“Did I startle you that much?”

Alex asked me in a playful voice.

“Hmph, of course, I was startled. Wouldn’t you be if you were in my shoes, Alex?”

From my perspective, Alex was someone whose true intentions were impossible to decipher.

“I told you, didn’t I? That I’ve fallen in love with you. Claire, I’m taking you to my estate to show you my everything. You could call it a seduction.”

Alex’s face showed no sign that he expected my worries to stem from his seduction.

I looked at his charmingly smiling face and nodded.

Being seduced by such a handsome face was indeed tempting.

Honestly, if I didn’t know this world was from a novel, and if Alex and I weren’t of such different social statuses—him a noble, me a maid—I might have given in to his seduction.

Isn’t it stranger not to be swayed when such a sculpted handsome man is courting you?

Thinking this far, a sudden thought made me lift my head.

“But, Alex.”

“Tell me.”

“I’m just a maid, and you’re a noble. Generally, people like us can’t even get married, right?”

Yes. No matter how much he seduced me, there were social barriers between us.

While it was common for a maid to become a noble’s mistress, it was unheard of for a maid to become a noble’s wife.

“Unfortunately, I want to get married. That’s been my lifelong dream. I have no intention of becoming someone’s mistress.”

What I said was indeed a fitting excuse for my situation. It was more than an excuse, it was a fact.
It was an impossible situation.

Maintaining a regretful expression was crucial.

If I showed any sign of liking him and Alex did something unpredictable, I would be the one in trouble.

If Alex harbored any ill intentions, I might not be able to return to the Maynard estate even after three months.

He might lock me up in an isolated tower at the Berzel estate, just as he did with Miss Veronica in the original novel.

Though I didn’t want to imagine it, anxious thoughts kept surfacing.

Alex folded his arms and silently stared at me for a while.

His lack of response felt strangely unsettling, so I glanced at his face.

He seemed deep in thought, looking away.

Then he spoke heavily.

“I’ll make it possible.”

“How?”

His unexpectedly confident tone left me speechless.

I had brought up what I thought was a foolproof topic, but Alex’s quick response left me flustered.

What method could he possibly have?

“I’ll take measures so that you don’t have to worry about that, Claire.”

Alex’s ambiguous words made me narrow my eyes at him.

“In fact, there’s no way, right?”

“Why do you think that?”

Alex asked calmly, his gaze unwavering as he looked into my eyes.

“Because it’s not possible. I’m not a fallen noble’s daughter, nor am I someone with a secret noble birth. How could I marry you, a Duke?”

It was unprecedented.

Sure, we could have a sham marriage, but I would never be his official wife.

“As I said, I have no intention of becoming a mistress.”

As I spoke firmly, Alex smiled, seemingly pleased. He raised his hand and reached out to me.

Instinctively, I flinched and closed my eyes tightly.

His fingers brushed my cheek and touched my earlobe. It was a delicate touch, unfitting for his rough hands.

The areas he touched felt like they were burning.

I opened my eyes and looked at Alex.

“Yes, I don’t want to keep you as just a mistress either.”

Alex’s voice was calm and steady.

In contrast to my slightly excited tone.

“I also want you to be my wife.”

His blue eyes shimmered beautifully under the moonlight and firelight. I stared at them, feeling as if I might fall into them.

“I’ll find a way, so you don’t need to worry about that.”

“But…”

When I tried to speak, Alex chuckled. He then moved closer to meet my eye level.

“I didn’t realize you were already thinking about marrying me. I was still pondering how to seduce you, but it seems I’m a step behind. You’re moving faster than I thought.”

“No, it’s not that…!”

“Since we share the same thoughts, there’s no need for further discussion on this matter.”

I was at a loss for words.

It was too late to say that wasn’t my intention.

I had practically expressed my desire to marry him.

I dug my own grave.

As I stammered in confusion, Alex chuckled, seemingly amused.

“So, is there anything else you want to say to me?”

“Something else?”

“Yes. If we’re to get married, there are many things to consider.”

Alex’s proactive questioning left me speechless that I could only blink.

I could roughly guess what he meant.

But those were considerations only if I were truly going to marry Alex.

I had no intention of marrying Alex, nor of giving in to his seduction.

I planned to stay at the Berzel estate for about three months, playing along with Alex’s tune.

Of course, during that time, I needed to find a way to shake him off.

My place was by Miss Veronica’s side.

Growing up with Miss Veronica, I had made a resolution.

I would serve Miss Veronica, and when she married, I would follow her to her new home, serve her, and raise her children as if they were my own.

It might seem like a dedication, but that was my simple goal.

Just as my mother, who was a maid to the Countess of Maynard, became Miss Veronica’s nanny, I wanted to follow that natural order.

After my parents died of the plague, Count Maynard and the Countess took me in and raised me.

Moreover, Miss Veronica treated me like a sister.

I intended to repay their kindness.

If I ever met someone I loved and wanted to marry, I would do so then. If not, I wouldn’t.

I didn’t feel the need to marry, so I planned to decide based on my feelings later.

But a significant obstacle had arisen in my plan.

That obstacle was Alex.

“No, nothing like that.”

My voice trembled involuntarily.

His blatant gaze made it hard to stay calm.

Ah, yes.

It’s all because Alex is excessively handsome.

Alex was a main character in this world.

And I had no immunity to such a handsome face.

Although I served the most beautiful woman in this world, Miss Veronica, up close, beauty and handsomeness were different.

Yes, that’s why.

I rationalized to myself.

Otherwise, I might mistake the reason why my heart raced irregularly whenever I saw him.

Alex tilted his head towards me as he watched me.

“Really?”

I couldn’t bear to meet his sly gaze.

“…Really.”

I answered, looking away from his gaze.

Alex returned to his original posture.

Only then did I let out the breath I had been holding and patted my chest.

Alex seemed to enjoy my reaction as he chuckled softly, and shifted his gaze to the burnt-out campfire.

“Honestly, I didn’t expect you to follow me.”

Startled by Alex’s unexpected words, I quickly turned to look at him.

What? So I could have refused?

If I had known I could refuse without any issues, I wouldn’t have followed him.

But I stopped thinking there.

Even if I went back to that moment, I would have chosen to follow him.

Because, despite what he said now, I couldn’t predict how he might change.

I knew the original Alex.

He was someone who would do anything to get what he wanted.

Even if it meant killing the family of the person he loved.

For Miss Veronica’s sake, and for the Maynard household, who had shown me so much kindness, this was the best choice I could make.

So, even if that moment came again, I would make the same choice.

“If I hadn’t followed you, would you have just let me go?”

Still, I asked him, hoping for a different answer.

Alex looked at me with a mysterious expression and remained silent for a moment.

It wasn’t a difficult question—just a yes or no—but Alex didn’t answer right away.

Why?

As I wondered, Alex gave me a charming smile.

I was captivated by his smile.

“No, I probably wouldn’t have. Because I don’t want to give you up.”