Jimsker barely made it to Countess Acacia’s mansion through the back door after avoiding his father, Count Raylon, who had been guarding the front of the Grand Duke’s residence for two days. If his lord had not given him an order to evade, he would have continued to lie to his father, saying, “The Grand Duke has entered the palace,” and sweating profusely.
“Did my warning not work? I told you I would crush you so much that you couldn’t walk.”
The warning was so effective that Jimsker was about to die. He knew that Rhodnes was a troublemaker who would keep his word once he said something. Rhodnes raised his head and looked down on him. His lord Noevian often made that kind of expression when he suspected someone, but for some reason, when he was in front of this Prince, he felt a sense of intimidation as if he were a bug that would die as soon as he was stepped on.
“What did your master do?”
“Oh, Countess Acacia has been chosen as the Grand Duchess.”
The Prince's relaxed face cracked and then returned. The Prince forced the corners of his lips up to show a crooked smile, and after a while, he opened his mouth.
"So?"
“His Highness, he personally has me manage Count Acacia’s residence...”
“I guess you forgot. I clearly told you not to act like a fool since she's my woman. Maybe you didn’t get it?”
“!”
Jimsker, who had been frozen as if struck by lightning, shouted again at the sight of Rhodnes, who seemed to be searching for the sword.
“Your Highness! Your Highness, this is problematic. Even His Highness the Crown Prince already knows this.”
“So what do you want me to do? You've been paying lip service with your rattling.”
When Jimsker saw the Prince who was completely incomprehensible, he thought that it would be a mistake to go into the Count's building and meet the Countess today. As Rhodnes, who seemed ready to crush him at any moment, approached, Jimsker quickly took a step back. That was when it happened.
“Ah! Ah!”
Jimsker's mind went blank as he saw a large dog running from the backyard with its tongue sticking out out of nowhere.
“...You’re afraid of dogs.”
“Please, please move it away, Your Highness!”
The face of the Prince, like a masterpiece of God, was utterly arrogant. As if he didn’t hear his request, he even snapped his finger at the dog!
“...... sounds like we don't meet often enough.”
“Yes, we probably won’t meet often.”
Rhodnes slowly lowered his eyes. Sitting in a crooked posture, his eyes were lowered so that shadows formed under his eyelashes, and he looked like a painting, but at the same time, he seemed to be suppressing hia discontent.
“!”
And under the small tea table, his large hand came and grabbed my knee tightly. I looked at him with surprised eyes, and he slowly approached me without changing his expression. His bare body was visible through the nightgown that was not properly fastened, and my face turned red. I hurriedly picked up his shirt that was next to me.
By the way, Countess Acacia had become the designated Grand Duchess. He was equally surprised by the sudden news. It seemed that the Crown Prince had visited the Grand Duke’s residence with a serious expression for several days in a row and had talked about such things. Jimsker did not know how Countess Acacia became his lord’s mistress, but he vaguely guessed that there must have been someone great behind her. It was not a Noevian who would make an emotional decision simply because she resembled the dead Grand Duchess.
While he was lost in thought, he arrived at Countess Acacia’s mansion, which was quite far from the center of the capital. As soon as he arrived, Jimsker felt that the atmosphere was not ordinary. He had always felt that the Count's mansion was overly manned given its modest size, but today was different. Knights dressed in the uniforms of the Imperial Knights were lined up like a fortress in the middle of a battlefield, surrounding the Count's mansion.
“What brings you here?”
“Yes? Oh, I am Jimsker Raylon of the Raylon Counts.”
“Where do you belong?”
“I belong to the Grand Duke of Trovika.”
As soon as the words were out, several knights guarding the entrance surrounded him. Then, they lifted him up with their arms linked on both sides, as he was quite strong, and headed toward the entrance of the Count's mansion. In an instant, Jimsker, whose feet were lifted into the air, was dragged into the entrance of the Count's mansion while struggling. While he was being carried, one of the knights who had run over brought a man with a flash of light out of the mansion building.
“I, I’ll come next time. Please.”
“Where are you going?”
The man coming down the stairs, leaving the grand mansion entrance behind, was the second Prince, Rhodnes. He walked slowly as if he were taking a walk, but Jimsker was out of breath. The Prince had stripped off his upper half. To Jimsker, who had always served his lord who was tightly wrapped, his appearance was extremely immoral, and it gave rise to many imaginations.
“From the Grand Duke of Trovica, the lord of the Counts’ House...”
“What brings you here?”
“Yes? Oh, I am Jimsker Raylon of the Raylon Counts.”
“Where do you belong?”
“I belong to the Grand Duke of Trovika.”
As soon as the words were out, several knights guarding the entrance surrounded him. Then, they lifted him up with their arms linked on both sides, as he was quite strong, and headed toward the entrance of the Count's mansion. In an instant, Jimsker, whose feet were lifted into the air, was dragged into the entrance of the Count's mansion while struggling. While he was being carried, one of the knights who had run over brought a man with a flash of light out of the mansion building.
“I, I’ll come next time. Please.”
“Where are you going?”
The man coming down the stairs, leaving the grand mansion entrance behind, was the second Prince, Rhodnes. He walked slowly as if he were taking a walk, but Jimsker was out of breath. The Prince had stripped off his upper half. To Jimsker, who had always served his lord who was tightly wrapped, his appearance was extremely immoral, and it gave rise to many imaginations.
“From the Grand Duke of Trovica, the lord of the Counts’ House...”
“Did my warning not work? I told you I would crush you so much that you couldn’t walk.”
The warning was so effective that Jimsker was about to die. He knew that Rhodnes was a troublemaker who would keep his word once he said something. Rhodnes raised his head and looked down on him. His lord Noevian often made that kind of expression when he suspected someone, but for some reason, when he was in front of this Prince, he felt a sense of intimidation as if he were a bug that would die as soon as he was stepped on.
Neil, who hurriedly ran out of the mansion, put something like a nightgown on Rhodnes. However, seeing his body covered in scars from the battlefield, Jimsker lost his will to fight and waited for him to say something more.
“What did your master do?”
“Oh, Countess Acacia has been chosen as the Grand Duchess.”
The Prince's relaxed face cracked and then returned. The Prince forced the corners of his lips up to show a crooked smile, and after a while, he opened his mouth.
"So?"
“His Highness, he personally has me manage Count Acacia’s residence...”
“I guess you forgot. I clearly told you not to act like a fool since she's my woman. Maybe you didn’t get it?”
“!”
Jimsker, who had been frozen as if struck by lightning, shouted again at the sight of Rhodnes, who seemed to be searching for the sword.
“Your Highness! Your Highness, this is problematic. Even His Highness the Crown Prince already knows this.”
“So what do you want me to do? You've been paying lip service with your rattling.”
When Jimsker saw the Prince who was completely incomprehensible, he thought that it would be a mistake to go into the Count's building and meet the Countess today. As Rhodnes, who seemed ready to crush him at any moment, approached, Jimsker quickly took a step back. That was when it happened.
“Ah! Ah!”
Jimsker's mind went blank as he saw a large dog running from the backyard with its tongue sticking out out of nowhere.
“...You’re afraid of dogs.”
“Please, please move it away, Your Highness!”
The face of the Prince, like a masterpiece of God, was utterly arrogant. As if he didn’t hear his request, he even snapped his finger at the dog!
When the dog, which recognized his signal, ran at Jimsker like a mad dog, Jimsker turned around without any more thought or rather tried to run. The long and strong legs of Rhodnes, which were scarier than the dog, caught his running feet without a moment of hesitation. For a moment, time seemed to pass terribly slowly, and Rhodnes looked back with resentment, his red eyes flashing.
Before his eyes could reach the corner of his mouth that was sharply raised, Jimsker fell miserably on the stone floor in the front yard. When the dog finally approached and licked his sprawled cheek, his eyes turned red and his pants became soaked.
'The mad dog is not this dog...'
It's the Prince! Jimsker took one last look at Rhodnes' worried and disgusting face and fainted.
'The mad dog is not this dog...'
It's the Prince! Jimsker took one last look at Rhodnes' worried and disgusting face and fainted.
***
Rhodnes entered the hallway with a grand air. Conscious of the servants’ gazes, I hurriedly whispered to him to close his nightgown.
“I’m showing you this on purpose.”
“What did you say?”
“That’s right. If you deceive your servants and my subordinates in advance, Noevian Trovica will move more impatiently.”
“So for the same reason, I said it would be better to keep our mouths shut until the work is done.”
I suggested to Rhodnes, who came to the Count's residence at dawn, that we should speak to each other more closely from now on, saying that Noevian might invade at any time. Rhodnes outwardly agreed, but on the inside, he seemed to be dissatisfied with my words.
“Okay, Ma’am.”
Rhodes answered as if he had lost.
“What are you going to do to Sir Jimsker?”
As I asked anxiously, Rhodnes looked out the large window, where sunlight poured in, and watched the knights hurling Jimsker out of the Count's mansion. His expression was cold, but the corners of his mouth were turned up, making him look like a great villain.
"Your Highness?"
“What are you going to do? If you leave it like that, he will wake up on its own and run to his master.”
"Your Highness."
“If you leave him alone, he will return to his owner, madam.”
The servants of the Count's mansion watched him from afar, and occasionally when they met eyes with Rhodnes, they would make a hissing sound and bow their heads to the floor. Well, as soon as he arrived at the Count's mansion, he would walk around like it was his own home, and as soon as he saw Jimsker coming in, he would take off his coats and leave, so that strange behavior must have fueled the rumors that he was a troublemaker.
“What do you think?”
“Please follow me for a moment.”
I quietly led him to my office. After locking the door and drawing the curtains, I looked back at Rhodnes, who was sitting on the small sofa and buried in his body. What did I say to Rhodnes, who came to me at dawn because of his worries?
“I told you that I had been chosen as the Grand Duchess.”
“Even if there’s no one there, you’re going to do that?”
"Yes."
Rhodnes, who had been smiling faintly as if he didn't hate me for trying to raise my voice until the end, took on a serious expression. I sat down near him and took a deep breath. I too had realized that Noevian had made up his mind when I heard that Jimsker had arrived. If Rhodnes hadn't been there, I might have been able to enter the Grand Duke's residence without a fight.
“Adrienne, no, Madam. I want to get this mess over with quickly.”
Rhodnes spoke softly, his playful expression disappearing. He was sincere. The same eyes that had been deeply immersed when he had told me at dawn that I had become the Grand Duchess were now before me.
“Actually, I don’t care what happens to Baroness Kuroseda. Because I don’t have any feelings for her.”
“...”
“What I am saying is that it is not my father who is helping me, but you.”
So if there is anything I can do to help you, please tell me.
“I’m showing you this on purpose.”
“What did you say?”
“That’s right. If you deceive your servants and my subordinates in advance, Noevian Trovica will move more impatiently.”
“So for the same reason, I said it would be better to keep our mouths shut until the work is done.”
I suggested to Rhodnes, who came to the Count's residence at dawn, that we should speak to each other more closely from now on, saying that Noevian might invade at any time. Rhodnes outwardly agreed, but on the inside, he seemed to be dissatisfied with my words.
“Okay, Ma’am.”
Rhodes answered as if he had lost.
“What are you going to do to Sir Jimsker?”
As I asked anxiously, Rhodnes looked out the large window, where sunlight poured in, and watched the knights hurling Jimsker out of the Count's mansion. His expression was cold, but the corners of his mouth were turned up, making him look like a great villain.
"Your Highness?"
“What are you going to do? If you leave it like that, he will wake up on its own and run to his master.”
"Your Highness."
“If you leave him alone, he will return to his owner, madam.”
The servants of the Count's mansion watched him from afar, and occasionally when they met eyes with Rhodnes, they would make a hissing sound and bow their heads to the floor. Well, as soon as he arrived at the Count's mansion, he would walk around like it was his own home, and as soon as he saw Jimsker coming in, he would take off his coats and leave, so that strange behavior must have fueled the rumors that he was a troublemaker.
“What do you think?”
“Please follow me for a moment.”
I quietly led him to my office. After locking the door and drawing the curtains, I looked back at Rhodnes, who was sitting on the small sofa and buried in his body. What did I say to Rhodnes, who came to me at dawn because of his worries?
“I told you that I had been chosen as the Grand Duchess.”
“Even if there’s no one there, you’re going to do that?”
"Yes."
Rhodnes, who had been smiling faintly as if he didn't hate me for trying to raise my voice until the end, took on a serious expression. I sat down near him and took a deep breath. I too had realized that Noevian had made up his mind when I heard that Jimsker had arrived. If Rhodnes hadn't been there, I might have been able to enter the Grand Duke's residence without a fight.
“Adrienne, no, Madam. I want to get this mess over with quickly.”
Rhodnes spoke softly, his playful expression disappearing. He was sincere. The same eyes that had been deeply immersed when he had told me at dawn that I had become the Grand Duchess were now before me.
“Actually, I don’t care what happens to Baroness Kuroseda. Because I don’t have any feelings for her.”
“...”
“What I am saying is that it is not my father who is helping me, but you.”
So if there is anything I can do to help you, please tell me.
As he spoke, Rhodnes stared at me intently. My palms tingled as I received his gaze filled with sincere longing. I quickly got up, picked up the diary on the desk, and returned it. Rhodnes’s gaze, which had been staring at me without wavering, slowly fell to that spot.
“This is Blie Acacia’s diary.”
Rhodnes quietly reached out and opened the diary.
“Is this the diary?”
His eyes darted around, searching for evidence that Noevian was killing Adrienne, along with his lowered voice.
“That diary is somewhere else. It looks like it’s mostly just scribbles, except for the things I mentioned. This one came out of the Count’s safe a while ago.”
As he turned the pages of the diary and watched his face change from moment to moment, I became convinced that he could interpret more of the content than I could.
“I know you’re busy with the Baroness’s disappearance case, but whenever you have time, please take a look at that diary. It would be even better if you could interpret it for me.”
“From the very first chapter... I’m going to get sick because he's talking nonsense.”
He hummed softly as if talking to himself.
“The Grand Duke will probably have me locked in the Grand Duke’s mansion shortly and will not let me out.”
I could see his straight eyebrows furrow slightly.
“That’s probably why they’re giving you the title of Grand Duchess-designate.”
“Then what are you going to do?”
“I'll be in the Grand Duchy, letting others find me, and I'll probably not be able to be a handmaiden for a while.”
“This is Blie Acacia’s diary.”
Rhodnes quietly reached out and opened the diary.
“Is this the diary?”
His eyes darted around, searching for evidence that Noevian was killing Adrienne, along with his lowered voice.
“That diary is somewhere else. It looks like it’s mostly just scribbles, except for the things I mentioned. This one came out of the Count’s safe a while ago.”
As he turned the pages of the diary and watched his face change from moment to moment, I became convinced that he could interpret more of the content than I could.
“I know you’re busy with the Baroness’s disappearance case, but whenever you have time, please take a look at that diary. It would be even better if you could interpret it for me.”
“From the very first chapter... I’m going to get sick because he's talking nonsense.”
He hummed softly as if talking to himself.
“The Grand Duke will probably have me locked in the Grand Duke’s mansion shortly and will not let me out.”
I could see his straight eyebrows furrow slightly.
“That’s probably why they’re giving you the title of Grand Duchess-designate.”
“Then what are you going to do?”
“I'll be in the Grand Duchy, letting others find me, and I'll probably not be able to be a handmaiden for a while.”
“...... sounds like we don't meet often enough.”
“Yes, we probably won’t meet often.”
Rhodnes slowly lowered his eyes. Sitting in a crooked posture, his eyes were lowered so that shadows formed under his eyelashes, and he looked like a painting, but at the same time, he seemed to be suppressing hia discontent.
“!”
And under the small tea table, his large hand came and grabbed my knee tightly. I looked at him with surprised eyes, and he slowly approached me without changing his expression. His bare body was visible through the nightgown that was not properly fastened, and my face turned red. I hurriedly picked up his shirt that was next to me.
Rustle-.
Then suddenly, I heard a strange sound, and put my hand in my inside pocket to find out what the sound was.
“?”
A look of disappointment appeared on the face of Rhodnes, who had been watching me without taking his eyes off me. The cookie package I had given him a while ago was placed on my hand. The crumpled wrapping paper in my arms looked quite pitiful, but I didn't dare untie the ribbon. Whatever was inside must have looked quite horrible.
“Why on earth do you have this...?”
That was when.
"Your Highness!"
Rhodnes took it from my hand in one go, untied the ribbon, and stuffed the cookie into his mouth.
“What the heck!”
For a moment, I had the illusion that his face turned pale.
“I couldn’t believe that you were in this world, so I kept looking at you, but I’ve been busy lately, so I haven’t been able to go to the place where I put it often. So...”
Without even chewing it a few times, Rhodnes swallowed it all in one gulp and smiled at me without even drinking the water in front of him. The corners of his lips turned up in a cool way, creating a wonderful smile that made me fall in love, but my mouth wouldn't close.
“...It’s delicious.”
“There’s no way it’ll taste good!”
“It’s delicious.”
In an instant, I saw clearly as I was crumpling the package he had opened with both hands. The face of Rhodnes, who had been gulping down the cookie that was no different from powder and insisting that it was delicious, turned pale, and in an instant, cold sweat began to run down his smooth forehead.
“?”
A look of disappointment appeared on the face of Rhodnes, who had been watching me without taking his eyes off me. The cookie package I had given him a while ago was placed on my hand. The crumpled wrapping paper in my arms looked quite pitiful, but I didn't dare untie the ribbon. Whatever was inside must have looked quite horrible.
“Why on earth do you have this...?”
That was when.
"Your Highness!"
Rhodnes took it from my hand in one go, untied the ribbon, and stuffed the cookie into his mouth.
“What the heck!”
For a moment, I had the illusion that his face turned pale.
“I couldn’t believe that you were in this world, so I kept looking at you, but I’ve been busy lately, so I haven’t been able to go to the place where I put it often. So...”
Without even chewing it a few times, Rhodnes swallowed it all in one gulp and smiled at me without even drinking the water in front of him. The corners of his lips turned up in a cool way, creating a wonderful smile that made me fall in love, but my mouth wouldn't close.
“...It’s delicious.”
“There’s no way it’ll taste good!”
“It’s delicious.”
In an instant, I saw clearly as I was crumpling the package he had opened with both hands. The face of Rhodnes, who had been gulping down the cookie that was no different from powder and insisting that it was delicious, turned pale, and in an instant, cold sweat began to run down his smooth forehead.
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