Chapter 6: The Eve
They walked through the night garden where soft lights glowed. Kaylon remained quiet throughout, unlike someone who had requested a stroll.
By the time they reached Lyra’s small garden, Kaylon broke the silence as he observed the autumn flower buds closed against the evening dew.
“I hear Count Almar will also attend House O’Neill’s hunting festival.”
“The Count…?”
“Haven’t you thought about it? That he might come.”
“…No. I’ve heard he’s more interested in charity events than social gatherings.”
“That’s not wrong. But I’d be curious too, if I were him.”
“Pardon?”
“What emotions would arise seeing a woman who almost became mine holding another man’s hand? Might she look happier than when she was with me?”
“…”
“Might the woman who didn’t choose me be regretting it?”
“…”
“I’d really hope so…”
Kaylon’s gaze fell on Lyra’s face. Unlike his lips, which held a faint smile, his golden eyes seemed rather cold.
“…Well, I think at least that kind of cheap curiosity would arise.”
“…”
Lyra quietly swallowed and slightly averted her gaze. Perhaps because important matters loomed ahead, Kaylon’s gaze felt particularly sharp.
“What will you do if the Count asks you to dance at the ball?”
After hesitating briefly, Lyra quietly opened her mouth.
“…I plan to refuse.”
“Why?”
“There’s no reason to accept, and I don’t want to either.”
“You’re not afraid?”
Kaylon’s voice grew even colder.
“…Perhaps I am.”
Lyra’s mood gradually sank. Was it the spell brought by the night, or was it because the kindness he had shown before was fading? Her heart felt increasingly unsettled.
Just then, Kaylon took out the hand he had kept tucked at his waist and extended it toward Lyra.
“Shall we dance?”
“What?”
A beautiful smile now graced his face.
“I believe we’ve never danced together.”
His tone was slightly petulant, as if tinged with a small measure of hurt feelings. Lyra observed Kaylon, whose mood changed in an instant, and then took his hand.
“It would be my honor, lady.”
A quiet night without even a beautiful melody flowing. Instead of a floor polished with wax, grass spread abundantly beneath them, and soft lights surrounded them.
Kaylon pulled her close enough for their faces to nearly touch and wrapped his arm around Lyra’s waist.
As his black shoes matched the tempo and led, her rustling nightclothes swayed silently.
Kaylon focused his attention on everything about Lyra.
Her steps were light. Her movements were nimble and smooth, making it hard to believe she had learned to dance in such a short time. Gestures that revealed how much practice she had put in.
As he gazed down at her round crown, his gaze shifted to her eyelids, fixed on his chest.
His large hand tightly grasped her slender one. The woman’s brow slightly furrowed, feeling the pain. Her pale green eyes slowly rose to meet his.
Calm breathing, yet gradually disrupted expressions, finely trembling golden eyelashes.
Kaylon smiled without realizing it. And he whispered softly into her ear.
Lyra’s face instantly flushed red.
* * *
Sleep wouldn’t come easily. Buried in soft bedding, Lyra tossed and turned repeatedly.
The thought that everything would change tomorrow kept her heart from settling. Her comfortable and secure life, though somewhat challenging at times, was coming to an end.
Lyra released a deep breath, knotted with tension.
“I can… do this well, right?”
She quietly asked herself. Though the question was meant for herself, for some reason, she seemed to hear the Duke’s answer from the garden.
“Yes.”
His deepened gaze, the slight upturn at the corner of his lips, and his composed voice.
“Why are you looking at me like that?”
“…Because I’m grateful.”
“Have I done something deserving of gratitude?”
“Yes. I’m just grateful for everything.”
“That’s amusing.”
“Pardon?”
“Nothing. I just hope you hold onto that feeling.”
She thought she’d heard something else afterward, but couldn’t remember exactly what he’d said. Partly because his voice was soft, but more because his fleeting smile had left a stronger impression on her heart.
Lyra turned over in bed. The rustling sound only emphasized the darkness and silence of the room.
“You needn’t worry about the dancing.”
“…Yes.”
“Mrs. Beightle must have been quite nagging. How did you endure it?”
“It wasn’t… that bad.”
“Really? That’s unexpected.”
“It’s true. She’s a good person.”
“She’d be pleased to hear that.”
His gruff yet affectionate tone.
“Lyra.”
“Yes.”
“You’re not obligated to dance. Do you understand?”
“Is that… really all right?”
“Of course. So.”
“…”
“If anyone bothers you, use me as an excuse.”
A somewhat mischievous look.
And then.
“Have you fallen for my chest?”
“What?”
“You’ve been staring so intently.”
As his playful whisper in her ear came to mind, her face felt hot once again.
Lyra pulled the blanket up to the top of her head. This night seemed like it would be longer than expected.
* * *
“Miss! Miss Lyra!”
Just as she was about to step into the carriage, the front door burst open and Letty came running out urgently.
“Haa, haa. Here!”
Letty, breathing heavily, abruptly thrust forward what she held in her hand.
“What’s this?”
Lyra took the small wrapped box with a puzzled expression.
“It’s from all of us. The girls and I pooled our money to prepare a small gift. It’s your first entry into society, so we couldn’t just let you go like this.”
“Oh, you didn’t have to.”
“Come on, how could we ignore all the help you’ve given us? And my contribution is much larger, so please accept it comfortably.”
Letty chuckled while scratching her head. Her cheeks were slightly flushed, and she looked somewhat embarrassed, but Lyra only felt apologetic toward the young maid.
Contrary to the claim that she had helped them, in reality, Lyra had received comfort from this young maid and everyone else in the manor, making her hands that couldn’t reciprocate feel all the more shameful.
As she revealed an apologetic expression and began to unwrap the package, Letty quickly covered it with her hands.
“Not now—open it during your journey. It’s really not much. I just hope you’ll like it.”
“I will. Thank you.”
“Don’t mention it. Safe travels, miss.”
With just those words, Letty hurried back inside the manor.
Lyra quietly watched Letty’s retreating figure before boarding the carriage.
* * *
The distance to O’Neill was quite far. The carriage that departed around noon wouldn’t arrive at O’Neill until late afternoon the following day.
Lyra fidgeted with the small gift box in the carriage where she had been traveling for over a full day.
“Why don’t you try it on?”
After watching her handle it carefully as if holding something precious, Hannah gently suggested.
Lyra smiled awkwardly and shook her head.
“It’s too precious to use.”
Unlike her slightly upturned eyes, the smile on her face couldn’t have been more gentle.
“But it was given for you to wear comfortably.”
“No, later.”
Inside the box was an inexpensive hairpin. Though crudely embedded with round imitation jewels, it appeared more precious than any gem in the world.
After caressing the box for a while, Lyra carefully placed it in her small handbag and changed the subject.
“Has the Duke arrived already?”
“Yes. Since he rode on horseback himself, he probably arrived around morning.”
“That quickly?”
“It would certainly be faster than traveling by carriage.”
“I see.”
Lyra tried to imagine Kaylon riding a horse. It wasn’t difficult to picture him based on what she had seen when he taught her horseback riding.
‘He was certainly very skilled.’
She felt somewhat embarrassed thinking about how he must have ridden at a speed incomparable to when he had her on the horse with him.
‘How frustrated he must have been.’
Even without him saying everything, she could vividly recall the emotions hidden in his eyes. Sensing the mood, Hannah changed the subject.
“They say once the railway is laid, it will be even faster. I heard that most distances could be traveled within a day.”
“Really?”
Lyra’s eyes immediately sparkled with surprise. She had seen illustrations of trains in recent daily papers.
Given this information, along with the image of passengers—not cargo—packed tightly in the long carriages, her curiosity was naturally piqued.
“Yes.”
But a faint fear soon showed in her pale green eyes.
“Wouldn’t it be… scary?”
“Well, I hear there will be a trial operation near the capital soon. I suppose we’ll find out then?”
Hannah’s words were utterly matter-of-fact. She didn’t seem particularly interested despite new inventions coming to dominate the world.
“Aren’t you curious?”
At Lyra’s words, Hannah smiled softly.
“Of course I’m curious. But how often would I get to ride a train? I was born and raised in Lumont, and I hardly ever leave the Duke’s residence.”
“Ah…”
Lyra was momentarily at a loss for words. The same would apply to her, too. Though she was now moving to help the Duke, when stripped down to her essence, she was nothing more than an unremarkable woman.
Even though she was promised appropriate compensation when the contract was completed, she wondered what she could possibly do with that money. It was natural that she’d never specifically envisioned her future.
Just then, a fresh forest scent wafted through the open window. Lyra turned to look outside. In the distance, she could see a villa perched at the edge of the trees.
“Is that it?”
“Yes.”
“Could we stop the carriage for a moment then?”
“Do you want to walk?”
“Yes. The forest path looks pretty.”
As Lyra requested, the carriage soon came to a halt on a narrow path. After exiting, Lyra sent the carriage ahead to the villa and walked the forest path with Hannah.
Her steps were leisurely as she followed the shade of autumn-tinged leaves. Though this peace would soon be broken, she wanted to savor this feeling, even if just for a brief moment.
Lyra took a deep breath into the depths of her lungs.
