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Chapter 29. The Strange Man (2)
“Haa…”
Elusiana sighed as she tapped the half-made flower basket.
“So this is why you came to see me?”
Trisha’s request was simple.
“It’s at one o’clock in the afternoon. Be sure to deliver it on time and make sure to bring the confirmation, Lady.”
“I’m the one who will do that?”
“Yes. The terms of the contract are to deliver the finished product directly, by the staff of the Fragrant Garden. So Lady must go.”
“Then, where’s the delivery?”
“To Marquis Klaus.”
It was fine if it was just making another flower basket. However, wasn’t it a completely different matter for a noble lady to deliver flowers? What if someone noticed her existence?
I’ll be buried entirely in society. The bigger problem was Simon’s reputation. Rumors like this could be fatal as Simon had been pushed out of his position.
Elusiana rubbed her throbbing forehead and sat down in the chair. “I’m really troubled.”
Of all things, the customer who ordered this flower basket was Count Eragost, so she couldn’t cancel the contract. Their family wasn’t as powerful as Grand Duke Sestain, but Count Eragost’s power was also great.
“Seeing that Trisha even asked me to do it, it seems like no other staff was free at the moment.”
It was likely all the staff were busy meeting the demands of the Grand Duke of Sestain.
Elusiana swiped her hair with both hands and stared at the basket of flowers for no reason. But the answer she would give was already decided. She then groaned. “Whatever it is, let’s make a flower basket first.” As Trisha’s guilty face suddenly popped into her mind, Elusiana pretended to be calm.
“…It should be fine if I press down on the hood.”
Maybe it wasn’t as dangerous as she thought. ‘The Waieos’ has already become a relic of old memories. So this worry would be pointless.
Elusiana picked up a purple flower while grooming it with a bitter smile. Just then, the store door opened, and a man ran in.
“…?”
The man took a deep breath and closed the door quietly. “Haa… I almost got caught.”
Elusiana watched the man’s odd behavior while holding the flower, then came to her senses belatedly.
“Excuse me, who… are you?”
The man quickly looked behind his back and whispered quietly, putting his second finger on her lips.
“Wait a moment, Lady.”
“Yes?”
“Shh— Can you wait quietly for a moment? I’m in a bit of a hurry.”
The man smiled gently and winked with one eye at me. Then he looked outside carefully as if hiding from someone’s eyes.
Elusiana couldn’t stand it and returned to her worktable, then said, “Excuse me, Customer?”
The man who was watching outside slowly turned around and smiled. Unlike the first time, he was relaxed, the danger outside had disappeared.
The man, who came near, closed his eyes beautifully, smiled, and said, “Did you have a crush on me, Lady? Why are you looking for me like this?”
For a moment, Elusiana thought her ears were broken. Aside from breaking into other people’s stores, what is this fresh bullshit? What? Who is this pretty, crazy guy?
The man looked at Elusiana with a pretty serious look on his face. His purple eyes gave off a subtle light as if seducing her. Just by looking at them, they were beautiful like a jewel. Elusiana forgot to argue for a moment and just stared at him in awe.
“This is a big deal. I can’t ask you if you’re not even paying attention. I’m sorry.”
A soft, sweet voice ticked her ears. It was a soft, friendly voice that lightly ignored other people’s vigilance. It was time for a man with a deeper smile to come closer.
“There! Stay where you are!”
Elusiana held her hands out in front of her, blocking the man’s approach. She was mesmerized by his voice and almost bewitched.
You can’t get involved with this guy. Get yourself together, Lusi! She thought she had grown accustomed to Astein’s beauty, but this man’s beauty was fatal in another sense. It’s not like I’ve been bewitched once or twice.
Elusiana hid her surprise and spoke in a relatively calm tone. “I’m sorry, Customer. Our store opens at ten.”
“Customer…? Oh, you might think so. Well, that’s fine. It wouldn’t be a bad idea to buy one at this time. Can I choose flowers from over there?”
The man moved naturally to the side where the flowers were arranged, slyly ignoring Elusiana’s words. For a moment, Elusiana thought, ‘What kind of a man is this?’ and quickly blocked the man.
“That’s difficult, Customer.”
The man stopped walking and looked puzzled.
“Difficult? Didn’t  you tell me you want me to leave? Well, do you?”
“I’m sorry, Customer. The exit is over there.”
Elusiana, who finished speaking, naturally stepped back. The empty space was obviously a place for him.
For a moment, a question crossed Noel’s face, the man. I thought it was just talk, but she really wants me to leave? Even if he left the store right now, how many women would grab him or jump on him. But why is this lady so desperate to make him leave?
This is fun. Noel laughed and ran a hand through his hair. At that moment, his purple eyes with a strange light followed Elusiana’s gaze as if to tease her.
“Ah, I’m sorry. I was really surprised. Honestly, I didn’t expect to be rejected. Um… should I introduce myself first? My name is Noel. I’m usually called El. I wish you could call me like that too. What do you think about it?”
What? What do you mean by ‘what do I think’ about it?  For a moment, Elusiana’s expression was slightly distorted. Above all, it was usually up to family members, close friends, and even deeper lovers to be allowed to call them by a nickname. She didn’t care what that pretty mouth said, but he went too far, forcing his nickname on her when they met for the first time.
Anyway— I must have looked ridiculous. Cut  off this man. I like pretty things, but I’m not a naive woman who doesn’t know what’s going on.
Elusiana sneered inside. She used to live as Han Suyeon before. And this kind of guy is 100% a flower man who would devour women. It was best not to associate with him in the first place.
“I’m alright. Then, goodbye, Customer.”
Elusiana, who finished talking, turned around and walked to the store door. It was then that Noel’s face, which had been calm the whole time, turned blue.
“Lady! Don’t tell me you’re going to open that— d-door?”
Noel’s eyes, which called her urgently, shook relentlessly. His eyes turned reflexively to the door.
As expected! There’s a party out there. They must be out there looking for this man. After confirming it, Elusiana had nothing more to hesitate about. Whatever happened, the party outside would take care of the rest.
That’s why you must go when I’m still telling you nicely… Huh?
It was the moment when she tried to open the door vigorously. Somehow the door wouldn’t budge. She was obviously pushing it with all her might, but why did it become stuck like this?
It was then. A stream of hot air swept over her head.
“Haa… Lady, it’s really too much.”
A slightly annoyed voice rang out above her head. Elusiana slowly lifted her head and looked at the owner of the exhaled hot air. When did the man get here?
Their distance before normally took ten steps. It was a distance that took a minimum of six steps, no matter how tall he was. But the man who was that far away stood in front of her in a blink. Elusiana swallowed her dry saliva without realizing it.
“This is also my first time.”
Noel, frowning at her, pressed down the door and looked at her. A golden hair half covered his eyes and flowed down. Below that, his purple eyes shone brightly.
“It was a little refreshing to ignore me openly. My face is kind of hard to maintain with your unwavering heart, right?”
The corners of Noel’s eyes hardened slightly as he winked with one of his eyes.
“But this joke was too much.”
“…Joke? What are you talking about?”
Noel narrowed the distance, leaning his forehead against the hand holding the door as if he was frustrated.
“If you’re asking because you really don’t know, I think I’ll be a little angry.”
“But I’m really confused.”
“Ha! This Lady, really!”
The angry Noel pushed his face closer.
“Hey, Lady. Do you think you can do whatever you want because I smiled at you? Why are you so anxious to kick me out? Do you think I don’t know what you’re going to do?”
Elusiana’s face turned white at Noel’s growling. She had completely forgotten about it. That this wasn’t the world she used to live in.
It was a world where commoners’ rights could be ruthlessly trampled on, and nobles and the emperor could act according to their taste. No matter how rude this man was, he was obviously a noble, and there was nothing to say unless Elusiana revealed her identity.
Elusiana clasped her trembling hands tightly. “…I’m sorry if you were offended.”
“Haa…”
Noel frowned and let out a long sigh. While doing this, he somehow felt like a bully threatening a weak woman.
I was just trying to hide for a second. Noel stepped back, smoothing his throbbing forehead. She answered well and seemed quite frightened. Noel glanced down at her hand, which was still trembling, then he placed his hand on Elusiana’s shoulder.
No, he was just about to reach it. Suddenly a terrifying aura wrapped around his whole body. Surprised, Noel distanced himself reflexively, and the closed door burst open at that moment.