Chapter 11 – Part 1

Thud, thud, thud.

Mila sat up at the sound of knocking. Though she had already unpacked the larger boxes, the house was still disorganized.

“Who could it be?”

She wasn’t expecting anyone. Eliana was busy sorting things in another room.

“Who is it?”

When she stepped outside, Duke Calix Vartica was standing there. His grave and heavy expression startled Mila for a moment.

“Hello, Your Grace.”

Mila greeted him politely.

“I want to see Eliana. Is she inside?”

“Yes, I’ll go ask her. Please wait here for a moment.”

In the past, Duke Calix would have come over as soon as the house was ready. However, Eliana hadn’t invited him, nor did she seem to have any plans to do so. That felt odd to Mila, but she hadn’t expected him to show up unannounced like this.

Mila went to tell Eliana that Duke Vartica was at the door.

“Calix?”

Eliana, who was arranging lace curtains, paused for a moment.

‘Why is he here without any notice?’

After witnessing him with Violet that night, Eliana felt strange and tried to stop thinking about Calix. Time had passed like that, and now he had come to her home without any prior contact.

“Should I just tell him to go back?”

Sensing the tension, Mila asked cautiously.

‘That might be the best.’

Eliana was about to tell him she was too busy unpacking to meet when she heard footsteps approaching. She turned around.

Despite not being granted permission, Calix had crossed the threshold and entered the living room.

“Oh my…”

Mila was surprised. She hadn’t expected him to come in so freely.

Calix and Eliana stood facing each other, with the door between them. She wasn’t upset that he had entered without permission; she was just a bit surprised.

Calix had the look of someone with something important to say.

‘Though I have no idea what that could be…’

He wouldn’t have crossed the threshold into someone else’s home like this if it wasn’t something important.

“I came in because I thought you wouldn’t let me in if I asked. I hope you’ll forgive me.”

Though an uninvited guest, Calix glanced around the new house Eliana had acquired. Instead of commenting on it, he looked directly at her again.

“What’s the point of saying that after you’ve already come in?“

“I know. It’s rude.”

“…”

Eliana set down the curtains she had been adjusting and stepped into the living room where he stood.

“How did you know where I lived?”

Calix sighed as if the question wasn’t even worth asking.

“Everyone in town knows where your house is. Rumors spread quickly through the real estate agents.”

Eliana was always followed by a bit too much attention.

“Why are you here?“

“To see you. Do I need another reason?“

“…”

His red eyes held a look of firm determination, and for some reason, Eliana felt her heart race. His actions today were bolder than before, starting from the very beginning. She would have taken him there if she had a reception room, but there wasn’t one in her new home.

“For now, sit over here.”

Eliana led him to the living room. The sofa was small, so even though they didn’t intend to sit too close, the space between them was pretty intimate. After serving tea, Mila stepped out through the back door, giving them privacy.

Calix’s gaze lingered on her. Eliana hadn’t dressed up since she wasn’t planning to go out. He wouldn’t have seen her like this if he hadn’t come unexpectedly. His intense gaze was a bit hard to handle.

“I’d appreciate it if you didn’t stare so much.“

“Why?“

“It just feels… awkward.“

“Because you’re not dressed up?“

“Yes. I wasn’t prepared to receive you, yet you barged in.“

“If I hadn’t, you would have sent me away, wouldn’t you?”

He wasn’t wrong.

“Whether you’re dressed up or not doesn’t matter. You’re always beautiful to me, Eliana, no matter what.“

Eliana’s hand, reaching for her teacup, paused at his words.

Calix spoke his mind without hesitation. He had nothing to hide. Perhaps he wouldn’t have the chance to talk to her like this again soon.

She met his gaze. It wasn’t because she was happy about the compliment or disliked what he was saying. There was just a slight curiosity in her expression, as though he might be misunderstanding something about her.

“Eliana, why didn’t you tell me?“

“Tell you what?“

“That my aunt came to see you. You should have told me. If you felt disrespected, you should have said so and demanded an apology.“

“I was going to.”

She had planned to tell him. It would have been better for Calix to know than not to know. But in the end, she hadn’t felt the need to go out of her way to ensure he knew. Her feelings had shifted.

“I’m sorry.“

“……“

“For letting you hear something like that.“

“I know she said it because she thought it was for your benefit. That’s why I wasn’t too hurt.“

“No, it was disrespectful, no matter how much she tried to justify it as being for my sake. Even if she helped me through difficult times, she had no right to speak to you that way.”

Calix spoke in a firm tone. It was easy to imagine how furious he must have been with Linda when he found out.

“It’s okay now. It was days ago, and I’ve already forgotten about it.”

Eliana forced a smile.

“Did you really not plan to call me at all? You found a house, moved, and did all the hard work, even hurting your hand, all on your own?“

‘When did he see that?’

Yesterday, while fixing things around the house, she cut her finger. Her previously unblemished hands were now cracked and aching. Though she had applied some emergency ointment, the wound hadn’t fully healed yet.

There had been difficult moments, but there would undoubtedly be more challenges once she left the empire.

‘Lady Linda was cruel to me, but if Calix had met someone decent because of her…’

She didn’t want to disrupt that flow. It wasn’t something she could stop anyway.

“You’re busy.“

“I’m not busy at all.“

“……“

“You know I’m always ready to come if it’s for you.“

“But Calix, you’ve also been introduced to someone new…”

Eliana hadn’t meant for her voice to trail off, but it softened slightly as she spoke. Calix’s eyes narrowed.

“What?“

“I originally planned to move independently, but something strengthened my resolve not to involve you. I saw you and Lady Harvey together in front of the clock tower. I didn’t mean to see it; I was just going to the market and happened to pass by.“

“……“

“Baroness Linda also said she wanted to introduce you to someone nice, and I figured it must be Lady Harvey. Seeing the two of you together confirmed my guess. You were with her long enough that it seemed you didn’t mind her company, so I thought…“

“That’s a misunderstanding.”

Calix cut her off firmly, his eyes reflecting an indescribable mix of emotions.

“This misunderstanding feels incredibly unfair.”

His lips twisted slightly.

“You’re thinking I’m some trash who confessed to you and then liked another woman just a few days later.“

“No, I never thought of you as trash. I just… if you’ve met someone good, then—“

“There’s no one good except you.”

His response was resolute. Calix looked straight into her eyes, his red gaze burning intensely.

“There’s no one else I care about, no one I want to make mine but you.“

“……“

“Whatever you saw, it wasn’t a scene of me getting along with Violet. You must have seen the moment I rejected her confession.”

That was something Eliana hadn’t expected. Her eyes widened in surprise.

“What?“

‘So, it was all a complete misunderstanding.’

She realized she had made a mistake with Calix.

“Does it not bother you that I could have gone to someone else just days after being turned down by you?“

“……“

“Is it really fine if I disappear from your life?“

Eliana’s mind flashed back to her feelings that day in front of the clock tower. She had tried to bury them, but they wouldn’t stay buried.

At that moment, her heart raced strangely. The thought of witnessing their affection overwhelmed her, and her chest tightened. She couldn’t quite identify what that feeling was.

It would have been a lie to say it didn’t affect her at all.

“I…“

Eliana’s lips parted, her expression one of confusion. Calix didn’t miss the uncertainty in her response.

“Did you feel something, too?”

His eyes gazed at her warmly, almost melting. At that moment, it felt impossible to lie. Calix had always been honest with her, whether in rejection or through misunderstandings.

“It did feel a bit strange.“

“How?“

“I was surprised… and wondering if maybe you’d found someone new to care about besides me made me feel…”

It hadn’t felt good.

“So, it didn’t mean anything to you?”

Not at all. She had rushed inside the shop as if she had seen something she shouldn’t have.

“As long as it didn’t mean anything, that’s enough for me right now.“

Calix’s lips curved into a soft smile.

“I’m sorry for the misunderstanding.“

“No, it’s my fault. I’ll make sure there’s no reason for misunderstandings like that ever again.”

Though it was Eliana who misunderstood, Calix took the blame.

“I mean, I’ll be careful not to let any unsettling rumors reach your ears. Even if you hear something strange, just remember what I say. I have no intention of having feelings for anyone other than you.“

“Calix…”