Chapter 38
Had I ever looked down at Darcy before? He was always much taller and more imposing than , so I always had to look up at him.
But now... this is a problem! He is a prince, and it wouldn't do for him to kneel before others so easily.
Especially since today is the first day people are seeing him!
I quickly glanced around and whispered urgently to him.
"Darcy, stand up!"
"I will if you praise ."
...Praise? Really?
"It will only take a mont."
As Darcy stared intently at my hand, I found myself moving unconsciously.
Seeing his silver hair up close was rare. Even the moon in the night sky couldn't shine brighter than this.
Then, suddenly, I snapped back to reality.
No, this is weird, isn't it? Even between friends, this is crossing a line.
Darcy might not know this, having rarely ford relationships with others, but I am a completely normal person.
Such things don’t happen between two people who are just friends.
My hand, having lost its direction, hovered aimlessly in the air. I clenched and unclenched my fist repeatedly until Darcy gently grasped my wrist.
"Hm?"
He looked at
with a pleading gaze.
'...He's adorable.'
I must be crazy, thinking a man twice my size is cute. This kind of infatuation must be serious. His almost playful behavior was partly to bla.
I was sure my face was flushed. I quickly raised my hand to cover what was undoubtedly a reddening face.
Darcy urged
in a soft voice.
"So, quickly pet my head."
"..."
"Then I'll get up."
His words were oddly persuasive—too persuasive, in fact. The resolve I had just monts ago lted away.
Fine, just this once.
In the end, I reached out and gently patted his head.
Luckily, no one was in the hallway, but soone could appear at any mont.
I gently stroked his hair.
‘His hair is really soft.’
The silver strands that slipped through my fingers felt almost unreal.
Darcy closed his eyes, looking content. Sitting there on the floor, arms crossed and eyes shut, this grown man might have seed ridiculous to others, but to , it felt oddly familiar. It was almost comforting.
‘Was this how I looked when I was at ho?’
Seeing soone in their natural state was more surreal than I thought. It was as if he was showing
a part of himself hidden behind the walls he had built.
There would be more difficult days ahead.
Would it be easy for him to face people as a prince? Even if he managed well, it wouldn’t be without pain.
I wished him luck for the future and gave his head a light tap.
Darcy opened his eyes and asked,
"Marceau, do you find this strange?"
"Strange?"
"That I only take things seriously when it involves you."
"Hmm, no, it's not strange."
If I didn’t know Darcy’s past, I might think it was odd. But after hearing his story, I could understand it sowhat.
He chuckled at my response, then stood up, muttering to himself.
"It's so difficult to define the feelings I have for you."
He wasn't asking
a question. It was more like he was scolding himself in a low voice.
He seed confused.
Relationships don’t always go the way we want. The sa goes for feelings.
...To be honest, I was the sa. I didn’t know how Darcy viewed .
Did he have romantic feelings for , or was it just the significance of our first bond or knowing my past?
‘And I’m just as confused.’
What do I want from Darcy?
I think about drawing a clear line with him, but when he approaches , I find myself irresistibly drawn to him.
Do I just want to remain friends with him, as we are now?
Or do I want him to stay by my side?
I still hadn’t found the answer, so I couldn’t co to a clear conclusion.
But there was one thing I could say.
"Then let’s figure it out."
If we don’t know, we can just follow our hearts and see where it leads.
Whatever lies at the end, I don’t want to regret anything in my relationship with Darcy.
I don’t want to asure or predict the feelings of soone who has altered the course of their life for my sake.
The sa goes for my own feelings toward him.
“We’re not just going to see each other for a day and part ways. We’ll keep seeing each other for a while.”
...Until you leave. I swallowed the last words and looked at Darcy.
“So let’s talk more, spend ti together, and figure it out.”
"...Yes. I’ll be here for as long as it takes."
Darcy looked at
and spoke softly. Until you’re happy.
“Relationships can’t always be defined in just one way. It’s okay to feel confused.”
...I wasn’t really in a position to say that, considering it took
a year to sort things out with Leshuan and her crowd. But I had learned sothing from it.
“No one’s ever told
that it’s okay to be confused.”
“That’s because it’s part of your life too.”
At my words, Darcy stood up and bent down slightly.
His hair fell over his face, and a warm, spring-like smile blood on his slightly shadowed features, a smile only I could see.
“You always give
answers.”
“…”
“You’re never wrong, Marceau.”
Even the budding leaves of spring couldn’t be as fresh as this. My heart skipped a beat, and I inhaled deeply.
“Well, then, let’s go now.”
It would be difficult if I moved too quickly in this relationship I had just suggested we explore.
I took a step, hoping I didn’t look too awkward. Darcy quickly followed .
The hallway, which had been empty before, was now crowded with people, as if the attendants from earlier had been just an illusion.
The nobles, along with the attendants, were looking in our direction.
The murmurs in the air indicated that today would not be an ordinary day.
“The rumors are going to spread even more.”
“I don’t care.”
Darcy shrugged at my words, and he seed to an it.
Since he didn’t mind, I wouldn’t make a fuss over nothing. I nodded in agreent.
As we reached the door leading to the hall, I rembered sothing I hadn’t yet told him and turned back.
“Dar…”
The reason I couldn’t finish calling his na was because he looked stunning as he adjusted the cravat he had loosened earlier.
With the jacket perfectly back in place, he exuded an aura of restraint that was a stark contrast to the reckless image he had shown before.
Darcy tilted his head slightly as he looked at .
“What?”
I quickly closed my mouth, then spoke in a tone that was almost a warning.
“You said I always gave you answers.”
“I did.”
“Then you need to give
an answer too.”
“What do you an…?”
“You need to tell
what will make you happy.”
Because I want him to be happy too.
I ignored the puzzled blinking of his eyes.
“You deserve to be happy too. So I won’t accept any excuses.”
“….”
“If you don’t tell , I’ll go looking for the answer myself. This is the first ti I’ve ever asked you for sothing like this. I’ll be waiting for your answer.”
After declaring this to him, I stepped into the hall.
“Marceau Etwar is here!”
As the attendant loudly announced my na, the jewels on the chandelier above glinted in my eyes.
The ceiling seed to stretch endlessly into the sky. The waltz music drifted into my ears. The piercing gazes of others locked onto .
It truly felt like I had returned to high society.
I wore a confident smile as I t the eyes of the people one by one.
“It’s been a while.”
“It has indeed, Lady Marceau.”
There were quite a few people waiting to greet . Even as they exchanged pleasantries with , many of them were sneaking glances at Darcy, who had entered the hall right after .
“Yes, it has.”
Of course, I pretended to be oblivious, rely continuing the greetings with a serene smile.
As I moved along with a calm smile, I paused.
At the end of the line stood Leshuan and her grandfather, the Marquis.
I bowed my head to the Marquis in greeting.
“I’m glad to see you in good health.”
The Marquis offered
a simple complint. Soon, it was ti to speak with Leshuan.
“…”
The greeting that had co so naturally when I t others didn’t co out this ti.
‘I didn’t expect it to be this awkward.’
I was about to force myself to speak when a clear voice reached
first.
“…It’s been a while, Lady Marceau.”
Leshauan greeted
with perfect etiquette. Her face bore a faint smile, but the atmosphere around her was different from the last ti I saw her.
I couldn’t quite put my finger on what had changed.
“…Yes, it has been a while.”
Feeling that I should at least respond, I hastily returned her greeting.
Leshauan nodded slightly and then turned away from .
She didn’t expect anything from . She didn’t try to speak warmly or approach .
For the first ti, I felt a sense of appropriate distance between us, a distance that had seed impossible to achieve before.
‘It was the sa when we watched the play together.’
Could it be that she really did change after hearing what I said?
I had hoped she would change. But I hadn’t known how I would feel if she actually did.
I watched her retreating figure quietly.
It left
with a bittersweet feeling.
Even after the greetings were over, people continued to flock around , spurred on by what Darcy had said earlier. Many asked what kind of help I had provided, though I didn’t say much.
Of course, I kept my answers vague, saying it wasn’t sothing I could discuss just yet.
“Why haven’t you attended any events recently?”
“Was there a problem…?”
Many also inquired about my whereabouts during my absence, curious after my sudden disappearance.
Rumors had circulated, but no one had been able to confirm anything.
Well, of course not.
It wasn’t because I had done sothing wrong.
It was just that I had grown tired of seeing the faces of you, the heroine, and the hero.
I had thought about how to respond to this, but thanks to Ryan, the issue resolved itself naturally today.
Now I have the perfect bait.
A very big one at that.
“I’ve cleared up so misunderstandings that had built up with Prince Ryan.”
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