Chapter 104.2

Chapter 104.2

Still worried, Jasmine quietly asked him as she sat beside him,

“Are you alright?”

“If you’re asking after my well-being, I’d say I’m doing better than your chicken.”

“Oh, really.”

I shouldn’t have bothered. When Jasmine showed her annoyance, Richard chuckled while tilting his teacup. His elegant and composed demeanor in someone else’s home made her wonder why she’d worried about him at all, but then he asked with interest,

“Did Jasmine believe in Santa too?”

“Everyone believes in that when they’re young. Didn’t you?”

“I did. Surprisingly enough.”

Richard said with a hollow laugh. Jasmine grew curious.

“Then who played Santa? The former Duke seemed too strict to do it himself like my father.”

“…Well, until I was six?”

“Wow, really?”

“Yes. Surprisingly indeed.”

“That’s amazing. Must have been wonderful.”

She covered her mouth and giggled softly, feeling inexplicably excited. Richard gazed at her with gentle, tender eyes. His affection was obvious enough for even the most oblivious person to notice. A loud throat-clearing redirected their attention.

The Grand Duke’s family was watching the pair with varying expressions. Jasmine was startled to realize that for a brief moment, she had forgotten that her family, of all people, was present. How did that happen? This was her home, after all.

“Hmm, you two seem quite close. When did the Duke become so familiar with our child?”

“Through Senior James’s introduction, we had our first private meeting, and later, we had a chance to grow closer at the summer villa.”

“James?”

As murderous glares from both the Grand Duke and Caras were directed at him for his unnecessary meddling, James awkwardly fidgeted with the refreshments while breaking into a cold sweat. The Grand Duchess, who had been listening quietly, smiled gently and spoke,

“I see. I heard parts of what happened that summer, though not everything. I heard you gave Jasmine a knight’s kiss?”

“What? I hadn’t heard about this!”

The Grand Duke exclaimed, nearly spilling half his tea. Eliza, unfazed, tenderly wiped her glaring husband’s mouth with a napkin while saying sweetly,

“You’ve always been oblivious to gossip and rumors.”

“Even so, I should know about matters concerning my daughter! What were my secretaries doing!”

“Perhaps they kept quiet precisely because they feared this reaction, Father.”

“They probably didn’t expect you’d remain unaware for this long.”

Caras and James responded indifferently to the Grand Duke’s outburst. Finding logic in their words, the Grand Duke’s eyes trembled.

The Grand Duke’s secretaries would likely face chaos tomorrow. Foreseeing this, the Grand Duchess gently stroked the back of his hand while gazing steadily at Richard.

“Though I’ve never served as a knight and don’t know much about it, I understand that such an action isn’t something done casually. Is that right?”

“That’s correct.”

Richard’s eyes turned to Caras, who stood with his arms crossed sullenly.

“Your son can explain its meaning if you ask him.”

“Caras?”

“Sigh.”

With all eyes suddenly turned to him, Caras glanced irritably at Richard before reluctantly nodding.

“It’s a declaration one can make only once in a lifetime. Usually, it’s a vow or honorable greeting given to a spouse, lover, or lord.”

“Oh my.”

The Grand Duchess’s eyes widened as she covered her mouth, while Jasmine’s cheeks suddenly burned. The bewilderment, surprise, emotion, and confusion from that time washed over her like summer heat, transcending mere memory.

At the time, her mind had been too dizzy and complicated with thoughts about their relationship to deeply consider the weight or meaning of a knight’s kiss.

Though she was moved by how he immediately acted on her words and grateful for his sincerity, it had felt excessive compared to what she’d wanted, making its authenticity somehow less tangible.

But looking back now, she wondered if he hadn’t tried quite hard in his own way. A vow that could be given only once in a lifetime.

What thoughts had led him to give something so precious to her? A woman he’d only known for days – how could he go so far when he barely knew her… Had he not considered the possibility that those feelings might have been merely a passing fever or impulse? Someone as serious and cautious as him?

From Jasmine’s perspective and values, if she were in Richard’s position, she honestly didn’t think she could have gone that far.

There were plenty of ways to comfort and reassure a new lover. Having more conversations, spending time together, building memories through small gifts and events.

In fact, what Jasmine had wanted was something like having more conversations instead of physical intimacy, taking more walks together. Because of this, because he was so different from her, because he was beckoning from a place that seemed too high for her to reach, she had struggled to keep up.

Jasmine looked at Richard, who was staring intently at her regardless of their surroundings, and thought.

Perhaps she had tried too hard to understand him beyond what was necessary? He was simply that kind of person.

A bit strange and hard to understand, but a man who stayed true to his feelings in every moment and took responsibility for them. If she had seen and accepted him as he was, wouldn’t things have been easier between them?

Ah, how truly clumsy we were.

“So, Duke Aion was serious about our Jasmine even back then.”

Richard’s blue eyes, meeting Jasmine’s gaze, sparkled like crystal under the chandelier light. Like a blue rose blooming for her. And then he spoke,

“Yes, that’s right.”

Then, and now.

“I love your daughter.”

Passionately.

“To an extent that seems impossible.”

Desperately.

I like you. So very much.