C24
"Eh?"
My body started trembling without me even realizing it.
"No! I'm grateful, but this is too much!"
"Why?"
"Well, other people might find it strange that I, who am still a married woman, am staying at the house of a young, unmarried man. Of course! I'm not saying we'll ever be like that... Wouldn't it be different from when you were just my escort?"
That's how the noble world is.
I feel that having subordinates like servants or guards is the basic minimum right that a noble should have. Would you say they are not perceived as equals?
Perhaps that's why it wasn't a big deal for a lord and a servant of the opposite sex to be close to each other, but the situation was different if they were nobles of the same sex.
If the rumor spreads that I, who am not divorced, am staying alone as a guest at the Marquis of Friheiden's residence... It will never be well-received.
Terence's eyes opened slightly, and his mouth curved.
"I explained it poorly. It wasn't my intention to go to the Marquis Friheiden's residence. We will go to a villa on the outskirts of the capital."
"A villa?"
"It's a place prepared to avoid prying eyes. On paper, it belongs to someone else, and except for a few people, no one knows it's my villa. I'm sure even Cassius won't find it easily."
It was a fascinating story.
There is no law preventing the return of Leandro and Liena. Even if we change our accommodation, it would be a piece of cake for Cassius to find me in the capital if he wished.
"At first, I planned to move periodically."
I decided to accept Terence's offer with gratitude.
"I will receive your favor with gratitude."
"Well."
Terence extended his hand to her.
"We are officially in the same boat. Shall we shake hands?"
I looked at the man, not understanding.
What is he thinking? Even though he is a cautious person, he accepted the offer much earlier than expected and, strangely, seemed to be more friendly with me than necessary.
Is it because he hasn't turned black yet? Or did he see value in me beyond the medicine cart?
Or maybe...
I pushed aside the random thoughts my mind was trying to create and placed my hand on the gloved black hand.
"You will never regret this choice."
In any case, Terence Friheiden will be my partner from now on.
For some reason, a feeling of warmth spread from the area where we touched.
---
"It's not like me."
Terence murmured softly.
"What?"
His valet and assistant, Jack, asked curiously.
"No, I'm just talking to myself."
The location is Terence's secret villa on the outskirts of the capital.
Jack looked at the master, who was sitting at the desk, chin resting on his hand.
It was surprising that he announced without prior notice that he would bring a guest to the villa, and that guest was a mysterious woman.
What kind of relationship is this? He couldn't help but ask. He inquired around, but the response he received was not to go into details.
"Maybe a lover?"
But judging by the atmosphere between them and the conversation he overheard during dinner, it didn't seem so.
There was no romantic tension.
Especially from that guest with an elegant look.
First of all, Jack had never seen his master be intimate with someone his own age, despite serving him for about ten years.
It wasn't just a killer with a weapon who came to him. There were many assassins who were pretty and kind. Sometimes as maids, sometimes as neighbors, and sometimes as beautiful women.
Because of this, the Marquis always distrusted others and kept his distance from them since childhood. He rarely had time to trust his heart, even with the person closest to him, Jack.
Jack could only guess his master's intentions based on fragments of information he occasionally shared as if talking to himself.
Like now, for example.
"Why did I hand the check there? It's too early. I was planning to wait a week and see."
A low look of dissatisfaction.
"Even the address of the villa was exposed... It's strange."
Terence recalled what had happened at the teahouse during the day.
"Please cooperate with my divorce, Marquis Friheiden."
The first time he called him that, he was quite surprised.
When she later explained how she had noticed it, he realized that she was smarter than he thought. At the same time, he also realized that he had been too careless.
This was because he had no idea that Ethel knew his identity.
When he wasn't the Marquis, his surveillance was relatively reduced. No matter how confident he was in his mental strength, he couldn't live with tense nerves all the time.
"But still."
He relaxed his guard too much.
While Terence was considering Ethel's proposal, he also tried to find the motive.
From the first time they met, she didn't seem like an assassin. She was too careless.
The envoys sent by the empress and Duke Birod naturally approached him. They didn't suddenly drop from above like Ethel.
As he experienced it, those thoughts gained even more strength. She didn't show any characteristic movements of a trained person and always ate her food or sipped her tea first.
Above all, she didn't approach him rationally like other women did. She was so bland that she was tasteless.
However, even considering all the factors, it was an undeniable fact that she was too relaxed.
He was determined. Outwardly, he treated her the same as before, but he decided to watch from a distance.
Regardless of whether she was an assassin or not, it was clear that she was an unpleasant person to him. Because she had broken down a strong barrier in his heart.
As if to mock such a decision.