ILOIML 02

Chapter 2

“That felt kind of unpleasant.”

As Leon walked holding Kalsen’s hand, he roughly shook it off after Bella (Bell-Bell) disappeared.

“What’s so unpleasant?”

“…It just felt weird. Like she was teasing me or something.”

“Would she really do that? Honestly, this isn’t something to say about her, but isn’t she rumored to be the least intelligent person in the Empire, second only to His Highness? Even if we assume she’s a fool…”

“She’s acting completely differently now. She used to treat me like I didn’t even exist.”

“She’s not someone who thinks that deeply. I heard she told Amy she’s bored of shopping. Looks like she had fun playing house and pretending to be your guardian.”

Leon sighed deeply and nodded. He had to agree — she wasn’t someone who acted with much complexity. That’s why he hadn’t paid her much attention before — her actions were always so predictable.

“Do I just have the kind of face that triggers someone’s maternal instincts?”

Leon rubbed his chin as he asked.

Kalsen didn’t answer and silently placed some documents on his desk.

“Well, I’ve been bored too lately. Maybe I’ll go along with it. Kalsen, give me a glass of whiskey.”

Kalsen set down a whiskey glass already prepared. Leon leaned back in his chair and took a sip.

“Wait a second!!”

Suddenly, the door flew open. Bella ran in, her face red and breathing hard. Kalsen quickly jumped up and grabbed the glass of whiskey from Leon.

“What’s that smell? Isn’t that alcohol, Kalsen?”

Kalsen inhaled the air as if trying to check, then awkwardly lifted the whiskey glass in his hand and smiled.

“I was thirsty, so I had a sip…”

“Huh? But I’m sure this guy—I mean, the Duke—was holding it just now! Wasn’t he secretly drinking?”

“Ugh, come on. I told you to get me water, you idiot.”

Leon frowned and let a little whiskey drip from his mouth.

“Kalsen, you need to be more careful. It looks like the Duke drank it thinking it was water. What should we do?”

Bella stepped forward, looking concerned. As she came closer, Leon casually flipped the documents he had been looking at.

Bella took out a handkerchief and wiped Leon’s mouth, gently patting his back.

“Are you okay? Maybe rinse your mouth?”

“Hehe. Bella’s so pretty.”

“Looks like the Duke’s drunk.”

Bella glared at Kalsen disapprovingly. Kalsen quietly set down the whiskey glass and bowed his head. His shoulders were trembling—he was clearly trying not to laugh.

“Call the servants and take the Duke to his room. If this keeps happening, I’ll tutor him myself.”

“What?”

Kalsen quickly raised his head.

“But, my lady…”

You’re the one known as the idiot.

He clenched his teeth and stopped himself from saying the rest.

“At least while I’m teaching him, he won’t be drinking in such a rotten mental state. And I definitely wouldn’t let a child drink alcohol.”

“Bella, I’m not a kid. I’m strong! Handsome!”

“Yeah, yeah. Our handsome genius Duke. Still, Bella’s worried. Bad habits are always the first thing kids pick up.”

“I’m very sorry, my lady. I’ll be more careful.”

Leon frowned slightly and gave Kalsen a look. Kalsen immediately apologized.

That earlier feeling Leon had — like he was being mocked — was now something Kalsen understood.

“So why did you come? Did you miss me?”

Leon held Bella’s hand and looked at her with bright, sparkling eyes.

As she opened her mouth to answer Kalsen’s question, Leon beat her to it.

“Why did you come? You seem way too cheerful now.”

She couldn’t admit the truth — that she came because she found his fake idiot act annoyingly cute and wanted to mess with him.

Bella scratched her eyebrow with her finger, then clapped her hands together.

“I came to ask Kalsen directly what I should wear to the charity party hosted by Duke Holland next weekend. I thought it’d be nice if I matched with the Duke.”

“You could’ve just asked through a maid,” Kalsen replied.

“But I also wanted to see how our Duke was doing,” Bella said, with a soft expression.

“I apologize, my lady. I’ll inform the maid responsible for the Duke’s wardrobe,” Kalsen said politely.

“I’m thinking of wearing red, since the Duke likes red too. So please keep that in mind.”

“I like white. I don’t like red anymore,” Leon said quickly — the idea of wearing a red formal outfit made him cringe.

“Our Duke changes his mind so often! Then I’ll remember to wear white too,” Bella replied with a smirk.

Duke Holland was quite close with their family — and was aligned with the Emperor.

Since Leon was the son of the late emperor and practically the enemy of the current Emperor, it was obvious why they were invited — to be made fun of in front of everyone.

Leon was going just to let them do that. Maybe, by playing along and becoming their joke, the Emperor’s attention on him would decrease for a while.

So Bella knew her role: to show up looking exactly like the infamous troublemaker people believed her to be.

Finally, the day came. Bella dressed up as glamorous as she could and went downstairs where Leon was already waiting in his white outfit.

When he saw her, he stared blankly and then suddenly shouted,

“…It’s Bella!!”

He was clearly stunned by her appearance. Even Bella had to admit she looked dazzling.

But then Leon suddenly cried out,

“Wait, why are you wearing red?! I thought we agreed to wear white together!”

Ah, so that’s why he was staring? Because of the color?

Leon collapsed onto the floor, kicking his legs and whining like a child.

He seriously acted like a baby sometimes! Bella held back the urge to smack his butt and gently walked over, nudging him with her foot.

“Duke, please get up, okay?”

Kalsen and a servant quickly rushed to lift him up.

Bella took her sleeve and gently wiped the snot from Leon’s nose.

“See? That’s why I wore red. If I also wore white and you drooled or cried, who would clean it up? And look at the fabric — so soft, right? I picked something gentle enough that it won’t irritate your face. I thought this through, and yet you’re disappointing me! I’m upset!”

She turned her head away like she was sulking.

“No, no! Bella is a genius. I love Bella!”

Leon shouted joyfully as he rubbed his face on her sleeve.

Bella smiled gently and brushed his messy hair back.

* * *

We used the teleport portal that connects Aster to the capital.

Originally, the northern region (where we lived) refused to connect with the capital by portal due to its independent status.

But after Leon became the Grand Duke, the Emperor had one installed — to keep watch on him. That’s also why royal officials frequently visited the northern estate.

“Well, it’s convenient for me,” Bella thought.

Now she could travel to the capital whenever she wanted.

In truth, she had never used it before, since she was afraid of unfamiliar places. But now, she was considering staying in the capital for a month or two, just like the real Bella had done after marrying Leon.

Since Leon had been pushed away from the capital and exiled to the north, he didn’t have a mansion in the capital.

The former grand duke’s residence there had long been taken over by the royal family, and there was no way they’d let Leon use it.

So, they planned to stay with Bella’s family — the Marquis of Sweden.

The people who came to greet them were from her family.

“Young Lady — Oh no, I should say Duchess now,” said a big, jolly man with a friendly smile as he welcomed them.