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Chapter 09
The Man at the End of an Embarrassing Gaze
“So then why did His Grace the Grand Duke ask you to be his partner for this Victory Celebration? And what’s with the heart pattern right on the invitation?”
“…How would I know?”
“Boss!”
She truly didn’t know. Winston frowned briefly at Ian, then pulled another invitation from his coat.
“If you want to run away again, go ahead. It’ll be the last time you ever run.”
And threats came as a bonus.
Avoiding Ian’s sharp stare, Adeline casually changed the subject.
“Ian, isn’t it a relief the victory ceremony wasn’t canceled?”
“Is that really what you should be saying right now?”
“But it benefits us too if the ceremony happens.”
“……”
“It’s better to think about the positive things first.”
There was no way Adeline hadn’t known the victory ceremony and banquet would take place. The problem was that in this life, she’d never imagined Winston would order her to be his partner.
“So, Boss. Are you going to the Victory Celebration banquet?”
“Of course I have to go. You said you were going too.”
“Nothing, including the ceremony itself, has been officially confirmed yet.”
“The person involved handed me the invitation personally, so it’s basically confirmed. The official announcement can come later.”
The delayed announcement of events related to the victory ceremony was the work of those trying to keep the Blackwood family in check.
Up until now, Adeline had vaguely assumed she’d attend alone or with Ian. She had contracts tied to the banquet and investments riding on it, so she needed to make sure everything was proceeding properly.
“Boss.”
“What?”
“Hypothetically.”
“Hypothetically?”
“If you reject the Grand Duke’s request… what happens?”
“I’m obviously going to reject it.”
“Can you guarantee His Grace won’t retaliate? His pride would take a huge hit.”
“……”
No. There was no guarantee.
“On the other hand, if you attend with His Grace, every noble lady in the Empire will become your enemy. At that point, are you shutting down the business?”
“……”
No. She hated that idea too.
“So what will you do? Do you have a plan?”
“…I just have to make him not want me as a partner.”
“How?”
“…I’ll figure it out.”
“I don’t trust that.”
Suspicion still filled Ian’s eyes.
If she attended the banquet with Winston, she might end up being stoned by every woman in the Empire—no, on the continent—or forced to shut down her business.
Adeline nervously bit her nails.
Ian looked at her with pity and gently grabbed her hand, stopping her.
That man. Back then and now, he’s always been an expert at making my life difficult.
For a while, she buried herself in work.
She became so busy she couldn’t tell whether the thing in the sky was the moon or the sun.
Ha… I’m exhausted. I’m not going to work myself to death, am I?
She organized expense records to bill Ian and the Blackwood family, wrote apology cards for delays on custom orders, and then made the products themselves.
Once home, she spent all day trying to think of ways to get rejected by that insufferably perfect Grand Duke.
“Big sis!”
Her face was buried in her desk when the ground trembled lightly and the door burst open.
“Big sis! Little sis is a liar! She says she won’t take me to the amusement park!”
Tear-soaked Luka ran over clutching his teddy bear.
He climbed right onto Adeline’s lap and grabbed fistfuls of her hair.
“Little sis is mean! She said if I came here she’d take me to the amusement park, but she lied again!”
The child’s voice grew louder with injustice.
Then came a scoff.
Kayla entered with crossed arms, glaring at their younger brother.
“When did I lie?”
“You did! Little sis is mean!”
“I said I couldn’t help it because I already had plans.”
“What are ‘plans’? Plans! I only know chicks, not plans! I hate that!”
Apparently Luka didn’t know the meaning of prior engagement, because he cried even harder.
“Luka, a prior engagement means a promise made earlier.”
“A promise made earlier?”
“Yeah. Before promising you, little sis had already promised someone else.”
“But… but… then she shouldn’t have promised me.”
“That’s right.”
Adeline lifted her head and looked at Kayla.
“The person who made double promises is the bad one.”
Kayla flinched and stepped back half a pace.
Clearly, she’d been handing out empty promises because Luka was young.
“Kayla. Apologize to your brother right now.”
“But, sis, you know prior engagements are important too.”
“They are. But that doesn’t mean you get to betray someone else’s trust.”
“We’re nobles. Nobles should keep proper etiquette.”
“If you can’t even keep etiquette at this level, then give up your rights as a noble.”
“What kind of nonsense is that?!”
“If you hate it that much, go back home immediately.”
“I said I’d apologize! Fine, I’ll apologize. But I still can’t cancel my earlier plans.”
Kayla knew Adeline hadn’t thrown her out immediately only because she’d brought Luka along.
Reluctantly, she turned to him.
“Hey, sorry. But I have an important banquet to attend, so I can’t help it.”
“Big sis! Little sis is apologizing carelessly!”
“Kayla.”
“I said sorry! And I didn’t know either! They suddenly announced a banquet—what do you expect me to do?”
A sudden banquet.
Right now, the only sudden banquet in the capital would be the one for the victory ceremony.
“How are you even going to attend the ceremony?”
“What? Looks like you heard about it too.”
Kayla lifted her chin proudly.
“The daughters of Count Hamel’s family said they’d take me. I only heard today, so I’m busy too.”
“Big sis, then what about me? Do I have to stay home alone?”
“No. Obviously little sis should look after you.”
“No! I came all the way to the capital too, so I want to go to the banquet!”
From the day Adeline possessed this body until now, through all her regressions, she had never once seen slippery, selfish Kayla change.
“Big sis, are you going out that day too?”
“I…”
“How would you get in there? Did you meet Count Hamel? I haven’t heard anything like that. Secret dates or something?”
“Kayla.”
“What?”
“I already gave Count Hamel up to you, so stop bringing him up.”
Kayla shot her a resentful glare before leaving the room.
“Big sis, do I really have to stay home alone? I’m scared.”
“Luka, don’t worry.”
Luka, still clutching his teddy bear on her lap, gradually fell asleep.
She carried him to bed and patted his back.
Why didn’t I think of something so simple?
That night gave her one more reason to visit the Blackwood estate first thing tomorrow.
For a brief moment, Winston’s face appeared above the blue moonlight before fading away.
Adeline erased the illusion from her mind.
The sparkling moon filled her with an unfounded feeling that tomorrow’s weather—and tomorrow itself—would be especially good.
“We see each other often.”
“Welcome. My master is in the drawing room.”
The gray-haired knight’s attitude was strangely gentle compared to before.
It didn’t even look forced.
“I’m sorry about last time.”
She hadn’t expected an apology.
Coming here was worth it.
Adeline merely nodded.
She hadn’t intended to visit the Blackwood Grand Duke’s estate in person.
But every ledger she sent was returned by the Grand Duke, leaving her no choice.
“His Grace said he won’t accept anything unless it’s delivered personally.”
There was something she wanted to say to Winston anyway.
In the end, this worked out well.
She entered the drawing room.
The Grand Duke was dressed casually again today.
He looked as if he had just finished bathing, absentmindedly running a hand through his messy hair.
“Adeline, you came earlier than expected.”
“Appointments with customers are precious.”
Outside, the Grand Duke usually concealed himself completely—even in the middle of summer.
But last time and now too…
Without the slightest embarrassment, he wore a loose black robe that hung open enough for the breeze to pass right through.
Does he just relax at home and only hide himself when outside? Why?
Water dripped from his hair as he frowned.
Even that looked like a painting.
Adeline’s eyes landed on the pale skin visible through the robe.
The man caught at the end of her awkward gaze still had red marks scattered across his broad shoulders and neck.
How had she ended up leaving such embarrassing traces on a body sculpted like that?
Did I bite too hard? Mine have almost completely disappeared already…
