“Are you hurt?”
Dante, who had raised Ariana, examined her body.
The people slowly came to their senses as they watched the scene.
“Oh my...!”
“The Duke saved the Lady!”
The people who were dumbfounded by the sudden event belatedly realized the situation.
The Duke, who appeared like the wind, saved the Lady who was almost trampled by the horse.
Those who witnessed the heroic story began to applaud in excitement.
“That was really great!”
“That almost happened.”
“To subdue such a wild beast in one go. As expected of the Duke.”
Among the ladies, there were also more secret whispers.
“My goodness, he’s much more..."
“Isn't he handsome?”
“And he’s even chivalrous. He’s the perfect gentleman.”
The noble ladies hid their feelings as they looked at Dante and Ariana, who were being supported by him, beyond the fan.
'Murderer or something, they said he was so scary that they couldn't even look him in the eye... But not at all?'
'How did such a kind and gentlemanly person get such a scary nickname?'
Lucas gritted his teeth and got up as he listened to the applause and cheers.
'Damn it!'
What a disgrace this was because of that damned four-legged beast.
"Ariana!"
Lucas hurriedly ran to Ariana.
"Oh, my love. Are you hurt? How dare that vicious beast!"
Lucas glared at the horse that had already been subdued and fallen with burning eyes. The glaring force was so brave that it would be believable if Lucas had repelled the horse.
"Marquis Pedegreen."
The Duke stepped forward in front of Ariana.
The gesture as if he was hiding Ariana behind him, was strangely jarring.
However, there was no time to dwell on the discomfort for too long. The Duke took a step toward Lucas.
Lucas was tall, but Dante was a hand taller than him. Lucas felt uncomfortable and looked up. It was unfamiliar to look up at someone at such an angle. The Duke looked up and his eyes were as cold as frost.
Lucas took a deep breath at the look that did not hide its pitifulness.
“Is it your family’s chivalry to throw a lady as a shield?”
“What are you talking about?”
Lucas glared at Ariana and explained.
“Ariana, I was also going to save you. I would have saved you even if His Excellency the Duke hadn’t been there.”
“...Yes. You would have.”
Ariana said calmly, adjusting the hem of her dress.
“When I saw you, you were falling on your butt.”
Heh.
The Duke let out a short laugh. Lucas felt the heat rising to the top of his head.
“Not at all, Ariana. I threw myself for you too. Are you hurt anywhere?”
Lucas pulled Ariana’s shoulder. Dante’s eyes hardened even more fiercely.
Lucas looked at Ariana’s body here and there, his voice filled with worry.
“There’s a bit of dirt on it, but you don’t look hurt. Thank goodness... Wait.”
Lucas’s brows hardened for a moment.
“What about the ruby bracelet?”
The expensive bracelet that he had just personally put on Ariana’s wrist was nowhere to be found.
Ariana, who checked her empty wrist, furrowed her brow slightly.
“Oh, it looks like I dropped it when I fell.”
“Where on earth did that big thing go... Ah!”
Lucas looked around and soon found the bracelet lying nearby.
“Damn it, there’s muddy water...”
Lucas hurriedly picked up the bracelet.
It had fallen into a muddy place, and it was all messed up.
‘Ha, this is driving me crazy. How much does this cost!’
What a damn thing!
No, why couldn’t Ariana escape with him in the first place? Wasn’t being light and nimble a virtue of a woman?
Dante, who had raised Ariana, examined her body.
The people slowly came to their senses as they watched the scene.
“Oh my...!”
“The Duke saved the Lady!”
The people who were dumbfounded by the sudden event belatedly realized the situation.
The Duke, who appeared like the wind, saved the Lady who was almost trampled by the horse.
Those who witnessed the heroic story began to applaud in excitement.
“That was really great!”
“That almost happened.”
“To subdue such a wild beast in one go. As expected of the Duke.”
Among the ladies, there were also more secret whispers.
“My goodness, he’s much more..."
“Isn't he handsome?”
“And he’s even chivalrous. He’s the perfect gentleman.”
The noble ladies hid their feelings as they looked at Dante and Ariana, who were being supported by him, beyond the fan.
'Murderer or something, they said he was so scary that they couldn't even look him in the eye... But not at all?'
'How did such a kind and gentlemanly person get such a scary nickname?'
Lucas gritted his teeth and got up as he listened to the applause and cheers.
'Damn it!'
What a disgrace this was because of that damned four-legged beast.
"Ariana!"
Lucas hurriedly ran to Ariana.
"Oh, my love. Are you hurt? How dare that vicious beast!"
Lucas glared at the horse that had already been subdued and fallen with burning eyes. The glaring force was so brave that it would be believable if Lucas had repelled the horse.
"Marquis Pedegreen."
The Duke stepped forward in front of Ariana.
The gesture as if he was hiding Ariana behind him, was strangely jarring.
However, there was no time to dwell on the discomfort for too long. The Duke took a step toward Lucas.
Lucas was tall, but Dante was a hand taller than him. Lucas felt uncomfortable and looked up. It was unfamiliar to look up at someone at such an angle. The Duke looked up and his eyes were as cold as frost.
Lucas took a deep breath at the look that did not hide its pitifulness.
“Is it your family’s chivalry to throw a lady as a shield?”
“What are you talking about?”
Lucas glared at Ariana and explained.
“Ariana, I was also going to save you. I would have saved you even if His Excellency the Duke hadn’t been there.”
“...Yes. You would have.”
Ariana said calmly, adjusting the hem of her dress.
“When I saw you, you were falling on your butt.”
Heh.
The Duke let out a short laugh. Lucas felt the heat rising to the top of his head.
“Not at all, Ariana. I threw myself for you too. Are you hurt anywhere?”
Lucas pulled Ariana’s shoulder. Dante’s eyes hardened even more fiercely.
Lucas looked at Ariana’s body here and there, his voice filled with worry.
“There’s a bit of dirt on it, but you don’t look hurt. Thank goodness... Wait.”
Lucas’s brows hardened for a moment.
“What about the ruby bracelet?”
The expensive bracelet that he had just personally put on Ariana’s wrist was nowhere to be found.
Ariana, who checked her empty wrist, furrowed her brow slightly.
“Oh, it looks like I dropped it when I fell.”
“Where on earth did that big thing go... Ah!”
Lucas looked around and soon found the bracelet lying nearby.
“Damn it, there’s muddy water...”
Lucas hurriedly picked up the bracelet.
It had fallen into a muddy place, and it was all messed up.
‘Ha, this is driving me crazy. How much does this cost!’
What a damn thing!
No, why couldn’t Ariana escape with him in the first place? Wasn’t being light and nimble a virtue of a woman?
The low voice stopped the irritation that was slowly spreading.
“Oh, my. She’s gotten dirty.”
Dante clicked his tongue and looked back at Ariana.
“I’ll give you a new one, Lady.”
“Oh, my. She’s gotten dirty.”
Dante clicked his tongue and looked back at Ariana.
“I’ll give you a new one, Lady.”
“Why would Your Excellency the Duke give my fiancée a jewel?”
Lucas frowned and stepped forward.
Even though they were both high-ranking nobles, he had to use an honorific title for the Duke who had royal blood. Even that fact hurt his pride.
Lucas looked back at Ariana and said in a gentle, yet somewhat trembling voice,
“I’ll buy you one... a new one, Ariana. Don’t worry.”
Even as he said that Lucas felt his heartbreak.
How expensive was that thing, and why did he have to give it to her again?
If it had been like this, he would have just cleaned it up and used it, but there was nothing he could do since the Duke had come out like that.
“Your Excellency, Your Excellency!”
At that moment, a brown-haired young man, Rio, came running from afar, panting.
“I was so surprised when you suddenly ran out... Huh, Huh. Oh my! Why is the horse fallen?!”
Rio, who was startled by the sight of the fallen horse, turned to Ariana this time.
Rio, who almost greeted her reflexively, barely managed to gather his wits and pretend not to know her.
‘We shouldn’t be friends yet, really.’
However, unlike Rio, his master seemed to have no intention of pretending not to know Ariana.
Dante’s eyes, which were blatantly scanning Ariana and Lucas, seemed to be filled with a strange sense of displeasure and resentment.
Rio glanced at his watch and said in an impatient voice.
“Um, Your Excellency. If we delay any longer, we won’t be able to make it to the audience on time.”
“...Lady.”
Dante stared at Ariana intently.
“If there’s any injury, please contact me.”
Lucas’s eyes lit up. Dante’s attitude had been irritating him since earlier.
“With all due respect, Your Excellency, why did Ariana have to contact you?”
“It seems that I was the only one who could protect the Lady in this situation.”
Dante said, tilting the corners of his lips up.
“So if the Lady wasn’t completely protected, isn’t that my responsibility?”
Lucas felt a surge of displeasure welling up in him.
“...I appreciate your concern, but Ariana is my fiancée. She’s under my responsibility.”
Lucas insisted forcefully. He never thought that he would be this close to that murderous man.
He couldn’t believe it himself, but there was no way he could stand by and watch a man so openly flirting with his woman.
...Yes, flirting. The Duke was now flirting with Ariana. Absurdly!
“Then, Lady.”
Dante looked at Ariana with a strange look and nodded politely.
“See you again.”
“... Yes. Thank you.”
Ariana returned the greeting. Even the flawless manners were an eyesore to Lucas.
As soon as Dante turned away, Lucas grabbed Ariana’s wrist and pulled her.
“...Let’s go, Ariana!”
Lucas took a deep breath as he walked angrily.
‘What the hell, that bastard?’
What on earth was that look in his eyes as he stared at Ariana?
Lucas was a man. He knew all too well what it meant for a man like him to send such a look to a woman.
‘How dare you...'
It felt like a blue flame was burning in his chest.
Lucas roughly pushed Ariana into the carriage. He wanted to hide this woman in his space.
It was the first time. Feeling this kind of possessiveness toward Ariana.
"Let go."
Ariana narrowed her forehead and firmly pushed her hand away. Lucas could see his red handprint on her white wrist.
Lucas gulped as he looked at it.
When he saw the handprint, his possessiveness boiled even stronger as if he had become the first conqueror to leave footprints on the white snow.
Lucas took a breath as he scanned Ariana's face, which did not hide its discomfort.
Her face, which was always timid or emotionless, became much more lively when it showed an expression.
Now that he thought about it, Ariana was also quite beautiful, as Elena's older sister.
No, it was because Elena was so diligent about dressing up, but if he looked closely, Ariana's facial features were more harmonious.
With elegant eyes, a fresh nose, and perky lips. She was definitely an aesthetically pleasing appearance.
Was that why the Duke fell in love with her at first sight?
‘You have an eye for it. For a human butcher.’
But in the end, she was his woman.
Lucas snorted inwardly and secretly bent his upper body.
“Ari. While I’m taking you here today, I’ll stay at the Lopez mansion too. And... Can I go over to your room at night?”
Ariana finally turned to Lucas.
Ha.
A blatant laugh escaped Ariana’s mouth, not hiding her expression.
He should be angry, but somehow even that appearance seemed vivid and beautiful.
“I’m sorry, Your Grace.”
Ariana said with that captivating expression.
“My shoulder still hurts from the moment you pushed me when the horse charged.”
Thump.
Lucas heard his heart pounding loudly for a moment.
Ariana was clearly laughing at him. But why wasn’t he angry?
Lucas said, moistening his dry mouth.
“...It’s the opposite. I was really trying to attract you.”
Suppressing his impatience, Lucas changed his strategy.
“As for the ruby bracelet, I’ll buy you another one as soon as the wedding is over.”
Lucas continued with a kind smile.
“It would be good to match the necklace and earrings. If you wear them as a set and go to the ball, all the ladies will envy you. Isn’t that right, my love?”
Lucas frowned and stepped forward.
Even though they were both high-ranking nobles, he had to use an honorific title for the Duke who had royal blood. Even that fact hurt his pride.
Lucas looked back at Ariana and said in a gentle, yet somewhat trembling voice,
“I’ll buy you one... a new one, Ariana. Don’t worry.”
Even as he said that Lucas felt his heartbreak.
How expensive was that thing, and why did he have to give it to her again?
If it had been like this, he would have just cleaned it up and used it, but there was nothing he could do since the Duke had come out like that.
“Your Excellency, Your Excellency!”
At that moment, a brown-haired young man, Rio, came running from afar, panting.
“I was so surprised when you suddenly ran out... Huh, Huh. Oh my! Why is the horse fallen?!”
Rio, who was startled by the sight of the fallen horse, turned to Ariana this time.
Rio, who almost greeted her reflexively, barely managed to gather his wits and pretend not to know her.
‘We shouldn’t be friends yet, really.’
However, unlike Rio, his master seemed to have no intention of pretending not to know Ariana.
Dante’s eyes, which were blatantly scanning Ariana and Lucas, seemed to be filled with a strange sense of displeasure and resentment.
Rio glanced at his watch and said in an impatient voice.
“Um, Your Excellency. If we delay any longer, we won’t be able to make it to the audience on time.”
“...Lady.”
Dante stared at Ariana intently.
“If there’s any injury, please contact me.”
Lucas’s eyes lit up. Dante’s attitude had been irritating him since earlier.
“With all due respect, Your Excellency, why did Ariana have to contact you?”
“It seems that I was the only one who could protect the Lady in this situation.”
Dante said, tilting the corners of his lips up.
“So if the Lady wasn’t completely protected, isn’t that my responsibility?”
Lucas felt a surge of displeasure welling up in him.
“...I appreciate your concern, but Ariana is my fiancée. She’s under my responsibility.”
Lucas insisted forcefully. He never thought that he would be this close to that murderous man.
He couldn’t believe it himself, but there was no way he could stand by and watch a man so openly flirting with his woman.
...Yes, flirting. The Duke was now flirting with Ariana. Absurdly!
“Then, Lady.”
Dante looked at Ariana with a strange look and nodded politely.
“See you again.”
“... Yes. Thank you.”
Ariana returned the greeting. Even the flawless manners were an eyesore to Lucas.
As soon as Dante turned away, Lucas grabbed Ariana’s wrist and pulled her.
“...Let’s go, Ariana!”
Lucas took a deep breath as he walked angrily.
‘What the hell, that bastard?’
What on earth was that look in his eyes as he stared at Ariana?
Lucas was a man. He knew all too well what it meant for a man like him to send such a look to a woman.
‘How dare you...'
It felt like a blue flame was burning in his chest.
Lucas roughly pushed Ariana into the carriage. He wanted to hide this woman in his space.
It was the first time. Feeling this kind of possessiveness toward Ariana.
"Let go."
Ariana narrowed her forehead and firmly pushed her hand away. Lucas could see his red handprint on her white wrist.
Lucas gulped as he looked at it.
When he saw the handprint, his possessiveness boiled even stronger as if he had become the first conqueror to leave footprints on the white snow.
Lucas took a breath as he scanned Ariana's face, which did not hide its discomfort.
Her face, which was always timid or emotionless, became much more lively when it showed an expression.
Now that he thought about it, Ariana was also quite beautiful, as Elena's older sister.
No, it was because Elena was so diligent about dressing up, but if he looked closely, Ariana's facial features were more harmonious.
With elegant eyes, a fresh nose, and perky lips. She was definitely an aesthetically pleasing appearance.
Was that why the Duke fell in love with her at first sight?
‘You have an eye for it. For a human butcher.’
But in the end, she was his woman.
Lucas snorted inwardly and secretly bent his upper body.
“Ari. While I’m taking you here today, I’ll stay at the Lopez mansion too. And... Can I go over to your room at night?”
Ariana finally turned to Lucas.
Ha.
A blatant laugh escaped Ariana’s mouth, not hiding her expression.
He should be angry, but somehow even that appearance seemed vivid and beautiful.
“I’m sorry, Your Grace.”
Ariana said with that captivating expression.
“My shoulder still hurts from the moment you pushed me when the horse charged.”
Thump.
Lucas heard his heart pounding loudly for a moment.
Ariana was clearly laughing at him. But why wasn’t he angry?
Lucas said, moistening his dry mouth.
“...It’s the opposite. I was really trying to attract you.”
Suppressing his impatience, Lucas changed his strategy.
“As for the ruby bracelet, I’ll buy you another one as soon as the wedding is over.”
Lucas continued with a kind smile.
“It would be good to match the necklace and earrings. If you wear them as a set and go to the ball, all the ladies will envy you. Isn’t that right, my love?”
Well, tonight isn’t the only night.
The wedding was only five days away anyway, and that night Lucas would be able to have her all to himself.
Thinking about it, his stomach felt heavy.
Despite the humiliation and shame that still remained, Lucas raised the corners of his mouth as he felt a strange joy enveloping his mind.
Time passed so quickly that it seemed fleeting.
And finally, three days before the opening of the opera in honor of the feast of St. Verdict, the morning of my wedding day dawned.
The wedding was only five days away anyway, and that night Lucas would be able to have her all to himself.
Thinking about it, his stomach felt heavy.
Despite the humiliation and shame that still remained, Lucas raised the corners of his mouth as he felt a strange joy enveloping his mind.
***
Time passed so quickly that it seemed fleeting.
And finally, three days before the opening of the opera in honor of the feast of St. Verdict, the morning of my wedding day dawned.
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Trash human….On the other hand, translation is better than most novels I’ve read thanks.😊
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