“…In what way?”

Isabella stared at Logan in surprise, then asked again a beat later. It took her a moment to process what he had said.

“The wedding.”

“N–No, that’s not what I meant.”

Seeing him calmly repeat himself as though she simply hadn’t heard, Isabella shook her head vigorously.

‘Why does this feel so familiar…?’

The memory of hearing similar words in Rosedale flashed through her mind, and she hurriedly forced the image away.

“If Mother has her way, she’ll insist on a grand traditional ceremony. But if that feels burdensome to you, we can keep it small—just the two of us.”

“Um… I’m not quite sure why Your Grace is suddenly speaking of marriage, but don’t you think it’s a little early to be setting a wedding date?”

Logan spoke as though their marriage were already a settled matter.

Even before they had properly defined their relationship, he was planning a wedding. Isabella chose her words carefully as she tried to change the subject. She had never once imagined that he had been thinking this far ahead. The day before, she had been agonizing over how to accept the fact that they were a couple. To her, this felt abrupt and overwhelming.

“I’m not suggesting we marry tomorrow. Your health still needs to improve, and you’ll need time to settle things.”

Seeing her flustered expression, Logan responded calmly. Even when she gently tried to refuse, he did not waver. He was certain — the kind of certainty that comes from having made up one’s mind.

“You’re going to marry me anyway.”

His tone was utterly matter-of-fact.

As though there were no possibility she would refuse him.

“That’s…”

But Isabella could not answer so easily.

No matter how free relationships had become and how openly nobles now enjoyed the company of commoners, marriage was not a decision to be taken lightly — especially not for a grand duke.

Especially not for a grand duke.

“It’s not that I’ve never thought about a future with you, but… I think it’s still a little early to decide on marriage.”

Yes, they had been close as children. But a lot of time had passed since then. They had never officially dated. They had never loved each other in the way that lovers should.

“Wouldn’t it be better if we took some time to get to know each other first? Something like… dating.”

“Dating?”

“If we spend more time together, we might argue. Our thoughts could change.”

“There’s no reason for us to argue. And nothing about my feelings will change.”

Logan frowned.

“How long have I known you? Do you think I would propose marriage without that much certainty?”

He had already planned their wedding in his mind, right down to how many guests would attend and how many children they might have one day. He could not understand why Isabella was hesitating.

His decision to marry her was not based on a fleeting emotion. He was moving forward because he was certain of the future he wanted — he was certain that it was with her.

Stunned by the conviction in his voice as he promised that he would never change, Isabella could only stare at him.

She had not even managed to untangle her own feelings yet. His unwavering confidence should have been reassuring, and she was grateful for it.

And yet, it felt unbearably heavy on her chest.

“How long does it usually last?”

“…What?”

“The dating period.”

Seeing her expression grow troubled, Logan asked her a question. Although he was clearly dissatisfied with her insistence on taking her time, he made a visible effort to respect her wishes.

A dating period?

She had never considered setting a timeframe before marriage before.

Caught off guard, Isabella hesitated.

“Usually… I’ve heard that people talk about marriage after dating for a year or two.”

“That’s too long.”

Logan rejected the idea at once.

He felt that even marrying immediately would not be soon enough. He had no desire to waste one or two years.

“Three months. That should be enough time to consider marriage.”

“That’s far too short. How can you decide on someone you’ll spend your entire life with in just three months? At the very least, we should take a year.”

“What is there left to see between us? My parents were engaged after meeting three times.”

“That was an arranged marriage. It’s different for commoners like me.”

“Four months.”

“That’s hardly different from three.”

Logan shot her a displeased look.

But Isabella showed no intention of ending the conversation early. She couldn’t bring herself to talk about marriage when she hadn’t yet decided how she felt about being with him.

It was not an issue that could easily be resolved.

“Fine. Six months. Not a day more.”

Seeing the resolve in Isabella’s expression, Logan spoke in a firm voice, as though he would yield no further.

“…All right.”

Isabella nodded, accepting his terms. Six months was hardly enough time for her, but, given Logan’s patience, it was the best compromise she could manage for the time being.

And so began the first romance of Duke Fraser’s life.

***

“Your Grace. The coal company called regarding the previous transaction. They believe they can secure the requested quantity and would like to discuss adjusting the price—”

Jeremy entered the Duke’s office and began reading from the notes in his planner. He stopped in his tracks.

Logan was sitting at his desk, so engrossed that he did not notice Jeremy’s arrival.

Instead of holding a stack of documents, he was holding a book.

‘His Grace… reading during work hours?’

Jeremy remembered how Logan had devoured every medical text in the study while Isabella lay in a coma. Curious about this new interest, he glanced at the book’s cover.

[101 Secrets to Capturing a Woman’s Heart Like Casanova]

The moment he read the title, his mind reeled.

‘His Grace… reading a romance guide? Now, of all times?’

Beside the book in Logan’s hand lay several others of similar titles: The Complete Encyclopedia of Dating, The Rules of Love, and more.

‘I thought things were going well with Miss Isabella… Surely he hasn’t found another woman? Or perhaps Miss Isabella has…?’

Cold sweat gathered along Jeremy’s spine.

Having endured countless trials whenever problems arose between Logan and Isabella, he braced himself. He was already drafting a resignation letter in his mind.

Just then, Logan looked up.

“Jeremy. Have you ever been in a relationship?”

“P–Pardon?”

Caught off guard by the sudden question, Jeremy reflexively asked for clarification. The surprise was plain to see on his face. However, as an experienced aide, he quickly composed himself. He cleared his throat and nodded calmly.

“Yes, well… I’ve more or less been in relationships continuously since my school days.”

Jeremy gave the impression of being a diligent and dependable model student. Unlike Logan, he did not draw attention simply by entering a room. Yet, with his tall build and gentle demeanor, he had always been popular. Maintaining the top academic rank throughout his four years at university had only made him more appealing.

‘Though after joining Fraser Corporation, I barely had time to date.’

The role of the Duke of Fraser’s secretary came with a prestigious title and a generous salary. However, it left very little room for a personal life.

Recalling the girlfriend who had once broken up with him because he seemed to love the Duke more than her, Jeremy felt tears come to his eyes.

“How does one do it?”

Logan’s direct question startled him even more.

“Dating, you mean?”

Only after the words had left his mouth did Jeremy realize how presumptuous he might have sounded. He quickly cleared his throat and sat up straight.

“Ahem. Well, you could think of it as two people in love spending time together, building memories and getting to know each other.”

The Duke of Fraser, who gave every impression of having broken countless hearts, had, in truth, almost no experience of dating. He had once been engaged, yes, but that arrangement had been little more than a contract devoid of genuine emotion. Even during his school years, before the engagement was arranged, Logan Fraser was infamous for rejecting any woman who approached him without mercy. Vincent teased him about it often, and Jeremy had witnessed it more than once.

And now he was asking about dating.

Clearly, something was happening.

“Why are you asking about dating all of a sudden, Your Grace?”

“Isabella says we should try dating before marriage.”

As expected.

With a sinking feeling, Jeremy ventured cautiously.

“You didn’t… already ask Miss Isabella to marry you, did you?”

“I asked her when she’d like to hold the wedding.”

His ominous premonitions had never been wrong before.

Jeremy had sensed that Logan’s feelings for Isabella were different. It seemed that the Duke had finally taken action.

There wasn’t a woman in the entire Empire who would refuse to marry the Duke of Fraser.

However, if the woman in question were a commoner, that would change everything.

As a commoner himself, someone who experienced the divide between nobility and common birth daily, Jeremy understood, at least in part, what had prompted Isabella to say such a thing.

Nevertheless, even if he explained it a hundred times, the Duke would probably still not understand. So he chose another approach.

“When it comes to dating, you must focus entirely on what women like. That’s the safest way to avoid problems later.”

He hesitated before asking carefully.

“You do know what a date is, don’t you?”

The Duke gave no immediate answer.

Jeremy had the distinct feeling that a long journey lay ahead.

He felt that it would be far more arduous than he had expected.