Previously
Evgenia finally meets her favorite character, Euclid Rodion, as he arrives at the Basilian estate. She is overwhelmed with emotion and finds him even more handsome than described in the novel, though her internal fangirling is masked by a slightly awkward first impression.
Even after being scolded so harshly in the carriage, he still had not come to his senses. He had nearly opened his mouth again, about to describe her as the Grim Reaper rather than offer any praise.
While Delano inwardly berated himself for failing to fathom the Duke’s deep intentions and for almost misunderstanding his master’s tastes,
“…”
Euclid cast his eyes down gloomily, entirely unaware of Delano’s confusion.
His thoughts remained tethered to the moment he stepped down from the carriage.
Though he had spoken differently to Delano, in some ways Euclid had treated Evgenia with far more indifference than his assistant ever had.
Once they were married, he intended to respect her wishes as much as possible and grant her freedom in her choices. Yet even that had been, to an extent, merely part of his calculated plan.
That was why he had not even bothered to remember what she looked like.
And yet, the moment he saw the woman with raven-black hair cascading down her back and eyes more dazzling than any embroidered tapestry, he recognized her instantly as his betrothed.
Though he had never given marriage serious thought before, a profound certainty washed over him, making him believe that no one else could ever take her place.
For the first time in his life, an inexplicable, strange sensation swept through him.
When their eyes met, it felt as though time had momentarily ground to a halt.
He felt as if the entire world consisted of only the two of them, as if he had finally discovered something he had spent his life waiting to find.
Yet it did not take long for him to realize the feeling was entirely one-sided.
The ill-fitting dress she wore, her face caked in pale powder as if trying to conceal dark skin—every detail betrayed that she had been dragged out against her will.
Then came the moment she looked at him. The unshed tears pooling in the corners of her eyes, the way she bit her trembling lip to hold them back—it all made him feel ashamed of having briefly fallen under her spell.
Even his assistant Delano had noticed she looked miserable, deflating Euclid’s spirit even further.
On the contrary, it left him feeling strangely calm.
Even Delano, who was always quick to disparage Evgenia’s reputation, had reacted so strongly to her beauty. It only proved that her allure was simply extraordinary, and his own reaction had not been unusual.
It was a relief. The sudden appearance of someone capable of derailing his meticulously planned life was undeniably unwelcome.
Then why…
Why could he not purge the image of her tearful face from his mind, as if it had been burned into his retinas?
Shaking his head to dispel the thought, Euclid came to understand that another man was supposed to be standing in his place—the true reason behind her sorrowful expression.
The man who had departed for the battlefield just a few days ago.
The Crown Prince, whom the Basilian lady adored to the point of obsession. Euclid’s expression hardened as the thought took root.
When he first arrived in the capital, Euclid had hoped Evgenia would harbor no expectations for their marriage and remain devoted to the Crown Prince.
So why did the thought leave such a bitter taste in his mouth?
Refusing to dwell on the reason, Euclid opened his luggage, packed by the butler with an excessive number of garments just in case.
Back in my room, I peered into the mirror and realized I had completely ruined our historic first meeting.
I had a bad feeling when Anne apologized profusely and ran off in tears on the way back to my room, but I never imagined it would be this awful.
It seemed Anne was utterly hopeless when it came to dressing me up.
She had always been so competent at everything else, and being my closest maid, I had simply assumed she would excel at styling, too.
( ‘Who am I kidding? This is all my fault. I picked out the dress myself…’ )
Because Euclid had such a warm, sunny personality, I chose a bright, cheerful design to match him.
It was the complete opposite of Evgenia’s usual style, but I foolishly believed my face could pull it off somehow…
( ‘How arrogant of me.’ )
I laughed bitterly at my own foolishness, feeling a pang of embarrassment at having faced Euclid in such a state.
At the same time—
( ‘He is so sweet.’ )
Even after seeing me like that, knowing I was his bride-to-be, he still maintained that gentle, gentlemanly demeanor.
( ‘How can someone like that even exist?’ )
Well, that is precisely why he is my absolute favorite!
It finally felt real that I had met Euclid. A smile slipped unbidden onto my lips.
Though it stung that our first meeting felt like a flop, the sheer joy of it was more than enough to turn my dismay into bliss.
Then, out of nowhere, I tilted my head.
‘Wait, didn’t I almost cry when I looked at him earlier?’
Truth be told, past experiences had left me worried that facing Euclid would bring me nothing but discomfort.
Yet contrary to my fears, the moment our eyes met, the pure joy and tender affection of seeing my favorite character washed over me. It moved me so deeply that tears had welled in my eyes.
( ‘Looking back, that really is strange. Why did I feel that way toward Euclid… Oh no, could it be?’ )
After a moment’s thought, a realization struck me, and my eyes widened. I shook my head, muttering under my breath.
Otherwise, there was no way I could have faced Evgenia’s family or the Crown Prince without feeling the hatred or disgust she harbored!
Relief flooded through me that the dreaded clash had not occurred, accompanied by a deep sense of satisfaction as I realized just how much Euclid meant to me.
Anne, who had stepped out for a moment, had returned.
Panting heavily as if she had run all the way, Anne handed me several small vials.
She bowed her head, offering an apology with a dejected expression.
I parted my lips, but no words came out.
Truthfully, I had been so anxious since last night that I could barely think straight.
Even so, I had tried desperately to hide it, not wanting anyone to notice.
Yet Anne had picked up on it and gone out of her way to look after me with such care. I was deeply touched.
At my heartfelt gratitude, Anne blushed and murmured softly,
At my casual hint, Anne’s eyes sparkled with renewed energy.
I chuckled and lightly patted the enthusiastic maid on the head. Then, scratching my cheek in mild embarrassment, worried I might sound overly dramatic, I said,
A short while later.
Having taken the calming tonic Anne gave me, I changed into a fresh dress and headed down to the dining hall.
Only Melissa was seated at the table.
I almost asked if Euclid had not come down, but feeling too self-conscious, I kept it vague.
He was probably having a private word with the Duke before dinner.
I nodded and took a seat, only to suddenly feel an intense gaze lingering on me.
Feeling an inexplicable warmth creep up my cheeks, I cleared my throat awkwardly. But Melissa pressed on with wide-eyed innocence.
Seeing her hurriedly wave her hands in a panic that she might have offended me, I couldn’t help but laugh.
Far from being offended, her words made me realize how much more comfortable I felt now compared to earlier, which was a genuine relief.
When I answered with a cheerful smile, Melissa’s cheeks turned pink. Then, fidgeting with her fingers for a moment, she asked timidly,
“Sister, what do you think of Duke Rodion? He seems like such a good person to me.”