CH 8.9

There were three people in Lila’s parlor, each sitting on a couch, pleading their case.

For the most part, Lila was listening, while Lucas and Michael argued with each other.

“She promised me first thing in the day.”

“Little kids should go to bed early.”

“I haven’t digested what I ate yet, so I think we can play for a while.”

“It’s already a moonlit night, of course you should be sleeping, what are you talking about?”

“So, Uncle, have you finished your work for the day? After spending time with Lila during the day, you should finish your work at night. It’s a duke’s duty.”

Lucas’s jaw dropped at his nephew’s words. He was puzzled, because she wasn’t wrong.

Lately, he had been neglecting his duties in favor of Lila. His nephew had poked him in a place he was sure he was aware of, and he was speechless.

Lila, who had been listening to their conversation from the sidelines, spoke up.

“I think you’re right, Michael,” she said, “I think it’s only right that the Duke step aside for the day, since you made an appointment with me first.”

At her words, Michael smirked, and Lucas’s eyes glistened as cold as a glacial lake.

Lila locked eyes with Lucas and quickly averted her gaze.

The corners of his mouth lifted in a pout, and he spoke with a hint of regret in his voice.

“Then I can’t help it. I’ll have to stay up all night to get things done. I want to go on a date my wife tomorrow.”

“What?”

““Didn’t I tell you to start dating? Unless you’ve forgotten?”

His words sounded more polite than they did when he was speaking in half sentences. Lila blinked rapidly in embarrassment, and Lucas drove a wedge.

“Let’s go to the Northern Festival tomorrow. Just so you know, I’m asking you on a date, so it’s just us, just the two of us.”

Leaving a light kiss on the back of her hand, Lucas turned to Michael.

“Just for an hour. Don’t bother the lady too much.”

“Okay.”

“Good night, then.”

With a polite bow, Lucas left the room. Lila blushed as she came to her senses.

It was only now that she realized he’d meant what he’d said earlier in the day.

“Lila, you’re blushing, but you’re not sick, are you?”

Michael asked worriedly, placing his hand on her forehead.

“Oh, no, I’m not sick, I’m fine, shall we play with blocks?”

“Sure!”

The two pulled blocks out of the box. Looking at Michael, whose excitement was palpable, Lila smiled brightly, erasing her strange mood.

“Let’s make a sandy beach here, I think we can do it with these blocks made of gold.”

The golden blocks shimmered, and Lila stacked them with a slight tremor in her hand.

“A sandy beach that glows with gold.”

As they chatted, she forgot what Lucas had said. Feeling her heartbeat slow to a crescendo, Lila cleared her mind.

If the anticipation of the sweetness of romance was a thought, it was a thought.

Michael changed into his pajamas and walked into Lila’s bedroom, the space so familiar now that it felt natural.

He bathed first, his face glowing. He’d been eating well, sleeping well, and applying the makeup Lila had given him.

Now, without her reminding him, he took out his own makeup and applied it to his face.

Sitting at Lila’s dressing table, Michael applied his makeup and waited for Lila, who had not yet returned to the bedroom.

He’d been worried about her lack of sleep lately and didn’t want to be the one to fall asleep tonight.

But he rubbed his eyes against the overwhelming sleepiness. Then his curiosity got the better of him. What kind of cosmetics does she use to magically transform her face?

So Michael sneaked a peek at the drawers of her dresser, but there was nothing to see. The empty vanity drawers struck him as odd, so he began to open them one by one.

Then he opened the smallest drawer on the bottom. Unlike the empty drawers above, there was something in it, but it wasn’t cosmetics.

It wasn’t his, and he should have just checked it out and closed the drawer, but he couldn’t.

The faded white paper was something he recognized.

It was a contract used only by the Montefeltra family. It was a contract used only by the Montefeltras. The next step was to use a magic tool to complete it in a way only a magic engineer could.

What possible contract could she have with Montefeltra?

The wise Michael was quick to recognize. She had only one contract.

It had worked out well for her in the end, but there were times when she wondered why her uncle had ever sent a proposal to the Baron’s young lady.

With trembling hands, she unfolded the contract and scanned the words quickly.

His eyes widened in surprise at what he read. He’d thought he’d live with Lila forever in the duchy, but the realization that there was a deadline made his blood run cold.

A deadline.

Just then, he heard the bathroom door open in the distance. Michael hurriedly closed all the drawers and magically sent the contract flying into his desk drawer.

“Michael.”

Lila’s face, once covered in ugly makeup and freckles, was now white.

Freshly washed, it glowed pink. Michael could only stare at it in disbelief.

Lila, who hadn’t changed her expression, approached him, scratching her head.

“Why, what’s wrong? Have you applied the cream?”

She asked, gently rubbing Michael’s face, as he took her hand.

“Of course.”

Lila, who had been staring at him for a while now, raised her voice.

“Did you use magic?”

She asked, noticing the golden waves that pooled and dispersed inside his pink eyes. Michael shrugged, confused.

“The air was too stale, I just ventilated it.”

“Oh, it does get hot, but it’s nice to have climate control in the estate, I know how hot it was in the Barony.”

Michael said, squeezing Lila’s hand.

“We have many strange things in our house, I’ll show you one by one. Later, I’ll take you to the labs where the magic engineers and alchemists are.”

Every family raises a magic engineers and an alchemists. It was a trend that talented people were eager to take with each other.

Michael squeezed her hand and continued.

“After you and Uncle go to the Northern Festival, we’ll have tea in the hydrangea garden. They’ll be in full bloom in a little while, and then the whole place will be green. I’m sure you’ll love it.”

Not quite sure why Michael would say such a thing, Lila simply smiled and replied.

“Is that so? I think it’s beautiful. We should see the hydrangeas in full bloom together.”

“Yes, they are very, very beautiful. They’re the pride of our house, and I have a lot of interesting tools. I’ll show you some of them.”

“Really?”

Lila smiled and tugged on Michael’s hand. The child on the vanity stool stood up and they walked together.

As they made their way to the bed, she didn’t stop talking.

“Our family’s core industry is the mine. You’ve never been to the mine, Lila. There’s a big lake next to it, and we can go sailing on boats made out of magic crystals. And…”

Lila said, gently stopping Michael’s nonstop chatter as they lay down on the bed.

“You’re already bleary-eyed, should we go to sleep?”

“Yeah.. But I still have something to show off…”

“Tell me about it tomorrow.”

Michael desperately lifted his closing eyelids. He wanted her to be here, no matter what.

“…Lila.”

“Yes?”

Michael said sincerely as she pulled the thin quilt over him.

“I want you to stay by my side forever.”

Lila felt a pang of sadness as she chalked up his uncharacteristic behavior to what had happened with Anna.

She tried to respond, reminding herself that she needed to be honest with him.

But she couldn’t because he was already closing his eyes and breathing heavily.

So she whispered softly and kissed him on the forehead.

“I don’t know, Michael.”

Is it okay to be here.

What was that dream.

Why did the duke’s attitude change.

Did I really deviate from the original route.

If…

If she can’t get away from the original story, what will become of her and them?

Countless questions and curiosities came to mind, but she couldn’t tell or ask anyone.

With a long, frustrated sigh, Lila lay down. Sleep would not come easily tonight.

Suddenly, she missed Lucas’s sweet, intense scent.