C130
"Deborah. You're here.
I came here to discuss business, not because I was curious about your partner.
Isidor was in his work environment, which seemed as sharp as a knife, so I felt quite uncomfortable.
"Yes, I'm here. Duke Visconti."
So, sarcasm came out of nowhere.
"Why are you suddenly speaking formally? It certainly suits you to speak informally."
He was nervous.
"I apologize for taking the time of the busy and popular Duke Visconti."
"The time I spend with you is not a waste at all. Please do it more often."
... Anyway, he's a good conversationalist.
He is the empire's best swindler who even fooled the Crown Prince.
"I know you have a lot on your plate lately. There's no way you're not busy; all the letters coming to Visconti lately are enough to build a castle."
He smirked discreetly.
"I don't know about a castle, but I think I could build a hill."
"Good for you. You can even slide down a hill of letters."
Somehow, Isidor felt more relaxed than usual, so I said something to provoke him.
In fact, Isidor was the one who first proposed an official relationship, and I was the one who slowed down the establishment of a relationship.
But on the contrary, why do I feel uneasy? ...
"Rather, it's worrisome. Because I have to send rejection letters out of courtesy."
I didn't agree with him.
"Well. I'm not sure. Since Duke Visconti is here, you must have sent letters here and there... you must have received various requests from different ladies to be your companion."
I felt like my voice was on the verge as I spoke.
I also knew I was being forced.
However, I was feeling choked, so I thought I would feel relieved no matter what I said.
In particular, it's very rare for a guy to receive a companion request, so I felt even stranger.
"It's impossible for Isidor not to care about a lady, for better or for worse."
"I turned them down."
"I also know that."
I swallowed a sigh and spoke bluntly.
"I said something useless. Let's... work."
He covered his face with his hands while exuding a very serious atmosphere in response to my cold expression, then pulled out the well-organized sales statement in a business-like style.
He must have had a lot on his plate, but he even took care of his work, so I scratched my neck roughly.
I was trying to annoy him, but why does he leave me speechless by being so competent?
Honestly, every time I hear about Isidor from other people, I feel a distance that I've never felt before and even have all kinds of thoughts.
I don't like disturbing my mind by making speculations. So, even though I tried to bring up the most talked-about story or the companion matter, he didn't say a word about it. So I felt a bit unsettled.
"Anyway, is he thinking it's better to go to the official event with someone with a better personality than mine?"
Because I have a bad reputation.
I kept thinking that way, but suddenly he took something out and pushed it slowly towards me.
----------------------------
"I'm in trouble. She's so cute that I can't bear it..."
Isidor was trying to cover his blushing cheeks as he looked at Deborah, who had a firm expression.
Even his sharp eyes, as he spat out sharp words, were cute.
Indeed, he wondered why she was so upset at first, but gradually realized the reason.
"I never thought she would be bothered by the fact that I received companion requests from other women."
He never expected to see this kind of reaction because she is more mature than him and seemed serene in all matters.
And that's also why Isidor started to be interested in her since they met a long time ago, and as his feelings for her deepened, he didn't have time to observe the princess's feelings.
"I feel good, but she might get angry if I say this. Because she looks so serious."
It seems that he has a strong desire to confirm her affection. Seeing the slightest jealousy made him want to jump for joy.
But, honestly speaking, he didn't postpone asking her to be his partner just to see her jealous.
Isidor was absorbed in matters he felt were important.
"His father's death at this time was regrettable."
Because the funeral and the succession ceremony were almost at the same time, he didn't have time to prepare the dress and jewelry to send to his partner.
"It must be a high-quality product to satisfy the princess."
Unlike the last Spring Flower Festival, he had to attend this event because he was the one receiving the title.
"If Deborah became his partner, he wanted to send her a gift that would suit her."
He also had a childish need to break the innocent spirits of young men, like Thierry, so they wouldn't try to take a step.
Isidor, who had a picky taste, spent two whole days just choosing a design that would suit the princess, and he spent three days busy looking for a jeweler who would engrave his name on the necklace.
Engraving on magic stones had spread to other minerals, so, recently in the Empire, engraving names on jewelry was a trend.
After Isidor engraved his initials on the blue diamond, he couldn't give up the crazy idea of putting small diamonds inside the engraving.
Miguel, who was by his side being a hindrance while scolding the jeweler and generously spending his money in the last few days, trembled as if he were in a nightmare.
Isidor, who barely received the finished jewelry this morning, doubted his eyes when looking at the calendar.
He realized that he didn't have as much time as he thought and was trying to find the perfect moment to ask her to be his partner today.
However, when it really came to bringing it up, there were some things that concerned him.
"Since it's a very official event, wouldn't she feel uncomfortable attending as his partner?"
This was why Lady Cyril's public request felt even more unpleasant and annoying to Isidor.
The first official event, granted to the newly appointed single duke, is the title ceremony.
Having a partner, in such an official event, indicated a great public significance.
It was obvious that Lady Cyril knew about this fact, but she asked to be his companion in front of everyone while pretending to be naive.
In Isidor's eyes, that lady didn't gather courage; she just wanted to get what she wanted by putting him in trouble.
There were rumors that he was very chivalrous, so the lady calculated that there was no way he would openly embarrass her in front of everyone.
"It was annoying, but..."
As a result, he saw a new side of Deborah and convinced himself of her feelings.
Apart from that, he would have to pay the price for doing bothersome things.
"What is this?"
Deborah waved her long purple eyelashes several times as she looked at the box of blue diamonds Isidor handed her.
"I would like you to shine by my side on the day of the title ceremony wearing this necklace."
"..."
"What do you think?"
She bit her lips for a while, then slowly gathered her hair while sighing.
The tips of her ears were reddened as if they were on fire at that moment.
"I'm embarrassed."
She murmured softly with a tearful voice, and Isidor smiled.
"If you count the number of times I've been jealous... There probably wouldn't be anyone who could beat me. I was once jealous of the flowers falling on your back."
Wherever his soft gaze fell, he wanted to reach it himself.
"No, it's not because I was jealous... Actually, that's embarrassing too, but when I said I wanted to build our relationship slowly as we got to know each other."
"..."
"After saying that, I didn't know that I would feel uneasy because of our ambiguous relationship..."
Before she could finish her words, Isidor extended his arms and pulled her close.
Driven by his words, he brought his beautiful face closer, and abruptly said, a bit anxious.
"Do you feel uneasy?"
"Yes. More than I thought."
Their breaths mixed slightly due to their short distance.
"Would it be okay for me to understand that you like me so much?"
He likes her, and what he felt for her was special.
"Did you just discover that you like me?"
Her red eyes curved slightly.
"If you say it like that, I will be excessively greedy from now on. I will want to keep crossing the line."
"What kind of greed would that be?"
Isidor brought his face closer as his neck trembled with a slight laugh.
In a short time, their soft lips intertwined.