Chapter 63
However, Aiden appeared unfazed.
“A detective, you say…?”
Rather than focusing on going out, Aiden seemed more interested in the idea of a detective…
“It’s nothing,” Raylenne replied, her face flushing slightly as she glanced sharply at Aiden.
“More importantly, Aiden, you slyly kept quiet about Miss Macphin.”
“…”
“She seemed quite smitten with you.”
Aiden’s eyes widened slightly in surprise, and he awkwardly ran a hand through his hair.
“I never deceived her.”
“Just subtly avoided her, didn’t you?”
Raylenne crossed her arms and leaned against the wall. Knowing Aiden’s nature, she figured he would never have said something like, “Miss Macphin is so fond of me that she despises the people of the Ergen Duchy who captured her.” Even so, she felt a bit annoyed.
Thanks to him, she had received quite a few heated glares from Macphin today.
“She made it very clear how much she dislikes me.”
“…I’m sorry.”
Raylenne waved her hand dismissively.
“It’s not your fault. You can’t help being popular.”
She muttered, thinking Aiden was perhaps a bit naïve. Aiden’s expression hardened slightly.
“I’m not naïve.”
His response was surprisingly bold. Raylenne found it intriguing—and somewhat cute—that Aiden reacted so defensively to being called naïve. She gazed at him intently, causing him to frown slightly.
“Do you need proof that I’m not?”
“Proof…?”
“That I’m not naïve.”
Why was he so fixated on that word? Whether Aiden was naïve or not didn’t matter to Raylenne, but his reaction amused her. She raised an eyebrow, prompting him to continue.
“How will you prove it?”
Aiden stepped closer. Frankly, with a face like his, it didn’t matter whether he was naïve or not, but he seemed oblivious to that fact. As he approached, he gently cupped Raylenne’s chin. Though his grip was not tight, her body stiffened.
This was an unexpected touch.
As if under a spell, Raylenne could only blink as Aiden’s face drew nearer. She could see the clean lines of his features, the sharp jawline. She knew what was coming next.
Caught off guard, she instinctively closed her eyes. However, she didn’t feel the expected sensation on her lips.
‘Huh…?’
She opened her eyes slightly to see Aiden smirking softly.
“Is that enough proof?”
He tricked me…! Raylenne swatted Aiden’s hand away from her chin. But Aiden quickly leaned in and kissed the tip of her nose.
“What are you…!”
“It was your provocation, Lady Raylenne.”
Aiden stepped back, a mischievous smile on his face. Raylenne blinked, taken aback.
Was Aiden always this playful…?
Yet, he maintained a composed expression as if nothing had happened. Feeling a bit flustered, Raylenne rubbed her nose.
‘This guy… crossed the line.’
Even though the kiss was just on the nose and didn’t leave much of an impression, the atmosphere had been enough to make her cheeks flush. Embarrassed that her reddened face might be noticed, Raylenne quickly grabbed the door handle.
“I should be going now. You’re not feeling unwell or anything like last time, right?”
“No, I’m fine. In fact, I feel more energized today.”
His expression was calm, but his tone was teasing. Raylenne shot him a glare before swiftly exiting the cell.
* * *
A few days later, Janie handed a letter to Raylenne.
“Miss, a letter has arrived for you.”
“From whom?”
“It’s from the Marquis of Beltvis.”
Raylenne’s eyes widened in surprise. She quickly broke the seal and unfolded the letter.
“Hello, Lady Raylenne. I’ve finally mustered the courage to send this letter, though it’s a bit late. If it’s alright, may I accept the invitation you offered before? I’ve heard that the view from the Ducal estate is quite splendid, and I’d like to see it.”
Nice! Just as Aiden had predicted, Lady Lavita had responded positively to the invitation to visit the estate!
‘Isn’t Aiden amazing for predicting this?’ Raylenne thought to herself, humming a tune in delight.
“What’s the letter about that makes you so happy?” Janie asked.
“It’s from a lady I became friends with at the tea party. She’s coming to visit.”
Janie gasped in surprise. “Who did you become friends with? You didn’t tell me… Well, not that you have to tell me everything, but…”
Sometimes Janie seemed to feel a deep internal connection with Raylenne, but then she would often stop herself as if reminding herself of her place.
‘It’s not like I mind,’ Raylenne thought. She no longer felt the need to maintain the cold and distant image of her past self.
“It’s Lady Lavita. We somehow became friends at the tea party.”
“Oh… Lady Lavita,” Janie said, her expression turning a bit uneasy.
“Why?”
“It’s just… She doesn’t seem like someone who would match well with you, Miss. She always seems so somber.”
“Well, as long as she’s a good person, that’s what matters, right?”
Janie’s eyes widened in surprise at Raylenne’s words. Then, as if wanting to say something more, she stammered.
“Oh, well, Lady Lavita is indeed kind. It’s just that she’s so reserved, it surprised me that you became friends with her. I remember she wasn’t always like that.”
Janie scratched her chin thoughtfully. Raylenne had already heard from Aiden that Lavita’s personality darkened due to Crown Prince Harbian.
However, hoping to hear something new, Raylenne feigned ignorance and asked, “She wasn’t always like that?”
“No. At some point, her personality changed… She stopped attending social events. There were rumors that it was because she was rejected by Crown Prince Harbian.”
So it was Harbian after all.
“Don’t believe such rumors. They can hurt the person involved, especially when they’re not accurate.”
“Yes… I’m sorry.”
“I only meant it as a warning, so don’t be too disheartened.”
As Raylenne gently consoled her, Janie quickly regained her spirits and responded cheerfully.
“Since she’s your guest, we should prepare properly. It would be nice to have some food or desserts, and flowers that Lady Lavita likes.”
Raylenne needed to put effort into welcoming Lavita, as she had to find out about the son she supposedly had with Harbian. Even if Lavita wouldn’t share such details on their second meeting, Raylenne needed to gradually build a positive relationship.
‘Even if Lavita talks about her son, it’s uncertain whether she’ll allow Harbian to know about it…’
If Harbian learned about Lavita’s son, he wouldn’t let things be. Raylenne needed to have a contingency plan to protect Lavita from any possible fallout. For any of these conversations to happen, Lavita needed to feel comfortable around her.
‘How should I gain her favor…’
Raylenne considered preparing things Lavita liked, but she had no idea about her tastes. At the tea party, Lavita hadn’t touched any of the desserts. Her slender figure suggested she might not have particular food preferences.
‘Let’s just meet first. I can ask her what she likes during our conversation.’
Since her relationship with Lavita wouldn’t end in just a day or two, Raylenne concluded it simply. She began writing a reply in her neatest handwriting.
“Dear Lady Lavita, I received your letter. The sky has been clear lately, and the view from the estate is quite lovely. Please feel free to visit whenever you have time. I’ll be waiting.”
After placing the final period, Raylenne reviewed the letter.
Even though she wrote it herself, some parts seemed unclear.
‘Is the view from the estate really that good…?’
She had written it in response to Lavita’s comment, but Raylenne couldn’t personally relate. The estate was situated on high ground, surrounded by walls, and had a somewhat gloomy atmosphere. The scenery wasn’t particularly appealing.
‘Not that it matters,’ she shrugged, handing the letter to Janie.
“Send this to the Marquis of Beltvis.”
* * *
The next day, Raylenne prayed for clear weather and was relieved to see the pleasant view from the window. She watched as a carriage approached from the cliff below. Raylenne knew that Lavita was inside.
Her heart inexplicably fluttered with excitement at the thought of Lavita visiting the desolate estate. Perhaps it was because this was the first time someone she considered a friend was visiting her here.
Having spent most of her life in solitude, Raylenne wondered if this was what it felt like to have a friend. It seemed like she was emotionally aligning with the original Raylenne.
Raylenne placed her hand over her chest, feeling an odd sensation as if awaiting a first love. As the carriage passed through the main gate, Raylenne stepped outside.
Sure enough, it was Lavita who stepped out of the carriage, looking tense. Anticipating this reaction, Raylenne greeted her warmly with a smile.
“Lady Lavita!”
Lavita’s eyes slowly lifted to meet Raylenne’s.
“…Lady Raylenne.”
“I’m glad you came!”
Surprised by Raylenne’s enthusiastic welcome, Lavita blinked like a startled deer.
“Yes… Thank you for inviting me.”
“No need to thank me. I’m grateful you came.”
As Raylenne smiled brightly, Lavita lowered her head slightly, her earlobes tinged with a faint blush.
Thankfully, Lavita didn’t seem overwhelmed or uncomfortable. Raylenne took Lavita’s hand.
“Shall we go inside?”
