But Helena couldn’t say anything.

The duke’s hand holding her’s was large and warm. It felt very strange that her hand was completely held in the man’s hand. Moreover, the lips that touched the back of her hand were not so soft.

Helena was perplexed as to her hands, which were still damp from tension, even felt wet with sweat. If her hands are constantly sweating, the duke may be offended. If possible, she wanted to immediately wipe her palms on the hem of her clothes. But she couldn’t get her hand off the duke’s.

She didn’t know if it’s because her body was stiff as if it’s been enchanted or because she didn’t want to get her hands out of it.

Helena didn’t know.

She stared blankly at the man still kissing the back of her hand. Suddenly her heart started beating fast. Her face grew hot enough to feel the heat.

A man kissing a woman’s hand was one of the most formal greetings in the social world, and in itself, there was nothing significant to it. But can this act of holding her hand and kissing the back of her hand for a long time be a simple greeting?

The duke only had his lips on the back of her hand, but now the back of her hand was burning as if it had touched fire.

Helena licked her lips. Both cheeks, which had been feeling the heat, were as hot as the backs of their hands.

Then the duke raised his gaze and met Helena’s eyes. She felt as if she was being sucked into those black eyes of which the depth was unknown.

Helena felt her heart pound and fall to the deep bottom. What should she say? Her lips twitched several times, but her ears turned red and she quickly bowed her head.

While Helena was agonizing over not knowing what to do, the duke finally stopped kissing the back of her hand and opened his mouth. He was still holding Helena’s hand gently.

“Have you read the letter I sent?”

Helena thought her reply would probably be delivered in the late afternoon, but in Gabon, as she mentioned, was in three days.

His voice was as quiet and calm as usual. “… Yes.”

Helena had to cough once because her voice could not come out for some reason. Then the duke asked with a smile.

“But apart from Gabon, can you give me some time tomorrow? If you can’t make time before Gabon, you can decide after that.”

“Yes? Ah, yes.”

Confused, Helena stuttered and answered.

“Yes, that’ll be fine. Roughly speaking, it’s coming close, so I can come see you tomorrow. Anytime!”

After answering, Helena was stunned when she realised that she had answered too aggressively. She had to keep an appropriate distance and give a polite answer, but she was very embarrassed for a moment. Then Duke Bronant burst into laughter.

“You are very cute.”

“…Yes?”

Helena did not understand the meaning of the duke’s words. Why is he smiling and why is she cute?

All she knew now was that her face was burning as if on fire from the embarrassment.