Chapter 9
Liberte met the Duke’s eyes, and he smiled softly before lowering his gaze. She couldn’t guess the meaning behind that smile, and it only irritated her. She had to force herself not to frown. She could have smiled back—but she didn’t want to.
“You said you had something to tell me.”
With Rosemary still rubbing her temples after the shock of learning about Iseris earlier, Liberte asked the Duke directly. The Duke, still smiling warmly, guided her to the table. Even as she sat down, her face remained blank.
Watching her from the side, Iseris leaned against the desk with folded arms, tilting his head curiously.
The Duke, unaffected by her coldness, kept his smile. He placed something on the table: the box of jewels wrapped in Rosemary’s old scarf. Liberte’s expression darkened slightly as she looked at it.
“You didn’t open it?”
She raised her eyes to him. His long white hair, tied with a wide blue ribbon, shone in the afternoon sun. Even at her cold tone, he didn’t lose his gentle manner. Anyone else would’ve been offended, Liberte thought.
“It was entrusted to Iseris by Your Highness. How could I dare open it?”
He smiled again as their eyes met. Each smile only made Liberte’s face grow colder. What does he want? Why is he smiling? She stared at his pale blue eyes, but no matter how long she looked, she couldn’t read anything there. The silence pressed heavily on her.
“Open it.”
Her curt order made him bow his head slightly and undo the knot. The ebony box, decorated with gold and gems, appeared. He hesitated, surprised by its fine craftsmanship. Liberte sighed. She wished he would just say what he wanted, directly or indirectly, like everyone else she had met.
“It was meant to replace the dowry I could not bring.”
“I cannot accept it.”
The Duke’s once-gentle eyes narrowed. Liberte couldn’t hold his gaze and lowered hers, staring at her clasped hands on her lap.
“I…”
Her voice caught for a moment. She cleared her throat, straightened her back, and spoke firmly.
“As you may have heard from Sir Levitt, I came here to marry you. The Emperor granted me a great dowry, but due to ‘personal circumstances,’ I could not bring it. This is small in comparison, but…”
The Duke listened quietly, while Liberte glanced at Iseris, who was watching with his usual tilted head. She wondered how much he had already told the Duke.
She hated hiding things but hated exposing weaknesses even more—especially with the Chancellor’s schemes possibly reaching even here.
“I understand, Your Highness, but Nortr cannot accept this.”
The Duke gently pushed the box back to her. Even so, he treated the box as if it were something precious. From the side, Iseris stroked his chin, smirking as if to say, Of course.
“Though you came here by the Emperor’s command, once you set foot in Nortr, you became our guest. I know you wish to resolve political matters quickly, but such things can wait. For now, I would rather you rest.”
Liberte was confused. There was no smile without reason—she had lived her whole life knowing this. So why was this man being kind without asking for anything? If he wanted money, he could simply accept the jewels.
If power, then marriage to the Emperor’s sister already promised it. And yet he didn’t even bring it up. It unsettled her more than greed would have.
The Duke checked his pocket watch.
“It is almost time for dinner. Let us go. I’ll have Iseris return this box to your room later.”
He stood, offering his hand. Liberte stared at it for a long time, but his smile never faltered. At last, she rose and let him escort her to the dining hall. The heavy door closed behind them.
* * *
“I’ve been waiting forever!”
As soon as Iseris opened the dining room doors, someone dashed out and leapt into his arms. A small boy with golden hair clung to him like a puppy. Both Liberte and Rosemary widened their eyes in surprise. The Duke chuckled wryly, while Iseris sighed.
“Is she the princess from the capital?”
The boy stretched to peek past Iseris, smiling brightly at Liberte. Iseris ruffled the boy’s hair and forced him to bow properly. Even so, he couldn’t hide the fond smile tugging at his lips.
“I’m Rodel Telo!”
The boy placed a hand on his chest and bowed like a knight, then looked up at Liberte with pride. His innocent grin softened her expression.
Rosemary was already kneeling to greet him, making him laugh. Watching them, Liberte almost smiled too—until she noticed the Duke’s eyes on her. She coughed lightly and forced her face back to neutral.
“I am Liberte Somia Crois. Yes, I am the princess from the capital.”
Since the boy had given a knight’s bow, she replied with a proper noblewoman’s curtsey. The elegance of her movement made Rodel’s eyes sparkle. For a moment, he reminded her of Oderi, her little brother.
Liberte’s lips curved into a genuine smile as she took Rodel’s hand and walked to the table with him.
The table wasn’t large, but the dishes were prepared with care. It wasn’t like the overwhelming banquets of the capital, but the food and flowers decorating the table had their own quiet beauty.
It pleased Liberte. She thought of Adelia Runos, the head maid, and smiled faintly at the resemblance between the lively flowers and the woman’s warmth.
When Rodel cheerfully called her “sister,” Iseris scolded him to say “Your Highness” instead. Rodel’s face fell in disappointment. Before she realized it, Liberte told Iseris it was fine. The boy’s sulking reminded her too much of young Oderi.
The heavy mood of earlier eased into laughter and lightness, thanks to Rodel. His chatter filled the hall, and Liberte caught herself smiling. She also noticed the Duke watching her with his usual calm smile.
She quickly looked away, embarrassed by how unnatural her smile felt. She wished she could smile as freely as he did—or at least seem at ease until she could understand the reason behind his constant smile.
But as she sat there, memories returned. The old days—dining with her father and little brother before politics stole away their peace. Times when she could laugh without thinking of hidden motives. She had long forgotten such simple happiness.
Now she looked at the Duke’s gentle smile again. Would it ever feel natural to her? Or would it always be a mystery she could never trust?
