Chapter 32
“Phew… I guess I have to sell them all. It’s such a waste since I only wore them once, but what choice do I have? Don’t you agree? I spent an entire week running around just to prepare these.”
The exhaustion in Lisa’s voice made El unable to take a single step. It wasn’t just the price—it was knowing how much effort Lisa had put in.
After a brief pause, El carefully offered a suggestion.
“Couldn’t you just have them altered and wear them?”
Lisa shook her head weakly.
“There’s a limit to how much I can alter them. The designs themselves don’t suit me.”
El pressed her lips together and let out a quiet sigh at Lisa’s defeated tone.
“Then… I’ll just take the dresses. Please let me leave the rest.”
“All right, at least take the dresses,” Lisa said.
Cradling the large box in her arms, El thanked her and left the parlor.
Once El was gone, worry shadowed Lisa’s face.
Of all times… he danced with the princess during such a critical moment.
Randol and Princess Ruena were evenly matched in influence, and Kalen’s movements had drawn the attention of the nobility. Lisa had been relieved that, since Kalen stayed at home most of the time, he hadn’t gotten entangled in rumors or schemes. Yet now, he had danced with Princess Ruena.
Kalen wasn’t suited for politics. Honest and upright as he was, entering the political world would only lead to him being hurt. As a mother, Lisa couldn’t bear that thought. She simply wished for her son to form a family and live happily, rather than become king and claim a kingdom.
Is this sudden change… because I pushed him too hard to marry? Lisa closed her eyes.
Is he thinking, “If that’s the case, I’ll take the kingdom!” and approaching the princess? What if he ends up clashing with Crown Prince Randol?
Her overprotective concern had her spinning entire stories in her mind.
***
The day she was to meet Kalen, El wrapped a scarf snugly around her neck and covered her bruised wrists with towels tucked into her sleeves. The bruises were worse than expected, and a few days hadn’t been enough for them to fully fade.
“All right. Perfect. Phew.”
Guilt gnawed at her for having spied on Kalen, and she took several deep breaths to calm herself. She had to act natural when seeing him.
But the moment the door opened, El jumped to her feet without thinking. Tension filled her as she exhaled in relief upon seeing Kalen enter.
“Good morning, Kalen?”
“Good morning, Baroness Moora,” Kalen replied respectfully, placing the tea down and handing her a folded note.
“What’s this?”
“It’s a message from the Grand Duchess,” he explained. Then he poured the tea and quietly left the study.
Unease prickled El as she hesitated, unfolding the note. Her eyes widened as she read:
“The only person I can trust is Baroness Moora. Please ensure the Duke goes on a date within this week.”
Her mind went blank for a moment. She had only been entrusted with reading love letters, and now she was expected to play matchmaker too. It seemed the Grand Duchess overestimated her abilities.
“How am I supposed to make him go on a date this week? What power do I even have?”
Muttering to herself in disbelief, the door opened again—and Kalen walked in.
Startled, El sprang from her seat. The sudden movement caused her chair to topple backward with a loud crash. Kalen paused at the door, surprised, and looked at her.
“I… I was startled…”
She quickly set the chair upright and subtly hid the note behind her back as she looked at him.
“Are you hurt?”
“No, I’m fine. Please, sit.”
Once Kalen settled into the chair, El exhaled quietly, retrieved a letter, and began reading. She didn’t want him to suspect anything.
“This is a letter from Lady Anna Peyton. ‘To Duke Kalen Elias, whom I think of even more under the dark night sky. The stars shine brightly tonight, reminding me of Your Grace’s brilliance. Since the last party, I have thought of you more and wish to speak with you further, though I was disappointed you left so soon.’”
It was Anna’s letter. Meeting her at the party had made her tone much more familiar. El hoped that, since Kalen knew Anna, he might react differently.
“You met her at the party, didn’t you?” she asked.
“…Seems so. Lady Anna Peyton…”
He frowned, as if he didn’t quite recall. El wanted to explain.
She’s the young lady who argued with Edgar, with those sharp eyes! She even invited us to her hunting grounds near the capital!
But she swallowed her words and forced a smile.
“I know Lady Anna Peyton a little, too. She invited me to a tea party once.”
Not the best memory, but outwardly polite and from a reputable family, she wasn’t an unsuitable match for Kalen.
“She has hunting grounds close to the capital. Do you like hunting? Odin and Sif are there, so you’d enjoy it.”
“I do, occasionally,” Kalen replied matter-of-factly, turning his attention to his papers.
Anna’s attempt had failed; he showed no interest. El let out a light sigh and rolled her eyes before moving on.
“Among the ladies you met at the party, was there anyone who caught your eye?”
She asked thinking of the princess. If he had danced with her, he couldn’t have been completely indifferent.
A mysterious young lady with violet eyes, known for her elegance and fairness, came to mind. She seemed a perfect match politically and socially.
Kalen lifted his gaze and met El’s eyes. Her heart leapt, wondering what he would say.
But in an instant, his expression hardened. Slowly rising, he walked toward her. The sudden intensity made El shrink back in surprise.
“Duke?”
His hand reached for her, and instinctively she turned and closed her eyes.
“What is—this?”
“Hmm?”
Kalen tugged at the scarf around her neck, brushing against her skin. El quickly twisted away.
“What are you doing?”
“Nothing,” he said lowly.
As she tried to cover her neck, he caught her hand and held it firmly. She didn’t know why, but his grip was strong. She quickly covered her neck with her other hand.
“What’s the matter?”
His voice was dangerously low. El twisted her hand, trying to free it, but Kalen didn’t let go.
She stammered a weak excuse.
“I… I just wore the scarf, and it got pulled… causing a bruise. That’s all.”
“Because of the scarf?”
“Yes, the scarf.”
El finally freed her hand and stepped back, smoothing her scarf. The spot where his fingers had touched burned faintly.
I thought I had covered it… when did he see it?
His piercing gaze made her fidget with her scarf.
“This is none of your concern, Duke.”
“…I see. Not my concern, then.”
Yet his muted voice grated on her nerves.
Why is he like this? Is he angry?
After seeing Odin and Sif, he had gotten upset before—and now again. El couldn’t understand why he was always irritated with her.
Kalen sat back down, and El followed, feeling too flustered to read the letter’s sweet words. She tried to calm her voice and heart, but failed.
“I’m sorry. I can’t read the letter today,” she said.
“….”
Kalen silently stared at her, unreadable. El’s chest tightened.
“May I leave now?”
“…Prepare the carriage,” he said.
“All right. Until next time, then.”
El quickly excused herself and left the study, feeling inexplicably frustrated. She hated that he was angry and hated that he had seen her bruise.
Once in the carriage, she sank into the seat and closed her eyes tightly.
After she left, Kalen picked up his pen and finished the paperwork, then signed.
Ink smeared on the paper, and he tossed the pen onto the desk. His mind felt as chaotic as the blotched sheet.
Sighing, he stood and washed his face. A hot, simmering anger rose in his chest. Seeing the blue bruise on El’s neck had triggered it.
The young lady at the palace party a few days ago was undoubtedly El. She must have attended on her mother’s request to watch him. And when she followed him, she had been misunderstood by Randol.
So Randol had her in a chokehold?
The thought of her neck made his blood boil.
Kalen’s frustration burned hotter as he splashed his face repeatedly. Despite it being his mother’s request, he was furious that El had come to the palace and angry at Randol for hurting her.
But the part that angered him most? That he had been eating chocolate, oblivious to her peril.
