Chapter 20: It Bothers Me (1)
The next morning, as usual, I knocked on the Grand Duke’s door.
The only difference from yesterday was that there was no loud crashing sound in response to my knock.
Instead, it was as if the Grand Duke had been waiting right by the door—he opened it instantly, without a sound.
“Good morning, Your Grace!”
“Good… morning.”
It seemed he had slept well. His skin looked smooth and radiant.
His neatly combed hair revealed his flawless forehead and striking features. A cravat rested on his neck, suggesting he had been about to tie it.
“Shall I help you with that?”
I thought a small ribbon knot would suit his neatly slicked-back hair.
I expected him to refuse, but after hesitating briefly, the Grand Duke leaned toward me without protest. Thanks to his cooperation, I quickly finished tying the ribbon.
‘Ah, it looks so pretty.’
I admired the beautifully puffed-up ribbon, then looked up and met his gaze.
He seemed to be waiting for the right moment and hesitated before speaking.
“I apologize for yesterday.”
“Yesterday? Why?”
“I… fell asleep.”
“But I was there to help you sleep.”
“…Still, it was rude of me.”
“Well, if you’re apologizing for not doing anything to me…”
“I-If you’re fine with it, then that’s what matters.”
His pale cheeks flushed red like an apple. Seeing that, I felt like today was already off to a great start.
Just like yesterday, I dragged the Grand Duke to breakfast, where we enjoyed a rich mushroom soup prepared by the head chef.
With a dessert topped with plenty of strawberries, it was a very satisfying meal.
Not long after breakfast, I appeared in the Grand Duke’s office.
“I just came because I was bored…”
The Grand Duke frowned as he looked at me.
“I have work to do this morning.”
“I’m not here to disturb you.”
I held up the book I had brought.
“I’ll just read here.”
“A book?”
The title on the cover read: Everything About the Latest Trends in Capital Fashion. The Grand Duke squinted his eyes at me in disbelief.
“Where did you get that book?”
“Whitley found it for me in the library.”
“…That kind of book exists in the Grand Duke’s library?”
“It seems a bit old, though.”
I checked the publication date.
“Oh, it’s from 18 years ago.”
“You probably know more about the capital’s fashion than the author of that book.”
‘Well, that’s true for Annette, not for me.’
But I had a reason for choosing this book.
“It has different ways to tie cravats.”
The Grand Duke looked like he had run out of words. I took a seat on the wide canapé sofa in front of his desk.
“Don’t mind me. Just focus on your work.”
Since I clearly had no intention of interfering, the Grand Duke—who had looked like he wanted to say something but he gave up and returned to his work.
The office remained peaceful, the only sounds being the scratch of his pen and the turning of my book’s pages.
‘But these illustrations are terrible.’
I hadn’t expected much from the book, but the fashion illustrations were shockingly bad.
The drawings of the models were all wrong, and the lace and sleeve details were poorly drawn.
‘Did they run out of budget for the illustrator? The drawings are terrible.’
At least the pages describing how to tie cravats had both drawings and explanations beside them, so they were somewhat useful.
‘I should practice on the Grand Duke later.’
Since the tea table was too low to rest my elbows, my neck started to feel stiff after reading for a while.
Stretching my neck, I glanced at the Grand Duke. He was completely absorbed in his work.
His sharp black eyes under his straight, well-shaped brows were captivating. His high, straight nose perfectly complemented his intense gaze.
‘No matter how much I look at him, I never get tired of his face.’
Just as I was admiring him, our eyes met.
“Do you need something?”
“No, I was just staring because you’re handsome.”
“…”
“Don’t mind me. Keep working.”
The Grand Duke bit his lower lip and picked up his pen again.
Even though he pretended not to care, his hand movements became noticeably awkward.
His crisp white shirt sleeves were folded twice, revealing double cuffs.
His outfit today was rather modest, with the sleeves covering his wrists, giving him a restrained, almost ascetic look—but, of course, he still carried it off flawlessly.
‘A little more volume in the sleeves would make it look even better.’
What was the latest fashion trend for men in the capital?
Since I had never attended a ball or social gathering in this world, I had no one to compare him to. Then, I thought of Ferdinand, the eldest son of the Marquis.
As a central figure in high society, his clothing must reflect the latest trends.
‘He probably gets his clothes made at the most popular tailor shop.’
Even from my limited perspective, Ferdinand’s outfits always looked elegant and stylish.
In comparison, the Grand Duke’s attire was… classic at best and plain at worst.
Then again, his stunning face and impressive physique overshadowed anything he wore.
Not that Ferdinand was lacking in looks, either.
That reminded me—I hadn’t properly thanked Ferdinand for his gift.
‘At the very least, I should send a letter of gratitude.’
But what if sending a letter made the Grand Duke suspicious of me being a spy? And would Ferdinand even read my letter?
As I debated this, a knock came at the door.
“Come in.”
With the Grand Duke’s permission, the door opened, and Leon entered.
“Captain, here is the training schedule you requested—Oh! Your Highness!”
Leon, who had walked in confidently, was surprised to see me there and widened his eyes.
“Sir Leon.”
I greeted him with a smile.
That cheerful young man always made me feel good whenever I saw him.
“Your Highness, the Princess!”
Leon quickly gave me a greeting with his eyes before turning to the Grand Duke.
“This is the training schedule you requested.”
“Wait a moment.”
While the Grand Duke examined the documents Leon brought, Leon kept glancing over at me. He clearly wanted to talk, so I started the conversation.
“I visited your inn a few days ago. Did your mother mention it?”
As if he had been waiting for those words, Leon’s face lit up.
“My mother couldn’t stop bragging about it!”
Leon spoke in an excited tone, lowering his voice as if worried the Grand Duke might overhear.
“She said she had a meal with Her Highness the Princess.”
“It was a very enjoyable time.”
“Don’t even get me started! My mother was so thrilled that you praised the food, she spent the entire week cooking, and it turned into a big feast every day!”
Hahaha. Leon’s playful words made me laugh without realizing it.
Seeing my reaction, Leon seemed even more excited, and he slowly moved closer to the sofa in front of the Grand Duke.
“I’m proud to say that my mother’s inn is quite famous for its food.”
“It was so delicious that I’ve been thinking about it. Can I go again next time?”
“Of course, Your Highness. It would be an honor!”
Leon shrugged with enthusiasm, but then his eyes suddenly widened.
“If you ever need to go to Goldrain again, I can accompany you. I know all the shops around there.”
“Ah, Lord Norton seemed to be quite troubled.”
He chuckled.
“Lord Norton probably wasn’t familiar with the area. He doesn’t usually leave the Grand Duke’s estate. But I’ll make sure to find plenty of shops you’ll like, Your Highness.”
“Leon.”
“Yes, Commander.”
Leon, who had been excited, immediately straightened up at the Grand Duke’s stern voice.
“Come back in an hour.”
“Yes, of course.”
“Leave now.”
At the cold, authoritative tone of the Grand Duke, Leon hesitated before quickly leaving.
As he walked out, I could see his tail swishing playfully behind him, so I smiled knowingly.
Tap.
“You’ve become quite close with the knights, it seems.”
Once Leon left, the Grand Duke’s voice lowered.
“Oh, Sir Leon? He came to the Grand Duke’s estate with me.”
“Did you become that close in such a short time?”
“Well, a week is quite a long time. Plus, we ate together every day. We must have shared at least twenty meals.”
“…You had meals with the knights?”
“We even had snacks together. Oh, did you know Sir Leon is an amazing cook? I bet he could make even twigs taste good. His seasonings are incredible.”
“…”
“Of course, I’m sure you know much more about him than I do.”
Instead of answering, the Grand Duke stared at me silently. Feeling a little awkward, I changed the subject.
“By the way, how old is Sir Leon?”
“Why do you ask?”
“He always looked young, but without the shoulder armor, he looks even younger, almost like a child. Isn’t he adorable?”
“Adorable…?”
“Maybe ‘adorable’ is a bit much? Is it rude to say that about a knight?”
“Is that something you just say to anyone…?”
“Huh?”
“No, he’s… he’s the first one.”
“Ah, I see.”
“He’s not at an age where he should be called ‘adorable.’”
The Grand Duke’s lips tightened as he spoke. The cold atmosphere made me fall silent.
‘Could it be that calling his knight adorable hurt his pride?’
With nothing else to add, I quietly turned my attention back to the poorly drawn illustrations of men’s formalwear.
