CHAPTER 116…………………………………….
Regret (2)
Could it be that he only felt regret after all, just because he was going to marry the Emperor? Why now, after staying quiet all this time?
Could it possibly be… jealousy?
Just as a faint smile was about to spread across Hildegarde’s face at the thought, Adel glanced around and lowered her voice.
“Duke Algernon has proposed to Princess Saide, and they’ll be getting married soon. I think that’s why His Majesty is rushing the wedding. After all, a wedding is a major affair. Even if it’s just a matter of setting a date, he doesn’t want to lose to his half-sibling.”
Could it really be that the reason the Duke of Saide defied the Emperor was just something so trivial? And that the Emperor hurried the wedding not out of love for her, but out of petty jealousy?
Hildegarde forced herself to smooth out her naturally furrowed brow.
“Mariana and Duke Algernon? When did they become involved? Didn’t the Duke return just around the last banquet?”
“That’s exactly what I’m saying.”
Adel pouted with a sulky expression. She had suddenly recalled Duke Algernon’s handsome features.
When Viscount Algernon first appeared at the banquet, Adel had fallen for him at first sight. His gaunt yet striking appearance had instinctively stirred her maternal instincts—and she still couldn’t forget it.
Since he had introduced himself as a viscount, Adel, being a count’s daughter, had assumed that if she extended her hand, things would go smoothly with him. But for some reason, he had disappeared during the banquet and reappeared with Mariana.
“Even if Lady Saide appears innocent on the surface, she must have something hidden. I don’t know how she managed to charm His Grace the Duke in such a short time.”
“There are those who pretend to be good or naive on the outside but do all sorts of things behind the scenes. Mariana never really got along with me back at the academy.”
Adel nodded with a puckered expression, seemingly unaware of how mischievous she looked at that moment.
“I thought so. Otherwise, how would she have known the Duke had just returned from abroad and managed to seduce him? If only it weren’t for that cunning princess…”
“If it weren’t for her? My goodness, Adel, do you mean to say you were interested in His Grace the Duke?”
Hildegarde’s tone, filled with unmistakable mockery, made Adel flare up briefly. Why not? Was there a rule saying she couldn’t like the Duke? Did she always have to play Hildegarde’s maid?
Still, Adel quickly composed herself and smoothed her expression.
After all, Algernon already belonged to Mariana. If she wanted to secure a decent match, she would need to catch Hildegarde’s eye and become a close attendant to the future Empress.
But she didn’t want to grovel endlessly. Hildegarde would be Empress soon enough, but not yet. At the end of the day, she was just another noblewoman, not much different from Adel herself.
For her own future, Adel thought, it was necessary to show that she wasn’t someone to be underestimated.
“Me? No! Why would I be interested in Duke Algernon? By all accounts, he’s nothing special. He’s all looks, and he’s always pale, so even his looks aren’t all that remarkable. He doesn’t even have proper estates. And if His Majesty dislikes him, getting involved with him would only narrow my social standing.”
A grape hung too high is sour and unripe.
Shaking her head, Adel continued.
“By the way, how did we end up talking about Princess Saide’s marriage? Ah, right! We were discussing how the Duke of Saide defied the Emperor, causing him some distress. But I hear that even the Duke of Saide isn’t entirely blameless.”
It was widely known in society that Hildegarde had once been infatuated with the Duke of Saide. Adel watched Hildegarde carefully. Though her expression was calm, the way she gripped her skirts betrayed unease.
“Why? What did the Duke of Saide do?”
“You’ve probably heard the rumor that he might favor men, haven’t you?”
Hildegarde barely nodded, as if reluctant to acknowledge it. The rumor, in fact, had been spread by Hildegarde herself, whose pride had been pricked by the Duke’s indifference.
“But it turns out that was just a baseless rumor.”
“What?”
Hildegarde, who had been pretending not to care, couldn’t help but speak loudly.
“Baseless? Do you mean to say he… had a woman?”
“Oh, don’t even start. The whole social circle is buzzing about it. Apparently, His Grace the Duke of Saide is involved with his aide.”
“What on earth…”
“Did you know?”
Hildegarde smirked at Adel’s wide-eyed surprise.
“Know? It was just a rumor. His Grace and that woman could never actually be involved. Besides, Anje— that woman—knows her place.”
Regaining her composure, Hildegarde looked into the mirror with a prim expression.
Thanks to Adel, her hair shone and her translucent, flawless skin looked more beautiful than ever. And yet the man who had never so much as glanced at her was supposedly interested in his aide.
Her pride was thoroughly wounded, but Hildegarde had no choice but to accept it. The one consolation was that no matter how the two felt, they could never actually be together.
“There were similar rumors during the spring palace banquet, but everyone quickly dismissed them. It was simply impossible. Think about it—how many beautiful noblewomen are in society? And yet His Grace would take interest in a shabby woman who dresses only in practical black dresses? It makes no sense.”
“Exactly. That’s why everyone said men and women’s affairs are unpredictable. But in their case… well…”
“No, milady. Something’s definitely off with the two of them. Aren’t you even a little angry? How could such a woman ever deserve the Duke of Saide?”
Clicking her tongue, Adel lowered her voice after making sure no one else was in the room.
“Well, apparently that Anje was seriously injured not long ago. I don’t know the details, but the Duke’s household was thrown into chaos, and to protect just that aide, the household’s knights and soldiers guarded her day and night.”
Hildegarde suddenly recalled the report of a slight mishap during the elimination of Alain.
The goal had been achieved, and the poison was deadly even to the touch, so she hadn’t worried about the aftermath. Could it be that the girl survived?
“That’s not all. I hear the Duke even had a carriage specially made for her. The carriage is tall, so it’s inconvenient for women in dresses. Yet His Grace prepared a new carriage with steps so she could easily get in and out—just for Anje.”
“A carriage?”
Carriages weren’t cheap; even prominent families usually had only one or two due to the cost of maintenance, horses, and drivers. And yet the Duke had commissioned a special one for just this woman?
“A fallen noblewoman and the Duke of Saide. Some naive young ladies think it’s romantic, but where’s the sense in that?”
“…….”
“Of course, just seeing that he wasn’t interested in someone as beautiful as you, milady, raises questions about his taste.”
“Adel.”
Hildegarde’s voice carried a warning. Adel flinched but did not stop speaking.
“I’m just saying. Men these days have no eye for women. Milady, the Duke of Saide likes his aide? If I had known, I would have just thrown on a plain black dress instead of this expensive gown…”
Adel had unwittingly confessed that, after Duke Algernon, she had even been interested in the Duke of Saide.
“Adel!”
Reading the faint anger behind Hildegarde’s warning, Adel finally became timid.
“Are you angry? No, I wasn’t interested in His Grace. That’s not what I meant.”
“Why would I be angry? By the way, when will grandfather arrive?”
Adel checked the time against the wall and rose from her seat.
“He should be arriving soon…”
Trailing off, she looked out the window, just as the sound of a carriage approached.
“He must have arrived. I’ll prepare the carriage.”
“There’s no need.”
Startled by the unexpected words, Adel stopped in her tracks.
“Excuse me? Milady, I think I misheard you.”
“I said there’s no need for a carriage. He doesn’t enjoy such things. Everything’s ready—just hand it over to the people.”
“Yes, milady.”
Adel forced a smile and stepped back. Hildegarde was left alone in the room. Soon, the sound of the Marquis’ footsteps echoed down the corridor.
Because he walked so much, he had reinforced his shoe heels with iron plates, making his steps unusually loud. The regular sound of his cane hitting the floor intermingled with each step.
There was a time when Hildegarde had trembled in fear at just the sound of the Marquis’ footsteps.
