A Fierce Formal Dinner (1)
“My Lady, did you have trouble sleeping?”
Leila looked at her mistress’s face with concern.
Duha’s usually lively complexion was, today, as gloomy as a sky full of rain clouds.
“You don’t look well.”
“No, I’m fine.”
In truth, she wasn’t fine.
Duha recalled the events of last night and touched her forehead.
[So if it’s just kindness, it’s better not to give it freely.]
The meaningful blue eyes that looked at her.
[If you don’t want to receive unwanted attention from a man.]
She could still vividly feel the lukewarm breath, as if her hair had nerves.
Duha was not someone who usually missed such cues.
She understood the meaning behind the Duke’s words.
Leonhardt had told her not to show kindness if she didn’t want his attention, but he was already showing significant interest in her.
And Duha knew what that interest meant.
‘But why? What did I do?’
All she did was make him some herbal tea and a pillow after hearing about his insomnia.
No matter how bad the relationship, isn’t it natural to care if someone is unwell?
Yet he told her not to show even that small kindness.
‘Is he saying I should treat my husband like a stone?’
Duha furrowed her brow and bit her lip.
Unfortunately, in her eyes, the Duke was still just an annoying, prickly, and proud imperial noble.
So it was quite surprising.
He didn’t seem like the kind of man to develop intimate feelings over such trivial matters.
Could he be unexpectedly weak in that regard?
“Leila.”
“Yes, my Lady.”
“If you showed meaningless kindness to a man, and he showed interest in you, what would you do?”
“Hmm, I don’t think that would happen to me.”
Leila shrugged at her mistress’s words.
“So, hypothetically…”
As Duha hurriedly tried to add, Leila cut her off.
“Even hypothetically, my Lady. I don’t show meaningless kindness to men in the first place. I don’t want to be misunderstood.”
“Misunderstood?”
“Yes. Men tend to quickly fall into the misconception that a woman likes them if she shows kindness, even if she’s not interested.”
Ah, could that be why the Duke said that?
Did he think she was interested in him?
Duha paused in surprise at the sudden realization and then continued speaking.
“But if there’s a reason you have to care about that man…”
“Why would you care about a man you’re not interested in? He’s practically a stranger.”
Leila frowned as if she couldn’t understand her mistress’s words.
“Well, unless he’s a beggar starving on the street. I don’t have the luxury to show unnecessary kindness to a perfectly healthy man.”
“What if that man is unwell…”
“Hmm, if he’s a man I’m somewhat acquainted with, I might advise him to see a doctor.”
“Even if it’s something you could handle yourself?”
“Well, unless he directly asks me for help, I don’t think I’d step in.”
“…You’re colder than you look, Leila.”
“No, I’m not cold! This is just normal.”
Leila shook her head vigorously, not wanting to be misunderstood.
“Well, if it were a man I had some interest in, I might step in.”
“…You don’t have to have such feelings to help someone.”
“Sure, it might differ from person to person. But I don’t show kindness to men without a reason.”
Leila looked at her mistress curiously and asked.
“Kindness is something you show to someone you like, right? Who shows kindness to someone they dislike?”
“…No.”
“My Lady? What’s wrong?”
“No, no, that’s not it.”
Duha shook her head, trying hard to deny Leila’s words.
If that were true, it would be as if I had feelings for the Duke…
[It’s entertaining. Listening to what you say.]
For a moment, Leonhardt’s mischievous smile from last night flashed through her mind.
[So, keep talking more, wife.]
Along with his low voice tinged with laughter.
Duha clenched her fist, feeling a small sinking sensation in the corner of her heart.
‘No. The reason I took care of the Duke was simply to repay him. There’s absolutely no other meaning…’
Her eyes, a deep golden color like well-ripened barley, trembled slightly as if unable to find their bearings.
“My Lady, my Lady!”
Duha, who had been standing in a daze for a while, came to her senses at the sound of Leila calling her.
“Are you listening to me?”
“Ah, what did you say?”
“You need to choose a dress to wear for the dinner you’re attending tonight. The head maid said she would escort you to the dressing room.”
“Ah, right.”
Only then did Duha remember the most important event of the day.
Dinner with the Duke’s uncle, Lord Nate.
Nate was known as the leader of the conservative nobility faction among the imperial people.
She needed to be fully prepared, both mentally and in appearance.
“Alright, let’s go.”
“Yes, my Lady.”
Duha momentarily cleared her confused mind and left the room with confident steps.
It seemed she had no luxury to think about other matters right now.
*** *** *** *** ***
As if aware that today was a special day, the sun over the Duke’s estate set early.
As the appointed time approached, Duha stepped outside, attended by her maids.
Her gown, dyed a deep indigo at the bodice, gradually lightened towards the hem, almost reaching a gray hue.
The hem, which could have appeared dull, was instead adorned with small jewels like a Milky Way, adding an air of mystery.
With her abundant silver hair elegantly pinned up, Duha looked like a fairy from an unnamed lakeside.
Though it was merely a dinner, she ensured her appearance was flawless, wary of being criticized for being from Bashar.
Meanwhile, Duha paused for a moment when she saw Leonhardt waiting for her at the door.
‘I knew he was handsome, but…’
She found herself admiring her husband’s appearance.
Having only seen him in casual clothes or armor, seeing him in formal attire felt strangely different.
She had thought that tight-fitting clothes wouldn’t suit his tall, muscular frame, but she was mistaken.
The black and blue formal attire, embroidered with gold thread, clung to his body, highlighting his impressive physique, while his half-tied golden hair shimmered softly in the moonlight.
Indeed, his appearance was satisfying just to look at.
Leonhardt, who had been conversing with an attendant, turned his head upon sensing Duha’s presence.
He, too, seemed momentarily taken aback by her appearance, slightly parting his lips.
After a brief silence, he slowly spoke.
“…I almost didn’t recognize you.”
“You have a talent for giving compliments in the least charming way.”
“As long as the listener takes it as a compliment, that’s enough.”
Leonhardt twisted one corner of his mouth into a smile.
“Don’t you have anything to say to me?”
“Should I?”
“If something goes, something should come.”
At his words, Duha paused briefly before speaking with a nonchalant expression.
“The saying ‘clothes make the man’ isn’t just for show.”
“It seems my wife isn’t particularly skilled at giving compliments either.”
“It wasn’t a compliment, just an objective observation.”
“You’re not very honest.”
Leonhardt chuckled softly and offered her his arm.
“Let’s get going.”
“Alright.”
On the promised day of the banquet, the Duke and Duchess headed to Lord Nate’s residence located in the outer castle.
*** *** *** *** ***
Unlike the inner castle where the Duke resided, the outer castle of House Esbaden featured impressive structures with red brick walls and dome-shaped roofs.
It seemed to strongly assert from its very appearance that this place was beyond the Duke’s domain.
Duha carefully observed her surroundings while resting her hand on the Duke’s arm.
She recalled the head maid’s explanation about the power structure of the ducal house that she had heard before departing.
[There are three groups in House Esbaden called the ‘pillars’.]
The first pillar, the ‘Esbaden Knights’, a direct knightly order led by the Duke himself.
The second pillar, the ‘Kreutz’, a council of elders composed of experienced and seasoned vassals.
The third pillar, the ‘White Tower’, a group of magicians who move on the orders of the tower master, not the Duke.
People called these groups the three pillars in the sense that they supported House Esbaden.
[And Lord Nate, the Duke’s uncle, is the head of the Kreutz.]
Unlike its initial purpose of helping the Duke revitalize the territory, the Kreutz had long since become a force of vassals that kept the Duke in check.
And at its center now was ‘Nate von Esbaden’, the Duke’s uncle.
[Even if you’re not welcomed by him, don’t mind it.]
[Why is that?]
[He dislikes the Duke, but he despises the Kingdom of Bashar even more.]
Duha slowly raised her head as she entered the lobby.
A well-dressed elderly gentleman was looking down at them from the second-floor staircase.
His ash-gray hair, grown to his shoulders, was neatly slicked back as if oiled, and his faded green eyes gleamed like those of a snake.
He slowly descended the stairs upon seeing the ducal couple.
“Welcome, Leon. It’s been a while since I’ve seen your face. I regret not being able to attend the wedding.”
He addressed the Duke with a familiar nickname, then turned his gaze to Duha.
“My, I haven’t introduced myself to my niece-in-law.”
His cold green eyes, devoid of any warmth, narrowed.
“I am Nate von Esbaden. You may call me Lord Nate.”
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