TCBCVF 75

~Chapter 75~

Did I not have fun?

‘No way.’

Actually…

‘I was happy just to be with the Duke.’

My face suddenly turned red, so I looked away for no reason.

“No, it wasn’t like that…”

“Then that’s good.”

The Lady shrugged like it was obvious.

“What do you mean, good?”

I raised my voice, annoyed.

But the Lady still looked calm.

“Why not? You said you had fun, and my brother did too.”

Huh?

My ears perked up.

‘If the Duke felt the same as me…’

I carefully asked the Lady,

“Um… did the Duke also say he enjoyed the opera?”

“Of course.”

She nodded seriously.

“My brother never spends time with people he doesn’t like.”

“Oh, I see…”

For some reason, her words made sense.

I was nodding along when I suddenly came to my senses.

“But… the Duke is busy. I feel bad asking for things like this.”

The Lady narrowed her eyes, looking at me like I was hopeless.

I was a little taken aback.

“Why are you looking at me like that?”

“It’s just… you’re reacting exactly how I thought you would.”

“What?”

“Never mind. It’s nothing.”

She pouted.

“I just think, no matter how busy you are, there are things you should make time for. My brother can’t stay single forever, right?”

…What does that even mean?

What does the Duke’s single life have to do with me?

I tried to figure it out, but gave up.

‘Who can understand what she’s really thinking?’

“Anyway, if something like this happens again, please let me know ahead of time, okay?”

I reminded her firmly.

“Yeah, yeah.”

The Lady answered lazily, then her eyes lit up as she asked me,

“So, what did you do with my brother at the opera, hmm?”

After that,

The Lady did keep her promise.

But for every outing…

“My Lady isn’t feeling well today, she sends her apologies.”

“She has something urgent, please understand.”

“This time, my Lady…”

…She always sent someone five minutes before we were supposed to leave.

She had so many “illnesses,” anyone would think she was a walking hospital.

And every time, the Duke escorted me instead.

We went to a solo concert by a musician supported by Claudius, or visited an art museum they funded…

The Duke and I attended all kinds of events together.

At each event,

‘That’s Claudius for you.’

I saw just how powerful the Duke and his family really were.

Honestly, spending time with the Duke was very enjoyable.

“I had a lot of fun at the exhibition.”

“I’m glad. I found it interesting too. Especially the sculpture by Connie…”

“Really? That was my favorite. It looked so real.”

We had similar tastes and good conversations.

Sometimes it even felt like we were on a date, and my heart would flutter.

Maybe that’s why,

Even though I knew the Lady was up to something, I went along with it.

But after a while,

‘She’s not even trying to hide her intentions anymore…’

I looked at yet another invitation with her name on it.

I had already pretended not to notice her tricks five times.

The Lady got bolder each time, and lately she openly tried to keep me next to the Duke.

Now I was holding an invitation to the semester-end party at Wilson University.

Scholarship recipients from Claudius invited both siblings to thank them.

[“Lari, something urgent came up.

I can’t send my brother alone to the party.

So, can you be his partner?”]

Looking at the letter with the invitation, I sighed deeply.

I could go to any other party and pretend not to notice her schemes.

But this time, the invitation was specifically for “the Claudius siblings.”

Is it okay for me to go in her place?

[“But, the invitation is for the Duke and Lady. Won’t the Duke feel awkward if I go as his partner?”]

After thinking about it, I sent her that reply.

[“The Duke is the one who gave the scholarships, so it’s fine for only him to go.

Besides, I already got his permission.

You’re not trying to stand him up, are you?”]

…Her answer was half persuasion, half threat.

‘Alright.’

I made up my mind.

I opened my jewelry box from the dressing table.

Click.

I carefully lifted the lid.

The rose quartz earrings the Duke gave me shone softly in the sunlight.

I looked at them for a moment, then picked them up.

Until now, I never had the courage to wear them.

I worried it would make my feelings too obvious.

But—

‘Honestly, I’m so childish.’

I smiled wryly.

I liked spending time with the Duke so much, I pretended not to notice the Lady’s plans.

I tried so hard to hide my feelings, it was silly.

But now, I decided.

‘Alright.’

I gripped the earrings in my hand.

This time, I would show the Duke how I looked wearing them.

The day of the party finally came.

In the mirror, I saw myself looking a bit nervous.

The pink earrings dangling from my ears really stood out.

‘What will the Duke say when he sees the earrings?’

I swallowed nervously.

I tucked my hair behind my ears and pinned it up to show off the earrings as much as possible.

‘What am I doing?’

Then—

Knock knock knock.

There was a short knock, and Amy peeked into my room.

“Miss, the Duke of Claudius is here.”

Amy looked so calm.

At first, when the Duke and Lady visited, she always looked stressed. But now she seemed used to it.

“Thanks. Where is he?”

“In the drawing room.”

“Alright.”

I nodded and hurried down the stairs.

Honestly, I couldn’t help feeling excited.

My steps felt light as air.

Soon after,

“Hello, Duke.”

I greeted him politely.

“Sorry to keep you waiting.”

“Not at all.”

The Duke stood up from the sofa, looking happy to see me.

“Shall we go?”

“Yes.”

I walked lightly to his side.

The feel of the earrings dangling on my ears kept making me nervous.

But the Duke was just polite and escorted me—he didn’t say a word about the earrings.

‘…Did he not notice them?’

I glanced at the Duke, trying to read his face.