* * *

By the end of the day, Lowell finally sent a letter to Felix.

Its contents were a little different from usual.

In short, the letter read: ‘Your Grace, I want to learn how to dance from you. I will wait at Swain Hill. Even if you don’t come, I won’t resent you, but I will stay there until nightfall. I might catch a cold, though.’

It was more of a playful threat than a sincere one.

The evening weather was mild, making the possibility of catching a cold almost nonexistent.

Still, Lowell worried Felix might refuse the absurd request, so he added that playful twist to emphasize how much he wanted him to come.

‘I also want to talk about the rumors that have been going around.’

Lowell was confident Felix wouldn’t reject him after such an exaggerated plea.

More pressing, however, was the choice of the meeting place.

The only discreet location familiar to both of them was Swain Hill.

When the idea first came to mind, Lowell felt uneasy, as though he was intruding on Felix’s private sanctuary.

Still, the reason he settled on Swain Hill was that Felix seemed to associate even that precious place with sorrowful memories.

‘Maybe it’s not such a bad idea to help create some happy memories there.’

Lowell let out a deep sigh as he suddenly recalled how terrible his dancing was.

‘I’m not sure I’ll manage to create a good memory, though.’

Even as he lay in bed, he found himself dreading the arrival of tomorrow.

✨✨✨

Dressed more casually than usual, Lowell snuck out of the estate, avoiding the servants’ notice.

Ever since the rumors started spreading, even those who’d been indifferent to him had begun casting curious glances his way.

If they found out he was meeting Felix, those stares would become far more blatant, and Lowell had no desire to deal with the resulting hassle.

Once outside, Lowell donned a robe to avoid being recognized.

He took a carriage and arrived slightly earlier than the arranged time.

‘At least my exercise paid off.’

Although the difference was slight, his limbs hurt less than they had the last time he came here.

As he wiped the sweat from his brow and took in his surroundings, he noticed anew how meticulously Felix had maintained the place whenever he visited the capital.

While the hill itself was overgrown with bushes, the area near what seemed to be a storage site for Felix’s mother’s keepsakes was kept immaculate. L

eaning against a nearby tree, Lowell gazed at the sky as a massive bird soared across it.

“I really am quick to adapt.”

Lowell’s current world was nothing like the one he’d lived in as Eunoh.

During the busy daylight hours, he hardly had time to think about it, but at night, the ever-changing colors of the moon left him feeling strangely out of place.

It wasn’t that he missed his original world.

Still, it was odd to think that despite all the changes—this new world, his new identity as Lowell—everything seemed to move forward without a hitch.

Even he had adjusted naturally, and the realization left him feeling a chilly breeze in his chest.

“Let’s not dwell on unnecessary thoughts.”

Lowell was skilled at shutting down negative emotions.

Closing his eyes, he allowed himself to enjoy the pleasant breeze and the sound of birdsong, minimizing the distractions around him.

‘He’s later than I thought.’

His head began to droop.

He’d spent much of the previous night tossing and turning, fretting over the fact that he would have to dance.

‘If Felix arrives, he’ll wake me up.’

Lowell leaned fully against the tree, allowing drowsiness to wash over him.

His breathing slowed as sleep claimed him.

But the weather was not as patient as the slumbering man.

Before long, dark clouds gathered overhead, and what had been a sunny day turned into a downpour.

Drip. Drop.

Rain began to fall, first in sporadic droplets, then in a torrential shower that blurred the view.

Deeply asleep, Lowell was slow to awaken.

Blinking groggily, he muttered to himself.

“Ah… It’s raining. Is this a passing shower?”

But the rain was far too heavy to be fleeting.

As Lowell debated whether to continue waiting or seek shelter, a booming voice called out to him.

“Lowell! Lowell Clark!”

Felix’s powerful shout echoed in the distance.

Startled, Lowell’s eyes widened.

He’d never heard Felix raise his voice like this before.

Moments later, Felix appeared, riding a black horse at full gallop through the pouring rain.

The sheer intensity of his approach left Lowell momentarily speechless.

“Your Grace?”

Felix dismounted, his face drenched with what might have been rain or sweat.

Seeing his pale complexion, Lowell hurried toward him, alarmed.

“What were you thinking, staying out in the rain like this? What if you caught a cold—or worse, pneumonia? Do you realize how serious that could have been?”

Felix’s words tumbled out, his voice filled with agitation.

Lowell, who had written his letter half-jokingly, hadn’t expected Felix to take it so seriously.

Feeling both guilty and flustered, Lowell hesitated before gently holding Felix’s trembling hand.

Despite the warmth of the gesture, Felix’s hands remained cold, his worry unabated.

“Please calm down, Your Grace.”

“You should’ve gone back if I didn’t show up!”

“Felix!”

For the first time, Lowell raised his voice, calling Felix by name.

His usual playful formality vanished, replaced by an urgent sincerity that startled Felix into silence.

“I’m really fine. The rain only started just now, and it’s warm out, so I’m not going to catch a cold.”

Felix closed his mouth, though it was clear he still had plenty to say.

He finally relented after his initial outburst.

“There was… an imperial summons. I had no intention of being late, but when the messenger said you weren’t at the estate…”

His explanation was clumsy, Felix not being accustomed to justifying himself to others.

Watching him struggle, Lowell quickly spoke up to ease his discomfort.

“I’m sorry for causing you trouble, Your Grace.”

He meant the words sincerely, hoping to lighten Felix’s burden.

But Felix’s expression remained strained.

“Let’s head back. There’s a high-end inn nearby where you can dry off and warm up.”

Lowell didn’t want this meeting to end in guilt or regret, especially not here, in the place that was so precious to Felix.

“How about one dance before we go?”

“What?”

Felix questioned Lowell’s suggestion, looking utterly baffled.

Even Lowell himself found his excuse abrupt, but since he had summoned Felix to teach him how to dance, this was the only excuse he could muster.

“I figured it would be a waste to meet for dance lessons and part ways without doing anything,” Lowell explained, grasping Felix’s hands in his own.

“You need to warm up your body immediately. Dancing isn’t the priority right now.”

“But it’s warm enough, and I’m not even cold. I don’t want to dance awkwardly with the Duke at the ball. Please teach me already.”

Felix couldn’t refuse Lowell’s resolute tone.

Guilt over making him wait so long prompted Felix to comply with his request.

“Spread your legs a little wider. Otherwise, your steps will get tangled.”

They began to dance, somewhat awkwardly.

Surprisingly, Lowell’s movements were not disastrous, as if his body somehow remembered the steps.

Of course, this was largely thanks to Felix’s skilled guidance.

“Wow!”

Step by careful step, they moved cautiously.

Twirling gently, their chests would come tantalizingly close, only to separate again.

Lowell nearly stepped on Felix’s feet a few times, but Felix deftly avoided any mishaps.

As they danced without regard for onlookers, Felix’s initially stiff lead grew increasingly fluid.

The atmosphere between them softened, and the rain, now barely a drizzle, fell gently around them.

Lowell broke into a radiant smile, as vivid as a flower just beginning to bloom.

‘Who would have thought I’d dance in the rain?’

‘If anyone had suggested it before, I’d have called them crazy.’

* * *