Chapter 1. The First Meeting

It was a bright morning in March. A carriage stopped in front of Count Crawford’s mansion.

The maid quickly approached and opened the carriage door.

“Miss Karina. You’re here now?”

Count Crawford was a very fortunate man. Especially when it came to his children’s fortune.

At once, he had a son to inherit his title. And the following year, he had a pretty daughter who resembled his wife.

“Yes. Where’s Father?”

“He went out. He’s been extremely angry since last night. How could you stay out all night without saying anything?”

While nagging, the maid held Karina’s hand to help her get down from the carriage.

Karina, who had been dozing off in the carriage, barely managed to get out in her half-asleep state.

“Save the nagging for later, and help me carry this. My waist hurts so much.”

Karina handed a small bag to the maid while patting her waist. The maid’s expression was gravely serious as she watched her.

“Your waist… hurts?”

“Yes. I was so tormented all night that my whole body feels bruised.”

“Just how many people did you deal with to say such things?”

The maid’s face grew even more serious at Karina’s complaint about her waist pain.

“Hmm…”

Karina counted on her fingers the number of people who had tormented her all night.

“One, two… three.”

Just as her fingers were about to fold five and move to six, the maid heaved a heavy sigh and pushed her into the mansion.

“Oh my. Never mind. The number isn’t important anyway. More importantly, go get some rest. Seriously, did you even have time to sleep while dealing with all those people by yourself?”

“No, I didn’t.”

“You must be exhausted. Really.”

“Exhausted? Well, I did it because I wanted to. Don’t we need days like this sometimes? Though pulling all-nighters is getting a bit tough now. Maybe I should ask them to reduce the number next time.”

“Please do that. And don’t be so soft-hearted and accept everything others ask of you.”

It was a peculiar conversation that would make anyone who heard it faint. However, neither of the two women was surprised or embarrassed. The maid’s concern was entirely focused on Karina’s aching waist.

A servant sweeping the yard nearby slowly moved away with reddened ears at the two women’s frank conversation that showed no intention of hiding anything.

At the maid’s words, Karina stretched with a long yawn. Still, breathing in the fresh air while looking at the sun seemed to help clear her mind a bit.

“Go get some sleep now.”

The maid strongly urged once more. In truth, it was advice for everyone’s sake rather than just for her.

“And don’t cause any more trouble.”

This was because Karina Crawford was the type whose judgment became clouded when she didn’t get enough sleep, and she would occasionally cause ridiculous incidents.

“Alright.”

Nodding obediently, Karina walked towards the mansion.

Warm bath water.

Clean soap bubbles.

A few things that were desperately needed right now by her uncharacteristically disheveled self came to mind, but she shook her head.

‘Let’s sleep first.’

A soft bed. Her body felt so heavy that even going to sleep without washing felt cozy. The clean goose-down comforter would get dirty, but who cares.

How could daily life always flow so neatly like it was measured with a ruler? Sometimes there should be days of deviation like this.

* * *

With half-closed eyes and while yawning, Karina opened the front door. Her father was out and her mother would be at a social gathering today. It was perfect timing when none of the family members would be home. She would probably get scolded when her parents return, but at least not now.

“Huh. Something feels off though.”

Karina muttered to herself. The family’s absence was one thing, but the butler who usually guarded the entrance was nowhere to be seen.

“I wonder if something happened.”

After slightly raising her eyebrow, Karina blinked a couple of times. Each time she closed and opened her eyes, it became increasingly difficult to lift her eyelids.

“Nothing… could have happened.”

Her brother, just a year older, was a promising naval officer. He had been assigned to the Operations Command a few months ago, bringing endless joy to their parents.

Her father and mother were also on a smooth path as central figures in noble society. This household would have no worries as long as she kept to herself quietly.

“Bed… let’s go to bed, Karina Crawford.”

Karina muttered while walking weakly and limply. As she climbed the stairs, she twisted her waist from side to side.

“Ugh.”

The stiff feeling was definitely concerning. After getting some sleep, she would need to soak in warm bath water.

So Karina moved forward thinking only of her bed — her cozy bed that would be warm and fragrant from the spring morning sunlight.

Just as she almost reached her room, she heard two men’s voices from somewhere. Karina unconsciously turned her eyes toward the sound.

“Oh?”

The sound was leaking through a slightly opened door.

“Brother?”

Karina slightly furrowed her brow. Why was her brother at home at this hour?

However, Karina soon realized the reason. From the different sounds of clinking teacups, it seemed he was entertaining a guest.

“Ah.”

There weren’t many guests her brother would meet at home. With about a fifty percent chance, it would surely be ‘that man’. That face floated in Karina’s drowsy mind.

‘It must be Dominic Winchester.’

And as she expected, along with her brother’s voice, Dominic Winchester’s low voice could be heard through the door gap.

Dominic Winchester.

The second son of the prestigious Marquis of Winchester family.

The Marquis had prepared his two sons’ futures very evenly. To the first son, the eldest, the name of Marquis Winchester. And to the second son, the path of an honorable soldier.

The one here now was that second son.

‘I think they work at the same command now.’

That was probably the case. The two men, who were naval academy classmates, were very close friends. She vaguely remembered hearing during breakfast that Dominic had helped quite a bit with her brother’s transfer to the Operations Command.

Karina nodded and moved her feet. It was just a few steps from her brother’s room to her own.

Surely, that was what she intended to do.

Only if it weren’t for her brother’s burst of laughter.

“Puha! Is that really true?”

“Lucas. Your voice is too loud. By the way, it’s already this late. I should head back.”

“What’s wrong with being a bit loud in an empty house? Alright, alright. But your story is honestly surprising, isn’t it? At least tell me this before you go.”

Giggling, Lucas lowered his voice. However, since the mansion was too quiet, even that was clearly audible to Karina in the corridor.

“Did you end up not kissing Lady Lindid?”

Olivia!

Karina’s eyes flew wide open.

Dominic and Olivia kissed? This couldn’t be a more interesting story.

Enough to cause a real dilemma between the moral thought that one shouldn’t eavesdrop on others’ conversations and the temptation to listen just a bit more.

“I didn’t know you’d find that much joy in your friend’s misfortune.”

A low chuckle accompanied by a deep voice was heard.

“That’s the end of it.”

“Hahaha. Really? Is that really the end?”

Thud. A rolling sound followed by a crash. The sound of breaking porcelain was heard.

“Hey, Lucas. Are you alright?”

“Ah! I’m fine. Fortunately, the tea was cold. Heh. So, you mean to tell me that when you had the chance to kiss your first love, you couldn’t because your noses touched? The great Dominic Winchester? Haha!”

Brother’s laughter burst out once again.

“I’m already starting to regret telling you this.”

He said with a slightly irritated tone and a sigh. Then came rustling noises. The sound of retrieving a coat hung on a chair.

“I’ll be going now.”

“Ah, wait. Let me see you out.”

“No need. I’m not some lady. You should go change your tea-stained clothes.”

“Right. Damn, I was just thinking how uncomfortable these clothes felt.”

Thump thump. His steps toward the door were quick. She had forgotten that he was quite tall. Karina quickly moved away from the wall.