The Troublemaker Daughter of the Grand Duke Wants To Live Alone

Today was the day the First Prince Cameron Arstans will visit the Conler estate.

I got up early in the morning, washed up, put on a yellow dress I had bought from De Elle, combed my hair, and sat idly in front of a huge table with a ribbon.

“Sister Mary, you’re so cute today!”

Rex, whom I met at breakfast, looked at me and smiled brightly. Today’s dress was a high-waist top and a voluminous skirt, which was pretty cute even to me. When I hear Lucas say I’m cute I feel like he’s just teasing me, but I feel better when Rex says I’m cute in such a pure way.

But Rex was cuter, wearing a frilled white shirt and a blue vest that matched his eyes. No matter how I look at it, he looks like a baby angel with curly blonde hair. 

“You’re cuter, Rex.”

“Oh, sister, too.”

Rex blushed shyly at the word cute. Looking at him, I felt like my heart was itchy. Oh, this is why Lucas is making fun of me. I was so embarrassed, I poked the bread with a fork hard, but the bread didn’t stick properly.

Ah, he’s really cute.

They say, when you see something lovely you’ll forget everything. I didn’t believe it. But looking at Rex right now, he was so cute that I felt like I was going to be in a coma..….

“Anyway, I guess it’s just you and me for breakfast today.”

“I know. I think everyone is busy these days.”

Indeed. It was true that everyone was busy except Rex and I out of this castle because of the Padula Coast reclamation and First Prince. Still, Gilbert looks after my study and diary in his spare time, it feels great. It seems Grand Duke Estin and Lucas went somewhere else yesterday.

“Oh, Brother Gilbert, you’re here?”

The chef must have paid more attention to the food because of the first prince. Today, I was eating a salad that felt fresher and more delicious. I looked up to Rex’s greeting, Gilbert was coming in. It was clear that he stayed up all night yesterday as he had dark circles under his eyes.

“You, you’re here.”

“Yes, chew it all and say hello.”

“Yes….”

I chewed the salad again. After knowing that Gilbert was not as cold hearted as I thought, being with him was not difficult like before. He sometimes gets angry because he’s a little strict when it comes to my study, but I decided not to complain too much because he makes time to teach me even though he’s busy.

“The dress you’re wearing now…… Did Bonita pick it for you?” 

Gilbert, who was drinking tea before the meal, looked at my dress and asked, frowning one eyebrow. When you make that face, you’re like our father. I was mesmerized for a moment by his same expression as Grand Duke Estin, so Rex patted me on the elbow.

“What? Oh, yes.”

“Hmm….”

Why? You don’t like it?

Bonita, Carol, and other maids who helped me wear the dress today were all saying it was so cute. As their employer…… Is that a natural reaction? But Rex told me that I was very cute.

When I looked at Rex, he was smiling brightly, so the words from Rex’s saying I’m cute seem a little less credible.

He might also think that the salad he’s eating is cute.

“Do you have a ribbon on your head?”

“Yes, this is Carol’s…….”

At Gilbert’s words, I unknowingly raised my hand to the ribbon stuck in my head. The first prince is coming. What am I doing? The dress and ribbon are probably very expensive. The problem is not the dress, but me.…. Oh, that’s sad. Let’s just stop talking.

“Do you… Do you think it’s not good?”

When I asked carefully, Gilbert, who was drinking tea, put down the tea cup. The process was truly elegant. Innate grace is totally different. I want to learn too. I’ll try it the next time I drink tea.

“No, it’s cute.”

What?

Gilbert said I was cute, right?

Did Gilbert go crazy because he couldn’t sleep? Well, they say there was torture that can make people stay up. When you feel like you’re going to fall asleep, just spray some water to wake up again.…. I think Gilbert is just saying anything because he’s so sleepy. I’m getting worried.

“A, are you all right?…?”

“No, it’s not okay.”

As expected, it wasn’t okay.

Along with relief, I suddenly felt a little disappointed. As expected, he was talking nonsense, he said I’m cute because he was tired and not feeling well.

“It’s such a waste to show to Cameron.”

“……what?”

“Bonita made you wear that because Cameron is coming.”

Embarrassed by Gilbert’s words, I lowered my head and stared at the salad plate. Why is he like that? This is more embarrassing than Lucas talking nonsense. It’s crazier to hear it from people who are not normally like that.

“Even if she doesn’t dress up like this, Sister Mary is really cute, so there’s nothing you can do about it.”

Rex, who was next to him, was even more excited. Are you getting back at me for being silly? It was fortunate that Lucas was not here.

“Of course, of course.”

Just as I thought so, Lucas came in.

God is not on my side. I guess it’s because I’m the daughter of a family blessed by the demon. I rummaged through the salad with a resigned look.

“I’m telling you, I’m afraid that Cameron Arstans might look at you and ask you to marry him.….”

“Shouldn’t that really be prevented? Sister Mary is still young!”

You’re younger, Rex. Bluea.….

I put my elbows on the table and covered my face with both hands at Lucas’ teasing. If they do this in front of the first prince, I might really bite my tongue and die.

“Don’t worry. If Cameron asks Mary to marry him, I won’t just watch.”

“I believe in Master Gilbert. I’m worried because she looks like a doll.”

Actually, I have low blood pressure, but Lucas raises my blood pressure every day. That’s why I’m living a normal life. 

“Stop it. Sister can’t not eat.”

Rex looked at me and said in a careful voice. Rex is the reason I’m still living. When I started eating with a fork again, he smiled at me.

“The First Prince will be here soon.”

Lucas looked out the window and said quietly. I looked at it for a moment, too. In fact, I didn’t think much until morning, but now that it’s like this, I feel a little nervous. I think Gilbert will be okay, will Rex be okay too? Carol was shaking a lot earlier. 

“Rex, are you okay?”

“What? What?”

“Well, are you nervous that the First Prince is coming soon?”

“Oh, I’m fine.”

“…is that so?”

Is this because he’s talented? He doesn’t care as much as I thought.

“Are you nervous?”

“Huh? It’s just….”

I couldn’t say anything to Rex. I don’t have any thoughts right now, but I think it’s a lie if I say I’m not nervous. If I say I’m nervous, I think it’ll hurt my pride. Gilbert, who was listening quietly as I was dodging to answer, said.

“Should I tell him to go back?”

“What?”

“Mary, if you feel uncomfortable about the first prince, I’ll ask Cameron Arstans to go back.”

“No, it’s all right! Don’t say that! Do you know who’s coming now?”

“It’s a joke.”

As I floundered at Gilbert’s words, he dismissed it as a joke and drank the tea again.

No, it doesn’t sound like a joke when you say it.…

Gilbert seemed like he would really tell them to go back if I really felt burdened. When Cameron gets off the carriage from the academy or something. How scary would Cameron be if he was suddenly asked to return without knowing why?

“No matter how much people talk about us being a marionette of the imperial family.”

“…….”

“In this castle, Mary Conler, you come first.”

“…brother.”

“Because the ‘promise’ between the emperor and our father is a separate matter.”

I nodded at Gilbert’s words. I remember Gilbert getting mad at me in his study. He and his younger siblings work hard to be worthy of the name Conler. When I heard that at that time, I was strangely sad.

Those negative feelings lingered somewhere in my body and ironically reminded me whenever I saw Gilbert. So, I find myself strangely small in front of Gilbert.

But seeing Gilbert say this today…… I was glad that I felt like I was in his ‘sister’ category. Even if it’s not the way I feel when I see Rex, I was really pleased with that.

I laughed without realizing it.

“Eat everything on your plate, though.”

Oh, I guess I got caught not wanting to eat it all. I sighed and lifted the fork again.

Isn’t Gilbert’s soul Korean? Since he’s so serious about rice, he’s kind of suspicious.