Looking for My Fiancé's Lover

The distance grew again as he backed away. His voice sounded much louder than before, even though the firecrackers were still exploding.

“If it’s your family member, consider carefully and give them what you feel they need the most. You don’t need to express deep affection like this in that case.”

“Do you like this too?”

It was pure curiosity, and it did not take much time for Pancion to answer.

“If it’s a romantic relationship, then yes.”

“The young duke and I are not lovers, so it must have been unpleasant.”

His lips, slightly parted, intending to answer, then slowly closed again. Pancion stared at me intently with a subtle expression I had never seen before. If I hadn’t been fully aware that he was Pancion Entera, I would have mistaken him for someone else. As if I was looking at a fortress crumbling, the muscles in every corner of his face were distorted.

“It wasn’t unpleasant.”

The words that came out of his mouth and his expression were in stark difference. Maybe he’s just telling a lie out of courtesy.

Did I hurt his feelings by asking something I shouldn’t have? Though he smiled, his complicated mind probably said otherwise.

“The young duke is the most affectionate of all the men I know. Women who have talked to you are bound to fall for you.”

“I don’t believe it.”

“No seriously. You can believe me because it comes from my heart.”

He let me hold his hand, let me experience smoking, and even showed me an unexpected action to answer my question. No matter how much I thought about it, it was kindness that did not suit the high status of a young duke, since nobles were usually quite arrogant.

“I think you are the first to think that way.”

Such kindness, perhaps felt a little too much. I couldn’t respond to him. It was because I felt like a bright red thread that I didn’t even know existed between Pancion and me was suddenly pulled tight.

Fortunately, this silence did not last long. Soon after, Pancion stood up, the corner of his mouth rose up in a casual tone.

“It’s getting late, so we’d better go back now. I think I will have to take you back for safety reasons, so please don’t refuse.”

Thanks to Pancion’s kindness, I was able to return to the hotel without any problems. There was nothing between the two of us after that. As soon as I finished taking a bath, I buried my nose in the pillow and fell asleep with my mind at ease.

❇❇❇

“The young duke has returned.”

It was a small voice that could be easily muffled if the wind rose, but it was very clear to Caron’s ears. As she slowly opened her eyes, she lit the second bedroom lamp that the maid, Marie, had turned off. Before long, Caron, who raised her body silently in the dark room, passed Marie and moved into the hallway.

“What time is it?”

“It’s almost midnight.”

“Looks like brother came back very late today.”

Marie, who hurriedly took the young miss’ coat, gently wrapped it around Caron’s shoulder in her nightgown.

After the young duke, Pancion, returned to Entera (from the war), the two bedrooms, which were close together, were separated into the second and third floors for the purpose of respecting Caron’s privacy as an adult. It was Pancion, not Caron, who moved it. The room that used to be Turner Entera’s bedroom five years ago was now Pancion’s, and no one objected to the change. (Turner is the eldest son)

“Brother.”

Pancion’s bedroom door was wide open, as if to prove that the owner had just returned. Caron, who gestured lightly to let Marie go, subsequently went into his room and settled into a chair. Pancion, who was pulling on his tie, turned his head to confirm her presence.

“It’s past midnight, but I see you haven’t slept yet.”

“I have something to tell you. You are much later than usual today.”

While Pancion let out a small sigh, a servant approached and untied his tie.

“It just happened to be that way. And why are you still not sleeping?”

“Yesterday afternoon, I received a letter saying that the young count Jean Aktor passed away due to an overturning carriage accident.”

Jean Aktor. Although it was not comparable to the Entera, Amasra, and Ezelot families, the Aktor family was one of the very old bloodlines in the Caval Empire. In particular, Jean Aktor, the successor of the said household, was someone with a good reputation and had close connections spread throughout the empire. It was said that the succession to the title would take place soon due to the current count’s poor health. And yet, the heir suddenly died in an accident.

Pancion clicked his tongue briefly at the sad story.

“Madame Aktor briefly mentioned your name in the letter, brother. She seemed to want me to come to the Aktor estate with you.”

Pancion pondered over the meaning of Caron’s words. Of course, it didn’t take long to figure out the implied meaning.

“Does the Aktors have a daughter?”

“Caroline Aktor will be twenty-one this year.”

In families in the eastern part of the Empire, including Aktor, usually only sons could be recognised as successors. In order for a family without a son to inherit the succession, the closest male relative had to be adopted or, if there was a female from the direct bloodline, to be married.

However, the story was a little different when the daughter married a man from another family. All property, including land and people of that household, would belong to the male’s family side. Therefore, people usually chose the former, not the latter, which was natural. It would be difficult for any member of the family to accept the loss of family honour to go down in history.

“Madame Aktor seems to want Caroline to be the Duchess.”

Pancion sent the servant out of the bedroom with a signal glance. After changing into a light set of indoor clothes, he sat down opposite from Caron.

“Do you want me to get married?”

“Of course. The Entera family will only continue when there is an heir.”

“You know that I never associate with the irrational culture of the eastern part of the Empire. If I do not marry, then you will be the successor to Entera, Caron.”

At those words, Caron blinked slowly. Pancion, who was lighting a cigarette, examined her complexion and handed her the last remaining cigarette. Caron didn’t refuse, as took a deep breath in and let the smoke out the next second. She opened her mouth a beat later.

“I know that very well. But so far, I have received enough grace from my brother. I don’t think anything more than this is necessary or significant to me.”

“If you start to get greedy, you will look at things a little differently.”

“You don’t need to say something like that. Anyway, what I want to say is… If you are thinking about marriage, it is not a bad idea to visit the Aktor estate on this occasion.”

Pancion did not give a proper answer to Caron and just continued to smoke. Caron, who was staring at the lines she vaguely made out of him in the dark, also turned her head without any word further. There was nothing more than this she could say.

Pancion, who had been smoking a cigarette for a while with a tired face, rubbed the last bit of it on the ashtray. It was also then that the flow of the conversation continued again in the quiet bedroom.

“I heard that Elysée came to visit when I was away.”

Elysée Romand. Caron had a hard time correcting her expression, which was about to be distorted by the unwelcome name.

“Yes, that’s right.”

“Were there any problems?”

There were many. Once, she almost ran out of patience the whole time she was dealing with her. Still, she shook her head, not wanting to further trouble the busy Pancion.

“… no, we are fine, no problems at all.”

“Then I’m glad.”

Pancion, who got up, approached the table and poured water into a prepared glass.

“How are you getting along with the Marquis?”

The subject of conversation now changed to her fiancé. Caron furrowed her brows for the first time at the mention of Philfrontz.