A Presence That Draws Every EyeMilena looked dazzling enough to leave people speechless.
Those around her nodded in admiration, unable to hold back their compliments.
Seeing the customer's satisfied expression, the shop owner clasped his hands together and smiled with the unmistakable confidence of a businessman.
"Then how would you like to pay? Shall I charge it to the Grand Ducal House account?"
"Ah."
Right.
I don't have any money.
Caught up in the excitement of shopping for the first time in ages, she had completely forgotten the most important detail.
Originally, she'd only intended to browse and enjoy some fresh air.
She hadn't planned to buy anything.
But looking at the shop owner's hopeful expression, it felt difficult to walk away empty-handed.
And there was no way she intended to put it on the Grand Ducal House's tab.
Getting child support out of Callion was already difficult enough.
In the end, that money belonged to Ashdel.
As his aunt, she couldn't spend it carelessly.
Milena glanced sideways at the knight who had been quietly watching her.
The moment their eyes met, the atmosphere became strangely warm.
A noblewoman and her knight.
It looked exactly like something out of a romance novel.
The employees and shop owner watched them with amused expressions, as though witnessing the subtle tension between lovers.
Milena, however, had something entirely different on her mind.
He's not a rookie knight, is he?
How much does a knight get paid, anyway?
"Sir Knight."
"Yes, My Lady?"
"Can you lend me some money?"
"..."
To become a knight, one usually had to be at least the third or fourth son of a baron's family.
That meant he probably had money, right?
And it wasn't even that much.
"I'll pay you back soon."
Was the request really that shocking?
His expression remained difficult to read beneath his messy gray hair.
"...And when exactly would that be?"
"Hmm... eventually?"
"..."
At her vague answer, the knight subtly moved as though shielding his coin pouch.
Seriously.
Anyone watching would think she was trying to rob him.
It almost felt fitting for a villainess.
Acting like an actual villain.
She might not have money right now, but she did have a plan.
Once she left the Grand Ducal House and returned to her family estate, she could sell her mother's belongings and secure enough funds.
Then she'd repay the knight.
Come to think of it, she'd need travel money too.
Hmm.
She'd worry about that later.
The dress came first.
"Trust me. I'll definitely pay you back."
Did she really look like someone who'd run off with his money?
Beneath his unruly gray hair, his gaze shifted uncertainly.
Just trust me already.
With a sigh, he finally pulled out his coin pouch.
"Please visit us again! We'll have everything delivered directly to the Grand Ducal Estate!"
Leaving the enthusiastic shop owner behind, they stepped back into the street.
The sun had already begun to set.
In the end, she bought three dresses that suited her perfectly.
Only three.
Though considering a knight's salary, it might still have been a painful expense.
She felt a little guilty.
Yet the knight had paid without hesitation.
"By the way, Sir Knight... what was your name again?"
The knight was staring down at his now-empty coin pouch when he suddenly laughed.
"Only now you're curious about my name?"
"You never properly introduced yourself. Someone barged into my room before I had the chance to ask."
"So borrowing money finally convinced you I should at least have a name?"
Milena shrugged.
"Something like that."
"..."
His eyes slowly swept over her.
From everything he'd heard, Milena Lastia was a woman who cared about no one except her nephew, Ashdel.
She supposedly wouldn't even spare a warm glance for the man she had betrayed her own sister to pursue.
How could the rumors be so different from reality?
She was fascinating enough to spark genuine curiosity.
Was she hiding her true nature the way the young master did?
Or was there another reason?
People often said love had an expiration date.
Perhaps five years had finally been enough to cool hers.
He wanted to know.
Much like himself—a man infamous for being a playboy despite never truly understanding the emotion called love—
Perhaps this woman had her own story.
His curiosity only deepened.
"Should I introduce myself again? I'm Milena Lastia. At the moment, I'm a count's daughter. And you've probably heard the rumors. The story about how I seduced my sister's man and nearly married him."
With a calm expression, she offered her hand.
The sight gave him a mischievous idea.
He responded with an action that had become second nature.
He wanted to see how she'd react.
"Lexion."
His voice was low and smooth.
Taking her hand, he gently lifted it and pressed a kiss against the back of it.
Would she flinch the way young Master Ashdel had when he recognized his identity?
Or would she blush like the noble ladies who often lost their hearts to handsome knights?
"Sir Knight."
Unfortunately, Lexion had overlooked two things.
First—
His face was still mostly hidden beneath his messy hair.
Second—
Milena had long since passed the age where she'd be flustered by a knight's charm.
Press.
His lips lingered briefly against her pale skin.
An elegant, refined hand-kiss worthy of a perfect knight.
It should have been a heart-fluttering moment.
Instead, Milena tilted her head.
"That's a surprisingly long greeting."
Without reacting in the slightest, she smoothly withdrew her hand.
A crack appeared in Lexion's confident expression.
"You don't do that to every woman, do you? Be careful. Someone might report you for being a flirt."
He had expected some sort of reaction.
Even if she didn't recognize him.
At the very least, the kind of embarrassment noble ladies usually displayed.
Instead, she gave him advice about avoiding a reputation as a womanizer.
He was tall.
Broad-shouldered.
Even with half his face hidden, his voice and presence alone usually worked wonders.
...Unless her standard of comparison was Grand Duke Callion.
That possibility wounded his pride.
Lexion had no intention of losing to Callion.
"What are you doing? Aren't you coming?"
Milena had already walked several steps ahead before turning around.
"Not Hubert. Sir Lexion."
"...Ah."
For a brief moment, Lexion's thoughts froze.
Did I make a mistake?
His face was concealed by magic.
Everyone else should have seen him as Hubert.
So then—
Why was Milena looking directly at him?
The way she looked at him made it seem as though she saw through everything.
Her green eyes shimmered with emotions he couldn't decipher.
The setting sun painted her hair a deep, radiant gold.
For a moment, she looked as though she might dissolve into the light itself.
"I don't know why you joined the Grand Ducal Estate, but don't try to seduce me."
Lexion couldn't tear his eyes away from the almost unreal sight.
"No matter how handsome you are, I'm not falling for it. And I doubt I'd be useful to you anyway."
"...Handsome?"
You can see my face?
Startled, he closed the distance between them in a few long strides.
Milena looked up at him calmly.
"Oh. Were you hiding that?"
For the first time, genuine surprise appeared on his face through the curtain of gray hair.
For some reason, his magic didn't work on her.
Milena had seen his real face from the beginning.
She had simply chosen to pretend otherwise.
Lexion laughed quietly.
She really was—
Interesting.
His crimson eyes locked onto hers.
"You're fascinating."
A slow smile spread across his lips as his voice dropped lower.
"So..."
His gaze lingered on her.
"Is my face your type?"
Milena swallowed.
Why is he suddenly acting like this?
Instinctively, she tried to step back.
But a strong hand caught her before she could.
"Because I'm pretty sure I heard you."
Slowly.
Deliberately.
Smiling as though he were trying to tempt her.
"You said that no matter how handsome I am, you won't fall for me, didn't you?"