Therefore, Deccarno did not show any emotion. As the successor of the Duke of Theses, it was both a duty and a virtue. When his father, the previous Duke, died in a sudden accident, his sense of responsibility reached its highest level, and he continued to do so for more than 10 years.
He never felt that it was particularly cramped or difficult. It was different from simply getting used to it. If adapting to something difficult to adapt to is getting used to it, then every moment was just a thesis for him. Even the duties and responsibilities given to him were natural, and there was definitely a point where he enjoyed it at some point.
The time he spent with Evangeline was one of them.
It was a matter of course. She was a woman who would be as perfect as she was.
So he thought she would enjoy this life as much as he did. It seemed that way for a while.
However, recently, the number of annoying points has gradually increased. Evangeline was doing everything he wanted, but he didn't feel the same way toward her. I thought it would be okay if they spent less time together, but that wasn't the case.
"No, I'm fine."
It's okay.
Every moment of smiling, elegantly speaking, and being dignified was strangely jarring. Trying to figure out what was scratching him the most, Deccarno looked into the fireplace, where there was no trace of the letter.
Then he remembered.
He said he had never received a letter like that from her.
"Your Excellency, you are here."
"..."
He stood in front of the fireplace and looked back at Michael's presence. Deccarno's expression shimmered even more terrifyingly because of the shadow of the fire, and Michael was stunned greatly. The owner had never been a gentle man, but he seemed cruel for a moment. He pretended not to panic as much as possible and passed the table of the daily routine.
"His Majesty has invited you to accompany him on his week-long tour of the East starting tomorrow. He said that since you went on the previous two trips together, it was okay to refuse this time."
To be precise, he said he had no intention of doing so.
It cannot be because he feels sorry for the Emperor's character, and it would not be profitable in terms of calculations. The Duke of Theses would be of great help in the whole process and judgment of the trip, but if he had lent his hand to such an extent, it would have been better for the Emperor to give the Duke something.
In particular, it is the roughest and most uncomfortable of the four regions. If you want to accompany such a place for a week, the rule is to give at least one or two large national projects to the Senate. Since he had already given away a lot during his last trip, even the Emperor could not do more than that.
Leaving the Duke unanswered, Michael said it was a good idea and moved on to the next business.
"And I brought the list you mentioned. Among the guests who attended the party that day, they were the ones who had spoken to Lady O'Hara at least once."
"Is this all?"
"Yes, according to my research. Except for the last friend she talked to."
"..."
Deccarno's eyes flashed fiercely in his belly. Wondering if he had made a mistake, Michael swallowed his saliva and straightened his shoulders. Although not as much as the Duke, he has been an aide for more than 10 years, and he has handled things as rationally and easily as possible.
The same is true of the list he reported today. It excludes all useless side branches and contains only the necessary information.
"Only her friend, a captain in the navy, was kind to her, and the rest were not."
"Of course it is."
Deccarno's mouth twisted as it became heavier and heavier. But Michael thought it was for another reason that he was offended. You can see that he asked himself to make such a list.
"It seems that the three of you here have a special relationship with Her Royal Highness. It turns out that Her Highness worked hard to get the wives' families to bid for landscaping projects in urban parks under the jurisdiction of the Imperial family. Although it has not been announced yet, it is almost as if it has been decided to block the bidding of other families. It's actually a small scale, but their family's livelihood depends on it."
"I see."
"I think it would be better to give a mild warning. If you do something big, it will sound like personal revenge, and it won't be good for the reputation of the Theses."
Michael suggested the most appropriate solution.
It would be reprehensible for the three of them to openly provoke Evangeline, who would become the next Duchess, but technically, she was not yet a Duchess. Even if the debt is resolved, it must also be considered that public opinion about Evangeline is still not good.
"If Your Excellency has no other intentions, I will proceed with it."
"I wonder if you will understand that you are warning with that kind of head."
"Your Excellency."
"Yes, when will His Majesty's trip start?"
When Deccarno showed interest in the tour, Michael's eyes widened in surprise. The more the Emperor was quick to calculate, the more thorough the Duke was in his own values. He had already made up his mind and hinted at his demands.
Yes. It would be better to take over the business rights of the landscaping of the urban park.
***
Evangeline, who had been hugging her father's belongings for several days, realized the reality only after exhausting all her strength.
Her father died.
She has to acknowledge what she has to admit. Now the time has come to give up the last hope or regret. However, she didn't know how to do it, so she was at a loss again.
Evangeline didn't know how to give up as much as she brought everything. She had never experienced a situation where she had to give up or force herself to change her mind. She was fortunate that, as her father's only daughter, she knew what she had to do.
Row Fon Tetron 3rd Avenue 30.
This is where my father will lie down. Although it was not a real body, she had to pay for the funeral. With that one will, she held on to her spirit and corresponded with Philip, and what she got was a graveyard of only two square meters.
It's a cemetery located in a slum that she's never been to, but it's better than burying it in her chest. She made all the preparations she could. She prepared her father's favorite things and simple belongings and waited for the date Philip had mentioned.
But there was another thing that was just as difficult for her as giving up hope. She had to keep the whole process of letting go of her father to herself.
It was only this time that she realized that even a funeral is a luxury. She couldn't expect anyone's comfort or attendance, and she just had to get rid of it before anyone noticed her.
"...There are no infectious diseases."
Evangeline, who didn't even have a bitter heart left, sang in a daze. Accepting her father's death and preparing for the funeral, her body and mind withered day by day. She couldn't say a word to anyone and suppressed her sad heart alone. She managed to hug Rex and hold on, but the more she did so, the emptier she became. She didn't know when it would burst at this rate, so she grabbed her boiling heart dozens of times a day.
She can't wait for him.
"Your Excellency said that he was busy with government affairs for a while and would not return."
The other day, Evangeline was wandering around in front of the main building without any pride, and her cheeks turned red at the words of the butler. She forced herself to ignore his pitiful gaze and returned to the annex, but she became more and more urgent.
Ironically, the only man who could tell her about her father's funeral, which was supposed to be a secret from everyone, was Deccarno. She knows she doesn't have a perfect secret anyway, but it wasn't necessarily for that reason.
To her father, she was the only one, but to her, he was the only one.
It was funny, but it was.
Her pride was hurt, but when she thought about having to hold the funeral alone, Deccarno's face came to mind first. He was not a real son-in-law, but he had been with her for two years, and if the previous Duchess had not died, he would have been her husband by now. Just as Evangeline was about to force her to hold on to the blurred focus, the main building outside the window lit up.
"Oh..."
It looks like the Duke has returned.
She jumped up and ran towards the main building. The maids were surprised, but Evangeline grabbed the hem of her dress without hesitation. If she misses him again, she may have to wait for some time. Then, if she skips her father's funeral, which is less than a week away... Just thinking about it sent chills down her.
"Evangeline?"
"Hah, hah!"
Fortunately, he was still in the hall of the main building. Looking at his clothes, he seems to be going out again soon, but his presence alone was a great relief. Her breath was up to her chin, and Deccarno handed her a glass of water from the table.
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