That’s Not What Kissing Means! - Chapter 25

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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That’s not what kissing means!

Episode 25

The Duke’s mansion had several buildings besides the main building where Theo resided and the guest house for receiving visitors.

Vanessa was naturally staying at the Ashford Knight’s Quarters.

She confirmed what she had heard.

“A knight staying in the main building of the estate? Where would such a case exist?”

“Right here.”

Theo answered nonchalantly. The bombshell he dropped didn’t end there.

“Evelyn will come tomorrow. She’ll be staying here from now on, so look after her well.”

“Lady Evelyn? Why?”

She who was asking for the reason gasped with a “huh.”

“You succeeded in confessing! She’s coming in as the prospective duchess!”

“Vanessa.”

“Did you push through physically? And you showed off your wealth with extravagant gifts too?”

“Be quiet.”

“Well, after trying so hard, if you couldn’t win her over, that wouldn’t make you a man!”

Vanessa burst into laughter, saying she knew he could do it.

Haha! Haha… ha…

Seeing the Duke’s serious face, she lowered her voice.

Fortunately, Vanessa knew how to read the atmosphere.

“…I’ll take it back. The part about not being a man.”

“I’ll explain the situation, so listen carefully.”

Theo briefly explained the circumstances of Evelyn’s coming.

“From now on, Evelyn will stay at the mansion and watch over the holy relic. Together with me.”

“Life is unpredictable. To think the holy relic would become the medium connecting you two.”

“During the last business trip, Evelyn talked a lot with you.”

“It’s because I have such a good personality.”

“Including me, only the butler and Julian stay in the main building. Excluding the servants, that is.”

“Yes, that’s right.”

“Make sure to take care of her so Evelyn doesn’t feel uncomfortable.”

Just having a peer of the same gender nearby would make Evelyn’s heart much more at ease.

Vanessa, who was listening to her assigned mission, slyly asked.

“Is that really all?”

“What do you mean?”

“Please be honest. It’s not that you want me to help with my lord’s romantic endeavors?”

At those words, Theo stared at her quietly.

His mysterious violet eyes seemed to pierce through his opponent.

“…”

“…”

After a brief silence, he finally opened his mouth.

“Accurate.”

* * *

The next morning, Evelyn came out of her room carrying a large suitcase.

Her luggage wasn’t much. Just a few seasonal clothes and essential daily necessities.

Now she just needed to go to the town square, take a cheap carriage, and head to the Ashford Estate.

She came down the old stairs and opened the door of the shared residence.

What she encountered as soon as she turned around at the entrance was…

“Duke?”

It was Theo standing in front of a large carriage.

Evelyn approached him with surprised eyes.

“What brings you here, Duke?”

“…”

Theo didn’t answer her. Instead, he took her large luggage.

She soon realized why the Duke wasn’t answering.

“…Theo, what brought you all the way here?”

“I came to escort an honored guest.”

As soon as he heard his name, Theo immediately answered as if he had never ignored her.

Evelyn’s bag slipped smoothly into the carriage.

Even though it must have been quite heavy, he loaded the luggage effortlessly.

After that, he naturally extended his hand to Evelyn.

“Thank you.”

She placed her hand on his and climbed into the carriage.

Theo’s expression remained unchanged. But his fingertips, touched by the small warmth, were burning.

He mocked himself inwardly. It was directed at himself for being full of ulterior motives even during a simple escort.

After confirming Evelyn was seated, Theo entered the carriage.

The place he sat was next to Evelyn.

The flustered woman asked.

“Why are you sitting next to me?”

Theo gestured with his chin toward the opposite seat.

“Then you want me to sit on top of your suitcase?”

The large bag was occupying the front space.

‘If we pushed it to the side, one person could probably sit…’

Reading Evelyn’s thoughts, he hurriedly ordered the coachman to depart.

In the end, the two headed to the Duke’s mansion seated next to each other.

It wasn’t close enough for their bodies to touch or their breaths to reach each other.

Nevertheless, Evelyn was conscious of him.

Perhaps it was because of the quiet silence.

As the carriage swayed while turning a corner—

Rustle—

Their arms brushed against each other. It was merely fabric touching.

But the brief sensation remained vividly like an afterimage.

‘Something like this happened before too…’

She recalled the memory from the Imperial Palace.

She didn’t like herself for being shaken by such trivial things.

Evelyn looked out the window and placed her hands on her lap.

And she tried not to show her nervousness. Even though it wasn’t skin that had touched.

“Why are you wearing your uniform?”

It was Theo who first broke the long silence.

“Pardon?”

At her question, the Duke kindly repeated his question.

“Why are you wearing your uniform? The Duke’s mansion isn’t the Research Institute.”

“Anyway, I’m going to work as an Imperial Researcher. Of course I should wear it.”

“Isn’t it uncomfortable?”

“I always wear it, so it doesn’t matter. I’ll change when it’s time to get off work.”

“Then I’ll have to wait. For your appearance in the evening.”

Evelyn thought about something for a moment, then tilted her head.

“Come to think of it, that’s strange.”

“What?”

“Since you’ll be staying at the Duke’s mansion all day anyway, I wondered why you’d need to change clothes.”

“You’re just realizing that now?”

A mischievous smile appeared on Theo’s face as he asked that.

Seeing him, Evelyn felt slightly annoyed. Her nervousness disappeared completely.

“The uniform was comfortable and nice.”

“It doesn’t look comfortable though.”

“It’s not physically comfortable, but when you don’t have clothes to wear, there’s nothing better than this.”

“You don’t have clothes to wear?”

“The climate here in the capital is different from where I used to live. So I only brought a few dresses with me.”

“I see.”

Theo’s eyes sparkled. As if he was planning something interesting.

“Julia’s stone must have been quite frustrated all this time too.”

At the unexpected comment, Evelyn looked at him.

“Let’s take it for walks often from now on. We three have an inseparable relationship after all.”

“Taking a stone for walks?”

It wasn’t even a dog, and talking about stone walks – at this rate, he’d be training it to ‘stay!’ next.

Before long, the carriage arrived at the Duke’s mansion.

The power of the Empire’s nobles was inversely proportional to their distance from the Imperial Palace.

The closer their residence was to the Imperial Palace, the higher their position.

That’s why Evelyn was inwardly amazed.

She felt once again that the Ashford Estate was truly at the pinnacle of power.

The knights guarding the main gate welcomed the two of them.

Soon after, a vast garden spread out before them.

The trees on both sides were trimmed into identical shapes without a single error.

Intricately carved white statues were positioned throughout.

“It’s beautiful.”

Evelyn said without realizing it.

The closer they got to the mansion, the more colorful fresh flowers shone brilliantly.

They were in full bloom, looking as if they had been tended to with great care.

“When the weather gets warmer, I’m thinking of planting more flowers.”

Theo brought up something out of the blue.

Why is he telling me about his garden plans? Is he bragging?

“Yes, you should do that.”

At Evelyn’s response, he smiled broadly.

“Have you had breakfast?”

“Not yet.”

“Then let’s have a meal together first.”

Just then, an elderly man dressed impeccably approached from the distance.

He greeted them politely with well-trained movements.

“Welcome, Miss Evelyn Hart. I am Robert, the head butler of the Ashford Estate.”

“Hello, Mr. Robert.”

“Please let me know if you need anything. House of Ashford has always welcomed guests for generations.”

So Theo’s words weren’t lies.

It seemed her feeling that he was being particularly kind to her was just her imagination.

“I’ll show you around the mansion first.”

At that moment, Theo stopped the butler.

“That’s fine, I’ll give the tour myself.”

Oh? Robert’s eyes narrowed slightly.

This was the first time he’d seen his master pay such attention to another person.

While not rude, he usually didn’t go out of his way to show excessive kindness either.

‘Come to think of it, he did order me to prepare a perfect room in just one day.’

The Duke usually left guest reception entirely to the butler.

Uncharacteristically, he had personally overseen everything from the furniture style to the arrangement for this guest room.

Theo’s command reached the butler who was momentarily lost in thought.

“Tell the chef we’ll be having breakfast.”

“Understood.”

Robert quickly headed toward the mansion. As he did, he stroked his upturned mustache.

It was his habit when he realized something.

“This is no ordinary guest. She’s someone special to the master.”

He immediately rushed to the chef.

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