Translator: Yonnee
────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
Chapter 45
✦
After the debutante ball ended, invitations started to pour in. While watching Amber sift through the envelopes, I jumped up in frustration.
“I’m still grounded? I can’t believe it!”
I was banned from going out after I was caught sneaking out last ti, but I didn’t know it would still be this way.
Frustrated at no one in particular, I was annoyed with Amber for no reason.
“It’s so so so frustrating!”
“Milady, I can’t listen to your request to stay cooped in anymore. You have to focus on your social activities now.”
At Amber’s determined tone, I sank down onto the sofa. I was actually planning sothing, that’s why I was annoyed with Amber.
When I saw Noah at the debutante ball, it felt kind of strange. Obviously, he looked different from when we t in front of the bookstore information guild.
And he looked quite close to Lucian.
“Was I mistaken?”
Was Noah playing a joke by acting like an old man?
It’s not that he didn’t recognize . Maybe he pretended not to know on purpose. Otherwise, how could a person look so different?
And… What if Lucian and Noah were eting outside while I’m not even allowed to go out?
What if they’re already doing everything outside confirming their love for each other?!
Would I be the only one deprived of this sight?
This can’t be.
This can’t happen to a successful fan.
I want to fangirl while watching you two together!
As I was thinking of a way to sneak out, soone entered my room.
It’s been a while since I saw the Duke, who spoke to with a withered face.
“Let’s go out on a date, my daughter.”
This was the first ti we t alone after I caught him hiding my letters from Lucian.
There was still a little awkwardness between us, but this was good news.
“Really? But I’m not allowed to go out.”
I put on a pitiful expression on purpose.
Please let out now. I need to go to the information guild and ask a lot of things.
The Duke sat across from and, with a pout on my lips, I added.
“I’m still banned from going out, but I really promise I won’t go out alone anymore. I can’t et the other young ladies… What can I do when I have all these invitations? I can’t even go out…”
As I talked, the pout I had beca pursed lips as I got increasingly grumpy. The Duke watched , maybe thinking that I was being cute, then spoke.
“Call Dad and I’ll let you go out.”
Did he realize that I wasn’t calling him that because he hid my letters?
We didn’t have much to talk about between us, so I thought he didn’t notice.
Do you think that Dad wouldn’t know if you’re not talking to on purpose? You’re upset.”
Oh, so you know already.
As expected of the Duke.
“…Dad, let’s stop it now.”
“Huu, if that’s what my daughter says.”
It felt so awkward to use the word ‘Dad’ that I used in the past.
However, the bitterness I felt disappeared when I saw him smile.
“Then, will you go out on a date with Dad?”
“Yes!”
This was sothing good. Now that I’m not grounded anymore, I should bring Damien and Doggy with when I stop by the information guild later.
After shopping with the Duke, we stopped by a dessert store. We sat at a table on a sunny terrace, then the Duke stared at .
“What is it?”
No matter how much he’d aged, his handso features didn’t seem to disappear. Still with such a striking appearance, his eyebrows gently creased.
“My daughter, I’m worried because you’re not spending that much.”
“…Huh?”
“I’ve never seen a woman who chooses such little jewelry in this world. I’m with you while you’re shopping, but I can’t believe you only picked ten…”
The Duke was being serious. I thought I saw it wrong.
“How many are usually bought?”
The Duke answered plainly.
“You should have asked to buy everything except for the ten pieces that you didn’t like the most in the store. I can buy that much for my daughter.”
“…Huh?”
I was left speechless by his answer. The jewelry store we visited just now was the most prominent one in the capital, and it was the one most visited by the nobles who lived around here.
You want to buy everything except for ten?
Isn’t the Duke’s sense of money out of whack?
If I get used to this, how would I possibly be able to live once I left?
Wouldn’t the man I’ll marry find out that I spend a lot? If I enjoy too many luxuries, my future husband will only hate .
Why is this Duke trying to raise so extrely?
Various questions popped into my head.
But as though he could read my thoughts, the Duke spoke.
“Don’t worry about it. If it’s the wealth of my daughter’s future spouse, I’ll be sure to verify everything first before I introduce you to him.”
“…Huh?”
I would only repeat the sa word yet again. Why was he thinking of rushing into that without even giving any warnings? Couldn’t he warn beforehand first?
As I gaped at the Duke, an employee ca up with a dessert trolley.
“Pardon . Here are the refreshnts and the black tea that you’ve ordered.”
I asked for the Darjeeling tea I had with Noah before—first flush, with a beautiful yellow tinge. It slled like fresh, sweet grapes.
The tea house where I t with Noah served really good tea. That’s why I was curious about the taste of first flush Darjeeling tea here at the most famous dessert shop in the capital.
And I was curious about one more thing.
I lifted the teacup with elegant manners just as I was taught.
As soon as I took a sip, the sweet, fragrant taste spread inside.
The Duke likewise sipped his tea.
“It’s sweet and fragrant, right?”
It fell short by a small margin compared to the tea I drank at that small tea house with Noah, but I still liked the tea here.
The Duke nodded, agreeing with .
“It’s colorful and elegant enough to be called the ‘champagne of black tea’.”
“…Right?”
Yeah, this was the taste of Darjeeling that I knew. The brewing felt similar.
But why did Noah say that?
Sothing was bothering , so I kept trying to recall what happened at that ti.
While sipping tea, I looked out the terrace. Then suddenly, I saw Lucian coming out of the building across from the dessert shop.
Hmm? That’s Lucian, right?
Oh, maybe that’s the salon he usually went to.
I wanted to call out to him in excitent, but Noah went out the door after him.
Oh! So you’re together?
Noah smiled while talking to Lucian, and Lucian answered him without ignoring him like he usually did to other people.
This alone made think of another possibility.
Maybe the Noah I saw that day was just acting strangely.
As I turned my gaze towards Lucian, I recalled the happy days they both had in the webtoon.
Similar to those images, Noah smiled warmly as he grabbed Lucian’s arm as though wrapping himself around him.
I couldn’t see his expression from where I was, but Lucian also leaned down closer to Noah as he said sothing.
I was completely distracted by the two that I forgot the Duke’s presence in front of .
The Duke was already looking at those two as well. It’s unusual to see him so focused on them as he set down his teacup.
With a complicated expression on his face, he frowned then turned his gaze back to .
As soon as he made eye contact with , his pupils grew hazy. It’s like he’s seeing the ghost of my father, Liam, overlapping with my figure.
This is serious.
It’s amazing that he still felt strongly for his beloved who had passed away.
“…My daughter. Do you want to get married?”
“…What?”
I really couldn’t understand what the Duke was thinking. Why couldn’t we stay on one page for once?
My good mood from having a date with him was gone in an instant.
Ah, seriously! I hate it!
✦
After returning to the estate, Pedro ordered the butler to summon Lucian back ho.
He recalled the scene he saw earlier.
He was confused. Obviously, his son’s attention was solely focused on Rachel—but who was that guy who suddenly appeared?
How co Lucian just let him touch his arm?
Did he really have that guy in mind? Was Rachel just a smoke screen?
With increasingly scattered thoughts, Pedro sat down on the sofa inside his office and leaned back.
He rembered how he was while loving Lucian. His love was so passionate that it felt like it could burn everything down.
Was that sothing passed on through this bloodline?
Then what should he do?
Pedro felt miserable just thinking about it.
Even Rachel saw that scene.
As he continued ruminating over his dizzying thoughts, Lucian entered his office.
As soon as his son ca in, Pedro threw his teacup at him, but it flew past his head.
“You—you punk!”
Pedro was enraged.
He was livid that his son was using Rachel as a smoke screen to hide that guy, but above all, he was angry that he saw himself in Lucian.
Pedro couldn’t understand what he was feeling.
Should he be happy that Lucian was looking more like his father than his grandfather now?
While the Duke took his anger out on him, Lucian spoke without batting an eyelid.
“I don’t know why you’re doing this, but do I still have to stand here and be disciplined by you, Father?”
As he watched his son look back at him without even a hint of agitation, or any other emotion at all, Pedro’s heart was shattered.
────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
Advanced Chapters!
Rate the novel on Novel Updates.
Join our discord to receive the latest updates as soon as possible!
Reviews
All reviews (0)