Honey, I Believe That’s Your Misunderstanding

“But I’m the whole reason that you’ve been misunderstood, and because I wasn’t able to explain the situation properly, Your Excellency had to listen to such words that you should never have heard.”

Grace raised her head higher and tried not to tremble.

No matter how frightened she was, it would be rude to avoid the other person’s eyes at this moment.

“It’s all my fault.”

For her sincerity to be conveyed, she had to overcome her fear and push through.

“I’ve caused you such discourtesy many times with my mistakes. I truly apologize.”

Lucas noticed that she was also apologizing for how she had fainted in front of him the other day.

Pondering Grace’s words for a while, Lucas slowly opened his lips.

“Once again, Lady Grace.”

He continued speaking with a slow, but firm tone of voice.

“Given the situation, you did nothing wrong.”

His voice was ever so courteous right now, completely different to how he had snapped back at Marquis O’Ellin earlier.

At this moment, it was apparent that he was the kind of man who did not need to raise his voice and strain his throat just to command the attention of all those in front of him.

“And one other thing, should it not be you who should be as offended as I am?”

Lucas Blacke’s voice resounded in Grace’s eardrums vividly—clearly and powerfully.

“…What do you mean?”

“Even if he’s your father, no one has the right to insult you with words like ‘wench from the back alleys’.”

Hearing Lucas say this, Grace was slightly stunned.

Because she didn’t know that he would care about such words.

Grace stared back at Lucas with a strange expression.

“For that reason, I won’t accept your apology.”

But as soon as he added this remark, Grace immediately regained her senses.

Grace’s apology did not seem to relieve his anger.

Forcefully holding back the urge to sigh, she bit the inner flesh of her lower lip.

It’s hopeless.

Was this the start of the O’Ellin Marquisate’s eradication from the map?

In one breath, her face turned absolutely pale.

Although she wasn’t exceedingly attached to her family, her life and death would be inextricably tied to that family…

‘If things go wrong because of me, what about the children in the orphanage that I’ve been secretly sponsoring behind Father’s back?’

It’s fortunate enough that she was bestowed the title of a baron last year.

For her contribution of developing a food preservation method, on top of the peerage title, she was also granted personal assets.

It was a secret fund that her father had yet to discover.

Even so, since House O’Ellin was a marquisate, the family might not fall to ruin all at once.

She could only hope that the man in front of her now was not as furious as she was thinking.

Meanwhile, as Grace let out a sigh with a sullen expression, Lucas continued to observe every change in expression that Grace had.

Her fragile expression as she apologized with a trembling voice, then how quickly that changed into a shocked expression she had after he refused to accept her apology.

And, when he was trying to guess what she was thinking as that changed into another expression that seemed like she was about to cry, her features cleared up once again in a flash.

‘You’re a lot more expressive than I thought.’

At first, he thought that she was stoic, but after meeting her again, he realized how colorful her expressions were.

It also seemed like she wasn’t good at hiding it.

“I understand what you mean, Your Excellency. Since it’s like that, it would be rude for me to keep you here any longer.”

From the moment she arrived here while she was out of breath, to the time that she was trying to hold him here, right now, she had a refreshed expression this time as she was sending him off.

The woman before him seemed so easy to read, yet at the same time, seemed so difficult to understand.

Perhaps that’s why his gaze kept gravitating towards her.

He was so filled with the need to take a closer look.

But Grace soon took a step back, bending her knees in a curtsy to say goodbye.

“Then, I hope that Your Excellency does not bear a heavy heart as you return home.”

Lucas asked impatiently.

“Why didn’t you talk to me on the first day we met?”

At the sudden question, Grace’s eyes grew wide.

‘What does he mean?’

Pointedly vigorous in the way that he looked at her, he blurted out his innermost thoughts.

“Are you not nervous anymore?”

“Huh? What do you…”

“You were trembling in front of me. But now, you don’t seem to be nervous. That’s why I’m asking.”

“Ah…”

Grace’s face flushed red.

It was obvious no matter who looked at her that day, but she didn’t expect that he’d bring it up outright.

However, as she thought that this would be the last time that they would meet, she plucked a little courage and answered.

“To tell you the truth,”

She started nervously, licking her lips.

“I am still quite nervous whenever I see you, Your Excellency.”

To be precise, she kept getting the afterimage of that time whenever she’d catch sight of him, so she trembled in fear.

Grace looked down at her pale hands, which quivered minutely.

Lucas’ eyes followed her gaze.

As if embarrassed by this, she lowered her hands and hid them. Then, she continued.

“But that is the end of it. I don’t believe that we’ll ever run into each other again, so…”

The awkwardness that she felt made her laugh a little.

But that sentiment melted away as her gaze met Lucas’.

At that moment, Lucas realized that he was seeing Grace smile for the first time.

Her pretty face shone sweetly, and it was as if her surroundings were sprinkled with sparkling sugar as soon as she smiled.

Lucas felt something inside him get tugged.

He didn’t know why that happened—whether it was because she said it was the last time that they’d meet, or whether it was because of the ardent smile she was giving him.

But one thing’s for sure.

With this woman who had such a gentle flame, he did not want this moment to be their ‘last’.

Alright. He had to admit it.

Jaime was right.

The woman before him, Grace O’Ellin, must truly have feelings for him.

And he… did not dislike this fact.

‘Ah, goodness.’

In disbelief—or as though he couldn’t help it—he smiled and shook his head.

He brought a hand over to his forehead, then soon swept it over his face.

He was trying desperately to school his features.

“Grace, you’re truly… not like anyone else.”

At the out-of-the-blue remark, Grace tilted her head to the side belatedly as she asked.

“…Pardon me?”

“You’re a lot bolder and more honest than I had expected. To a surprising degree.”

Grace stared blankly at Lucas, who kept saying things that she couldn’t understand.

Lucas took a step closer to Grace.

“I think that’s what keeps me having this strange feeling.”

A smile tugged at his lips as he drew nearer.

And as she saw the corners of his lips rise into a grin, Grace felt the hairs on the back of her neck standing straight.

Though it was not as severe as what she felt when she fainted during their official meeting, she was once again filled with such terror because of his frightening smile.

As she was about to shriek, Grace quickly covered her mouth with one hand.

Seeing this made Lucas want to smile yet again.

“Against my expectations, people are actually intriguing.”

Neither his words nor this atmosphere—she couldn’t keep up at all.

He was standing so close to her that his face was distracting her, but the way he kept saying unexpected things with that strange smile made her head spin.

‘What’s this? Is this a new torture method? Are you trying to put pressure on me right now? What? W-Why are you being like this?’

She was at a complete loss. However, for a moment, Lucas uttered a small, “Ah,” and he took off his coat.

Before she could even react, he placed his coat over Grace’s shoulders.

“I wouldn’t want you to get scolded again for wearing just your nightgown, so please wear this, Grace.”

“Ah, uh, um. But how about Y-Your Excellency?”

“Oh, of course, please return this coat to me. It would be difficult to meet again this week because my schedule is packed, but I believe next Tuesday would be ideal. I’ll send a carriage to pick you up, so please come and meet me.”

“Huh? P-Personally?”

Feeling her stomach sink to the ground, Grace asked back.

And as if he was stating only the obvious, Lucas replied.

“Personally, of course. Is that not the best for everyone?”

A-hem.

Along with that dry cough, he controlled his expression again.

Then, Grace received an unexpected smile, and the politely neutral expression returned.

After one last lingering, cool gaze upon her, he then waved one hand in goodbye.

“Then, I’ll be off.”

And so the carriage he rode in trotted off in no time.

The huge coat draped over Grace’s petite frame dragged to the floor.

Frozen in one spot, Grace stared blankly at the retreating carriage in the distance.

Her hand reached out towards the carriage, as if she wanted to grab onto it just so it would stop, but it was too late.

“What do I do.”

At that moment, Grace looked as if she were about to weep in absolute despair.

‘I think I’ve become that man’s new target…!’

* * *

Inside the carriage, Lucas looked back.

Grace O’Ellin was still standing there, seeing off his carriage as he left.

As he saw this, he was quite stricken with admiration.

“She’s got a serious case for me, huh.”

The corners of Lucas’ lips tugged up so naturally that even he did not notice this himself.

He kept looking back to see her, not even realizing that he couldn’t take his eyes off her even as he was moving away.

‘But really… She’s too small.’

He didn’t know if it’s because it was his coat, or if it’s because she just looked so swallowed up by it.

His coat only went up to his knee, but she was completely covered up with it, as though it was a robe meant to be the length of a dress.

And it’s as if his clothes were wrapping around her entirely.

Somehow, he liked seeing this very much.

Because, even if he wasn’t around, it seemed as if he was still there to protect her.

Especially from his father, who yelled and hurled such insults at her.

‘That reminds me. I didn’t expect Marquis O’Ellin to be so oppressive and violent.’