Escaping the Archduke of the North's Obsession

“What?”

“It’s an event I organized myself. All the women living in the separate house are supposed to join the voting, so go ahead and tell me.” Anna took out her notebook and asked Isabella seriously. “Who do you think is more handsome, Sir Evan or Sir Martin?”

Was Sir Evan the man who won the archery competition?

Frankly, she wasn’t even sure who Sir Martin was.

“Tell me, Isabella.” Anna urged.

“I think I’ll go with Evan,” Isabella answered awkwardly.

Did Evan even want to win the popular vote?

“Oh, I see that we have similar tastes. Flower boys were more attractive than men who looked like sculptures with broad backs. Good luck, Isabella.” Anna greeted her excitedly and went out of the drugstore.

Isabella quickly forgot about it and concentrated on making medicine again.

The event didn’t matter to her anyway.

+++

Victor sighed multiple times as he looked outside Duke Kyar’s window.

Prince Victor had burst into his office earlier, and until now, he had no idea what was wrong with him.

Duke Kyar frowned as he laid down the documents he was reading.

“Why do you keep sighing, Rafael?” He asked him irritably.

“What’s her secret?” Prince Victor murmured cryptically while still looking out the window. “How can I get that look from my future wife? I truly envy Isabella.”

Duke Kyar’s gaze turned towards the window after hearing Isabella’s name.

There, he saw Prince Victor’s fiance, Princess Seria, and Isabella sitting at a table in the garden and drinking some tea.

He rose from his desk and walked towards the window to see Isabella smile at Princess Seria.

Her smile was as bright as the sunshine that he couldn’t help but smile.

“Can you see how my Seria’s eyes sparkle every time she looks at your pharmacist?”

Honestly, Duke Kyar didn’t even notice because he was too fixated on Isabella.

“I think Seria likes Isabella more than me.”

“Are you being jealous of these women? How childish could you get?” Duke Kyar scolded him.

Prince Victor pouted his lips in response. “It’s not that I’m jealous, but… alright, I am jealous and also a little worried. Seria feels comfortable in my presence, but I don’t think she loves me.”

“Love is not that important as long as you make the woman feel safe.”

“You’re only saying that because you hadn’t been in love. When you’re in love, nothing is more important than love itself. The whole world revolves around love, Kyar.”

Duke Kyar scowled at that.

“If that’s what love is, perhaps, I’ll never know.”

“It’s not that you wouldn’t know about love simply because you don’t want to. A person will fall in love without even realizing it at first.

“No more ramblings about love. I don’t want to listen to it anymore.”

Upon saying that, Duke Kyar pursed his lips when he saw the light blue-haired man approach Isabella.

It was Evan who became a knight after winning the recent archery competition.

“Who is that guy?” Prince Victor demanded as he glared at Evan’s back.

When Evan approached the two women, Prince Victor panicked and uttered, “I have to go, Kyar.”

Then, he exited his office in a flash and left Duke Kyar alone in his office.

Duke Kyar turned his back from the window with clenched fists and went straight to his desk to pick up the documents.

He didn’t have to pay attention to them.

Whether Evan intended to single out Isabella was none of his business.

Yet, why was he so annoyed?

The images of Evan and Isabella during the archery competition came to mind.

He remembered how the knight kept talking to Isabella on that day.

Was Evan interested in Isabella?

“That’s none of my business either.”

He arranged the documents on his table nervously as he pushed the unnecessary thoughts out of his mind.

He would try his best not to look at the window.

**

Isabella was talking to Seria when a man’s voice caught her attention.

“Long time no see, Isabella.”

She was surprised to see Evan standing in front of her.

“I never thought I’d see you again in Rubella Castle like this.” He grinned.

“That’s true,” Isabella replied with a reluctant smile.

Evan seemed kind and friendly whenever she talked to him.

“I wanted to see you and thank you in person.”

Bewildered, Isabella glanced up at him in question. “What?”

“Anna told me that I won first place in her ‘popularity vote’ because of you.”

Isabella blinked.