“It’s today.”
Elliot said he had been thinking about it ever since he decided to propose to Hazel. When and where should she propose marriage? Then one day she suddenly remembered something. Was there a better place to ask her to be his wife than the one where she asked him to be her lover? The ash tree forest of the Grand Duke’s residence, where moon butterflies gently light up the darkness. However, moon butterflies only appear on nights when there was a full moon. He had been biding his time ever since he returned. And today was that ‘time’.
* * *
“A walk?”
As soon as she asked, the Grand Duke nodded.
“This late at night?”
She turned around and looked out her bedroom window. There was a full moon in the dark blue sky. After he came back, they often spent time alone together late at night, but this was the first time they went out for a walk.
“Where we you going?”
She thought it wouldn’t be dangerous since it was inside the Grand Duke’s residence anyway, so she followed him, but the Grand Duke walked like a person with a destination.
“Ash forest.”
“Why are we going there, ah!”
The full moon appeared today.
“Are we going to see the moon butterfly?”
“That’s right.”
The Grand Duke smiled, his eyes softened, and took her hand. Come to think of it, the Grand Duke liked moon butterflies, right? She remembered that when she was once invited to Baron Hobart’s ball, he prepared a dress that resembled a moon butterfly. That dress was still in her closet, and it wouldn’t be long until she had to return it.
“Anyway, I think I’m going to move.”
As she walked along the maze-like garden paths led by the Grand Duke, she expressed the thoughts that suddenly occurred to her today.
“Move?”
“I’m a little reluctant to continue living in the house where that witch did evil things.”
“Ah… It’s worth it.”
And she also wondered if she should go far away and start anew. But human greed was so… That’s a shame again. In fact, she quickly became attached to the house and the people. Among them, the man she was more attached to than anyone else suddenly looked down at her and smiled.
“Then move to my house. There are a lot of rooms.”
She laughed at his joke.
“How about my room?”
Those words made her think of the Grand Duke’s bedroom, a place I occasionally, very rarely, visit these days. It wasn’t a room, it was a house.
“That room is too big to share alone.”
“That’s right. So, it would be nice if someone would move in.”
“Won’t the Grand Duchess move into that room when you get married?”
“Yes.”
“…”
Without realizing it, she imagined this man lying in that bed with another woman. He would be kind to her too. As she was walking along in a daze, the Grand Duke waved his hand and urged her to answer.
“So, how about my room?”
“Let’s share it with the three of us?”
“…I wonder if you didn’t understand, or if you did understand, and were making fun of me.”
The Grand Duke sighed, and then he said what she wanted to say. The story about moving was actually intended to hint that she would soon submit her resignation. She guessed he didn’t understand because he was only making light jokes.
“I didn’t mean to peek, but I saw the list of candidates on your desk during the day.”
She said that she already knew that the Grand Duke was planning to get married soon, so he didn’t have to worry about her being stubborn and trying to sit down at the Grand Duke’s residence.
“Oh, did you see it? I couldn’t resist the urging, so I ended up sending letters to each family. Thankfully, everyone chose the right lady right away.”
“It’s worth it.”
Because the Grand Duke was the best groom in the empire.
“It’s time. Actually, it’s too late.”
“…Yes.”
This was not the time to waste time dating a witch.
“When did time pass so quickly?”
“…That’s what I mean.”
The Grand Duke suddenly stopped walking and looked at her.
“I should be grateful to you for the rest of my life.”
“Yes?”
“Thanks to Hazel, my younger siblings, who were picky eaters and often got into trouble and ran away from home, grew up to do their job well.”
Could it be that he was saying that there was no need for a nanny now that the children were all grown up?
“Hazel.”
“Yes?”
“I think it would be a good idea to quit babysitting my younger siblings at this point.”
As expected, he meant to hand in her resignation at this point.
“…I think so.”
In fact, she had been biding her time ever since Princess Monette’s revelations. The Duke’s family promised not to tell anyone about the fact that an evil witch had assassinated the previous Grand Duke and his wife, but she didn’t completely believe it. The rumor may spread someday. Even the Duke didn’t seem to believe the lie that she wasn’t the same witch, but just a fake who took over her house and identity, but why would he believe her to be someone else? Then the Grand Duke becomes a man in love with his parents’ enemy. If rumors spread after they have already broken up, his prestige may be less damaged. And if the Grand Duke ends up protecting one of his parents’ enemies, his justification for bringing other enemies to justice was weakened. Her continued presence didn’t help him at all. The Grand Duke was a smart man, so he would already know. He just couldn’t tell her. Not only has it been there for a while, but it would be a shame to throw it away as soon as they start dating. Perhaps the Grand Duke suggested that they went out for a quiet walk in order to bring up the difficult topic of asking her to leave.
“A person must know when to leave.”
Suddenly, she remembered something her grandmother used to say. Ever since she was young, she was hungry for people and had no sense of shame. So, when she went to visit someone else’s house, she didn’t know when to leave. This time too, she sat down without notice when she should have left first.
“Stop going in.”
She let go of the Grand Duke’s hand and stopped.
“Why?”
Now that she understood the meaning, there was no need to take a walk.
“I have work to do.”
Writing a resignation letter. She would have to formally submit her resignation tomorrow.
“…This late at night?”
When he asked, she nodded. There was no right time. No matter how early it was, it was already too late.
* * *
Elliot, sitting in front of the desk in his office, had been staring blankly into space for hours.
“Stop going in.”
Why did she suddenly do that yesterday? The forest was just around the corner. While the topic of tutors came up, it was said that the nanny was quitting. Hazel agreed. Then, she quit being a nanny and he asked her to become a Grand Duchess, and he got down on her knees and proposed to her, but Hazel resolutely turned away with the forest right in front of her. He missed an opportunity that only comes once a month. He just couldn’t wait another month. Elliot quickly tried to find another way. His eyes landed on a piece of parchment placed on one side of the desk.
‘Real’ marriage contract. His heart was pounding.
* * *
If she were an office worker, the moment she had been dreaming of since joining the company has arrived. That’s quitting. That’s why she’s shaking.
She nodded at her reflection in the mirror hanging in the hallway in front of his office. Retiring was a good thing. It’s good, but she felt a little sad. No, it costs a lot. This was also natural. This was what quitting a job was all about. She asked herself in the mirror.
Smile.
She was handing him this resignation letter with a smile. She held the parchment scroll tightly.
“Hello, Hazel.”
As she entered the office, her employer and lover sitting at the desk smiled. From this moment on, ‘Lord’ would be used in front of employers and lovers.
“I have something for you.”
She smiled as she practiced and quickly placed the parchment scroll on the desk.
“Good. I have something to give too…”
The Archduke, who was about to hand me a scroll of parchment, stopped. The unsealed scroll unfolded on its own, and his eyes rested on the letters revealed.
Resignation
“This… what?”
The smile slowly faded from the Grand Duke’s face. Why did he do that?
“A resignation letter.”
“Oh, I see. sorry. Because I have dark eyes.”
There were a lot of people who couldn’t hear those sly jokes anymore…
“It’s unfortunate, but I think it’s time to go.”
Purple eyes full of surprise turned to her.
“…Where are you going?”
“Home. I think I’ll stay in a cabin in the Black Forest for a while.”
The man’s brow crumpled along with her resignation letter.
“I mean, where are you going to leave me?”
“Yes? I’m a nanny.”
A lover didn’t need a resignation letter. It was over from the moment he began to look into marriage in earnest.
“Your Highness is not a child.”
“I am not a child, but what about my children?”
The Grand Duke suddenly stood up from his seat and walked around the desk in his office towards her.
“Oh!”
For a moment, she thought his wide chest was blocking her view, and then a large hand wrapped around her waist. It felt vivid even through the fairly thick dress. His hands were hot. Even his breath was hot. Could it be that he had a cold? It was the moment when she lifted her hand and touched his forehead.
“Okay, stop babysitting my younger siblings but…”
The Grand Duke, who was looking down at her with serious eyes as if his usual slyness had gone, opened his tightly closed lips and pleaded.
“We must raise my child together.”
“Yes? Where is your child? You haven’t even gotten married yet…”
Before she could finish speaking, soft flesh was tightly wrapped around her lips. While she was dazed by the unexpected kiss, his lips parted with a sound. Before she knew it, a whisper as soft and sweet as whipped cream fell on her lips, which were soaked in his heat.
“Wouldn’t my child’s mother have the answer to that?”
You should have that sly smile you show when you tell a joke… It was everywhere.
‘What? Are you saying you want to make a baby with me?’
She stuttered, avoiding the extremely hot purple eyes.
“Well, well, what you have to do to make a baby…”
“Yes, do it now.”
“Ji, now?”
In broad daylight?
—————————————————————
Translator Note:
Hello there! This is RJR. I hope you liked it <3
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