That Marriage, I’ll Do It in this Life - Chapter 23

He had mentioned visiting the Count of Debov, but that was supposed to be on a day Father approved.

“Why would Duke Kramer be looking for you?”

“…I have no idea.”

Even Saena had no clue why. However, this was not a guest they could leave waiting for long. They decided to move along.

“Don’t you need more time to get ready?”

Saena glanced down at her own attire. She had no makeup on, her hair was unstyled, and she was wearing a simple indoor dress without any accessories.

“Even though it’s His Grace, he came without an appointment, so he should expect some waiting.”

The proper grooming for a noble lady typically took several hours, which is why it was customary to meet with prior arrangements. There were even ladies who wouldn’t step outside their chambers unless they were fully dressed.

“It’s fine. It’s better to go as I am than to keep him waiting.”

Saena chose to go as she was. There wasn’t any particular reason to look pretty, and the thought of hastily dressing up only to have to undo everything later seemed like a hassle. Sage looked at her with a questioning expression, seemingly asking if she was sure.

“He didn’t seem like the type to care about such things.”

“…How do you know that?”

“We danced yesterday.”

Of course, one couldn’t claim to know a person’s character just from a single dance, but Duke Kramer was a warrior before he was a duke. In her previous life, he had spent nearly his entire life on the battlefield or hunting demonic beasts. He was the type who only spoke when necessary and rarely attended banquets or gatherings unless absolutely required. With these traits in mind, one could deduce as much.

“Besides, don’t you want to look pretty?”

“Huh?”

“Well, never mind. You made a good decision. It would be troublesome if you caught His Grace’s eye. The Kramer duchy is too far away.”

What on earth was he talking about? Sage had a tendency to be somewhat doting when it came to her, but he was going overboard. Saena had always associated Duke Kramer with Elizabeth’s husband, so she never considered him in that way.

The Duke was shown to an open drawing room connected to the rear garden. Since he had requested a meeting with an unmarried lady, it seemed appropriate to guide him there.

“Why are you trying to go in?”

Saena asked as Sage followed her, seemingly intending to enter with her.

“Me? As a chaperone…?”

Chaperone, my foot. Saena looked at Sage with an incredulous expression.

“This is an open drawing room. There are attendants present.”

“Still…”

She didn’t mind him coming along, but if the topic of her jumping off the terrace came up, it would become bothersome. Sage would undoubtedly pester her with questions about why she did it.

“Brother. At the party yesterday.”

“Hmm?”

“I wanted to leave early, but I couldn’t find you. Were you with Sister Kiki?”

At her words, Sage’s face suddenly paled, and he avoided her gaze.

“Ahem. Well, since you’ve had your debut, it’s good for you to experience such meetings.”

“……”

“I’ll trust you and leave, so tell me what happens later.”

Sage asked the butler to ensure impeccable hospitality and then disappeared as if fleeing.

“……”

She had only been probing, but it seemed there really was something going on. Saena shook her head in disbelief, then turned and opened the door to the drawing room.

The breeze blew in from the open terrace doors, and as she entered, the wind caught her hair, lifting it before it settled back down. Her vision, momentarily obscured by her windblown hair, slowly cleared to reveal Duke Kramer standing by a table not far away, watching her. Standing against the light coming from outside the terrace, his expression was hard to discern.

“……”

Though not as intense as before, she still felt a peculiar sensation.

‘Do all those who possess a guardian spirit feel like this?’

He exuded an aura that was somehow different from ordinary people. She didn’t know how she could sense this aura, but she did. Saena approached the table a bit more and curtsied.

“I greet Your Grace, the noble keeper of the covenant.”

“……”

Duke Kramer nodded slightly, then approached her to pull out a chair. Saena thanked him again and sat down. After ensuring she was seated, the Duke returned to his own seat. Shortly thereafter, the butler entered with a tea set, arranging it on the table and pouring the tea. Simple tea snacks were also provided.

“If you need anything, please do not hesitate to ask.”

“Thank you.”

Since it was a meeting between an unmarried man and woman, the door Saena had entered through remained open. After the butler exited through that door, Saena picked up her teacup to wet her lips. When she set the cup down and looked up, the Duke was staring at her intently.

“……”

She couldn’t understand why this man had been acting this way since yesterday. Every time he looked at her, it was as if he were challenging her to a staring contest. His eyes were a deep, piercing blue, and every time they met hers, she felt as if she were being drawn into them.

Like being pulled into the depths of the ocean, she felt as if something within those unfathomable depths might leap out and envelop her.

– Saya.

Startled, Saena snapped out of it at the sudden hallucination of a voice in her head.

‘…Yuri?’

It seemed like she had heard his voice… WHen she blinked her eyes open wide, the hallucination was gone. Saena lowered her gaze to the table and picked up her teacup.

“I didn’t expect you to come so soon.”

“Since Your Grace was waiting, of course. I apologize for my lack of preparation.”

“It was I who came without an appointment, so waiting is only natural.”

Silence fell between them once more. It was perhaps an expected silence. The Duke seemed to have a taciturn disposition, and Saena wasn’t particularly talkative either. Moreover, they weren’t well-acquainted, so what was there to say?

Saena wished the Duke would get to the point and leave soon, whatever his purpose was. Perhaps sensing her thoughts, the Duke suddenly stood up. His large frame filled her vision as he rose.

Saena widened her eyes as she watched him approach. The Duke, who had been sitting opposite her, walked around the table and effortlessly lifted a chair with one hand, placing it next to her and sitting down. It was remarkable how silently such a large man could move.

“Your hand.”

Distracted by his movements, she didn’t immediately grasp the meaning of his words.

“Your hand.”

“…Pardon?”

The Duke extended his left palm and repeated himself.

“I’d like to see where you got burned yesterday.”

“Oh. It’s fine. It doesn’t hurt much…”

She truly was okay, but the Duke seemed uninterested in hearing her excuses. Still holding out his left palm, he gazed at her, making it clear he wouldn’t accept any further excuses.

Reluctantly, Saena hesitated before extending her right hand, where she had been burned the previous day. A small blister had formed and burst on the fleshy part of her palm, leaving a round mark. It was noticeable due to the difference in skin color, but it wasn’t a severe burn, and it didn’t hurt unless pressed, so it was hardly a wound.

The Duke, still wearing his gloves, lightly grasped her fingertips with his long, gloved fingers. He lowered his gaze, seemingly scrutinizing the small wound. He paused, contemplating the tiny injury.

Saena remained still, not moving a muscle, until she felt him release her fingertips. She then attempted to pull her hand back.

“Hold still.”

The Duke didn’t say another word.

He held her hand firmly for a moment to prevent her from pulling it back, then slowly released it. During that time, it felt as though he was holding her not with his hand but with his gaze. His pale blue eyes, framed by stark white lashes, seemed to ensnare her once again.

Slowly, he removed his gloves. Using his right hand, he pulled off the glove on his left, then used his now-bare left hand to remove the glove on his right. He neatly placed the gloves side by side on the table. The lack of even the smallest sound during the process was uncanny.

‘…Did he train as an assassin or something?’

Such absurd thoughts crossed her mind.

In the meantime, he pulled out a small pouch from his coat and retrieved something from it. Saena’s eyes caught sight of a transparent glass vial containing a viscous, greenish-blue liquid that swirled inside.

Pop.

The sound of the cork being opened was the loudest thing so far. Holding the vial in his right hand, the Duke finally lowered his gaze. Only when his intense stare left her did Saena let out a small breath and follow his gaze downward.

The Duke’s left hand moved toward her right hand with an almost unnaturally slow motion. The deliberate slowness of his action made Saena unconsciously hold her breath.

Her hand had been loosely clenched into a small fist, but his thumb slipped into the hollow of her palm, gently pressing outward to open her hand. His cool fingers brushed against her skin with such deliberate slowness that Saena shivered involuntarily. A tingling sensation ran from her forearm to the nape of her neck, causing her fine hairs to rise. The peculiar feeling made her bite her lower lip slightly.

Once her palm was fully open, the Duke tilted the vial in his hand. The thick liquid poured out in a small stream, pooling in the center of her palm.

For such a beautiful color, the smell was far from pleasant. It was reminiscent of burning leaves or the musty scent of a stable.

Saena flinched slightly, inhaling sharply.

“Hup.”

The Duke began to gently rub the liquid into her palm with his thumb. The viscous substance spread along the path of his touch before quickly being absorbed into her skin, leaving no trace behind.

It was different from the typical potions meant for drinking. She had never seen a treatment like this before. Its effects, however, were remarkable. As the Duke focused on the burned area, the discolored skin gradually returned to its original smooth texture, leaving no scar behind.