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Duke Argenta smiled contentedly at Ayla, who seemed at a loss for words.
In fact, at first, the Duke had only intended to reward her appropriately for finding his son and be done with it.
However, after hearing Felix's story and seeing and experiencing her himself, his thoughts gradually changed.
The results she showed at the Subjugation Contest were astonishing even to him, and Ayla was not arrogant about it in the slightest.
If she, with both ability and character, were to become Felix's spouse, it would surely be a great asset to the Argenta Noble house.
“Don’t worry too much about the Black Dragon. It can be resolved by offering a suitable gift to the Red Dragon.”
Ayla looked up, startled.
“Offer a gift to the Dragon?”
“That friend is quite materialistic. But he is also reliable in return. If he likes the gift, he won’t be stingy.”
Ayla hesitated for a moment, then opened her mouth with a determined expression.
“If you have to offer a great price because of me… I will definitely repay it someday, even if it takes time.”
At those words, Duke Argenta and Felix exclaimed in surprise almost simultaneously.
“Repay? What do you mean?”
“You don’t have to, Ayla!”
Then, the Duke cleared his throat, perhaps embarrassed, and continued.
“I didn’t mean it that way. Both Felix and I… owe you so much. This is something we should do.”
“That’s right, Ayla doesn’t have to worry about anything.”
The Duke glanced at his son, who was fidgeting beside him, and then wore a mischievous smile.
“Well, you are dating our Felix anyway. You will soon be a member of the Argenta Noble house, so you should get used to this level of support.”
At those words, a look of embarrassment crossed Ayla's face, and Felix's face turned as red as a ripe apple.
“Don’t put too much pressure on Ayla with such words. We are here to solve the Black Dragon issue for now.”
He glanced at Ayla's expression, as if worried that she might feel uncomfortable with the atmosphere.
Seeing his son's reaction, the Duke chuckled and said,
“I was like that once too. I became overly thoughtful in front of my wife, and I was always nervous. Then I regretted not expressing my feelings properly.”
A bitter smile appeared on Duke Argenta's lips.
In his youth, he believed that his wife would always be by his side. So he couldn't honestly open his heart and only hesitated out of shyness.
He comforted himself, saying that there was plenty of time, that it didn't have to be now, and that his wife probably knew his feelings anyway.
But now he knows. Once a chance is missed, it disappears like a bubble and never returns.
By the time he came to his senses, time had flown by, and his wife, Liliana, was already gone.
“I really regretted it a lot after Liliana passed away.”
Ayla tilted her head and asked at the Duke's bitter voice.
“You… regretted it?”
“Yes. A person’s lifespan is shorter than you think. So I keep regretting it. What if I had expressed my love a little more honestly back then…”
Deep regret filled the Duke's eyes.
Seeing that, Ayla could immediately feel the sincerity in his advice.
“So, don’t regret it later and be honest with each other. There’s nothing shameful about cherishing and loving someone.”
Felix glanced at Ayla beside him with a troubled expression.
He was worried that he might have upset her with unnecessary words, even though they weren't actually dating.
But contrary to his expectations, Ayla lowered her gaze and was lost in thought.
‘Don’t regret it and be honest with each other….’
Ayla's expression became complicated at the advice that strangely overlapped with her own situation.
The subsequent dinner was also very enjoyable.
The food on the table, prepared with such care to treat the guest, captivated both the eyes and the palate.
Moreover, the Duke, the owner of the mansion, was knowledgeable in many fields as well as swordsmanship, leading the conversation interestingly.
Before she knew it, all the meals were over.
The Duke cleared his throat and gently suggested,
“How about taking a walk in the garden to digest? The gardener took extra care to groom it, knowing you were coming.”
Felix also chimed in with the Duke's words.
“That’s right. The garden here is beautifully lit up at night. Ayla will definitely like it.”
“Since you both recommend it so much, I’d love to see it.”
Ayla nodded happily.
Then, Duke Argenta told them to rest comfortably and naturally left the seat.
Felix and Ayla, finally alone, slowly moved towards the garden.
The night air was colder than expected.
Felix took off his jacket and carefully draped it over Ayla's shoulders.
“Are you okay? It’s quite chilly.”
“I’m fine. I’ve been a little insensitive to the cold since I was young.”
Felix hesitated for a moment, then carefully opened his mouth.
“I’m sorry if the reactions of the servants or my father were burdensome. Everyone seems to misunderstand that Ayla and I are lovers.”
Ayla shook her head and replied.
“No, I’m fine. Rather… it was nice.”
“It was nice?”
“Seeing the reactions of the Argenta Noble house people, I could feel how precious you are. The Duke too.”
“……”
“I was glad that I could confirm that.”
Felix paused for a moment, then raised the corners of his lips and gave an awkward smile.
“Thank you so much for saying that.”
“……”
“Actually… until I came, the Argenta Noble house never received guests or held banquets. So Ayla is a precious guest who has appeared after a very long time. That’s why everyone seems excited.”
“I’m honored that you say that.”
“I’m just telling the truth.”
After speaking, Felix paused for a moment, lost in thought, then opened his mouth again as if he had remembered something.
“Oh, come to think of it, there’s a place I want to show Ayla.”
He looked back at Ayla with a faint smile.
“How about taking a walk along this path while looking around the garden? There’s a building at the end, and it’ll be much warmer than outside.”
Ayla nodded obediently.
The two walked along the path lit by magic lamps.
The garden scenery along the way was beautiful enough, but the destination they soon arrived at was truly impressive enough to elicit admiration.
A beautiful space in the form of a huge glass dome welcomed Ayla.
Felix looked back at her with a proud face and said,
“This is the Greenhouse. Pretty, isn’t it?”
“Wow, Felix. This is really….”
Ayla exclaimed greatly and entered the Greenhouse that he had opened for her.
Unlike the outside, the interior of the Greenhouse, where bright moonlight fell, was very cozy and warm.
The potted trees placed everywhere were very exotic, and the flowers blooming here and there spread a subtle fragrance, creating an unreal atmosphere.
Just imagining how much effort it would have taken to create such a beautiful space made her admire it.
Felix, who followed her in, murmured in a low voice.
“I often come here when I have time these days.”
“Did you manage all of this?”
“Originally, my father did it alone, but these days I often help out.”
At his words, a smile naturally appeared on Ayla's lips.
‘Now he naturally calls Duke Argenta ‘father’.’
Until recently, he was very awkward with the title ‘father,’ but now he was calling him very freely.
“It’s surprising that the Duke cultivated such a cute Greenhouse.”
“I can see why you’d think that. Actually, looking at my father’s appearance, he doesn’t seem delicate enough to grow these flowers, does he?”
“……Well, I didn’t mean it that way.”
But she couldn't readily say no to Felix's words.
It was hard to imagine Duke Argenta, with his large and imposing physique, cultivating flowers.
“Actually, this is the Greenhouse that my mother used to cultivate. But after I disappeared, my mother’s health deteriorated rapidly… I heard that my father took care of it instead from then on.”
Ayla's expression hardened as she listened to Felix's words.
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