“Please, sit down first.”
After acknowledging Carol’s urgent words, the Duke led her towards the sofa.
“…Duke.”
However, after sitting as he said, she couldn’t help but show signs of discomfort.
Carol called the Duke with an awkward voice. Her feet, waving in the air, felt awkward.
“Hmm?”
The Duke responded to her call as if nothing was amiss.
“…Aren’t you uncomfortable?”
Carol looked down with an uncomfortable expression. She was sitting on the sofa, but what she felt beneath her wasn’t the soft texture of the sofa, but firm thigh muscles.
The Duke, as if it was nothing, embraced her waist and rested his chin on her shoulder.
“Not at all.”
“…”
She was at a loss for words at the Duke’s resolute statement. The Duke chuckled softly and planted a small kiss on her shoulder.
“Shouldn’t you be used to this by now?”
She had done far more intense things, yet her face still flushed at such contact, which he found irresistibly lovable.
“…This is your office. It’s not even nighttime yet. And there are servants walking around outside.”
Carol stammered and then got up to sit next to the Duke. The Duke caught her hand, kissed the back of it, and narrowed his eyes.
“So you’re saying it’s okay in the bedroom late at night when there are no servants around?”
At the Duke’s blatant words, Carol’s body trembled slightly as she shook her head.
“…You know that’s not what I meant.”
She tried to appear calm, but couldn’t hide her flushed neck.
Sensing that she might run away if he teased her further, the Duke stood up. He went behind the sofa, circled around the room, and stood in front of the fireplace.
“Would you like a cup of tea?”
“Oh…!”
Only after he approached the fireplace did Carol notice the kettle inside it. As Carol exclaimed in surprise, the Duke grinned and asked,
“Do you remember?”
“How could I forget?”
When the Duke was alone in the room, he had even persuaded Mrs. Wells to allow him to keep a kettle in the fireplace.
“It was so convenient that I now keep a kettle in every fireplace I use.”
Carol burst into laughter at the Duke’s words. It was an unexpected trace of herself that had remained. The Duke, who had placed a teacup in front of Carol, naturally brought up the topic of her barging into the room.
“So, what were you going to say earlier?”
“Ah, right.”
At those words, Carol’s expression darkened rapidly, as if she had suddenly remembered why she had come here.
“You don’t look well?”
Carol nodded slowly at the Duke’s words.
Her drooping shoulders looked so pitiful.
“I think I took it too lightly.”
“Too lightly?”
“I guess I unconsciously thought they would accept my apology right away.”
Carol blushed, as if ashamed of herself for thinking that way. She thought it would be fine since she hadn’t caused much harm, and the Duke’s curse was lifted, despite her mistake of running away on her own.
But there were one-on-one bonds she had built with others besides the Duke, and Carol had disappointed them.
She felt ashamed for carelessly thinking she would be forgiven for everything by using the Duke as an excuse.
“Teacher, if you want, I could…”
The Duke trailed off. As if knowing what he was about to say, Carol spoke without waiting for him to finish.
“So please let me stay for a few more days. If you intervene, the apology would be easier, but that wouldn’t be a real apology.”
It was a gentle refusal of the Duke’s help.
“If that’s what you want, then so be it.”
Carol turned to face the Duke. Her thoughtful face looked like a painting.
“I’ll do my best.”
She wanted to win over the hearts of the Winter Castle people who followed this picture-perfect man on her own.
Watching Carol’s determination, the Duke chose his words carefully.
“When you’re in a high position, sometimes you’re hated for no reason.”
That was something that couldn’t be helped no matter how hard one tried. The Duke was afraid that she might say she would try to fix things with effort in other cases too. He didn’t want to see Carol worrying about things that couldn’t be helped.
“…It’s not because of that.”
“Then?”
“They’re important to you, aren’t they, Duke?”
“…”
Carol, who had stayed here, knew best that they were not just servants. They were like family to the Duke. That’s why she wanted their acceptance even more.
The Duke buried his face in Carol’s shoulder.
The Duke, knowing everything, clenched his fist. It wasn’t something he should interfere with.
“And since I’ll be seeing them for a long time, I don’t want to hide behind you.”
Carol said after taking a sip of tea with composure. It was pointless to pretend to be calm now, after rushing here so hastily.
“I see.”
Instead of acknowledging it, the Duke let out a weak sound as if the reason for his worry stemmed from himself, not her.
“I have a plan in mind.”
Carol spoke energetically, as if wanting to reassure the Duke. The Duke, who had been staring at her, pulled her waist closer.
“Still, at least allow me to worry.”
The Duke lowered his head and pressed his forehead against hers. They were close enough to feel each other’s breath. Carol instinctively held her breath, and he briefly kissed her lips.
It was an overt seduction.
“…Duke?”
“Apologies are fine, but I’d like you not to forget that we’ve also met after a long time.”
An intense gaze pierced through Carol. Only then did she realize that the Duke had been holding back a lot.
It was the first time they had been apart for so long since meeting in the capital.
Carol had missed him too. She just hadn’t expressed those feelings in words.
“…I missed you too.”
As soon as she finished speaking, the Duke buried his face in her neck as if he couldn’t hold back any longer. His breath felt hotter than usual, perhaps due to the warm tea he had drunk.
“Wait, wait…!”
Startled by the sudden stimulation, Carol reflexively pushed the Duke’s cheek away with her hand.
Like a child afraid of being caught doing something wrong, Carol glanced towards the door and lowered her voice to scold the Duke.
“Just a little. Okay?”
The Duke whispered in a sweet voice. Soon, Carol felt a hot and moist sensation on her hand.
It was the Duke’s tongue.
“…Ah.”
Carol’s eyes widened as she realized what the sensation was, and he licked the inside of her palm once more.
Carol looked towards the door in surprise at the moan that unconsciously escaped her lips.
“I locked it, so don’t worry.”
So that’s why he had purposely gone around behind the sofa when he went to the fireplace earlier! Carol glared at him, seemingly upset.
“You tricked me.”
“Do you dislike it?”
“No.”
The Duke laughed at her answer. The low rumbling sound pleasantly enveloped her. Carol wrapped her arms around the Duke’s neck, and the Duke unbuttoned the top button of her collar.
****
Although she had spoken as if she had a very good method to the Duke, in fact, the plan she had come up with was very simple and straightforward. If Mrs. Wells avoided talking to her, she would create a moment where she couldn’t avoid it. And then she would sincerely apologize.
Click.
Unable to fall asleep, Carol left her room at dawn when all the servants were asleep. She thought she might go to bed after having a cup of warm tea.
“Phew…”
The reason for her sleeplessness was clear.
Today, she had failed to apologize again. But that wasn’t the only reason.
Today was the day Benjamin was going to the Academy dormitory. However, Noah, who had promised to take Benjamin to the Academy throughout the trip, showed a strangely uncomfortable demeanor in the morning.
[Noah’s not going?]
[Yeah. I’m busy, so I don’t think I can make it. Sorry.]
[Busy?]
[Mhm.]
Noah, who would usually chatter away asking what’s going on, held back his words. Feeling strange, Carol looked at him, and he rolled his eyes unnecessarily, avoiding her gaze. It was unlike him, so she had to ask.
[Is something wrong?]
[No.]
[Can I ask why you’re busy? I haven’t heard anything about it.]
[…It’s nothing major.]
It was suspicious that he wouldn’t explain if it wasn’t a big deal. He clearly seemed to want to avoid the conversation.
[…Okay. Do you want to say goodbye then?]
[Ah, right. Have a good trip, Benjamin.]
It was an extremely brief farewell for someone who had been so fond of him throughout the trip. Even Benjamin, holding Bianca’s hand, just awkwardly nodded once.
[Are you okay?]
[Yes.]
On the way to drop Benjamin off at the Academy dormitory, Carol asked, worried that he might have been upset. But contrary to her thoughts, Benjamin answered nonchalantly.
He seemed so unbothered that it rather confused Carol.
She wondered if she was the only one concerned.
Even after arriving at the Academy, she couldn’t fully focus on the situation at hand.
Fortunately or unfortunately, Bianca and Benjamin were preoccupied with seeing their new place of stay.
[Then I’ll see you later.]
[Take care on your way back… See you soon!]
Since Bianca, who had decided to use the Academy dormitory, had agreed to look after Benjamin for a while after hearing Carol’s circumstances, Carol was able to return to the Duke’s Mansion. Carol thanked Bianca again for her farewell words.
[What? Yes! I’ll visit often. Thank you, Teacher Bianca.]
[…You don’t need to thank me so much.]
[Pardon?]
[It’s nothing.]
Bianca saw Carol off with an awkward smile. Unlike usual, Carol, preoccupied with apologizing, failed to notice the strange aspect of Bianca’s behavior.
But despite returning to the Duke’s Mansion after getting Bianca’s understanding, Carol couldn’t even meet Mrs. Wells, let alone apologize to her, all day long.
