“I didn’t expect to see fireflies here. I thought I could only see them during the summer nights. That’s a lot of them.”

“Northern people believe that fairies live here. Despite the rumors about wolves killing people, there are still a few who would visit the forest, hoping that the fairies would grant their wish.”

“I see.”

Cherryl watched the phenomenal performance of countless lights as if they were possessed by magic.

Even if she knew they were just fireflies, she thought she could just assume it was a lake where fairies had lived, as Cade said.

“I’ve never seen such a dazzling place in my life. It’s a vast territory, so of course there should be a beautiful place somewhere. I must have judged Carlsvik too early, dismissing it immediately as cold and desolate.”

“I’m glad you like it.”

“It feels like a dream. Do you come here often, Your Grace? Walking in the moonlit forest path and looking around lake filled with fireflies?”

Cade chuckled with his eyes cast down upon hearing that funny joke. “That’s not true.”

Suddenly, Cherryl remembered a story that her biological mother had told her at her bedside when she was young.

“Come to think of it. I’ve heard of it before.”

She turned her head and stared at Cade right beside her.

“Somewhere in this Empire, a fairy lake is hidden like a secret. Is that this lake?”

“I guess so. As far as I know, Lake Emely is the only lake in Lopern that has a legend of fulfilling people’s wishes.”

“Oh, my God. I shouldn’t forget about making a wish before we go. How did you find this place?”

It’s hidden deep in the forest, but it’s not far from Cade’s castle.

Did he find it while wandering around?

Instead of answering, Cade silently stared at Cherryl, who couldn’t hide her excitement.

Unable to overcome her soaring interest, she spoke again. “I’ve heard a strange rumor about you before.”

“What was it?”

“I heard that you like to roam around, Your Grace. Is that true?”

Before coming to Carlsvik, Lucy spoke of one of the many suspicious rumors about the Grand Duke.

At that time, a man, who only knew how to kill but one who loved to take walks, sounded ridiculous.

Cade smiled briefly at the question.

“Where did you hear that rumor?”

“I heard it from Lucy before. You like to spend time walking in the garden. It’s a story that’s been spread from the capital.”

“So there was a rumor about that going around. I barely had time to waste walking leisurely in the garden.”

‘He calls it wasting time?’ Cherryl blinked with a start.

The man’s deep voice added to the silence of the forest where only the croaking of the crickets and the swaying grasses could be heard.

“But that’s not wrong.” Turning head-on, he continued. “It’s kind of rare but there are times when I want to roam around.”

“Really? For example?”

“Sometimes, I want to do it when I have a dilemma and I don’t know how to solve it yet. If one walks without any destination in mind, one will get the answer without foolish expectations.”

Cherryl got flustered at his unexpected bluntness.

She couldn’t easily picture him being all confused and worried because he appeared like a cold-hearted man who would make decisions at once without caring too much about it.

When the man noticed Cherryl’s agitated heart, he raised his straight eyebrows playfully.

“You don’t believe me at all.”

“You don’t look like the type who would worry a lot, Your Grace.”

Cade did not answer back.

He stared at Cherryl silently, looking like he had no plans of coming up with an answer at all.

He hadn’t told her that he was suffering like a monk after bringing Cherryl to his castle.

She had no idea how hard it was for him to take more than the usual dose of medicine several times to suppress his arousal just so he could meet her tonight as the full moon rose.

In order to spend a long time with her without any issues, it was necessary for him to suppress his jutting erection that just wouldn’t stop.

Cherryl didn’t pry any further after Cade kept his silence.

‘There was another rumor Lucy had told me.’

Upon sifting through her memories not long ago, a particular part grew clearer bit by bit.

One of them was a rumor about women falling in love with Cade’s outstanding appearance that they were all lining up to woo him.

Noblewomen, who valued honor and pretense, must have liked him very much that they were willing to marry a man who was adopted and even involved in multiple scandals.

They said that many of these aristocratic ladies were rich and famous.

Among the names Lucy recited, a single name rose above the rest.

No, it wasn’t a name.

She told her that there was a princess among the women who courted Cade.

If a rumor about a princess being interested in the Grand Duke of North had spread to areas far from the Capital, it meant it was as widely known as that.

Subtle displeasure soared, but Cherryl hurriedly shook off the discomfort.

It was funny to feel almost jealous of a stranger.

At that time, Cade reached out and held the back of Cherryl’s hand on the grass.