Please Don’t Push Yourself

In the morning, Lucien knocked on the door to Marguerite’s room.

Because he had said on the very first day that he would come to fetch her, Marguerite and Anna had come to wait for Lucien’s arrival. All he needed to do was say, “Come to the dining room on your own,” but saying that felt like he would be pushing her away, and he hesitated.

Even so, Lucien understood that from Marguerite’s perspective, it probably just looked like he was deliberately coming to call for her because he suspected she would not come if left alone.

‘But… I don’t know what I’m supposed to do.’

‘Lucien-sama looks troubled again today…’

Following behind Lucien along the corridor leading from her room to the dining room, Marguerite watched him with concern.

At the same time, Lucien glanced back at Marguerite. He had wondered what kind of expression she was wearing as she followed him—

“!”

Instead of looking down, Marguerite was watching him with her brows lowered.

Lucien’s face flushed bright red, and his brows drew together.

‘Is he angry after all?’

Marguerite hurriedly lowered her gaze. She thought he must dislike being looked at.

‘The moment our eyes met, she drooped her head.’

Lucien, for his part, assumed Marguerite’s reaction was his fault.

The two reached the dining room like that and finished breakfast in silence.

After breakfast, it was Marguerite who stopped Lucien.

“Um, Lucien-sama.”

At being called by name, Lucien’s complexion turned red and severe. His gaze, sharper than usual, made Marguerite hesitate for a moment. She sensed that Lucien wanted to say something.

Lucien raised his hand, as if to block the light streaming in from the window.

‘Is he going to hit me—?’

Marguerite thought that would be fine too.

‘If hitting me once would make him feel better—’

But Lucien’s hand neither struck her cheek, nor grabbed her hair, nor shoved her shoulder.

It was gently placed on the hair that Anna had braided and tied for her.

“…?”

Marguerite looked up in confusion. Lucien, his face red, was looking down at her with tightly knit brows.

His hand felt heavy on her head. It was a man’s hand—large, thick, bony—resting there.

‘…?’

A question mark surfaced in her mind.

She still did not understand the situation.

Suddenly, Lucien’s hand moved.

Carefully so as not to ruin her arranged hair, slowly and gently, his palm stroked her hair.

‘This…!’

Marguerite realized it in a flash.

‘I’m being patted…?!’

Just like her mother had done when she was little. If Marguerite’s understanding was correct, it was meant to show affection.

She looked at Lucien again.

Lucien had turned his gaze away. His face was red. His brows were drawn together, his lips tightly pressed—

And that expression was right there, so close.

Once more, a lightning-like realization flashed through Marguerite’s mind.

‘Because Prince Noel told him to, he’s forcing himself to act close with me…!!’

For some reason, Noel even knew the internal affairs of House de Broy. Perhaps there were servants within the estate connected to the royal family.

Lucien probably wanted to show them that he treated Marguerite with care even at home.

If he was doing something against his will, it was only natural that Lucien would look angry.

“Lucien-sama.”

As if to lean into the hand stroking her hair, Marguerite stepped closer to Lucien. From a distance, they might even look like lovers unwilling to part.

Lucien froze, his movements stiff with tension.

After confirming that no one was nearby, Marguerite rose onto her toes and whispered into Lucien’s ear.

“Please, don’t overexert yourself. Anna is here, and I am used to the estate now, so from tomorrow onward there is no need for you to come all the way to my room. Thank you very much for everything you’ve done so far.”

With a bright, decisive smile, she said only that, gave a graceful bow, and walked away.

‘I managed to reduce Lucien-sama’s burden by one.’

Feeling she had done a good deed, Marguerite’s heart danced.

It was said that only after several minutes of standing frozen did Lucien finally understand what had just been said to him, as he watched her retreating back.