“…….”
Hanette was momentarily speechless at the wild assumptions. She hadn’t even given a clear answer, yet Raina had leapt to conclusions. How did she come up with such ideas?
“No, it’s not like that at all.”
“Oh… so you just haven’t gone that far yet?”
“No, that’s not what I mean…”
“You don’t need to be embarrassed. We all have to do it someday, and it’s not wrong.”
“It’s not about being embarrassed. Nothing like that has happened.”
Hanette never thought of Zion as more than a friend. He comforted her and often helped, which built her trust. Although her heart sometimes fluttered when she saw Zion, it wasn’t because of romantic feelings.
“But you said you’ve held hands, right? Who initiated it? Was it your fiancé?”
“I think so…”
Zion had indeed grabbed her hand first. It was a critical situation, and he needed to transfer her mana. But now, thinking back, she didn’t understand why he thought she had mana.
“How did he hold your hand?”
“…There’s a method to holding hands?”
“You can either tentatively touch or just grab it outright.”
“Ah…”
She was asking whether the relationship developed gradually or if one of them took a bold step. Considering their history, it seemed like the former, but Zion’s initial hand-holding felt like the latter.
“Well, it just happened naturally.”
“Then why don’t you hold hands now?”
“…It’s not something we need to do all the time.”
“Oh, I get it. You only hold hands when alone, right? You must be shy about showing it in front of others.”
“It’s not about being shy; there’s no need…”
“But it’s a bit slow, don’t you think? You’ve been engaged for three months, right?”
“Yes, about three months.”
“By then, most couples are constantly hugging and kissing…”
Raina looked at Hanette with curious eyes. These were things she’d heard from social gatherings and other noble ladies, not necessarily reliable sources. But it piqued her curiosity deeply.
“Did you really hear that at social gatherings?”
“Yes, everyone says so.”
“You shouldn’t believe everything from there. Some of it is exaggerated or said just for fun.”
“I know, but that’s the only place I can get such information. Engaged ladies talk about it too.”
“…….”
Hanette frowned slightly, taking a moment of silence. Raina, having never dated or been engaged, naturally showed interest. Plus, being exposed to various stories at social gatherings made her easily influenced.
“My point is to take such stories with a grain of salt. The same goes for any rumors about me and my fiancé.”
“Yes, I’ll be careful. And don’t worry, I won’t say anything about you.”
“It’s not that I don’t trust you…”
“You’re sharing personal stories with me, right? I’ll keep them secret. But if it makes you uncomfortable, I can tell you one of my secrets too.”
Raina no longer blindly believed rumors. Hanette had shown she was different from the gossip. While Raina sought information from social gatherings, it was only because she didn’t know or was curious.
“That’s not necessary. I trust you’ll keep it private.”
“No, I think I should. Let me tell you my secret…”
Hanette couldn’t stop her, so she quietly listened to Raina’s story. She hadn’t started the conversation; Raina had merely misinterpreted her responses.
‘She doesn’t seem to have any bad intentions… how did it come to this?’
Duke Adelaira’s mansion, third-floor corridor.
Hanette paced the corridor, glancing at a door repeatedly. She had worked hard on this, but now that she was about to give it, she felt unusually nervous. Yet, she couldn’t back out now.
‘Should I have made this? I’m really…’
Hanette sighed, looking down at the box in her hand. It was wrapped in white paper and tied with a red ribbon. Why was she so anxious about giving this to Zion?
‘What if he doesn’t like it? What if he doesn’t like sweets…’
Hanette had bought the ingredients herself and, with the cooks’ help, had secretly used the kitchen early in the morning or late at night to avoid Zion. She had made many mistakes but finally completed it after much effort.
‘I should’ve just stayed quiet.’
Today was Amenas Day, an annual celebration where people gave gifts to those they cherished, respected, or wanted to show gratitude. Both the date and type of gift were traditional, rooted in an old legend.
‘If I don’t give it, he’ll think it’s strange…’
Hanette had never given or prepared a gift like this before. She had spent much time alone and hadn’t built many relationships. But now, she wasn’t alone and had even held an engagement ceremony, so she felt the need to show some sincerity.
‘It’s all because of that kid. I wouldn’t be doing this otherwise.’
Hanette fiddled with the gift, blaming Zion. He had always been there for her, saving her life twice. Compared to what Zion had done for her, this gift seemed trivial.
‘He’s so young, yet he’s so capable…’
Hanette smiled as she approached the door. She could stand here now because of Zion. He had helped her learn magic, quit drinking and gambling, and even stopped her from running away, completely changing her fate.
‘Yes, he’s worth marrying.’
Hanette knocked on the door and slowly opened it. Zion was sitting at his desk, closing a book and standing up.
“Today is a day off for both of us, right? What brings you…?”
Zion looked at Hanette and then noticed what she was holding. It was a box wrapped with paper and ribbon, likely a gift for someone. Seeing her here with it, he knew it was for him.
“Here, take this. It’s for Amenas Day.”
Hanette handed the gift, slightly turning her head. The act of giving it felt embarrassing, so she couldn’t look him in the eye. She felt a strange warmth rising within her.
“Wow… I never thought I’d receive something like this.”
“What? You’ve never gotten a gift like this?”
“How would I? Should I ask my mother for one?”
“Why not get one from a noble lady?”
“What noble lady would give me a gift?”
“……?”
Hanette looked at Zion, puzzled. How could he have never interacted with a noble lady with that face?
“I’ve never received a gift from a girl. So this is my first.”
“Excluding Lady Laird?”
“Of course, I’ve received gifts from my mother.”
“What were you doing before we got engaged?”
“Living a boring life, probably.”
Zion took the gift, wondering about Zion Laird’s life. It hadn’t been detailed in the story, so he could only guess based on what his family said.
“It’s chocolate, right?”
“What else would I give?”
“That’s true. It’s Amenas Day, after all.”
The tradition came from an old story about a couple named Amenas. They cherished each other deeply. When a war broke out, the husband was drafted, and the wife made chocolate for him before he left. Unfortunately, he died in battle and never returned. The wife, heartbroken, passed away shortly after. The story inspired the creation of Amenas Day to honor their love and sacrifice.
“Hmm… it looks good.”
Zion opened the box and examined the contents. Neatly arranged dark pieces of chocolate, each looking meticulously made, emitted a pleasant aroma.
“…Really?”
“Did you buy these from a store?”
“Do you think I’d buy them?”
Hanette barely suppressed a twitch of her lips, glancing at the box. She had personally sourced the ingredients, spent hours in the kitchen, and gone through several failed attempts to make this chocolate.
“Why would you think I can’t make this?”
“…You made this?”
“If you doubt it, go find a store that sells it.”
“I’ve never seen you in the kitchen.”
“Why blame me for what you haven’t seen?”
“Huh…”
Zion tilted his head and picked up a piece of chocolate. Hanette watched with a mix of tension and a calm gaze.
“Hmm… it’s kind of…”
“Kind of?”
“Salty?”
“Salty? It shouldn’t be. I added sugar.”
Hanette quickly grabbed the chocolate, tasting it herself. It was sweet and smooth, with a mild aroma.
“What’s salty about this?”
“I was just joking.”
“What?”
“It tastes great. You must’ve worked hard on it.”
“You…”
Zion savored the chocolate, picking up another piece. Hanette initially wanted to complain but then decided to stay quiet.
‘He’s eating it well. Is it really that good?’
Hanette felt relieved, watching Zion enjoy the chocolate. He seemed genuinely pleased, and the chocolate quickly disappeared. If it weren’t truly delicious, he wouldn’t look so happy.
‘I’ll let it go this time. He scared me.’
Hanette smiled faintly, keeping her eyes on Zion. Watching him brought a strange sense of peace. Could someone really enjoy her homemade food this much?
‘If I get another chance… should I make something again?’