“Hm, what?”

I was flustered by his words. Why was he suddenly bringing this up?

“She’s preparing a business venture.”

When I belatedly realized what he meant, my heart sank.

“Oh no… Luden, you don’t like that sort of thing.”

“That’s right.”

“Then you shouldn’t have come along.”

“But I had to come. I could meet my fiancée.”

“Even so, you don’t have to come to places you dislike if you tell me.”

I frowned at his words.

No wonder Luna was so pleased when Luden showed up—this was the reason.

“Are you okay with this, Luden?”

“As long as she doesn’t directly ask me to help with the business, I’m fine.”

At his words, I worried. I hoped Luna wouldn’t ask Luden directly.

But whether things would actually go that way remained to be seen.

* * *

After eating lunch and playing in the valley, they welcomed the evening. A party was held at the villa in the evening.

‘Good heavens.’

They said there’d be a party, but I didn’t expect instruments to appear. Then again, without recorders, you needed instruments to listen to music.

Since everyone came with partners, they were waiting for the music to start. Music flowed gently.

“Annelia, shall we dance?”

Luden asked. I took his hand. Just like at lunch, his hand was still hot.

We went to the center of the floor. Music played softly and others began to dance as well.

“But Luden, how long can you stay?”

Luden had a lot of work.

“I might have to leave early in the morning.”

As expected, it seemed Luden would have to leave first.

“I’ll send another carriage. One of the family’s carriages is nearby.”

“Please do that.”

They said today there’d be a party and tomorrow a tea party at the valley. We’d play together and part around evening. I wanted to play until tomorrow evening.

“Won’t you be lonely alone?”

Luden asked.

“I play well by myself. Are you worried about me being left alone?”

I asked directly. Then Luden pondered and nodded.

“I’m fine. Luden, you take care of your work.”

Luden had worked in the carriage. Seeing the speed at which he flipped through documents, I guessed he didn’t have much leisure. Yet he attended here. What was the reason?

But I didn’t ask. If he wasn’t saying it himself, I had no intention of forcing it out of him.

He looked at me and smiled.

“Is treating me indifferently also part of your plan?”

“What?”

“Because you didn’t ask why I came.”

“Well…”

I rolled my eyes and smiled.

“I thought there must be a reason you couldn’t say yourself.”

“That’s why I’m comfortable with you.”

Luden praised me. Being praised by him made me feel strange.

“I’m pretty great, aren’t I?”

I replied with a smile.

Ah, you keep doing this and confusing me.

It seemed like Luden was developing some fondness for me, but it must be my imagination.

* * *

After finishing her dance with Luden, Annelia moved to dance with another man. Watching her move busily, Luden sighed briefly.

The hand that touched hers was hot.

Just being here with Annelia calmed his mind. Now that he was somewhat stable, he thought he could leave tomorrow and get back to work.

Thinking about returning to that suffocating place made him feel stifled, and he wanted to stay with Annelia longer, but he couldn’t.

He tilted his head back. Then he moved to drink a beverage.

There wasn’t much time left with her. He had to spend it well.

“Luden.”

Luna approached him.

“Would you like to dance?”

At her request, Luden hesitated. He didn’t particularly enjoy dancing, but since Luna was the party’s host, it was hard to refuse.

“I will.”

Eventually deciding to dance, he took Luna’s hand. Luna danced with him and asked what she’d been curious about.

“Why did you suddenly attend the party?”

At Luna’s words, Luden frowned. He could read the curiosity in her eyes.

“It’s a party my fiancée is attending, so naturally I should attend too.”

Luden spent time appropriately responding to Luna’s words. And hearing Luna’s final words, Luden wore a sneer.

When the dance ended, Luden quickly grabbed a beverage and left the party hall. His head ached thinking others might request dances.

The comfortable feeling he’d had from meeting Annelia seemed to disappear completely. That was quite unpleasant. What was the reason he’d pushed himself to come meet Annelia?

Luden escaped from the people and drank his beverage. The sweet drink passed down his throat.

He thought he understood why his father would occasionally go to places without people and spend time with his mother.

He wanted to leave alone with Annelia.

‘This is…’

Being conditioned to one person was dangerous. But he was already accustomed to her, and there didn’t seem to be any way to escape from it.

Enduring this situation was still too difficult for him.

“Luden!”

But then Annelia walked over.

“So you were here.”

She smiled brightly.

“I was surprised when you suddenly disappeared. Did Luna say something rude?”

Annelia seemed to be asking just in case.

“Nothing like that happened.”

She just told him to contact her if he was interested in a business venture the family was doing. Luden wore a sneer.

“Luden?”

Annelia asked in a trembling voice.

“Really, nothing happened at all?”

At her question, Luden’s eyes widened.

“Your expression doesn’t look good.”

He’d shown her a bad side. He looked at Annelia.

“Luna just talked about business, so I was thinking about that.”

“So she did talk to you directly?”

Annelia stuck out her lips.

“You became sensitive because that business talk came up.”

Annelia recalled how Luden had said earlier he’d be fine as long as business talk didn’t come up.

“Luden, you try to do work too perfectly. When you hear about work, your expression seems to harden.”

Saying that, Annelia approached and stroked Luden’s head. He’d expected her to ask about the business, but she didn’t.

“Your head just got needlessly complicated.”

“Aren’t you going to ask how I’ll act?”

“Ah, well, that.”

Annelia chuckled.

“I’ll ask later. Right now your head is complicated, so there’s no need for me to complicate it further.”

The beverage glass in Annelia’s hand caught his eye. This time too, she hadn’t drunk alcohol. Her consideration, speaking with a bright smile, touched his heart. Tranquility surrounded them.

“I see.”

Luden said that and closed his eyes.

He just wanted to stay in this space forever. It was a space where a person could breathe comfortably.

“If Annelia wants it, I’ll help with the business.”

“Luden?”

“Think about it carefully.”

At Luden’s words, Annelia made a troubled expression.

“It feels like you’re pushing work onto me.”

“That can’t be.”

He said that and touched her cheek. Her soft cheek met his hand.

He wanted to kiss those small lips.

A strong impulse arose in him as a man. But he couldn’t quite carry it out.

Because she might reject him.

Because that would hurt.

* * *

Early morning came.

Luden got up and prepared to return. He’d told Luna in advance.

“Who are you, really?”

He looked at Annelia with an indifferent gaze and exhaled.

He gently grasped Annelia’s hair while she slept peacefully. It was shimmering, beautifully colored blonde hair.

He kissed it. Then his face flushed hot.

What was this emotion?

He left the room, leaving the sleeping Annelia behind. Like he was running away from her.

Fleeing from his emotions, he boarded the carriage.

It still seemed like Annelia’s scent surrounded him.

A fragrant aroma spread subtly through the carriage.

‘Hah.’

It was a marriage done out of necessity.

At first, he thought this emotion came from his difficulties. He believed it would soon disappear. But he was beginning to think it wouldn’t.

His feelings for Annelia were gripping his heart that tightly.

* * *

When I woke up, Luden was gone. Seeing his letter saying to have fun, I swept back my hair.

“Have fun, he says.”

He came, only heard about business, and left.

I suddenly felt sorry.

Thinking that, I rang the magically created bell. Then the door opened and Lella entered.

“You called?”

“I need to go eat breakfast.”

“Yes.”

I washed and put on makeup with Lella’s assistance. After finishing, I looked in the mirror and was impressed. The makeup suited me very well.

‘So pure and innocent.’

Pretty enough that anyone passing by would turn to look. Very satisfying.

I smiled brightly.

I left the room and went down to the dining hall to sit. Then a servant brought me soup and bread. There was also a salad with meat in it. The other ladies were diligently eating only greens. I ate meat.

“Lady Annelia.”

Luna approached.

“I heard the Rosaline ducal family mainly eats vegetarian food.”

“My eating habits changed.”

I said with a cheerful smile. Luna nodded at her appearance and looked at the empty seat beside me.

“It seems Luden left today.”

“He’s busy.”

“That’s right.”

I knew Luna was waiting for some kind of story to come from my mouth. Actually, I knew what she hoped for.

“Luden left while I was asleep.”

This much should be enough to say. Then Luna’s eyes wavered.

“Without saying anything?”

“Did you perhaps have something to hear from Luden?”

“Ah, no.”

Luna couldn’t hide her disappointed feelings. She seemed to have hoped Luden might say something about the business.

‘Like he’d do that.’

Since Luden was already dying from all his current work, he wouldn’t have the leisure to start a new business. His relatives were just waiting for him to make a mistake.

And Luden said he’d leave Luna’s matter to me, but I had no intention of getting involved in someone else’s business.

“Then enjoy your meal.”

Luna quickly fixed her expression and went to greet others. Watching her, I fell into thought.

‘Should I try doing business?’

I could already imagine Luden looking at me with a dumbfounded face.

Ah, of course, that’s just imagination.

Luden doesn’t express emotions, so he’d just tell me with an expressionless face not to do strange things, in a roundabout way.

“The old Annelia could never have done it.”

The good-natured her would have had a high chance of being scammed.

It was fortunate that Annelia at least had good conditions. Lucky she was born a noble—if she’d been born ordinary, she might have been used everywhere and died.

What about the current me?

Could I handle business?

Business was something where you couldn’t predict the future. So you always had to live with anxiety.

Like Luden right now.

I finished breakfast and organized my thoughts. By the way, the meat was extremely delicious.

Lunchtime came. I looked at the clothes I’d brought and hesitated over which to wear. I’d packed the most convenient clothes possible, but felt a bit regretful.

“My lady.”

Lella approached from the side. She picked out something decent from the clothes we’d brought.

“I think this will suit you.”

“I suppose so.”