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Chapter 20
Fortunately, public attention had not focused on that young lady.
Instead, an utterly absurd rumor had spread throughout the Empire—that Enoch Chester was impotent.
Either way, it was more than enough to put Enoch in an exceptionally foul mood.
Rozen, who had unknowingly played a major role in creating that rumor, stood before his master like a fish waiting for the executioner’s knife to fall.
He couldn’t tell whether Enoch had simply forgotten about him…
Or whether his mood was so terrible that he couldn’t even be bothered to deal with him.
Enoch never once looked in Rozen’s direction.
He simply worked in silence.
By the time Rozen felt he had no nerves left to lose, Enoch finally spoke.
“Rozen.”
“Y-Yes, my lord.”
Rozen answered with the expression of a man walking to his execution.
At this point, he almost preferred being stabbed.
The long, oppressive silence had already shattered his mental state.
Of course…
Enoch still paid no attention to Rozen’s suffering.
“When proposing marriage…”
“What does one usually need?”
“…Excuse me?”
…What did you just say?
For a brief moment, Rozen completely forgot his own mistakes.
His exhausted mind simply stopped functioning.
It felt as though even his ears had gone on strike.
There was no way…
No way…
His own master had just asked that question.
Unable to deny reality any longer, Rozen began wondering if there was something wrong with his body instead.
Enoch, however, remained completely indifferent.
“I’m asking how people propose.”
“W-Well…”
“You ask the woman to marry you…”
“…Usually with a ring or flowers.”
“And if necessary… other gifts as well…”
Rozen answered in complete confusion, barely aware of who he was speaking to anymore.
He seemed to be trying very hard not to think of the man asking these questions as Enoch Chester.
Unfortunately…
Judging from the panic on his face…
He was failing miserably.
“Flowers.”
“A ring.”
“A proposal.”
“I-I mean…”
“Kneeling is normally expected…”
“But Your Grace is a Duke, so that’s not absolutely necessary…”
“And the official marriage proposal to the family can always come later…”
Rozen looked ready to burst into tears.
Enoch ignored him completely.
Instead, he thoughtfully repeated the words to himself.
“Flowers…”
“A ring…”
“A proposal…”
He nodded to himself.
Then stood up.
“I’ve finished most of today’s work.”
“You all can handle the rest.”
“My… my lord…”
“Where are you going?”
Rozen’s voice trembled.
Even after hearing everything, he still couldn’t believe it.
Enoch answered with the same indifferent expression.
“To propose.”
“…Huh?”
Ignoring Rozen’s desperate plea for confirmation that reality hadn’t collapsed…
Enoch simply walked out.
By the time Rozen recovered his senses…
His master had already left the estate.
“Sir Rozen.”
“His Grace has just gone out…”
The head butler entered the office and called out to him.
Only then did Rozen finally snap back to reality.
Grabbing the butler by both shoulders, he looked as though he were about to cry.
“Jeron.”
“Yes, Sir Rozen.”
“Tell me…”
“This is reality, isn’t it?”
“His Grace really left the estate?”
Jeron looked thoroughly confused.
“Y-Yes…”
“He did.”
The moment he heard that answer…
Rozen exploded.
“The world’s ending tomorrow!”
“That’s the only explanation!”
“Either that…”
“Or I’ve gone completely insane!”
Jeron almost replied,
“I think you’ve already gone insane.”
Thankfully…
He wisely swallowed those words.
“Please calm yourself.”
“What exactly happened?”
Rozen shouted back.
“HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO CALM DOWN?!”
“His Grace!”
“His Grace said…”
“HE’S GOING TO PROPOSE!!”
“The Enoch Chester!!”
Jeron froze.
Then he panicked just as badly.
Within moments…
The news spread throughout the Chester estate.
Everyone descended into chaos.
It was nothing less than the biggest event in the history of House Chester.
Meanwhile…
“Flowers…”
“And a ring…”
Well…
Those certainly were the traditional necessities for a proposal.
Enoch wasn’t ignorant simply because he had no interest in women.
He just had never found such things worth his attention.
The reason he’d asked Rozen was because he himself knew perfectly well…
He knew absolutely nothing about what women liked.
Nor did he expect that to change.
Although he could easily have ridden in a carriage, Enoch chose to walk through the streets himself.
He casually glanced into one shop after another.
Not because he sincerely wanted to be thoughtful.
Far from it.
“I wonder…”
“Will she completely lose her mind?”
The more perfectly and politely he prepared the proposal…
The more horrified Rose would become.
He was actually looking forward to that.
He could already imagine her shouting,
“What kind of insane bastard is this?!”
And…
He fully intended to show her exactly that in person very soon.
Just imagining the moment made him strangely excited.
A ring…
That should come first.
Flowers could wait.
He entered the first jeweler he saw.
Using his status as Duke, he examined the shop’s finest treasures.
Yet…
None of them appealed to him.
Still, since he needed to buy something, he reluctantly selected the least objectionable piece.
Then he encountered an unexpected problem.
“…Do you happen to know the young lady’s ring size?”
“…No.”
“Then…”
“I’m afraid we can’t make one that fits, Your Grace.”
He didn’t know her size.
He had only intended to buy a ring because it was customary.
Now even that plan had failed.
Without knowing her finger size…
There was simply no way to buy a proper ring.
He considered replacing it with something else.
Unfortunately…
Nothing caught his eye.
So…
He left the jewelry shop empty-handed.
As he walked farther down the street…
A flower shop came into view.
Or rather…
A particular flower displayed outside.
“What flower is that?”
The florist quickly noticed Enoch’s clothing.
Immediately bowing respectfully, he answered,
“It’s called the Crystal Rose, my lord.”
“Crystal Rose?”
“Yes.”
“It’s a newly cultivated variety.”
“When sunlight strikes its petals…”
“It sparkles like crystal.”
Hence the name.
Just as the florist said…
Although the rose itself was a pale pink…
It shimmered like crystal depending on the angle of the sunlight.
Seeing it…
Enoch immediately thought of her.
Rose’s hair.
The same soft pink.
And when sunlight touched it…
It shone even more brilliantly.
Almost before he realized it…
The words had already left his mouth.
“I’ll take it.”
“Of course.”
“How many would you—”
“A bouquet.”
“I’m proposing.”
The florist immediately understood.
“I shall prepare the finest bouquet possible.”
Hurriedly…
He began arranging flowers.
The finished bouquet clearly reflected every ounce of the florist’s effort.
He nervously watched Enoch’s expression.
What if even this wasn’t good enough?
Fortunately…
Enoch wasn’t particularly interested in the decorations.
It was the flower itself that mattered.
In fact…
He liked that the arrangement emphasized the Crystal Roses.
“How much?”
“…Your Grace?”
“I-I couldn’t possibly accept money from the Duke…”
The florist already knew exactly who Enoch Chester was.
Anyone living in the Imperial Capital would recognize the Duke with jet-black violet hair.
Without another word…
Enoch took out ten gold coins.
“I said…”
“I’ll pay.”
He didn’t wait for permission.
Simply placing the money into the florist’s trembling hands.
An ordinary bouquet cost around thirty silver coins.
Even though Crystal Roses were much more expensive…
Ten gold coins was an extraordinarily generous payment.
Taking the bouquet…
Enoch continued on his way.
The Chester ducal residence and the Marquis Hestia estate were very close.
Only about ten minutes apart.
Practically neighbors.
Perhaps it was because he was looking forward to seeing Rose’s horrified expression.
Or perhaps because doing something so unlike himself made his heart strangely light.
His footsteps felt unusually energetic.
At the time…
Enoch failed to realize what that feeling truly was.
It was excitement.
Meanwhile…
“Ah…”
“So this is paradise…”
Completely unaware of everything happening elsewhere…
Rose was thoroughly enjoying her luxurious life as an honorary unemployed noble.
Technically…
None of this wealth belonged to her.
Even so…
The hospitality of House Hestia was a hundred times grander than her own home.
Relaxing there…
With maids attending to every need…
Felt no different from spending an extravagant vacation in the finest hotel suite imaginable.
Since it wasn’t her money…
And she might never experience anything like this again…
Rose had decided to enjoy every second of it.
She lazed around shamelessly.
Marguerite occasionally checked on her despite attending countless social events.
Every time she saw Rose happily rolling around in comfort…
She clicked her tongue…
Yet smiled with satisfaction.
She was genuinely pleased that Rose felt so at home.
“So, Rose…”
“How long are you staying?”
Still lying lazily across the table, Rose answered without moving.
“Ruby and Liana have already left for the Academy.”
“And Mother and Father went back to our territory because of estate business.”
“What about you?”
“I ended up all alone.”
“They told me to relax, have fun, and come home whenever I feel like it.”
“Since I rarely go out anyway…”
“And I’m staying at House Hestia…”
“They don’t seem too worried.”
Granted…
Her parents had been utterly shocked to learn she was staying with the Marquis’s family.
But that was all.
Whether out of respect or fear of such a powerful noble house…
They hadn’t come to drag her home.
Besides…
There were few places in the Empire safer than House Hestia.
Compared to an ordinary inn where her parents stayed…
There wasn’t even a comparison.
That was why Rose could relax without worry.
After all…
No one here had any reason to kill her.
“Then why don’t you come back with me?”
“I can drop you off on the way.”
“Until then…”
“Let’s keep hanging out together.”
“When are you leaving?”
“Aren’t you supposed to start preparing to become the Crown Princess soon?”
Marguerite loved attending social gatherings.
Partly because she enjoyed them…
But also because it was her duty.
As the fiancée of Herys Lunatil Genoa, the newly appointed Crown Prince…
She would soon become Crown Princess.
And one day…
She would become Empress.
To do that…
She had to establish her influence throughout high society.
