4.6

Upon hearing Donna’s words that it would be difficult to meet Ellen even if he went to the mansion of the Novary family due to their recent busyness, Donna suggested that wandering around the village might increase his chances of encountering her.  

Upon entering the village, Leon quickly scanned the area, hoping that luck might allow him to meet Ellen.  

However, she was nowhere to be seen. Instead, the village scenery unfolded before him, exactly as Ellen had described in her letters.  

Just as she had written, the landscape was vastly different from Melchia’s. While Melchia boasted urban features, this place was truly rural.  

Wide fields. Wild animals running freely. Green forests. A village preserving nature’s essence, where even spotting a single store was difficult.  

Growing up in such a place, it was no wonder Ellen struggled with social etiquette….  

Leon couldn’t help but chuckle as he recalled Ellen’s stiff dancing at the imperial ball two years ago. Living in a place so different from the city, it was only natural for her to feel nervous in the grand and majestic imperial ballroom.  

Leon inhaled the fresh air. Just knowing that he was breathing the same air as Ellen filled him with joy.  

The tranquil scenery, the fresh air, and the peaceful atmosphere Ellen had described in her letters brought him a sense of relaxation and calm.  

But the further he ventured into the village, the more anxious his heart grew, contrasting with the serene surroundings.  

When he first heard that Ellen had accepted a wager as a brief escape before marriage, his initial emotion was anger.  

It wasn’t the thought that she had toyed with him that enraged him. It was the idea that she might marry another man that drove him mad.  

When he read her letter mentioning marriage, he refused to acknowledge it. But hearing the same from Miss Courtney made his anger surge.  

Though he had never wielded a sword against an innocent person, the mere thought of Ellen marrying someone else made him want to draw his blade against a man whose name and face he didn’t even know.  

Thus, Leon investigated Ellen’s fiancé, Baron Aran—a wealthy, older man living in a village not far from Alber Village.  

There’s no way I’ll just stand by and watch her marry someone like him!  

Determined to stop the marriage, Leon knew he had to meet Ellen before the wedding. He wanted to apologize for his past mistakes and ask her to accept him again.  

At that moment, Leon thought he heard Ellen’s name in the villagers’ conversation. He perked up his ears and focused on their words.  

“Thanks to Miss Ellen’s help, we finished the work quickly.”  

“Where is she now? I think I need her help too.”  

“She’s probably by the lakeside right now. I heard she’s fishing.”  

Fortunately, they knew her current whereabouts.  

“Ellen….”  

Leon repeated her name softly and walked toward the sound of water. Finding the lake wasn’t difficult.  

And there, Leon saw her—the woman he had longed to see—her silver hair flowing in the wind as she smiled brightly.  

The moment he laid eyes on Ellen’s face for the first time in ages, his breath caught. His heart raced furiously, burning with heat.  

Her radiant smile was beautiful, and her lively chatter remained unchanged.  

Leon gazed endlessly at the woman who had once shown him that same smile, even in moments of indifference. Just seeing her smile seemed to dissolve the suffocating emotions weighing on his heart.  

He wanted to hold her in his arms and kiss her luscious lips immediately. But he held back, fearing that approaching her now might cause her lovely smile to vanish.  

Instead, his gaze remained fixed on her, his attention wholly absorbed by her presence. It felt as though she was the only person in the world.  

But then.  

The sight of someone conversing with her froze him in place—a young man who seemed quite familiar with Ellen.  

Though Leon knew that her smile wasn’t his anymore, seeing her show it to another man felt like a punch to the gut.  

The longer he watched the two, the tighter his fists clenched involuntarily.  

“Is the Viscount Novarystill unable to get up?”  

“Yes. I think he was too shocked when I told him I wouldn’t marry. He’s regained his senses but still can’t move.”  

At that moment, Leon overheard an intriguing conversation that made his eyes widen.  

What? She said she wouldn’t marry?  

Hearing their conversation, Leon realized his biggest concern had been resolved. He felt a sense of relief.  

But his joy was short-lived. A strange and ominous feeling crossed his mind.  

Why did she say she wouldn’t marry? Could it have something to do with the man standing beside her?  

It didn’t seem like there was any sudden reason to break off the engagement.  

While Ellen was dating Leon, she hadn’t tried to break off her engagement to Baron Aran. She had merely mentioned in her letters that she would end it if their relationship continued.  

For a woman who liked him but didn’t break off her engagement to suddenly decide not to marry after leaving him…. It was strange.  

There must have been a reason for her abrupt decision.  

Leon narrowed his eyes and scrutinized the man beside Ellen. Judging by his clothes, he wasn’t a servant. Commoners wouldn’t be able to afford such fine fabrics.  

That guy looks like a noble. Could it be… she canceled the engagement because she plans to marry him instead?  

Leon had never considered the possibility of Ellen being with another man.  

Though he had told her to find someone who could love her more than he did, he had secretly believed she still liked him and felt reassured by that thought.  

But seeing her with another man now made his heart boil with anger. Just the sight of her showing her smile to someone else stirred intense emotions within him.  

It felt as though his heart was sinking while flames raged inside him.  

Leon clenched his fists tightly.  

He wanted to approach and greet her immediately, but he refrained. If he stood before her now, he feared he might appear like a jealous madman.  

Ha. What a pathetic fool. 

He barely managed to calm himself down.  

“Who is the man beside Miss Novary?”  

Leon asked a villager who seemed to have come to the lakeside.  

“Oh, he’s the son of Viscount Goat from the neighboring village. He came to help Miss Novary with her work.”  

“What’s their relationship? They seem quite close.”  

“They look good together, don’t they? They’ve been close since childhood, so they’re probably very familiar with each other.”  

“….”  

Leon couldn’t respond to the villager’s remark that they looked good together. His gaze simply remained fixed on the two.  

Judging by the letters Ellen had sent him, she liked him. But could feelings change so easily?  

Did I hurt her so much that she chose a man who offers comfort and stability instead of love?  

Leon hadn’t believed Ellen would quickly fall for another man. He wanted to trust that she still loved him. But seeing her affectionate interaction with someone else made him realize that might have been wishful thinking.  

He didn’t want to accept it. Not yet. He wanted to believe otherwise. But he couldn’t stay idle now. He had to do something to win back Ellen’s heart.  

Let’s start with what I can do.  

“Could you tell me Miss Novary’s schedule for tomorrow?”  

Leon asked the villager, hoping for a clue.  

“I think she’s going to Lady Rhoda’s ranch tomorrow.”  

Fortunately, the villager casually shared Ellen’s schedule, as though it was common knowledge.  

“Unlike most nobles, she seems quite busy.”  

“Yes, the Novary family has been struggling financially lately. They tried to resolve their financial crisis through marriage, but it didn’t work out. So Miss Novary has been focusing on business related to the estate’s resources.”  

Based on Ellen’s schedule, she seemed very busy.  

The problem was that Leon couldn’t yet determine whether her busyness would work in his favor or against him.