“Your Highness, you seem familiar with this.”
“It’s a place I visited often in my childhood. That’s still there too, I see.”
He pointed to a raft floating on the lake. A raft?
“Did you make it yourself?”
“It’s a raft I built with the previous Grand Duke. Would you like to ride it?”
“Haha. Won’t it sink?”
If it was something the Grand Duke played with in his childhood, the wood must be quite old. There were likely to be places where water leaked through.
The Grand Duke pulled the raft over without hesitation and untied the rope.
“It’s been waterproofed with magic. Take my hand.”
“Using magic so frivolously in a place like this…”
He really is wealthy. I should have added another zero to the compensation.
Since I was curious too, I took his hand and climbed onto the raft. It was smaller than I expected and wobbled more than I thought it would.
“Be careful, Lora.”
“Thank you.”
He steadied my precarious balance. After I carefully sat down, he sat facing me. Then, he reached out with his long, firm hand and untied the oar.
“This is fascinating. It’s my first time on a raft.”
“It’s been a while for me, too.”
“Hmm. You know how to drive safely, right?”
“Well…”
“Tan.”
With his characteristic smile, he moved the oar, and we began heading toward the center of the lake.
Being on a raft without railings gave the feeling of sitting directly on the water.
Enjoying the shimmering lake and the cool air, I carefully extended one hand into the lake. The gentle water currents wrapped around my fingers, tracing patterns.
When we reached about the middle, he stopped rowing. We stayed like that for a moment.
I carefully lifted my dress slightly. The Grand Duke raised an eyebrow as if wondering what I was doing, but I paid no attention and dipped my legs into the lake.
“Your Highness should try it too. It’s refreshing.”
“Be careful.”
“Why?”
“There are piranhas.”
“Kyaa!”
Just as he mentioned flesh-eating fish, something slippery brushed against my leg. I was so startled that I tried to stand up, causing the raft to rock violently.
“Eek!”
In that moment, the Grand Duke grabbed my arm and pulled me. When I came to my senses, I was nestled in his firm embrace. Time seemed to stand still as the air flowed around us.
“…Whew. Thank you.”
I carefully placed my hand on his shoulder. He held my waist with one arm and set me back in place.
“It seems something always happens when I’m with you.”
I laughed and looked at the distant mountains. I had nothing to say.
The Grand Duke took out a handkerchief and wiped my face where water had splashed. I remained still, not avoiding his careful touch, as if he were handling a child. I was weak to such warmth. The Grand Duke continued.
“I don’t entirely dislike it.”
“So you’re the type who enjoys incidents.”
The Grand Duke withdrew after wiping away the moisture and smiled faintly.
“Shall we go back?”
“Yes.”
Just as when we came to the middle of the lake, the raft slowly headed back to shore. As I set foot on land, a sigh of relief escaped me. Indeed, humans should live with their feet firmly on the ground.
When I shivered, the Grand Duke asked if I was cold and took off his outer garment to place it around my shoulders.
Afterward, we slowly walked around the lakeside before sitting down and devouring our snacks. It was a peaceful time that I hadn’t experienced in a while.
On the way back, as I rode my horse in the lead, the Grand Duke’s low voice resonated from behind.
“It’s nice. Coming here with someone else, too.”
When I turned my head to look at him, I met his brightly curved golden eyes directly.
He gently narrowed his eyes.
“Lora, please look ahead.”
“Yes.”

***

After our lakeside stroll, the Grand Duke became too busy, and I couldn’t see him for a while.
Several days passed, and as the social season was coming to an end, unsettling rumors began to spread throughout the north. They were stories related to the “Blessed Land.”
“I’m worried about how the troops will be drafted.”
“That’s why my brother is planning to volunteer for this expedition.”
“Young Master Hawkin?”
Wow. Indeed. Vanya nodded admiringly at Sasha’s words. Sasha stirred her tea with a teaspoon before setting it down on the table with a clatter.
“He always takes on dangerous tasks.”
“But Young Master Hawkin is excellent in martial arts, so he’ll be a great help.”
“That’s true.”
Despite our reassurances, Sasha’s furrowed brow wouldn’t relax. No matter what, she seemed worried since he was family. Vanya smiled and changed the subject.
“Have you heard, Lora? Lady Deswin has run away from home.”
“Pfft. Cough When?”
Surprised, I almost spat out the tea I was drinking. I hadn’t heard anything from Lionel yet. Sasha handed me a handkerchief from beside me.
“You didn’t know.”
“Yesterday. They’re trying to keep it quiet, but it’s not easy to control the mouths of all the servants.”
“She’s always been impulsive, but this time it’s really something.”
It seemed that the affair with Lionel had finally reached the ears of the Marquis and his wife. They naturally opposed it adamantly for the sake of their noble daughter’s future.
Enough for other nobles to notice.
The relationship between the young lady and the Marquis couple at the party was unprecedentedly cold.
“So Lady Deswin, tired of trying to persuade them, left home.”
“Haha. Really…”
Impressive. But to run away from home at that age.
She was truly a young lady who perfectly fit the description of being immature, whatever she was thinking. Sasha winked at me.
“Keep an eye out to see if Lionel left with her, Lora.”
It was a headache-inducing suggestion just to hear it. And separately from that, I was worried about Lionel.
“I should go check.”
“Alright.”
The two readily agreed to end our meeting, saying I must definitely check. I hurried back to my room and called for Irena.
“You called, miss?”
“Irena, where’s Lionel?”
“He said he was going out for a while.”
“Did he say who he was meeting?”
“No. He didn’t mention anything like that…”
“But he did say he’d be back?”
“Yes. He also said not to worry because he would return.”
Irena hesitated as she observed my reaction. It seemed she knew about it too.
We sighed in unison, understanding each other’s thoughts. What a difficult romance they were having.
“Okay, let me know when he returns.”
“I will. Would you like something to drink?”
“No. You can go.”
After sending Irena away, I sat on the sofa. The blue sky was visible through the window. A gentle breeze blew in through the open window.
“I can’t believe we have to go to Adelbalk in a few days.”
Lionel is in the middle of the romance of the century, and everything is so peaceful here.
The warmth gradually made my eyes close. The ticking sound of the clock’s second hand grew fainter. Soon, the ticking sound stopped completely.
“Mmm.”
When I opened my eyes again, I was in a room at the Count’s mansion. Even after closing and reopening my eyes, it was still Lora’s reddish room. The elaborate and uncomfortable dress was an added bonus.