ELND Chapter 64

Chapter 64

Time to Propose

“Lady Jane, come with me!”
“The puppet show is about to start! Hurry, Miriam!”

It was the time of day when the afternoon sunlight deepened in color.

When I opened the window, the lively noise of the streets flowed into the quiet room.

The atmosphere was so different from the ever-silent North that I couldn’t help but smile as I leaned by the window.

“The Twins’ manor in the North feels completely different from here, doesn’t it?” Mina said, pouring afternoon tea into a cup.

“Yes, it really does. Maybe because it’s the capital, the buildings are packed close together, and there are so many people around the city center. It’s so lively.”

Deltine Street — the district where only the most powerful noble families or extraordinarily wealthy merchants could afford to reside.

Right in the center of that street stood the Twins family’s townhouse.

Perhaps because it was the Emperor’s birthday celebration week, the streets outside were even more brilliantly decorated than usual.

I didn’t notice last night when we arrived, but the streets are really beautiful. And unlike the North, the weather’s mild too.

As I closed my eyes and enjoyed the soft breeze, Mina came up beside me.

“It’s a shame Lady Bianca couldn’t come with us. She knows the capital’s layout like the back of her hand after staying here so long.”

“Yeah, I wish she’d come too… but everyone will be here by tomorrow anyway, so it’s fine.”

Last night, I had arrived alone at the townhouse in the capital.

Originally, the whole Twins family was supposed to depart together the next day, but I came ahead of schedule by myself.

I needed to visit the capital’s gift exchange market in advance.

Mina glanced around, then leaned in to whisper, “I actually received a letter earlier from one of the servants at the House of Light. A letter addressed to me.”

“Oh? And?”

“Well… from what I read, His Grace the Grand Duke still seems rather displeased.”

“Ah… really?”

I sipped my tea awkwardly.

Truthfully, I did feel a bit guilty — I’d refused Cedric’s suggestion that we leave together for the capital and had come alone.

‘Then you could come with me a couple of days early instead. Me, you, and Bianca together.’

‘…Should I?’

He’d sounded so disappointed that I’d said it jokingly, trying to tease him.

But Cedric had been dead serious — ready to drop everything just to leave with me.

At least, until his aide spoke up.

‘Your Grace, forgive my impertinence, but with the Emperor’s birthday week approaching, the regional work piling up is extraordinary. As you can see here—and here—the stacks of documents are massive…’

Even I, who knew little of such things, could tell the workload was enormous.

So Cedric hadn’t been able to argue.

He’d just glared daggers at his aide instead.

Guess he’s still holding a grudge over that. Honestly… he’s impossible.

Shaking my head, I set my teacup down and picked up my hat and parasol.

“Mina, let’s head out. If we want to reach the exchange market before it starts, we should leave now.”

At that, Mina smiled mysteriously — almost mischievously.

“Your Grace, I don’t think I’ll be going with you after all.”

She scratched her cheek awkwardly.

“Hehe, the truth is… I don’t know my way around the capital very well. So I found someone else to accompany you.”

“Someone else?”

Mina nodded toward the grandfather clock.

“Yes, he should be arriving at the front gate right about now.”

Just as she said, when I stepped out of the townhouse’s front doors, someone was waiting there.

A man stood at the foot of the stairs, facing away from the gate.

It only took a few steps for me to recognize him.

“Adrian!”

“Ah, Your Grace.”

Adrian turned around, his lips curling into a bright smile.

“It’s so nice to see you again — especially here in the capital.”

“Likewise, of course…”

But my voice trailed off when I noticed his outfit.

Instead of his usual butler’s uniform, he was dressed elegantly — every bit the distinguished young heir of a noble family.

For a moment, I was too stunned by how handsome he looked to speak. Then I quickly gathered myself.

“…But, Adrian, what are you doing here? Weren’t you supposed to be on leave during the Emperor’s birthday week?”

“Yes. But since I’ll be attending the Imperial banquet as my family’s representative, I received permission to come early.”

Ah, right — Adrian was the young heir of a prominent demon-realm noble family.

I knew that, of course, but somehow seeing him like this always felt strange.

Adrian, still smiling, gently offered me his arm and pointed down the street with the other hand.

“Our family’s townhouse is just past that block, on Third Avenue of Deltine Street.”

I felt his grip tighten slightly around my arm.

“If, after the divorce, you ever wish to visit the capital again, you’re always welcome to stay at our townhouse. You’ll always be welcome, Your Grace.”

“Ah…”

I awkwardly smiled and slipped my arm free from his.

“Then… will Vincent be attending the Imperial banquet too?”

Adrian seemed amused by my effort to change the subject. He chuckled softly.

“No, only demon-realm nobles who maintain relations with the human realm are invited. The Norman family prefers to avoid such exchanges entirely, and the Imperial family respects that.”

He wrinkled his nose slightly.

“Besides, Lord Vincent isn’t exactly the type to show up just because the human emperor invited him.”

“Ah… true.”

The thought of that wild beast of a man — Vincent — attending a refined banquet full of pretentious nobles was enough to make anyone nervous.

That would be… disastrous.

Adrian and I both nodded in agreement.

“So, you’ll be guiding me to the gift exchange market then?”

“Yes, I will,” Adrian replied, nodding firmly.

I took his offered arm again, and together we walked toward the heart of the district.

A few minutes later, we reached the end of Deltine’s First Avenue, where a vast plaza opened up.

In the center stood a massive fountain adorned with ornate carvings. Around it, well-dressed noble children were playing and laughing.

This is definitely an affluent neighborhood.

As I admired the scene, Adrian asked, “Your Grace, have you already chosen the item you’re planning to purchase this time?”

His tone was much more relaxed than it had been during our first trip to a gift exchange market together.

It seemed he felt more at ease now.

“Of course. If I buy the same item that man has his eye on, it’s guaranteed to be a huge hit again.”

“‘That man’…?” Adrian blinked curiously.

I laughed quietly.

Anton Baker — the genius of investment.

Today, I intended to steal his luck.

It feels a little bad to say ‘steal,’ but… he’s a financial genius. He’ll hit another jackpot soon enough anyway.

But not me.

The only knowledge I had came from the story’s original text, and that meant this would be my last chance at a major success.

I couldn’t afford to miss it.

Sorry in advance, Anton.

Feeling a twinge of guilt, I kept walking toward the exchange market.

Now that I was in the capital as planned, it was time to invest in the item Anton Baker — the future investment prodigy — would choose.

At that same moment, inside the House of Light’s office—

Click— click—

The slow sound of a ring case opening and closing echoed through the quiet study.

Each time it did, the servants flinched.

The oppressive aura filling the room came from Cedric himself.

He kept opening and shutting the ring case with one hand, and every so often he’d lift his head and glare murderously at his aide.

Each glare made the aide wish he could sew his own mouth shut.

“…If Your Grace leaves to follow Her Highness today, all provincial work during the Emperor’s birthday week will grind to a halt. It would be best not to go.”

Why— why had he said something so sensible and utterly foolish?!

If he’d known he would regret it this much, he would’ve just stayed silent and let the Grand Duke chase after his wife.

This damn mouth! Always running at the worst possible time!

The aide secretly turned away and slapped his own lips in frustration.

Cedric caught sight of it and ground his teeth.

He was still furious.

“Rieman, just turn around and stay that way. I get angry every time I see your face.”

“Y-yes, Your Grace!”

The aide spun toward the wall in panic.

Cedric glared at the back of his head for a moment, then looked down at the ring case again.

He hated his aide for saying those stupidly logical words in front of Rebecca — and hated Rebecca just as much for leaving right after hearing them.

Adrian said he arrived in the capital early too… He wouldn’t have gone straight to find her, would he?

The veins on Cedric’s hand bulged as he clenched his fist.

Just imagining Rebecca and Adrian relying on each other in that unfamiliar city made his blood boil.

…I’m really losing my mind.

Since the night he’d spent with Rebecca, Cedric’s jealousy had only grown worse.

Even before their bond had been sealed, he’d sometimes felt possessive of her.

But now… it was beyond control.

It had only been a single day since she left for the capital.

And in that one day, Cedric had felt like he’d gone through a thousand hells.

So of course, seeing his aide sneaking glances back at him only fueled his rage.

“I said — keep facing the wall.”

“Y-yes, Your Grace!”

As his aide froze, Cedric looked again at the ring case — the same one he’d been opening and closing.

Inside lay a ring passed down through generations of Grand Duchesses of the Twins family.

A treasured heirloom, and the symbol of the family’s mistress.

But that ring had never once been placed on Rebecca’s finger.

I should have given it to her long ago.

Regret surfaced again, as it always did.

But the past couldn’t be changed. What mattered now was the time they still had ahead of them.

He had no intention of wasting even a moment of it on regret — not when he had Rebecca, his beloved, beside him.

He had already let too much precious time slip by.

From now on, and forever after — he would shower her with enough love to make up for the five lost years.

With that resolve, Cedric tucked the ring case deep into his jacket pocket.

It was time, at last, to properly propose to Rebecca again.