Thump, thump, thump, thump.

My heart pounded so hard it felt like it would jump out, making my entire body resonate.

My mind went blank as I stared at his unwavering gaze fixed on me.

Would I dislike it…?

“……”

If he asked whether I disliked him, strangely enough, I wanted to say I didn’t feel any aversion toward him.

But if he was asking whether I disliked these actions, I couldn’t figure out how to answer.

This kind of thing…

Doing something without genuine feelings, pushed into it by circumstances.

I couldn’t make sense of anything while this man skillfully manipulated me as naturally as breathing.

And what I hated most…

“…I.”

Was my own foolishness, worrying that he might hear my rapidly beating heart even in this situation.

“Well…”

After stammering for a while, I tried to continue but stopped again. I noticed his gaze growing increasingly dark.

My heart sank in a different way.

It was truly strange.

I disliked feeling cornered like this, and I also disliked this awkward sensation.

The ticklish warmth kept making my shoulders shrink.

Since things had come to this…

“Stay still…!”

Smooch!

Carlo’s eyes widened instantly.

I firmly grabbed his face with both hands and quickly kissed his eye at the speed of light.

“This should be enough!”

When I tried to quickly get up from his lap, he pulled me back down.

“No.”

“What?”

“I always return what I receive.”

He immediately pressed his lips against mine.

“Hohoho, how delighted I was to meet Your Highness the Grand Duchess. Oh! But yesterday’s accident truly gave us all such a fright. I would like to visit and pay my respects separately soon, if that would be all right?”

The noblewomen approached me first with smiling faces and greeted me.

It happened when I came out to the garden after preparing to leave the imperial palace. Everyone welcomed us with faces flushed with curiosity and excitement.

“……”

Of course, Carlo remained composed with everyone as always, while I was the only one awkwardly smiling around, feeling strange.

Though it was just a peck and not even a real kiss, I somehow felt cheated.

Not on the cheek but on the lips!

For that man, it was probably just one of countless pecks, as light as dust, a passing kiss, but for me…!

“…Tch.”

Yes, complaining would only hurt my mouth.

I knew I’d only end up with wounded pride and nothing to show for it.

Walking alongside Violet, I narrowed my eyes and watched Carlo’s back as he walked with the men.

He acted so well in that department.

If he were a con artist targeting women, he would have put Casanova to shame.

Of course, despite my dissatisfaction, I didn’t forget to respond positively to the noblewomen.

“Of course. I would love to meet with you.”

“Lady Swinton mentioned that Your Highness the Grand Duchess would also participate in the Papal charity event. Is that true? If so, we would like to help somehow…”

“The event? Yes, I plan to participate. However, since I still lack the capacity, I’m relying heavily on Lady Swinton, so I’ll contact you after consulting with her.”

Just as I was nodding and responding to their greetings, I suddenly noticed the noblewomen stepping back nervously.

“Sir Dillan is coming.”

Violet whispered beside me.

As Dillan approached politely with respectful greetings and stopped next to me, I immediately turned to confirm that Carlo was engaged in conversation with other men.

“I’ll walk separately for a moment.”

With many noblewomen around and not straying too far from Violet, I briefly took a side path with Dillan.

“The rumors have spread wonderfully.”

“Have they?”

“Since when did you become so close?”

“Is that rumor displeasing to you, Brother?”

At my question, he immediately frowned and closed his mouth.

“I read the article published after the attack stating that I knew nothing about the situation at St. Berte or the accident, as if the family was drawing a line. There seems to have been no communication between us, so why does my good relationship with Carlo bother you?”

“…You seem like a completely different person.”

He muttered irritably while reducing his stride to match my pace.

“I heard that even with amnesia, memories usually return quickly in most cases.”

“I must be slower than most.”

“But they will return eventually.”

Dillan emphasized the end of his sentence and looked at me.

“I’ll be going to Grand Town in St. Berte soon. I’ll send word ahead.”

“……”

“Don’t get too close to the Grand Duke. When the day comes that you recover your memories, you’ll regret it bitterly.”

After checking my blank reaction, he stopped walking with a frown.

I naturally stopped too and looked at him.

“Once you know the truth, that bastard will kill you first. I guarantee it.”

“……”

“And above all, you wanted to kill the Grand Duke like a madwoman. Not for a single moment did you waver.”

My heart sank at his additional words.

Not because his words surprised me, but because I wondered what the original Lea might have done to him before my transmigration.

Conscious of Violet walking some distance behind us, I suppressed my tension and said:

“Violet, did you wait long?”

“Quite.”

My head jerked up at the low voice that suddenly came from above.

Carlo had somehow appeared beside us, exuding a heavy, cold atmosphere, and was looking at me.

Dillan laughed emptily and shrugged as if there was nothing he could do.

“I was merely greeting her out of concern for yesterday’s incident, checking if she was all right. I’ll be on my way now.”

When Dillan extended his arm toward me, Carlo’s elegant, large hand immediately blocked the space between Dillan and me.

Glancing at his hand, Dillan looked at Carlo incredulously.

“I was just going to greet her.”

“Refrain from that. From now on.”

“…Even greetings are not allowed?”

“As you can see.”

“She’s my sister.”

“I don’t have one.”

At Carlo’s detached response, Dillan stood speechless before breaking into a weak laugh.

“…So you’re saying you don’t understand?”

“I understand but have no intention of accepting it. Ever.”

This man was clearly too immersed in his role as an overprotective husband.

Otherwise, he couldn’t so casually make such statements just to respond, as naturally as saying “the sky is blue, the fields are green.”

As I stared at him blankly with my mouth half-open, Carlo naturally wrapped his arm around my waist.

Though his action seemed routine, I momentarily froze.

How can you do this so smoothly? Are you a player…?

“Go.”

“…I’ll see you next time.”

At Carlo’s instruction, Dillan gritted his teeth, bowed politely, and turned away.

“Meeting again?”

As our carriage entered St. Berte, Carlo’s eyes momentarily displayed displeasure.

The issue was Dillan saying he would come to Grand Town soon.

“You told me to speak without hiding anything, so I did. Why are you angry?”

“When did I get angry?”

“Just now.”

“You’re imagining things.”

Wow… look at this shameless man!

I stared at him with wide eyes before turning my head away sharply.

Look at that. Earlier in front of people, he held my waist, stroked my hair, caressed my cheek, pretending to cherish me.

Now he’s completely withdrawn and looking at me like I’m a stone.

He has two faces, two.

Angel and devil.

No, devil and less devil.

“You look dissatisfied.”

“I’m just enjoying the scenery outside.”

“Hardly.”

He closed the glass window as if to block my view and grabbed my chin to make me look at him.

“What’s bothering you?”

“Nothing like that.”

“Your face says otherwise.”

“…No it doesn’t?”

After examining my features one by one, he slightly frowned.

“Tell me clearly. Before I really get angry.”

“……”

“Nothing makes me angrier than when you keep your mouth shut.”

“…It might be nothing to Your Highness!”

“Not ‘Your Highness,’ Carlo.”

“It might be nothing to you!”

“Not ‘you,’ something else.”

“It might be nothing to you, but not to me!”

“What isn’t?”

He maintained his composure with effort and stared at me with a stoic gaze.

I pursed my lips, finding him even more annoying.

“…Touching me casually, kissing me casually.”

“You dislike it that much?”

“……”

“I asked if you disliked it that much.”

“Of course I do!”

His eyes instantly darkened.

“You’re just doing things on impulse!”

“Then what should I do? Give advance notice and time everything with a stopwatch?”

“Who said that? At least those things should be done when there are feelings…!”

“Stop!”

With a booming voice from outside, my body nearly lurched forward, but he instinctively grabbed me tightly.