RLPE Chapter 14

“So, did you deliver the book to that young lady?”

It was dinnertime. The sudden question from the Duchess made Armin choke on his steak. The Duke, who had been looking at his son with disappointment, quickly changed his expression and turned to his wife. His eyes were filled with affection.

“My dear, what young lady are you talking about?”

“A few days ago, Armin suddenly came to my bedroom, didn’t he?”

“Mother!”

Armin exclaimed in panic. He didn’t want his father to know about this.

But no one was afraid of the young master’s outburst. The Duke’s eyes flared with anger at his son’s disrespect.

The Duchess elegantly dabbed her mouth with a napkin and continued, “He asked me to write a message for a young lady who loves my books.”

“Hmm? Is that so?”

Duke Grey, the most powerful and loving husband in the country, felt an inexplicable affection for this unknown young lady who loved his wife’s books.

“So, I’m asking. Armin, did you deliver my gift to that young lady?”

Armin knew his mother was enjoying this. Though his expression didn’t change, he knew he had to answer to avoid his father’s scolding.

“I delivered it. Today.”

“Did you?”

The Duchess rarely saw her son flustered. Her first hobby was writing novels, and her second hobby and greatest skill was teasing her son. She seemed to enjoy it more as she aged.

The Duke asked, “What is that young lady’s name, my dear?”

“Father!”

“Armin, mind your manners at the dinner table.”

The Duchess calmly replied, “She is the young lady of the Roha Viscount family.”

“Roha?”

The Duke habitually stroked his chin. Viscount Roha’s family, he recalled, had a son and a daughter.

“The son’s name is… Alessandro Roha, right? I’ve heard he’s quite talented. He’ll surely become a capable official when he’s older.”

“Yes, and the daughter’s name is Vivian.”

“Ah, I’ve heard of her. The one who fell from the second-floor balcony as a child and has been cherished by her family ever since.”

It was surprising that his father knew about Vivian Roha. Armin hadn’t known much about her until the ball.

Noticing Armin’s attentive listening, the Duke exchanged a glance with the Duchess. Despite Armin’s attempts to appear grown-up and independent, to his parents, he was still a naive child.

In the Grey Duke’s household, Armin might be highly regarded outside, but at home, he was just their boring son.

Should he give him more information? The Duke cleared his throat.

“Recently, I heard the Viscount is worried about finding a suitable husband for his daughter.”

“Is that so? She’s still young. Why is the Viscount in such a hurry?”

The Duke continued, “He seems to think she’s too weak to attend social events, making it hard to find a good match compared to other young ladies.”

Armin naturally thought of Vivian. Her thin arms and pale face indicated she was indeed an indoor person. Her warm brown hair, pleasant voice, expressive eyes, and the way she rolled her eyes all came to mind vividly.

“Oh my. Armin, why is your face so red? Is it because the weather is getting colder and you might be catching a cold?”

Though she knew it wasn’t the case, the Duchess pointed out her son’s flushed face.

“You foolish boy. Only the weak catch colds.”

The Duke’s words matched his wife’s, and Armin sighed.

“It’s not that.”

But his face was indeed flushed. Armin quickly gulped down the cold water in his cup.

“By the way,” the Duchess continued, “Lady Marquie asked about you recently.”

“Marquie? And what did you tell her, my dear?”

“I told her that Armin has been busy lately, infatuated with a certain young lady.”

Armin choked again, coughing up the water he was drinking. The Duke glared at him.

“You’re lacking manners today, Armin. Spitting out your water like that.”

“Mother, that’s not true.”

“Oh? Was I wrong? Didn’t you give that young lady a gift?”

“That…!”

“And you even visited the Viscount’s residence without an invitation. People call that ‘being infatuated’.”

Armin was speechless. The Duke’s eyes widened in surprise.

“You went to the Viscount Roha’s residence?”

“Yes, dear. Without an invitation at that.”

“Armin, do you know Miss Roha ?”

“I doubt it. How could this dull and uninteresting boy socialize with young ladies? Oh, the embarrassment of visiting a family you barely know without an invitation.”

“Hmm. This cannot stand. It reflects poorly on the dukedom.”

“Indeed. People might think our family lacks manners.”

Armin couldn’t interject in his parents’ conversation. It was like trying to stand against a storm naked. He just hoped the dinner would end soon.

But the Duchess dropped a bombshell.

“So, Armin, bring that young lady to our house tomorrow.”

“What?”

“What do you mean ‘what’? I need to meet her and ask her to forgive your lack of manners. It will ease my mind.”

“Oh! That’s a great idea, my dear. Tomorrow, you say? Then I should postpone my plans for tomorrow.”

Unable to stand his parents teasing him any longer, Armin finally stormed out of the room. Leaving the table during a meal was rude, but his parents, knowing he was truly upset, just laughed and did not scold him. In fact, they were relieved to see him go, as they had more to discuss that would surely anger him.

As Armin’s stomping footsteps faded away, the Duke leaned in and asked his wife conspiratorially, “What do you think?”

The Duchess knew exactly what her husband was asking. “She seems lovely.”

“Does she?”

“Yes. She might be a bit frail, but she’s not as weak as the rumors suggest. And according to my sources, she’s quite lively at home.”

“Lively? I heard she’s known for being demure and quiet in public.”

“Exactly. That’s what makes her even more charming. Not everyone can show different sides of themselves to their family and the public.”

The Duchess, with her extensive social connections, saw Vivian’s duplicity as a valuable skill, one that was fitting for someone in her position. In a way, the Roha family was already deeply entangled in their fantasies about Vivian.

“Hmm, above all, the fact that she loves your books is the most endearing, my dear.”

“Is it? You don’t even read them.”

The Duchess teased, and the Duke could only stammer in response, “Ahem! Well…”

He had tried, out of love, but the story hit too close to home, with characters based on himself and his son. The Duke couldn’t bear to read more than a few pages without feeling his face flush with embarrassment.

“I’m just teasing. Anyway, I’m looking forward to meeting her tomorrow.”

“I want to meet her too.”

Though known for his cold demeanor in the palace, the Duke was a softie when it came to his wife. The Duchess smiled gently and shook her head.

“No, dear. Think about how overwhelmed the poor girl will be.”

“Why not? What’s the harm in me meeting her?”

“Remember our second date, dear?”

The Duke stiffened, recalling the incident. “That… that was…”

“You insisted on meeting my father, and I was so nervous I couldn’t go through with it.”

“That’s true. And you went on a date with another man instead.”

“Exactly.”

Though she hadn’t actually been interested in the other man, the Duchess had needed to teach the Duke a lesson. Even now, the Duke remained oblivious to the full context of that situation.

“So, if you meet her, what will she think? She’ll already be overwhelmed by our son’s advances, and meeting you might be too much.”

“But… but you’re meeting her.”

The Duchess clicked her fingers. “I’m meeting her as an author and she’s my fan. That’s different.”

Seeing his wife’s mischievous smile, the Duke sighed, knowing he was beaten. “Very well, my dear. I see your point.”

Though he found it unfair, the Duke loved his wife dearly. Seeing her so full of playful spirit, he couldn’t help but laugh.