Ian, who had been rummaging through documents, looked up.
“His Majesty?”
“Yes. The princess’s birthday is approaching, and it seems he has many questions for the both of you. You should prepare yourselves.”
‘So the rumors circulating among the nobles after the visit to the Brilluze estate have already reached the imperial court.’
It wasn’t unusual for the Emperor to be overly interested in his half-brother, and now, with the princess showing interest in Eloise, it wasn’t surprising.
‘This is going to be troublesome.’
Ian nodded, rubbing his forehead.
“I understand. I’ll keep it in mind.”
“Then please process the documents by this weekend.”
Kyle, who had bowed and was about to leave the office, suddenly stopped and slowly turned his head.
“And, Your Highness, may I say one thing?”
“Since when did you need my permission to speak?”
Kyle, unaffected by Ian’s sharp remark, grinned and said,
“Whatever it is, be more honest. Stop being so stubborn.”
“What do you mean by that?”
“Oh, come on, you know exactly what I mean. Anyway, I think you two look good together these days.”
“Kyle Elzeir.”
“Oh, your expression is terrifying. I’d better leave before I get into trouble.”
Before Ian could respond, Kyle gave a cheeky bow and disappeared, closing the door behind him with a small click.
Ian frowned as he stared at the door, which had closed with a soft scraping sound.
“He’s becoming more impudent by the day.”
It was indeed a skill, if it could be called that, to maintain such an attitude towards a grand duke who could make others tremble with just a glance.
Ian glanced at the cubic object on his desk that he had been covering with his hand.
“Be honest? About what, exactly…?”
He stopped his silent muttering as Eloise’s face unexpectedly popped into his mind.
“……”
Lately, he found himself thinking about Eloise more often. Most of the time, it was spent pondering her bizarre actions or her intentions, which were impossible to decipher.
Even though she talked about divorce and finding someone new, she still claimed to love him with tearful eyes.
He couldn’t quite figure out how to define either her feelings or his growing concern for her.
‘But still….’
“Your Grace, you should put them on for me.”
“The outing… wasn’t so bad.”
With a complex expression, Ian picked up the cubic object and placed it in the second drawer of his desk.
“…I’ve been thinking unnecessary thoughts again.”
For a while, the only sound in the office was the rustling of papers.
❖ ❖ ❖
The weekend, which had been bustling with outings, passed, and the beginning of a new week arrived. Finally, the Aria newsletter arrived for me as well.
“Madam!”
Vivi came fluttering into the room, holding the newsletter in one hand.
Usually, she brought letters and papers on a silver tray, but today she was holding just the newsletter.
‘Come to think of it, she always forgets something when she’s excited.’
I decided to let it slide because it was cute. Vivi, who had come up to the front of my bed, beamed brightly.
“Here you go!”
“Is it today’s newsletter?”
“Yes, I was so eager to bring it to you that I went all the way to the main gate myself.”
“There was no need to go that far.”
“But I thought there might be an article about you and the master again this week.”
Having accompanied me on my outing last weekend, Vivi seemed to have taken a sudden interest in my relationship with Ian.
I wondered why she was so interested, but then again, seeing two people who had lived like complete strangers for two years suddenly going on escorted outings together must have been intriguing.
After all, stories about other people’s romances are the most entertaining.
Of course, Ian and I weren’t actually in a romance.
Smiling as always, I took the newsletter from Vivi.
“Let’s see then.”
The front page of this week’s newsletter featured a different article.
‘The Jewelry War between Marquis Merry and Count Olsen!’
“Hm? What’s this about?”
The article under the bold title described how two prominent noble families in the capital were in a dispute over a mine.
The conflict had dragged on, and the imperial family had suggested that both families share parts of the mine, but neither side was willing to compromise, and the standoff continued.
‘Well, the rich sure have their troubles too.’
That’s how it is with wealthy people.
Since it was the morning the newsletter was published, the opinion section below was being updated rapidly.
-Oh my, are they still fighting over this?
-Wow, that’s relentless….
-Didn’t His Majesty the Emperor suggest they come to an agreement?
-I heard Count Olsen is being particularly stubborn.
-The truth is, that mine is cursed with a terrifying spell that sucks out your soul just by looking at it. If you want to get rid of the curse, visit No. 1 Ildiz Street….
-Can’t they do something about these ads in the opinion section?
It was bustling as usual, like a printed marketplace. Among the chatter, there was a lot of talk about the “Olsen Count’s family,” but the tone toward this family seemed rather unfavorable.
“Olsen Count’s family… It sounds familiar somehow….”
I tilted my head, then shrugged.
“If I can’t remember right away, it must not be a very important family.”
If that’s the case, I’m not interested.
I set aside the noble’s squabbles over their riches and casually flipped through the newsletter. That wasn’t what mattered right now.
“There must be an article about Ian and me….”
Muttering to myself, I scanned the newsletter until my gaze stopped on the main article on the third page.
“Of course, here it is.”
Right in the center of the third page, in the largest print, was a headline about the grand duke and his wife.
‘A Ghost of the Grand Duchy? Or Cinderella?’
‘What a sensational title.’
Looking at all these attention-grabbing headlines, I could see why this newsletter was such a hot topic among the nobility.
Things that teeter on the edge between freshness and exaggeration are always more entertaining.
As expected, the article beneath it contained what I had anticipated.
It reported that Ian and I had appeared unusually affectionate on Lilton Street, sweeping through all the shops.
It mentioned that the grand duke and duchess visited a bookstore, shared a sweet moment over a book, and that the grand duke even volunteered to carry the duchess’s purchases….
‘Everything’s going according to plan.’
I read the article with a satisfied smile.
Especially in the last paragraph, it detailed what happened at the shoe shop with great precision—from Ian holding my hand as we entered to him personally putting shoes on my feet.
‘…Lastly, the sight of the grand duke putting shoes on the grand duchess at the Pello Shoe Shop was less like the Ice Duke and more like the Sugar-Coated Duke! Where will the lovebirds’ new shoes take them next?’
“Sugar-Coated Duke, seriously….”
I chuckled to myself after reading the last sentence.
‘It’s oddly corny, but it does make you curious about the next article.’
If they wrote a novel with this kind of skill, it would’ve been a hit.
-See, what did I tell you? What happened at the season party was real.
-So, are you saying the grand duke and duchess were always on good terms?
-It’s possible. What you see isn’t always everything, you know?
-In any case, I’m jealous. Where can I find a man like that….
-Even if they exist, it won’t be my man.
-Now I’m really looking forward to the princess’s birthday banquet. I have to see them with my own eyes.
-It’ll be a great spectacle~
I checked the opinion section and smiled contentedly.
Unlike the previous article, which focused on my return to society, this one emphasized Ian’s warmth and charm.
Perhaps that’s why the comment section was buzzing with people eagerly discussing Ian.
‘At this rate, there’s nothing more to add, really.’
I felt confident that this topic wouldn’t just be a one-time gossip that would fade away.
‘Quite a few people want to see us at the princess’s birthday banquet….’
Above all, it was clear that interest in Ian was growing.
As much as I hate to admit it, people go wild when a cold, aloof man suddenly shows a tender side. Remember those online posts about “100 reasons why bad boys are attractive”?
If this atmosphere continues, the public opinion about Ian might change more easily than I expected.
‘Above all, even I….’
“So, madam, are you planning to go to a good place with these new shoes?”
“I asked if you’re planning to go somewhere nice. Whether it’s a good home or a good person.”
‘Damn it, why is that scene popping into my head now?’
♧♧♧
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