Chapter 12
“Then you’ll hurt your hands. Give them to me instead. I’ll do it.”
“What does it matter if my hands get hurt over something like this?”
“……”
With a determined look in her eyes, Evangeline tore off the last jewel on the shoulder. Philip swallowed his words and fell silent.
It seemed as though she had already suffered a much greater wound somewhere else. Her drooping shoulders reminded him of a bird soaked in rain. He could not even begin to imagine what she must be feeling. She was someone who had never experienced a single injury or humiliation since birth.
“I would like to sell the other jewels I own, but they are all registered with the appraisal office. In this situation, it could cause even bigger rumors.”
“Then at least let us dispose of these jewels. So you can use the money where you truly need it, Young Lady.”
“Now is the time.”
“What?”
“Find traces of my father.”
She endured the wounds she had received while pretending not to notice them, holding on to that one remaining hope.
It did not matter what intention the princess had when she did this to her. If this could become even the smallest chance of finding a trace of her father, she would gladly endure even this foolish and innocent malice.
“These are not the highest-grade jewels, so they probably won’t bring in a huge amount of money. But we can send people to look for news about my father or any belongings left behind.”
“But the Duke has probably already searched the surrounding area.”
“What he is searching for…”
Evangeline lowered her eyes.
“Is probably my father’s corpse.”
“……”
That man’s expression that day had been like that.
He had said that he had sent people to search, so he was not lying. But he probably did not hold any great hope. She had known him for a long time. She could tell from his voice and his eyes alone.
But she, his daughter, could not give up and put down her hands.
“Please find something. Anything. Even a single strand of hair.”
“Young Lady…”
Philip’s voice darkened as he looked at her pale face.
Still, as if trying to force herself to stay strong, Evangeline stretched her lips into a faint smile.
“I think it would be good to follow the currents and search the nearby seas or even the black markets in nearby villages. Since he only wore the finest goods, whoever found them would not have thrown them away carelessly.”
“……Yes, Young Lady.”
“Then I’ll be going. If you receive any other news, please let me know.”
“Ah, actually… Lord Kirion came by this morning.”
Philip, who was seeing her off toward the carriage stop, cautiously brought up the topic.
Evangeline turned around with a disappointed expression, expecting news about her father. However, hearing the name of an old friend she had not heard in a long time still brought a small sense of warmth.
“Kirion? When did he come to Roak?”
“The navy ships docked recently, so I assume he arrived around then. He said he rushed here as soon as he heard about your situation.”
“Ah…”
“So he wanted very much to meet you. He repeatedly asked me to contact him if you came to the merchant guild. Should I tell him that you visited today?”
Philip carefully held her hand as she stepped onto the carriage.
He knew this was not the right time for her to meet a friend, but the two had been very close when they were young. If meeting him could give her even a little comfort, it would be a good thing.
“No.”
After hesitating for a moment, Evangeline raised her lowered eyes.
Unlike her cold voice, her hand movement was strangely heartbreaking as she pulled her robe deeper, afraid that someone might recognize her.
“……There will be a day when we meet again.”
◇ ◆ ◇
When Evangeline opened the door to the reception room, she frowned at the thick smoke filling the air.
How many people in this world could enter the Duchess’s private room without permission and even smoke inside?
Without showing much surprise, she walked forward and faced the Duke standing by the window.
“When did you arrive?”
“Is there a reason I shouldn’t?”
“……Of course not. This is your home.”
She lowered her head with a quiet smile.
There was no cigar between his fingers, yet the room was filled with so much smoke. It seemed he had been there for quite some time.
When she reached out toward the window to ventilate the room, Decarno pushed the window shut first with force.
She awkwardly withdrew her hand and gave a faint smile.
“Thank you.”
“According to you, it is my home. Is this really something you should thank me for?”
“……I see. I didn’t know.”
His strangely sharp words made her clasp her hands together.
She had known from the moment she opened the door that he was in a bad mood.
She simply did not want to acknowledge it.
“Did you enjoy yourself? It seems you went somewhere quite interesting today.”
“……”
As expected, his voice was cold, like looking into a misty night fog.
It had only been a few days since he had forbidden her from going outside, so it was understandable that his mood had worsened.
After all, this was a man who had never experienced someone disobeying his orders.
“Her Highness the Princess even sent a carriage for me, so I had no choice. How could I possibly refuse her invitation?”
“So what happened afterward?”
“……”
“The coachman said he followed you and waited outside the Imperial Palace, but you disappeared without leaving a trace.”
At last, Decarno turned slightly toward her.
His gray eyes flashed.
It was extremely rare for him to show this much emotion, so Evangeline froze for a moment.
She did not know how much he knew, but she did not want to explain it herself.
Even if she had lowered her pride for a moment, she had not completely thrown it away.
If she told him she had gone to the merchant guild, the story would eventually lead to the dress. And she hated the thought of him finding out how she had obtained it more than anything.
“I simply felt suffocated, so I went outside for some fresh air. I didn’t realize the time had passed so much.”
“Suffocated?”
“……”
She could not bring herself to ask if he really did not know.
Even feeling suffocated was a luxury she could no longer afford.
Without noticing how his eyes narrowed as her silence continued, Evangeline quickly shook her head.
“I’m fine now. I apologize for causing you concern.”
“……What exactly did you hear at the Imperial Palace?”
When Evangeline acted as if nothing had happened, the Duke’s gaze also returned to its usual cold reason.
Instead of asking what happened, he asked what she had heard.
It seemed he could guess what the princess might have said.
“Did the princess insult you?”
“No. She didn’t.”
“Then?”
“……She said there would be a banquet at the Imperial Palace soon and invited me.”
Although she was surprised that he immediately understood what was happening, Evangeline calmly answered.
Princess Bellona might be impatient, but she was not foolish.
If she did not want to openly draw the Duke’s anger, she would not bring up today’s incident first.
And an invitation to a banquet was not a lie.
It was not exactly an official invitation yet, but he would not refuse if she decided to attend.
Unless he wanted to reject such a grand spectacle.
“So what did you answer?”
“I told her I would think about it. It is not something I can decide alone.”
“……”
Fortunately—or unfortunately—Decarno did not question her any further.
Even him asking about her affairs and showing interest was unfamiliar, but given the current situation, she expected at least this much.
After all, everything she did now affected the reputation of House Theze.
Perhaps it was only natural.
“I’ll go upstairs now… Ah, Duke.”
“Why? Did you not expect this?”
He grabbed Evangeline’s wrist as she turned away.
His voice was dark.
She took a sharp breath in surprise, but the more she reacted, the tighter his grip felt.
“You prepared every other answer like a puppet. But this seems difficult for you.”
“……”
Despite his displeased expression, the corner of his lips twisted slightly.
He hated women who cried.
But he had never wanted a woman who acted like a doll either.
Using force was not something he enjoyed, but if he could break that unnatural mask she wore—
If he could discover what exactly she was hiding from him—
He would not hesitate.
However, Evangeline’s breathing soon calmed.
Her gaze did not shake as she looked straight at him.
“……Tonight is difficult.”
“Hah.”
Decarno’s low, mocking laugh sounded ominous.
It would have been better if she were deliberately provoking him.
But this woman was not doing that.
The look in her eyes was heavy, filled with resignation, as if she truly believed that was all he wanted from her.
“Today, I’m a little tired. Tell me beforehand next time.”
“Seems like anything works as long as I tell you.”
“It has always been that way.”
Her lips curved faintly.
After their engagement ceremony, on the day he had been unusually drunk and grabbed her wrist, there had been nights like this from time to time.
Except for their first night, when both of them had been drunk and barely conscious, the Duke always expressed his desire for her in his own respectful way.
For example, he would ask if she had any other plans after dinner.
Or he would stare at her with unusually heated eyes.
Or he would hold her hand like this.
More precisely, he would run his thumb across the back of the hand he held.
But now, she no longer had the strength to distinguish those small differences.
