~CHAPTER 97~
Duke Wentworth frowned when he saw me, but quickly turned his head to warn Aiden.
“Lower your voice, Aiden.”
“Come on, I was just too happy to see her.”
Hearing the Duke’s low and smooth voice, I could tell he was being extremely cautious.
That worked in my favor.
While the Duchess was scanning my outfit with a disapproving gaze, her eyes stopped on Derek standing behind me.
Then she said, as if she felt sorry for him,
“Oh my, it must be quite exhausting to assist our reckless daughter, Sir Knight.”
Derek didn’t respond or move, as if he hadn’t heard a word.
The Duchess awkwardly dropped her smile, and Aiden muttered irritably,
“He’s the one who twisted my wrist last time… ah, fine. I’ll be quiet.”
“Amelia.”
The Duke put on a practiced, polite smile and approached me.
“Life in the Imperial Palace couldn’t have been easy, but seeing that you endured so well, I’m proud of you. Come now, let’s go inside.”
He gently took hold of my wrist.
He looked every bit the affectionate father greeting his daughter, so Derek didn’t intervene.
But his grip was surprisingly firm, as if to make sure I couldn’t pull away.
“Yes, yes. I understand.”
The dull pain made me nod quickly.
Only then did the Duke release my wrist and stand close beside me.
At that moment, a man who seemed to be from the academy staff approached and bowed politely.
“Your Grace, we’ve prepared the best seats for you.”
“Oh, thank you.”
The Duke gave me a slight push forward and followed the staff member’s lead.
The front seats were filled with graduates, and the seats we were led to were right behind them.
There weren’t as many graduates as I expected.
Although anyone could enter the academy, graduation was difficult, which meant those who graduated were talented and hardworking.
Of course, Aiden hadn’t graduated.
But Eric had, and at quite a young age too—proof that he was remarkably smart.
Eric, sitting in the front row, glanced back at me.
When our eyes met and I waved lightly, his eyes widened in surprise before he quickly turned his head away.
Heh, acting all shy.
I took my seat, and the Duke sat right beside me.
Staring straight ahead, he spoke in a low voice only I could hear.
“Was that your doing?”
It was a sudden question, but I knew exactly what he meant.
He was asking whether the whole incident with the Crown Prince had been orchestrated by me.
For a moment, I thought about the best possible answer.
If I admitted that it was because I ignored his orders, the Duke might very well try to kill me.
In his mind, I was just a foolish, emotional girl blinded by affection for the Crown Prince.
So, until I secured some kind of safety, I decided to act the part.
“I’m sorry, Father.”
The Duke turned to look at me, his eyes filled with both suspicion and reproach.
“What are you sorry for?”
“I couldn’t… stop His Highness.”
“Couldn’t stop him? Not that you encouraged him?”
At least he doesn’t think I was the one who led it all.
“Encourage him? He doesn’t even take my words seriously.”
“Then why were you at the assembly that day? You’ve never cared for those things.”
“I hadn’t seen His Highness for days. The maid told me I might find him there…”
“Ha.”
The Duke let out a short, incredulous laugh at the idea that I’d gone there just to see my fiancé.
“So you’re still as useless as ever.”
“N-no. He’s… kind sometimes.”
“Kind? When, exactly?”
“When I’m unwell, he worries and sends a physician. He holds my hand in public and even takes me to parties.”
To the Duke, that must have sounded like the Crown Prince was only being courteous for appearance’s sake.
“I heard you even went to the Loisen family’s party. I thought perhaps you’d gotten close, but… if you had, he wouldn’t have dared to act so insolent toward his future father-in-law.”
But in another sense, that meant Vincent still treated me kindly enough to keep up appearances for the Duke’s sake.
Just then, Eric was walking up to the stage.
Duke Wentworth stroked his chin, looking slightly puzzled as he watched.
As applause filled the hall, I clapped along with everyone else.
The Duke remained deep in thought.
To break his focus, I spoke casually.
“Father, Eric seems really smart.”
“He’s still just the second son.”
Duke Wentworth, you’re even more narrow-minded than I thought.
It’s not like Eric chose to be born later.
If you want to preserve a noble family, shouldn’t you value ability over birth order?
It might not matter if the eldest is competent, but Aiden is just too hopeless by comparison.
One by one, the graduates stepped onto the stage to receive their diplomas from the academy’s headmaster.
There were about fifteen graduates in total, and Eric looked the youngest of them all.
Every so often, he’d glance shyly my way, and each time I waved, he turned his head away again.
Adorable.
When the ceremony ended, everyone moved from the auditorium to the banquet hall.
The academy had prepared a small graduation reception and social gathering.
Most graduates weren’t heirs to noble titles.
They were second or third sons of noble families like Eric, or daughters, and a few were wealthy commoners.
Many would go on to serve as bureaucrats in the Imperial Palace, or, if they were of lower birth, as assistants to nobles.
So this event was also a chance for nobles to scout promising graduates.
As soon as we entered the banquet hall, the academy headmaster hurried over to the Duke.
“Ah, Your Grace! What an honor to have you here.”
“It’s been a while, Marquis of Dumblebug.”
Soon other nobles gathered around him as well.
Even though Duke Wentworth had lost much of his power and influence, it was clear his presence still commanded respect.
And why wouldn’t it?
He still had immense wealth, held one of only three ducal titles in the Empire, and his ban from court lasted only three years.
The Duchess was busy chatting with other noblewomen, and Aiden was already flirting with some academy girl.
Poor girl.
I turned my head away before I had to watch any more of that.
Meanwhile, the true star of this graduation—Eric—stood alone in the corner, looking bored.
With nothing better to do, I walked over to him.
“Congratulations, Eric. I heard graduating from the academy isn’t easy. That’s impressive.”
“I just finished early because it was boring.”
Though he grumbled, the slight twitch of his lips said he wasn’t really annoyed.
He was still young, after all.
Eric took a sip of juice, looked around the hall, then set his glass down.
“I should go.”
“Can you go alone?”
“Yeah. The carriage that brought me is waiting.”
“Then wait a second.”
I took a small gift I’d prepared out of my clutch and handed it to him.
He glanced at me and casually unwrapped it.
“…It’s nothing fancy.”
It was something I’d bought with my salary from working at the office.
Buying it on credit would’ve felt strange.
Inside the wrapping was a simple pen.
Eric examined it closely and realized what it was for.
“It records audio, doesn’t it?”
“Yeah. Someone recommended it as a graduation gift.”
“Hmm. Not bad.”
Coming from Eric, that meant he really liked it.
“Thanks. I’ll use it well.”
“Sure. See you next time.”
Eric slipped the pen into his front pocket, waved, and left the hall.
That kid never wastes a movement.
Now what should I do?
I glanced one by one at Duke Wentworth, the Duchess, and Aiden.
