"Wow. Really?! It's so big!"
"That's not all."
One of the servants added with a laugh.
"You know? Anna likes white roses the best. She bought a thousand of those expensive flowers and decorated them. They say the restaurant where she proposed was filled with the scent of roses."
"Oh my, oh my, my. So romantic."
"Wow. Anna would love it! Big, shiny rocks, a bouquet of flowers, a handsome husband, oh my. It's just perfect. Did her fiancé put in some effort?"
"After all, a proposal is a once-in-a-lifetime event. It's a memory you'll cherish for the rest of your life."
"Well, if a proposal is bad, you'll think about it for a long time."
"Yeah, yeah. A proposal is really important. My husband just fell for it and I'm still upset about it."
The servants chattered and agreed. Dante tilted his head slightly.
A proposal. What about his and her?
"What I really want is to be His Highness's wife."
"Yes, Guts passes."
What the. Dante's brow furrowed. It was more like a line about passing a job interview than marriage. After that, only contracts, not flowers or rings, were exchanged. For a while, Dante was stuck in that spot, not moving at all.
"Ouch! Master!"
"Eek!"
Even after the servants who had belatedly noticed his presence fled in shock, he continued.
***
Rio came in as he was changing his clothes.
"Master! Did you have a good audience?"
"Yes."
Dante continued, straightening his collar.
"Let's conduct a thorough investigation into the collusion between the Land Spider and the Crown Prince."
"Are you talking about the Land Spider?"
Rio's eyes widened. The Land Spider was a dark guild that dealt with poisons and was a subordinate organization of the Dawn Corps. Illegal drugs were largely eradicated in the system a few years ago. The only illegal organizations that could still distribute deadly drugs like 'love potions' were those that were deeply hidden. Like a rebel group, for example.
Even so, he wondered if the Crown Prince would have contacted them again. He wondered if he could really be that stupid... Dante realized this when he met him today. He really is that stupid. Thinking about it, when he interrogated the leader of the Dawn Squad that he had captured in the palace prison a while ago, he remembered the answer that the leader almost spat out when he asked who ordered the killing of Eduardo Lopez.
"The culprit is, Fe..."
At the time, he thought he was referring to Ariana's father, Fersen Lopez. But looking back, it would have made sense if he had been trying to spit out the crown prince's name, Felix. The assassination of the action captain back then must have been ordered by the Crown Prince. Then it made sense that the assassin could have easily Infiltrated the palace. It was the moment when another crime was added next to the Crown Prince's list. It was surprising how the karma was being called without any special action being taken on this side.
"Yes, I will investigate the collusion as you said."
"And."
Rio perked up his ears. From the tone of his voice, he had a feeling that this was the real topic.
"Which of the rocks shines the brightest?"
"Yes?"
Rio's eyes blinked.
'Is it a quiz?'
If so, it must have been a fairly easy quiz. Rio smiled brightly and said.
"Isn't it a diamond?"
"It's a diamond."
Dante muttered. The voice was quiet as if lost in thought.
'Are you preparing a gift for your lady?'
Rio sensed that the relationship between the Duke and Duchess had become somewhat different since Ariana fainted. Of course, Ariana's collapse was a tragic incident, but it was an accident that should never happen again. Just as there are two sides to a coin, there is a slightly positive side. Rio, who was quick to notice his master's intentions, slyly added.
"Are you planning a gift for your lady?"
Dante glanced at Rio. There was no answer, but his gaze took on a sharp expression. As if he was telling him to come up with a good idea. Rio offered advice with sparkling eyes.
"Of course, diamonds are good too. It's not that they're bad, but I think my lady might like something else better."
Of course, who doesn't like jewelry, but if you're going to give a gift anyway, wouldn't it be better to give it something that will definitely hit the recipient's heart?
Rio still vividly remembered the day when the musical Instrument dealers came into the Duke's residence one after another. To be exact, how delighted Ariana was when she saw the instruments that filled her room. She was so surprised and excited that everyone who saw her felt happy.
"I would also cautiously recommend that you give your lady a gift that would be especially meaningful to her."
"Meaning?"
Dante's face hardened seriously. Of course, it would be a more difficult task than thinking of a gift that only required spending money. However, if he succeeded in giving her a truly meaningful gift, wouldn't their relationship become even stronger?
People outside praised the Duke and Duchess as the lovers of the century, but Rio knew. There was a clear wall between them. It seemed thin at first, but it was a wall that had been built high as the years they had lived differently. However, the wall could be torn down with just a small opportunity.
'I think I gave you some good advice.'
Rio smiled proudly and prayed that his advice would have a positive effect. Not knowing that the next day, the effects would be frightening.
***
Knock.
He knocked, but there was no sound from inside. As expected, Dante pushed the door gently instead of knocking anymore. He already knew that Ariana's ability to sense anything else would decrease significantly when she started to concentrate. And, as he had thought, Ariana was in the middle of the spacious room, looking intently at the piano.
Dante quietly closed the door and leaned against the wall to watch her for a moment. Ariana was staring intently at something, completely unaware that anyone had come in. Her eyelashes blinked once or twice slowly over her deep-thinking eyes. Then she suddenly felt her collar with an awkward gesture. The indoor dress she was wearing seemed stuffy. Dante's gaze moved to the collar of the dress that covered just below her chin. The dress, which covered her neck perfectly and had numerous buttons, gave her an ascetic feel. But he knew what marks the skin beneath her had.
Who knew why she was wearing a nun's habit indoors?
The back of his neck instantly grew hot. Dante clicked his tongue and walked away. As if he had returned to his boyhood, his patience was easily exhausted.
"Ah."
Only then did Ariana raise her head as if she had noticed the presence. Their gazes met and her pupils filled with recording slowly dilated.
"Your Highness!"
Dante held his breath for a moment. He saw her eyes turning toward him, wide and soft.
"Are you here now?"
She smiled, full of joy and delight. He had not expected such an enthusiastic welcome. Dante felt the back of his neck stiffen.
"I've been waiting."
"Me?"
"Yes."
Ariana quickly nodded and made a small gesture.
This is driving me crazy.
Dante held back a hollow laugh. His entire body reacted like a well-trained dog to every small gesture, every look in her eyes that waited for him.
At this point, isn't it really no different from when I was a boy? No, I think I was more rational back then.
"Duke."
Ariana stared at him as he approached him as he gestured. Dante looked at her and thought quietly. There were seven buttons on her collar. Would it be faster to unbutton them or to tear them? Of course, it would be the latter, but if he did, her eyes would widen like a startled rabbit.
"No. No."
Dante cursed at himself. He couldn't unbutton them or tear them. He didn't intend to push himself two days in a row. He wasn't a cub.
"While you were out, maybe I..."
Ariana looked up at Dante with a fervent gaze. Her eyes were innocent and ignorant of anything. She whispered in a very serious voice.
"Maybe, I found something."
I see. Dante was also discovering the shameless bastard hiding inside him.
"Sit here."
Ariana sat up and pointed to the piano chair where I had been sitting until just now. Dante did as he was told, like a good boy. Ariana stood right behind him. A mysterious mixture of the scent of flowers and soap flowed into his lungs through his nostrils.
"Do you see it?"
A pleasant voice flowed smoothly from behind him. Dante took a deep breath as if he had woken up from a shallow dream.
Ariana pointed to the sheet music with sparkling eyes.
"This is."
Dante's eyes widened.
"It's the third part of <Fantastic Butterfly>."
<Fantastic Butterfly>, the masterpiece of 'musician' Eduardo Lopez. An unfortunate work that remained as an unfinished trilogy because he died in an accident while working on the final part. The sheet music for the last third part was spread out on the piano in perfect condition. And on the paper added on top of it...
Hmm? All sorts of numbers were written in a jumbled manner in Ariana's handwriting. Dante frowned at the sight that reminded him of a cryptography class.
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