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Chapter 69

He doubted his own ears, wondering if he'd misheard.

Duchess? Emilia?

What nonsense.

That knight must be mistaken.

Emilia as a Duchess—even a passing dog would laugh.

"Excuse me. I think you've got the wrong person."

"What do you mean?"

The knight's face was calmly oblivious.

Cedric opened his mouth to correct him.

"She's just a commoner who dressed up as a noble to get into the palace—just to see me."

Then a thought crossed Cedric's mind.

Wait, she got into the palace dressed like that?

His eyes lit up.

"No—come to think of it."

He twisted his lips, as if he'd caught a lucky break.

"Hey. Isn't this impersonating a noble?"

At his triumphant tone, Lucas opened his mouth with a look of pity.

"It seems you're the one with the serious misunderstanding."

He turned fully toward Emilia, having handed her the bag.

"This lady is indeed the Duchess of Valen—"

And with a cold stare, he looked down at Cedric.

"—and she's on her way back after attending Her Highness the Princess's tea party."

"Wh-what? Her Highness the Princess?"

Cedric repeated stupidly.

The words he'd just heard simply wouldn't connect with Emilia.

"That's right."

A blatant sneer appeared on Lucas's face as he watched the pathetic sight.

"I don't know whose son you are, but she's not someone a lowly official like you should be speaking to so carelessly."

"A l-lowly official?"

Cedric's face flushed red. He whipped his head around to look at Emilia.

"Hey, Emilia. What's this knight misunderstanding? Right?"

His eyes demanded she deny it—but Emilia calmly affirmed.

"That's right."

"R-right? See, it's a misunderstanding..."

"I am the Duchess of Valen."

"What are you—! Don't lie! You didn't say that earlier!"

Cedric cried out urgently, his voice a mix of panic and desperation.

Emilia looked at him for a moment, then spoke.

"I didn't need to bring up being a Duchess just to deal with you."

"...What?"

Cedric froze, dumbfounded.

He wanted to retort, but didn't know what to say.

"Pfft."

A stifled laugh came from beside her.

Emilia glanced at Lucas.

What was so funny about this situation?

She let out a small sigh and spoke.

"Sir Lucas, could you guide me to where my carriage is waiting?"

"Yes, gladly."

Lucas straightened up and extended his hand.

The same hand that had just smashed the back of Cedric's head.

---

Fortunately, Cedric didn't follow.

He just stood there, looking as dazed as if he'd been hit on the head.

The news that she had become a Duchess must have been quite a shock.

...Well, he did get hit on the head, to be fair.

Emilia carefully removed her hand from Lucas's arm.

"Thank you for helping earlier."

"What do you mean?"

Lucas raised an eyebrow as if he had no idea what she was talking about.

"I only remember delivering the bag you left behind."

He even shrugged nonchalantly—and Emilia finally burst out laughing.

"So, that guy was your ex-fiancé?"

"Why are you asking when you already know?"

Emilia shot him a look.

"Just confirming. So, what's his name and department?"

"Huh?"

Emilia's eyes went wide.

"What are you going to do with that?"

"Well, we work in the same palace."

He added in a casual tone.

"We might run into each other. Thought I might say hello once in a while."

Emilia narrowed her eyes.

It didn't look like he'd stop at just saying hello.

No—that greeting was likely to be quite violent.

"Lucas."

"Hm?"

"You're not planning to go find him and do something, are you?"

"Who knows."

Lucas lifted the corner of his mouth and dodged the question.

Emilia gave him a firm look, as if to say this wasn't a joke.

"I appreciate the sentiment, but that one hit earlier was enough. And I told you before—if you, a complete stranger, go after him, it's just causing trouble."

Lucas gazed at her as she drew the line.

She probably said it without any deeper meaning—

But it stings more than I expected.

He'd thought his fascination with her was just intrigue.

She was unlike the noble ladies he usually encountered, and her unpredictable words amused him.

But looking back on his own behavior today, he realized he'd been sorely mistaken.

The way he'd been so conscious of her, flustered like a green boy—

It was laughable even to himself.

His heart had dropped at the news of her marriage, and the moment he saw that bastard grabbing her arm, he'd struck without thinking.

He couldn't deny it any longer.

"I missed my chance."

Lucas let out a dry laugh and ran a hand through his hair.

The woman before him was already someone else's wife.

But it wasn't as if there was no hope.

Just hearing that she'd be getting divorced had brought him such relief.

Is this a pretty pathetic way of thinking?

Lucas looked at her for a moment and smiled.

"Emilia."

"Hm?"

At his sudden use of her name, Emilia looked up with a puzzled expression.

"When your sham marriage ends—"

He lowered his voice and narrowed his eyes.

"—will you go out with me?"

He didn't want to remain just a stranger.

---

The door opened, and Lucas entered. Selena's face lit up.

"Sir Lucas."

The tea party had already ended.

Once the Duchess of Valen—the main attraction—had left, everyone had lost interest.

Though her first hosted tea party had ended early, Selena didn't mind.

Thanks to that, even the Empress's people had all gone.

"Did you escort the Duchess safely?"

"Yeah, sure."

Lucas answered vaguely, waving his hand.

Then, as if exhausted, he trudged over and collapsed onto the sofa. His long legs dangled over the armrest.

Selena tilted her head.

Something seemed off about Lucas.

"Come to think of it, why did you come through the door today?"

"Huh?"

"Are you feeling unwell?"

His expression was also dazed.

At her concerned question, Lucas let out a short laugh.

"Ah, well."

He added casually.

"I just got rejected by a woman I like."

"What?"

Selena's eyes went wide.

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