# 14 -
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Upon hearing that voice, Seret turned around.
Regan approached Sirett with a calm smile.
“His Highness the Grand Duke.”
“Would it bother you if I joined you?”
Regan asked in a gentlemanly manner.
“It is an honor for the Enwahter family.”
Seret bent her knee and saluted. Reagan was one of the few people she had fond memories of from her previous life.
In her previous life, Reagan would often come to visit Yuan in the capital palace or in the fiefdom. They shared food several times.
And every time Reagan visited the Fricktwister family, he always made sure to bring a snack or flowers for Syrett.
Even when she was feeling sad because something annoying happened because of Yuan and Lydia, Regan was a great source of solace for Seret.
So, to Syrett, Reagan was a very good person.
Thanks to the memories of her previous life, Serlette did not feel any embarrassment towards Regan at all, even though this was the first time they had met in this life.
“I plan to gossip your fiancé a little.”
said Reagan, who approached the fence, looking at the rose garden. Hearing Reagan's familiar words, Serlette let out a light laugh. This was his usual way of entertaining her whenever she was upset in the past.
“I will gossip about your husband a little, ma’am.”
“Your husband is a bad man.”
A warm smile formed on Seret's face as she recalled those memories with a person who had always been so kind to her.
“Don't you think it's really too much? Thanks to Duke Freaktwister, I'm the only one who receives angry looks from my brother.”
Regan, who had been looking at the rose garden, turned and leaned against the railing. Regan's kind brown eyes turned to Syrett.
“His Excellency the Duke...”
Serlette swallowed her words.
She hesitated between saying what was in her heart, or saying something befitting a fiancée.
“May I guess what you were about to say?”
Reagan opened his mouth first with a laughing face.
“His Excellency the Duke made a wise decision. Didn’t he?”
Reagan continued and smiled. His wide smiling mouth was so beautiful.
He was deceived by Yuan, yet he thinks this way. Serlette laughed sarcastically, surprised by Reagan's reaction.
“I don’t think those were my thoughts, Your Highness, but yours.”
“That is why I love Yuan, a friend who does not side with either His Majesty the Emperor or the Crown Prince.”
Reagan said with a cheerful face, as if he was pleased with Yuan's behavior.
“Even if it was at the expense of selling his friend.”
Siret said with a bright smile.
“Even if it was at the expense of selling his friend.”
Reagan echoed Serlet's words and laughed softly.
Serlette laughed with him. I felt relaxed around Reagan. As in her previous life, she was bound to laugh whenever she met Reagan.
“I can understand why Yuan is engaged to Miss Enohater.”
Regan stopped laughing and opened his mouth, looking at Seret with a calm smile. Hearing his words, Seret smiled weakly.
Regan meant it as a compliment, but Seret couldn't take it as a compliment, knowing the real reason why Yuan chose her.
Seret turned toward the rose garden with a bitter face. When Seret turned around, Regan also naturally looked towards the rose garden.
“I think it would be very beautiful in daylight.”
Seret opened her mouth.
“Do you mean the rose garden?”
"Yes."
Syrett nodded in response to Regan's question.
“When you drink tea in a rose garden, it's like you're drinking roses. The smell of roses is very strong.”
"This is correct."
“Come with Yuan. It's not my house, but I can offer you some tea.”
“Your kindness is enough for me.”
Serlette politely rejected Reagan's proposal. She had already booked a train ticket to leave tomorrow afternoon. As she intended to leave the capital after eating breakfast only.
“Do not refuse. A lady’s rejection hurts a man’s pride...”
“Seret.”
Reagan couldn't finish his sentence. Because Yuan's voice came from behind them.
Siret trembled when she heard Yuan's voice calling her name.
Seret was surprised because it was the first time Yuan had called her by her name. Yuan had never called her by her name even in her previous life.
"yuan."
As Seret's body stiffened, Reagan turned first. Regan greeted Yuan with a face full of smile.
“His Highness Grand Duke Poplaruel.”
Yuan's voice was very stern for someone calling a friend. Even his manner was formal to the point of coldness.
Seret controlled her facial expressions and turned around slowly. As soon as she turned around, her eyes met Yuan, who seemed to be looking in this direction.
Yuan's face still held a sharp look.
“What are you doing here?”
Yuan Seret asked in a toneless voice.
“I was feeling hot, so I went out to get some air.”
Seret answered without avoiding Yuan's cold gaze.
“With His Highness the Grand Duke?”
Yuan raised his lips crookedly, his hands in his pocket. Yuan's facial expression never calmed down, as if he was not comfortable with her being with Regan.
“I spoke to Miss Enohater because she was alone.”
Reagan said as he quickly noticed Yuan's look.
“Then please continue your conversation.”
Although Regan's words were more like an excuse, Yuan's gaze was still sharp, so Seret hurriedly left.
She felt a burning tingling in the back of her head, but Seret didn't turn around.
***
Yuan's mood was, in a word, extremely bad.
“The most hateful being in this world. Someone I don’t want to get close to even for a moment.”
“I hate you so much, Duke.”
Even as he exchanged greetings with others, Seret's voice kept echoing in his head.
Those were Seret's words that were still ringing in his ear, in the same beautiful voice she used to say them.
Her request to break off the engagement wouldn't have hurt him like this, but the way she said it... hurt his pride.
It was difficult for him to accept that Seret was truly rejecting him, and even more difficult for him to admit that his dignity had been wounded.
In the end, Yuan indifferently exchanged greetings with the people, and headed to the second floor, where Seret had disappeared.
As he slowly walked upstairs, he decided that he would hasten the marriage. As long as it happens eventually, there's no harm in it being soon.
With these thoughts, he went up to the second floor, and saw Serret with Reagan.
They were talking and laughing like two lovers enjoying a secret rendezvous. Their gazes towards each other were so affectionate that one might wonder if they had just met.
Then a wry smile appeared on Yuan's face.
She ran away to avoid me... just to spend her time with another man? My fiancée?
Yuan slowly approached the two. His steps were calm, but his mind was not. He wasn't comfortable with them being together.
“Seret.”
Yuan called out Seret's name.
When he called her name instead of the usual 'Miss Enohater', he saw Searlet tremble.
Yuan smiled, mocking her sincere reaction. We are not at a level of familiarity that allows us to call each other by our first names.
But he had to call her by name. He had to explain to his fiancée, who was sweet-talking another man, and to his friend Reagan, that she was his.
"yuan."
Reagan, who turned first, greeted Yuan.
Reagan was a good friend. More precisely, he had never been so angry before. So, he was a good friend.
However, right now, Yuan began to doubt whether Reagan was a good friend.
The admiring gaze was directed directly at Seret. Even if Reagan himself didn't realize it.
“What are you doing here?”
Yuan stared at his beloved fiancée, who was having fun with another man to escape the existence she hated so much.
His face hardened, his eyes sharp as a razor, and the corner of his mouth forcefully raised. Yuan didn't realize how terrible his expression was at that moment.
“Then please continue your conversation.”
What a sharp facial expression. Siret decided it was best to run away. Seret turned around, upset by Yuan's sharp face.
Siret ran away again, as if she was running away from somewhere. Yuan silently looked at Seret's back as she ran away. He was thinking of following up and catching her when he heard Reagan's voice.
“I was told she was just a simple country miss.”
His voice full of admiration was so annoying that Yuan couldn't help but turn towards Regan.
Reagan continued to speak with a cheerful expression, unaware of how bright the smile on his lips was.
“If this is the naive and simple girl, then what exactly is Mushili? I will follow my brother and go to Mushili for summer vacation.”
“His Highness Grand Duke Popwell.”
Yuan's voice, which had become particularly stiff, made the listener feel cold.
“‘His Highness the Grand Duke’? What’s with this solemnity?”
Reagan laughed sarcastically and turned toward the rose garden. He leaned against the wall and looked into the rose garden, a gentle spring breeze blowing on his face.
In contrast to Reagan's face, Yuan's annoyance was evident. In complete contrast to Reagan who was full of spring vitality, Yuan's face was of harsh winter.
Reagan continued to speak, not paying attention to the cold wind blowing on Yuan's face.
“She may be the most beautiful young woman of all the young women present today.”
Yuan agreed with Reagan. Seret was beautiful enough to attract everyone's attention.
That was why Yuan was currently regretting fulfilling Seret's request to tailor a new dress.
Sirit should have remained a humble village girl until their marriage. So that men like Reagan wouldn't drool over her.
“I understand why you were engaged to Miss Enohater and were immediately ignored by all the young noblewomen.”
Reagan let out a cheerful laugh.
“I understood something that didn't need your understanding.”
Yuan leaned against the railing and opened his mouth.
His tone was somewhat cold, but Reagan didn't notice it and continued to mention Searlet.
“I've never seen eyes sparkle like that before.”
“Enough. Stop here, Your Highness the Grand Duke.”
Finally, Yuan spoke.
Yuan looked directly at Reagan, who was blinking, and continued speaking.
“I would appreciate it if you would stop being interested in my fiancée.”
There was a short silence after Yuan spoke.
Reagan looked surprised for a moment, then burst out laughing. Reagan laughed loudly and opened his mouth as he looked at Yuan.
“Duke Freaktwister is jealous too.”
“Does this look like a joke to you?”
Yuan's face was still frozen. If Reagan is correct, it's jealousy. It was not comfortable for another man to take an interest in Seret.
“Haha. I understand it’s not a joke, Duke Freaktwister.”
Reagan became wary of Yuan's frozen face.
“Then I will go and see His Highness the Crown Prince.”
Yuan turned away from Reagan. Reagan looked at Yuan's back as he walked away from the balcony and muttered.
“I feel envious.”
Reagan turned back toward the rose garden and let out a wry laugh as he faced the spring breeze.
Why doesn't it disappear? Photo of Serlet, Yuan's fiancée, laughing.
Reagan, who was rubbing his forehead with a puzzled expression, finally had the corner of his mouth raised again.
The spring on Reagan's face remained for a long time and did not leave.
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