THST - Chapter 22

Episode 22. Why are you taking it off?


“Countess Wence.”

He called Rose's name in a low voice. The Grand Duke, who had been glancing at her, slowly turned his gaze to the side.

“Your clothes are all wet.”

The wet uniform clung to Rose's body. With her voluptuous figure exposed, the Grand Duke of Artaeum felt embarrassed to stare directly at her. Only then did Rose realize her condition.

‘Ah... I think I spilled the water when I dropped the cup earlier.’

She was soaking wet, even to the core. Rose gently lifted her wet clothes with her index finger and muttered.

“Ah, it's fine. I think it'll just dry out on its own...”

It wasn't like she'd spilled hot liquid; she just needed to dry it. Rose lowered her head and patted her clothes.

'It'll dry quickly if you wear it.'

Rose, who had lightly brushed off her clothes, raised her head and looked straight ahead. And then,

“...Your, Your Highness?!”

Seeing the Grand Duke's unexpected appearance, she let out a scream without realizing it. The Grand Duke, who had been perfectly dressed just moments before, was now stripping off his shirt! Rose's face flushed with heat. Unable to hide her bewilderment, she cupped her face with both hands. 

Whether Rose was surprised or not, the Grand Duke had already unbuttoned the last button and was now stripping off his shirt completely. Rose, who was glancing at the Grand Duke through her fingers, her lips were parched lips.

'I don't know where to put my eyes.'

The Grand Duke's upper body, visible through her fingers, was perfectly formed, like a statue. He approached Rose, wearing only trousers.

The Grand Duke approached, holding his shirt in one hand. Rose seemed to be the only one feeling embarrassed in this situation. Flutter. The pristine white shirt fluttered, rising into the air. Then it landed squarely on Rose's head.

"Ah..."

“Put it on.”

The Grand Duke spoke nonchalantly and then immediately turned around. As he turned around, his ears were somehow flushed red.

'Are you giving it to me because you're afraid it'll get dirty?'

She couldn't help but be surprised by his gentler demeanor. This wasn't the first time she's seen a surprising side of him, one that didn't quite live up to the description of a madman Grand Duke.

'You took care of me at the last banquet, too.'

The Grand Duke's consideration was not bad. However,

‘I could just wear a robe...’

Rose glanced at her robe on the sofa.

'But isn't it a bit much to refuse the Grand Duke's kindness, who even took off his shirt for me?'

Rose decided not to ignore the Grand Duke's offer. He would feel embarrassed if she refused in this situation. She slipped the Grand Duke shirt over her uniform. The uniform underneath was quite damp, but it was a one-piece dress, so she couldn't take it off. Still, she felt awkward asking to borrow his pants. The Grand Duke's shirt was too big for Rose's petite frame. The sleeves flapped over her fingers. The hem fell just below her hips, loose enough to resemble a dress.

“Thank you. I will wash these clothes and return them to you.”

The Grand Duke, who had been standing back, turned around upon hearing Rose's voice. His eyes, staring at Rose, flickered slightly. He had clearly concealed the visible lines...

'Why... is it more provocative?'

The more you cover, the duller it becomes. The sight of Rose, draped over his own clothes. Something tingling welled up inside him at the sight. Rose and the Grand Duke's eyes met. The moment he met Rose's transparent violet eyes, the Grand Duke's vision became blank. Only Rose filled his field of vision. The ticking hands of the clock stopped. The curtains fluttering beside the half-open window also froze in mid-air, as if gravity had vanished. The audience room was utterly silent, as if the flow of time had been severed. A strange distortion, as if all time had stopped. Without any magic, what could possibly be happening? The Grand Duke, unaware that all his attention was focused on Rose, simply harbored a strange question. Rose's violet eyes sparkled lovingly. The long eyelashes that moved along her eyelids moved with extreme slowness. The sight of Rose wearing a pure white shirt and tucking her hair behind her ears, along with her trembling, moist lips, created a mysterious atmosphere.

'Was Mrs. Wence...a woman of this kind?'

Rose felt uncomfortable with the sight of the Grand Duke looking at her without saying anything.

'I have no idea what you're thinking.'

She looked at the Grand Duke with an awkward smile. Her eyes were slightly slanted, her dimples sunken. Looking at Rose, her face so pure and innocent, the Grand Duke felt a pang of frustration in his heart.

‘This is stifling. Must be the food I ate at lunch sitting heavy in my stomach.’

The Grand Duke clutched his chest, feeling uneasy, and stared at Rose. Rose cringed at the intense gaze of the Grand Duke. She hadn't done anything wrong, yet her heart shrank to the size of a bean in front of him. It was hard to bear the Grand Duke's cold, silent gaze. And now, wasn't he shirtless? Rose felt awkward in every way. She wished he'd said something. After fidgeting with her fingers for a while, Rose quietly called out to the Grand Duke.

“Excuse me, Your Highness.”

The Grand Duke, who had been staring at Rose motionless for a long time, heard Rose's clear voice ring in his ears. And at that very moment, as if a spell had been broken, everything returned to normal. The clanging of the clock, the rustling of the curtains. As if nothing had happened, time resumed its flow as before.

“Are you okay?”

Rose asked the Grand Duke once more.

“You’ve been putting your hand on one side of your chest for a while now. Is something bothering you?”

The Grand Duke's fingers, clutching his chest, flinched. He slowly lowered his hand and answered casually, as if nothing had happened.

“It’s okay.”

It was still stuffy, but it was about as good as it got. The Grand Duke walked to the sofa opposite Rose and plopped down. He was still shirtless, but he didn't seem particularly bothered. But Rose was different. The thought of him taking off his shirt in front of her was utterly unsettling. He had a handsome face and a great body, didn't he?

'This is foul play.'

It almost felt as if the protagonist in this novel wasn't the rascally Eric, but the Grand Duke of Artaeum. Her face, flushed with shame, couldn't quite be covered with her hands. Rose, unable to bring herself to lift her hands, glanced at the Grand Duke. The Grand Duke, who had been sitting on the sofa, seemed unfazed, but only belatedly realized that Rose was uncomfortable with his appearance.

'It's not polite to greet guests naked.'

He looked down at his body once, then spoke softly to Rose.

“I’ll come dressed.”

***

“You need to change public opinion, Your Highness.”

The Grand Duke arrived, already dressed. He faced Rose and listened silently to her words.

“Do you happen to know what the reputation of the Grand Duke is?”

Rose spoke to the Grand Duke in a cautious tone.

“I know it has a bad reputation. I made it that way.”

Rose nodded in relief at the Grand Duke's apparent objectivity. If he knew his place, communication would be quicker. She could save time by avoiding unnecessary rambling.

"That's right. Your Highness, you're labeled the troublemaker of the royal family, the madman of the north, and the slaughterer of the empire."

Rose's every word struck the Grand Duke's heart with a violent jolt. He knew his place well, but this was the first time he'd heard such words directly in front of him. Rose's words subtly grated on his nerves, but he didn't show it, merely furrowing his brow.

“I spied on the Grand Duke’s execution plans in my husband’s study.”

“...Those damn Emperor bastards.”

The Grand Duke reacted as if he'd expected this, cursing softly. They had finally crossed the line. The Grand Duke and the Imperial faction had been walking a precarious tightrope. Now, the time had come to see the end.

“But... I didn’t get a detailed look at the plan. My husband came in right after I found the documents.”

Despite Rose's words, Grand Duke Artaeum remained unfazed. This was likely due to his confidence. He was confident he wouldn't be swayed by a shallow trick.

“Still, I can tell you one thing for sure: they will use your infamy to execute you.”

Rose's voice was full of conviction. She gazed at the Grand Duke with unwavering eyes. She remembered clearly how he met his death in the novel.

“I will save you. I will not let the Grand Duke die.”

Save me... He somehow found himself laughing at the sight of Rose confidently saying that she would protect him with her frail and delicate body.

“How many nobles are there who support the Grand Duke?”

“...Your family, the Serviat family. Besides that, there are only three other families left.”

All but these lost their lives. Because they met a merciless end thanks to the current Emperor's schemes. The Grand Duke and the other nobles stood on the graves of their friends and family. They lost their children before their eyes, and their parents passed away. Living with a sense of sanity was inevitably difficult. However, because their lives were nurtured by the sacrifices of others, they could not easily die. Even in this hellish existence, they persevered. Even under fierce provocation, they did not raise their swords against them, but simply gritted their teeth. Not because they feared death, but because they did not want to give up the lives they had protected in vain.

“Are you still connected?”

The Grand Duke stared blankly at Rose, who was asking questions as if he were interrogating her.

'You say you'll save me, but... I can't completely trust you yet.'

She blurted out information without realizing it, as if possessed, but it didn't seem like there were any more leaks. While he was certain Rose had feelings for him, it didn't suit the Grand Duke's temperament to simply hand over all the information. Rose might slip up somewhere else, and even the smallest thing could escalate into a major issue. Grand Duke Artaeum looked at Rose with a cool gaze and raised his head. His upper body, which had been leaning forward, slowly turned back. His eyes softened, and he deftly changed the subject.

“By the way, didn’t you ask me to lend you money back then?”

Rose was speechless at the Grand Duke's sudden change of subject.

'Ah... You still don't completely trust me.'

Although she seemed to have gained a certain level of trust, his faith wasn't complete. There was an urgent need to address the issue, but Rose calmly took a deep breath.

‘Yeah, no need to rush things. If we push too hard here, we might just end up causing unnecessary misunderstandings.’

Rose hid her true feelings and smiled faintly. Borrowing money was also a major challenge for her. Capitalist society is brutally cold. After her divorce, money was essential for her to stand on her own two feet.

"Don't worry, just tell me. I owe you my life, so I'll give you as much as you want."

It's come. Gulp. Rose swallowed, her mouth dry with nervousness. Would the Grand Duke readily lend her the amount she requested? The Grand Duke spoke with a relaxed expression, but Rose was utterly uneasy. The amount she needed to borrow wasn't small. Rose muttered, muttering as she mulled over the Grand Duke's words.

“As much as you want...?”

The Grand Duke nodded slightly at Rose's words. Just how much did he want that he had to be so cautious?

'I can easily give you 100 million res.'

The finances of the Grand Duke of Artaeum were sound. He was not swayed by extravagance or luxury, so there were no unnecessary expenses. The Grand Duke maintained a relaxed expression, unable to imagine how much Rose would offer. But his expression soon fell, for the amount she had offered exceeded his expectations.

“Please lend me 10 billion res.”

“...”

The Grand Duke of Artaeum was momentarily speechless.

'What did I just hear?'

He stared blankly at Rose, doubting his ears. Yeah, it was understandable. Ten billion res was a huge sum, more than a commoner could touch even after waking up from the dead. A Count's living expenses were one million res a year. A count's annual salary was one billion res. So Rose was asking for a loan equivalent to 833 years of commoner living expenses and ten years of a Count's annual salary.

"You told me to talk as much as I wanted. I can pay you back all that money."

Rose spoke cautiously, her hands clenched tightly. Her eyes, brimming with conviction, sparkled brilliantly.

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