Vivian approached me.

For a moment, confusion overtook me.

I had never expected Vivian would accost me first.

“Hello, Lady Vessel.”

At all this confusion, my lips steadily greeted Vivian.

“As I expected, it was you, Lady Oreu.”

Vivian then formed a smile on her thin face.

For a moment, I strangely felt she was different.

Somehow, there was something changed about her.

‘How come?’

After observing Vivian closely, I could see why.

‘She getting skinnier.’

Vivian originally was a skinny lady, but not to this extent.

‘Does she has a problem?’

I felt heartbroken seeing his thinner figure and was debating whether I should ask her or not, but Vivian opened her mouth first.

“I heard it from my brother. Are you really in a relationship with the Duke?”

“Ah… yes.”

“So it’s the truth.”

After retorting the words, Vivian added.

“It’s good news, Lady Oreu. I wish you happiness.”

for a moment, I flinched,

Obviously, those words were something I heard many times from the others.

And, obviously, those words were a wish for happiness.

‘It certainly did.’

But, rather than being happy, hearing such words from Vivan made me uncomfortable.

“……thank you.”

I tried my best to smile since I shouldn’t express this uncomfortable feeling.

“By the way, I was on my way with my friends.”

I then glance at Veloka and Rina next to me.

“I am sorry but I don’t think this is a good time to converse more.”

“Oh, you’re right. I apologize, Lady Oreu. I was just so excited to see you that I didn’t realize I was bothering your time.”

Vivian then backed away in a hurry.

‘Why does she have to hurry? What if she falls?’

It was the moment when I looked at her worriedly since she steps back in a hurry without even looking back.

Just as I expected.

“Huh?”

Vivian’s body stumbled as if caught by something and tilted back.

“It’s dangerous.”

I reached out, grabbed Vivian’s arm as she was about to fall, and pulled her to me.

Perhaps because of her skinny figure, Vivian’s body pulled to me without any struggle.

Vivian, who avoided falling with my help, look at me with her round eyes.

“Are you okay?”

“Yes…… T-thank you.”

Vivian’s voice was trembling.

It seemed that she was really shocked.

I held Vivian’s arm until she could stand upright fully, helping her regain her balance.

“I am sorry. I stepped on your skirt with my shoes……”

“It’s okay. It’s relieved that you didn’t fall.”

“If it wasn’t for you, Lady, I would have been in big trouble. Thank you very much.”

While she was thanking me, Vivian swept her chest a few times, as if she was trying to quell her surprise.

“I have been really troubling you, Lady. Then, I will really be going now. I will see you next time if I have a chance.”

This time Vivian didn’t stumble but walked away with those who appeared to be her escorts.

“Woah, you’re really cool, eonni.”

Hu, huh?

At her sudden admiration, I looked at Rina, puzzled.

“How did you hold her arm there like that? You were so cool when you just grabbed her arm and hold her, eonni.”

“Lena was indeed so cool.”

Veloka who was standing beside Rina added.

“Rina, you might never hear about this before, but when she was still in the theater, she boldly kicked those between legs of the men who were bothering us.”

“Woah.”

Why are you talking about that all of sudden……?

And Rina, why are you staring at me with such adoration?

“She even took care a Viscount who really famous for his bad-hand habits. At that time, Lena was really cool.”

Veloka kept unraveled my past, as if she dildn’t notice the eyes of my pupils who shaking wildly with admiration.

⇺⇺⇺⇼⇻⇻⇻

On my way back after taking Veloka and Rina back to the theater, I opened the carriage window and fanned hard.

I mean, I really didn’t expect Veloka to talk about that thing!

I was embarrassed to hear Veloka telling what happened in the past, but what more embarrassing was Rina’s reaction.

Rina’s reaction was exclaimed like “woahh!” with admiration.

As I saw her eyes twinkled as if stars had fallen into, my face was burning like burning sweet potato.

‘At least, it’s relieved, Caleb’s wasn’t here next to me.’

If we went together to the theater like before and happened to listen the conversation, it would have been really embarrassing…… huh? Hold on.

Come to think of it, isn’t Caleb also knows……?

I couldn’t remember exactly when, but I remember the time when I had to take care of the bullies who threatened me.

Why did I remember the face of the commander of the security guard who was greatly embarrassed when he saw Caleb that day?

Ugh, my image!

A sense of embarrassment then returned.

Because I thought that I’ve shown everything he shouldn’t see.

Now I wonder how Caleb fell in love to me.

Because, in my opinion, I’ve shown him my weird side more than my good side.

In the meantime thinking about one thing or another, the carriage arrive at the mansion.

I was abot to get off but a big hand reached out to me as if it has been waiting for me.

I thought it was one of the escorts, but after seeing the hand I knew it was Caleb’s.

I asked, reached out and held his hand.

“Since when have you been waiting?”

“Just a while ago.”

Hmm?

I stared at Caleb suspiciously.

There’s no reason for him to lie about this thing, but somehow couldn’t believe him which I couldn’t understand.

“I heard you went to the theater.”

“Ah, yes. I went to give them the invitations. But since’s it’s been a long time since I met them, so our conversation took longer.”

I told Caleb that I went to the cafe with Veloka and Rina.

And about Velika suggested me to take off the ring.

“……so i took off my ring, will it be okay?”

“There’s no reason for it to be not okay. However, I regret that I couldn’t move the date of our engagement ceremony earlier.”

I looked at Caleb puzzedly.

The engagement ceremony was already planned and being carried out as quickly as possible.

The whole employees of the duke’s resident as well as the people who prepare the necessary supplies for the engagement ceremony are making painful noise.

But he said he regret that he couldn’t have the ceremony earliear?

“Is there any particular reason?”

“So that we could hurry the engagement and let the people know that we are engaged.”

His big hand then gently gripped my left hand.

“So that no one will dare to bother you even if you don’t wear that ring……”

He gently rubbed my empty little finger.

“So you could be at ease and freely whenever you go outside.”

Caleb’s soft voice penetrated my ear.

I just heard a couple of his words, but my heart started beating faster.

Heart, please calm down.

“The invitations already pinted out. I even handed out some of it, so we can’t change it.”

“Yes. That’s a shame.”

When I observe Caleb’s face, he looked truly regret that I was slightly relieved.

I relieved that I had already handed out some of the invitation in advance today.

⇺⇺⇺⇼⇻⇻⇻

As the engagement date approached, I became very bus preparing for the cermony.

In addition, it was all more hectic because I had to practice singing since I accepted the emperor’s request.

Fortunately the day the emperor held the banquet was after the engagement ceremony.

Though this was partly due to the emperor hearing the news of my engagement with Caleb, it mostly considering the date arrival of the ‘respected guest’.

Did they say that it takes time for them to arrive since the guests are coming from another country?

At first, I thought it was a little strange.

I wonder if it take really that long to travel to another country.

The engagement ceremony was indeed would be held soon, but it still took a few weeks preparation.

And I was doubtful that the guest woud arrive after that.

However I was conviced when I remember the time when I went down to the province where Caleb was dispateched due to the request of Count Van Der.

‘I took almost one week to get to the province.’

I took a week to went down to the province, within the empire, so naturally it took longer to travel between the country, and it would take longer if it’s from a faraway country.

Magic doesn’t exist here, so there’s no instant method which can make people travel in a short time.

‘They must be having a hard time.’

I was sympathetic to the extent that the perception that ‘It is near if we moved by carriage’ was entrenched.

Jut like now, I don’t know if this also could be called near.

“We are arrived, Lady.”

The coachman opened the door and I got off saying thankyou.

Soon, I could see a small mansion in front of me.

It was the house where Natalie and Mila lived.

No matter how busy and hectic it was, I want to give the invitation to Natalie personally, so I came in person.

I stood in front of the iron fence door, dragging the now-quite-familiar escorts behind.

When I pulled the string, the bell rang ‘tring tring’. But no one came out.

‘Are they out?’

This is a bit embarrassing.

A few days ago, I sent a person to deliver a letter to Natalie’s house.

So I thought she would be waiting for me because I’ve said that I would come……

Should I just leave the invitation here?

Then It has no meaning, I’ve even coming all the way here.

It was the momentthat I regretfully choose to go home.

The sound of a door opened then a little child ran fast in distance was heard.

“Who?”

The child’s distinctive loud voice rang out.

At the same time, a familiar face was seen between the bars of the door.

“……Ryan?”

“Noonim?”

As I recognized the child, Ryan’s eyes were widened when he recognized me.

He then quickly opened the door.

“It’s been a while, noonim.”

“I-I know right. It’s been a long time.”

I feel this everytime I hear it, but the title ‘noonim’ is very unfamiliar to me.

Even more when a child like Ryan uses it.

“Didn’t you miss me, noonim? I really missed you.”

“Yeah, I missed you too.”

I couldn’t bear to say no in front of the child, so I forced a smile.

Then Ryan’s face became brighter.

“Hmm hmm, I know you’d feel the same. Come to think of it, noonim.”

The child twisted shyly. And he glanced at me.

‘Somethingisn’t right.’

My wit sensed a red light.

Sign that Ryan is going to throw a propose bombshell like he did before.

“One day, we’ll……”

“What are you doing?”

“Argghhhh!”

Along with a clear voice coming out of nowhere, Ryan fscreamed loudly and clung to the wall.

The owner of the clear voice was Mila.

Ryan, who was frightened and clung to the wall, dropped slightly, perhaps because he was relieved to see that it was Mila.

“Hey, you scared me! Shouldn’t you at least gave a sign that you are here?”

“I did gave enough sign, you know. You’re the one who didn’t sense it. But who are you talking to…… huh?”

Mila’s eyes, which raised toward Ryan, soon turned to me.

Then Mila found me belatedly.

Soon after, Mila’s eyes widened.

“Lena eonni?”