Chapter 6 – Change (Part 8)

A little later, upon arriving at the Ducal residence, Cassius got off the carriage and was about to enter the mansion when he stopped, seeing the dim moonlit sky.

Come to think of it, he hadn’t visited his mother’s garden since ordering its renovation. Although it was an awkward place for Cassius, he was curious about how Elysia had transformed it.

Thinking he wanted to see it secretly when no one was around, Cassius headed to his mother’s garden instead of the mansion.

The bushes along the path to the garden were now well-trimmed, allowing him to walk without getting caught on branches.

However, Cassius stopped at the entrance to the garden, unexpectedly seeing a shadow of a person. Elysia was sitting on a garden bench, resting her chin in her hand, lost in thought. Cassius considered turning back but changed his mind and approached Elysia.

“You’re out in the garden at a late hour. The night breeze is chilly.”

“Ah… Duke.”

Elysia, startled, stood up from her seat. She had been so lost in thought that she hadn’t noticed someone approaching.

“I couldn’t sleep, so I came out for a walk, but I suppose I should go back now.”

Cassius, noticing that Elysia seemed more subdued than usual, instinctively extended his hand.

“Could we walk a little longer? Do you know there’s a pond behind this garden?”

Elysia, taking Cassius’s hand, asked in surprise.

“There’s a pond? I didn’t know. I’ve only ever come this far just for a stroll.”

Cassius gently guided Elysia’s hand onto his arm, leading her naturally to link arms, and began walking toward the pond.

“It was just a large, unimpressive place, but my mother added a small pavilion in the style of Eastern countries and floated flowers on the water to decorate it uniquely. …I haven’t tended to it for a long time, so I’m not sure how it looks now.”

Elysia liked that the atmosphere wasn’t awkward thanks to Cassius talking more than usual, and she listened to him as they walked slowly. Before long, they arrived at a place large enough to be called a small lake rather than just a pond.

There was a pavilion, built for ornamental purposes rather than for people to enter, with a design distinct from the Brunchia style. Surrounding the pavilion, which had a tiled roof that seemed ready to take flight, were aquatic plants with broad leaves and flowers that glowed softly in the moonlight.

“It’s beautiful.”

Elysia exclaimed in admiration. Then, without realizing it, she shivered in the night air, which had grown noticeably colder. Cassius, noticing this, removed his arm, took off his uniform jacket, and draped it over Elysia’s shoulders. As Elysia was about to say there was no need, Cassius gently pressed down on her shoulders over the jacket as if to stop her.

Cassius’s actions were different from usual, somehow even more tender, which reminded Elysia of something she had been curious about. She hoped that by asking now, she might hear the truth. Watching the Duke’s composed profile as he gazed at the pond, Elysia made up her mind.

“What is it about me that you like, Your Grace?”

Elysia had only speculated about the various reasons the Duke had proposed, but she couldn’t know for sure. So, while living at the Ducal residence, her curiosity would occasionally flare up.

Cassius’s eyes widened slightly as he looked back at Elysia. Strangely, the question stirred his heart.

In the past, he would have frankly said, “I chose you because you have no strong backing from your family and you won’t demand much in various aspects.” It was better to make the reasons clear to prevent her from harboring unnecessary expectations as a Duchess or as his wife.

However, for some reason, he couldn’t easily say those words.

The previous reasons were still valid, but now he wasn’t keeping her by his side just for those reasons. Because of the unexpected sides he had discovered, he had grown curious about what kind of person Elysia was and wanted to know more about her. But he couldn’t easily tell Elysia these reasons either. Those “unexpected sides” were things he had observed without her permission. Cassius hesitated, looking at Elysia.

Crickets chirped from the grass. The faint moonlight reflected on the pond made Elysia’s appearance seem very pure. The gentle night breeze slightly tousled Elysia’s hair.

When Cassius said nothing, Elysia felt inwardly disappointed. She wasn’t hoping for a grand reason, but the fact that he didn’t offer even a polite compliment made it clear that he hadn’t chosen her for any favorable reason.

‘He seems like someone who wouldn’t say things he doesn’t mean… But seeing how he says nothing, I must really lack charm.’

Elysia looked dejectedly at the flowers blooming in the pond.

Contrary to Elysia’s thoughts, Cassius was watching his fiancée as if spellbound. Elysia’s hair fluttered softly in the night breeze, and her eyes, bathed in moonlight, sparkled like amethysts with a hint of moisture.

In the Ducal residence, which always seemed shrouded in darkness, only Elysia in this place, at this moment, was vividly illuminated in Cassius’s eyes.

As Elysia pushed her hair behind one ear, Cassius, without realizing it, placed his hand over hers. And without knowing what he was saying, he whispered.

“Because you are as beautiful as the moonlight…”

***

Bang!

Professor Emiliano, who was resting at home, was awakened by the loud noise of his door being thrown open in the middle of the night. Before he could comprehend what was happening, Cassius roughly grabbed Emiliano’s shoulder and pulled him up.

“Emil, speak the truth.”

“Huh? Why are you… Ugh, stop shaking me!”

“You put some potion in my tea last time, didn’t you? You’d better quickly confess what you fed me.”

Emiliano was dumbfounded by Cassius’s sudden accusation and vigorous shaking of his shoulders.

“What are you accusing me of? Do you always have to come and interrogate me in the middle of the night?”

Emiliano looked at Cassius and noticed something different about his appearance.

“But you… Why do you look like this? No coat, your hair is messy. What were you doing… Oh? Could it be?”

When Cassius paused, Emiliano grinned slyly.

“You’re unusually flushed. Seeing as you’re talking about potions, did you finally try to produce an heir with your fiancée, only to get so nervous that you…”

Emiliano, who was babbling excitedly, shut his mouth at the sight of his friend’s gaze, colder than usual.

“Well, you wouldn’t touch a woman without signing a marriage contract. Ah! Did you perhaps say something offensive, and your fiancée slapped you or pulled your hair? That seems more plausible.”

“I said and did things while walking in the garden that I would never have done if I were in my right mind. Unless you did something to me, there’s no way that happened, so confess what experimental potion you gave me.”

Emiliano pondered his relationship with the Duke.

‘Why am I friends with this guy? Why does this guy always suspect me of doing something? Why do I always have to wake up in the middle of the night because of him and listen to nonsense?’

Finally freeing himself from Cassius’s grip, Emiliano moved to the sofa in the room and protested.

“I didn’t do anything. First, we need to properly assess the situation. So you were just taking a walk with Lady Serenze?”

Cassius sat on the sofa opposite Emiliano, glaring at him.

“Yes.”

“What exactly did you do while walking?”

Cassius, who never avoided eye contact, pursed his lips and averted his gaze. Emiliano was internally shocked but maintained his composure as a scholar.

“I can’t judge without knowing the specific situation. If you don’t plan to tell me, I need to get more sleep.”

Emiliano lay back on the sofa, covered himself with a blanket, and closed his eyes, but he was keenly aware of Cassius’s presence, like an antenna. Cassius, unable to bring himself to confess that he had gazed at his fiancée as if spellbound, held her hand, and whispered that she was as beautiful as moonlight, decided to describe the situation as plainly as possible.

“…I held her hand… and said she was beautiful.”

Emiliano almost forgot to pretend to be asleep and nearly jumped up but managed to maintain a calm exterior as he turned toward his friend.

“So, while walking, you said something flattering that you normally wouldn’t, and now you’re suspicious of me?”

“It wasn’t flattery. I was merely stating a fact.”

Emiliano looked at Cassius as if he were the world’s biggest fool.

“When I saw her at lunch the other day… Well, she’s objectively beautiful, but isn’t Princess Karinsa or the Foreign Minister’s niece, Isis, more striking beauties?”

“I didn’t realize your aesthetic sense was so lacking.”

Enough was enough.

Emiliano pressed his aching head and threw off the blanket, sitting up.

“What makes your fiancée so beautiful?”

“I’ve never described a woman’s appearance before, so it’s not easy to explain.”

“Try. Make it understandable for me.”

“Her black hair fluttering in the wind is shinier than a well-groomed horse’s mane, and the hand that tucks it behind her ear is as white and smooth as marble, and her sparkling eyes resemble the light of jewels reflecting a lamp’s glow…”

“Stop, stop!”