TCBCVF 24

~Chapter 24~

At that moment—

“Ah.”

I accidentally held my breath.

The overwhelming presence I had felt when I first met the Duke was completely gone.

Now, smiling gently, he just looked like someone his age.

As I looked at his innocent expression…

“Why… why am I feeling this way?”

A strange fluttering sensation stirred deep in my chest.

After a moment, the Duke softly changed the subject.

“By the way, how was the salon today?”

“Ah.”

Grateful for the change in topic, I smiled brightly.

“It was truly wonderful.”

And I meant it.

Maybe Seraphina had wanted to come just to network with powerful nobles, but the actual salon…

The artwork on display was genuinely impressive. Even without the noble guests, it was worth attending just for the exhibits.

“Did you select the artists who showcased their work today?”

“I didn’t choose all of them personally, but I did review the final list.”

…So diligent.

I blinked in surprise.

Honestly, someone of his rank could’ve left it to subordinates.

But he went through each one himself?

“May I ask what your selection criteria were?”

“I tried to give chances to artists from a variety of backgrounds—excluding nobles, who already have plenty of opportunities.”

We stood at the balcony, chatting like that.

It was… really enjoyable.

“I heard the Claudius family also owns many fine pieces of art?”

“Are you interested? There are a few at the townhouse, though not much.”

Oh, that?

I smiled.

“Her Highness said she’d show me the art pieces in the annex sometime. I’m looking forward to it.”

“Ah, Eva beat me to it. That’s a shame.”

The Duke joked playfully.

“If there’s a chance, I’ll personally show you the art housed in the main estate someday.”

“……”

Even if it was just being polite—

My heart fluttered a little at those words.

“A-About that, Duke…”

Trying to shake off the strange feeling, I changed the subject.

“Why are you still awake at this hour?”

“I had some things to take care of.”

I nodded to myself.

Dietrich von Claudius.

He had inherited the dukedom at a young age and had ruled without a single failure since.

A ruler praised as one of the most capable Dukes in the family’s long history.

But…

“That must’ve been exhausting.”

Managing the vast Claudius territory, its people, and the businesses tied to it—

All that weight sat on his shoulders.

In other words, the Duke bore responsibility for countless lives.

“Still, don’t overwork yourself too late into the night.”

I said it before I even realized.

“Health should always come first.”

“……”

The Duke paused for a moment, then gently looked at me.

His blue eyes somehow felt warm…

Or was I just imagining it?

“You, too, Lady Ansi. Don’t stay up too late.”

He smiled kindly.

“And please… keep looking after Eva.”

Later that night—

I returned to the bedroom.

Carefully closing the door behind me so it wouldn’t make noise, I shook my head inwardly.

“Now I see why Seraphina fell for the Duke…”

Handsome, polite, wealthy, high-ranking.

All those things made him ideal.

But even beyond that—talking with him was genuinely enjoyable.

“He’s like a prince straight out of a fairy tale.”

Still—

“I should stop thinking about this.”

I shrugged and walked further into the room.

“He belongs to Seraphina, after all.”

He had just been polite to his little sister’s friend.

That was all.

No need for me to dwell on it.

Instead of wasting energy on something like that…

“I need to focus on getting even closer to the princess.”

I narrowed my eyes with determination.

I was still only her temporary friend.

Right now, she was treating me kindly—but there’s a big difference between a “temporary” and an “official” friend.

I had to secure a proper friendship contract—somehow.

“…Mmmnyaa.”

Right on cue, the princess mumbled in her sleep.

I glanced over to see her completely out cold.

“Goodness, she kicked off her blanket again.”

Sighing softly, I carefully tucked the blanket around her.

Then I lay down beside her.

And soon, sleep began to take me too.

Meanwhile—

Dietrich sat at his desk again.

He slipped on his silver-rimmed glasses and picked up some documents.

But his blue eyes simply drifted across the pages without really reading.

He couldn’t concentrate at all.

The name that kept distracting him was…

“Larit Ansi.”

He murmured.

The young lady who had recently become close with his sister.

It had caught his attention—Eva, who was usually cold toward everyone, actually allowed someone that close.

He was curious about her at first.

But what truly surprised him…

“I didn’t expect that.”

She had firmly corrected him when he made a careless assumption.

“Knowing Eva, I’m sure she gives you a hard time.”

But Larit had shaken her head with conviction.

“She doesn’t bother me at all. Because…”

Even though she looked nervous, she clearly expressed her feelings.

Her voice trembled slightly.

Her thin fingers gripped the hem of her dress.

But what stood out to Dietrich the most was this—

“Anything involving Lady Lopez must be painful for her to talk about…”

As Eva’s brother, of course he had gathered basic information on Larit.

And the reputation she had in society was…

“Seraphina’s maid.”

Seraphina Lopez.

He had heard of her.

A lady praised alongside his sister as a “rose” and a “lily” of society.

But he remembered Eva’s complaints about Seraphina very clearly.

“What kind of friend treats someone like a maid? That’s not friendship.”

It had always seemed like a one-sided, draining relationship.

And for someone with such a humiliating label, talking about Seraphina at all would’ve taken immense courage.

Yet—

“Everyone else ignored me… but Her Highness was the only one who accepted me as a friend.”
“To me, she’s truly a good person.”

…Despite that, Larit stood up for Eva—even revealing her past wounds in the process.

It left a strong impression on him.

“Now that I think about it… she said she’d be visiting the annex with Eva tomorrow.”

Dietrich pondered for a moment, then nodded slightly.

“She’s gone out of her way to be a friend to Eva…
I think a small gift would be appropriate.”

Before they had parted, Larit’s last words had lingered in his ears.

“Still, don’t push yourself too hard late at night.”
“Your health is the most important thing.”

And so—

Dietrich decided to follow that advice.

Click.

He turned off the lamp.

And darkness filled the study.