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As if he realized that what he just said could cause a misunderstanding, Marquess Marco rushed to add, “So what I’m saying is that since you’re so beautiful, you must have family members who are just as beautiful…”

Yelena unconsciously thought of Edward at the mention of family. She didn’t even do anything, but she suddenly felt apologetic towards the marquess.

Yelena shook her head with a disappointed expression.

“I don’t.”

“Y-you don’t?”

“No. I don’t have any beautiful men in my family.”

“Really? Well, I’m sure if you search thoroughly, there will at least be one…”

“I said I don’t.”

The firmness in Yelena’s voice made Marquess Marco’s shoulders sink.

“I see…”

The marquess glanced plaintively at Yelena and mumbled, “I envy you.”

“You envy me?”

“Since you have the most beautiful man in this kingdom as your husband.”

“Ahem.”

Yelena raised her teacup and gracefully took a sip.

“You said you like art. I must say, you have excellent taste.”

“How did you keep such a beautiful man hidden for so long?”

Clink.

Yelena’s teacup clinked against the saucer as she put it down. “I never hid him.”

“…”

“People just didn’t know.”

Marquess Marco fell quiet. Then, he scratched the back of his head with an awkward expression, as if he thought he had misspoke.

“…Pardon my rudeness.”

“Don’t worry about it.”

“I’ve decided to stop roaming the kingdom and to return to the march,” the marquess shared, unprompted.

Yelena gave him a strange look. The marquess continued.

“So, if a beautiful man whom you could introduce me to ever shows up, please reach out to the march…”

“Fufu,” Yelena chuckled lightly. The marquess was persistent to no end.

“Why are you so obsessed with beautiful men?”

At this point, Yelena couldn’t leave the question unanswered. Marquess Marco hesitated, and then replied.

“My younger sister went through a lot because of me.”

“…”

“I don’t know if it would repay her for everything… but I want to make her happy. That’s all.”

Hoping for the happiness of one’s family was a universal desire. But Yelena asked a question that the marquess had overlooked.

“Would your younger sister be happy if she marries a beautiful man?”

“Isn’t that a given? Do you think that a woman who marries an ugly man would be happy, Duchess?”

“That would be tough.”

“Then…”

“But marriage doesn’t bring happiness to everyone, you know.”

The marquess hesitated. Yelena remembered something she had heard from Ben.

“Marquess, I heard that it’s already been five years since you last saw your younger sister.”

Yelena could roughly guess why it had been so long.

Judging by the marquess’s personality, he had left the fief on a whim at first, without a plan. Then as time went on, he felt apologetic towards his younger sister, who worked hard to manage the fief in his place… And his remorse made it even harder for the marquess to return.

‘He must have thought that the least he could do was come back with something.’

And so, what he came back with was that excessive obsession with beautiful men.

“Five years is a very long time. What you thought to be true may no longer be the case, Marquess.”

“…”

“Have a deep conversation with your sister when you return.”

“…”

“You might discover something that could make her happier than a marriage to a beautiful man.”

During the five years that the marquess’s younger sister governed the Marco March, the march had made stellar advancements.

‘That would have been difficult to achieve without the talent and aptitude.”

Perhaps there was a better path for the woman, rather than becoming someone’s wife.

“Well, I understand if you aren’t convinced by the words of someone who married a beautiful man, but…”

“No, not at all. Thank you for your advice.”

Marquess Marco stood up. He put his hand to his chest and gave Yelena a respectful bow.

“I will keep your words in mind.”

“…”

“Forgive my behavior from the past few days.”

“No problem.”

“If you ever need the Marco family’s strength, please reach out. I will definitely repay you for the trouble I caused you.”

There was no reason for Yelena to refuse the offer. Yelena replied with a grin.

“Okay.”

***