/
Lucian answered perfectly as if my inner thoughts were obvious on my face.
“The magic tool I gave you earlier tells me your location.”
“So it’s the magic tool!”
Damian said it’s a magic tool with safety features, right? I guess it can also track locations.
Aigoo, my Lucian. You’re worried about this Noona?
I gave him a proud smile. Then, Lucian’s expression seemed to have distorted again.
What’s with that expression?
I thought there was no one else who knew him more than I did, but my pride was hurt for no reason.
What’s with that face, Lucian?!
When I pouted for nothing, only then did Lucian smile.
“Ray, would you like to have dinner with me in a restaurant?”
“Really?”
“Yes. But we’ll have to go back to the carriage first and arrange your clothes.”
Lucian let go of the cloak while he was talking. I nodded vigorously.
When the wind made my cloak flutter again, Lucian patted my head and fixed the cloak on me.
Then, he naturally wrapped an arm over my shoulder.
“Can we stop by a jewelry shop first?” Lucian asked.
“Why? Is there a gem you’d like to see?”
“Yes.”
“Okay!”
It was a suggestion, but of course, I wouldn’t say no.
I smiled pleasantly, forgetting that I was feeling bad just a while ago.
Ah, I knew it.
Whenever I had a headache, I just needed to see Lucian’s face. I don’t need any other medicine.
As he led me, I followed him and thought this lightly.
Before getting into the carriage that Lucian rode in, not the carriage I used earlier, I looked back at Damian and Oscar who were behind us.
“You guys can go back using the carriage we rode earlier.”
“Master, can’t I come with you?”
At Oscar’s question, Damian looked at me. No, to be exact, he looked at Lucian.
I’ve never seen Damian like this before.
Damian always looked towards me first, no matter the situation.
But now, he was looking at Lucian and not me. Why was this?
Along with Damian’s gaze, I turned around. While Lucian still had an arm wrapped around my shoulder, he quickly felt my gaze on him and so he lowered his head at an angle.
Um
 It seemed like he was glaring just now, but I must have been mistaken, right?
I think Lucian was looking at Oscar

Eyy, it couldn’t be like that.
Without thinking deeply, I sharply turned down Oscar’s request.
“No way. I’m going on a date with Brother.”
That’s right.
Today’s the first time I’m going out with Lucian.
I’ve gone on many dates with the duke, but I’ve never gone out on a date with Lucian.
When we were younger, we couldn’t go out alone because of our ages, and when we grew up, we couldn’t go out together because we were separated for a long time.
After returning to the capital, I had to do so many things, and Lucian was also very busy.
That’s why.
“You can’t come with us.”
I firmly gave the same answer to Oscar, who then gave me a pitiful look.
Then, the wily fox quickly composed himself and muttered.
“Fine. Then please buy me some candy when you return, Master.”
“What flavor.”
“Melon.”
Alright, I can do this much for you.
“Sure, don’t get lost and go back right away to the mansion. Okay?”
“Hehe, I got it.”
Damian let out a long sigh, then he grabbed Oscar by the back of his shirt.
“Hey, let go!”
“Master, please have a good time.”
“Thank you. Go back safely with that troublemaker.”
“Yes, I will.”
Damian bowed and dragged Oscar along with him.
“Master! You have to buy it! Don’t forget!”
People might think that we’re being separated for years on end.
I laughed because I couldn’t help it, but then Lucian’s hand over my shoulder became tense.
“Ah, it hurts.”
“I’m sorry, Ray.”
Surprised, Lucian took his hand off my shoulder.
Mm, that’s too bad. My bias put his arm around my shoulders, but it ended too quickly.
As I looked up at him in slight disappointment, he soon offered his hand. With his help, I got into the carriage and I took off my cloak.
Lucian sat down next to me. He gently stroked my hair as he usually did.
“Is it messy?”
“A little bit?”
“Then please fix it.”
I turned my back to him and left my hair to Lucian. Hesitating for a moment, he soon reached out and brushed his fingertips over my scalp.
I loved the feeling of both his hands on me. Lucian sometimes touched the tips of my ears because his hands were very big.
It was ticklish every time that happened, but I endured it because I liked how it felt.
“It’s done.”
Lucian tucked one lock of my hair behind my ear as he said this.
“Ngh, it tickles.”
“
Mm.”
He kept fiddling with my ear even as he answered. Eventually, I turned around and looked at him, covering both my ears with my hands.
“It really tickles.”
“Mm.”
Seeing how Lucian kept answering the same thing like a parrot, I burst out into laughter.
“What kind of gem are you going to see, Brother? You’re looking for an accessory, right? Or will you choose just a gemstone?”
I’m curious now because he doesn’t even show that much interest in his own clothes.
“I’m going to look at some gemstones first.”
“Then a custom accessory?”
“Yes.”
“What are you going to make? A brooch? Cufflinks?”
His golden eyes seemed to deepen the more I asked questions. Facing me, he replied slowly.
“A ring. I’m going to have a ring made, Ray. With the gem that I’ll choose with you.”
“A ring?”
At the unexpected answer, my eyes widened. Then, I looked at his finger.
He had big hands and long fingers. Because he wielded a sword, it seemed as though his callouses were deeply embedded.
I grabbed one of his hands with both of mine. His hands seemed to be twice as big as my small hands.
“Brother’s hands are really big. I already knew it before, but the size is really apparent when comparing our hands like this. Look here. See?”
I placed my palm over his. With our hands together from the wrist up, it was apparent how much bigger his hand was compared to mine.
I looked at his hand and looked up at him in wonder. He didn’t answer.
Then, I saw that he was staring at me all this time, and that our faces were so close together that our noses were almost touching.
My heart was beating like crazy. I thought I’d gotten used to his appearance, but I guess not.
Looking at him so closely, he seemed to be so out of this world.
As expected, my bias.
He’s the most handsome man in the world.
I’m proud of everything about him.
So I smiled brightly.
Because I love spending time with him like this.
And I like how he looks at me so affectionately.
After I smiled, Lucian’s lips also tugged up. The gently folded eyes were so beautiful, like two crescent moons.
·
We arrived at the jewelry store, and as we were guided by the shop owner, we went into a drawing room.
It was fun to look around and see the gems on display, but it was also fun to sit down and look at some jewels that people would bring in.
Coming to a drawing room like this also meant that we’ll be looking at some pretty expensive gems.
After taking a sip of the tea that one of the employees served us, I spoke.
“Brother, what kind of gem are you going to choose?”
“
What do you like?”
“My favorite gem?”
I didn’t have a particular preference, but at this moment, I recalled how I got into trouble when I answered the same way with the duke.
In the end, the duke chose for me.
If it’s my favorite gem

While thinking, I stared at Lucian.
His beautiful golden eyes that were like two full moons, and his pitch-black hair

What kind of gem would suit him well?
“Hmm
”
Lucian caressed my hair again, perhaps because he thought I was cute while thinking hard like this.
Not knowing what’s making my mood so much lighter, I smiled a hundred times brighter than my usual smile and told him.
“What about a yellow sapphire? Or maybe just transparent diamonds will look pretty. Oh, if it’s a cut emerald, it’ll look neat and elegant. Of course, I think anything will suit you, Brother.”
As he listened to me, Lucian asked.
“What about you? What do you think will suit you?”
“Me?”
“Yes.”
“Hmm
”
I thought it over again, but Lucian spoke.
“I want something that you like, too.”
Aigoo, aigoo, my Lucian.
Do you want to choose what your Noona likes?
I smiled brightly again because I was proud of him. But yet again, Lucian’s expression cracked a bit.
Why does he keep making that face?
I was curious, but I couldn’t ask him so openly. If I ask, he’ll notice that I’m a fan.
I often stared at his expression. Because I’m curious about what he’s thinking.
If Lucian would notice my intentions, I’ll find myself a rat hole to hide into first.
“Um
 Blue sapphires then. I like a dark blue shade, Brother.”
At my words, his eyes slanted. Instead of answering me, he beckoned the shop owner.
“Bring all your blue sapphires.”
“Yes, I understand.”
Um, if you’re gonna be this way, I won’t like it.
Lucian, you
 You’re doing the same thing as the duke.
You also don’t know how to order just one thing, do you?
I let out a small sigh.
I lifted my teacup. This will definitely take a lot of time.
Why do I know this fact?
Well, I had the longest shopping spree ever when I went out on a date with the duke.
Among the shops we went to, it took the longest to choose jewelry.
As expected, the corners of the shop owner’s lips were practically lifted to his ears, and he began to order his employees to bring in a series of boxes containing gems.
And here, in the same posture as the duke, Lucian held up a monocle and began to look at the jewels one by one.
I leaned leisurely back on the sofa and watched him.
Sure. This isn’t bad either.
I can do anything if it means getting to spend more time with him.
——
t/n: when rachel says ‘aigoo’ it’s more of like ‘oh-goo, oh-goo’—like baby sounds. i just substituted it with ‘aigoo’ because i feel like that’s more understandable, dialogue-wise.