IPBPBD 56🔐

chapter 56

“Let’s postpone the introduction to the knights for now.”

“Since the Duke has already been acknowledged, what’s so difficult about ignoring convention? Do as you wish.”

“Do you always have to be so sarcastic?”

“Do I have to speak that way for you to understand? The oath of loyalty is a ceremony for the knights to formally recognize the Duchess. The knights also have the right to meet their new mistress.”

“Postponing that right for a moment doesn’t mean they can’t acknowledge it. What’s so significant about a pointless act?”

“Wasn’t it your ancestor who gave that act so much significance? I’m only upholding it.”

“…You don’t mince words, do you.”

“Then I’ll pretend I didn’t hear that.”

“In that case, let’s skip the ceremonial kiss for the oath.”

“How absurd. You’re suggesting we postpone the gathering just because of such a trivial matter?”

“Yes. So if you don’t like it, forget it. At least I should go first.”

Since the act of taking an oath of loyalty carries symbolic meaning, Hainkel couldn’t help but let out a hollow laugh in disbelief.

When he asked sarcastically if that meant he shouldn’t swear loyalty at all, Kirzen silently glared at him, signaling that he would not let it slide.

It was a ridiculous display of jealousy.

Kirzen acted as if the meaningless ritual shouldn’t be given significance, yet he himself was assigning meaning to something equally absurd. Hainkel was both stunned and found it laughable.

Out of defiance, he visited the Duke’s residence to meet the new mistress in person.

She was the daughter of a baron he had known in childhood.

And she was the woman the Duke had been attentive to since those days.

The Duke had wanted her as his wife and eventually registered their marriage in secret.

It was done without informing any of the retainers.

Of course, Hainkel understood. The moment the retainers were told, they would have opposed it outright.

So, to avoid unnecessary fuss, Kirzen acted independently.

Even the retainers found it hard to reverse something already done.

Indeed, when Kirzen informed them, the retainers were left speechless.

What could they say? The decision was final.

Even if they opposed it, nothing would change; all they could do was swallow their words in silence.

Hainkel found this thoroughly amusing.

The young lady seemed completely unaware of the Duke’s obsessive feelings for her.

Recalling the new mistress he had seen in the reception room, Hainkel twisted his mouth in a slight smirk.

Everything was ultimately the result of the Duke’s childish emotions.

At that, Lokbel replied in disbelief.

“I want to ask in return—did you come here rudely just for such a reason? This could have offended the mistress. It was quite inconsiderate.”

“If I didn’t act, the oath would be postponed indefinitely, and I can’t just sit and wait. I’d rather do as the Duke did—take action first and deal with it later.”

He was referring to how Kirzen had married independently and then informed the retainers afterward.

Lokbel couldn’t entirely fault him for behaving this way.

After all, it was tradition.

The sudden presence of a new mistress, and the refusal to swear loyalty on the appointed day, were impulsive decisions in a family with long-standing customs.

Breaking established norms inevitably causes resistance.

Frankly, Lokbel himself felt a bit of dissatisfaction.

But in the end, he was a follower. If that was the master’s will, he had to comply.

Hainkel was in the same position, so expressing dissatisfaction that way was improper.

Thus, Lokbel could only say:

“Sigh… Sir Marcus.”

But Hainkel spoke even faster.

“In any case, I am indeed being rude today, so I will apologize to the Duchess separately. As your butler said, I will make sure to give prior notice next time.”

He bowed briefly, signaling that he would be leaving.

Lokbel could only watch Hainkel leave without a word of reproach.

He shook his head and walked toward the dining area, where the master and his wife were likely having dinner.

After dinner, Emilina returned to her private room, mulling over her conversation with Kirzen.

“Kir… you mean he’s elsewhere for now?”

“Isn’t that different from what you said? You mentioned he was staying at the Duke’s residence.”

“He is not in the main mansion, but he is staying at one of the Duke family’s villas in the territory. The Duchy of Ditrio is very large.”

“Then it seems there’s no reason for me to be here. I accepted the Duke’s offer because Kir needed me.”

“Yes, I understand. I plan to call for you soon. But as I mentioned before, it’s difficult to meet him immediately…”

“Is it serious? If needed, I can go directly to him myself.”

“That would be difficult. It’s a bit much for a young lady to go there herself.”

“Where exactly is it…?”

Emilina asked, but Kirzen didn’t answer, only giving a vague smile and avoiding her gaze.

Even after asking again, he didn’t reply, and Emilina gave up.

She had to move on to another topic.

“Alright. Let’s discuss the matter regarding Kir later. It seems difficult to answer right now.”

“I apologize, but it won’t take long. Please wait a little.”

“Understood. I’ll wait, since I also need time to adjust. And about the bedroom… do we really have to share it? The Duke seems uncomfortable too.”

“I don’t mind, but you seem uncomfortable.”

“Of course. I honestly hadn’t considered sharing a bed.”

“That’s understandable… If it’s too uncomfortable, I’ll sleep separately in the study.”

“No! I’ll sleep in my private room instead. It was originally the Duke’s room anyway. If anyone moves, it should be me.”

“I oppose that. That room isn’t suitable as a bedroom, and having you sleep there would certainly cause gossip. I don’t want your name to be spoken of.”

“Ah…”

“There are people who doubt our relationship. I’ll bear the inconvenience. Sometimes I stay up late handling official duties. It’s a reasonable excuse.”

Kirzen said this, apologizing sincerely.

Emilina, worried about this, could only agree.

After all, they had publicly received the Duke’s proposal at the ball.

Many might doubt her relationship with Kirzen.

It was, indeed, a rather sudden connection.

Even Emilina herself would have found such suspicion reasonable.

If not for Kir, such doubts would have been perfectly justified.

“And gossip columns are talking about it too.”

Reports spoke of an extraordinary social rise, a Cinderella story, and speculated secret dealings between them.

Among the wild rumors, some hit surprisingly close to the truth, which made Emilina feel guilty.

Particularly the idea of secret dealings between them.

Perhaps because contract marriages were popular in romance novels recently, many guessed their relationship was like that.

Half of it was accurate, in a sense—it was a kind of contract marriage, though not officially.

Because of this, she had to be mindful of external scrutiny.

If the truth were revealed, it could lead to problems.

“First, my father’s debt forgiveness issue might come to light.”

“Then the irregular marriage registration would be noticed.”

People might even assume she coerced Kirzen, or that moneylenders would intervene.

With so many entanglements, it was better to show a proper relationship while at the Duke’s residence.

Otherwise, any gap in conduct would be mercilessly criticized.

And that criticism would naturally fall on her and her family.

It would be fine if she alone bore the scorn… but she couldn’t let her family suffer.

Emilina sighed deeply, frustrated.

“Ah, damn it. Why did I say that at the time…!”

She leaned back into the sofa, letting out a belated groan, brushing her hands over her face in distress.

The thought of sharing a bedroom with Kirzen that very night made her dizzy and anxious.

It was her own response to his suggestion that caused the problem.

‘I must have been insane to say that…!’

“Wouldn’t it be better to share the room then? The key point is that no one should doubt our relationship. If the Duke is in the study every night, that will cause talk too.”

“But wouldn’t you be uncomfortable? I want to make things convenient for you.”

“No, I think I was wrong. It’s better to have separate rooms, but it’s also the long-standing tradition of the Duke family. I shouldn’t ignore that.”

Honestly, whatever Kirzen did, she, as the weaker party, would be criticized.

Considering the long-term, it wasn’t a good situation, so Emilina chose the uncomfortable option.

As a result, she ended up sharing a room with Kirzen and had been regretting that choice ever since.

“Sigh… this is really maddening.”

No matter how much she had prepared, some situations were just overwhelming.

To share a room with him was inherently stressful.

From the moment she arrived at the Duke residence, she had been under repeated pressure, her stomach in knots.

She had no idea how to face Kirzen’s expression or what attitude to take when he returned from his duties.

Her head ached as she washed her face, sighing repeatedly, when there was a knock at the door.

Being in her private room, she froze naturally.

“Milady, this is Butler Lokbel. Do you have a moment?”

“Oh, yes. Please come in.”

Fortunately, it wasn’t the person she had been worried about.

She breathed a sigh of relief and allowed Lokbel to enter.

As he excused himself and opened the door, her personal maids were standing there—those she had met when introduced to the household staff.

Two young girls with similar faces, appearing rather inexperienced, and a young lady leading them like a senior.

Lokbel stepped aside and explained.

“These are your dedicated maids. Since there was no separate call after dinner, I brought them myself. I hope I haven’t disturbed your personal time.”

“Oh, not at all. I just had things on my mind… so I didn’t summon them.”

“May I instruct them to attend to you?”

“Attend to me? What exactly do you mean?”

“It’s late, so you should prepare for bed.”

Lokbel gestured to the maids.

The eldest maid stepped forward, holding the edge of her skirt, and addressed Emilina.

“Hello, milady. I greet you again. Please feel free to call me Mari.”

The two younger maids followed, still frozen in place.

“I am Rona. It’s an honor to serve you.”

“I’m Dina. Please take care of me.”

Given the similarity in their names, Rona and Dina were likely twins.

After the introductions, Lokbel quietly added:

“Rona and Dina are still young but capable. They are discreet, so no need to worry.”

“Thank you for your care.”

“Mari comes highly recommended by me. As your personal maid, she will make things easier. She is experienced, quick-witted, and efficient. You’ll find her service comfortable.”

“If you have anything you need me to do, please let me know anytime,” Mari said, tapping her chest confidently.

Lokbel observed Mari, then approached Emilina slightly.

In a very low voice, he added so only she could hear:

“I selected these girls myself. If you’re not satisfied, you may let me know anytime. You may also bring your own maid or choose someone else in the house.”

He stepped back, showing careful consideration, aware that Emilina might be sensitive about not having her own maid.

For a young noblewoman, bringing a personal maid was customary, but the Klein household had no household staff, and Emilina had none to bring.

Lokbel had no way of knowing this, so he cautiously suggested maids without upsetting her.

Emilina, however, thought the opposite.

Lokbel’s tone was polite and merely suggestive. She felt his consideration, so there was no reason to be displeased.

She decided to trust Lokbel’s judgment and actions.

“No, I’m sure there’s a reason you recommended them. It saves me the trouble of finding them myself, so I appreciate it,” Emilina said, praising him.

Lokbel cleared his throat, slightly embarrassed.

“Thank you for saying so. I shall take my leave now.”

He bowed and quickly exited, reminding the maids to attend well to the mistress.

Once Lokbel had left, Mari quietly began her duties, sensing Emilina’s hesitance.

“Milady, may I guide you to the bath? I’ve prepared a fragrant bath to ease your fatigue. I’m sure you’ll enjoy it.”

Only then did Emilina understand the exact meaning of being attended to. She asked, puzzled:

“Um… Mari, right? I think I can bathe alone. Do I really need you to come with me?”

“It is our duty to attend you. Assisting you in your bath is natural.”

“But…”

Emilina opened her mouth to object, but Mari hesitated and continued softly:

“Please speak to us casually. Given our status… I apologize if this is presumptuous.”

Mari repeatedly bowed, looking genuinely apologetic.

Emilina was startled and tried to stop her, but Mari didn’t raise her head.

It was as if she were protesting to be allowed casual speech.

Mari did not move until Emilina spoke informally, so Emilina had no choice but to comply.

“…Alright. Fine. Okay, now lift your head. I’m just not used to speaking casually yet.”