CHAPTER 91…………………………………………..
“Between this outfit and this one… which one looks worse?”
“Both of them are far too plain to be considered going-out clothes, miss.”
After hearing that I wanted to change before the date, Peredil lent us Seymour’s carriage. Thanks to that, I ended up back at the estate, bothering my maid Emily.
“I chose them because they’re too plain. So tell me which one looks worse on me.”
“There aren’t many clothes that don’t suit you, miss… but if I had to choose, you should avoid this dull beige dress. It makes anyone wearing it look pale and unwell.”
“Good. Then I’ll wear this one.”
Emily rolled her eyes as if she couldn’t believe what she’d heard, but when she saw me pointing at the dress, she silently helped me put it on. Her expression was reluctant, but her hands moved diligently.
“Miss, how would you like your hair styled?”
“I won’t.”
“…Pardon? Then surely you don’t mean you won’t do any grooming at all…”
“I don’t need it.”
Her pupils practically shook like an earthquake. She stared at me as if I’d lost my mind. As though a noble lady going out without dressing up was something she’d never seen in her entire career.
Well… it probably was the first time. It was the first time.
“Didn’t you say you were going on a date with the Duke?”
“That’s right. How do I look? Like I put in just a little effort?”
“Yes.”
“Good job, Emily. That’s exactly what I intended.”
Emily looked like she’d completely given up thinking.
“…Are you angry at the Duke or something?”
Before I could answer, a knock sounded from outside the door. When Luna entered, Emily lowered her head. At the request to leave us alone, she reluctantly stepped out, still casting longing glances at my appearance as though she couldn’t let it go.
“Thank you for coming so early, Luna. And Your Highness as well.”
Noah was hiding behind Luna, but with his tall frame, it wasn’t hard to spot his brown hair sticking out. When he realized I’d noticed, he peeked out with an embarrassed expression.
“It’s no trouble. Thank you for inviting us. Though I worry I may become an uninvited guest on your date with Duke Seymour.”
It was I who invited them.
They were the mercenaries helping me today.
The mercenaries for my plan to make Peredil lose interest in me!
Noah didn’t seem to know that yet.
“Actually, there’s a reason I invited you both. Could you grant me a favor during today’s date?”
At the sudden request, Noah glanced at Luna for reassurance. When she smiled warmly, his face relaxed.
“What favor is it?”
I handed him a sheet of paper I had prepared. The two of them leaned in and read the contents carefully.
“Lady Joyce… what is this?”
“Just do what’s written here during the date.”
“…All of this?”
“Will it be difficult?”
“It isn’t difficult, but I don’t understand why we need to do this.”
Noah looked flustered and sought agreement from Luna, but she simply smiled at him as though it were nothing.
He looked like he was the only strange one here.
“If it isn’t difficult, please do it. The Duke needs to realize something.”
“I don’t know what’s going on, but I want to follow Joyce’s wishes. I’ll do it together with her.”
My ally gently took his arm and looked up at him. He still didn’t understand, but he nodded.
“Understood. Honestly, it’s something I’ve done plenty of times.”
“Thank you!”
As I brightened, he spoke seriously.
“This may be presumptuous, but Duke Seymour is a rational man. If there’s something you want, I think it would be better to tell him honestly.”
I know.
But what I want is for him to be hurt…
Instead of explaining further, I simply gave him a teasing smile. Noah wasn’t dense, so he understood I didn’t want to elaborate.
“Miss, the Duke has arrived.”
Peredil arrived at Woodville exactly on time. After exchanging greetings, we headed to a small hill not far from the capital.
“I never imagined I would go on a picnic with Duke Seymour.”
“Yes, Your Highness. I can hardly believe it either.”
“I have one request, Duke—”
“I will comply.”
“Please don’t tell my older brother about today’s picnic.”
Older brother… Theo?
Was there a reason Theo couldn’t know?
Well, maybe he’d feel left out.
“There is no need to worry. His Majesty and I are not close enough to share private daily matters.”
“I trust you, Duke.”
Noah looked genuinely relieved, as though he truly wanted to hide this outing from Theo.
“I won’t answer honestly even if His Majesty asks. But in exchange… could you perhaps stop His Majesty from constantly pressuring me to take up the sword again since returning from the battlefield?”
“Haha. He’s probably just joking. Ignore it.”
Unlike Noah, who laughed, Peredil’s face remained serious.
We arrived at a spot to lay out the picnic mat and unpacked. I signaled Noah, and he gave a small nod.
Just as Luna was about to sit, he launched into the plan.
“Wait! I prepared a soft cushion just for Lady Luna. Please sit here.”
“Oh my… thank you, Your Highness.”
“And here, a blanket. The sunlight may be harsh, so I brought a high-quality parasol. Are you uncomfortable? Here’s another cushion—please rest your legs.”
In an instant, Luna looked like royalty being served.
It was excessive. Ridiculous.
But I spoke loudly enough for Peredil to hear.
“Wow… Luna really has it so good…”
My request to them had been simple:
Be unbearably sweet.
Peredil wasn’t unkind, but he was more… understated.
Normally, I didn’t even like men who made a fuss.
But if it would make Peredil feel smaller in comparison…
Then acting jealous was worth it.
The plan was to make him feel inadequate.
To subtly compare him to Noah and show disappointment.
Of course, showing mild disappointment is one thing…
But constantly complaining and comparing?
That would make anyone lose affection.
Peredil was already trying hard for me.
If I openly scolded him, wouldn’t it wound his pride?
If he started thinking no matter what he did it was never enough…
He might grow tired and give up first.
And so Noah and Luna’s cringe-worthy parade began:
Feeding her sandwiches.
Massaging her shoulders.
Making her flower rings.
Every time I witnessed it, I repeated the same line:
“Must be nice… I wish someone would do that for me…”
I murmured softly, but loud enough to be heard.
I pouted, glanced at Peredil, and kept going.
With every jab, his expression stiffened in real time.
The peak came when Noah suddenly stood up.
“I prepared a poem for Luna!”
I had written: recite an improvised love poem.
And Noah, dutiful as ever, did it.
His poem was terrible, but I dabbed at my eyes dramatically.
“I’m so moved I could cry!”
“Haha… I’m embarrassed to show such poor skill.”
“Poor skill? Not at all! Luna is so lucky to have met someone like you, Your Highness. Just watching you take care of her all day makes me so jealous…”
“Jealous? Lady Joyce, aren’t you already loved enough?”
The perfect opening.
“Well… I am loved, but compared to the devotion you’ve shown today…”
“Hey, why are you like this? I’m sure the Duke takes good care of you too.”
“He does, but… it doesn’t feel romantic. If only I had met a man who spoke kindly like Your Highness…”
Even I thought my words were awful.
And then—
Peredil abruptly stood up.
With long strides, he headed into the thick forest.
“Sh-shouldn’t you follow him?”
“He looks really angry…”
Both of them were trembling almost as much as I was.
“He’ll come back, right?”
“No, Joyce. Shouldn’t you go after him when he’s this angry?”
Luna stared directly at me.
I understood what she meant.
So I hurried after him.
“Duke!”
I found him with his back turned, one arm braced against a tree.
Just as I was about to approach and spark the argument…
He shouted harshly:
“Don’t come any closer!”
