"What are you trying to say?"

"Zerkan.... Afterwards, take this."

Adrian pulled something out of his chest. It was a light ivory-colored envelope, and from the outside it looked just like a love letter.

Zerkan frowned and looked at Adrian.

"Are you sure you're not asking me to review the letter to Violet?"

"Read it first."

Zerkan opened the envelope suspiciously and read the letter.

What was written in elegant handwriting was the time, place, and short message.

"Raphine asked me to give it to you."

"To me?"

"yes."

Just when Zerkan was startled, Adrian reached out and placed his palm on the back of Zerkan's hand.

"What are you doing, strangely?"

"Zerkan."

"...."

When Adrian called in a serious voice, Zerkan also looked at him with playful eyes.

"I think Raphine still likes you.... that cute guy I was outwardly flirting with Violet and taunting you saying you can't do Raphine, but.... I trust you."

"what... "

"If it were you, I could allow it. I believe that it will make my brother happier than anyone else."

At those words, Zerkan's ears twitched.

Adrian smiled, removed his hand, and tapped Zerkan's shoulder.

"Of course, your heart is important. But you should know that. It must be difficult to find a woman more lovely than our Raffine, right?"

"...."

"The only lovable Violet has become my mate."

Zerkan's forehead wrinkled slightly at those words, but his friend Adrian, who was in love, looked so happy.

I could feel the leisure of the person holding the happiness that cannot be exchanged for anything.

"Good job."

Adrian left the office with those last words.

Zerkan, who was left alone, looked down at the letter.

The round cursive letters on pretty stationery tickled his heart strangely.

He sat there for a long time, engraving each letter in his eyes, over and over again.

The meeting place is a restaurant in the downtown area of the capital.

The time was tomorrow evening.

It was busy, but I was able to make time for this. No, I had to pay anyway.

'... It's an evening appointment.'

Besides, the last sentence was a masterpiece.

'If you go here, you'll be able to meet your fateful partner?'

Zerkan sighed deeply and buried her face in her palms.

'Too... You're cute.'

This was unexpectedly cute.

If Raphine had been in front of her right now, she would have pinched that cute cheek. It's really hard to do such a cute act so suddenly.... I couldn't even imagine.

Every time we meet, he treats me hard, so I thought he was trying to keep distance because it was awkward....

In fact, it seems like it was all because I was shy.

'I'm going crazy.'

My heart was pounding hard.

But the pounding sound was not bad. I was strangely excited.

He fidgeted with his burning ears, pondering about yesterday.

Last night, just like Adrian, Zerkan could not sleep.

It was because I kept reminding myself of the moment we danced while holding Rafine's little hand.

When I was dancing to the melody of a waltz. Zerkan was possessed by a strange feeling.

Both of them were immersed in the memories for a moment as the memories of their small childhood were overwritten.

However, as soon as the music ended, I felt strangely sad watching Raphine run away.

But now that I think about it....

Just as she feels unfamiliar with Raphine as an adult, Rafine will also feel unfamiliar with herself, who has changed a lot.

With that in mind, Raphine's clumsy behavior made sense.

The sad feelings disappeared without a trace like snow melted.

Instead, it was filled with all sorts of questions.

'What the hell are you going to say....'

In fact, the answer came easily without any further thought.

The meaning of the questions Raphine posed while brushing up on Adrian last night was clear.

However, it was difficult to be sure if the answer was correct, so I kept asking questions.

What does the word fate mean?

Are you planning to marry like you did when you were young?

Can I have Raphine propose first? What should I do first?

Zerkan was captured by this strange feeling for the first time and remained dazed until the next day's appointment time.

* * *

It's a little shy and shy, but it feels like touching a cloud.

Until the next afternoon, Zerkan's mood remained that way.

"Did you see your face today?"

"Oh, you look so good today, don't you?"

The Crown Prince's aides were gathering and chatting.

Among them, one new assistant, who went to work for the first time yesterday, tilted his head.

"Did you look good? When I saw him, he was just as expressionless as usual.... You are always cold."

"Hey, you're a newcomer, so I don't know."

The chief aide twitched his tongue and began to explain.

"That's what I'm telling you. You don't usually look like this. But what about when you feel good? Make a face like this."

"Is it the same?"

"Uh-huh, is it different? Look closely, the stiffness of the muscles in the corners of the mouth and in the cheeks is slightly different. Now, look again."

"It's the same...."

"Damn it, it's because I'm not so smart."

After such a long chatter, the time for work approached, the office door opened.

"Oh, my lord. Where are you going?"

"I have an appointment."

Zerkan strode forward with a very tense expression on his face. The escort knight followed.

While riding the carriage to the meeting point, Zerkan was strangely tense. The cravat that tightened his neck was slightly loosened, but it was still there. It was the same even when the carriage window was opened and the cold wind was blowing.

I was always thirsty, and I felt impatient.

But it wasn't a bad feeling.

If this feeling was maintained every day, maybe everything would work out.

Do you feel like you have all the luck in the world?

However, that feeling that had been maintained throughout the whole time was shattered as soon as we arrived at the meeting place.

I wasn't mistaken for a restaurant, and I wasn't looking for the wrong seat.

There was only one table in the empty restaurant, as if it had been borrowed entirely.

And sitting there....

"Hello, my lord."

It was the first woman I had ever met, not Raphine.

"...."

Zerkan forgot to say hello and looked at her with a bewildered expression.

"I heard you were going to come out without knowing.... Well, I thought I'd explain it well."

What?

As Zerkan blinked blankly, the woman kindly explained.

"I came to see the match through the introduction of Eston Young-ae, and Young-ae said to me that I could become the Crown Prince's contractual marriage partner."

Zerkan's forehead was wrinkled.

What do you mean by all that now?

"I like it. Whatever the terms and conditions of the contract, we can tailor it to you."

"...."

"By the way, you don't have to worry about the secret leaking out. I signed a non-disclosure agreement."

At those words, Zerkan's expression went blank. It didn't take long to figure out the situation.

"I'm sorry, but there must have been some misunderstanding."

"Yeah?"

Zerkan calmly stood up from his seat.

"Oh my lord! Where are you going!"

The noble young-ae, the first opponent he met, urgently called for Zerkan, but he left with a shocked expression.

After leaving the restaurant building, Zerkan immediately got on the carriage and gave orders.

"I'm going to the Duke of Aston's mansion, right now."

* * *

same time.

Raphine was looking out the window in the room with an anxious expression.

She tilted her head for a moment and summoned Orpana.

"Orpana, I couldn't check it because I was only thinking about the list of opponents I faced.... You didn't know that Zerkan was a match, didn't you?"

Perhaps after the upper-level meeting, Orfana was dressed in the concept of a rich president.

Orpana, who sat elegantly on the table chair by the window, shrugged.

"Right."

"Did you say you were going to explain it well? But how did you...?"

"I did it all on my own."

"So how did you do it?"

"She will explain it well."

"...."

Raphine's gaze shook anxiously.

I was immersed in and focused on who I was going to face, so I couldn't think of other things.

Of course, I'm sure Orfana did well on her own as she's done everything perfectly so far....

"Master, do you not believe me?"

"... I do believe Why are you suddenly so anxious?"

Raphine had a strange feeling that she made a mistake by putting it in the wrong order.

It was then.

smart.

Raphine immediately made Orphana disappear at the sound of knocking on the door.

When I told him to come in, he opened the door and came in, butler Brown with a cautious expression.

"I, miss."

"What is going on at this hour?"

After dinner, there were no visits because ordinary workers were also resting.

Unless it's very urgent.

"I, that's because a visitor came...."

"Guest?"

The butler hesitated as if he was in great trouble.