Esmeralda lay flat on the grass.
Not elegantly.
Not gracefully.
Just... completely and utterly spread out.
The sunlight warmed her face, a gentle breeze brushing against her skin as strands of her hair danced lazily in the wind.
"...Ah," she sighed in absolute contentment. "This is what I was meant to do in life."
Beside her, her personal maid looked like she was about to faint.
"L-Lady Esmeralda!" she cried in horror. "The ground-! It's dirty! There are insects! Dust! Grass stains!"
"Yes," Esmeralda replied calmly, not even opening her eyes. "Nature."
"My lady, please get up! What if someone sees you?!"
"Then they'll see a noble lady reconnecting with the earth," Esmeralda said solemnly.
"That is not what they will say!"
Esmeralda hummed, rolling slightly onto her side. "You worry too much."
"I must worry! It is my duty!"
"And your duty is admirable," Esmeralda said, waving a hand lazily. "But also very loud."
"My lady-!"
Before the maid could continue her spiraling panic, another voice called from a distance.
"You there! The head maid is looking for you!"
The maid froze. "...The head maid?"
A visible internal struggle crossed her face. Duty... versus duty.
Esmeralda cracked one eye open, already sensing victory.
"Go," she said, shooing her gently. "Before she comes here and scolds both of us."
"But I cannot leave you like this!"
"You absolutely can," Esmeralda replied. "In fact, I insist."
"...My lady..."
"That is an order."
The maid hesitated-then finally bowed, clearly distressed. "I will return immediately!"
"Take your time," Esmeralda murmured.
And finally-
Peace.
"...Perfect," Esmeralda murmured.
"...I'm not interrupting, am I?"
She opened one eye.
A young man stood nearby-brown hair, soft eyes, gentle posture.
Second male lead energy, she thought immediately.
Aziel Arundel.
The quiet, kind one. The one who loses.
"...You are," she said bluntly. "But continue."
He blinked, then smiled awkwardly. "I... seem to have gotten lost."
"Impressive."
"...Thank you?"
She sighed and sat up, brushing grass off her dress. "Guest hall is the opposite direction."
"...I see."
A pause.
Then, unexpectedly, he sat down near her.
Not too close.
Just enough.
"...It's peaceful here," he said softly.
"It is," she replied, laying back again. "That's why I refuse to leave."
He watched her for a moment.
"...You're different from what I've heard."
"Good," she said. "That means rumors are unreliable."
The wind picked up.
Her hair brushed across her face.
She tucked it behind her ear, smiling faintly.
"...There's something nice about doing nothing," she said. "No expectations. No pressure. Just existing."
Aziel froze slightly.
"...Just existing," he repeated quietly.
She didn't notice the faint blush on his face.
"...You should try it," she added. "Being useless is underrated."
He laughed softly. "I don't think I've ever been allowed to be useless."
"...Second sons rarely are," she muttered.
He stilled.
"...You know?"
She paused.
Ah.
Right.
The book she read about Aziel was too vague. His older brother didn't care about the title at all and would always frequent brothels, always causing scandal, even got one of their maids pregnant which made his father send him to their most faraway land just to avoid further whispers in society. His father pressured him a lot. The only decent heir left. He was the second son yet he inherited the Marquis' title.
She waved it off casually. "Lucky guess."
But his gaze sharpened-just slightly.
"...You're observant."
"And you're easy to read," she replied lazily.
A quiet silence settled between them.
Comfortable.
But underneath it-
Something shifted.
Aziel looked at her again, longer this time.
Not just curious.
Interested.
"...You're not trying to gain anything from me," he said.
"No," she replied. "That sounds exhausting."
"...I see."
But he didn't look convinced.
Because for the first time in a long while-
Someone wasn't treating him as a spare.
And he didn't know what to do with that.
---
Far away-
A report was being delivered.
"...She was seen in the garden. With a man."
Rael's expression darkened slightly.
"...A man?"
"Yes, Your Highness. Brown-haired. Unknown identity."
Silence.
Then-
"...Find out who he is."
A pause.
"...And keep watching."
His gaze turned toward the window.
For reasons he didn't care to name-
He didn't like this.
Not at all.
---
Back in the garden-
Esmeralda stretched lazily.
"...Today is nice."
"...It is," Aziel said.
And for once-
Neither of them wanted to leave.
Though neither realized-
This quiet moment...
Would not stay simple for long.