“Ah, Duke…!”
Ines, startled, got up. Unbeknownst to them, the Duke was standing behind them.
Everyone in the shop bowed to the Duke. As the Duke casually waved his hand, they disappeared like smoke between the walls. Ines and Pedro watched this with frightened faces.
“You two, well done.”
At the Duke’s words, they quickly composed their faces and bowed their heads.
“Th, thank you. Did we not make any mistakes…”
“Of course. What a pointless question.”
They both sighed in relief. The Duke’s soft voice fell heavily on the back of their heads.
“If you had made a mistake, you wouldn’t be here now. Whatsoever.”
The two couldn’t respond to anything. The Duke said with a laugh.
“Haha. It’s a joke. Lift your heads.”
With tense faces, they lifted their heads. Round glasses, hair foolishly tucked behind the ears. The Duke reflected in their eyes was still dressed like a commoner, but the atmosphere was chilling. It was like looking at a clown from a horror story.
“Please continue to do so. Then, as a protector of Ciello, I will try to clean up your background so that you can receive a noble title.”
“Yes. We will keep that in mind.”
“Good. Then our next meeting is…”
The conversation was not long. After finishing the meeting with the fake parents, Estribal returned to the mansion as if nothing had happened. Ciello, who had been lingering in the courtyard, ran towards him.
“Uh, Duke!”
It had been a while since Ciello had spoken to him first. Estribal suppressed his trembling heart and asked calmly.
“Were you waiting for me?”
“Yes. I have something to tell you.”
Ciello had waited for him. She also wanted to talk to him. This fact filled him with joy deep in his heart. Of course, all of this happened within his intentions, but that was not important.
“That’s right. The gloves suit you well.”
Estribal glanced at Ciello’s hand and said. Ciello, who was hit by that point, quickly took off her gloves.
“Ah, it’s because of this! This, I received it. So…”
Ciello followed him, mumbling. Estribal waited for Ciello’s next words as if he knew nothing.
“That is, that time…from those people. I think I should let you know…”
Estribal asked with a blank expression.
“Did you enjoy it?”
“Huh? So that’s it. I wanted to go out with the Duke too. But you’ve been so busy lately…”
Ciello’s face turned pale. Estribal asked Ciello, who was hesitating.
“That sounds like you wanted to go out with me if I wasn’t busy. Is that right?”
“Of course!”
Ciello quickly nodded. The corners of Estribal’s mouth rose long.
“I see. I didn’t mean to scold you. What I mean is, did you have a good time with them. For example, were you satisfied with the place. That’s what I’m asking.”
“No, can’t you ask that kind of thing a little more normally?”
Ciello, who was surprised, sighed in relief and glanced at him. Estribal shrugged his shoulders with a blank expression.
“What am I.”
“Yeah. I made a pointless request. Anyway…”
Ciello began to babble, watching his mood. She went to a coffee house. She ate dessert and it was amazing because it tasted similar to the Duke’s. Etc. He listened to Ciello’s words with a calm face, but he was satisfied inside.
Buying those swindlers on this side was not a bad choice after all. If he continues to manage Ciello’s surroundings in this way, there will be no trouble. He can hire a new chef. He might be able to buy one more coffee house. As he thought about this, Ciello’s babbling sounded like music to him.
“…Anyway, I’m not sure, but it might not be because of money.”
Ciello, who had finished speaking, scratched her cheek with an awkward smile. Estribal nodded.
“That’s right. As long as you enjoyed it.”
****
It was quiet for a while. Ciello’s condition gradually improved. Her smiling face increased, and she also practiced moving time. Now her skills have improved quite a bit, and she was successful nine out of ten times, and the princess and the Liberation Force, who heard this news, could not hide their joy.
Also, Ciello often came to show Estribal the gifts she received from Pedro and Ines. Of course, the source of all those gifts was Estribal.
“Duke, are you there?”
Ciello entered Estribal’s office through the middle door. He looked up from flipping through the bookshelf.
“Are you meeting them again today?”
“Yes. I’m going on a picnic today.”
Estribal’s office was always locked, but the middle door connected to Ciello’s room was never locked. Therefore, Ciello could enter his room whenever she wanted. Like today.
“That’s right. Come here.”
Ciello approached his desk. Estribal put a box on the desk.
“What is this?”
Ciello opened her eyes wide. Inside the box were shoes of the same design as the gloves. The signature and the number 8 were engraved on the sole of the shoe, just like the gloves.
“I bought it because I thought you liked the gloves you received. They said it’s a set with those gloves.”
She wouldn’t accept the gifts they gave and dislike the gifts he gave. While Estribal was thinking this inside, he said it as if it was nothing on the outside.
“Do you like it? If you don’t, there’s no need to force yourself to use it, just don’t throw it away like your blue slippers.”
“No! It’s different from that time.”
Startled, Ciello quickly shook her head. To Estribal, then and now were no different, but he smiled more bitterly.
“That’s good. I’m glad you think so.”
“Duke…”
Ciello mumbled with a sorry look on her face. Estribal nodded his head with the kindest smile he could muster.
“That’s it. Have a good time.”
“Yes. Thank you so much. I’ll be back!”
After Ciello left, he leaned back in his chair for a long time.
It was foolish to forcibly confine and earn hatred. From now on, wherever Ciello went wearing those shoes, it would be in his hands. Thinking about it, Estribal’s heart boiled with joy.
“Haa…”
He sighed softly and got up from his seat to open the library. As always, the bookshelf slowly moved away. But inside was completely different from before. Instead of books, the library was full of dresses, shoes, and jewels.
It was quite different from the outside where everything was neatly arranged according to its use. Luxurious dresses were scattered around, and jewelry with thick beads was rolling under the sofa. This library, which felt decadent, was unimaginable as Estribal’s space.
He had stored everything he couldn’t give to Ciello in this library, and checked the reaction by handing over the appropriate ones through Ines and Pedro. If Ciello seemed to like it, he gave a similar one as a pair, and if not, he threw it all away.
Estribal walked through the feast of luxury goods without hesitation and grabbed a thin scarf. The scarf was all gray and black, but if it was wrapped around Ciello’s white neck, it would definitely look a different color. Thinking about it, a hot sigh naturally flowed out.
But he shouldn’t hurry. He licked his lips and neatly unfolded the scarf. The fluttering scarf was folded squarely.
Now he was going to wrap up just that much of his heart and offer it. So that Ciello wouldn’t run away.
And hide the rest in this library.
****
On the way back from the picnic, Ciello, who was in the carriage, was mumbling while looking at the shoes and gloves she received as gifts.
“Should I buy a gift too…”
Pedro and Ines said it was okay, but since she had received an excessive amount of gifts recently, it would not be polite to pretend not to know.
The same was true for Estribal. Even though he must have been upset because she was acting awkwardly, he did not restrain himself as before. In fact, the money she uses is Estribal’s money, so it’s a bit funny to give him a gift, but anyway, the heart is important, isn’t it?
Just then, the carriage was passing through a street where boutiques were gathered. Perhaps because of the founding ceremony, the street was bustling. Ciello spoke to the coachman.
“Excuse me, can you let me down for a moment?”
The carriage stopped smoothly.
‘Where should I go in.’
Ciello pondered for a moment. He saw the shop of the designer who made his gift.
“Excuse me…”
Ciello entered the shop. The staff quickly scanned him from head to toe. Ciello deliberately brushed his hair with his gloved hand. The staff, who had finished their eye measurements, bowed politely.
“Welcome. You’re wearing our gloves.”
“And the shoes are comfortable, aren’t they?”
It was a good choice to enter the shop of the same designer. Ciello nodded her head in relief.
“Yes, I received them as gifts from different people. So, I’m thinking of giving a gift as well. Could you recommend something?”
However, the staff’s response was different from what Ciello expected.
“Different people?”
“Yes. Is there a problem?”
The staff looked at him strangely.
“Um… That can’t be. Our gloves and shoes are always sold as a set.”
“Yes…? But that’s not true? I definitely received them from different people…”
Ciello looked at her gloves with a puzzled face. The staff also tilted their heads.
“If it’s okay with you, shall we check who purchased it? If it’s this year’s Ettan collection, there’s a number, so we can identify the buyer.”
“That’s right. Our shop strictly prohibits proxy purchases, so we can find it quickly.”
Ciello’s mouth was dry. After a moment of hesitation, Ciello took off her gloves and put them on the table.
“…Please check.”
