If Carol had to choose the most surprising moment at the Duke’s Mansion, she would definitely pick today without hesitation.
As Carol entered the room pulling the trolley as usual, she couldn’t help but stop in her tracks at the sight before her eyes.
“What is all this?”
“Tribute goods. I just asked them to bring in a bit.”
“This is just a part of it?”
“Yes. Since they couldn’t finish bringing it all in one day, they decided to bring in just a small portion first.”
The Duke’s room was quite large. With only the minimum of items, the space appeared much more vast compared to where Margaret Chesworth was staying on the opposite side.
However, the sheer amount of tribute goods occupying one side of the room made Carol’s eyes go wide, overwhelming the room’s size.
“Let’s eat first.”
The Duke sat down, calming the surprised Carol. Today again, it was not on the sofa but at the table beside the bed.
“You’ll be eating here?”
“You’re asking a lot of questions today.”
“Well…”
“Don’t you like it?”
“No, it’s not that.”
“Then don’t worry about it.”
Isn’t it only natural to have a lot of questions? Carol was about to retort indignantly.
“You’d believe me even if I said I was a teacher.” (TL: don’t know, probably (very sure) meant as a joke)
However, the Duke’s cheerful laughter made Carol shut her mouth tight.
Whenever she saw the Duke laugh, it felt like her heart was being squeezed.
It felt suffocating. The food didn’t have its usual taste today.
“It’s the first time I’ve felt the luxurious feeling of getting tired and annoyed from opening gifts.”
Carol let out a tired expression as she quietly set down the last unwrapped tribute item on the floor.
As a beastman, things like the pen supposedly made from peacock feathers felt a bit disgusting to her.
“Is that so?”
“You’re getting better at guessing, Duke.”
On the right were the items the Duke had guessed correctly, and on the left were those he missed.
The initially feverish ratio had become overwhelmingly tilted to the right at some point.
“It got easier since I recognized some of the items.”
Carol glanced at the bag she had set down. She had been agonizing over whether to give him the scarf she had finished in the past few days but ultimately decided not to.
“The teacher’s help was invaluable.”
“It’s because the student is excellent.”
“Is that so?”
“What do you mean?”
“Originally, it was a tradition to exchange gifts on Founding Day.”
Carol knew. On the commemorative day of founding the nation, the ruler would bestow gifts upon the vassals who had followed, and the vassals would offer tribute goods to the ruler in gratitude for providing them with a new home.
But that was an old tradition.
Nowadays, nobles would often offer tribute goods on Founding Day to those they needed to impress. Commoners would usually just spend time with family on Founding Day.
“That’s right.”
So was that why she had been told to come late that day, so she could have a meal with her family?
Unable to grasp what the Duke was trying to say, Carol was dumbfounded until the Duke continued.
“Nobles usually offer tribute goods.”
“Yes.”
So that’s why she was unwrapping these tribute goods, right?
Carol nodded as she looked at the scattered items on the floor.
“And I wanted to give you a gift too.”
“…Pardon?”
Carol voiced her confusion at the Duke’s main point after his long-winded explanation.
“Because I’m always grateful to you, Teacher.”
“But that was…”
Just work she had been properly compensated for.
“I’ve made a perfume inspired by how I see you.”
“…Me?”
“Yes. I’ve already purchased it, so I hope you won’t refuse.”
The Duke rose from his seat and retrieved a blue velvet box from the bedside table.
She should say it’s too much of a burden, but ended up accepting the box he made just for her.
“…May I open it?”
“Now that ownership has been transferred, do you still need my permission?”
Opening the box revealed a translucent sky-blue bottle with a delicate lily-of-the-valley illustration.
“It’s so beautiful.”
“I’m relieved. I was worried my explanation hadn’t been clear enough.”
“But can I really accept such a gift?”
“Yes. Please do accept it.”
At the Duke’s insistence to accept the gift, Carol carefully took out the bottle.
“May I try applying some?”
“You don’t need to ask permission for every little thing.”
Spritz.
A faint floral scent tickled her nose after a single spritz of the perfume.
The perfume Louis had given her was certainly nice too, but it had a strong alcoholic scent right after spraying that made her frown from the pungent smell. Since Louis said he brought it directly from the capital, she thought all perfumes here were like that. So she had only lightly spritzed the ends of her dress hems. But this one didn’t have an overpowering scent even right after application, so it would be fine to spray around the neck area.
‘Is it because it’s expensive?’
Her feeling now was different from back then. Upon application, she felt a refreshing coolness, as if a crisp breeze was touching her skin. Carol carefully closed the perfume cap.
‘Does he really see me this way?’
Just how highly did the Duke think of her to have such a scent in mind?
While worried about whether she deserved such a wonderful gift, she couldn’t refuse it when the Duke had chosen it with her in mind.
To be precise, she didn’t want to refuse it.
“The scent is lovely.”
The perfume inspired by her gave off such a sweet, pure fragrance.
She wasn’t actually a very good person. In fact, she might even be a nuisance obstructing what the Duke wished for.
She shouldn’t delude herself into thinking she was a good person, so Carol bit her lower lip, unable to voice those words.
It wasn’t a gift with any profound meaning, yet that single gift sent her mind into utter chaos in an instant.
“…I might actually believe the rumors that you charmed many ladies when you were in high society in the capital.”
“What brought that up all of a sudden?”
Is he good at giving gifts like this because he’s had a lot of practice?
He must have given Margaret Chesworth a gift that can’t even be compared to this.
Her puberty was long past, yet her emotions were running wild. Asking about it wasn’t something she should be concerned with, it was an overstepping remark.
“…It’s nothing. I’ll make good use of it. Thank you.”
“Do you like it?”
“Yes. I really do.”
“I’m relieved.”
“Pardon?”
“To be honest, this is the first time I’ve personally chosen a gift myself.”
Carol furrowed her brow at the Duke’s shy tone. He didn’t mean it was the first time gifting perfume, but the first time giving a personally chosen gift itself.
“You must be joking?”
“What would I gain by telling such a lie?”
My feelings.
Carol hurriedly stopped the words that nearly slipped out.
‘Have you gone mad, Carol?’
Carol used her finger to close her gaping mouth.
She soon took out the item she had brought in her bag. She had resolved not to give a gift while unwrapping the tribute goods…Carol fidgeted with her fingers.
“Actually, I had prepared a gift too… But I didn’t expect to receive one myself.”
“You got me a gift, Teacher?”
“It’s Founding Day after all. It’s nothing fancy enough to call a tribute good though.”
“It couldn’t not be fancy.”
Coming from you.
The Duke stroked his chin with his hand.
“Don’t expect too much.”
The Duke nodded deeply at Carol’s tense tone. Carol finally handed him the gift bag she was holding.
“Here.”
She had diligently wrapped it, but it looked utterly shabby among the tribute goods. Somehow she felt embarrassed, her face flushing red.
The Duke didn’t seem to notice Carol’s state at all. He carefully tore open the wrapping paper.
Rustle.
As the paper opened, a plush texture could be felt.
“What is this?”
“A scarf.”
“A scarf?”
“You didn’t seem to have a light scarf to wear when going out to the garden sometimes.”
Due to his fur, the Duke didn’t feel much cold going out to the garden at night. But the moment he heard Carol’s words, he envisioned himself always wearing a scarf whenever he went out from now on.
“…Thank you.”
“It’s really not much, is it?”
“No. I didn’t think I needed it, but I always needed it.”
“If it’s bad, feel free to return it.”
“The worst thing is to take back what you’ve given.”
Carol let out a soft laugh at the Duke’s words. She couldn’t help but laugh at the thought of the Duke stubbornly wearing the scarf like a child unwilling to part with a precious possession.
“How does it look on me?”
“Good.”
Perhaps due to being made of grayish-blue yarn with a tinge of blue, it went well with his fur.
As Carol smiled satisfied with her color choice, the Duke expressed dissatisfaction.
“But I’d also like to confirm if mine suits you too. May I?”
Misunderstanding that the Duke wanted to check how he looked wearing the scarf himself, Carol pondered how to handle it as the Duke closed the distance between them.
“…Pardon?”
Though closer to a questioning response than an answer, the Duke didn’t miss it.
“Then I won’t decline.”
The Duke very politely took Carol’s hair into his hand, as if holding her hand.
Carol couldn’t push the Duke away. He simply lowered his head and placed his lips on her hair.
Though she felt nothing since it was just her hair, the moment she saw that action, it felt like a hot sensation rushed through her from her hair.
“This scent really suits you well.”
“…Does it?”
“Even among others, I’ll definitely be able to pick you out thanks to this.”
At his words implying he only needed to be able to identify Carol among others, she squeezed her eyes tightly shut.
After leaving her so flustered, the Duke’s expression seemed perfectly calm.
“…The lesson is over.”
With her parched throat, those were the only words she could muster.
what about Noah?