5
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The tall man appeared slender at first glance, but upon closer inspection, his entire body was solid with muscle. His ears were filled with messy piercings, and his fingers and arms were adorned with rings and bracelets. A large black tattoo was visible on his forearm where he had rolled up his sleeves.
With his casual clothes and accessories, Aileen was initially unsure, but after seeing the tattoo, she couldn't mistake him. Aileen stared at the man with disbelief before cautiously calling out his name.
"...Sir Diego?"
The man, who had been smoking, glanced at Aileen and his eyes widened.
"Good heavens!"
He hurriedly threw the cigarette he was holding onto the floor and quickly stomped it out.
"What on earth are you doing here, Miss! And what are you wearing!"
"It really is Sir Diego..."
It was Diego, the Grand Duke's knight who had bought a rabbit doll as a gift for Aileen.
"Yes, it's me. Why are you here, Miss? Were you, perhaps, dragged here?"
Diego glared as if he were about to pull a gun out of his chest at any moment. Instead of answering, Aileen only moved her eyes to re-examine the sign of the shop Diego was leaning against.
It was a shop that sold alcohol and a night together.
"......"
When she looked up at Diego again without a word, he started jumping up and down after checking the sign following Aileen's gaze. Diego protested to Aileen with a look of utter injustice.
"It's not me. Absolutely not, Miss, I was on duty."
"Here...?"
"No, ah, damn it, this is driving me crazy."
He unconsciously swore and slapped his mouth with his hand.
"I'm sorry, Miss. I didn't mean to."
"It's okay..."
Diego groaned and clutched his head. He offered his arm to Aileen in a dejected tone.
"I'll escort you. Let's go to the main street first and talk."
"You said you were on duty."
"What duty is more important than you, Miss?"
He offered his arm again, but Aileen shook her head. Before he could forcibly drag her away, she spoke honestly.
"I... I came to find my father. Do you happen to know where he is?"
Diego's expression became subtle. With a fiery temper, he wasn't very good at controlling his emotions. Aileen was certain at the anger that was revealed on his face.
"You know, don't you."
"Haa."
Diego sighed heavily. He waved his hand towards the alleyway. A man in shabby clothes immediately popped out.
"Tell him the Miss is here."
"Yes."
As the man disappeared into the shop, Diego gently grabbed Aileen's sleeve and pulled her.
"Come this way. I'll die if anything happens to you, Miss, standing on this crazy street."
He led Aileen into the shop he had been leaning against just moments before. She was scared because of the place, but she trusted Diego wouldn't do anything bad to her, so she followed him.
Unlike its gaudy exterior, the inside of the shop was normal. It felt like an ordinary inn and restaurant. There were only a couple of tables with customers, and they all seemed to be soldiers of the Grand Duke. They stood up straight and saluted as soon as they saw Diego.
"Sit down, sit down."
Diego waved his hand roughly and pulled out a chair for Aileen to sit down.
"Would you like hot chocolate? Or warm milk with honey?"
"...Give me beer."
"Be, beer."
Diego was startled by the word beer. He disappeared while muttering.
"The Miss has grown up... drinking beer too..."
Even so, he diligently returned with a large beer glass and fruit. Aileen was parched and gulped down the beer. She put down the beer glass, which was half empty in one go, and said again.
"You know, don't you? Why won't you tell me?"
But the answer didn't come from Diego.
"Because Diego can't say."
Creak, the wooden stairs twisted. A man with his shirt unbuttoned and disheveled hair slowly descended the stairs. Beneath his clear crimson eyes, well-shaped lips parted and spoke as if coaxing a child.
"You should be angry at me, Aileen."
Aileen, who had been frozen while holding the beer glass, belatedly spoke.
"...Your Grace, Grand Duke."
The Victory Ceremony was tomorrow. This morning's newspaper had several pages of articles related to the Grand Duke's Victory Ceremony. They said he would be doing a Triumphal March around the capital, but the busiest person was here.
Aileen, who was staring with disbelief, quickly turned her gaze elsewhere. Otherwise, her face felt like it would turn bright red.
The unkempt Cesare exuded a strange atmosphere. It was unfamiliar to see him in comfortable casual clothes instead of his uniform. It seemed even more so because he had unbuttoned his shirt to reveal his collarbone.
He walked leisurely and sat down in front of Aileen. Aileen, who had been spacing out until then, realized her discourtesy and quickly stood up. Diego and the other soldiers had already stood up and were standing at attention.
His gaze turned to the table. Cesare smiled when he saw the half-empty beer glass.
"You drank alcohol."
Aileen covered her lips with the back of her hand. It was the worst to be talking while smelling of alcohol.
In fact, Aileen didn't enjoy alcohol. She much preferred hot chocolate or milk with honey to beer. She had only asked for beer because she didn't want to be treated like a child by Diego.
Regretting acting stubborn for no reason, she answered as carefully as possible.
"Yes. A little."
Aileen gently grasped the hem of her dress. She said while holding it tightly enough to turn her knuckles white.
"There's something I want to ask."
"Ask away."
Permission was readily granted, but Aileen couldn't open her lips. Cesare leaned towards Aileen.
His shadow completely covered Aileen. Aileen unknowingly stopped breathing because she felt the difference in physique. She couldn't bring herself to look straight at him and lowered her gaze.
"Why. Can't you?"
It would be one thing if it was just Diego, but she was a little hesitant to bring up personal matters with unfamiliar soldiers around. Cesare smiled and whispered to Aileen, who was hesitating.
"Shall we talk alone?"
The voice he spoke as if joking was sweeter than milk with honey. Feeling a burning sensation on her face, she answered quietly.
"Yes..."
But she immediately regretted her answer. Suddenly, her vision soared into the sky. Cesare had picked Aileen up.
"Yo, Your Grace, Grand Duke!"
"You said we should talk alone."
He picked up the adult woman as if she were a small child and went up the stairs. Aileen struggled in shock.
"I can walk!"
"The stairs are old and there are quite a few broken places. Be still, it's dangerous."
"But, but."
Cesare lightly pressed down on Aileen's back, which was squirming, to subdue her. Aileen immediately froze like a stone at the sensation of his large hand touching her back. He lightly stroked the now docile Aileen as if praising her.
She was so embarrassed by his actions, which still treated her like a child, that she felt like her face would explode. What was even more embarrassing was that no one here thought this situation was strange.
Not only Diego, but also the soldiers didn't bat an eye. They thought it was perfectly natural for the Grand Duke to carry Aileen up.
It was all because of Cesare.
'Everyone always coddles me too much because he always does this.'
He set an example like this every time, so everyone followed suit and made a fuss. Of course, she often didn't mind being carried around when she was young, but Aileen was now an adult. She could jump over two or three broken wooden stairs on her own.
But now that she was already being held by Cesare, it would be useless to ask him to put her down. Aileen was helplessly carried to the top floor.
Aileen curled up as much as possible while climbing the stairs. Her heart kept pounding because of the sensation of their solid bodies touching. She was afraid he would hear her heartbeat.
Fortunately, Cesare put Aileen down as soon as they reached the top of the stairs. Aileen quickly distanced herself and followed him with faltering steps.
The place they arrived at was a room decorated like a drawing room. She would have looked around the interior if it were normal, but she was too conscious of the presence next to her to do anything.
Aileen, who was only glancing at Cesare without looking at him directly, was startled when their eyes met head-on. Cesare folded his long eyes and smiled when her shoulders twitched.
"I haven't done anything yet."
He sat Aileen on the sofa and headed to a shelf on one side of the drawing room.
"Do you want some snacks? There's no tea."
There was no point in trying to act like an adult in front of him. Aileen obediently answered yes.
But why is there no tea when it looks like a drawing room?
She looked around the interior with curiosity, but she was soon distracted when Cesare brought individually wrapped snacks and dropped them on her lap.
He sat across from her and sent her a gaze while resting his arm on the back of the sofa. Red eyes scanned Aileen.
