Failed to Train the Beast Male Lead

Carol, with her palms soaked, sat down in front of him, wiping her palms on the hem of her dress.

“It seems the rug was pushed under the chair. I tripped over it…”

“I’ll instruct to lay it properly later.”

“Thank you. And about the conversation we had earlier…”

“Ah, it would definitely be too much to go all the way to the garden…especially with a guest here.”

Would the Duke feel a bit of regret like she did? Perhaps, he didn’t even consider going out to the garden together, thinking about Margaret.

As the Duke’s expression was not easily readable, Carol swallowed her dry saliva.

‘Should I ask about what to do in the future? That might make it easier to prepare…’

Perhaps because she was conscious of it, the air felt strangely tense. Carol lowered her head to shake off the heavy emotions and placed her hand over her fluttering heart.

“The Braille book should have arrived at home today… it’s a pity.”

She wanted to ask about the guest directly, but she didn’t have the courage and changed the subject.

“That’s fast.”

“I should have ordered it under the Duke’s name, but I didn’t think of it.”

“You apologized last time too. Don’t worry about it. If we can’t see it today, we can see it tomorrow.”

At his calm voice saying it’s not the end today, Carol responded in a small voice, “That’s right.”

“It would be more efficient to hand over the shopping list to Mrs. Wells in the future.”

“Yes.”

“Alright.”

Tomorrow, the day after, and the days to come. It was a fact she knew, but it strangely gave her relief.

“That… the guest who came this time… I heard they came from the capital.”

After a few rounds of superficial conversation, Carol was finally able to ask the question she really wanted to ask. It was natural to be nervous. It was a turning point that could determine her life.

“Ah.”

The Duke nodded affirmatively. Carol tilted her head at his reaction, which seemed less significant than she thought.

“Do you plan to meet her? That… noble lady, I heard she’s your fiancée, Duke.”

If he asked how she knew, she had prepared an excuse that she found out from Louis, a member of the guest’s party.

“Even if she’s a fiancée, a noble’s engagement is no different from a transaction. And as you know, I’m in this condition.”

“…”

“So, you might as well think of her as a somewhat important guest.”

“Is that so?”

Why would he explain so much to her? There seemed to be some meaning in the words the Duke added, but was she overthinking?

“Hmm.”

With that, he ended with a cough, and there was no further explanation.

Carol didn’t have high expectations for the Duke’s answer.

Because in the original work, Margaret had stayed for over a month and requested to meet the Duke, the meeting between the Duke and Margaret was possible. Now, Margaret had only arrived a day ago.

“…Do you think it would be better for me to meet her?”

Margaret Chesworth had been taking care of the internal affairs instead of Mrs. Wells for over a month, but the cursed Duke wouldn’t accept her.

But it changed. Not Margaret, but the Duke. He broke Carol’s expectations and instead of outright refusing, he asked for her opinion.

“Me?”

“Didn’t you ask?”

“I didn’t expect you to ask for my opinion.”

“Why?”

“That’s because…”

The meeting with Margaret was a massive flow of fate. As if not to give a chance to stop it, she found the Duke a little earlier than in the original work.

Without a moment to feel powerless about the fact, Carol fell into thought.

Knock, knock.

While she was choosing her words for the answer, a knock sounded.

She was surprised as no one had ever interrupted her lessons before.

Even Mrs. Wells knew that the Duke didn’t want to be disturbed more than usual, but she couldn’t help it.

The guests didn’t know the Duke’s circumstances, so if she unnecessarily postponed the requested task, they might think it strange.

“Excuse me.”

As the door opened with a creak and the outside air came in, the subtle atmosphere broke.

“Mrs. Wells?”

“I was asked to deliver a note.”

Mrs. Wells coughed and frowned. Mrs. Wells seemed very uncomfortable.

“A note?”

“Yes. From the young Viscount of Walden.”

Carol, who had noticed why Mrs. Wells seemed particularly uncomfortable, awkwardly received the note.

[We haven’t even had a proper conversation yet, but I wish you could rest today. I want to be with you. It’s okay if I can’t be alone with you, but you can’t be alone with the Duke.]

‘What?’

Carol snorted as she read the beginning of the note. What does he mean by rest, and what is he saying is not okay?

She thought she would have to say something later for making Mrs. Wells run errands for such trivial matters in the Duke’s Mansion, and read the remaining letters.

[I’m sure you’re laughing at my words, but I guarantee that today will go as I wish.]

The one who solved her curiosity was Mrs. Wells, who had waited for Carol to read the note.

“And your younger brother came all the way to the Duke’s Mansion saying he had to give a book.”

“…Yes?”

Her siblings were not the type to visit even though they opposed her working at the Duke’s Mansion. Then there was only one answer.

‘Louis must have told him to come.’

Carol crumpled the note. How dare he do such a thing.

“And I don’t know what’s going on, but the Viscount said he really wants to have dinner together tonight.”

The fact that she delivered the message now meant that she wanted this story to reach the Duke’s ears.

“Where is my brother?”

“Your brother is in the reception room and I served him tea, what should I do?”

At Mrs. Wells’ question, Carol glanced at the Duke for no reason.

“Did you know the Viscount?”

The Duke cut off her hesitation and asked. Carol quickly answered without missing the opportunity.

“He’s a mischievous but not a bad friend. He came to his hometown after a long time, and I guess he’s upset because I keep saying I’m busy.”

The Duke, who was about to sarcastically ask about what had happened to not have enough time to chat even though they were together all night, bit his lower lip.

“Since you’re a teacher, I guess you think it’s okay to take a day off.”

“…I guess so.”

Isn’t it very rude for an employer to ask about personal life?

Despite the pain of yesterday, it was so hard to hold back a word. The Duke tried hard to stay calm and spoke.

“If I let you go, do you plan to have dinner with the Viscount?”

To that man who’s strange smell was on the nape of her neck.

But the question that came out despite the effort to hold back reason was ridiculously childish.

Contrary to the Duke’s thoughts, the Duke’s question sounded very natural to Carol.

It was so natural that she didn’t think there was any other meaning to his question.

“Maybe…I guess so?”

Even if she mentioned her brother, it seemed like it would be a harsh meal rather than a pleasant one, but there was no need to talk about her friend’s faults here.

“Did you say he’s a friend?”

“Yes. We’ve known each other since we were young.”

Louis Dean Walden became a young viscount, a person adopted into the noble family of Walden, a lower noble in the capital with only a pretty daughter in the house.

‘The rumor that the young Viscount was from around here was correct.’

As he recalled, the Duke had heard about him too.

The rumor that he had quickly blended into the social circle of the capital, despite being adopted out of necessity.

But not long after he entered the social circle, the curse manifested and he had never met him in person.

The unfamiliar smell emanating from the teacher was very annoying. Even if he didn’t let her go today, the two could meet anytime.

“I have a good idea, what do you think?”

With eyes glaring, he couldn’t possibly allow to just let her go.

“What’s the idea?”

The young Viscount was rumored to be an entourage of a very glamorous female.

If she refused, they might have dinner alone.

The thought of having dinner alone with Carol, who was startled by just hugging her waist, made his stomach churn.

So the Duke made a somewhat impulsive decision, which he couldn’t have imagined until recently.

“I’ll go too.”

“Pardon?”

If he let them have dinner alone, his delicate home tutor might be completely devoured. He could tolerate it for a night, but anything more than that was unacceptable.

Without thinking deeply about why he couldn’t tolerate it, the Duke suggested to Carol.

“Since we’re all going to have dinner together, how about calling Lady Chesworth too?”

“Lady Chesworth too?”

Startled.

Carol was so surprised that she jumped up from her seat. At the Duke’s radical suggestion, Carol opened her mouth with a blank face, unable to think of regaining her composure.

“It’s okay to say no if you don’t like it.”

At Carol’s strong reaction, the Duke stepped back, and Carol quickly shook her head.

“No… that’s not it…”

Carol sat back down on the sofa and took a sip of tea.

The Duke waved one hand and issued a guest invitation to Mrs. Wells. Mrs. Wells quickly caught the Duke’s signal and quietly left the room.

There was no need to send Mrs. Wells out, but strangely enough, the Duke didn’t want their conversation to be interrupted.

Carol didn’t even notice Mrs. Wells leaving. The Duke sweetly wrapped his suggestion in pure goodwill.

“We can easily prepare a few more meals at the Duke’s Mansion, thus it’s just a suggestion.”

“Still…I was thinking of going home and having dinner with Louis…”

“It wouldn’t be bad to have a proper dinner since you’ve met a friend after a long time.”

The Duke persuaded Carol, emphasizing the word ‘friend’.