DYBAR - Chapter 21 < We Are Not Family >

DYBAR  - Chapter 21 < We Are Not Family >

Do Your Best And Regret It

"What's happening. Has His Highness the Grand Duke proposed to Princess Madeleine just now?"

"No. Seeing as he asked the Emperor for permission to marry her, didn't the proposal and approval already come true?"

"Anyway, the Princess never has a quiet day."

The nobles whispered. As always, I was at the end of the whispering. 

I tried to think of something else. It's okay, it's no big deal. Because if I think so, I'll be really fine. So I was a little surprised when the warmth touched my hand. I placed my hand on the hand of the Grand Duke, who had his arms around me. The Grand Duke, who was tapping his hand slowly as if it was no big deal, looked at the nobles in the distance as if scanning them. The random chatter quieted down. When the banquet hall became quiet again, the Grand Duke looked at me.

"No matter how much I think about it, that dress looks great on you today, doesn't it?"

The words were spoken in a low voice, as if whispering, out of nowhere. Without realizing it, I broke my stiff expression and smiled a little. But when I saw a man approaching from a little distance away, my hand tightened again.

"grandee. Did I just propose to her fiancee? dare?" 

It was a Leopold. Leopold looked at the Grand Duke with a frown. Grand Duke Vikander, who stood like me and my partner, was facing me tightly. Leopold's eyes became sharp. 

Edwin Lowell Vikander. The Grand Duke was Leopold's father's dog. In other words, if I were to take the throne, I could have as many dogs as I wanted. How dare such a dog not only want to marry my fiancee but also confront him as if he were competing with her for strength. The Grand Duke still didn't know fractions. It's as if the Grand Duke doesn't know that among the territories and trophies he acquires while running around the battlefield like a dog, the most beautiful and precious ones are always given to Leopold.

Leopold sneered and took a step forward. Leopold extended his hand to me.

 "Come on, Live."

But I just stared at the hand and did not come next to him. It was strange. Leopold frowned. Even at the last banquet, the Grand Duke was allowed to have the first dance. Now I was ignoring what he said. He swallowed his anger and Leopold added in a low voice.

"...... What else is a dress like? First of all, come here. There will be extra."

I looked quite beautiful in the white dress, but that didn't matter. The priority was to separate me and the Grand Duke, who looked like a couple in black and white combination. 

It was time for Leopold, who had been watching me not come, to take a step closer to me. The Grand Duke blocked my path as if he were blocking Leopold. 

"From now on, you do not need to send dresses to Princess Madeleine, Your Highness"

"What?"

Despite Leopold's fierce, astonished face, the Grand Duke raised his eyebrows and answered leisurely.

"The same goes for jewels. One of my greatest pleasures is personally selecting and gifting jewelry that suits the Princess."

“Grand Duke!”

In the end, Leopold got angry. Everyone flinched, but the Grand Duke stayed by my side without wavering. And he spoke quietly to me.

"You remember what I told you, right?"

"..."

"Just look at me."

The Grand Duke grinned. Looking at his firm figure reminded me of the past few days when he had been busy preparing for today.

 ***

"I keep talking about it. I am ready to do anything for you at any time."

That was true. A dress boutique that took two months to reserve, a big pink diamond, was prepared in front of me as if it were natural. Last night, when everything was ready, the Grand Duke spoke to me.

"I will propose to you Young Lady with the wish given by the Emperor."

I swallowed my breath at the unexpected words. It was surprising that he addressed the Emperor so casually, but I focused on his words instead of pointing him out. 

I thought the Grand Duke would do something, but I had no idea he would even propose to me.

"Well, the marriage proposal, uh, later..."

I stuttered as my words were tangled up. The Grand Duke rolled his eyes as if he was amused.

"Aren't you too surprised? Am I trying to feel sad?"

"That is... I was actually a little surprised."

 "It's the best way. An efficient way to distance the Young Lady from the royal family and the Madeleine duchy."

Then the Grand Duke smiled a little and added,

"What? You know that I am a little selfish."

"But I.."

I trailed off. It was a different matter for the Grand Duke to be good, for the Grand Duke to look upon me favorably, and for me to marry the Grand Duke, as the Crown Prince's fiancee.

No matter how much I tried to organize my thoughts, I was still scared. It's a feeling that I couldn't reach either my family or Leopold, who I looked up to so much. Can I love someone like this while completely trusting them? But the Grand Duke smiled lazily as if he had read my thoughts.

"Don't worry in advance, I will not use this marriage proposal to force you to do anything."

"Why?"

I was genuinely curious. Really, why is the Grand Duke so kind to me? Do I do anything?

Instead of answering, the Grand Duke thought for a moment and spoke. 

"Hmm. It's funny to say I'm a substitute, but I have something wish for."

Then yes. I found my mind at ease. But the moment the Grand Duke opened his mouth, I tightened my grip on the hands I was holding 

"Just see me at the banquet tomorrow."

"..."

"No matter what you hear or who approaches you."

The Grand Duke spoke kindly.

"I will stop anyone and anything that you don't want to do. Therefore..."

When that kindness soothed my wounds, the Grand Duke spoke as if driving a nail into my head.

"Just look at me. Okay?"

***

I blinked. The cool atmosphere of the banquet hall reminded me of reality. From the moment he entered this banquet hall, the Grand Duke was keeping his promise.

He continued to check on me and saved her from having to have uncomfortable conversations. So I had to keep my promise too. 

I looked at the Grand Duke. The Grand Duke, who must have sensed my gaze, smiled softly as he looked at me. Our joined hands were firm. Instead of looking at Leopold, the Grand Duke now looked back at the Emperor. Just as he was about to speak again to the Emperor, a low voice interrupted.

"... I think I need to tidy things up for a bit."

A familiar voice. His father, no, was the Duke of Madeleine. I unknowingly broke my promise and looked at the Duke. 

"Your Majesty, Can I speak to my daughter for a moment?"

This was something unexpected. My hands trembled a little. He was a father who never once called me his daughter in public. What does that mean? I couldn't bear to face the Duke. But the Emperor had other thoughts. 

"That would be a good idea. The Duke talks to the Princess, and let's all enjoy the banquet again."

The Emperor, who was looking at this situation with a stern expression, gladly accepted the Duke's mediation. As the Duke approached me, I reflexively looked at the Grand Duke. The Grand Duke gently touched the back of my hand as the desperation filled my small face.

"Tell me, Miss. What do you want to do?"

"I don't know."

I mumbled. I really don't know. I thought I never wanted to see father again. I looked at the Grand Duke.

"...You think I'm stupid, right?"

That's what I thought too. After running away from home, I said I didn't want to go back. I can't believe I gathered up expectations that were all burned to ashes in a moment. Just one word: daughter. But the Grand Duke shook his head.

"It can't be. I just..."

The Grand Duke paused for a moment. And then he spoke clearly to the Duke who was slowly approaching

"I just thought the Duke was a very lucky man." 

"Meet the great hero, His Highness the Grand Duke. I would like to speak with my daughter for a moment. Should I ask your Permission?"

"Her permission is more important than my permission." 

The Grand Duke naturally looked at me. I gained courage from his attitude of asking what I wanted to do.

"What's going on?"

"I think it would be best to move somewhere first."

The Duke washed his face dry. My heart swelled slightly at the sigh buried at the end of his words. Was there some worry about me on the other side of that difficult face? I nodded my head towards the Grand Duke. The moment his tightly held hands loosened, the Grand Duke looked a little disappointed and then looked at the Duke with meaningful eyes.

"Duke of Madeleine. Take your time. You understand what I'm saying, right?"

However, the Duke simply bowed silently and walked away without any response. It was the first time we had had such a formal conversation alone since the day I went to my father's living room. 

I gripped my dress tightly, my fingertips shaking. When I, very nervous, followed suit, the Grand Duke returned to his characteristic cool expression. Leopold, who was looking at them, also did not hide his angry face. At the gesture of the Emperor's hand, the string instruments played again, but all the nobles knew. Today's banquet has already reached its worst.... 

The Duke went out with patronage. As we entered the deserted silence, I looked at the Duke's back. What is he trying to say? I tried to catch it all, but my heart was racing. 

My father's face seemed to have turned pale in the past few days. I thought he wasn't looking for me, but maybe it was because of me that his face looked bad.

"If only I could. I want to erase you from my life."

Even though it was a memory from a few days ago, the Duke's voice, speaking as if spitting out words between his teeth, was clear. My face blurred. However, I gave firm strength to my hand holding the hem of my dress. By looking at his back, it was impossible to tell my father's, or rather than Duke's, intentions. But for the first time, he brought me in as if protecting me. I couldn't tell if he was sincere or not. What is my father and the Duke thinking now?

While I was going through complicated thoughts, the Duke stopped walking. And when he looked back at me, I knew that all my thoughts had been wrong.

"What kind of trick did you pull?"

Sharp words poured out to me without filtering. The Duke of Madeleine spoke coldly as if he would freeze everything.

"Because you were whispering something, Grand Duke Vikander is proposing marriage to you, the Crown Prince's fiancée."

Contempt was reflected in the amethyst eyes that looked down at me.

"Only one. Are you so messed up that you can't even keep one thing about becoming Crown Princess without making a fuss?"

Just like it always has been. It was then that I, who had been silently listening to the sharp criticism as usual, burst into laughter. I raised an eyebrow in displeasure at the Duke, but I couldn't stop my laughter. oh my god. 

How can you completely end my regrets like this? The Duke will never know. How did I feel when followed the Duke out of the banquet hall?

At this moment, what were my expectations that were so cruelly shattered?

"Can't you answer right away?"

"If I tell you, will you believe me now?"

"What?"

His harsh gaze seemed to pierce me. I always endured that gaze. I never doubted that one day, one day, those eyes would look at me with affection and acknowledge that I was also my father's daughter. There were times when I looked at the Duke's silver hair, which was the same color as mine, and was happy just because I shared the characteristics of the Madeleine family. Not anymore. My efforts ended here. 

In my best words, I grinned.

"Then I'll tell you. I have never whispered to His Highness the Grand Duke to ask for his hand in marriage, and even after hanging on for several years, the person who made the noise by ignoring me, his fiancé, and being friendly with Lady Ethel is His Highness the Crown Prince."

"That mouth. Shut up!"

"The Duke himself is the one who brought me to the mansion to replace Ethella as his fiancée."

"Shut up!"

A fierce roar shook the night. The sound of birds flying away in surprise was loud. The Duke of Madeleine finally seemed to have lost his mind and glared at me. The purple eyes spread red as if a vein had burst.

"It's because of you! You! If you hadn't come to my house, nothing would have happened! You made me unhappy! It's all because of you, all."

A deep-seated anger was evident in each syllable. The Duke took a deep breath. The hatred was so intense that there were times when I doubted myself as to whether it was really my fault. But not anymore.

"Now and then."

"..."

"I really didn't do anything."

"..."

"I didn't make the Duke unhappy."

"Olivia Madeleine! How dare you!"

I no longer bowed my head despite the Duke's anger. It was strange. The Duke that felt so big was no longer scary. Now, I really felt like it was time to end it.

"You said you wanted to erase me, right?"

"If I could, I would erase you from my life."

The pain that felt like my heart was about to fall out became numb in just a few days. If time passed, those words would have no meaning to me.

"Me too. I now have Madeleine attached to me." 

Madeleine. It was the castle I had longed for. The family I held on to with all my might, the family I loved unrequitedly and devoted my whole life to. And my external loves who never looked back. I smiled lightly at all my crushes.

"Madeleine, and everything. I will erase it."

Suddenly, the relationship that only I was pulling for fell apart.

"Olivia!!"

With the Duke's shout, a flash of murderous energy came to my whole body. I kept my body upright despite his ferocious energy that was constricting even my breathing. That was the last thing I wanted.

"Until there."

At that moment, a single sound of footsteps intervened.

"Any further threats to my precious Young Lady will turn all of Vikander into enemies, Duke." 

The neat voice enveloped me in warmth. The Duke gritted his teeth and muttered lowly.

"Grand Duke Vikander..."

I looked back. His hair was as black as the crow's feathers in the bottomless pit, and his eyes were as red as sparkling rubies. A man was so extravagantly handsome that it's hard to believe he's full of murderous, bloody, and hideous nicknames. He smiled sweetly the moment he faced me with a blank expression that seemed like it would never be broken. It was a strange thing. Not my family, my fiancé, or anyone else for whom I tried my best. Someone never looked at me like that before. So kindly. Sweet like that. The look in my eyes that I had longed for so much.

 "Now that you have finished your business, I would like you to give me the opportunity to escort you home, My Lady. Not the mansion, but back to the banquet hall."

I suppressed my rising emotions and forced a smile. I then turned my back on the Duke for the first time. The Duke's eyes were focused on my back, but I didn't look back. Just like I always did with the Duke.

"It took me a really long time to decorate today. Shouldn't you at least try dancing?"

The end of his slow words wavered. I grinned and held the Grand Duke's hand. The Grand Duke could feel my hands shaking, but he pretended not to notice and spoke to me.

"You're giving me the honor of the first dance today, right?"

Previous            Next

Support Novellate!