"Ricardo?"
All my tension dissipated in an instant. Letting out a sigh of relief, I plopped down on the spot.
"If you barge in like that, it’s scary!"
"I apologize. But I thought I wouldn’t get the chance to talk to you if not now."
"I wasn’t trying to bla you."
I just felt relieved.
To think Ricardo was sitting beside . I was so grateful.
When I removed my mask with my hand, Ricardo approached .
"Do you need help, by any chance?"
"……."
I had no idea where to begin.
There was soone after Arkan, and I couldn’t let it be taken?
Soone was threatening ……?
"No, it’s not like that."
But this was sothing I had to deal with on my own.
After all, I wasn’t trying to keep Arkan for anyone else’s sake.
As I firmly refused, he gently tucked my loose hair behind my ear.
"I need your help."
"……What?"
Ricardo gave an awkward smile.
"I think the person sitting next to found out that I’m the Duke."
Ricardo got found out?
That didn’t make sense.
"They must be really perceptive."
"Yes. That’s why I need your help."
He removed his na tag and held it out to .
"I’d like you to play the role of guest number 22 until the auction ends."
"……That ans you’ll be number 23?"
"Um, I guess that’s how it sounds."
Ricardo pushed the na tag toward again, as if urging to take it.
"I don’t think we need to go this far."
Ricardo just had to pull himself together from now on.
"I’m not good at dealing with won. If strange rumors start to spread, it’ll put in a difficult position too."
……True, since the rumors between Ricardo and hadn’t even been cleared up yet.
If another rumor spread because a woman held a grudge, it would definitely cause trouble.
But it would be obvious.
Ricardo was significantly larger than .
But as if he had noticed my concern, he added,
"It’s a robe distributed by Lady Lily. No one will notice."
In the end, I agreed.
"Then only until the next break."
"Thank you."
"……And try not to talk to the guest sitting next to you. The shop will handle that person."
His reply was a bit delayed.
"I’ll keep that in mind."
* * *
The youngest daughter of Count Rowain, Amy.
She hadn’t been able to sleep for the past few days.
‘Not only did I beco the princess’s maid, I got invited to the Moon’s Auction!’
Lovely Princess Hestia.
After finishing her service at the convent, the first thing she did was clean the house. Most of the maids were dismissed and newly hired.
One of them was Amy Rowain—herself!
They said beautiful flowers attract bugs. That saying was spot-on. Too many people were jealous of Princess Hestia.
Especially Bianca Roygin.
Even though she fell into the lake by tripping on her own, she held a grudge and punished the princess. She must have lied to that so-called heroic grandfather.
But the princess didn’t even make an excuse about it.
With that kind of gentleness, how was she supposed to survive in this harsh world?
〈There’s sothing I want.〉
And yet, the princess had found sothing she wanted to get her hands on.
〈Amy, could you attend the auction and just fill the seat for ?〉
It was none other than the cursed necklace said to be made by the Tower Master.
A magical item that returns you to your most glorious ti. And it even made unattractive people look beautiful.
It was incredibly tempting.
Had the princess sensed my desire?
The princess promised to lend the necklace willingly.
‘Now I’ll have no choice but to be loyal forever.’
A day filled with only good luck. Even the person sitting next to her was perfect.
His face was covered, but he had a graceful build at a glance.
Since it was a seat prepared by the princess, everyone here must be prominent figures from the Empire.
Wanting to beco friendly, she tried talking to him, and he actually replied.
Though his tone was a bit curt, his arrogance scread high-ranking noble.
And her hunch was sowhat correct.
‘……!’
The man accidentally dropped a button from his pocket. When she checked the button that rolled to her feet, Amy nearly had a heart attack.
‘House of Duke Hessen!’
Yes, that crest definitely belonged to the Duke’s family.
Ricardo Hessen, the most outstanding man in the Empire. The person who had been sitting next to her was him.
〈May I have that back?〉
His voice was altered, but to Amy, it sounded incredibly sweet.
If she could just get that necklace……
Maybe he’d like her.
She tried talking to him several more tis afterward, but the Duke didn’t respond to any of her words. It was annoying, but thinking about the face under the mask made her heart flutter.
Even during the break, Amy anxiously waited for the Duke. After the break ended, the man returned to his seat.
"Did you enjoy your break?"
She asked in a voice laced with affection, as if she had been waiting. The Duke paused, then nodded.
He finally responded!
The Duke must like affectionate won.
With newfound realization, Amy cautiously approached him.
"What kind of item did you co to buy?"
"I haven’t…… decided on one yet."
P-Polite speech returned.
And he even sounded a bit bashful.
Amy cald her heart, which seed like it would leap out at any mont.
For reference, her type was shy n.
Not arrogant noble lords!
* * *
‘Sothing feels off.’
The initial goal was to give appropriate responses while still drawing a clear line.
I definitely drew a line…….
But why did the person sitting next to keep leaning in closer?
Before I realized it, I was pressed right up against the right armrest.
"Our tastes match perfectly. Is this fate? Hehe, it’s not easy to find soone you click with in a place like this."
Judging by how loose her tongue was, she seed to have had a good drink before coming.
But the problem was—there was no sll of alcohol!
"I-I think it’d be best if you moved a little away."
At my words, guest number 21 shifted her butt just a smidge, like an ant’s sneeze.
Wow, I’m seriously going to lose it.
Ricardo, just what kind of battle were you fighting!
It was brutal, but in a completely different way from before.
"You can move even farther away."
When I said it calmly, she backed off again. But her face still lood close to mine.
"……Your face too, if possible."
"You’re really shy, huh?"
I just wanted to cry.
I wanted to look toward Ricardo, but because of the person next to , I couldn’t do anything.
〈Where do you think you’re looking! The auction is happening straight ahead!〉
Where did it all go wrong…….
Should I have dropped the formal speech like Ricardo?
But wouldn’t that just confirm his identity as the Duke?
I had no idea how he’d been acting before I arrived, so I was completely in the dark.
"And now, we’re down to the final item!"
At that mont, the host made a show of wiping his eyes with the back of his hand. At the ntion of the final item, people began to sit up properly one by one.
"This item is! A scarf from the most famous Pierre of Carpea!"
But at his next words, complaints started pouring in from all around.
"This isn’t the item I heard about?"
"Don’t tell you lied to the custors?"
It wasn’t entirely unexpected.
But these people aren’t just custors right now.
"Huh. It can’t be the last item already."
"Now, now, everyone calm down! This scarf is undoubtedly a remarkable piece too! It’s perfect as a gift for soone bedridden……."
Whack!
The host couldn’t finish his sentence. One of the guests, unable to hold back their anger, hurled a water bottle at his head.
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