So, it was only natural for Sophia to be surprised and confused by the situation.
“How on earth did you persuade my father?”
As soon as Sophia heard that the Duke had come to the Count’s estate, she rushed to greet him and chatted about various things. But eventually, she couldn’t hold it in and suddenly asked.
The Duke was leisurely smelling a flower when he lifted his head at her question, as if surprised.
“What?”
He acted like it was the first time he’d heard of it. Sophia knew very well that he was pretending. His overly raised eyebrows and the playful curve of his lips made it obvious he wasn’t trying very hard to hide anything.
It felt like he was waiting for her to beg. His sneaky intention was clear. But she was too curious, so Sophia couldn’t resist falling into his trap.
“I’m really begging you. Please tell me the secret. I’m so curious how my father, who was so angry before you went to Rillum, suddenly became so gentle and agreed to let me go to the capital. Don’t tell me… did you hit him?”
He smiled and replied.
“Of course not.”
“Then what did you do?”
“I had a good talk.”
“How exactly?”
“A little advice, and a bit of discipline.”
When he said that in a low voice, it sent a slight chill down her spine. Sophia rubbed her face to hide the blush and pretended to be annoyed.
“Discipline? He’s still my father, you know.”
“But he hit you. As your fiancé, I had to say something. The bruise lasted a while.”
Then the Duke playfully pulled her into a dance-like motion to face him. His blue eyes lingered on her cheek.
“It didn’t last long. It disappeared in a day thanks to the medicine you gave me.”
“But in my heart, it stayed.”
“Smooth talker.”
Sophia pushed him away. The Duke let her go and kissed her cheek one last time. Sophia was startled but tried to hide her surprise by shrugging.
“Are you getting everything ready? You’re leaving in two days, right?”
The Duke spoke as if trying to ease her awkwardness. Sophia nodded and answered.
“Yes. Someone from the Imperial Palace will come in two days. They’re coming to escort me. Of course, when I get there, I’ll be serving the Princess.”
“Your luggage?”
“Almost all packed.”
“Are you nervous?”
The Duke asked. Sophia couldn’t easily say no.
To be honest, she was a bit nervous.
After it was decided that she’d go to the capital, Sophia read a lot of newspapers—from the ones published during her five-month coma to the most recent ones. Then she began to see many things she hadn’t noticed before.
She saw how much her parents and the Duke had done to hide the bad rumors about her.
Even before Solid’s miscarriage, Sophia had already become a target of hate for many people.
‘A temptress who seduced the Duke.’
‘Even if it’s fashionable among nobles for women to be forward these days, this is too much, isn’t it?’
‘An improper way to propose marriage.’
Many articles mocked and criticized her confession to the Duke. Some even claimed that she had poisoned herself to make the Duke feel guilty, calling it a self-made act to avoid charges. They hinted it was a play, but it was obvious they were talking about her.
Sophia stared blankly at those papers in shock.
People were being terribly cruel. But what shocked her even more was their strange obsession.
Sophia had appeared in the newspapers before, but it had always been in a distant, light-hearted way—what she wore, who she was seen with, and what joke she made that made someone laugh.
But now, they were obsessed with uncovering every tiny detail. They had become more cunning and skilled.
Without directly mentioning the Count family or Sophia, they wrote so that everyone would know exactly who they meant. After Solid’s miscarriage, they acted as if Sophia and the Count family had committed a moral crime, or even a legal one.
Seeing Sophia tear up while reading the paper, Erica begged her not to read anymore. But Sophia just sniffled and held the paper tighter.
‘You have to prepare yourself somehow!’
Still, all of this was a secret from the Duke. The fact that she cried while reading the papers, even that she had read them at all.
“Well, I’m still your fiancée. People won’t treat me badly, will they?”
Sophia said, forcing a smile. Of course, she already knew her position wasn’t equal to the Duke’s. He was a noble victim trapped in an unwanted engagement with a strange woman. She was a horrible monster who used a dirty trick to win him and even caused her pregnant best friend to lose her baby.
The Duke made a slightly sympathetic face and said, as if he understood her forced smile.
“Make sure to enjoy yourself, Sophia. If not, no matter what you say, I’ll come pick you up.”
Sophia was shocked.
Not because he said something cheesy, but because he spoke as if he wouldn’t be going with her.
‘Wait, he’s not coming?’
She was surprised. Now that she thought about it, he had never actually said he would go with her. But since he helped her convince her father and had always been by her side, she just assumed he would go too.
“Are you going to stay in Rillum?”
She asked indirectly. The Duke shook his head and replied casually.
“No. There’s no reason for me to stay here when you’re not here. I’ve been away from the estate for too long, so I need to go back.”
“I see.”
Sophia nodded like she understood. It made sense. The Duke couldn’t stay by her side forever. Still, she felt weak knowing he wouldn’t be going with her. Was this really goodbye?
How would she survive among people who wanted to tear her apart, without the Duke?
And she was going to the Imperial Palace. The Emperor, the Empress, and maybe even Princess Yulicias might not approve of her being the Duke’s fiancée. How could she face them without his protection?
Thinking this, Sophia realized just how much she had come to rely on the Duke. She had always thought she was suspicious and doubtful of him, but apparently not.
Maybe her feelings were obvious, because the Duke teased her.
“Why are you asking where I’m going? Planning to write me a letter?”
Sophia nodded calmly.
“Of course. Who doesn’t write to their fiancé while they’re apart?”
The Duke smiled. He took her hand and kissed the back of it.
“Alright. I’ll look forward to it, my fiancée.”
His lips touched the thin lace glove over her hand. It felt strangely vivid. Sophia looked at the Duke’s handsome face in the sunlight and suddenly gave him a quick kiss on the cheek.
He seemed frozen in shock—she could feel it through the hand he held.
Sophia blushed. She didn’t even know why she did it. She just felt like it in the moment. She pulled her hand away and clasped both hands together. The Duke said nothing, which made the silence even more awkward. She peeked at him and saw he was staring at her with a confused expression.
‘Wait, he kisses me all the time, but when I do it, he reacts like this?’
He didn’t even seem surprised in a good way. The Duke just looked like he didn’t understand why she did it.
“I mean, I just…”
She felt like she had to explain.
“Do you like me, Sophia?”
He asked. Flustered, Sophia quickly replied.
“No!”
“What?”
“I mean… I… that’s not what I meant…”
Saying no was clearly a mistake. But she couldn’t exactly say yes either. Why did she kiss him? Why?
Sophia wanted to disappear.
The Duke looked at her red face for a moment, then finally gave a short laugh.
“Then do you hate me?”
“Just forget about it.”
“How can I forget something so fun?”
“You think this is fun?”
Sophia shouted in disbelief. The Duke tilted his head, thinking, and said,
“I guess… sometimes my face works, huh?”
As if she kissed him just because of how he looked. Sophia turned away, her face burning red.
But as her excitement calmed, a strange feeling crept in.
He didn’t believe her.
Not even for a moment did he think she kissed him because she liked him.
And that felt… oddly painful.
