Salis looked outside the carriage window as the atmosphere surrounding Hugh sent chills down his spine.
Ever since they left the estate, Hugh's face was even colder than before and dimmer. He still looks nonchalant but Salis knew that something was amiss.
He turned his head as his eyes were pleading to ask, 'What happened?' to Mike who was beside him.
Mike shrugged his shoulders as if saying, 'I don't know…?'
Salis frowned, 'Aren't you with him since early in the morning? How come…' he then peek at the Duke then turn to Mike.
When he saw Mike with a clueless look, Salis couldn't help but think 'why did I even ask…' as he shook his head.
Salis couldn't tolerate the atmosphere that seemed to make him recall how the Duke looked when he saw an enemy. But this time it's different. Like the duke had a look of guilt.
'But that's impossible…' Salis thought.
So, Salis decided to ask. As a subordinate of the Duke, he needed to know what was making him sour.
"Your Grace, did something happen?"
Hugh with a dim and vexed expression painted on his face turns his head towards Salis and Mike.
Salis unconsciously gulped his saliva as he met his irate eyes.
'Seriously, what happened?' he thought.
But even if he waited no answer was given. And so, Salis quietly looked away and stared at the scenes passing by outside the carriage window.
***
"Your Grace, did something happen?"
Hugh looked at Salis as he was disrupted in his deep thoughts.
"Your Grace?" Salis asked again.
However, Hugh was already absorbed by his thoughts. Recalling what happened early in the morning.
["Even if I'm a Duke or not, I would still do what I want."]
He didn't want to sound conceited and act cold towards Leticia but it was too late as he already spoke the words. After that, he didn't know how to redeem himself. He knew that what he said was true, but Hugh thought that there was a better answer than what he said.
It was a mistake!
And Hugh know that. He was so used to using a domineering tone towards his people given his high position as a Duke that he just blurted it like that.
However, he didn't want to do that to Leticia who saved him.
Tsk!
But then again, Hugh was annoyed when he heard Leticia address him formally.
He felt that there was a wall between them that appeared out of nowhere as he was addressed as "His Grace" by her.
But thinking about it, it was normal to be called by his title given that Leticia now knows his true identity.
Still! He didn't want that!
"Hah…" Hugh sighed and placed his big hand on his forehead.
He doesn't know what he wants to do and he doesn't know why he's acting this way towards her.
Tsk.
He clicked his tongue, remembering that Leticia became speechless with her eyes that had a hint of surprise.
'I should invite her for a tea…'
Hugh thought of a way to apologize to Leticia while he's on the way to the Palace.
***
"Do you have any specific destination, my lady~?" Austin asked.
Leticia looked at him and saw him smile meaningfully as the words my lady left his mouth.
'This guy…' she stared at him in wonder before she replied.
"Umm… no. I just want to look around." Leticia replied.
"I see… of course~ you can look around as much as you want. The commander already said that for today I'm your servant~" Austin smirked and continued, " Isn't that great~"
Leticia nonchalantly looked at his eyes and answered, "Yes, that's great."
"..." Austin was speechless at the tasteless answer that he got from her.
"...heh" he smirked and decided not to talk anymore and instead stare at her.
After that short exchange between Austin and Leticia, the carriage, once again was enveloped in quietness.
***
As the scenery changed as time went by and started to become more populated by people at the Capital, Leticia had a thought. 'I want to explore alone but that would not be possible right now.' then she looked at Austin. 'He definitely would not let me out of his sight but maybe…'
At the end of her thought, the carriage stops as they arrive at their destination.
Austin stepped outside first. Then he stretched his hand to escort Leticia.
"..."
Leticia stared at the hand and up to Austin's face where they met eyes. Instantly, she saw how blindingly Austin smiled to him but she still can see his eyes that have a hint of suspicion and that her actions were monitored closely.
"... my lady?" Austin slightly raised his brows and stared at her, wondering what's on her mind.
She blinks and puts her hand to his. "Can you stop calling me 'my lady'..." she said as she set foot at the bustling entrance of the Estienza street where a lot of nobles shop.
Austin paused and glanced at her profile. He thought that he must have heard her wrong… No, he thought that maybe it's not her voice.
Because for a split second, he felt the coldness in her tone. 'Did I do something to offend her?' he asked himself.
But for now, he needed to confirm if he heard her right. "Pardon, what did you say, my lady?"
Leticia softly sighed before she turned her head to look at him.
"I said stop calling me my lady. We're not at the estate of the Duke and clearly I'm not a noble. I wanted to go outside because I'm suffocated with the servants that kept calling me like that. I'm here because I wanted to have fun as well as tour the Capital. Besides, I said we should go to the market, not at the shopping district for nobles."
Surely, Leticia thought that her tone was not appropriate for someone who was just doing what they were assigned to do.
But because her stress had been piling up since the day she left her home as well as nightmares of bodies that she saw in her backyard that sometimes wakes her up in the middle of the night, everything that happened was now catching up to her.
Besides, she's starting to get irritated. 'At first, I ignored how they were monitoring me as I knew that I'm a stranger to them..' Leticia glanced at Austin, 'I ignored everyone because they're monitoring me in secret but this man…'
Tsk.
Leticia clicked her tongue.
'He's blatantly staring at me like I was a criminal sitting in a courtroom.'
Her patience was running thin. Honestly, she just wants to have her peace again.
Meanwhile, Austin was so shocked as well as Hazel that was silently listening to them. They could only blink as the guest of the Duke that looked so harmless and sweet actually had a fierceness hidden in her.
"Th-th-then, I'll call you Leti...cia?" Austin said as his words became soft.
"I-I'll also call you what you want Ma'am!" Hazel butted in, flustered at the coldness in her tone.
Leticia looked at the two and replied. "Good! Just call me Leticia and let's go to the market!" she smiled towards them.
As Hazel and Austin were left alone in the spot they were standing one thought came to their mind.
'She's kind of scary…'