TCBCVF 99

~Chapter 99~

After leaving the rest of the situation to the knights who had followed the Duke, we returned to the villa.

Inside the carriage, Lady Evangeline and I had to endure a long, scolding lecture from the Duke.

“No matter if we’re still within the duchy, this is the frontier!”

Unlike his usual calm demeanor, the Duke looked truly angry.

“What if something had happened? Why would the two of you walk around alone like that?”

…I really shouldn’t have let myself get swayed by Lady Evangeline.

I sat there, chewing on bitter regret.

“Lari, don’t you trust me?”

Her voice rang in my ears as she pounded her chest.

“I’m the Claudius young lady. Who would dare harm me in the duchy?”

“…But still—”

“Besides, having guards around is uncomfortable, isn’t it? I just wanted to have fun with just the two of us. Right?”

She had clasped her hands together over her chest, her eyes shining brightly.

And in the face of that adorable look, my mind had gone hazy…

Honestly, I had thought her reasoning made some sense. The duchy’s security had always been perfect in my experience.

I truly hadn’t worried much.

Even in my home barony, I had never gone through something like today.

The only problem was—no one in that village knew her identity.

Apparently, the locals didn’t even know the villa halfway up the mountain belonged to the Claudius family.

‘No wonder the Duke was furious.’

I dropped my head in shame.

When we reached the villa—

“Please stop causing trouble. Understood?”

The Duke gave Lady Evangeline a firm warning before disappearing to catch up on his work.

As for me… I just felt incredibly awkward and guilty.

He was already busy enough, and here I was adding to his burdens.

The afternoon passed quietly.

“Shouldn’t you sleep now?”

“Eh, already?”

Later that night, after escorting Lady Evangeline—who had been clinging to me—to her room, I returned to my own.

But no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t fall asleep.

The events of today kept playing in my head—

The Duke pushing back the men who had threatened me, and those blue eyes looking back at me…

‘Ugh, seriously.’

After tossing and turning for a long while, I sat up.

‘Maybe if I have some warm tea, I can sleep.’

I shuffled toward the kitchen but suddenly stopped.

‘Huh?’

Light was spilling faintly from the crack in the Duke’s study door.

It was late enough that all the staff should be asleep.

‘Don’t tell me he’s still working?’

After a brief hesitation, I knocked.

Knock, knock.

“…”

A pause, then—

Click.

The door opened, revealing a calm expression as if the earlier commotion had never happened.

But the moment he saw me—

“Lady Ansie?”

His face instantly changed, surprise and a hint of delight flashing in his blue eyes behind his silver-rimmed glasses.

“What brings you here…?”

“Well, I couldn’t sleep. Probably because the bed is unfamiliar. I thought some tea might help, but then I saw the light from your study…”

Feeling a little awkward, I rambled on.

The Duke gave a faint smile and stepped back.

“I can’t leave you standing in the hall. Please, come in.”

“Ah, thank you.”

I stepped carefully into the room.

Warm, amber light filled the space.

It seemed he had been sitting on the sofa working; the table beside it was piled high with documents.

There was also an empty glass coffee pot and a mug half-filled with coffee.

“…Don’t tell me you drank all that coffee?”

I grimaced without meaning to.

He looked away like a child caught doing something wrong.

“Even without you saying so, I’ve already been scolded enough by Eva.”

“You deserve it. Do you know how worried she gets?”

I was rattling off complaints when I suddenly froze—

The Duke was gazing at me intently.

“Seems I’m still not part of ‘us,’ am I?”

Though his voice was playful, his expression looked faintly disappointed.

…Was I imagining that?

Still…

Wasn’t it proper to maintain some formality in front of him?

Confused, I corrected myself.

“Uh… Eva, then.”

Only then did he smile brightly.

The smile was so beautiful that I found myself staring, utterly dazed.

‘Wait.’

I frowned.

“Your Grace, your lip is bleeding.”

A small crack had formed, leaving a scab.

‘Could it be from those men earlier?’

I bit my lip unconsciously.

But no, they hadn’t even gotten close enough to touch him.

“Oh, it’s nothing.”

He touched his lip lightly and answered as if it were no big deal.

“It happens when I’m tired. A bit of rest and it heals.”

For his lips to be chapped that badly…

Just how exhausted was he?

Before I realized it, I had sprung to my feet.

“Please wait here a moment. I’ll get some lip balm.”

“Lady Ansie—”

He started to stop me, but I moved too quickly.

With a strange swell of emotion, I crossed the dark hallway.

‘How much is he overworking himself?!’

It already upset me seeing his pale face lately.

And now his lips were cracking?

How can someone live just working? He should think of his health too!

Back in my room, I dug through my bag—

“Touch-ups are essential, okay?”

“I can’t stand it if my friend’s eye makeup smudges like a panda’s, or if she walks around with bare lips!”

Following her advice, I’d been carrying makeup for quick touch-ups lately.

Among them was lip balm.

I grabbed it and headed back to the study.

“This is lip balm.”

I held out the small jar proudly.

“It’s the one I use, but it works really—”

Wait.

‘But this goes on the lips… would it be weird to offer it to a man?’

The thought hit me and I froze.

It felt a bit like… an indirect kiss.

‘Oh, as if he’d think that!’

I shook the silly idea out of my head.

He wouldn’t see it that way.

The Duke simply looked down at the jar for a moment.

“Thank you.”

He took it, opened the lid, and scooped some out with his index finger.

“….”

I swallowed.

That long, elegant finger touched his red lips.

The slow motion of him rubbing it in felt… strangely sensual.

‘What is wrong with me?!’

He was just applying balm, and yet I was suddenly so aware of him.

“Um, maybe you should get some rest?”

Feeling my face heat up, I hurried to change the subject.

“Lip balm is only a temporary fix. You need to relieve your fatigue first.”

“Thank you. But if I work just a little longer, I think I can finish all the urgent matters.”

He answered politely.

“The sooner I finish, the sooner I can spend time with you, Lady Ansie.”