Chapter 04
The moment Su dodged, the duke stood up. Despite his thin, delicate-looking face, he was quite tall.
His body was far from slender. Sitting down, he looked like a scholarly official, but standing up, the reality that he was a war hero who had conquered western Vellium hit hard.
Those long, delicate hands—fit for writing or playing piano—had held a sword and seen human blood.
Even the capital knew, from rumors, how incredible the war with Vellium three years ago had been.
The duke was a hero admired by knights.
“So that’s a relief.”
Su let out a thin sigh. A noble knight who had spent years on the battlefield probably didn’t gamble much.
“Lift your head.”
The low voice came suddenly from above, and Su jumped back in surprise.
He moved without making a sound. She had just seen him rise from his seat, and now he was right in front of her, looking down.
Being several inches taller and staring with his deep navy eyes, Su felt slightly intimidated. His face was dazzling, yet his voice was so low and heavy that it seemed to press her down.
“Just his voice alone could stop someone in their tracks.”
But Su shook her head and met his gaze squarely. Confidence was part of her strategy.
She wasn’t the kind to lose her nerve just because the person in front of her was a bit handsome—or, more importantly, because he was the Duke of Miramonte.
“What’s so relieving?”
“Nothing.”
Her clear voice echoed across the spacious room.
By now, everyone on the top floor was watching them. In fact, people had been glancing at the duke all along, so Su had simply stepped into their view.
The duke stared at her for a moment, then smirked slightly. Su thought: This man has a twisted personality.
“I asked what is nothing.”
“I was thinking of my younger brother at home.”
Su didn’t need to reveal more about her family. It was a bright lie, but as long as the duke couldn’t read her mind, he had no way to know.
Su was slightly surprised that he approached her, but this was also an opportunity. She had been thinking carefully about how to lure him into the gambling table.
“Not your brother?”
Brother? What brother? Su frowned slightly without him noticing, looking up at him. The duke seemed to doubt her words.
“Oh, isn’t this Marlinne?”
From behind the duke, a bright blonde woman called out to both of them.
Su smiled brightly, pretending to be pleased, and shook her hand firmly.
“Hello.”
Su wasn’t actually Marlinne, a delicate noble lady, but she greeted confidently with a charming smile.
“Did Marlinne treat the duke rudely? If so, please forgive her. She’s from a rural baron’s family and doesn’t understand high society yet.”
The woman, Veronica, was a countess’s daughter. Outwardly elegant, but to Su, she was a rival gambler—likely the clever agent sent by Ludante.
Damn it.
Su ground her teeth, thinking of Hector and how much this girl disliked her.
“Marlinne?”
“Yes. She’s my great-uncle’s niece’s granddaughter. She’s still a child, so please forgive her rudeness.”
“No, your relative hasn’t been rude to me.”
Su smirked slightly at Veronica’s over-apologetic behavior.
“Auntie.”
“What?!”
“Aunt Veronica, today you’re teaching me Recatt, right?”
Su smiled widely at Veronica, who almost jumped in shock, and then removed her mask, turning toward the duke.
Her innocent face always helped disarm others’ suspicion. Showing her face in a gambling hall was dangerous, but nothing was more dangerous than cheating the duke.
“Do you know how to play Recatt?”
Being a high-ranking noble, the duke certainly knew the game. Su brazenly provoked him, pretending to be an innocent rural noble girl.
The duke smiled, amused by her sweet, naive expression.
“Yes, I know it.”
“Then could you teach me?”
Su ran toward the table, speaking like a childish, naive noble lady. Some nobles, charmed by her, chuckled at her innocent enthusiasm.
Blushing slightly, Su tried to hide her face, but her red-tipped ears betrayed her.
Veronica, watching Su, hid her face behind a fan in frustration. That cunning girl.
Su moved to the central table, secretly cheering inside.
The more spectators when gambling with the duke, the better.
Variables increased, but it was more important to prevent the duke from withdrawing to save his pride.
The duke spread the cards smoothly across the table.
His one-handed movements were as natural as a gambler’s, surprising Su.
“You seem good at Recatt?”
“Well, at least as good as most nobles.”
He selected a few cards and slid them to her. The red cards fluttered like rose petals. His hand looked like a magician’s.
“Do you know the basic rules?”
“Yes.”
Su replied quietly, taking the cards.
Veronica sat beside her, gathering several nobles. Soon, the circular table for eight was surrounded.
“Since we’re here, why not start the game?”
“Doesn’t the lady’s relative not know Recatt?”
The duke looked at Su. She grabbed her dress nervously, eyes wide.
“I’ve never bet money before, but I want to try. There’s beginner’s luck, too.”
Her bright brown eyes shone with excitement, like a boy wanting to play with fire.
The nobles following her believed she wouldn’t lose money.
“Hmm.”
The duke paused, tapping a few cards with his long fingers, then pressed the bell at the table’s center.
“Good.”
The game began. Two of the six nobles playing were Ludante’s agents.
Su smiled quietly. Even without the agents, few could beat her at Recatt. Now, including her, there were three professional gamblers at the table.
“Scholente, Delamo. 1,000 gold.”
In Recatt, nobles play in order of rank. The duke, being the highest, played first.
Su tapped her heels twice, watching the cards.
Though she was leading the game, pretending to be the naive Marlinne meant she wouldn’t win any money herself.
“Delamo, Tinshot. 500 gold.”
Veronica placed defensive cards as instructed by Su.
Su read Ludante’s signals naturally, noticing subtle gestures: clearing throat, scratching forehead…
“Lady Marlinne.”
“Yes?”
“It’s your turn.”
Though she was last by rank, no one dared argue, so Su placed her cards down obediently.
“Tintamo, Scholente. Hmm… 1,000 gold.”
Her clumsy movements made red cards stick out. The cards were large, and her small hands made handling them tricky.
Even though she could manipulate the cards like a pro, she pretended clumsiness to maintain her disguise.
A noble man warned her, worried she was betting too much.
“It’s fine, hehe.”
Her gentle smile curved prettily. The noble intentionally held back, feeling guilty. Su smirked.
The man wouldn’t win any money today; Su would take it all.
“Tinshot, Tintamo. 700 gold. Ah, the duke wins this round.”
After a few rounds, the results became clear. The duke had bet 1,000 gold first; with eight players, the total stakes were 8,000 gold.
Su was slightly surprised at the duke’s generosity. 1,000 gold from the start—his scale was different.
