🔊 TTS Settings
Chapter 05
“Still, I suppose it’s fortunate.”
“What do you mean?”
“…That you look like this. It makes the absurd claim that I lost my head over you somewhat believable.”
The family’s explosive reaction meant Lizbeth’s words carried weight.
Others would likely think the same.
“They’ll assume a foolish young noble lady crossed the line while playing with her handsome childhood friend.”
The most important word here was handsome.
If Calix hadn’t been exceptionally good-looking, no one would have believed Lizbeth had done anything with him.
After all, every romance novel starts there.
While she drifted into thought, Calix gently enclosed the small hand that was touching his face.
Startled by the heat of his skin—far warmer than hers—Lizbeth snapped back to reality and looked at him. He curved his eyes into a bright smile.
“Then I’ll be satisfied with that. If even this can be of help to you.”
He whispered it softly, then straightened up. Lizbeth, who had been staring at him while holding the handkerchief, abruptly turned away.
After walking a few steps, she suddenly spoke again.
“More importantly, you’ll be busy starting tomorrow.”
“Pardon? Why?”
“There’ll be an article in the paper. Something like, ‘Reckless Duchess Crosses the Line in a Dangerous Affair.’”
“…Won’t His Grace the Duke block it?”
Lizbeth let out a small snort.
If she had done nothing, of course he would have.
However—
Before entering the dining hall with Calix, Lizbeth had quietly summoned several servants.
“You just need to relay everything that happens inside to the newspaper offices.”
She handed each of them a pouch filled with silver coins and gave them firm instructions.
By now, a reporter was probably writing everything down. Lizbeth calmly informed Calix of the fact.
“I deliberately let things slip earlier. To the ones with the loosest tongues.”
“…”
“Our scandal will spread throughout the capital.”
People loved gossip—especially romantic scandals.
Thinking of the rumors that would circulate through the streets, Lizbeth felt a flicker of excitement.
Rumors always grew more malicious and more sensational than the truth.
What would people say about her and the First Prince?
And what would they say about Calix?
There will be even more talk about Calix.
People loved the fall of a hero. They would chew him up eagerly.
That was precisely what she had meant when she warned him his honor might be stained.
“Your reputation won’t just suffer among fellow knights or nobles.”
“…”
“You’ll be thoroughly picked apart by common citizens too. I intend to use everything I can, Calix Phaeon.”
“…”
“I warned you.”
“And I answered. My name is already in your hands.”
Calix replied evenly, then turned his body with a quiet sigh.
Lizbeth blinked as she looked into his blue eyes.
The steady light in them—unchanged from his youth—had not dimmed in the slightest. As if to assure her he would never regret this, he continued:
“Lady Armierosha.”
“…”
“Do as you wish. Whether you claim to carry my child, or anything else…”
“…”
“I will stand on your side.”
Seeing his flushed face as he said that, a letter he once sent her flickered through her mind.
At the very least, I should have been on your side.
Not wanting him to see her trembling eyes, Lizbeth turned her head away.
<The Lady of Armierosha, Engaged to the First Prince, Caught with Another Man!?>
<Reckless Duchess Crosses the Line in a Dangerous Affair>
<The Truth Behind the ‘Guardian of the Empire’ Scandal That Even the Lady of Armierosha Couldn’t Resist?>
The moment she rose from bed, Lizbeth asked for the newspapers. The efficient servants of the ducal estate had already stacked them neatly on the table before she even finished changing her dress.
Sitting on the sofa, she read the provocative headlines with satisfaction before quietly setting the papers down.
Merchants really do know what they’re doing.
A parade of sensational phrases.
Within a week, everyone in the capital would know about her and Calix.
Naturally, the imperial palace would hear of it as well.
I made sure these papers circulate there too.
Lizbeth smirked as she reread the articles.
I rather like that the First Prince is treated as a side character.
He was the sort who always needed to shine brightest wherever he stood—yet in these articles, he had been reduced to a mere extra.
Imagining the scowl he must be wearing at that very moment, she chuckled to herself.
She lightly ignored the article that described her as a temptress of the century.
“Milady, you must prepare now.”
Everything was proceeding smoothly, just as planned.
Ah! Could there be another woman like Lizbeth Armierosha?
It is said that with only one month remaining before her marriage to His Highness First Prince Frederic Regentisia, she shared an illicit affair with Sir Calix Phaeon, known as the Guardian of the Empire. According to reliable sources—
…
The writer cannot help but lament that the two pitiful men ensnared by the Lady of Armierosha’s dangerous seduction are among the finest men of the Empire. Whatever her charm may be—
Standing crookedly by the window, Calix frowned as he read the article.
Though the paper had stopped short of crossing certain lines—likely out of fear of retaliation from the ducal house—the mocking tone clearly painted Lizbeth as a legendary temptress, a villainess who toyed with two men.
Calix clenched his teeth.
He had known this would happen, but—
…It hurts.
Just imagining Lizbeth reading this garbage made his chest feel as though it were being torn apart.
Of course, he knew she had wanted such gossip to spread. Still—
Lizbeth shouldn’t be treated this way.
In truth, this was all the First Prince’s fault. That bastard was the one who behaved disgracefully—so why was Lizbeth the one receiving all the insults?
With a sharp motion, Calix flung the newspaper aside. Later, he thought darkly, perhaps he should send that newspaper office a “gift” in the form of a bomb.
When Lizbeth had first told him such articles would appear, his initial concern had been something else entirely.
In scandals like these, the woman usually suffered more.
If anything went wrong, Lizbeth might never marry again… or be ostracized from high society.
Wait.
Did that matter?
Lizbeth would marry him. She would have no need for another man.
Even if she were ostracized, he could simply remain by her side.
Why would she need anyone but him?
“….”
No. Those thoughts would not help her.
Crushing the base desire that kept surfacing, Calix let out a self-mocking sigh.
At that moment, as if on cue, someone appeared to divert his attention.
“Calix, what’s all this?”
At the teasing voice, Calix looked up.
“‘Sir Calix Phaeon, admired by countless women for his handsome appearance and fine character. Who would have thought a beast with filthy ambition lurked beneath that image? Shocking!’ Hahaha!”
“…”
The article his fellow knight was quoting came from a different newspaper than the one Calix had read.
Some papers branded Lizbeth a temptress of the century.
Others portrayed Calix as an ambitious beast—
Claiming that he had seduced the young duchess to seize power for himself.
