Dear Ex-Fiancé, I Hope You Regret Everything - Chapter 23

Scurry, scurry—walking across the lawn.

In the royal garden of Haira Castle, flowers bloomed in shades of red and orange that Isac had never seen before. Compared to other flowers, these had strangely long stamens.

“Miss Iris, are hibiscus flowers rare to you?”

“Yes, this is the first time I’ve seen them since coming here.”

“They’re actually flowers from islands further south, but I’ve heard they’ve been imported and now bloom well here in Haira, too.”

(Hibiscus even the name sounds so tropical.)

Lady Starelesska touched the flower affectionately.

Had she trimmed her hair a little? It seemed lighter around her face, just as I thought that.

“Lady Starelesska!!!”

Turning around, I saw Count Chaudan rushing over in a fluster. His chin was raised high, and his footsteps were heavy and clumsy.

“Huh, Count…?”

A soft breeze stirred, lifting the hem of Lady Starelesska’s skirt.

The man who came to an abrupt halt before us had disheveled hair.

He was out of breath, hands on his knees, pleading.

“Please! Please, reconsider! Hah, hah… I… I will surely make you… happy!!”

“My mind is made up. Please leave.”

Lady Starelesska turned her back abruptly, deliberately acting annoyed.

“Lady Starelesska, are you worried about your relationship with your family after marriage?”

“……”

Had he hit a nerve? Lady Starelesska averted her gaze and looked down.

“I’ll handle all of that!!”

“…But, in marrying into the Louisston family, the Chaudan family received a loan from my father…”

“No. This isn’t a marriage between Louisston and Chaudan. It’s a marriage between you and me.”

I was so startled by the sudden turn of events that I could only stand there frozen.

“Or is it that your father won’t stay silent, unable to simply rejoice at his troublesome daughter’s happiness now that she’s finally been cast off?”

“…Yes, that’s right.”

“Do you dislike me?”

“No. I don’t dislike you, that’s not it. But if I’m being honest, I just don’t really understand you.”

Count Chaudan laughed heartily.

“My ex-wife called me a boring man. Well, that’s why she ended up leaving me for another man. It doesn’t feel good to tell you this, I’m sorry.”

“W-Wait a moment. Uh… what? I heard your former wife divorced you because she couldn’t endure your mistreatment.”

“Huh? That’s not true! Honestly, rumors are so unreliable. Mistreatment, you say?”

“Things like she was given meager meals. If she was fed at all and that all of her dresses were sold off…”

Count Chaudan’s eyes widened in shock, then he sighed and pressed a hand to his forehead.

“That’s completely the opposite! It was her wasteful spending that brought my family to ruin!! Well, there’s no use saying that now. Whether you believe me or not is up to you, Lady Starelesska. There’s no way to confirm it now, anyway.”

“That’s true, there’s no way to confirm it now.”

“If you find it unpleasant, you’re free to leave immediately. Of course, I’ll make sure your family doesn’t interfere. So, how about trying to live in my home for just one week? If that goes well, then a month, then half a year—why not try it little by little?”

Lady Starelesska, looking deeply troubled, replied, “If it’s just one week.”

Without even fixing his crooked glasses, Count Chaudan took Lady Starelesska’s hand.

(That’s good…)

I thought about quietly slipping away, but then I remembered and called out to the bewildered Lady Starelesska.

“Please, take the orangeade with you.”

“Yes!!”

She smiled even more brightly than when she had arrived.

✳︎ ✳︎ ✳︎

When I offered him a peeled apple, Lord Skyford said, “Feed it to me.”

“Honestly! Please eat it yourself.”

“I can’t move well because of this cold, and it’s frustrating. In other words, I want to be thoroughly spoiled by you.”

With no other choice, I brought the rabbit-shaped apple to his lips, and he crunched into it contentedly.

“Still, it’s a good thing. Lady Starelesska’s entry into the convent has been postponed for now.”

“Yes, I hope it stays postponed forever.”

“You’re actually the happiest about it, aren’t you?”

“Perhaps so.”

“I’ll strive to make you that happy, too.”

“You’ve already given me more than enough.”

I reached for another apple, but my vision was blurry.

“…It might be time to adjust your Clear Glass prescription.”

“Now that you mention it, things have been blurry a lot lately.”

“What? You should’ve said something sooner.”

A bony hand was raised before my eyes. Just like last time, the moment I opened them toward the stars, heated lips captured mine.