After I, a Penniless Noble, Entered a Fake Engagement with the Most Elegant Duke’s Daughter at the Academy, For Some Reason She Started Showering Me with Love - V2 Chapter 01.1: The First Snow, and the Duke’s Daughter’s Sneeze

Volume 02

Chapter 01.1: The First Snow, and the Duke’s Daughter’s Sneeze

“Hah-bshoo!”

A sneeze burst from my overly sensitive nose.

“Cold…”

Rubbing at it, I glanced up at the sky above the rose garden.

Thin white clouds spread like ripples across the heavens. They swallowed the midday sun, hanging low and swollen—as if they might fall at any moment.

According to the calendar, it was still autumn.

But this mountain-locked country always welcomed winter early. 

The academy sat high in a basin between peaks, and apparently that made it far colder than the plains.

Not that I would know much about that.

I had never even left the country.

“Would you like some warm tea?”

“…How are you completely fine?”

“I handle the cold well.”

Yuri, seated across from me, curved one corner of her lips in a smug smile. 

A deep blue shawl rested over her academy uniform.

The nobles’ uniform was of the highest quality. The winter version in particular—thick fabric, windproof, almost luxurious. It was easily one of the warmest outfits I owned.

And yet… cold was still cold.

Accepting her kindness, I took the cup and sipped. 

A faint puff of white breath escaped my mouth.

We had been outside since after class, so the tea had cooled slightly—but thanks to the red cozy wrapped around the silver pot, it still held enough warmth to take the edge off.

“Not fond of the cold?”

“At this time of year, we could just sit inside.”

“The salon is overflowing with people desperate to get married.”

“That’s exaggerating a little, don’t you think?”

“If you’re fine with that, by all means,” she replied lightly.

Yes, no thank you. 

After hearing that, there was no chance I was stepping foot in the salon.

The only reason I had borrowed this rose garden was to escape the academy’s constant pressure to “go find someone to marry already.” Just because it was getting colder didn’t mean I was willingly walking back into that chaos.

“So the salon’s full, and there aren’t any empty rooms either?”

“If only there were at least a small hut in the garden. Unfortunately, the only structure here is the rose maze.”

“For a privately owned garden, that’s already more than enough.”

“Is it? I think having at least one mansion here wouldn’t be unreasonable.”

As expected of a duke’s daughter. 

Her sense of money existed on an entirely different scale.

“Well then, I suppose we’ll just have to dress warmer.”

She spoke calmly and took another elegant sip. But the tip of her nose had turned bright red, and for a moment she looked like she was forcing herself to endure it.

She was simply good at pretending she was fine.

Maybe that was true of the uneasy feelings I had been carrying lately as well. 

Maybe Yuri was just that skilled at acting unshaken.

“Is something wrong? You’ve been staring. Fallen for me all over again, dear husband?”

“It’s not like that…”

The words tangled awkwardly as I muttered them.

“Oh? That’s unusual. Your sarcasm seems dull today.”

“It’s not sarcasm. Just an observation.”

“As expected of my dear husband.”

What exactly was she praising me for?

And if my usual sharp edge was missing, the reason was Yuri herself.

“—I love you.”

On the carriage ride back from my family home, she suddenly wrapped her arms around me—and dropped that confession as if it were nothing.

No one could possibly stay calm after that.

And yet, she never asked for an answer.

After saying it, she returned to acting as though nothing had happened.

So what exactly was I supposed to do with that?

There was nothing more troublesome than having someone pour out their feelings one-sidedly like that.

That had been over a week ago.

Since then, she had casually invited me out for tea as usual. I couldn’t even tell if she was aware of what she had done. If anything, I was the only one constantly conscious of her now. It felt unfair.

And if this were all some calculated move—

If she suddenly said, “Oh, that confession? Just a joke,” then duke or woman, she would deserve at least one punch.

…Though realistically, the one getting sent flying would be me.

I brushed aside the pointless thought and exhaled a long, white breath.

It drifted like a small cloud.

Or perhaps my tangled feelings were finally taking shape in the cold air.

“You’re being gloomy.”

“……”

I swallowed the urge to say, And whose fault do you think that is?

If she casually said right now, “Then give me your answer,” I had nothing prepared. I would panic, stumble over my words, and embarrass myself. That much was obvious.

Do I like her or not?

To begin with… how do I even feel about Yuri?

I don’t dislike her.

Yes, I knew. 

Saying it that way was exactly why she laughed and called me dishonest. But if asked whether I liked her, I still hesitated.

At the academy, she was the person I was closest to.

That much was certain.

But did that automatically mean I liked her romantically?

That was where it became complicated.

Until recently, I had neatly labeled her as a “close friend.”

Now that label was peeling away.

I was holding a pen over a brand-new blank tag, frozen, unsure what to write.

Honestly, this way of thinking wasn’t very noble-like at all. I was prioritizing feelings.

If a duke’s daughter showed interest in you, most people would leap at the chance. Feelings would come later. 

But to me, Yuri wasn’t a walking mountain of gold or a symbol of status and power.

She was just a girl who loved teasing me—

…That came out worse than I intended.

“Isn’t that rather rude?”

“…Would you mind explaining exactly what train of thought led you to insult me just now?”

She smiled sweetly.

But there was a faint shadow around her eyes.

That was what made it frightening.

“No, that’s not what I meant.”

“Oh? So you’re saying it isn’t me?”

“It is you.”

“…Why are you only honest about things like that, dear husband?”

Yuri let out a long, weary sigh.

Resting her elbows on the table, she folded her hands and pressed her lower lip against them. Her cheeks puffed slightly in clear annoyance.

Only then did I realize my mistake and quickly cover my mouth.

“It just slipped out…”

“Are you a child?”

“At least I don’t cry and throw tantrums to make my point.”

Now how was I supposed to recover from that?

Her sharp gaze pierced straight through me, and cold sweat trickled down my back—when suddenly something cool tapped against my cheek.

Rain?

I looked up past the edge of the roof.

Soft white flakes drifted down, and one settled gently on the tip of my nose.

I brushed it away with my finger. A faint trace of moisture remained.

“Snow.”

The first snow of the year.

So those thick white clouds really had been snow clouds.

I found myself staring at the falling flakes—until a voice colder than the snow slid down my spine.

“And you think you can distract me with that?”

“Wow, pretty snow.”

“Have you regressed into a toddler?”

No. Not forgiven.

Lowering my head, I considered offering some kind of apology—

“—kshh!”

A small, adorable sound reached my ears.

“Yuri?”

“Excuse me. It’s simply gotten a bit cold—kshh!”

She covered her nose and mouth with both hands and released another tiny sneeze.

“Cute.”

“…! Why! Why are you only smooth at times like this, dear husband—heshh!”

Her nose must have been tickling, because even her anger kept dissolving into sneezes.

The proud, confident air she usually carried had vanished. Instead, she sounded like a small kitten.

And before I realized it, I was laughing.

“Haha… well, anyway. This one’s on me. Let’s call it a day. It’s freezing.”

“—!”

Yuri slammed her hands against the table, emotions she couldn’t even put into words overflowing in the gesture. 

She genuinely looked like a child throwing a silent tantrum.

For a moment, I wasn’t sure how it would end… but it seemed the first snow had brought a bit of good fortune.

…Or so I thought.

That illusion lasted exactly half a day.

“Did she catch a cold? Lady Yu…liana?”

“Yes.”

A maid claiming to serve Yuri came all the way to the boys’ dorm to find me.

“Lady Yuliana has instructed me to inform you: ‘As an apology for yesterday’s insults, come visit me… kshh.’”

“She even included the sneeze?”

“Yes.”

The maid reported everything in a flat, expressionless tone.

Was she serious? I almost wondered if she was joking, but her cool, emotionless beauty betrayed nothing.

I scratched my head, already sensing trouble.

“I don’t mind visiting, but… the girls’ dorm?”

“You are to come. Without fail.”

“And if I don’t?”

The maid raised both index fingers and pulled the corners of her mouth upward into a wide smile.

For an instant, I could clearly picture Yuri’s sweet, smiling face behind that gesture.

Ah. I see.

This wasn’t a request. It was an order.

My cheek twitched.

So it seemed the first snow hadn’t brought only good news.

It had delivered bad news as well.