"Then you hurt your hand. If you give it to me, I will do it."
"What's the big deal about hurting my hands?"
"..."
Evangeline's sad gaze as she removed the jewel from the last shoulder made Phillip swallow his silence. As if she had already been seriously injured somewhere else, her drooping shoulders reminded him of a rain-soaked bird. He couldn't imagine how she felt, having never been hurt or insulted in her life.
"It would be nice if I could give away my other gems, but they are all registered with the appraisal agency, so there might be a louder statement in this situation."
"Then I'll dispose of this bail. So that the Lady can use it for what is urgently needed."
"Now is the time."
"What?"
"Please find traces of my father."
With that one hope, she endured the scratches that were left on her. It doesn't matter what the Princess did to her. If she could find even the smallest part of her father, she would be willing to do so with her stupid and pure malice.
"It's not a top-class gemstone, so it won't cost a lot of money, but I'm sure you can send someone to find out about my father and some things."
"But the Duke is already searching the area."
"What he's looking for. It was probably my father's body."
"..."
That was the look on his face that day. It wouldn't be a lie to say that he sent someone, but she wouldn't have had any great hopes. As much as she had known him for a long time, she could tell just by looking at his voice and eyes. However, even his daughter, herself, could not let go of her hands.
"Find me if anything. Even a strand of hair."
"My Lady."
Philip's voice darkened on her whitened face. Still, as if trying to muster up some strength, Evangeline forced her lips to straighten out.
"I think you can follow the tide and look around the nearby waters or the black market in that town. They all wore only the highest-end items, so no matter who found them, they couldn't throw them away."
"...Yes, my lady."
"Then I'll go. If you have any other news, let me know."
"Ah, actually, Kirion went there in the morning."
Philip, who was seeing her off at the waiting area of the commercial wagon, took a cautious step away. She looked back with disappointment, expecting news from her father, but she was happy to hear the name of an old friend she hadn't heard in a long time.
"Kirion? When did he come to Loark?"
"He must have come when a naval ship docked not long ago. He said he ran as soon as he heard the news of the Lord."
"Oh...I see."
"He really wanted to meet the Lady. He asked me to contact him when you came to the top. Shall I tell him about your visit today?"
Phillip was cautious as he held her hand as she climbed into the carriage. He knew it was not the right time to meet friends, but the two were quite special when they were young. It would be nice if he could comfort her heart even in a small way.
"No, I don't."
However, Evangeline hesitated for a moment and quickly raised her sunken eyes. Unlike her cold voice, her hand gestures were somewhat sad as she had to press her robe deeper to catch someone's attention.
"...Maybe we'll meet someday."
***
Evangeline opened the door of the parlor and frowned at the smoke. How many people can enter the Duchess's private space and smoke cigarettes without permission? She approached without any surprise and faced the Duke standing by the window.
"When did you come?"
"Can I come?"
"...It can't be. This is your house."
She laughed silently and lowered her head. Even though he didn't have a cigar between his fingers, he must have been here a long time ago. When she reached out to the window to ventilate the room, Deccarno pushed the window frame hard first. She withdrew her hands and smiled slightly.
"Thank you."
"It's my house, as you say, so is this something to be thankful for?"
"...I see. I didn't know."
The strangely prickly words made her clasp her hands together. She knew he wasn't in a good mood from the moment she opened the door to the living room.
She just didn't want to pretend to know.
"Did you enjoy it? Looks like you went to a pretty Interesting place today."
"..."
Again, his voice was cold, as if he were looking into the fog of the night. Since it had only been a few days since she was prohibited from going outside, the examination could have been distorted. He is a man who has never experienced someone violating his commands.
"Her Highness the Princess had sent a carriage, so I couldn't help it. How could I have declined her invitation?"
"So after that?"
"..."
"The coachman chased after you and waited outside the palace, but you disappeared without a trace."
Deccarno finally turned around and flashed his gray eyes. It was so rare to express emotions like this that Evangeline hesitated for a moment. She didn't know how much he knew, but she didn't want to say it herself.
Just because she gave up her pride right away doesn't mean that she gave it away. If she told him that she went to the top, the story would eventually come out about the dress, and she hated knowing how she got it rather than dying.
"I was just frustrated and took some air, so I didn't know the time had gone by like this."
"Frustrating?"
"..."
She didn't even ask if he didn't knew that. Even the feeling of frustration must be a luxury for her now. Not knowing that Deccarno's eyes narrowed as her silence dragged on. Evangeline shook her head before it was too late.
"I'm fine now. I'm sorry for the trouble."
"...What did you hear in the imperial palace?"
Evangeline pretended to be innocent first, and the Duke's eyes also regained their reason. Instead of asking what happened, he asked what she had heard, so he seemed to have guessed what the Princess could say.
"Did the Princess insult you?"
"No, she doesn't. No, she doesn't."
"Then?"
"...She told me that there would be a banquet at the Imperial Palace after a while, and invited me there."
She was surprised to read his intentions right away, but Evangeline calmly passed it on. Princess Bellona may have been impatient, but she was not a fool. If she doesn't want to show her hatred openly, the Princess won't be able to bring up today's affairs first.
And it wasn't like there wasn't an invitation to a banquet. It wasn't exactly an invitation, but she wouldn't refuse it if she went.
She wondered if she could raise her hands to welcome such a big spectacle.
"So what did you say?"
"I told her I would think about it. It's not for me to decide."
"..."
Fortunately or unluckily, Deccarno didn't ask anymore. It was strange for him to ask about her work and even take an Interest in it, but she expected this much because of the timing. It is only natural that this incident will break out, and her every move will affect the reputation of the Duke of Theses.
"I just go up... Ah, Duke."
"Why, didn't you expect this?"
As she turned, her voice was muffled as he grabbed Evangeline's wrist. Startled, she took a deep breath, but the more she did so, the tighter she felt.
"The other answers are well prepared like dolls, but this one must be difficult."
"..."
Apart from his disapproval, the corner of his mouth was twisted. He hated crying women, but he never wanted a woman who looked like a doll. Forcing himself to use force may not be his hobby, but if he could break that mask that didn't suit her, and thus figure out what she was hiding from him, he wouldn't hesitate.
But Evangeline's breathing quickly subsided. Even her eyes did not waver, and she stared straight at him.
"...I'm in trouble tonight."
"Ha!"
Deccarno's growling sneer was eerie. It would have been better if she had been trying to provoke him, but this woman wasn't like that. Her resigned eyes fell heavily, thinking that was what he really wanted from her.
"I'm a little tired today. Tell me in advance next time."
"Anything you can say is possible."
"It's always been like that."
Her lips stretched out as if they could be seen. On the day of the engagement ceremony, he was drunk and grabbed her wrist, and there were often nights like this. Except for the first day, when they were both drunk and half-insane, the Duke politely expressed his intentions whenever he wanted.
For example, he would ask if she had any other appointments after dinner, or he would look at her with a particularly hot look, and he would hold her hand. To be precise, it was a thumb-sweeping gesture of the back of her hand that was supported by him, but she didn't have the strength to distinguish it anymore.
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