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Chapter 37

Emilia slightly averted her gaze from Lucas.

She hadn't been the one to cause that damage, but somehow she felt like an accomplice.

Fortunately, Lucas didn't press further about the goalpost and tree.

Instead, he propped his chin on his hand and watched the children running around.

In the quiet, the sound of the children's laughter reached them clearly.

Lucas suddenly asked her.

"What do you think of this park?"

"This place?"

She wasn't sure of his intent, but the question wasn't hard to answer.

"It seems like a good place."

Emilia recalled what the children had said earlier.

Of course, there were still some signs of commoner children being cautious around noble children.

But she thought they could grow up much healthier than if they were trapped entirely within their own separate worlds.

Even if that might be an overly idealistic thought.

In any case, just having a place where they could mingle seemed meaningful.

As she briefly shared her impressions, she felt a fixed gaze upon her.

Lucas was grinning at her.

"Why are you looking at me like that?"

"No, it's just—I had a feeling you'd think that way."

Her answer seemed to please him.

"Noble brats who don't know anything criticize it, saying 'why make such a useless place.'"

Lucas frowned and muttered with annoyance.

"With money to build such a lavish place, they say to just throw some bread at the slums instead. And those same people never donate a single coin to the poor kids."

"Exactly. That's a completely nonsensical argument."

Emilia agreed in a calm voice.

"To begin with, the poor relief fund for slum children falls under the welfare department, while this park is a city development project."

She frowned and continued.

"It's not like the budget can be transferred to another department, so why make such an absurd claim?"

She wondered if those nobles had even properly studied public administration.

If they knew even less than she did, what was the point?

At her expression, which seemed to say they were talking nonsense, Lucas burst out laughing.

"Why are you laughing?"

Just as Emilia was wondering what was so funny about her words—

"No, it's just—I've never been comforted that way before."

He muttered as if to himself.

"My mistress would find your words amusing too. She's the one who cherishes this park the most."

Lucas's eyes deepened as he spoke again.

"But now I'm even more curious about who you really are."

"What do you mean by 'who I really am'?"

Emilia frowned at his suspicious tone.

She wondered what this man expected of her.

"I mean, wouldn't you be curious too? Someone who trembles at buying a single dessert, yet surely isn't the one employing all those escort knights."

"I never trembled."

Emilia retorted brusquely at his exaggeration.

"Your eyes shook like an earthquake when you saw the prices, though."

"..."

She couldn't deny being shocked by the steep prices, so she didn't argue further.

"Well, I did enjoy the desserts you gave me that day. The child I teach especially loved them."

"The child you teach?"

"Yes. I work as a private tutor."

Emilia answered freely, seeing no reason to hide it.

Being a tutor wasn't something to keep secret.

"Those knights earlier are also employed by my employer."

"Seems like you've got a pretty wealthy employer?"

"Well, yes."

Emilia nodded.

Just then, Lucas clasped his hands behind his head and spoke in a bored tone.

"You sure give things away easily."

But he soon grinned slyly and asked her.

"So, what do you think I do?"

"Lucas?"

Emilia looked at his nicely upturned lips and recalled their previous meetings.

The first time had been in the afternoon, the second at noon, and now it was before sunset.

Come to think of it, the times and dates seemed random.

Judging by his movements, he might really be a knight as he claimed, but...

Emilia also recalled their past conversations.

Curfew, mistress?

As she mulled over the words he'd used, she suddenly paused.

"What, do you have an idea?"

He asked playfully, his eyes sparkling with expectation.

"Hmm."

But soon, at her gaze, he let out a dry laugh.

"What's with that look?"

The warmth that had been in her light-green eyes moments ago had vanished completely.

Now she was looking at him as if he were worse than trash discarded in the park.

Then she moved to the far end of the bench.

As if there were a lump of filth right next to her.

"Are you married by any chance?"

"...What?"

Lucas was stunned for a moment, then answered.

"No?"

But Emilia's suspicious expression didn't ease.

"Why on earth would you think that?"

He asked, baffled.

"You mentioned having a curfew, and someone you call 'mistress'..."

Emilia said, her voice less confident than before.

"Pfft—haha!"

At the absurd misunderstanding, Lucas burst out laughing.

"Mistress? What, is that your thing? You want to be called 'mistress' by your husband?"

"Th-that's not it!"

Emilia's face flushed as she quickly denied it.

"Or am I just so attractive that I look like I'm taken?"

"Attractive or not, could you just go away?"

The way he dodged the question only deepened her suspicion.

So even his seductive smile left Emilia's expression cold.

It was already rude to casually touch someone's hair like that, but for a married man to go around doing such things—

From her perspective, it was unforgivable.

"I don't associate with married men who hit on women."

Sensing her firm resolve, Lucas dropped his playful expression.

"I swear, it's really not true."

"..."

But Emilia's suspicious gaze didn't waver.

"Wow, this is the first time I've ever been misunderstood like this."

He muttered, sounding somewhat deflated, then stroked his chin in thought.

Soon, his eyes glinted playfully again.

"Then how about marrying me?"

"...Pardon?"

Emilia stared at him as if he'd lost his mind.

"Did you get heatstroke or something?"

It seemed the one who needed to fan himself wasn't her, but the man beside her.

At her roundabout way of calling him crazy, Lucas only laughed more.

"If you marry me, you can find out whether I'm married or not, right?"

At that, Emilia was momentarily speechless.

Of course, as he said, marrying him would indeed confirm it.

Since the Empire legally practiced monogamy.

But who would get married just to verify that?

"What kind of person just casually suggests marriage like that?"

Emilia scolded him.

But amused by her flustered expression, he just chuckled.

Soon, his laughter subsided, and Lucas slowly spoke.

"What about you—are you taken?"

"Me?"

Emilia made a baffled face as if to say what nonsense, and Lucas leaned back, nodding toward the men's jacket beside her.

"Then whose jacket is that?"

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