# 18 -
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“Miss, could you be a little nicer to the Duke? The servants are looking at us strangely.”
“Don't worry about it. They're people I'll never see again anyway.”
It seemed that some gossip was going on among the servants. Seret didn't care what they were talking about.
“Why won't you see them again? They'll be the ones you order when you get married, miss.” Hannah said, adjusting her hat in an annoyed tone.
“Hannah, I would rather die than marry the Duke. I will break off this engagement, whatever the cost.”
She would rather die than marry Yuan. And she would die even if she married Yuan anyway. So, she has to break off her relationship with this evil man as soon as possible.
“Miss, please stop talking about breaking off the engagement.”
“Should we go to the zoo? Or to the museum?” Seret quickly changed the subject to avoid Hannah's complaining.
“To the zoo, of course!” Hana, whose face had been worried a moment before, responded in a cheerful voice at Seret's suggestion. Seret smiled slightly and headed towards the door.
“Are you going out?”
Seret ran into the butler as she headed into the hall. When he saw her in her going-out clothes, the butler asked her very politely.
"Yes."
“I will prepare the cart.”
“No thanks. I’ll take a hired car. Don’t bother.”
“His Highness the Duke has instructed me to serve you politely and without any disturbance. I will prepare the carriage.” The butler spoke in a gentle but firm tone.
If you continue to refuse the carriage, this old man will inevitably receive a reprimand from Yuan. Because Sirit's heart softened, so she nodded in agreement.
In the end, Seret departed in the carriage of the Duchy of Frecktwister.
Before going to the zoo, Seret stopped by Eve's house. She was afraid Eve would be busy, but fortunately she had no plans.
Seret was in a good mood, accompanied by Eve and Hannah, when they arrived at the zoo.
She had never even been to a zoo in her previous life. Duchess Voecktwister's life was like a prison without bars; She couldn't go out freely.
This was especially true then, as everyone was watching Seret closely, tracking her every move.
They hated her with a deep hatred, criticized her smallest actions, and always compared her to Lydia.
“Miss, there's a hippopotamus, a hippopotamus!” Hannah pointed to the hippopotamus behind the fence, stamping her feet excitedly.
“It's a really strange looking creature.”
Seret couldn't take her eyes off the hippopotamus, a sight the likes of which she had never seen before. She and Hannah found the hippopotamus so charming that they bought a hippopotamus souvenir.
Syrett ate a light lunch of sandwiches and spent the afternoon walking in the park and looking at the shops.
When she returned to the Freaktwister Duchy, her distress had completely disappeared, and she was even able to smile and greet Yuan when she met him in the hallway.
***
Yuan turned around. He saw Siret's back as she ascended the stairs with light steps.
Her blonde hair, which looked so sweet as to be bitten, like lemon candy, was swaying gently, and the hem of her green skirt was fluttering lightly.
Yuan's gaze followed Seret the entire time. Until she disappeared from sight.
“Your Highness the Duke.”
The driver called out to him after Siret had disappeared from sight.
“Where did you go?” Yuan asked the driver with a dead face.
"The first place she went was to Lashing's house. From there she took her lady-in-waiting and went to the zoo. Inside the zoo, she stayed a long time at the hippopotamus enclosure."
"zoo?"
Yuan almost burst out laughing at the mention of Seret going to the zoo.
He found her cute because she went to see the hippopotamus while at the same time insisting on breaking off the engagement.
“She liked the hippopotamus so much. She bought a hippopotamus doll as a souvenir.”
At this next sentence from the driver, Yuan finally burst out laughing.
He couldn't hold back his laughter as he imagined Seret's bright face as she looked at the hippopotamus.
The driver looked at Yuan—who was covering his mouth with his fist and laughing faintly—with a look of astonishment for a moment. It amazed him that his master could laugh like this.
“What then?” Yuan asked while stifling a laugh.
“She had a light lunch of sandwiches and looked at nearby shops. Afterwards she spent time in the park.”
“Did she meet anyone important?”
“No, she didn’t. She was accompanied by the maid and her maid who accompanied her all the time.”
Yuan turned around with satisfaction on his face at the driver's answer.
When Sirt said she was going out, Yuan had already instructed the driver to track her movements and report back to him.
It was for protection, but the truth was that he was worried that she might meet another man.
However, he was relieved that she had not met anyone, that she had gone to see the hippos in the park and then returned.
“Should I buy her a hippopotamus?”
Yuan wondered if he should buy her a hippopotamus as a gift if she continued to insist on breaking off the engagement, and then he went to his office.
He sat at his desk in the study, reviewing the documents, and let out a small laugh. Siret hardly left his mind from one document to another.
He was curious about the expression on her face as she delighted in the hippopotamus, and what kind of doll she had bought.
Subconsciously, Yuan began to wonder if there was land on his property on which a zoo could be built. Then he laughed at himself, finding his thoughts ridiculous.
He felt strange and a little embarrassed as he contemplated the idea of building a zoo for a woman. He could simply buy her flowers or jewels, as most men do.
He pushed the image of Seret aside from his mind and tried to focus again on the documents.
The documents concerned the wage problems of textile factory workers, and required his full attention, but Seret never left his mind.
While he was deciding between having a drink or taking a light walk in the park, he got up. He thought a short walk might clear his mind.
On his way to the manicured garden, he stopped when he saw a dark figure walking in front of him.
The figure stopped under a lamp in the garden. The face revealed by the light was Seret's.
Yuan let out a faint laugh.
He went out into the garden to knock Syrette out of his head—and she was in front of him, which was really funny.
She is the one who says she wants to break off the engagement. And now it will continue to flutter before my eyes. He moved forward a little, and Seret turned to where she sensed his presence.
“Who's there?” Seret asked in a tense voice. There was no light on Yuan's side, so she couldn't see his face.
Yuan slowly walked forward without answering.
“Introduce yourself.”
Seret's voice became harsher, as she seemed to think he was an intruder. Yuan raised the corner of his mouth and advanced towards her.
With every step he took, Siret's face grew more worried under the lamplight.
“Seret Enohater’s fiancé. This is my identity.” Yuan said as he stepped towards Seret. As the light illuminated Yuan's face, Seret seemed to breathe a sigh of relief and exhale.
“You scared me. I thought you were a stranger.” Seret said in a caustic tone.
“The security of the Freaktwister Duchy is not that lax.”
“Yes, I guess it is not.” Seret replied sarcastically.
“Did you go out walking alone?”
“I ate a lot for dinner. Just trying to digest.” Siret said with a droopy face.
Yuan giggled, his gaze fixed on something Seret was holding. Upon closer inspection, the object in her hand was a hippopotamus doll. Was this the souvenir she bought at the park?
He found the sight of her holding her tightly pleasant, and he unintentionally burst out laughing.
When he laughed out loud, he saw her eyes widen in astonishment. This scene was also funny, and Yuan laughed even harder.
Seret took a step back. Caution returned to her features.
When Yuan finally stopped laughing, he reduced the distance she had created between them.
“Don't come any closer.” Seret extended the hippopotamus doll she was holding towards Yuan.
It was a signal to send him away, but the outstretched hippopotamus was so funny that Yuan covered his face and laughed.
He didn't know why he was acting like this. Ever since he heard that Seret admired hippopotamuses, the idea of Seret and hippos made him laugh.
It was funny just thinking about how he saw her holding the hippopotamus together — he couldn't stop laughing.
When was the last time he laughed out loud like that? Or did he ever?
Yuan ran a hand through his hair and stared at Seret. For some reason, the caution did not leave her face.
“Duke Freaktwister?” Seret called out as if seeking confirmation. Yuan approached without answering. Seret shook her head in horror.
“I told you not to come close!”
“This can be avoided by staying away, Miss Enohater.” Yuan said as he addressed Seret who was retreating.
“How can I trust that you are Duke Freaktwister?” Seret's voice trembled.
What are you saying now? How can she trust that I'm Duke Freaktwister? Yuan suppressed his desire to laugh and spoke.
“What do you mean, Miss Enohater?”
“It's strange. You're not the type to laugh like that. You might be caught in the act of McVea.” Seret said without letting her guard down.
Yuan couldn't help himself at the word "mikveya" that came out of Seret's mouth, and he burst out laughing again.
Mikveya? The mikveh is a mythical monster that eats people and then takes their form.
She may be harsh sometimes, but she seems to still have an innocent side to her, if she believes in the existence of a mikveya.
Yuan couldn't stop laughing over Syrit's mention of the mikveya.
“This is crazy.”
If others saw him now—hands on his sides, mouth covered with his fist as he laughed—they would think the same thing Siret thought: that he was Mikveya.
To this extent, Yuan's laughter was rare. Even for him.
“Do you think I'm enough now?” Yuan took a wide step towards Seret.
“Anyone would be suspicious looking at you now.” Seret said as she looked up at the approaching Yuan. Her eyes still held the question of whether this was really Yuan Voecktwister.
Then I have to dispel her doubts. Yuan raised the corner of his mouth slightly.
“Then I will prove to you that I am your fiancé.”
Yuan quickly wrapped his arm around Seret's waist and pulled her to his chest. The distance between them was so close that they could feel each other's breathing.
"yuan." Seret stared in shock, wide-eyed.
Yuan's eyes met Seret's eyes, he slowly tilted his head, then covered Seret's lips with his own.
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