her ear.  

The unpleasant sound of his harsh breathing sent chills down her spine.  

The sticky, oppressive sensation made her feel suffocated and disgusted.  

She struggled to break free, but the more she resisted, the tighter his grip became, and it only hurt more.  

How could I calm him down? 

As she frantically racked her brain, she felt Pharone’s hold on her loosen slightly.  

Sensing an opportunity, she tried to escape, but then she froze in horror.  

His tightly shut eyes.  

His puckered lips, slowly inching toward her.  

Pharone’s revolting face was closing in on her.  

“Ahhh! Stop it! Get away from me!”  

She screamed instinctively.  

His hands gripped her cheeks, pressing hard so she couldn’t even turn her head. Her strength was nearly at its limit.  

Ridiculously, in this dire situation, the only thought that crossed her mind was, 

I wanted my first kiss to be with the Grand Duke.  

And then it happened.  

The force restraining her vanished, and Pharone’s body collapsed to the ground.  

Standing behind him was the Grand Duke.  

The moment she saw him, tears burst from her eyes before she could even think to hold them back.  

She had thought he wouldn’t come, that he had left.  

It wasn’t until she saw his face and felt a wave of relief that she realized just how terrified she had been.  

As the tears poured out, her body began to tremble uncontrollably.  

“Are you hurt? Did he harm you?”  

Through her blurred vision, she saw his face, which looked even more pained than her own.  

Hesitantly, his hand reached out and rested on her shoulders. Like that day before, his warm presence spread through her frozen body, slowly thawing it.  

Without a second thought, she threw herself into his arms.  

Wrapping her arms around him, she hugged him as tightly as she could.  

His body stiffened, hesitating for a moment. But soon, a gentle warmth enveloped her back.  

It was cautious, as if handling fragile glass.  

It was nothing like Pharone’s oppressive strength.  

“Why were you so late? You said you’d protect me.” 

She sobbed.  

“I’m sorry. I should’ve come sooner. I stayed a little farther back because there wasn’t anywhere to hide nearby.”  

“I was so scared… I thought you left me…”  

In the end, Elena broke down in front of the Grand Duke, crying like a child.  

“I’m sorry. It’s my fault. I won’t let this happen again.”  

Strictly speaking, the Grand Duke hadn’t done anything wrong. He had opposed her involvement in this matter from the very beginning.  

Yet, despite that, the Grand Duke held her in his arms and repeatedly whispered apologies.