Episode 11. What Do You Know?
The red-haired man whispered softly in Doana's ear.
“Do you like me or do you like the Count?”
Instead of answering, Doana passionately explored the man's lips and smiled contentedly. She remained true to her instincts, seemingly unfazed by what Eric might think. The intense moment ended, and silence fell. The man glanced at Doana, then hurried to his feet. He then slowly walked toward the exit. Before leaving, he winked at Doana and said,
“Come to me anytime you need me again.”
Bang. As the man left, Doana was left alone.
'It's ugly.'
She frowned, staring at the spot where the man had vanished. The red-haired man was a low-ranking knight of the Count's household. This was already the third time they'd secretly met, having been caught on Doana's radar. She'd intended it to be just one time, but it was so good. It was so good that on sleepless nights, that ugly face would haunt her mind.
“Why are you calling me again?”
Doana sighed, thinking, as she had done before, that it was time to stop seeing him. Blinking, unable to hide her tired expression, she fell into a faint sleep. And two hours later, Doana, who had been dozing off, checked the clock in her room and abruptly sat up.
“It’s already past 10 o’clock...”
Eric was sure to be waiting for her. She quickly washed herself with warm water and prepared to leave. It wasn't far from the Count's residence, only about ten minutes away, but her mind was racing.
“Get out of the way.”
A maid stood guard in front of Eric's room. Doana pushed the maid away with a nervous voice and cleared her throat.
“Ahem,”
Then, in the complete opposite of before, she called Eric affectionately in a hoarse voice.
“Count, I’m here.”
“Come in.”
Entering the room, Doana first checked Eric's mood. Judging by his expression, he didn't seem to be in a good mood. He, who always rushed to her, was sitting stiffly. Eric, sitting on the edge of the bed, arms crossed, fingers twitching, and anyone could tell he was a low-spirited man.
"Why are you late? I told you I hate it when people don't keep promises."
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to be late, but someone suddenly asked me to run an errand.”
Doana sat next to Eric, coquettishly flirting with him, trying to find a suitable excuse. But Eric remained unmoved despite Doana's charm.
“Who ordered you to do this? I clearly told the head maid not to order you to do anything.”
Cold eyes scanned Doana's body. At Eric's words, Doana rolled her eyes, seemingly taken aback.
“That’s what Rose... no, the Countess ordered.”
“Rose?”
"Yes. I must do what Madam tells me to do. I'm just a maid, but Madam is a countess."
Eric's expression softened slightly at Doana's words. It wouldn't have been an unexplained delay, but that wasn't the case. Eric grabbed Doana's wrist and pulled her closer, his eyes brimming with desire.
“Do as I say today.”
A mysterious expression, somehow different from his usual one. A moment of unease washed over Doana, but she obediently embraced him. However, this was Doana's mistake. It was the moment when Eric's unusual tastes were revealed.
Rose looked at Eric with wary eyes, unable to calm her startled heart.
“My gift.”
“Is it a gift?”
“Yeah. I already knew what birthday present you had prepared.”
Eric pointed to the luxuriously wrapped box on Rose's desk.
'That's.'
Rose stared intently at the gift she'd prepared. "I misunderstood," she said. "I didn't even prepare a birthday present."
“Eric, I’m sorry, but I didn’t prepare a gift for you.”
“You didn’t prepare a gift?”
She usually bought him so many luxuries that his back would break, and then gave them to him. But this time, she didn't buy him anything? And there, right there, there was a gift box so obvious. Eric found it ridiculous that Rose was clinging to a pushover who didn't work.
“Then what is that?”
He pointed again to the gift box, which was neatly wrapped.
“That’s a gift for the Grand Duke of Arteum.”
“...A gift for the Grand Duke of Artaeum?”
Eric's expression gradually hardened. He raised his eyebrows and exuded a chilling aura.
"It's funny. On your husband's birthday, you come empty-handed, without even a word of congratulations. But you bring a gift to the Grand Duke of Artaeum."
“He invited me to the banquet.”
“You’re giving him a gift just because he invited you to a banquet?”
Eric approached Rose with wide eyes and grabbed her hand roughly. He gripped her so tightly that her left wrist stung.
“It hurts. Let go of this!”
"A gift for the Grand Duke of Artaeum? It's not a bad thing to make fun of the name of the Count of Wence."
Eric shoved Rose against the wall. He glared at her with a disapproving expression and pushed her down so she couldn't move.
“Well, someone like you wouldn’t know anything about politics. That’s why you do such useless things.”
He taunted Rose with mocking words. He didn't particularly like the idea of her offering a gift to the Grand Duke. Rose felt a surge of emotion at the Count's mocking words.
'Even so, that's true. How could you say something like that to Rose?'
No matter what anyone said, Rose was Eric's wife, and he knew full well that her heart was also towards him... He pitied her mistress, Rose. The fact that she had struggled so hard to be loved by Eric despite being treated like this. Indignant, Rose kicked Eric's shin with all her might. He seemed so shocked that he backed away and let Rose go.
"You know what my social standing is. Everyone treats me like I'm invisible, yet His Highness invited me. Can't I bring a gift like this as a token of my gratitude?"
Rose glared at Eric, clutching her left wrist. He really is a man with terrible hand habits. He gripped her so tightly that her wrist ached with every twitch of her fingers. He stared at her with a bewildered expression, as if he couldn't believe she had kicked him. Rose, oblivious to Eric's gaze, grabbed the gift box on her desk. Then, without a backward glance, she left her room.
'It would have been better if you had said you weren't going.'
The carriage ride to the Grand Duke of Artaeum's mansion was remarkably quiet. Not a word was spoken, not even eye contact. She had hoped he would refuse to attend the Grand Duke of Artaeum's banquet, but contrary to her expectations, Eric boarded the carriage before Rose.
“...”
Eric occasionally glanced at Rose, but she paid him no heed. The carriage, with its chilling air, slowly came to a halt. They had finally arrived at the Grand Duke of Artaeum's mansion. Eric opened the carriage door and stepped out first. While it was polite to escort a woman in a dress, Eric showed no consideration. Far from escorting her, he simply wandered off alone.
'I didn't expect it. You damn Count.'
Rose muttered to herself that she wouldn't catch it even if he told her to, and stepped forward cautiously. Perhaps it was because she was so excited about attending her first banquet that she was dressed too extravagantly, but she ended up stepping on the hem of her own skirt.
“Oh, oh, oh!”
In an instant, Rose's body lurched forward. To think she'd trip over a skirt the moment she arrived! Not only would she be in pain, but if she got covered in dirt, she might not be able to enjoy the banquet and would have to return straight to the mansion.
'I'm falling!'
The carriage was quite high. Her body began to fall rapidly. Rose saw the ground approaching and squeezed her eyes shut. Then, someone grabbed Rose's falling body and lifted her up. Rose's eyes widened in surprise as she suddenly felt herself lifted into the air.
“Oh, oh.”
Relieved that she hadn't fallen, she realized she was dangling from the shoulder of an unknown man. The man who had been carrying Rose on his shoulder carefully lowered her to the ground. Rose looked up to express her gratitude, but her eyes widened when she saw the person standing before her.
“Ah, Grand Duke Artaeum?”
“It’s been a while, Countess Wence.”
I thought the escort knight or the groom would have helped me... In front of her was the Grand Duke of Artaeum, staring at her with his piercing blue eyes.
The red-haired man whispered softly in Doana's ear.
“Do you like me or do you like the Count?”
Instead of answering, Doana passionately explored the man's lips and smiled contentedly. She remained true to her instincts, seemingly unfazed by what Eric might think. The intense moment ended, and silence fell. The man glanced at Doana, then hurried to his feet. He then slowly walked toward the exit. Before leaving, he winked at Doana and said,
“Come to me anytime you need me again.”
Bang. As the man left, Doana was left alone.
'It's ugly.'
She frowned, staring at the spot where the man had vanished. The red-haired man was a low-ranking knight of the Count's household. This was already the third time they'd secretly met, having been caught on Doana's radar. She'd intended it to be just one time, but it was so good. It was so good that on sleepless nights, that ugly face would haunt her mind.
“Why are you calling me again?”
Doana sighed, thinking, as she had done before, that it was time to stop seeing him. Blinking, unable to hide her tired expression, she fell into a faint sleep. And two hours later, Doana, who had been dozing off, checked the clock in her room and abruptly sat up.
“It’s already past 10 o’clock...”
Eric was sure to be waiting for her. She quickly washed herself with warm water and prepared to leave. It wasn't far from the Count's residence, only about ten minutes away, but her mind was racing.
***
“Get out of the way.”
A maid stood guard in front of Eric's room. Doana pushed the maid away with a nervous voice and cleared her throat.
“Ahem,”
Then, in the complete opposite of before, she called Eric affectionately in a hoarse voice.
“Count, I’m here.”
“Come in.”
Entering the room, Doana first checked Eric's mood. Judging by his expression, he didn't seem to be in a good mood. He, who always rushed to her, was sitting stiffly. Eric, sitting on the edge of the bed, arms crossed, fingers twitching, and anyone could tell he was a low-spirited man.
"Why are you late? I told you I hate it when people don't keep promises."
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to be late, but someone suddenly asked me to run an errand.”
Doana sat next to Eric, coquettishly flirting with him, trying to find a suitable excuse. But Eric remained unmoved despite Doana's charm.
“Who ordered you to do this? I clearly told the head maid not to order you to do anything.”
Cold eyes scanned Doana's body. At Eric's words, Doana rolled her eyes, seemingly taken aback.
“That’s what Rose... no, the Countess ordered.”
“Rose?”
"Yes. I must do what Madam tells me to do. I'm just a maid, but Madam is a countess."
Eric's expression softened slightly at Doana's words. It wouldn't have been an unexplained delay, but that wasn't the case. Eric grabbed Doana's wrist and pulled her closer, his eyes brimming with desire.
“Do as I say today.”
A mysterious expression, somehow different from his usual one. A moment of unease washed over Doana, but she obediently embraced him. However, this was Doana's mistake. It was the moment when Eric's unusual tastes were revealed.
***
Time flew by, and the banquet was only three days away. Rose, eager to avoid making a mistake at the banquet the Grand Duke had invited her to, made the most of the week.
'I have a rough idea of the nobles' names and relationships, but it's a shame I don't know their faces.'
It would be nice to have something like a photograph, but in this world, there's no such thing as a "camera." If only she could match their faces and names, the banquet would be a huge success.
“...Which group should I become friends with first?”
Rose wrote down the name of Duchess Bella, who had a firm grip on society, then shook her head and crossed out her name.
“Duchess Bella’s group won’t even look at me.”
She had a feeling she wouldn't appreciate her, a social outcast. Their age range didn't match, so they wouldn't be able to communicate well. She was middle-aged, with grown children, and Rose was their child.
'And there's Tercia in that group too.'
Tercia is Eric's biological mother. As long as she disapproves of Rose, she can't possibly join Duchess Bella's faction. Then... what about the young ladies of her age who aren't yet married? Rose tapped her pen, writing down their names one by one.
“I think it might be worth a try.”
Wouldn't they be territorial? Rose was the daughter of a fallen nobleman who hadn't even had a debutante, so she didn't even have the usual friends.
“I have to give it a try first.”
Rose put her pen down on the desk and slowly closed her eyes.
'By the way, what should I do with that document?'
The plan to execute the Grand Duke of Artaeum. Rose asked the butler to allow her back into the study, but Eric wouldn't let her in easily. As a result, Rose had to receive private tutoring in the reception room instead of the study. And she lost even the chance to glimpse the document in question. The protagonists in Bing's novels are known for solving problems with flying colors...
"Ha..."
The wall of reality was higher than she thought. When Rose rested her chin on her hand and sighed,
“The ground is sinking and you are sighing.”
“Oh, when did you come?”
Eric appeared. He stood diagonally in front of Rose's door, gazing at her. Then, without a word, he extended his hand toward Rose. Rose tilted her head at Eric's sudden outstretched hand.
'Are you saying you'll escort me just for today?'
They'd never even walked together, let alone been escorted. Eric's strangely gentle demeanor caught her off guard, and she quietly reached out her hand. Rose's hand gently rested on Eric's. Eric frowned fiercely and shook her hand away.
“Not your hands. Give it to me.”
“...What?”
'I have a rough idea of the nobles' names and relationships, but it's a shame I don't know their faces.'
It would be nice to have something like a photograph, but in this world, there's no such thing as a "camera." If only she could match their faces and names, the banquet would be a huge success.
“...Which group should I become friends with first?”
Rose wrote down the name of Duchess Bella, who had a firm grip on society, then shook her head and crossed out her name.
“Duchess Bella’s group won’t even look at me.”
She had a feeling she wouldn't appreciate her, a social outcast. Their age range didn't match, so they wouldn't be able to communicate well. She was middle-aged, with grown children, and Rose was their child.
'And there's Tercia in that group too.'
Tercia is Eric's biological mother. As long as she disapproves of Rose, she can't possibly join Duchess Bella's faction. Then... what about the young ladies of her age who aren't yet married? Rose tapped her pen, writing down their names one by one.
“I think it might be worth a try.”
Wouldn't they be territorial? Rose was the daughter of a fallen nobleman who hadn't even had a debutante, so she didn't even have the usual friends.
“I have to give it a try first.”
Rose put her pen down on the desk and slowly closed her eyes.
'By the way, what should I do with that document?'
The plan to execute the Grand Duke of Artaeum. Rose asked the butler to allow her back into the study, but Eric wouldn't let her in easily. As a result, Rose had to receive private tutoring in the reception room instead of the study. And she lost even the chance to glimpse the document in question. The protagonists in Bing's novels are known for solving problems with flying colors...
"Ha..."
The wall of reality was higher than she thought. When Rose rested her chin on her hand and sighed,
“The ground is sinking and you are sighing.”
“Oh, when did you come?”
Eric appeared. He stood diagonally in front of Rose's door, gazing at her. Then, without a word, he extended his hand toward Rose. Rose tilted her head at Eric's sudden outstretched hand.
'Are you saying you'll escort me just for today?'
They'd never even walked together, let alone been escorted. Eric's strangely gentle demeanor caught her off guard, and she quietly reached out her hand. Rose's hand gently rested on Eric's. Eric frowned fiercely and shook her hand away.
“Not your hands. Give it to me.”
“...What?”
Rose looked at Eric with wary eyes, unable to calm her startled heart.
“My gift.”
“Is it a gift?”
“Yeah. I already knew what birthday present you had prepared.”
Eric pointed to the luxuriously wrapped box on Rose's desk.
'That's.'
Rose stared intently at the gift she'd prepared. "I misunderstood," she said. "I didn't even prepare a birthday present."
“Eric, I’m sorry, but I didn’t prepare a gift for you.”
“You didn’t prepare a gift?”
She usually bought him so many luxuries that his back would break, and then gave them to him. But this time, she didn't buy him anything? And there, right there, there was a gift box so obvious. Eric found it ridiculous that Rose was clinging to a pushover who didn't work.
“Then what is that?”
He pointed again to the gift box, which was neatly wrapped.
“That’s a gift for the Grand Duke of Arteum.”
“...A gift for the Grand Duke of Artaeum?”
Eric's expression gradually hardened. He raised his eyebrows and exuded a chilling aura.
"It's funny. On your husband's birthday, you come empty-handed, without even a word of congratulations. But you bring a gift to the Grand Duke of Artaeum."
“He invited me to the banquet.”
“You’re giving him a gift just because he invited you to a banquet?”
Eric approached Rose with wide eyes and grabbed her hand roughly. He gripped her so tightly that her left wrist stung.
“It hurts. Let go of this!”
"A gift for the Grand Duke of Artaeum? It's not a bad thing to make fun of the name of the Count of Wence."
Eric shoved Rose against the wall. He glared at her with a disapproving expression and pushed her down so she couldn't move.
“Well, someone like you wouldn’t know anything about politics. That’s why you do such useless things.”
He taunted Rose with mocking words. He didn't particularly like the idea of her offering a gift to the Grand Duke. Rose felt a surge of emotion at the Count's mocking words.
'Even so, that's true. How could you say something like that to Rose?'
No matter what anyone said, Rose was Eric's wife, and he knew full well that her heart was also towards him... He pitied her mistress, Rose. The fact that she had struggled so hard to be loved by Eric despite being treated like this. Indignant, Rose kicked Eric's shin with all her might. He seemed so shocked that he backed away and let Rose go.
"You know what my social standing is. Everyone treats me like I'm invisible, yet His Highness invited me. Can't I bring a gift like this as a token of my gratitude?"
Rose glared at Eric, clutching her left wrist. He really is a man with terrible hand habits. He gripped her so tightly that her wrist ached with every twitch of her fingers. He stared at her with a bewildered expression, as if he couldn't believe she had kicked him. Rose, oblivious to Eric's gaze, grabbed the gift box on her desk. Then, without a backward glance, she left her room.
***
'It would have been better if you had said you weren't going.'
The carriage ride to the Grand Duke of Artaeum's mansion was remarkably quiet. Not a word was spoken, not even eye contact. She had hoped he would refuse to attend the Grand Duke of Artaeum's banquet, but contrary to her expectations, Eric boarded the carriage before Rose.
“...”
Eric occasionally glanced at Rose, but she paid him no heed. The carriage, with its chilling air, slowly came to a halt. They had finally arrived at the Grand Duke of Artaeum's mansion. Eric opened the carriage door and stepped out first. While it was polite to escort a woman in a dress, Eric showed no consideration. Far from escorting her, he simply wandered off alone.
'I didn't expect it. You damn Count.'
Rose muttered to herself that she wouldn't catch it even if he told her to, and stepped forward cautiously. Perhaps it was because she was so excited about attending her first banquet that she was dressed too extravagantly, but she ended up stepping on the hem of her own skirt.
“Oh, oh, oh!”
In an instant, Rose's body lurched forward. To think she'd trip over a skirt the moment she arrived! Not only would she be in pain, but if she got covered in dirt, she might not be able to enjoy the banquet and would have to return straight to the mansion.
'I'm falling!'
The carriage was quite high. Her body began to fall rapidly. Rose saw the ground approaching and squeezed her eyes shut. Then, someone grabbed Rose's falling body and lifted her up. Rose's eyes widened in surprise as she suddenly felt herself lifted into the air.
“Oh, oh.”
Relieved that she hadn't fallen, she realized she was dangling from the shoulder of an unknown man. The man who had been carrying Rose on his shoulder carefully lowered her to the ground. Rose looked up to express her gratitude, but her eyes widened when she saw the person standing before her.
“Ah, Grand Duke Artaeum?”
“It’s been a while, Countess Wence.”
I thought the escort knight or the groom would have helped me... In front of her was the Grand Duke of Artaeum, staring at her with his piercing blue eyes.
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