Chapter 30: A Midnight Invitation
“The Grand Duchess called for Leon? For what reason?”
The air grew cold as the Grand Duke’s voice sank. Both Leon and Perel flinched, but Whitley remained calm as he replied.
“She did not specify the reason.”
“She only called for Leon?”
‘What about me?’
“That’s correct.”
Reading Loic’s thoughts, Whitley gave a firm and almost cold response.
“Then… should I go with the head Butler?”
Leon hesitated, glancing at Loic, whose displeasure was obvious.
“….”
“Yes, that sounds like a good idea. Sir Leon, you should check the mood while you’re there.”
Perel tried to lighten the atmosphere with a cheerful tone.
“Check the mood?”
“Since you’re there anyway, maybe ask Her Highness if she liked the gift—”
“Absolutely not.”
Loic’s stern expression cut Perel off mid-sentence.
“Don’t say a word about it.”
“Y-Yes, sir!”
With that, Leon hurried after Whitley, almost as if escaping.
Perel, left alone with the Grand Duke, swallowed nervously in the heavy silence.
“Greetings, Your Highness.”
“Sir Leon, welcome.”
I expected Leon to be his usual cheerful self, but he looked uncomfortable.
“Oh no, did I call for you too late at night? You must be tired.”
“Not at all! How could I be tired when meeting Your Highness?”
Leon quickly waved his hands in denial.
‘Am I the only one who feels this close?’
Despite his words, Leon kept glancing nervously toward the door, which made me feel uneasy.
Technically, wasn’t this like a boss summoning an employee after hours?
‘Wait, I’m not even his boss. Does that make this a boss’s wife summoning an employee? That’s even worse.’
How long had it been since I was in a subordinate position? And now, I was already acting like some powerful noblewoman.
“I’m sorry for calling you so late. I have something I’d like you to deliver.”
“It’s really no problem, Your Highness!”
Leon smiled awkwardly.
“What would you like me to deliver?”
I handed him a small box.
“Could you give this to Madame Marie?”
“To my mother?”
Leon looked puzzled. It was a fancy jewelry box, which must have surprised him.
“You can open it if you’d like.”
Leon peeked inside and gasped at the flower-shaped brooch adorned with small gemstones.
“Madame Marie gave me a tomato stew recipe. It’s a small token of my gratitude.”
Leon stammered.
“A gift this expensive… just for a recipe?”
“It’s not for you, so don’t reject it on her behalf. I’d give it to her personally, but I don’t want her to feel pressured.”
The brooch was one I had bought earlier from Ramondria. It wasn’t extravagant, but based on my own calculations, it was a fair exchange for the recipe.
‘Plus, I spent half of my emergency money on this.’
But considering I could now eat tomato stew whenever I wanted, it was a worthwhile investment.
Leon hesitated before smiling warmly.
“Thank you, Your Highness. I’ll deliver it to her.”
“Oh, one more thing.”
I had been thinking about this since visiting the inn earlier.
“…Is the inn struggling financially?”
After I briefly described the atmosphere, Leon scratched his head awkwardly.
“There aren’t many travelers. And since our lunch prices are so low, we barely make any profit.”
“Why not raise the prices?”
“The location isn’t great. The only reason we get customers is because of the low prices.”
Leon explained that his mother, being a generous person, often gave more than she charged, which made things even harder. But he assured me they were managing and waved off any concerns.
‘Still, the food is amazing. It’s a shame the business isn’t doing well…’
I started brainstorming ways to help the inn make more money—then quickly stopped myself.
‘No, I promised not to meddle.’
Ever since arriving in this world, I had spent a lot of time reflecting on my past life.
I wondered—why had my life turned out so miserable despite all my hard work?
Then, I came to a realization.
Most of my problems were caused by my tendency to meddle in things that weren’t my business.
So, in this life, I decided—if it doesn’t concern me, I won’t care. I won’t try to fix anything.
“I have enough on my plate. Let’s just mind my own business.”
“Thank you for coming so late. You should head home now, Sir Leon.”
“Thank you, Your Highness.”
Just as Leon reached for the door handle, I suddenly remembered something important.
“Sir Leon?”
“Yes, Your Highness?”
I almost forgot.
“Has the Duke returned to the castle?”
At my question, Leon’s face brightened.
“Yes! He just got back.”
“I see.”
“I don’t think he has any other plans tonight. He should be free.”
Smart kid—he catches on quickly.
“Thanks for letting me know.”
I smiled playfully, and Leon scratched his head shyly, laughing.
“I’m glad! Have a great time, you two!”
Leon left the room looking relieved, as if a heavy burden had been lifted from his shoulders.
“Why is he so happy about me looking for the Duke?”
Maybe the knights were just worried about their lord being lonely?
Honestly, even I felt sorry for the Duke.
He was the highest-ranking noble in Blenheim, yet he had no social life. No friends, no close acquaintances.
His daily routine seemed to be either work or training. That was it.
“What a boring life—just like my past one.”
Well, that was about to change.
Our marriage was a contract, and in this contract, the Duke was the one in charge.
“But at least he’s a kind and considerate boss. Not to mention, ridiculously good-looking.”
Even the best clients need proper management.
Since I was the only one who could bring some fun into his dull life, and since he wasn’t the type to take the initiative, it was up to me.
“He did tell me not to visit at night, but…”
He didn’t say we couldn’t meet at night.
I just had to call him to an open space.
I glanced outside. The moonlight made the scenery even more beautiful tonight.
“I feel a little bad making Whitley work this late…”
After a moment of hesitation, I called my ever-loyal butler once again.
“Your Highness, is this to your liking?”
“Perfect! Whitley, you’re the best!”
“I’m relieved to hear that.”
The old butler smiled proudly.
I sat at the tea table inside the glass greenhouse.
On the trolley beside me, soft herbal tea and delicate pastries were neatly arranged—perfect for a nighttime treat.
I had told Whitley that I wanted to have tea in the greenhouse with the Duke, and he personally prepared everything.
“Please deliver my message to the Duke.”
“I shall return shortly.”
With a determined expression, Whitley left the greenhouse.
I looked around.
The glass greenhouse had a mysterious, enchanting beauty.
Moonlight streamed through the domed glass, casting a soft glow over the wild vines growing freely.
The trees were untrimmed, their branches stretching in every direction, and unfamiliar green plants sprouted from every corner. The place had a natural charm.
When Whitley first gave me a tour of the castle, the greenhouse had been locked, so I had only caught a glimpse of it. But I had wanted to see it up close ever since.
“I had to beg Whitley to let me in.”
There was a 50/50 chance the Duke would come.
Despite his intimidating exterior, he was surprisingly sensitive. However, at some points, he could be extremely cold and distant.
He had been quite firm when he told me not to visit him at night.
“Oh well. If he doesn’t show up, I’ll just drink alone.”
Still, it felt like a waste for only me to enjoy such a beautiful place.
Maybe I should have gone to drag him here myself instead of sending Whitley?
I was deep in thought when—
Not even ten minutes later, the Duke appeared at the entrance of the greenhouse.
“Duke!”
“Have you been waiting long?”
His voice was calm, but his chest rose and fell a little faster than usual.
“You didn’t have to rush. Did you run here?”
“…No.”
The way he swept back his messy bangs made me chuckle.
I had clearly heard the hurried footsteps approaching, only for them to slow down right before he entered. It was obvious he had run over but was now pretending otherwise.
How cute.
“I didn’t disturb your rest, did I?”
“I was just about to have some tea anyway.”
Outside, the night was already deep.
“So, it wasn’t that he didn’t want to meet at night—he just didn’t want me visiting his room!”
I mentally smacked my forehead.
“This makes things much easier.”
Despite his serious tone, the Duke looked slightly excited.
Calling him had been the right decision.
I poured him a cup of warm herbal tea.
As he sipped it, his gaze wandered around the greenhouse. The moonlight illuminated his sharp profile, highlighting the elegant curve of his jaw.
I had noticed this the first time we met, but the Duke looked different at night.
Maybe it was because of his loose hair? Or the relaxed fit of his shirt?
His slightly hazy eyes gave him a dangerously seductive air.
“Just looking at him melts away all my stress.”
Let’s be honest.
I wasn’t the one bringing joy into the Duke’s life.
He was the one bringing light into my otherwise dull existence.
