<CHAPTER 43>

I Could Do Something Even More

“What do you mean, an opportunity?” When Evelyn tilted her head in puzzlement, Rarie replied with a somewhat excited voice.

“Come on, the Young Count is also a strong contender to win the Hunting Festival!”

The number of handkerchiefs a participant received was virtually an indicator of their probability of winning.

It was a tradition at the Hunting Festival to present handkerchiefs to those deemed likely to win.

Of course, there were also those who used that opportunity to fulfill their personal desires.

“Now that you mention it, that does seem to be the case.”

Evelyn‘s green eyes, which had been tapping the table with her fingers, soon sparkled brightly.

She decided to give her handkerchief to Aksion first.

If there was nothing to compare it to right now, there would be no way to tell whether it was well-made or not.

Having brushed away the gloomy dark clouds that had been hovering over her head, Evelyn sprang up from her seat.

“So, where is Aksion?”

The fragrant garden of the Count‘s residence, thick with the scent of flowers.

In this space filled with the mistress’s overflowing affection, spring flowers were in full bloom.

Evelyn was walking through the garden to meet her fiancé.

‘Mother said she was with him.’

Her mother would personally tend to the garden on her days off, and it seemed she had happened to run into Aksion, who was visiting the mansion.

Recalling the image of the man awkwardly conversing with an adult, Evelyn made a troubled expression.

No matter how many years they had known each other, being alone with his fiancée’s parents would surely be uncomfortable.

“I should hurry and go help him.”

As she moved her steps busily, she soon discovered a man standing alone in the garden gazebo.

The sunlight was backlighting him, making his face difficult to see clearly, but his extraordinary aura made it obvious that he was her fiancé.

‘Hmm? Why is he alone?’

As she approached him while looking around, Aksion turned his head as if sensing her presence.

“You’re here?”

“Yeah. Weren’t you with my mother?”

At her question, the man slowly nodded and replied in an indifferent voice.

“She said she had a prior engagement.”

The Countess had been completely absorbed in preparing the mansion for the spring social season.

‘She mentioned there were a few paintings she had her eye on recently.’

She remembered her mother saying she was going to an art exhibition with some close noblewomen.

Evelyn soon looked at her fiancé with a puzzled gaze.

“Aksion, so why did you come?”

“Because I wanted to see you.”

Not a single trace of sincerity could be found in the words he casually uttered.

Evelyn clicked her tongue inwardly.

This would only be acceptable if it happened once or twice.

“Really? That’s good. I happened to want to see you too.”

She deliberately smiled brightly, but couldn’t quite hide her disgruntled voice.

At that, a mischievous smile tugged at the corner of Aksion‘s mouth.

“I’m glad to hear that.”

“About what?”

“That our hearts are in tune.”

Just as Evelyn, who already felt like her energy was being drained, lightly touched her forehead, a deep dimple formed on one of the man’s cheeks, and his outstretched hand touched the top of her head.

Startled, Evelyn flinched.

“Hey, what is this all of a sudden—”

“Is it really something to be so surprised about? We’ve already held hands.”

His red eyes, staring intently at her, shone sharply.

“Of course, if you wish, I could do something even more than that.”

What is this guy saying right now?

Evelyn deliberately furrowed her brow to hide her flustered expression and looked at her fiancé.

He delivered such embarrassing words with a face that showed not the slightest hint of regret.

No doubt he was teasing her again this time.

As if noticing her gaze that was cursing him with her eyes, Aksion let out a languid laugh.

Then he showed her a small petal resting on his palm.

“It was stuck on your head.”

“Ah… so that’s what it was?”

Evelyn, who had been wondering why he was suddenly doing something he never did, finally swallowed a sigh of relief.

She had been so startled, thinking he was trying to stroke her head.

The man, who had been quietly watching her, took something out from his chest.

Having inadvertently received a small case, Evelyn asked with suspicious eyes.

“What is this?”

At that, Aksion delivered quite a terrifying statement with a nonchalant expression.

“A gift from my parents.”

“What? From Duke and Duchess Valentino?”

Surely it wasn’t another family heirloom from House Valentino like last time?

At the thought that the Duke and Duchess were fully capable of such a thing, Evelyn bit her lip.

She had even carefully stored the hairpin from the Duchess that she had received previously in a drawer.

Then, suddenly feeling puzzled, she tilted her head to the side.

“But why did you come personally? You could have just sent someone.”

The man lightly ignored that question and spoke in an extremely dry voice.

“Well. Aren’t you going to open it?”

“Of course I’m going to open it!”

Evelyn opened the case, which looked extraordinary at a glance, while shedding inward tears.

Since she would break off the engagement with Max… Aksion anyway, receiving gifts that were increasingly difficult to handle made her feel uneasy.

Soon, upon checking the item inside the case, she opened her eyes wide.

“This is—”

It was a ribbon brooch made of peridot gemstone, carrying a clear and transparent green hue just like Evelyn‘s eyes.

The peridot sparkled brilliantly under the sunlight.

At this level of quality, it was undoubtedly of the highest grade.

‘Come to think of it, a few days ago…’

A certain article she had read a few days ago flashed through Evelyn‘s mind.

It was about Duchess Valentino purchasing peridot gemstones brought from a foreign country at a high price.

Surely this wasn’t that gemstone?

Having received yet another tremendous gift, it felt as if an alarm was ringing in her ears.

Evelyn‘s green eyes wavered, wondering if she was truly allowed to accept this.

As if sensing what she was thinking, Aksion slowly pulled up the corners of his mouth.

“Your birthday is coming up soon.”

As it was her first birthday since coming of age, it seemed the Duke and Duchess had prepared a special gift.

Evelyn, who was already grateful that they acknowledged her birthday every year, thought she should write a letter soon.

She had heard they were currently away on an inspection of their territory.

“Still, it seems too extravagant.”

As she scratched her cheek at the unexpected gift, a low and deep voice came from Aksion.

“It suits you well, Evelyn.”

Evelyn, who had raised her head, met the man’s red eyes.

Though they seemed to hold no emotion whatsoever, for some reason she couldn’t avoid his gaze.

Coming to her senses belatedly, she lightly bit the soft flesh inside her mouth.

For some reason, she felt as though she had to hide her flustered state in front of her fiancé.

Just then, she recalled the handkerchief she was going to give him, and Evelyn let out a small cough.

“Ahem, I have something to give you too.”

“To me?”

As Aksion‘s neat eyebrows rose diagonally, she deliberately put on a coy expression.

“Yes, did you think I was all talk?”

Though she spoke with brazen confidence, her hands trembled slightly at the thought of actually handing over the handkerchief.

Why am I so nervous over something like this?

After taking a short breath in and out, Evelyn held out the handkerchief she had been hiding behind her back.

“I wish you good fortune, Aksion.”

Then she subtly gauged her fiancé’s reaction.

However, for some reason, Aksion showed no reaction at all.

He merely fixed his gaze on the black embroidery on the white handkerchief.

‘Is it really that bad?’

Evelyn, whose clumsy embroidery skills were embarrassing, blushed slightly.

Though she had expected it to some degree, she couldn’t help feeling unnecessarily shy.

She chewed on her lips for a moment before opening her mouth.

“If you don’t like it—”

“Is it a black panther?”

The man, who had impressively recognized the embroidery, murmured softly.

Since no one had recognized that pattern until now, Evelyn found it fascinating and couldn’t help but smile.

“Oh. How did you know?”

When she asked with a rarely excited voice, Aksion tilted his head and let out a soft laugh.

“So it really is.”