---
Eileen, who had been about to ask how he was living, suddenly squeezed her lips tight.
Looking at Eileen, who had wide-spread eyes from surprise, Lucio slightly smiled, as if having expected this.
"All this is in the past.
Childish infatuation," he spoke.
Eileen, having been flustered and frozen on the spot, noticeably relaxed.
"Simply wanted to say you this now.
That when-that this was."
In his voice sounded an unfeigned emotion, although this was rather a recognition in already passed feelings.
But Eileen didn't catch these subtleties.
She simply rejoiced that now their communication wouldn't be too awkward.
"Er... thank you," she muttered, for the first time in life accepting someone's recognition and not knowing how correctly to react.
Having thanked him at random, she stealthily glanced at Lucio.
That one only smiled restrainedly.
Eileen tried as more naturally as possible to change the theme:
"Though and with delay...
How have you been living all this time?"
Sometimes she’d remembered about Lucio.
Wanted to write him a letter to learn how things were, but even didn't know where he lived.
Now, when they met, she wanted to take care of him, as-if-repaying for his past kindness in the university.
"Not very," answered Lucio, it seems, not having desired to discuss the last years.
He looked at Eileen straight: "To me it was difficult, for to go away from you was not my decision.
I wanted to remain nearby."
His words didn't leave doubts: Cesare had separated them.
And this was an unheard-of boldness, considering that in the car sat a subordinate of Cesare in military uniform.
*‘His Excellency is unlikely to turn attention to such words...’* Although Lucio was a talented and promising scholar, to him it was far from the Grand Duke of the Empire.
For Cesare his words would sound as the whims of a spoiled child.
But all the same better if he hadn't said this.
Eileen felt that she must stop him.
"I am glad that we all thus same met now."
When she tried to change the theme, Lucio's gaze darkened.
It seemed she heard his mute question: why did she not doubt in his words?
Lucio couldn't understand, but for Eileen this was an obvious choice.
*‘Once Cesare-nim thus acted...’* On that there must have been, was a reason.
Eileen firmly believed that Lucio committed some mistake.
Of course, Cesare and his knights could react too sharply even to an insignificant misdeed.
But they had reasons to be on guard—because of all the terrible events which happened with Eileen in the past.
Especially Cesare and the knights suspiciously related to young men, for Eileen was kidnapped when she was twelve, and a man of approximately the same age as Lucio did it.
Remembering those events which until now distinctly stood before her eyes, Eileen slightly bit her cheek.
Good memory in many relations was a plus.
But sometimes this became tormenting—when even moments which one wanted to forget remained in the head too bright.
Having driven away the memories having surged with former sharpness, Eileen again set about to speak:
"Tell me how you lived all this time."
Although now he evoked in her wariness, and not warm memories of an elder comrade, she decided not to show this.
All the same he was not for long in the capital and soon would go away.
To that same nearby were the professors, and she didn't want to create an awkward atmosphere.
Lucio, not having received an answer from Eileen, no more touched the theme of Cesare.
Instead of this he told of his life, in which Eileen indeed was interested.
After the sudden departure from the university he for a long time roamed until he accidentally didn't come out on connection with the professor of pharmacology Glenda and didn't decide to return to science.
He’d changed externally—trimmed hair, took off glasses and got rid of the habit to stutter, having applied to this titanic efforts.
And wasn't lazy in research, having published several articles in scientific journals, so that now his name gradually was becoming known in pharmacology.
Having heard that he was just about to be appointed the youngest professor, Eileen honestly confessed that she envied him.
Lucio walked along that path of which she once dreamed.
But of regrets of the unfulfilled in her there were none.
For also this path was gifted to her by Cesare.
"Glad that I have what to tell you."
Eileen generously praised the modest Lucio.
While he spoke, they unnoticed reached the lively district.
Eileen lead the professors through shops and bookstores, having bought up a pile of gifts.
Sogno insisted that she spend a certain sum, so she’d had to spend considerably.
The mountain of purchases they sent beforehand to the residence of the Grand Duke, and they themselves went into a tea-house to rest.
Glenda and Elio, who in the reception room of the residence couldn't calmly gulp tea, finally relaxed.
Lucio, silently having followed after them and having refused all gifts, and in the tea-house didn't drop a word.
It seemed he conceded to the professors the right to shower Eileen with questions.
Glenda, with impeccably styled hair, elegantly smiled.
She intently looked at Eileen: "Marriage with His Excellency... still difficult to believe..."
Elio, whose skin had darkened from work in the conservatory and garden, stroked his well-kept mustache and added: "If honestly, most of all it's not believed that you all still are occupied with research."
They thought that all her knowledge would go to waste after leaving the university. and Glenda and Elio highly valued Eileen's talent.
Knowing what they felt, she embarrassedly smiled:
"I am trying...
Though and alone.
There is nothing to show, but one day I want to be published as a leading author."
She for the first time dared to share her modest ambitions.
Suddenly Glenda grabbed her by the hand.
Eileen started from the unexpected gesture of the always restrained professor-ess.
"Don't drop study, Eileen-nim." Glenda's eyes, shining from under wrinkled eyelids, burned.
"Marriage—it is a sacred union.
You will enter into High Society as the Grand Duke and one day will give birth to an heir.
But I want that you would become famous not only as someone's wife or mother, but also as a scholar."
She realized that she’d given out too much and hurriedly added: "I know, it's tactless...
But I always thought that Eileen-nim will enter into history as a scholar, and not as a duchess.
Having learned that you are all still interested in science, I couldn't restrain myself..."
Glenda fell silent and cautiously let go her hand.
Eileen quietly took her palm again: "Don't worry.
Don't know how it will work out for me, but I will try with all forces."
"Eileen..." Glenda involuntarily called her by name as before and here same apologized.
Her eyes moistened, and Elio reached out to her a handkerchief.
Glenda was famous as a strict and cold professor.
Seeing how she nearly cried, worrying for her education, Eileen felt a strange excitement.
In her set-in-motion a desire to try even more.
While Eileen gave self to these thoughts, Glenda returned to herself her ordinary dignity.
Having made a sip of tea, she changed the theme: "Tomorrow we gather to visit one famous pharmacist in the capital."
Eileen nearly choked with tea from unexpectedness.
Glenda asked with sincere curiosity: "They say he is very famous...
You, by chance, don't know him?"