"That's right."
When one of them opened his mouth, the ladies next to him covered their mouths with their fans and chimed in.
Lord Genon was famous in high society as a womanizer.
It was widely rumored that he would take a different woman to his bedroom every night and that he would date any woman wearing a skirt, regardless of age or marital status.
It wasn't just a rumor, it was true.
He always enjoyed winning over women with his sly expression and kind manners.
Karina looked at Lord Genon with an indifferent gaze.
Although he had beautiful features overall, his shallow eyelids and thin lips gave him a secretly vulgar feeling.
However, the ladies chattered about how even that was attractive.
As soon as Lord Genon entered, he looked around as if he was looking for someone.
Then his eyes met Karina's.
He found Karina and smiled with a curved mouth.
Karina thought that he looked like a hyena that had found its prey.
LoedGenon immediately approached Karina’s table.
“Oh my! Lord Genon is coming here?”
“How nice. Did you see the smile on his eyes just now?”
The young ladies were excited.
Genon, who arrived at their table, opened his mouth.
“It is an honor to meet you, Your Highness. My name is Peggyson Genon.”
Lord Genon greeted Karina softly and gently.
Karina, who had been looking at him with a cold gaze, greeted him dryly.
“...It is a pleasure to meet you, Lord Genon.”
“If it is not too much trouble, may I join you?”
“...”
Karina made a reluctant expression.
However, as expected, Caroline was the first to come forward and greet him.
“Of course. You are welcome, Count Genon.”
“Thank you, Your Highness.”
Karina did not miss the two people who exchanged such formal greetings secretly sharing meaningful glances.
“The weather is really nice today. It’s a good day to walk around the garden, enjoy the warm sunlight, and smell the fragrant flowers.”
“Oh my, how romantic.”
“How elegant it is to say that the weather is nice. You are truly elegant.”
The young ladies around him chattered noisily.
Karina ignored them and looked around the people in the venue with an indifferent gaze.
After chatting with the young ladies for a while, Genon suddenly whispered to Karina.
“Who are you looking at, Your Highness?”
“I wasn’t looking at anyone in particular.”
Karina answered his question in a flat tone.
Nevertheless, Genon looked at the same place Karina was looking and opened his mouth.
“She is Countess Grace Strict.”
Karina’s gaze was focused on the old noblewoman she had seen earlier.
“At first glance, she seems very kind, but she is stubborn and unyielding.”
“...”
Genon said, unable to tell whether it was an insult or a compliment.
Karina said without looking at Genon.
“I also know that Countess Strict is a person of upright character.”
“Do you really know that? If you just exchange a few words, you would know how old-fashioned she is.”
Genon said lightly and playfully.
“...I don’t know what you mean by that, but I don’t really want to hear anymore.”
Karina cut off the conversation, not hiding her displeasure.
“Oh. I’m sorry if I offended you.”
Genon grabbed Karina’s hand and kissed the back of it.
“...!”
Karina immediately tried to pull her hand away, but Genon did not let go of her hand.
“Oh, your hands are very beautiful. Is it because your heart is beautiful?”
It felt bad that he was secretly stroking Karina’s hand with both hands.
The young ladies sitting around glanced at Genon and Karina with frowning faces.
To be exact, they were looking at Karina with jealousy and annoyed expressions.
‘Ha.’
Karina was dumbfounded.
“It’s so smooth, it really looks like a baby’s skin.”
After finishing speaking, Genon rubbed his lips against the back of Karina’s hand again.
“...!”
The sticky feeling gave her goosebumps.
'This is real!'
She felt very uncomfortable, so she shook off Lord Genon's hand as if she was shaking it off.
And she showed her discomfort clearly and blatantly.
Nevertheless, Lord Genon did not lose his smile and persisted.
"You are more beautiful than I heard."
From the very first time they met, he had been acting overly friendly to Karina, saying things that were too much for her.
"Even a red rose that blooms beautifully under the warm sunlight is nothing more than a weed in front of the Grand Duchess."
Karina, who felt a queasy feeling inside, answered in a trembling tone.
"That's too much praise."
"Excessive. I mean it."
And without asking, he leaned close to Karina and whispered softly in her ear.
"Maybe it's because you are as beautiful as a flower, the Grand Duchess smells like flowers. Do you think a bee would mistake you for a flower and follow you?"
Karina frowned and stepped back at the physiological disgust that arose between her eyebrows.
“If you don’t mind, could you show me around the mansion?”
“Excuse me?”
Karina flatly rejected Genon, who was brazenly approaching her.
Seeing Karina’s firm attitude, Caroline, who was next to her, caught her breath.
“Oh my, the Grand Duchess. Don’t be so cold. It would be a great honor for Lord Genon if the Grand Duchess showed him around the mansion. I’ll ask you to do the same.”
“...”
Karina didn’t respond to the absurd question and just sipped her tea.
“Yes, Grand Duchess. Lord Genon wants to take a look around the Grand Duchess’ mansion. Is that really that difficult?”
“That’s right. I don’t think you need to turn him down so coldly and shamelessly.”
The young ladies around them subtly criticized Karina for rejecting Genon’s offer while supporting him.
Karina just looked around at the small table in the corner of the auditorium entrance.
A single white calla lily was placed in a tall vase on the table.
It was the flower that Karina had given Mikhail before the ceremony began.
“So the preparations are complete.”
Karina, who had been looking at it with an indifferent gaze, took another sip of tea.
“So this is what happens in the end.”
Karina swallowed the sneer that was about to escape her lips along with the tea.
Eventually, Karina put down the teacup in her hand, pretended to be defeated, and accepted the offer.
“Okay. I can’t help it since everyone wants it.”
***
In the end, Karina accepted Lord Genon’s request to show him the study, just like she had done in the past.
Thanks to this, she and Lord Genon were able to walk around the mansion alone.
“This is the study. The Grand Duke’s family owns books that are hard to find, rare books imported from overseas, and various other types of valuable books.”
She took him to the study and continued her explanation for a long time.
Click.
“...”
Click.
“...”
Suddenly, the study door closed.
'As expected.'
Karina looked toward the door, but Lord Genon, who had closed the door, stared at Karina as if he didn't know anything.
'You're shamelessly pretending not to know anything.'
She looked at the situation with disinterested eyes.
In the empty study, the fact that the Grand Duchess and an adult man were alone in a confined space could have been a problem in itself.
That's why it was always basic to leave the door wide open when going around the rooms under the pretext of guiding the mansion.
In addition, in principle, you had to bring several maids or servants with you, not just the two of you.
However, Caroline made an excuse that she had something to do for the maids and servants and took them all away.
And now, Karina was left alone in the locked study with Lord Genon, who had a reputation as a womanizer.
"Wait a minute. I'll open the door again."
'As expected.'
Karina looked toward the door, but Lord Genon, who had closed the door, stared at Karina as if he didn't know anything.
'You're shamelessly pretending not to know anything.'
She looked at the situation with disinterested eyes.
In the empty study, the fact that the Grand Duchess and an adult man were alone in a confined space could have been a problem in itself.
That's why it was always basic to leave the door wide open when going around the rooms under the pretext of guiding the mansion.
In addition, in principle, you had to bring several maids or servants with you, not just the two of you.
However, Caroline made an excuse that she had something to do for the maids and servants and took them all away.
And now, Karina was left alone in the locked study with Lord Genon, who had a reputation as a womanizer.
"Wait a minute. I'll open the door again."
As she walked toward the door, Genon Young-sik blocked her path.
He smiled at Karina and said.
“There’s no need to be flustered again. Judging from the fact that you’re not flustered at all, doesn’t Your Highness have to have been expecting it to some extent?”
“Expecting it? What?”
“You don’t have to pretend not to know.”
Lord Genon suddenly unbuttoned his shirt and approached Karina.
“I know. Your Highness felt the same way as I did.”
“You’re talking nonsense.”
The thoughts he had been thinking inside suddenly spilled out.
“...”
He smiled at Karina and said.
“There’s no need to be flustered again. Judging from the fact that you’re not flustered at all, doesn’t Your Highness have to have been expecting it to some extent?”
“Expecting it? What?”
“You don’t have to pretend not to know.”
Lord Genon suddenly unbuttoned his shirt and approached Karina.
“I know. Your Highness felt the same way as I did.”
“You’re talking nonsense.”
The thoughts he had been thinking inside suddenly spilled out.
“...”
Lord Genon paused for a moment before starting to approach her again.
“Don’t come near me.”
Karina warned Lord Genon.
Lord Genon ignored Karina and approached her.
“Shout? Shout. Who would be embarrassed if people came and saw this situation?”
Lord Genon looked at Karina with his eyes sparkling and smirked. He almost burst out laughing at the absurd threat he had heard in the past.
Karina answered Genon’s nonsense.
“Who? It’s you.”
But this time, he only thought to himself.
Genon thought Karina was scared because she didn’t answer, so he approached her without hesitation and grabbed her arm.
Karina’s eyes lit up.
“I’ve been waiting for this moment!”
As soon as his arm was grabbed, Karina raised her other hand and slapped his ear with all her might.
Slap!
The sound of the slap echoed refreshingly.
Karina pretended to be surprised when her arm was suddenly grabbed and jumped up.
“How impudent! How dare you touch me, the Grand Duchess, without permission!”
Without stopping, she aimed for Genon’s vital spot with her knee.
But the moment she raised her knee, Genon stumbled.
Thud!
Karina’s knee hit his thigh instead of his vital point.
“Ugh!”
Genon clutched the area he had been hit in, groaning in pain even after being hit in the thigh.
“Look at this guy? He dodged?”
Karina clicked her tongue as if it was a waste.
But Karina had no intention of stopping there.
“I’ll feel better if I pay you back for what happened in the past. You rascal!”
Karina raised her knee again, aiming for his vital point, but Genon instinctively covered it and dodged.
At that moment, a noise was heard outside the door.
“I haven’t even finished hitting you yet!”
Karina quickly hit Genon’s instep with the heel of her high heel one last time.
“Whoops!”
Genon’s face turned bright red as he was caught in the instep while he was distracted by the outside.
“Let's go.”
Genon grabbed Karina, who seemed satisfied.
“Let go of this!”
He pulled her into his arms as she struggled, and fell backwards.
At the same time, the study door opened and Jeremiah appeared.
There was a snap, a grinding sound of teeth.
“So. What’s the situation this time?”
Karina could hear the suppressed anger in Jeremiah’s low voice.
At the same time, the study door opened and Jeremiah appeared.
There was a snap, a grinding sound of teeth.
“So. What’s the situation this time?”
Karina could hear the suppressed anger in Jeremiah’s low voice.
“You’re finally here.”
Karina lowered her head to hide the corners of her lips that were rising.
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