Through the silence, the regular tap tap of Dervel’s fingers drumming on the table rang out.
“How did you secure the funds to pay for all these projects?”
“We couldn’t have House Chrysian going bankrupt before you’ve returned. So, to revive Aster, I tried various things with my own personal funds. Supporting research, investing, that sort of thing. Fortunately, luck was on my side and things went smoothly. And that—”
“What are you plotting, Princess?”
Dervel cut off the explanation.
The face of the man who’d dropped the act of kindness felt not just cold, but downright icy.
But Lynette did not avoid the bright blue eyes that seemed to stab into her. If anything, she answered in kind, as if to show him.
“‘Plotting’? It was pure goodwill. You’re my fiancé.”
“That’s only true when the word ‘contract‘ isn’t attached to our engagement.”
Dervel let out a scoff.
“Someone who’ll be gone in a year handled major house business without so much as consulting me—what kind of idiot would take that at face value? I take it as a smoke screen to hide another intent.”
“Listen here, Duke Chrysian.”
She had been trying to be as accommodating as much as possible, since there was no point in making things worse, but Lynette threw away all pretense of politeness at his continued antagonism.
In the first place, she was already on edge after a month or so of subtle, ongoing tension.
“Whether any of that is true or not, you’re being awfully rude to someone who’s done you a favor. What I’ve done will only help, not harm, so can’t you just let it go? And ‘consult‘?”
She openly bristled at her fiancé, who was rumored to be the most amiable man around.
It was infuriating that the world didn’t know the true nature of this man.
“How was I supposed to consult with someone who was out subjugating demonic beasts? Action had to be taken quickly, and there was no way to contact you. It was beyond my control.”
“What did you do, sell the magic communication stone?”
“Magic communication stone?”
Lynette smiled brightly and tilted her head slightly.
“How could I have sold off something I never even received?”
Unlike before, her voice was petulant, and Dervel’s eyebrows twitched. He scrutinized the woman before him.
As someone with a wealth of expressions and the worst possible acting skills, Lynette’s lips were pursed in a charming pout.
He had definitely ordered that she receive a communication stone, and if she hadn’t received it…
‘Then someone must have siphoned it off.’
Dervel’s gaze turned icy.
Unaware of this, Lynette knit her brows and rubbed an arm once. Did the air feel a bit cooler than it did just a moment ago?
Tilting her head a couple of times, she soon brought up another topic.
“By the way.”
Her eyebrows, drawing a graceful curve, rose slightly.
“Why are you speaking to me that way? I am a Princess of a nation, and you are a Duke.”
Her sunset-colored eyes sparkled. The voice that came from her full, curved lips flowed like a song.
“Ah, my manner of speech.”
Dervel snorted as if it were nothing.
“Well, as I recall, Your Royal Highness instructed me to speak comfortably. As a sign of respect for my seniority.”
“I said you may treat me comfortably as your fiancé; I didn’t say you could speak rudely.”
“I’ve been out fighting beasts who can’t understand a word I say, so it’s made me a bit rough around the edges. Not to mention, that after going through hell to complete that subjugation, your honorable mother tried to cut my payment in half. So I’m afraid my polite speech is also cut in half.”
Lynette, having nothing to say about that, quietly closed her mouth.
“……”
“……”
Eyes the color of the bright blue sky met and held eyes the color of sunset.
They stared at each other without yielding an inch.
Knock, knock.
Along with the knocking, a voice was heard.
“It’s Evan, Your Grace. I’m coming in.”
The tension in the air dissipated instantly.
Dervel, as if nothing had happened, turned his gaze to his aide, who was entering with a stack of documents in his arms.
Lynette, too, had returned to her usual elegant and refined demeanor.
“I’ve organized the materials as you said. …Oh—Your Royal Highness, you’re here as well?”
“Oh, I was just about to leave.”
Evan, belatedly realizing that Lynette was present, bowed deeply.
It was amazing how he managed to bow so skillfully without dropping any of the documents he was carrying.
“Then I’ll see you later, Dervel.”
“Lynette.”
Dervel called out to Lynette just as she was about to leave the office.
They acted like the most loving couple in the world in front of others.
The first clause of their contract dictated that they needed to look at each other with affection, as if they’d never had a stand-off.
Seeing his face quickly soften with affection, Lynette inwardly clicked her tongue. He was such a fox.
When she gazed at him blankly as if to ask why he’d called her, the corner of Dervel’s mouth drew a graceful arc.
“Shall we have tea before the banquet tomorrow?”
“Before the banquet?”
“I’d like to have a word with you beforehand.”
What on earth is he scheming? The kinder he acted, the more suspicious it was.
Lynette smiled brightly and tilted her head slightly.
“Very well. I also wanted to hear about all the heroic deeds the Chrysian knights suffered through in subjugating demonic beasts. Especially your heroics.”
Lynette beamed at Dervel as if in anticipation.
“I may end up surprising you.”
“Oh, I have many things to surprise you with as well.”
“……”
“I’ll be looking forward to the tea time, darling.”
Seeing Dervel’s expression sour, Lynette left the duke’s office with a truly radiant smile.
It was a rather satisfying conclusion.
* * *
Lynette, having left Dervel’s office, walked with a more hurried pace than usual.
“Why is he so eager to tear me apart?”
What was even more unfair was that Dervel Chrysian never showed this side of himself to anyone else but her.
Even his aide thought that the two of them had fallen in love at first sight.
“Two-faced. Petty little man.”
Lynette grumbled as she untied the ribbon binding her hair.
Her coral-colored hair fell in waves. It was a luscious color that drew anyone’s gaze.
As the tightly bound hair fluttered in the wind, she felt a bit better.
‘I did all of that because I had to, but it still helped the Dukedom.’
When she first came to House Chrysian, not everyone welcomed Lynette.
‘I fell in love at first sight and proposed.’
How utterly confused everyone in the Dukedom had looked when Dervel uttered those arrogant words.
Even now, she couldn’t help but laugh when she thought about it.
No one believed those words at face value, though they didn’t say it out loud.
The Empire’s distrust of people from the Holy Nation was deep-rooted. Who would like those who behaved selfishly for their own gain?
Therefore, when Dervel left for the Holy Nation to subjugate demonic-beasts, the resentment inevitably settled squarely on Lynette.
‘It was a bit scary back then.’
Perhaps it was fortunate that she was naturally optimistic.
Thinking it couldn’t be helped, Lynette did her best to live in the Duchy.
Everything coincided well with her personal goals, and she ended up giving a good impression to the people of the Duchy.
Happy to be recognized, she sometimes forgot her purpose and acted solely for the sake of the Duchy.
Thanks to that, many people began to acknowledge her, so it wasn’t a total loss.
“He’s really too much. I worked so hard while he was gone.”
[That’s right. It was Your Royal Highness who revived the Aster territory!]
“Gregorian!”
Suddenly, a gray mouse appeared from somewhere and stood before Lynette.
The mouse, standing on two feet, bowed deeply to Lynette as if greeting her.
“Did you have a good walk?”
A bright smile spread across Lynette’s face.
[Yes, thanks to your concern, I returned safely. Are you coming from His Grace’s office?]
“Mm-hm.”
When Lynette bent down and offered her hand, Gregorian climbed onto it and scurried up to her shoulder.
Lynette took out an almond from her dress pocket and held it out. The mouse, Gregorian, took it and quickly stuffed it into his mouth.
Watching him munch happily, Lynette stroked his head with her finger.
Then, as if nothing had happened, she straightened and began to walk.
[So, what did His Grace say?]
“He questioned why I proceeded with things without informing him first.”
[Now that will not do, this coming from the very person who granted you that authority. Didn’t he assign you his very own aide to ensure your success?]
The gray mouse clenched his tiny forepaws and trembled with fury.
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