Chapter 49
The servant who delivered the news slowly backed away.
“Father! I heard you called for me.”
Just then, the family’s eldest son, Mathias, came into the study reeking of alcohol.
The servant slipped out through the open door at the chance.
“Tsk.”
The count clicked his tongue at the sight of Mathias. Seeing his son drinking like water in the middle of the day made his chest feel heavy.
“Good. You came at the right time. While I was sending a letter to Estelle, what were you doing?”
Lately, Estelle’s spending had been increasing, so he had sent her a warning letter. But there had been no reply.
If Estelle had shown even the slightest sign of reflecting on her actions, he wouldn’t be this angry.
But according to the news he’d just heard, Estelle hadn’t even accepted the letter and had sent the servant away.
It was outright defiance.
“Father, listen! Of course I tried to see Estelle!” Mathias protested.
“I went to visit her a few days ago! But even though I said I was her brother, she threw me out!”
Too drunk to stand properly, Mathias had gone to see Estelle in a fit of anger.
Shouting “I’m the Duchess’s brother!” had just made him look like a drunken fool.
The guards hadn’t even reported his visit and had handled it on the spot themselves.
“You should have forced your way in. A young man with no backbone like this…”
“Father, this isn’t fair!”
Feeling insulted, Mathias raised his voice.
“Estelle’s definitely got something else in mind. Honestly, if she gave us even half of what she donates to strangers, would I have been looked down on for not being able to buy a single horse?”
“…”
“She’s not in her right mind!”
The count nodded seriously.
“I knew something was off when she suddenly married the Duke of Winterlen.”
“If you knew, you should’ve stopped it.”
“If you’d seen the Duke yourself, you wouldn’t say that.”
Those red eyes, looking down at him so coldly…
Since that day, the count had sometimes dreamed of Lennox—nightmares, really.
“But Father, I’ve heard rumors the Duke cares for Estelle…”
A glance.
“Could it be true? I mean, with her looks, it’s possible.”
“He’s just pretending.”
“What?”
“There are… arrangements like that.”
The count knew it was a contract marriage, but he didn’t say it outright.
“Anyway, Estelle’s spending problem is real, so she does need a good scolding.”
“Yes, exactly!”
“There’s the Princess’s birthday banquet coming up, right? She’ll definitely attend since she’s in the capital for it.”
“Father! I’ll meet her there and try to convince her!”
“You will?”
“Yes! Of course!”
When he had been kicked out of the Duke’s residence, the guard had dared to shove him.
In truth, it had only been a light push, but Mathias’s pride was still wounded.
‘I’ll march right through that gate and crush his nose under my heel.’
And since he’d be at the banquet anyway, there’d be free drinks.
Two birds with one stone.
The count gave him a doubtful look, but Mathias quickly shouted before his father could forbid him:
“Leave it to me, Father!”
“Leave it to Dudu!”
Thump!
Hands on his hips, Duren puffed out his chest proudly.
“Dudu will protect Mama!”
“Where are you going?”
Unlike the neatly dressed Duren and Estelle, Glesia was still in pajamas, scratching her head.
“It’s the Princess’s birthday banquet today.”
“Oh.”
She remembered hearing something about it.
“Have a good time.”
“I thought you might have forgotten my invitation, so I’ll ask again—would you like to come, Glesia?”
“No. Too much trouble. Too many people.”
“Right! Too many people!”
Duren raised his hand.
“That’s why Dudu will protect Mama!”
“Yes, yes. The outside world is full of dangerous people.”
Hearing that from Glesia made Duren’s face grow serious, as though they were going to a battlefield instead of a party.
“It’s not all dangerous. You’ll have lots of friends there, Duren.”
“Dudu will make friends?”
“Of course.”
Many nobles brought their families just to show their faces to the Imperial family.
There would be plenty of children his age.
“Our little peanut, what did Auntie tell you to do if someone bullies you?”
“Dudu’s not a peanut!”
“Then what are you?”
“A gentleman!”
“Yes, a gentleman peanut. Now, what did Auntie say to do if someone is mean to you or Mama?”
If anyone tried to hurt them…
“Bite them!”
“That’s right!”
Glesia laughed and ruffled his hair until it was a mess.
“Smart, very smart.”
“Dudu is smart!”
Hehe!
“Dudu’s going now!”
“Bring me melon ice cream when you come back.”
“Huh? Okay! If they have it!”
Duren held Estelle’s hand tightly as they went to the carriage.
Outside, they ran right into Lennox.
It was unclear whether he had been waiting or if it was just a coincidence.
“…Are you ready?”
Seeing Estelle so carefully dressed made Lennox pause for a moment.
She had her hair in a neat braided bun—simple but not plain.
The deep red dress made her look less flashy and more dignified.
“Yes. But… weren’t we meeting at the palace?”
Lennox was always busy.
Even when he came to the capital, he didn’t have much free time.
That morning, he’d only played with Duren briefly before leaving for work.
“I thought it would look better if we arrived together, as normal couples do.”
He clearly meant to fully play the part for the Emperor’s benefit.
It might be a bit over the top, but…
‘That’s the contract.’
And it wasn’t a hard request.
With a small lift, Lennox picked Duren up and put him into the carriage first.
As Estelle waited for him to climb in so she could follow, a strong arm was suddenly held out in front of her.
Huh?
Looking up in confusion, she met Lennox’s eyes.
At first, he had a confident expression, but when she just stared, even he looked a little awkward.
“Are you not going to get in?”
“…I should, shouldn’t I?”
She realized, a moment late, what he was doing.
“Is this also part of pretending to be a normal couple?”
“Yes. We have to be convincing.”
When he had given her a hairpin before, she had already noticed—Lennox seemed to want them to act like a real couple in daily life.
It wasn’t hard to go along with it.
But still…
“Isn’t this a bit much?” she asked with genuine concern.
“…It’s fine.”
“In that case, excuse me.”
Given his past behavior, it wouldn’t have been surprising if he had knocked her hand away or even worse.
‘He wouldn’t escort me first just to do that.’
Carefully, she placed her hand on his arm.
“….”
Surprisingly, nothing happened.
He flinched slightly at her touch, but that was all.
Somehow, it felt… ticklish.
The banquet hall was filled with laughter and chatter.
Smiles were everywhere—but the star of the party, Princess Alice, only looked bored as she gazed over the crowd.
“Your Highness, aren’t you going to dance?” asked a young lady who knew her well.
“No. I’m not in the mood.”
“But Butler’s son over there looks like he wants to dance with you.”
He was quite handsome—so much so that several other ladies were sneaking glances at him, hoping for a chance.
But Alice looked unimpressed.
“They’re all the same.”
“Pardon?”
“Men. They all look the same.”
“But isn’t he different? He has his own charm.”
“Maybe he’s just uniquely ugly.”
Her reply was flat.
Even when the girl named other handsome men, Alice reacted the same way.
Then—
“Look over there!”
The atmosphere of the hall shifted in an instant.
All eyes turned to the entrance. Some guests even gasped.
Whispers spread quickly.
Everyone was staring at the new arrivals.
Alice’s gaze followed.
“Yes. That’s how a man should look.”
She unconsciously leaned forward in her seat to get a better look at the man’s face.
“It’s the Duke of Winterlen! And next to him…”
Estelle was on Lennox’s arm.
All eyes were drawn to the couple walking in close together.
‘The Duke of Winterlen, who supposedly hates people, is touching his wife like it’s nothing!’
No one seemed to notice—
“Dudu wants to do that too!”
—tiny little Duren standing right beside them.
