Chapter 37

“Then, would it be possible today as well?”

Anyone overhearing might have thought it a pathetic attempt at manipulation. Yet, whether Eos was naive or simply playing the part, she followed without resistance. Their assigned attendant was Anne.

Curious glances were cast as the two stepped out together, but Gopher paid them no mind.

This wasn’t some clandestine masquerade ball; providing juicier gossip would soon bury this incident. At worst, it would end up as third-rate tabloid fodder, much like today’s Bleria scandal.

“How about this hat? I think it would suit the lady perfectly.”

“Hmm, she’s not particularly fond of red.”

“Then how about this blue one? It’s more to my taste!”

“The lace looks cheap and tacky.”

“…….”

Gopher responded absentmindedly while scanning the shop, then lifted his head.

“Don’t misunderstand—it’s just not to her taste.”

“Oh, I see…”

Eos looked displeased, but he didn’t care. Her opinion didn’t matter. His earlier comment about seeking her input was merely an excuse to get her outside and reduce the number of attendants.

“I’ll take this one.”

Gopher chose a cream-colored bonnet adorned with green-gray fabric and ribbon. It was the best quality and warmth in the shop’s selection. He refused the offer to deliver it and took the hat with him.

He thought that if she had reached out today to meet, she wouldn’t have scheduled something new.

He’d likely see her by evening. Whether she’d be pleased with the news he brought was uncertain, but she’d realize it was for the best in time.

Ignoring the tailor’s parting words, the two left the shop. Eos didn’t look happy, though Gopher didn’t bother asking why. She spoke up on her own.

“Lord Gopher, might I ask…”

“Your input was helpful, my lady.”

“Oh, no, that’s fine. Surely you know her far better than I do.”

Glancing back at the shop, she lowered her voice.

“Do I smell strongly of perfume? The assistant kept staring at me.”

Ah, that.

Gopher shrugged.

“The scent is stronger than usual, but I thought it was intentional.”

“Anne broke a perfume bottle this morning. It was something I was discarding anyway, but the scent clung to me, and it’s embarrassing.”

“I see.”

Gopher glanced back briefly, catching Anne bowing deeply.

“With all the windows left open, the smell should dissipate quickly—at least by the time I leave the estate.”

“About that, my lady,” Gopher began. “You’re welcome to stay in the annex until the wedding.”

“What? But…”

“Even if you’re no longer Mixel Luke’s companion, you can still attend as a guest. You’ll be there to celebrate, won’t you?”

Eos lowered her gaze, touching her cheek with an indecipherable expression.

“Ah… well, if you put it that way, I’ll accept your hospitality a bit longer.”

“Of course. Now, hold on.”

Gopher stopped suddenly as if noticing something, then pulled out a handkerchief.

“You’ve got something by your nose.”

“What?”

Startled, she glanced at Anne, who didn’t react, then took the handkerchief, rubbing at her face. Gopher watched her intently.

“Is it gone now, my lord?”

“Not yet.”

“And now?”

“Just a little more.”

“Ugh, I need a mirror!”

“No, Lady Eos.”

That should do it. Gopher took the handkerchief from her himself. Her nose was reddened, and the sight made him silently smirk.

“Well done, my lady.”

Eos’s expression turned strange. Perhaps she’d begun to sense something amiss, but it hardly mattered. She forced a nervous laugh and asked, “Well done? For what… Oh, for helping pick out a gift?”

“Let’s return now.”

“Ah, yes.”

Gopher gestured to a knight and turned away. The handkerchief would be burned, and they’d return to the estate. Once the attendant was dealt with, he’d ensure the testimony pointed to Mixel Luke’s involvement.

“Gopher.”

A familiar voice stopped him in his tracks.

The midday sun was harsh, its vertical rays scattering as they struck the silver-haired woman. Her slender frame looked as though it might shatter. Her round, lively eyes were focused on him.

“Bleria…?”

At first, he was startled by the coincidence. Then, suspicion arose—could this be some cunning ploy? But soon, all his attention zeroed in on her face.

Bleria regarded him with her usual calm, detached expression. Usually, that would have sufficed.

“You smiled, didn’t you?”

That unpleasant voice that had haunted him for days crept into his ears as if on cue.

Smiled?

More precisely, it had claimed he’d heard her laugh. But Gopher had never seen or heard such a thing. The last time she’d forced a smile was when she’d asked how to appear more aristocratic years ago.

Why smile? Why now?

He’d crafted his mask so carefully, yet she had trembled before him, frightened, only to… smile?

“Ah, Lady Bleria! What a surprise meeting you here!”

Eos’s voice pulled him from his disturbing thoughts.

Bleria’s gaze shifted to Eos, and the fleeting expression it revealed made Gopher smirk.

“Lady Eos, I need to speak with Bleria. Would you mind heading back first?”

“Speak with her… Oh, of course!”

She clenched her fist in encouragement and disappeared into the carriage. With that nuisance gone, Gopher finally felt at ease. He stepped closer to Bleria.

“Hello, Bleria. What brings you outside?”

“I heard the new boutique is quite nice.”

“If it’s Little White you’re talking about, it’s better to go another day. The scent of perfume there is overwhelming today.”

“…So you’ve been there.”

Bleria pressed her brow briefly and glanced back, then returned to her usual composure. She was clearly paying attention to Eos. A peculiar warmth spread in her chest, a mix of exhilaration and anxiety. Gopher wetted his dry lips.

“I bought you a gift. A hat I thought might suit you. Would you like to try it on?”

“Here?”

“Of course not.”

He moved slowly, careful not to startle Bleria, intertwining their fingers as he gently took her hand. Her skin was cold from the early winter chill, but unlike before, she wasn’t trembling, nor did she pull away.

“Would you like to visit Allnight? I have no other appointments now.”

When she nodded, Gopher exhaled a breath he had been holding tightly.

***

“My head hurts.”

When Bleria stepped into Gopher’s study and was out of sight, she couldn’t take her hand off her head. The headache, dormant for a while, flared up again.

Going outside had been a mistake. Even though she knew Gopher had no feelings for Eos, she felt unsettled, guessing he might have had other motives for meeting her.

“I shouldn’t have seen it.”

The tea in her cup quickly diminished. When the empty cup was finally exposed, she reached for the teapot and noticed a newspaper on the floor. Upon closer inspection, it was the same article she had read earlier—a gossip column about her rumored affair with Mixel Luke.

As she picked it up, a gloved hand suddenly appeared.

“Hand it over.”

Gopher took the newspaper. He had excused himself to greet his grandmother, but she hadn’t realized when he returned.

Everything feels like a blur.

Bleria watched absentmindedly as he moved. He piled logs crosswise in the fireplace and tossed the newspaper bundle into the center. When he took out a matchstick from a box on the shelf, her mouth moved instinctively.

“Fire…”

“What? It’s not an anniversary or anything.”

“Can you even light it?”

The corners of his mouth curled up.

“Do you still think I’m some fragile flower?”

With a whoosh, the fire ignited. As she stared at it in a daze, Gopher wrapped a thick blanket around her.

“After being treated like an idiot a few times, I practiced lighting and extinguishing fires.”

“…I never treated you like that.”

Before, she had only been concerned about him getting burned.

Gopher smiled silently and took out the hat he had bought from the boutique. It was a bonnet with a green ribbon meant to tie under the chin. The exterior was adorned with intricate lace, while the lining looked exceptionally soft.

He placed the bonnet on Bleria’s head. Wrapped snugly in the blanket, she probably didn’t look very stylish, but from head to toe, she felt warm.

I don’t feel sick anymore, but he still cares for me.

Even as she wondered about his inexplicable actions, her headache subsided steadily. Was it because she felt warm or because of his kindness? Either way, her body was surprisingly simple.

In a softened voice, Bleria asked, “Did you really go out just to buy this?”

“I wasn’t trying to make a move on Eos Liche.”

He paused while tying the ribbon under her chin.

“Actually, in a way, maybe I was?”

“What?”

“Either way, there’s nothing to misunderstand. You’ll find out soon enough.”

Gopher smiled lightly. Just then, the Allnight butler knocked on the study door.