* * *
Lily and Dean stood there, both wearing expressions of concern.
Embarrassed to have been caught looking so distraught, Adam’s cheeks burned.
He quickly hid his fluster and put on a calm face.
“What’s up?”
“The Dukes are calling for you. They gave orders to come right away… Um, are you okay? You don’t look well.”
Adam glanced back at the mirror.
His cheeks were flushed, and faint bluish shadows lingered under his eyes.
Anyone could see he looked weighed down with worry.
“Guess I didn’t sleep well. Maybe a nap later will help.”
“Oh no! I’ll go prepare some calming tea. A warm cup will make you feel better.”
“Thanks. So… the Dukes asked for me?”
Adam followed the two down the hallway.
By now, most of the people living in the castle were familiar with him, and everyone they passed offered greetings.
“Good morning, Mr. Ross.”
“Lovely morning, Lord Ross!”
The morning sunlight streaming through the windows seemed to ease his troubled heart.
When Adam smiled back, Lily looked visibly relieved.
“Why would they want to see me this early in the morning?”
“Maybe they just want to have breakfast with you? You’ve been eating with them every day lately.”
“Oh…”
“They really care about you, you know. Every time you’re at the table, the two Dukes look genuinely happy.”
“Really?”
“Of course! I thought you already knew. Both of them are totally smitten with you.”
“I don’t know if I’d go that far…”
“No, I’m serious. I’ve worked here a long time, but I’ve never seen them so cheerful. Ever.”
Adam’s ears tingled.
Almost on reflex, he reached up and touched one.
The heat beneath his fingers was searing.
“…That’s very kind of them.”
“Oh my, Adam! Your ears are red!”
Startled, Adam lowered his hand quickly.
Lily and Dean’s eyes widened—they hadn’t expected him to be that flustered.
“L-let’s go. The Dukes are waiting. Where am I supposed to meet them?”
“The garden fountain. Sorry, should I not have mentioned your ears?”
Adam shook his head quickly, flustered all over again.
The sudden surge of emotion made his head spin, and he quickened his pace.
“This way, right?”
“Huh? No, that’s the wrong direction!”
“…Right. I meant this way.”
In his panic, Adam failed to notice a man watching him from nearby.
He didn’t realize that the man had heard every word or that he was murmuring to himself with a nod.
“…Just as I thought.”
The man’s name was Colin, and he stared after Adam’s retreating figure.
He bit his nails nervously.
A flicker of fear crossed his face, but only briefly.
Then, as if afraid someone might see, he lowered his head and walked away.
His footsteps were as anxious and hurried as Adam’s.
“Adam, you’re here.”
It was Chester who greeted him warmly, breathing in the fresh air with a broad smile.
The sight of that handsome grin sent a jolt through Adam’s chest.
“You called for me?”
“Yes. We decided to have breakfast in the garden today. Join us.”
A table sat near the fountain, already laid with various dishes—clearly prepared in advance.
Beside the sumptuous food sat a freshly-picked bouquet of flowers.
‘Lily was right…’
They really had invited him just to eat together.
A wave of joy wrapped around him.
Adam could feel the pulse racing beneath his ear.
Thump, thump, thump.
“Thank you for including me.”
“I should be thanking you, for keeping us company. Right, Brother?”
Isaac, who had been watching them silently, narrowed his eyes slightly.
Then, without a word, he turned and walked toward the hydrangeas.
“Here.”
Isaac held out a bunch of them to Adam.
Caught off guard, Adam took the flowers with a confused expression.
Their soft blue petals looked ethereal in the morning light.
Why was he being handed such a large and beautiful bouquet out of the blue?
“I saw you staring at them. Thought maybe you wanted some.”
“Oh… I was just thinking how beautiful they looked.”
“Put them in your room’s vase.”
With that, Isaac glanced at Lily.
Understanding immediately, she took the hydrangeas from Adam’s hands, likely to arrange them in a glass vase as instructed.
“Th-thank you.”
“That’s two things I’m grateful for this morning.”
His tone was blunt, but there was unmistakable humor in it.
Lily’s voice echoed again in Adam’s ears:
‘They’re both totally smitten with you.’
The tickle in his chest intensified.
If he didn’t move, it felt like his heart might burst.
So Adam shifted slightly in his seat.
And just like that, their quiet morning meal began—a routine breakfast that, at some point, had become a ritual shared by just the three of them.
“An invitation came.”
It was after the meal, as they enjoyed dessert.
Adam was sipping warm milk laced with fresh honey.
He lowered the cup with a questioning look.
“It’s from the Fetchwig family. They’re inviting us to a summer deer hunt.”
Isaac added in his calm voice:
“We’ve decided to accept.”
“You’re saying you’re going hunting? Both of you?”
“Yes.”
Isaac gave a small nod.
“His Majesty will be joining this deer hunt personally. There’s no way we can refuse a hunt the Emperor himself is attending.”
Adam, who had been quietly listening, asked cautiously.
“You don’t want to go… do you?”
“Is that how it seems?”
“If not, I apologize…”
“Nothing to apologize for!”
Just as Adam began to apologize, Chester spoke up in a cheerful voice.
“You guessed right. I just can’t stand the sight of those people. Especially that old fart Fetchwig—he’s dying to stab us in the back. He doesn’t even realize how much we’ve been letting him off easy.”
“Will you be alright? It sounds like you’re walking straight into enemy territory.”
“As my brother said, His Majesty will be there. He values us. I plan to act the part of a loyal retainer to perfection.”
The calmness in his voice eased Adam’s concern.
Once again, he was reminded that these two radiant dukes were among the strongest people he knew.
“Anyway, we’ll be gone for a few days. I’m not planning to take you with us.”
Chester leaned fully into the backrest, his posture relaxed yet retaining his usual grace.
“I realized something at the last party—you’re quite popular, Adam. There were even fools brazen enough to start eyeing you.”
“Ah…”
“It’s better for you to stay here. Safer. That’s probably what’s best for you too.”
And Adam had to agree.
Being the center of attention was still overwhelming for him.
He also couldn’t shake the unease of running into someone like Sloane, someone with a twisted heart.
But even as he nodded, a slight discomfort showed on his face.
The Carlisle brothers immediately noticed and glanced at him in question.
Adam’s fingers twitched around the glass he was holding.
“When will you be back?”
“Not sure yet. Likely when His Majesty decides. It’s the first grand deer drive in years—he’ll want to enjoy it to the fullest.”
“I’ll miss you a lot.”
The words slipped out before Adam could stop himself.
The moment they left his lips, heat rushed to his face.
‘What did I just say…?’
The honest confession caused a visible reaction from the two dukes.
* * *
