Chapter 10
A week had passed.
During that time, Liz had slowly adapted to her new life thanks to Bella and Rachel’s sincere care.
She still seemed unfamiliar and awkward with living in the Duke’s residence, but compared to when Rachel first saw her, she was gradually becoming brighter.
“Duke, are you ready?”
“Yes.”
She answered Anne’s call while fixing her clothes.
‘Grand Duke Lexerville…….’
She had to attend his victory party.
A war maniac who would go anywhere as long as there was blood to see.
A man surrounded by unbelievable rumors.
They said he kidnapped people and drank their blood, or that he offered sacrifices every night to summon demons.
Rachel recalled the Grand Duke through Rachel’s memories.
Eyes so empty that she wondered if he even had emotions.
‘Sigh. I should just show my face at the party and come back.’
She had no choice but to attend because she needed to show society that she was alive and well.
But she had only just reunited with my favorite character…….
Depressed.
Thinking that she would have to be away from him for a long time made her worried, and she could not stop thinking about him.
I’ll come back as soon as possible.
My love. Sob.
Rachel moved her unwilling feet and got into the carriage.
Clatter.
As the carriage began moving, Rachel quietly looked back at the Duke’s residence.
They should be doing well while she was away.
“Ah!”
It was early morning.
‘They should still be sleeping. Why……?’
She blinked, wondering if she was dreaming because she missed Liz so much.
“Big sister! G-go safely!”
Liz, still wearing her pajamas, ran toward her as the carriage was leaving.
But she tripped and fell flat on the ground.
‘Oh my, that must hurt. What should I do?!’
However, Liz got up without showing any pain and waved her hand at Rachel again.
“……Come back safely!”
Sob. Our Liz. She’s brave and cute……
Thanks to traveling without rest for several days, Rachel arrived one day earlier than planned.
She rested for a day at her private residence in the capital, but the fatigue accumulated from the journey did not completely disappear.
She already did not want to go, and having to move around with her tired body felt miserable.
“By the way, it seems His Highness the Grand Duke’s reputation is truly amazing.”
Anne looked at the endless line of carriages in front of the Imperial Palace and admired it.
“Indeed.”
The Grand Duke of Lexerville was an object of fear.
But ironically, he was also an object of admiration.
‘Maybe it’s because of the curse, but he has awakened as a fire mage for generations.’
Magic was not passed down through bloodlines, so there must be some kind of secret.
‘Well. It has nothing to do with me…….’
Curiosity could get people into trouble.
She did not want to get involved with him.
‘Now, finally, it’s my official debut as the Agnes Duke!’
Rachel fixed her makeup and clothes in the waiting room before entering the ballroom.
The Imperial ballroom was filled with elegant music.
Countless nobles gathered in groups, talking with one another.
“Have you heard the news?”
At one noblewoman’s words, another tilted her head and asked.
“What news?”
“Why, about Duke Agnes.”
“Ah…….”
That pathetic Duke who had locked herself inside the mansion for half a year and neglected her territory?
A faint mocking smile appeared on their faces.
“But why are you bringing up the Duke all of a sudden?”
“Didn’t you know? She came to the capital this time.”
“What?”
Everyone widened their eyes at those words.
The Duke, who never showed even the slightest trace of herself during the social season, had actually come to the capital?
“Perhaps she finally became tired of her noble life. She was so deeply lost in alcohol that she could not even receive guests who came to pay respects.”
The noblewomen burst into laughter.
The Agnes Duchy.
When the previous Duke was alive, it was a family that no one dared to look down upon.
But what about now?
A young woman who knew nothing had taken the title of Duke and was completely ruining that great family.
They said that words without feet traveled faster than anything else.
The rumor that the Duke spent her days drinking and wasting time had spread throughout high society long ago.
It was a famous story that the Duke did not even allow nobles who came to offer condolences inside because she was too drunk.
At that moment, a servant’s announcement echoed through the ballroom.
“Duke Agnes has arrived!”
Hearing that today’s topic of conversation had appeared, everyone’s eyes turned toward the entrance.
Soft silver hair shining under the lights.
Deep blue eyes radiating a clear brilliance.
Skin as white and pure as milk.
A dress with the color of blue sapphire.
She entered the ballroom looking completely healthy, making it impossible to believe she was an alcoholic.
“……Hmm.”
Rachel smiled softly while looking at the gazes focused on her.
Everyone seemed to have expected her to appear looking sick and exhausted, and they stared with their mouths slightly open.
‘I intentionally got every bit of management done before coming!’
Maybe because of that, her skin seemed to glow today.
Feeling proud, her shoulders naturally rose.
Anyway……
A woman led several young ladies and young gentlemen toward her.
“It has been a long time since I have seen your face. Young Lady. Or should I call you Duke now?”
Rachel looked at the woman.
Golden hair and blue eyes.
‘Oh, a pure beauty.’
If this were the modern world, she would have easily been the female lead of a romance drama.
Caroline Harrisman, the daughter of the Harrisman Duke family.
Rachel naturally put on her mask.
“I see. Have you been well?”
The Harrisman Duchy.
They were the greatest contributor who pushed aside the Crown Prince and placed the current Emperor on the throne. Because of that achievement, they were promoted from a Marquis family to a Duke family.
A young lady from a family that would disappear into the shadows of history along with the current Emperor once the original story began.
There was no need to become overly close with her.
However, they would still hold power for another ten years, so there was no reason to create conflict.
But……
“I am always the same. Except my father keeps forcing me to give up on my feelings.”
Caroline smiled bitterly and lowered her gaze.
The people beside her sighed sadly.
“To have to give up on someone because of your parents’ opposition. How unfortunate, Lady……”
“This may sound rude, but even we think that person is not suitable for someone as gentle as you.”
“Duke Harrisman must know that as well.”
The person they were talking about was none other than the main character of this party, the Grand Duke of Lexerville.
Caroline’s unrequited love for the Grand Duke was a very famous story.
Caroline spoke with tears in her eyes.
“I know my father is only thinking of me, but I still cannot give up on my feelings for him ‘yet.’”
“Oh my…….”
What nonsense.
Rachel held back the laugh that almost came out.
Caroline always acted pitiful with stories about a love that could never come true.
Strangely enough, it worked quite well.
The men desperately wanted to protect Caroline, and the women pitied her.
But Rachel could see everything clearly.
‘Yet, huh…….’
The men were waiting for a chance because of the opening Caroline subtly gave them.
The women only pitied her because they believed her heart belonged to the terrifying Grand Duke.
‘……She’s very skilled. She’s managing a whole crowd of admirers while avoiding the jealousy of other young ladies?’
Rachel smiled slightly while watching her.
Seeing Rachel’s smile, Caroline tilted her head and asked.
“What is so amusing?”
“Ah, it is nothing.”
If Caroline knew what she had just been thinking, she would probably want to grab Rachel by the collar.
‘More importantly, isn’t there anything fun?’
She thought the exciting social life where people danced with words like swords would begin.
But it was already getting boring.
Just as she was about to yawn—
“The Grand Duke of Lexerville has arrived!”
“His Majesty the Emperor has arrived!”
The servants announced the entrance of the Grand Duke and the Emperor at the same time.
Everyone’s eyes fixed on the ballroom entrance.
Black hair.
Black eyes.
A tall man wearing a black formal suit.
Theo von Lexerville.
Even the Emperor’s presence was overshadowed by him. No one could take their eyes away.
Rachel was the same.
‘With this body’s memories, I only vaguely saw him and guessed he would be handsome…….’
But saying he was simply handsome was not enough.
A face as small as a model’s, a height close to 190 centimeters, and a strong, well-trained body like a hunting dog.
Sharp eyes and arrogant pupils that gave off a dangerous feeling.
An atmosphere of boredom wrapped around his entire body.
It felt as if he lived in a completely different world from everyone else.
He alone shined differently.
Rachel unknowingly stared at him in a daze, but then the Emperor’s congratulatory speech began.
People slowly came back to their senses and deeply bowed their heads.
Rachel hurriedly bowed as well.
‘……I think I understand why Caroline wants to marry the Grand Duke of Lexerville.’
Leaving aside the strange and terrifying rumors,
that man’s face was extremely dangerous.
