64 - The Bride of the Great Lord is a Warrior from Hell
Grand Duke's Bride 64
But that was the result of wearing a mask of foolishness.
Duchess Belz was neither lacking nor ignorant of the world.
The reason she laughed and joked, acting carelessly with the imperial family and nobles, and falsely bought people's hearts by scattering gold, was solely for her son.
It is unknown whether Duchess Belz loved her arranged marriage partner, Duke Belz, or not.
But the Duchess truly loved her son.
She wanted the Baronet, who would become Duke Belz when he came of age, to become Emperor, not just Duke Belz.
As the Emperor's biological mother, she herself dreamed of becoming Empress Dowager.
Although she seemed to be scattering gold without knowing anything, laughing foolishly, she was more ambitious than anyone else.
Alisha recalled the information in her head and looked for a topic to share with the Duchess.
"I see."
The woman who spent gold like water and spread laughter everywhere, Duchess Belz, spoke with a subtle smile on her face.
Duchess Belz was known to be a bit immature, but she was said to have a pure nature towards both the imperial family and nobles, and did not engage in power struggles.
"……."
Alisha only gave an awkward smile.
"Unlike the rumors that you came down from heaven, you didn't even come to greet me once."
Duchess Belz chattered with a face that was smiling, but did not seem like a smile.
"I'm sorry. I also wanted to go to Belz. I was short-sighted and didn't think to contact you to say I wanted to visit."
"Are you blaming me for not inviting you, Lady Alisha?"
Alisha did not hesitate at the hostility she felt from Duchess Belz.
"Of course not. I was so impressed by the gift the Duchess sent to congratulate me on my engagement that I wanted to meet you in person and pay my respects. I am just sorry that I couldn't find the time to visit sooner."
Alisha replied in a humble manner.
"It's surprising that we are only seeing each other now, after you were so impressed. Don't you think so? Be careful in the future."
A twisted smile and sharp words followed.
It seemed that Duchess Belz had decided to show her the imperial hierarchy.
"Thank you for your concern, Duchess."
Alisha bent her knees and offered her courtesy once again.
"You have a silver tongue."
Duchess Belz turned around and left, scattering cold air.
Alisha bowed her head deeply.
A ridiculous smile flowed out on her face, which was looking down at the ground.
"……Is that her true self?"
Alisha straightened her body and muttered to herself.
Duchess Belz's attitude was ridiculous, but she didn't want to get angry and fight.
After all, the Duchess was destined to be swept away by a greater power.
However, she was puzzled.
Duchess Belz, who had acted carelessly even to maids and commoners she would never see again, was showing clear hostility towards her, which was unsettling.
Duchess Belz was one of the first to send a gift congratulating Alisha on her engagement to Grand Duke Tessen.
The gift Duchess Belz sent was the same as the gifts sent to the imperial family.
Candles with gorgeous gold paintings on a pure white background and golden candlesticks.
Duchess Belz gave candles and candlesticks to all the imperial family members every season.
Her gifts were luxury items even for the imperial family.
After receiving the famous gift, Alisha briefly thought that she was becoming a member of the imperial family.
Since then, there had been no bad blood between Alisha and Duchess Belz.
Today was her first meeting with Duchess Belz.
She didn't know why Duchess Belz was showing hostility towards her.
She knew that Duchess Belz would fall greatly in the future, but it was difficult to shake off the unpleasantness.
"Octopus woman."
Alisha turned around and swallowed her grumbling.
A long shadow fell over Alisha, who was heading towards the rows of tents.
"Lady."
The face calling Alisha was filled with urgency.
"Sir Roderick."
"You were here. Were there any inconveniences on your way here? I will guide you to your personal tent."
Roderick turned around with quick movements.
"Have you been well, Sir? Has His Highness……."
"I suppose it would be better to see His Highness first? I will escort you."
Roderick, who had not responded to Alisha's polite greetings, perked up and spoke when Reikart was mentioned.
His pace quickened.
Alisha followed silently.
Roderick's complexion was unusual.
He, who would normally introduce the tents he passed by, even if briefly, headed to his destination without saying a word.
All he said was, "This way."
Reikart's tent was in a secluded location.
"Here it is."
"Thank you."
"Your Highness, Lady Alisha has arrived."
Roderick said to the inside, lifting the entrance of the tent.
He seemed very urgent.
"Come in."
Alisha glanced at Roderick.
Roderick fixed his gaze inside the curtain, as if telling her to go in quickly.
"Thank you."
Alisha didn't say anything more and headed inside.
It was an atmosphere where it was difficult to get information no matter what she asked.
The tent was quite large and had windows.
But all the windows were covered with extra fabric.
"Have you been well?"
Reikart greeted her in front of the conference table.
He looked at Alisha without putting down the letter in his hand.
Alisha approached the vicinity of the carpet boundary in the center and paid her respects.
"Greetings to Grand Duke Tessen."
Reikart's expression as he looked at the letter was ambiguous.
He seemed to be smiling, but also seemed to be tilted crookedly.
"You didn't reply to the last letter I sent. Alisha, date me……."
"No."
Alisha refused without even hearing the end of his words.
At the same time, she tried to snatch the letter Reikart was looking at, even though it was rude.
The letter that had been near Reikart's chin moved to the side with a whoosh.
The letter he was looking at was a letter Alisha knew.
It was one of the many 'No' letters Alisha had sent to Reikart.
She knew which of the several 'No' letters he was looking at.
"What is it?"
Reikart scoffed, avoiding the rushing Alisha.
"Your Highness."
Alisha's face was calm.
But the hand reaching for the letter was hasty and fierce.
Reikart only stretched his hand high and changed direction slightly.
The difference in height between the two was considerable.
The letter fluttered in the air, missing Alisha's hand.
Alisha glared at the smugly wiggling eyebrows with a frustrated face.
The letter Reikart was looking at would have the only postscript written on it.
'P.S. Are you sure you don't need treatment?'
Alisha was anxious about the letter that seemed to be within reach but was far away.
She wrote it out of concern, but she had thought a lot about whether to write the postscript or not.
She was sure she would be teased.
Bad premonitions never fail.
When she wrote the postscript, she thought it was a sentence that fully conveyed her intention without being too explicit.
But looking back, she felt that it looked more sinister because it wasn't explicit.
The letter she wanted to tear up and get rid of brushed her fingertips and moved away heartlessly.
Enraged, Alisha snatched the elbow that was only changing direction this way and that.
Alisha put all her strength into her hand.
Considering Reikart's usual appearance, he wouldn't budge even if Alisha clung to him with all her might.
So she tried her best, but she didn't expect much.
Reikart's body, which had been leaning against the long conference table, lurched forward.
"Oh……!"
Alisha lightly caught the man's body that was pouring over her shoulder.
She also grabbed the letter that had slipped out of Reikart's hand.
Even though the letter she had been so eager to steal while lifting her heels was in her hand, Alisha blankly stared ahead.
Reikart's face, who had lost his balance and leaned forward due to Alisha's pulling force, was right in front of her nose.
"……I'm sorry."
The moment their eyes met, Reikart apologized with an embarrassed face.
It was as if he hadn't been playing a silly prank just a moment ago.
He was not the kind of man who would collapse powerlessly as she gave him strength.
Alisha had thought that Reikart might not be in good condition.
Immediately after entering the tent, she had guessed that his situation was not good because of the strength in the fingers holding the letter and the faint impression on his face.
She had easily been swept away by the fact that he was pretending to be calm and joking after only a few words.
"I, I'm strong."
Alisha avoided the face in front of her nose and muttered whatever came to her mind.
After saying it, it was really nonsense.
"Please return my letter."
She said, staring at Reikart's face, which was trying to back away.
"I wrote this letter. Are you perhaps sick?"
Alisha desperately tried not to look at the face that was dangerously close.
If their eyes met, she felt like she would see her own swaying figure reflected in his golden eyes.
"Yes."
Reikart admitted calmly.
He replied briefly and snatched the letter from Alisha's hand.
Alisha was helplessly robbed of the letter as she rolled her gaze, not knowing where to put it.
Her gaze kept going to the face in front of her nose.
She couldn't help it.
It was too close.
However, it was not appropriate to remove the face that was close to her.
The other person was sick.
"Today, um, aren't you going to self-treat?"
"May I?"
It was too nonchalant a statement for someone who had collapsed like a scarecrow.
"You said you were sick."
Alisha suppressed the unnecessary cough that came out and quietly extended her hand forward.
The distance was so close that his warm breath tickled the back of her hand.
Soft lips with a fluffy texture gently touched the back of her hand.
Reikart, who had kissed the back of Alisha's left hand, also pulled her right hand and kissed it.
The soft lips carefully touched her hand and lingered for a long time before gently moving away.
Reikart, holding the hands he had kissed, straightened his body, which had been leaning.
His hands were completely touching, as if he had put the stolen letter in his back pocket.
"Can't you just treat me?"
Reikart, who was much better, said politely, holding Alisha's hands.
His whisper was polite and his face was serious, but there was a subtle playfulness in it.
"Just a little."
Alisha, who had been looking away all along, gestured as if to tell him to come closer.
Reikart leisurely spread a faint smile.
Alisha's hand slowly slipped out of his hand.
Alisha's hand lowered in height and lightly touched Reikart's shoulder as he approached.
Reikart's faint smile suddenly disappeared.
The next moment, Alisha's cheek was pressed against Reikart's cheek.
"Okay."
Alisha whispered as if she was whispering in his ear.
The cheeks that met were touching as if time had stopped.
After a long time, Alisha moved away with a breeze-like movement.
Soon after, Alisha's cheek touched the other cheek.
"I have something to ask of you too."
Reikart did not show any movement while his cheek was touching her cheek.
He obediently offered his cheek and accepted the throbbing of the cheek that was touching him.