IYWHM Chapter 165

How wonderful it would have been if it were winter, when she could hide her body with a thick coat.

No matter how much Kisa adjusted the summer shawl draped over her shoulders, it was impossible to hide her changed belly, which was different from before.

Just then, Seyard’s arm came around behind Kisa, who had instinctively hunched her body.

Naturally pulling her toward him, Seyard kept his gaze fixed on the two women while offering a polite greeting.

“It’s been a while. Mrs. Morton, Mrs. Devello. I never expected to see you both here in Matera. Are you visiting together for a vacation?”

Only then did they take their eyes off Kisa and look at Seyard.

“Actually, our husbands came with us too. But last night they went out saying they’d have a drink together, and came back at dawn completely drunk.”

When Mrs. Devello complained with a disgruntled voice, Mrs. Morton chimed in.

“Thanks to that, all the activities we had planned for today are canceled. They have such bad hangovers that they told us to go have fun by ourselves. Those drunkards.”

“We even left the children in Sorbi and came all this way for the adults to enjoy themselves, but the mood is completely ruined. Being the same gender, there’s such a difference compared to the Duke, who’s spending such pleasant time with his fiancée.”

Then Seyard explained with a calm attitude how he and Kisa came to be here.

“That’s not quite right. Originally, I came to Matera for my convalescence, so Kisa has had a hard time accommodating a patient all this while.”

Of course, it was a lie.

“Oh my, I see. We were so worried when we heard that the Duke was injured during a hunt.”

“That’s right. Everyone in society was talking about it.”

“So how are you feeling now?”

Seyard shrugged his shoulders as he answered.

“As you can see, I’ve improved greatly. Now I can go about normally.”

“That’s truly fortunate.”

“God must have been watching over you.”

No matter how you looked at it, it was a strange story.

Someone who had sustained such a serious injury that he had to suddenly stop all activities and seclude himself at home was found looking so perfectly fine after not that much time had passed. And in a foreign country, no less.

However, perhaps because Seyard’s lie was so brazen, or perhaps because there was a topic that interested them more than the Duke’s injury, the two women didn’t express any particular doubt.

They merely offered the conventional advice that health was more important than anything and he should be careful in the future, and Seyard smiled, saying he would keep that in mind.

Then, as a brief silence fell, several glances were exchanged between the women.

Finally, Mrs. Devello, acting as representative, posed a question to Kisa.

“We were also very worried about Lady Vansfelt. You were quite ill on the wedding day, weren’t you?”

Mrs. Morton, who was beside her, also joined in.

“The Count, your father, seemed beside himself, and even Lady Dos, your close friend, didn’t seem to know the details. We talked among ourselves about just how sick you must have been for that to happen.”

Faced with the gazes of the two women, sparkling with interest, Kisa stammered, not knowing how to answer.

“Ah, yes. Thank you for your concern. I was…”

How could she make excuses when she didn’t know the facts properly?

Although she had heard roughly about the situation in Sorbi from Gale, since she hadn’t been there herself, Kisa didn’t know exactly what rumors had spread.

No, to be honest, even if she knew properly, it would be difficult to brush it off in her current situation.

Kisa’s period of seclusion had been much longer than Seyard’s, and now that she had reappeared, she looked more like an expectant mother than a patient.

Even if the two noble ladies weren’t great gossips, it was a topic that would make their eyes light up.

“I, I mean…”

She should have thought of an excuse beforehand if she knew this would happen. Just as regret flashed through Kisa’s mind:

“To be honest with just you two, it’s true that Kisa was ill, but it wasn’t as serious as people said.”

The gazes of Mrs. Morton, Mrs. Devello, and even Kisa turned to Seyard.

“According to the doctor, it happened because she was quite nervous before the ceremony. Kisa had participated directly in the wedding preparations, so it was understandable that her body would be strained.”

He smoothly fabricated Kisa’s past health condition, which even she had never heard of, like flowing water.

“Although we did postpone the ceremony for the time being, she recovered before long, so we were going to reschedule it soon. But…”

A sheepish expression appeared on Seyard’s refined face.

“Embarrassingly, my patience was lacking. You could say I caused our precious treasure to arrive too early.”

Small gasps escaped from the noble ladies’ mouths, and he paused for a beat before continuing.

“So while we were wondering what to do, a small accident happened. Because I unnecessarily went hunting, the wedding schedule was pushed back even further.”

His gentle gaze turned toward Kisa.

“I truly have no face to show Kisa.”

Even though Kisa knew the whole truth, it was such a brazen lie that she might believe it if she listened with her guard down.

“My goodness, such a thing happened. We had no idea.”

“Of course, a new birth is something to celebrate, but you both must have been troubled in various ways.”

Seeing that the two noble ladies seemed half-convinced, Seyard tried to wrap up this topic.

“So I have a favor to ask – if it’s alright, could you keep this story secret? Not only because of what others might say, but because we’d like to explain the situation ourselves when we return to Sorbi.”

The women nodded as if to say they could be trusted.

“Of course. It’s not something to talk about elsewhere.”

“And you don’t need to worry too much. The ceremony was only postponed due to the accident, but you two are already as good as married.”

“That’s right. Those who gossip just because the order changed a bit are narrow-minded old-fashioned people.”

Would they have said the same thing if the person beside Kisa now wasn’t Duke Hillan?

Kisa raised the corners of her mouth as if responding to their laughter while harboring such thoughts.

Afterwards, when Seyard suggested that he would like to have a separate meeting with the two women’s husbands, the noble ladies’ expressions brightened even more.

In such a harmonious atmosphere, Kisa and Seyard parted ways with the women.

“There won’t be no rumors at all.”

After only the two of them remained, Kisa spoke as if tossing out the words.

Of course, Seyard wasn’t someone who wouldn’t know that.

“That’s probably true. But so what? No one will dare to speak nonsense in front of us.”

Kisa confirmed that there was no one around and turned to face him.

“You’re truly an amazing person. Everything in the world seems so easy for you.”

It came out in a tone that seemed envious rather than sarcastic. Well, since she was genuinely envious, it was natural.

“I have trouble managing even my own body right now… but you seem like you could face any problem and solve it easily without even frowning once.”

“That’s not true.”

Seyard, with a quite serious face, denied Kisa’s words.

“I’m human too, so there are times I’m flustered and problems I can’t solve. When you disappeared from my side, I was truly out of my mind.”

“You?”

“Yes, you can ask Gilliam if you want.”

It was hard to imagine.

Judging by the rough face she saw when they reunited, he must have been anxious inside, but out of his mind? Wasn’t that quite an exaggerated expression?

“Most of all, Kisa.”

Suddenly he reached out and grasped the bottom edge of the shawl Kisa was wearing.

Before leaving the room, Seyard had declined help from the servants and slowly untied the knot that Kisa had roughly tied.

Then he retied the knot firmly himself while gazing at Kisa with his reddish-brown eyes.

“I’m still anxious like this because I want to have your heart.”

Kisa, as if enchanted by those eyes, couldn’t give any response for a long while.

Only after quite some time had passed did she avoid his gaze as if fleeing and mutter:

“My heart is not your trophy.”

Seyard’s hand fell away from the shawl.

“I’m keenly aware of that. Now.”

As expected, Kisa returned to her room after barely enjoying the beautiful garden scenery.

As planned, she had asked Seyard during their walk to go to Gabriel’s performance together and even set a specific schedule, but it was uncertain how he would take it.

On the surface, he seemed to welcome Kisa’s suggestion, but what about inside?

“Welcome back. How was your walk?”

To the question from the servant who had been waiting for her in the room, Kisa answered perfunctorily that it was good while asking for a drink.

Since coming here, she occasionally felt stuffy for no reason, so whenever that happened, she would take a carbonated drink.

Then she would feel as if her insides were clearing up for a moment.

“Yes, understood.”

After saying that, the servant signaled to a colleague with their eyes.

Kisa was about to take off her outer garment when she suddenly stopped her movement.

She noticed the knot that Seyard had tied earlier.

It was such a neat and orthodox knot, just like someone.

“…”

While Kisa was staring at it blankly, the drink was prepared.

“Here it is.”

“Thank you.”

Taking the bubbling glass from the servant, she brought it to her lips and took several sips.

But not long after, an “Oh!” sound escaped from Kisa’s mouth.

The drink had spilled on her shawl and dress.

“Oh no, my hand slipped. I cherish this one.”

Kisa hurriedly took off the shawl and handed it to the servant.

“If we don’t wipe it off right away, it will stain. Could you take it to the laundry room now?”

She didn’t forget what to say next.

“And please tell them to bring it back to me as soon as the washing is finished.”