For the Lady's Wise Regression - Chapter 12

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————

Chapter 12
Denian swallowed his tears in silence, consoling his aching heart by firmly shutting the half-open window.
Now that he thought about it, it was the master’s wife who had proposed the Contract Marriage.
Whether she’d done so knowingly or in ignorance, he couldn’t say.
The master’s feelings would never change, so whether the two of them remained together for a lifetime or their relationship ended midway depended entirely on the mistress’s hands.
That being the case, his own task was effectively set in stone.
‘Please, if only the mistress would change her mind and keep me by her side for life…….’
He had to turn the master’s heart—still bound by contract—toward genuine feeling, no matter what it took.
For the master, whose résumé in romantic failure had become almost expert.
And for his own happy romantic life!
***
‘No matter that it’s a Contract Marriage, you simply must go on at least one Date!’
Ian gazed pensively at the House Sharose Mansion, its hedgerows of roses unfurling before him, from inside the carriage.
Just over two weeks remained until the wedding.
Preparations had proceeded smoothly.
It was merely a matter of executing what he’d already planned.
But a Date.
He somehow doubted she would favor such a thing.
‘If she knew what sort of gossip was circulating between the master and mistress now, she’d be even more averse.’
As if he didn’t already know.
Why wouldn’t he?
Her name had appeared brazenly in the newspaper he’d been reading out of habit.
If it were up to him, he’d have ensured that the journalist who’d written such drivel—claiming Vanessa was having an affair, that she’d caused some scandal—would never hold a pen again.
If she truly had been unfaithful, at least he wouldn’t feel the sting of injustice.
But that was where it ended.
Ian had refrained from stepping in purely because of Vanessa.
A woman who attended social gatherings regularly, if not frequently, would have caught wind of it before he did.
A woman who had received such rigorous training in propriety would never let gossip that might tarnish her reputation go unaddressed.
She understood better than anyone how rumors snowballed like gathering snow.
Seeing that she had said nothing in particular, she apparently didn’t intend to refute the claims—and so he’d hesitated to act.
Yet his own peace of mind had been disturbed.
He had limited himself to having the article removed.
And this morning.
Unable to bear Denian’s relentless pestering since Vanessa had arrived at the mansion, he’d sent her a letter.
Her reply had arrived this morning.
It would be a refusal, surely.
So did he really need to open it?
There was a difference between thinking something and seeing it with his own eyes—the shock was far greater.
With such thoughts, he’d checked the newspaper, where her name now didn’t appear, before finally examining her reply.
[Alright.]
Coming to his senses, he found himself already at the entrance of the House Sharose Mansion.
‘……I thought she’d refuse.’
He’d been sitting in the carriage, passing the time, for several minutes.
Finally, Ian exhaled softly and drew a cigar from his coat, lighting it.
The sharp mint scent filled the carriage.
‘An hour or so, perhaps.’
That immunity should not have built up from mere days of conversation.
Tsk. Ian clicked his tongue lightly, smoke curling past his lips, and stepped down from the carriage.
His hand rose habitually to brush back his hair, then faltered.
‘……All manner of tricks, then.’
Normally he wouldn’t have cared whether his hair was disheveled or not.
So he did want to make a good impression, after all.
Ian crushed the half-burned cigar beneath his heel, then buttoned the loosened fastenings of his disheveled formal coat, his hair forgotten.
At that moment, the Butler approached briskly toward the mansion entrance and bowed his head to Ian.
“House Ruscliffe, we are honored by your presence.”
“And the lady?”
“She is still preparing herself. If it suits you, I shall show you to the drawing room.”
Rather than reply in words, Ian nodded and crossed the garden slowly.
For a mansion built in a spot where the sun shone well, the garden was remarkably quiet and serene.
When he’d visited before, he seemed to recall more flowers besides roses.
All that remained now was the crimson rose, the symbol of House Sharose.
“Is the garden to the young lady’s taste?”
“We’ve arranged it with things that would suit the mistress well.”
“I see.”
No eye for detail, then.
If it had been up to him…….
The moment that thought crossed his mind, Ian’s pace quickened.
The Butler, noticing Ian pull ahead so rapidly, hurried after him.
“Please, do come in. I’ll show you to the drawing room.”
As the mansion’s door swung open behind them, Ian found himself swallowing hard.
He should have suggested they meet outside.
Even after burning Calming Incense beforehand, Vanessa’s scent alone—unmistakably hers—was enough to make his head spin.
“……Tell the young lady I’ll wait outside.”
“Pardon? If you’ll just wait a moment in the drawing room, the mistress will be…….”
No. Ian shook his head.
If he crossed the mansion’s threshold, this date would be over before it began.
He’d thought surely he’d built up some tolerance by now, but apparently not to this degree.
And he couldn’t exactly stand about burning Calming Incense while waiting for Vanessa, could he.
“……I can’t take it.”
“……!”
The Butler’s eyes widened at Ian’s inadvertent murmur.
“I’ve left the carriage at the entrance. Tell her to come there.”
The Butler’s lips twitched.
Whatever misunderstanding he’d stumbled into hardly mattered—Vanessa wouldn’t read much into what he’d said anyway.
“Yes. I’ll convey it to the mistress at once.”
Ian gave a cursory nod and retraced his steps briskly.
So what was he supposed to do about this date now?
A walk by the nearby lake, a boat ride, a concert, even sightseeing in the capital—didn’t all of those require a certain distance to be maintained?
‘……There is one thing that works even if we stay apart.’
But whether Vanessa Sharose would consider that a proper “date” was the real question.
“……This is difficult.”
As if enduring this would somehow make Vanessa Sharose develop feelings for him.
What was he even hoping for, coming all this way?
Tsk. Ian clicked his tongue sharply and drew out a cigar, taking a long, harsh drag.
When the appointed time came, the mansion door opened.
Her footsteps unhurried, neither quick nor slow.
Pink eyes fixed upon Ian.
More precisely, on the cigar lodged between his lips.
***
“So that’s what you meant by ‘can’t take it’?”
Vanessa murmured, watching the cigar in Ian’s mouth.
Who smokes cigars so heavily before a date?
‘Mistress, it seems the Duke is looking very forward to seeing you.’
Vanessa recalled what the Butler had just told her.
At first she’d scoffed—what kind of misunderstanding was that?
‘Well. He said he couldn’t take it at the door, then his face went red and he hurried back to the carriage.’
And so she’d wondered. Could it be?
At the mention of his reddened face.
She’d never expected Ian to suggest the date in the first place.
And thinking that perhaps, in his own way, he was making sure their relationship didn’t look completely hopeless.
The moment their eyes met, Ian quickly crushed the cigar under his heel.
‘Well……at least he showed some minimum consideration.’
Seeing him flustered like that was almost amusing.
“Did you wait long?”
At Vanessa’s question, Ian’s lips moved silently.
“……You could have taken your time.”
“The Butler was making such a fuss.”
“…….”
“More than that—I didn’t expect you to suggest the date first.”
“Denian was being rather insistent.”
“Ah.”
“……I did think it was necessary.”
Necessary……. Vanessa murmured the word softly, then extended her hand to Ian.
“You saw the article in the papers?”
Silence.
An affirmation.
Ian gazed down at the hand she’d offered him.
“We aren’t married yet, so there’s no need to uphold the contract terms already, is there? Besides, we’re in front of the mansion. Please understand.”
“…….”
He struggles with being an escort, and now he wants a date?
At this rate we’ll waste the whole afternoon here.
Just as Vanessa was about to withdraw her hand, Ian carefully placed his palm against hers.
‘……Like carrying a dish?’
It was hardly an escort’s gesture—more like a serving platter than anything else.
But instead of commenting, Vanessa boarded the carriage.
Considering the contract stipulated such extensive restrictions on physical contact, this gesture likely represented considerable resolve on Ian’s part.
“Thank you. I appreciate your understanding.”
“……Yes.”
The carriage lurched into motion.
“So, where are we going for this date?”
“……Restaurant.”
“Hmm?”
“We’ll dine at Dominick Freya’s establishment, and then visit a bookstore.”
A bookstore? We’ve come all the way to Abelard, the central capital, and he chooses a bookstore instead of the fountain that’s supposedly the iconic date destination?
“Is there a book you need to purchase?”
“Two birds with one stone.”
“Well……fine. Is that all?”
“Why? Should there be more?”
She’d thought he needed a date because he was concerned about the gossip in the papers, but apparently that wasn’t it?
In fact, she’d agreed to his proposal partly because she’d calculated that appearing close to Ian would redirect focus from “Why did he break up with Caleir?” to their current relationship, ensuring the scandal would inevitably touch Caleir Lennard as well.
But if they’re just going to hole themselves up in a bookstore, what was the point in leaving at all?

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————