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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 19
Chapter Title: The Duke of Claudius
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My first impression upon seeing this world’s male lead was…
‘Wow, I can definitely see why Serapina would fall for him.’
To describe him with a simple word like ‘handsome’ would be an insult to the Duke’s beauty.
Was this a sculpture meticulously crafted by the hands of a god?
Pale platinum-blond hair and piercing blue eyes that resembled a frozen sea.
A slender height and a solid build.
That alone was perfection, but it was complemented by a nobility that seemed ingrained in him from birth.
Every gesture, from a light movement of his hand to the way his eyes turned to look this way, was aristocratic.
Of course, the Duchess was dazzlingly beautiful, but the Duke…
‘He’s overwhelming.’
I felt my mouth go dry.
“What are you doing here, brother!”
Just then, the Duchess called out to the Duke in a pleased voice.
“Didn’t you say you were busy?”
“I did. I am.”
The Duke replied simply before giving a light shrug.
“Still, I thought it would be good to show my face at the salon at least once.”
At the same time, his blue gaze swept past me.
“So, Eva, when are you going to introduce me to this lady?”
“Ah, this is my… friend, Lalitt Ansi. I’ve mentioned her a few times, haven’t I?”
After a moment’s hesitation, the Duchess still introduced me as her ‘friend’.
‘What a relief.’
Since we hadn’t even signed the friendship contract yet, I was worried it would be a bit awkward.
Just then, the Duchess glanced back at me.
“Lady Ansi, this is my older brother, Dietrich von Claudius.”
I swallowed hard.
…To think I’d be exchanging greetings with Serapina’s man of destiny.
I felt an urge to run away, but I dug my toes into the ground and held my position.
Then, I offered a polite curtsy.
“Lalitt Ansi. An honor to meet you, Duke Claudius.”
“A pleasure to meet you, Lady Ansi.”
The Duke placed a hand on his chest and gave a polite bow.
“…”
For some reason, I felt a little strange.
Both the Duchess and now the Duke before me.
Neither showed any sign of ignoring or looking down on me.
If anything, I was the one who had wanted to avoid this situation.
‘Don’t be awkward.’
I paused as I tried to form a tentative smile.
‘Ah.’
Was it my imagination?
I had the feeling that the Duke’s piercing blue eyes were looking straight through me.
…My breath caught in my throat.
Just then.
A crowd of guests was ushered into the salon.
The Duchess’s eyes widened, and she hurried over to them.
“Brother, I have to greet my guests! Please look after Lady Ansi for me!”
Her clear, ringing voice snapped me back to my senses.
What? So suddenly?
Just me and the Duke? Alone?
A tremor of shock ran through me.
“I-It’s fine. I can be on my own…”
The Duchess paused in her flurry of activity and spun around.
“Hey, she’s my friend… well, my temporary friend, but still!”
The Duchess, who had unconsciously been about to say ‘friend’, hastily corrected herself.
Then she added primly.
“In any case, how could I leave my friend all alone?”
“But…”
“Brother, if you abandon Lady Ansi, you’ll have me to answer to. Got it?!”
Shaking a clenched fist, the Duchess quickly hurried away again.
W-What do I do?
I was dumbfounded.
At that moment, the Duke glanced down at me.
“Lady Ansi.”
He then offered me his arm.
It was the perfect posture of a gentleman escorting a lady, straight out of an etiquette manual.
“Shall we?”
At the same time, the corners of the Duke’s eyes curved beautifully.
It was a dizzyingly elegant smile.
“Ah, yes…”
As if enchanted, I placed my hand on his arm, only to belatedly snap back to my senses.
A face like that with a smile like that… that’s just cheating, isn’t it?!
* * *
The Duke and I walked side-by-side into the salon.
The guests who had arrived earlier were admiring the various works of art on display.
My eyes lit up as I surveyed the salon’s interior.
‘Ah, they removed all the flower arrangements, just as I advised.’
With the decorations gone, it was certainly easier to view the art more comfortably.
And it was obvious they’d paid attention to the lighting as well.
The light shone down subtly, ensuring the artworks wouldn’t be damaged.
“Eva sent me a document recently regarding the salon’s layout.”
Just then, the Duke spoke.
“I was told that you, Lady Ansi, offered your advice for that document.”
Why, what, why?
Is there a problem?!
My shoulders tensed as I turned to the Duke.
“Eva insisted she did most of it herself… but it seems to me that you were a great help.”
His blue gaze, holding a faint trace of a smile, was fixed on me.
“Am I correct?”
“Ah, well…”
What should I say?
I suddenly recalled the Duchess’s excited face.
“If I take this document, I’ll be able to put my brother in his place, won’t I?”
…She was so happy about it.
It wouldn’t be right to say I did most of the work.
“If you find it difficult to answer, you don’t have to.”
The Duke shrugged, then met my eyes with a gentle smile.
“I only wished to say that it was truly outstanding.”
“…Ah.”
Feeling my face flush for no reason, I deliberately turned my gaze to the paintings on the wall.
“Y-You’re too kind.”
An inquisitive question came in return.
“Why do you think it’s too kind?”
“Pardon?”
“I genuinely believe the document was outstanding.”
…He’s being genuine?
Not just saying it to be polite?
Forgetting my embarrassment entirely, I stared blankly at the Duke.
The Duke gave a slight nod.
“I pride myself on having reviewed quite a number of documents in my time… and that one was exceptional.”
“Ah…”
What should I do? I’m so happy.
Not knowing what to do, I ducked my head.
As if being considerate of me, the Duke smiled gently and changed the subject.
“So, are the artworks to your liking?”
“Ah, yes. They are.”
I nodded hastily.
Come to think of it, I’d heard the Duke was quite well-versed in the arts.
Perhaps that was why every piece on display was so beautiful.
The only problem was that I couldn’t bring myself to focus on any of them.
Because, to be perfectly honest…
‘W-Well, the Duke himself seems to be the greatest work of art here…’
I swallowed the words that rose to my throat.
The Duke’s beauty was so dazzling that it was impossible to concentrate on any other artwork…
Just then.
I caught sight of a group of nobles chatting in front of a sculpture.
It was a sculpture depicting a nymph transforming into a tree.
‘Ah, is that a sculpture of the nymph’s legend?’
That legend was so famous that even I knew the gist of it.
The story went something like this.
There was once a nymph who served a god.
The nymph loved the god she served with a sorrowful passion, but the problem was that the god never once returned her affections.
In the end, the nymph’s heart was deeply wounded, and she turned into a pure white birch tree…
“The sculptor most likely wanted to emphasize the nymph’s tragic sorrow and grief.”
A portly, middle-aged nobleman was showing off his knowledge.
“The nymph grew weary of her unrequited love and ultimately ended up abandoning even herself.”
Was it to heighten the mood?
The nobleman cleared his throat, pausing for a moment before continuing his explanation in a dramatic tone.
“Choosing to become a birch tree—doesn’t that signify just how deep her self-loathing was?”
“Ohh.”
“How could that be…”
Perhaps because the nobleman recounting the tale was so earnest, a strangely solemn atmosphere settled over them.
Meanwhile, as I listened to the story, I muttered unconsciously.
“But that might not be the whole story, right?”
“Then what are your thoughts, my lady?”
*Gasp.*
My eyes widened like a startled rabbit’s as I looked up at the Duke.
