TQV 21

Chapter 21 

The daily routine of Duke Charles Sadi seemed simple on the surface. He would wake up in the morning, brush his teeth, wash his face, have a light breakfast of toast and coffee in his bedroom, and read the day’s newspapers.

Next, while changing clothes with the help of his servants, he would call the butler to check his daily schedule.

This day was no different—until one particular article caught his eye as he sipped his strong black coffee.

<Marquis Star: Robbed a Jewelry Shop for His Wife!>

The actual content didn’t claim that Killian had stolen jewelry, but rather that he had bought so much, it seemed like a robbery.

Still, Charles was irritated by the act itself.

“He’s an eyesore.”

Though he didn’t want to admit it, he harbored a deep dislike for Killian, whom he saw as a rival. No matter how he looked at it, Emily shouldn’t be marrying a man like that.

Charles recalled the day he first met Emily.

The day he had gone to the Sinophe estate on the Emperor’s orders, the first person he encountered was the flustered Count of Sinophe.

“Your Grace, it is truly an honor for you to visit us, but I’m beside myself—my daughter is missing.”

Charles took note of the count’s modest attire, which was uncommon for a noble.

The Count of Sinophe was deeply loyal to the Emperor, but he was a soft-hearted and gentle man.

Charles thought that had the Emperor known what kind of person the count was, he never would’ve entrusted him with that task… Still, setting aside his dismay, Charles listened patiently.

“Did you happen to see my daughter on your way here?”

He’d heard Emily was famous in high society, but Charles, being stationed in the North, was not someone who leisurely attended imperial parties.

“What does she look like?”

“You’ll know her when you see her—her appearance is striking.”

He thought it was a joke, but the count’s face was completely serious. For the first time in his 26 years, Charles was left speechless.

“…That’s not a very helpful description, but I’ll go have a look around.”

“I’m sorry to ask you for such a favor before you’ve even unpacked.”

“It’s no trouble.”

Charles put his hat back on and stepped outside.

“Where should I even begin?”

He felt like he had been swept along by the count’s wishes.

And that was accurate. The Count of Sinophe had intentionally used the alarming word “missing” to motivate Charles.

Regardless, Charles ordered the knights he’d brought with him to assist in the search for the young lady.

The count had already sent people to search the estate, and since Charles was unfamiliar with the area, he didn’t expect to find Emily himself.

Still, he searched diligently—mainly because he was curious about this Emily the Emperor was keeping an eye on.

For some reason, the Emperor had been trying to arrange a betrothal between Emily and Lucius, yet continued to postpone the decision.

When dispatching Charles on this inspection, he had also instructed him to investigate Emily in more detail.

As Charles walked, the sound of the valley stream in his ears, he suddenly heard someone swearing.

“…May a dog take a dump on your face!”

What was that? The harsh language, so at odds with the sweet voice, piqued his curiosity.

Following the voice, Charles climbed uphill and found, under a large maple tree, a woman whose appearance was exactly as the count had described—utterly eye-catching.

Her hair was loosely tied with a crooked flower crown resting on top. Her modest light-green dress was soaked at the hem, giving her a disheveled appearance.

Even so, her pale, flawless skin and lips red as cherries made her look elegant and beautiful with no effort.

But most captivating of all were her eyes—clear and deep, carrying a mesmerizing charm.

Charles cautiously approached, feeling certain that she was the young lady of Sinophe.

She was so focused on what she was reading that she didn’t notice his footsteps behind her.

“…Lamis grabbed Lola by the nape and kissed her?”

He had read the line before realizing it. What in the world is this girl reading? he thought.

Startled by his voice, the young lady turned around and promptly smacked her forehead right into his chin.

Charles had been a prodigy who passed the Imperial Guard exam with top scores in his teens. He was skilled in horseback riding, fencing, and tennis.

He also enjoyed martial arts games as a hobby and had never lost a sparring match. Even among the muscular and tall men of the guard, he stood out as strong and fit.

Not to mention, he was a sword master of Vansent.

Why the long list of accolades? Because despite all that, her headbutt really hurt.

“…Wh-Who are you?”

Charles rubbed his chin with a frown.

“You’ve got quite a hard head.”

“Sorry, but why were you reading someone else’s novel out loud…?”

Her embarrassed blush was rather adorable. Charles was surprised to find himself thinking so.

Trying to keep his tone neutral, he asked her, “Are you the young lady of Sinophe?”

She hesitated, then nodded.

So she was Emily. Charles had to admit that the count’s vague description had been accurate after all.

“Your father asked me to help find you.”

“I was only gone for three hours, though?”

Just as Emily looked bewildered, members of the count’s household arrived to fetch her. Charles chuckled when he saw her hurriedly shove her book into a bush.

“Thank you for finding the young lady, Your Grace,” the butler said.

Emily turned to Charles in surprise.

“Your Grace?”

“It seems you’re unaware. This is Duke Charles Sadi.”

Her eyes widened in shock. She moved to curtsey, but Charles stopped her.

“No need for formalities all of a sudden.”

“But…”

Her carefully curated image for high society was about to shatter, and Emily grew flustered.

She took off the flower crown and fussed with the wrinkles in her dress. Charles realized she was anxious about her appearance.

“I won’t be telling anyone about this, so don’t worry.”

Emily gave a shy, relieved smile.

“Thank you, Your Grace.”

That was how Charles remembered their first meeting.

Even while staying in the guest room provided by the count, Charles couldn’t stop thinking about her. Having been on the battlefield from a young age, he was usually emotionally detached from others.

Though many followed him, he had few close friends and even less interest in women. He’d never had a truly serious relationship.

So the fact that someone had piqued his curiosity was extraordinary in itself.

Sigh.

He wondered what kind of report the Emperor was expecting.

The next day, after finishing his morning tasks, Charles went outside the estate for a stroll—and found Emily again.

This time, her long wavy hair was loosely braided, and she wore a simple lemon-colored dress down to her ankles, sitting on the ground.

Without realizing it, Charles called out to her with a bright tone.

“Young Lady, there you are.”

Unlike Charles, who was glad to see her, Emily’s face stiffened.

“Don’t tell me—my father’s looking for me again?”

When Charles shook his head, she sighed in relief.

“You’re different from what I heard in the estate. Why is a noble lady pulling carrots?”

Already exposed in her natural state, Emily gave up and answered honestly.

“Because it’s fun.”

Charles tilted his head.

“Pulling carrots is fun?”

“No, not that exactly. It’s just… these people don’t treat me like a noble lady.”

As if to prove her point, an elderly woman nearby called out casually.

“Emily! Stay for some carrot soup later!”

“It’s not good.”

“Wanna get smacked with a carrot?”

It was not something anyone should say to a noble’s daughter. Charles looked shocked, and Emily burst into laughter.

“Isn’t the way they speak hilarious? You’d never hear that in high society.”

“Do they know you’re the count’s daughter?”

“Yeah, they know. But I asked them to treat me casually. I didn’t want to make people uncomfortable by flaunting my status.”

“…That’s unusual.”

It was unusual, but far from off-putting—it was charming. Charles, who normally disliked blurring the line between nobles and commoners, found it oddly endearing.

During his few days at the Sinophe estate, he found himself increasingly drawn to Emily’s unique charm.

So when he returned to the capital, he submitted his report on Sinophe to the Emperor—along with a request.

A request to marry Emily.

Contrary to the Emperor’s suspicions, there was nothing questionable about Count Sinophe’s records; his ledgers were spotless.

There was no reason Emily should be deemed unfit as a bride. And besides, the Emperor was already working to break off Lucius’s engagement.

So Charles believed there would be no issue with his request.

Unfortunately, it went against the Emperor’s plans and only heightened his suspicion toward Sinophe.

Finishing his reminiscence, Charles tapped his desk and called for his butler.

“Bring me pen and paper—I need to write an invitation.”