“Y-Your Grace, Duke Mercedes?!”

I turned my head at the urgent voice.

Grace, who had carelessly dropped Ducan whom she had been holding, was staring at Cardien with trembling eyes.

‘Ah, right.’

Only then did I recall Grace’s preferences.

It wasn’t something I wanted to know, but I couldn’t help knowing due to all the chatter during our academy days.

So, Grace was…

“H-Hello. I’m Lauren Grace. You are Duke Mercedes, right…? I’m your fan.”

An ardent fan of Cardien.

Grace fell for Cardien after attending the funeral at the Mercedes ducal residence.

‘It was the funeral of the previous duke and duchess, I believe.’

Grace, who attended the funeral with her parents, saw Cardien there and had been singing his praises for a while after that.

‘Later, when she learned that Cardien was an illegitimate child with madness, her enthusiasm gradually waned.’

Grace, who had approached without me noticing, looked at Cardien with shining eyes.

She seemed to have completely forgotten about what had just happened.

“Do, do you remember? I attended your parents’ funeral…”

Grace twisted her body as she brought up a story from over seven years ago.

I flinched at Grace’s words and glanced at Cardien’s expression.

And for good reason.

‘That funeral probably isn’t a good memory for him.’

While Cardien hardly has any good memories, the memory of that funeral must be particularly bad.

‘The elder council had stormed into the ducal residence, demanding Cardien be expelled.’

If it hadn’t been for Cardien’s brother, Cardien might have been thrown back onto the streets.

‘…I read about that in a report that went up to Hysterion.’

It seems Cardien didn’t care whether he was expelled or not.

Anyway, it must certainly be an unpleasant memory.

Sure enough.

Cardien looked down at Grace with an even colder gaze.

But when their eyes met, Grace’s eyes turned ecstatic.

‘Wow, that’s intense.’

I admired Grace in a corner of my heart.

She must be the only one in Lagranacia who could make such an expression while facing Cardien’s cold gaze.

“Um…”

As Cardien remained silent and just kept looking down at her, Grace took a step forward and reached out toward him.

At that moment.

Slap!

Cardien swatted away Grace’s hand with his gloved hand.

“Eek!”

He must not have controlled his strength at all, as Grace plopped down on her bottom right there.

“Y-Your Grace?”

Grace looked up at Cardien with surprised eyes.

When their eyes met, she flinched and began trembling.

Ah, I see.

‘Since Cardien rarely engages in public activities.’

His personality isn’t well-known either.

She probably never imagined he would so roughly swat away the hand of a lady like herself.

The rose-colored glasses must have fallen off, and now she’s seeing Cardien’s true nature.

The cold air centered around Cardien seemed to freeze even our lungs.

Grace lowered her head slowly, trembling.

Looking down at Grace, Cardien slowly moved his lips.

“Lauren Grace.”

Grace flinched when her name was called and looked up at Cardien.

Then, with a cold sneer on his lips, Cardien said.

“You’d better prepare that great lawyer of yours well. Mercedes’ lawyers will be visiting soon.”

At those words, Grace cried out, her face turning pale.

“T-That, why would Mercedes…!”

Coldly staring into her trembling gray eyes, Cardien repeated.

“When you dare to touch someone from Mercedes, you should be prepared to pay the price.”

Grace hastily opened her lips.

“S-Someone from Mercedes, what do you mean…!”

At that moment. As if realizing something, Grace’s gaze suddenly turned towards me.

Grace’s eyes shook violently.

“No way, Livia…?”

Grace looked up at me with uncertain eyes.

And that speculation turned into certainty with Cardien’s next words.

“Let’s go now, Tutor.”

Saying that Cardien extended his hand in front of me.

I blankly stared at the hand covered in a black glove.

Why is Cardien doing this?

Though confused, my hand was already holding Cardien’s.

“Yes.”

As I took a step with Chelsea by my side, Grace, who had been staring blankly at us, hurriedly ran over.

“W-Wait, Livia! You, you’re someone from Mercedes? What kind of relationship do you have with His Grace?”

It was laughable how she was now speaking familiarly when just moments ago she had been shouting about calling lawyers and making us pay.

Should I say it’s nauseating?

Or infuriating?

It irked me how she had ignored Chelsea and me earlier, but changed her attitude as soon as Cardien appeared.

‘I don’t want to rely on someone else’s power, but.’

I’ll borrow it just this once, Your Grace.

“Who knows.”

I firmly gripped Cardien’s hand.

It wasn’t meant to show off, but naturally, my body tensed up as I was doing something I wasn’t used to.

I smiled casually as I answered.

“A special relationship that others can’t interfere with?”

As a tutor and a guardian, others can’t intervene, right?

“W-What…”

Whatever she thought, Grace’s expression froze stiffly.

Not just Grace, but Cardien was also staring at me at some point.

Feeling awkward, I spoke even more confidently.

“Shall we go, Your Grace?”

Surprisingly, Cardien followed me without resistance.

As I was about to leave the store, I hesitated.

After a moment’s pause, I approached the owner hiding behind the desk.

The owner flinched and looked at me as I approached.

Your handling of the situation wasn’t great, but.

“I’m sorry for causing a disturbance. This is to compensate for the broken mannequin.”

I took out 9 gold coins from my pocket and placed them on the desk.

After all, we were also responsible for this commotion.

“Ah, thank you…”

The owner, who had been staring at me blankly, bowed his head.

As I was about to leave the store, I heard a desperate voice calling from behind.

“I-If you need a witness, please let me know!”

I turned to look at her, smiled brightly, and then left the store.

In front of the store, there was a carriage and a horse.

The carriage was the one Chelsea and I had come in, and…

The horse…

“…Your Grace, don’t tell me you came on horseback?”

As I turned with an incredulous expression, Cardien answered with a straight face.

“Since you took the carriage.”

So, you’re saying you had no carriage to ride because I took it, is that it?

In the first place.

“What business did you have on Secret Avenue 2?”

Of course, it’s true that I escaped a crisis thanks to his help, but apart from that, I wonder why Cardien is here.

However, Cardien just stared at me without answering.

As I tilted my head in confusion, Chelsea approached.

“Tutor, preparations for departure are complete.”

“Ah…”

I nodded.

“First, let’s go back and…”

At that moment.

Cardien spoke to Chelsea.

“You there, do you know how to ride a horse?”

I made a puzzled expression at his sudden question.

What’s with this out-of-the-blue question?

Besides, not just anyone can handle a horse.

One needs proper training…

“Yes.”

However, contrary to my thoughts, the answer came promptly.

Chelsea answered Cardien.

“I know how to ride.”

“Chelsea, you know how to ride a horse?”

What reason would a mere maid have to ride a horse?

As I looked at her with surprised eyes, Chelsea nodded.

“Yes.”

“Then that’s settled. You ride that horse back. Only I and the tutor will ride in the carriage.”

I turned my head sharply.

No, Your Grace.

‘What kind of rude suggestion is that!’

He rode the horse here himself, and now he’s telling someone else to ride it back.

Chelsea might be put in a difficult position, so I was about to intervene, but an answer came faster than I could.

“That’s not possible.”

I looked at Chelsea with wide eyes.

I thought Chelsea might find it difficult, but I didn’t expect her to answer so firmly.

Even so, she’s talking to Cardien, isn’t this too blunt, Chelsea?

“Not possible?”

As Cardien asked with a low sneer, Chelsea nodded.

“I must stay by the tutor’s side.”

No, is that really the issue here?

I put my hand to my forehead at Chelsea’s unceasing protective instinct even in this situation.

What’s unexpected is that Cardien just quietly stared at Chelsea without expressing any particular anger.

I thought he would get angry right away, asking if she was joking.

For a moment, Chelsea and Cardien exchanged silent glances.

Unable to understand what those two were exchanging, I took a step back.

That’s not an area I can intervene in.

Finally, after who knows how long.

Cardien’s lips parted.

“Not necessary.”

“…”

“I will be by the tutor’s side.”