Having never had the opportunity to see the estate from above before, Eveline expressed her admiration unreservedly. Still holding her hand, Michael pulled her into his arms from behind.

As she settled into his embrace, she could feel the warmth of his body seeping into her back and arms. His firm arm naturally encircled her waist, making her feel secure.

“Do you like it?”

The subject of his question was unclear. Eveline could not tell whether he was referring to the view of the estate or to Michael himself, holding her completely within his embrace. She opted for the safer interpretation.

“Yes. The Parsen family’s estate is renowned for its beauty.”

“I hope you will like Razan even more.”

There was a hint of laughter in his voice as he spun Eveline around in his arms. His black hair, tousled from the journey and the wind, fell across his forehead.

As he took another step forward, their bodies pressed closer together. He had clearly ridden through the light drizzle, and the scent of the forest clung to him.

Eveline knew that the mountain directly behind the estate belonged to the duke. Even so, their bodies were so close that she tried to take a step back. However, before she could, Michael caught hold of her.

“Why are you backing away?”

His voice was gentle. However, Eveline could not bring herself to admit that this was because she had naturally envisioned the kiss that would follow.

Perhaps it was just wishful thinking on her part. Yet, as though to prove that she was not mistaken, his eyes plainly revealed an undisguised desire when they met hers.

“I want you to kiss me.”

At his words, her heart began pounding even more violently. His unwavering gaze remained fixed upon her red lips, as though he were genuinely waiting for her kiss.

“Only a kiss. Nothing more.”

Having read Eveline’s hesitation, his expression appeared almost innocent, as though that truly was all he wanted.

“Eveline.”

Her name was spoken so softly that it was barely more than a whisper, yet it seemed to envelop her completely. Sunlight filtered through the rain-drenched leaves, creating the illusion that they were the only two people left in the world, which compelled Eveline to move.

She raised one hand, gently resting it on his shoulder, and slowly leaned towards Michael. She had to tiptoe to reach him and wavered slightly. Summoning all her courage, Eveline softly pressed her lips to his.

The kiss was fleeting — just long enough for their breaths to mingle and for her to feel his warmth.

She began to pull away, only to lean towards him once more. As though that small gesture were all the encouragement he needed, Michael cradled the back of her head, his hand settling over the ribbon tied in her hair.

He lingered over her lips, savoring their softness, before gently catching her lower lip between his teeth. The moment her lips parted, he deepened the kiss, claiming her mouth completely without hesitation.

Eveline surrendered to the dizzying illusion that their scents were melting into one another, to the point where she could no longer tell where he ended and she began.

***

Since she had only planned to stroll through the garden, she hadn’t given much thought to her choice of footwear. Unfortunately, she was wearing satin slippers with smooth soles. Despite taking care where she stepped, they were already thoroughly soiled by the rain-soaked path.

To make matters worse, walking down the slope was far more difficult than walking up it. Digging her toes into the ground as firmly as possible, she placed one foot carefully in front of the other. Even so, her legs repeatedly slipped beneath her.

Michael, whose riding boots allowed him to descend with ease, quickly noticed her struggle.

“Hold on to me.”

“Thank you.”

Relieved that he had stopped for her, Eveline grasped his arm, unaware of his intentions. Suddenly, her satin slippers were lifted off the ground. Michael had swept her into his arms.

Startled, Eveline cried out to the man she was walking with.

“I can walk.”

“I hardly think someone who stumbled four times in six steps is in any position to say that.”

“……I can walk perfectly well if you merely lend me your arm.”

Her voice grew quieter as he hit the nail on the head. However, Michael showed no sign of stopping, regardless of what she said.

“Even if you hold my arm, it won’t make the ground beneath your feet any less slippery. Do you really want us to fall together and end up covered in mud from head to toe?”

“…….”

She was reminded of his extraordinary talent for leaving others speechless every time. Unfortunately, this talent often embarrassed or infuriated them.

With his face so close to hers, Eveline found herself recalling their earlier kiss, leaving her uncertain where to look. It truly had been a lingering kiss — one that had continued until she was nearly dizzy.

After confessing that he wanted to kiss her, Michael rested his chin against her forehead and remained there for a while, quietly steadying his breath. Then, without hesitating, he simply took her hand and helped her down from the rock.

For reasons she could not explain, Eveline felt a faint pang of disappointment, though she refused to let it show.

By the time Michael strode out of the forest and approached the estate, the anxiously waiting crowd had already been there since morning.

“Your Grace!”

When the chief steward saw Michael come out from behind the building, he gave a startled shout, and everyone turned in that direction.

The Duke strode towards them along the rain-darkened stone path, holding his wife tightly in his arms.

Beneath the hem of her dark navy skirt, her shoes were solidly caked with mud.

Even after passing through the rear gate, Michael showed no intention of setting her down. Every bewildered gaze immediately settled on Eveline, causing the tips of her ears to burn.

In such an embarrassing situation, she desperately wanted to avoid drawing any more attention.

“Has Her Grace been injured?”

“My lady, did you hurt your leg?”

When the chief steward and Anna started asking anxious questions, Eveline wished she could hide her face behind her hands. Fortunately, Michael put her down soon afterwards.

The commotion that had begun early that morning did not subside immediately.

After enduring the attention in mortified silence for what felt like an eternity, Eveline went back to her room to change before breakfast. Meanwhile, Michael made a brief stop at his study.

A letter from Nod, the lawyer, rested on one side of his desk.

With calm, economical movements, he opened the brown envelope and withdrew the folded sheet of paper inside.

「The Cornwell family proposed a settlement, but I rejected every offer.

As planned, we will proceed with the lawsuit.

The paper crumbled into a handful of ashes as soon as he had finished reading the two succinct lines written on it.

***

Once Jade’s article had put an end to the baseless rumors surrounding the Duchess, the focus shifted to another topic.

Perhaps because the social season had come to an end, important news from across Entia began to emerge one after another. Among the latest reports were news of the forthcoming visit of the Duke and Duchess of Parsen to Razan and the reopening of the Beaufort Mine, where excavation had been suspended for some time.

The journey to the ducal castle was a grueling forced march, with everyone leaving the carriages only to eat or sleep. Such an exhausting pace was necessary if they were to complete the journey in just over ten days. Nevertheless, everyone remained in remarkably high spirits, as though they were embarking on a leisurely holiday.

Since they were also planning to visit Beaufort after the festival, Eveline was feeling particularly light-hearted.

After leaving the inn where they had stayed the previous night, Aidan briefed her on the rest of the itinerary before she got into the carriage.

“We should enter Razan before the end of this morning.”

“Is this the city closest to the duchy?”

“Yes, of course. Even after we enter Razan, it will be a long way before we reach the ducal castle. But you will immediately notice a distinct change in the atmosphere once we cross the border.”

As Aidan said, Razan is a vast territory.

Strictly speaking, the region where the ducal castle stands is known as Parsen. The Parsen family, who helped found the kingdom, built their first castle on land that now lies deep within the duchy. Over the course of countless wars, the family’s territory expanded dramatically. Nevertheless, the entire region continued to bear the name Razan — a land renowned for its vineyards and wine.

Razan and Parsen were virtually synonymous, and most people regarded this as only natural.

“We have arrived.”

Michael spoke quietly and gestured towards the carriage window. Yet even before he said anything, Eveline knew they had entered the duchy.

Vineyards had begun to appear alongside the swiftly moving carriage. Under the radiant sunlight, endless fields laden with clusters of fully ripened grapes stretched far into the distance.

“I would sometimes remember this view, even though I had only seen it once. No matter how far the carriage travelled, vineyards covered everything within sight. At times, it felt so surreal that I wondered if my memory had exaggerated it. But…”

“But?”

“It did not. What I remembered was real. It truly is beautiful.”

Throughout her explanation, Eveline kept her gaze fixed on the scenery outside.

Rows of grapevines stretched across the open plains as far as the eye could see. While she was captivated by the view, she heard a deliberate tapping sound.

Tap, tap.

Puzzled, she turned towards Michael, who was lightly tapping the carriage window with his fingernail.

Then, with the same smile he had given her when she first visited this place long ago, he spoke.

“Welcome to Razan, Eveline.”

The people knew that the duke returned to his territory at this time of year, and they greeted his passing carriage in their own way. Some removed their hats and bowed their heads, while children waved with innocent enthusiasm. Everyone welcomed him warmly.

Residents who recognized the Parsen family crest promptly cleared the road, allowing the carriage to maintain its swift pace. However, as they entered the city, the carriage gradually slowed down.

“What a bustling street! I must have passed through here during my previous visit, yet I don’t remember this place at all.”

As they travelled through the city streets towards the heart of the territory, Eveline could not help but marvel at the vibrant scene before her.

The bustling streets were so vibrant that they resembled a miniature version of Vanyu, the capital’s main thoroughfare. As the carriage slowed, she was able to study the various shops that lined the boulevard. The most striking difference between Vanyu and this city was the sheer number of establishments displaying grape-related products.

“This is where wines produced by nearly every vineyard in Razan are displayed and arranged according to variety.”

Michael explained as a shop crowned by an enormous model of a grape cluster came into view. Beyond that, rows of stores selling every conceivable food and delicacy made from grapes stretched throughout the city.

After travelling for quite some time, the ducal castle finally came into view.

As the carriage crossed a stone bridge flanked by arching flower hedges, the castle gradually came into view in all its splendor. Situated beside a vast lake, the central keep was unmistakably classical in style, adorned with a jade-colored roof and supported by eight pillars.

The outer buildings on either side of the keep, together with the Parsen family banner flying high overhead, seemed to embody the castle’s centuries of history.

As Eveline admired the magnificent exterior of the castle once again, she finally realized something.

She had truly returned to Razan.