CH 27

Britia slowly turned around and found herself face to face with a handsome man who exuded a refreshing scent, despite her mixed feelings. 

“Nice to see you here,” greeted Marquis Slanford warmly. However, Britia couldn’t shake off the uneasiness she felt, especially after what happened during her last visit to his mansion. 

“How have you been?” he asked, flashing a bright smile. 

Britia couldn’t understand why he was smiling so brightly. 

“Thanks to you, Marquis-nim, I’ve been doing well. It looks like you’ve been out for a boat ride,” she replied, trying to sound cheerful. 

While he smiled happily, Britia couldn’t help but feel that her expression didn’t match her true feelings. 

“As you can see,” Slanford looked around to check if Britia was with a group.

“I was taking a walk. Have a good time, Marquis-nim.” 

Britia tried to leave before he could say anything else. 

“Britia-nim.” 

But he called out to her again. 

“Is there anything you’d like to say to me?” 

She wondered what he wanted from her, as he seemed to have a hidden intention behind his actions. She also felt uneasy that he didn’t greet her properly despite seeing her. 

“It’s a good thing I ran into you,” he said. 

“I don’t understand what you mean…” 

Britia had a bad feeling about this, so she slowly backed away. Then, Slanford’s eyes flickered. 

“It was already difficult enough,” he said, and Britia felt a chill run down her spine as he touched her ankle. It was the same tail that had caught her ankle during her visit to his estate. 

“We came here to board a boat, but we couldn’t all fit, so it was difficult to ride together.” 

“Is that so?” 

“Everyone, please go ahead. I found someone who will ride the boat with me,” Slanford announced to his companions. The boats left without them. 

“Ha-tee,” Kyra called out to Slanford from the boat that had yet to leave. “Are you really going to ride the boat with that woman?” 

She glared at Britia with sharp eyes. 

“Why are you trying to get in trouble with that woman?” 

Britia was speechless. 

The nerve of her! 

Britia shot Kyra with a suspicious look. 

“Don’t worry about me. You should go ahead, Kyra.” 

Slanford gestured to Kyra that he was fine and offered his hand to Britia. 

“Shall we board the boat too?” 

“I’m sorry, Marquis-nim, but I have no intention of boarding the boat.”

“But my companions’ boat has already left, and I am left alone,” he said.

Britia was dumbfounded. She hadn’t said a word about wanting to ride the boat, and it was this man who had sent her away on a boat on her last visit.

“Please, Britia-nim, I don’t want to watch them ride the boat while I’m left alone,” he pleaded.

Britia wanted to refuse and run away, but his tail tightly gripped her ankle, and she couldn’t move.

“The boat that my companions are on is not too far away. We can call them back,” Britia said, pointing to a boat that was still within calling distance. But Slanford didn’t back down.

“If I get on that boat too, it will become too heavy and dangerous,” he said.

“But you look slim enough to me, Marquis-nim,” Britia replied.

“Oh, Britia-nim,” he sighed, looking sad as he continued to plead with her. “I knew it. I don’t know why, but you seem to be angry with me.”

Britia felt uneasy as Slanford’s expression changed.

“I must clear up any misunderstandings between us today,” he said. “I’m not sure what misunderstanding you have about me, but I can’t rest easy if you continue to have it.”

“I don’t have any misunderstandings about you, Marquis-nim,” Britia replied, but he didn’t seem convinced.

“In fact, I wanted to apologize for what happened last time,” he said with a sincere expression. “After you left, I realized my mistake. Please give me a chance to make it right.”

Britia couldn’t help but feel a little moved by Slanford’s apology, but she still felt uneasy about him.

Britia bit her lip and hesitated for a moment before nodding her head and boarding the boat.

“I’ll make sure you’re safe,” Slanford said with a gentle smile, but Britia’s discomfort didn’t dissipate.

“First of all, I want to apologize for any misunderstandings you may have had about me,” he continued. He slowly rowed the boat forward and stopped his hand, looking down at Britia.

“I didn’t know you were a lonely person,” he said. “I thought you were a little crazy.”

“What?” Britia asked.

“You go around telling people that you see strange things, like dead souls.”

“Just a moment, Marquis-nim. I distinctly remember telling you that I didn’t see anything like that.”

Britia was surprised when he laughed softly in response.

“Yes, I know. Of course, you wouldn’t see anything.”

His tone was soft, but Britia realized that he was trying to belittle her.

“How could an ordinary person like you have such abilities? But now I understand. You were so lonely that you had to tell lies to attract attention.”

Britia’s eyes widened.

“Even though those lies prevented me from selling my wares, it’s okay, Britia-nim. You don’t have to get married to be happy. You can find happiness in other ways.”

“Wait a minute, Marquis-nim. I think you are misunderstanding something.”

“If you’re feeling lonely, I can introduce you to someone.”

“Marquis Slanford.”

Britia gave it her all and raised her voice on the boat. He stopped talking and looked at her.

“I’m not lonely. And I’ve never told anyone that I see dead souls. I can’t see them.”

“Then why did you suddenly fall in an empty place?”

“It’s because you hit me with your tail. How great it would be to say that out loud.”

All Britia could do was bite her lips and glare at him. “Is it because my legs are weak that I sometimes fall?” she asked.

As he repeated his accusations, Britia seethed inside. How dare he belittle her like that? She had never sought attention from anyone, let alone by telling lies. The Marquis continued to talk, insisting that she was lying to attract attention.

“I’m not trying to attract attention,” Britia said.

“Isn’t it okay to do anything to get people’s attention?” he replied.

“Who would I attract with my behavior right now? There’s no one around except for you, Marquis-nim. I don’t want your attention.”

“Then whose attention do you want?” he asked.

Britia blinked at the sudden mention of a name.

“Perhaps Duke Turas?” he continued. “Did you try to make him interested in you by pretending to see things that aren’t there?”

“Marquis Slanford, why are you suddenly bringing up Duke Turas?” Britia asked.

“He’s been quite famous lately. I heard that even someone who wasn’t interested in parties went to Lord Lockhart’s party just to see him.”

The Marquis’s eyes didn’t match his smile. He seemed to be probing for something.

“I heard he came to see you. Perhaps he was curious about the rumors you’ve been spreading?” he speculated.

“That’s completely wrong. I’ve never spread rumors, and he didn’t come to see me at the party.”

The Marquis gave Britia a sidelong glance before smiling slyly.

“Then why did you go to Lord Lockhart’s party? There were other parties hosted by more important nobles than Lord Lockhart.”

Britia felt offended by his insinuations. Though it was true that Duke Turas was wealthier and more powerful than Lord Lockhart, she didn’t appreciate the way Slanford spoke so condescendingly about the latter.

“Why don’t you ask Duke Turas about that?” Britia retorted.

Marquis Slanford’s eyes narrowed at her words.

“What is the relationship between Lord Lockhart and Duke Turas?” he asked.

“Why do you keep asking about that?” Briitia replied.

Going to the Marquis’s social gathering was one of the things Briitia regretted most in the world. And now, she found herself on his ship.

“I’m sorry, but it’s uncomfortable for me to be constantly questioned about something that isn’t even true. Lord Lockhart and you are not even that close, and yet you keep prying.”

“If I’ve made you uncomfortable, I apologize.”

But there was no trace of such sentiment in his eyes. If anything, they seemed to smolder with anger.

“I heard a rumor that you rejected him, but I find it hard to believe, so I asked without thinking,” he continued.

The boat was slowly moving along the river, and they were about to pass under a small bridge. If she stood up and reached out, she could touch it. It seemed like the perfect opportunity to escape.

“That rumor isn’t true. He never even confessed to me. We did have some interaction, but it was just friendly,” Briitia said, slowly getting up and looking towards the bridge.

“I think you’ve asked enough, Your Grace. I’ll take my leave now.”

But as she reached out for the bridge, Slanford’s tail suddenly wrapped around her ankle, causing her to fall face-down on the deck. In pain, she lifted her head, and he tilted his head slightly and spoke.

“You’ve fallen again. Be careful. It’s dangerous to stand up on the boat.”

The Marquis, with his kind face, reached out his hand to Briitia.

“Are you okay? Your nose is red. But at least you didn’t break it.”

It was unclear whether the Marquis was pitying or mocking her as he made a subtle expression. In the meantime, Briitia had missed her chance to run away.

“So, are you and Duke Turas in a special relationship?” he asked again.

She had told him not to pry, but he had forgotten or was ignoring it.

“If we were in a special relationship, what does that have to do with you?” Briitia asked sharply, rubbing her red nose.

“I don’t know what you’re imagining, but we’re just friends, and there’s no reason to misunderstand,” Slanford replied, his eyes narrowing again.

“Friends?” Briitia said, trying to end the conversation, but his eyes widened.

“I can’t do it.”

“What?”

“I can’t forgive you, Britia Lockhart.”

He gritted his teeth. His eyes seemed to be that of a blind man blinded by jealousy.