Chapter 55

The moment Lionel saw the burly man waiting at the pier, he smiled faintly. Clarette realized that the big man was the military academy classmate the Duke had mentioned.

The two men finally faced each other, expressing their joy with rough shoulder pats.

“It’s been a while, Isaac. You’ve really become a sailor. When did you grow that beard?”

“And you, you look like a proper noble now! I can’t believe you actually became a Duke!”

The two seemed to be incredibly close. Clarette stared at the man called ‘Isaac.’

Isaac was a tall man with tanned skin. His short reddish-brown hair, neatly groomed beard, tattooed hands, and burly build truly gave him the impression of a sailor, just as the Duke had described.

As Clarette curiously looked at the gold earring glinting on one of Isaac’s ears, he finally turned his head toward her. With brown eyes, Isaac looked over the beautiful Clarette and whistled cheerfully.

“Wow, where did you find such a beauty! As expected of you, Captain Lionel, you are always exceptional in this area—”

“Wait a minute, Isaac.”

The Duke quickly gripped Isaac’s shoulder and whispered something quietly. Clarette thought he only said a single word, but the effect was immediate.

“Ah, ah! My apologies, Miss. I was far too careless. I didn’t know—”

“Huh?”

When Clarette looked up at him in confusion, Isaac smiled awkwardly and offered her a polite handshake.

“I’m Isaac Hunt. I was Captain Hunt in the military. Captain Lionel—well, Duke Valentin—was my classmate at the military academy. Until I retired, we carried out operations together on the battlefield.”

“Oh, so you’re the Duke’s comrade. I’m Clarette Sollier. I’m the resident artist under Duke Valentin’s patronage.”

“Oh, an artist? Not his lover yet—”

“It’s late, shall we head to the hotel? Which one did you book, Isaac?”

Every time Isaac said something awkward, the Duke coolly changed the subject. Isaac just chuckled and helped carry the couple’s luggage.

“Let’s go. I’ll take you to the best place in Tivenny, Miss Sollier.”

“Thank you.”

Isaac looked back and forth between Clarette and Lionel, smiling contentedly. As Isaac walked ahead, Clarette quietly asked the Duke,

“Duke, what did you say to him earlier?”

“Oh, nothing much. Just told him to quiet down. That guy’s voice is way too loud.”

“I can hear you, Lionel!”

“Just show us the way, Captain Hunt.”

The more she watched, the more Clarette thought the two men seemed very close. She found the Duke’s new side fascinating.

‘It’s the first time I’ve seen the Duke act so comfortably with someone else. If it’s Mr. Hunt, he’ll probably do anything the Duke asks, won’t he?’

She wondered what the Duke had come to ask Isaac. It was surely about the business he was currently pursuing.

Clarette was curious about what the retired soldier Isaac did now, and what kind of help he could offer the Duke.

“Here we are. Isn’t it nice?”

The place Isaac took them to was a luxury hotel with a large scallop shell motif on its sign. Isaac sat them down on a sofa in the lobby and said,

“I know the manager here, so I’ll go get your rooms. How many should I book?”

“The rooms…”

Lionel, who naturally thought ‘one,’ met Clarette’s eyes just before answering. Her green eyes were calm, with no worry or hesitation.

“Is something wrong, Duke?”

Seeing her expression, which showed no sense of crisis, Lionel calmly suppressed the anticipation rising in his chest.

“…Two. Of course, two. Get us ones with a good view.”

At Lionel’s quiet request, Isaac looked down at his friend with a sympathetic gaze.

His expression seemed to say, ‘Oh, you’re still at that stage.’

* * *

The next morning, Clarette woke up to an unfamiliar sound she’d never heard before. Rising from bed, she approached the window where bright light streamed in and gently parted the curtains.

“My goodness…”

Unlike the pitch-black night, the hotel room’s morning view was filled with dazzling light. Clarette threw the curtains wide and opened the window all the way.

The salty scent of the sea tickled her nose, and the cries of seagulls and the sound of waves blended pleasantly in her ears.

‘It’s been ten years since I’ve seen the sea. The sea here is different from the south.’

Unlike the emerald sea she had visited with her father in the south, the front sea of Tivenny in the western continent was a deep blue. She stretched with a sense of refreshing liberation.

‘Ah, my wrist feels completely better now.’

She could now use her arm and hand without any trouble. Clarette thought of the sketchbook she’d left at the ducal residence and looked over her luggage on the chair.

Her belongings were very simple—just a few clothes.

<If you don’t have much luggage, you can travel like this.>

Recalling the Duke’s words, Clarette smiled unconsciously. As he’d said, she was glad not to have much baggage.

‘This way, it won’t seem strange for just the two of us to travel together…’

Clarette thought of the Duke, who must be in the room next door, already up and ready to go out.

Eager to start the day, she quickly changed her clothes.

* * *

“Hmm, if you’ve come to Tivenny, you have to try the lobster. By the way, Miss Sollier, do you like seafood?”

When Clarette went down to the first floor, Isaac, who had come to the hotel early, was sitting at the bar table with Lionel, drinking coffee. Clarette sat next to the Duke and nodded.

“Yes, I’m not picky at all. I eat anything as long as it tastes good.”

“Right, taste is what matters. You know your stuff.”

Isaac laughed heartily at her answer, and Clarette felt comfortable. Even though they’d just met, Isaac was not the type to let her sit awkwardly in silence.

‘He really is the Duke’s friend. They have similar traits.’

The two men had a lot in common: much taller and bigger than most, muscular builds, bright personalities that drew people in.

‘If there’s a difference, it’s that the Duke probably attracts more women, while Mr. Hunt seems more popular with men… maybe.’

On the way from the hotel to the restaurant, Clarette was more focused on observing the two men than on Tivenny’s scenery. The Duke and Isaac joked and laughed together, and whenever there was a pause, they turned to her and started a conversation.

‘They seem like good friends. If I’d gone to school, would I have had a friend like that?’

Clarette walked happily down the boulevard, imagining the two men’s academy days. Finally, they arrived at a large restaurant marked with a lobster claw model.

Isaac took up one side of the table, so Lionel naturally sat next to Clarette. As she moved her chair over to give the Duke more space, Isaac quickly spoke up.

“Let’s see. Finally, I get a chance to make our Duke pay. Should we order everything from here to here? What do you think?”

“There you go again. That’s all alcohol, isn’t it? Give me the menu.”

While Lionel and Isaac bickered, Clarette cautiously made a suggestion.

“I’ll pay for today’s meal. Of course, Mr. Hunt, yours too.”

“What? No, Miss Sollier! Why would you do that, you’re making me feel awkward… I apologize. I won’t make the Duke drink.”

“Oh, no… Please, order whatever you want. I promised the Duke before we came here that I’d treat him to something delicious in Tivenny.”

“What? Lionel, what’s gotten into you?”

Isaac looked at him in disbelief, but Lionel just snorted leisurely.

“It’s not that I’m lacking, it’s that Clarette is amazing. You should just enjoy the meal and think about how you’ll repay her.”

“No, you’re the guy who’s never owed a woman anything, how did you end up like this… Miss Sollier, you must have it rough.”

“It’s not rough at all. Eat as much as you like, Mr. Hunt. You can order drinks too.”

Impressed by Clarette’s generosity, Isaac seriously ordered a reasonable amount of food. But he didn’t order a single drink. When Clarette looked at him curiously, Isaac scratched his chin awkwardly.

“Actually, that was just a joke earlier, yes. The truth is, I made a deal with Lionel this morning. We’ll drink ourselves silly tomorrow night, but until then, we’ll behave.”

“Oh, so you can’t behave when you drink…?”

“Not me, Clarette. Only this guy.”

“No, Miss Sollier. That’s slander. You’ll see what happens tomorrow night.”

Clarette thought she’d made the right choice by treating them to lobster instead of drinks. Judging by the men’s size and confidence, tomorrow’s bar tab would far exceed her budget.

Soon, plates of lobster dishes dressed in savory sauces were brought to the table. Just as they began to eat in earnest, Isaac suddenly spoke in a polite voice.