Chapter 75

“What about Noel?”

“Noel seems to have business with his friends.”

The Duke looked around for a moment and then pointed to a certain corner with his hand.

As she followed his hand, she saw Noel grabbing a boy’s shoulder and dragging him along.

. . . What are you doing?

Something about his behavior looked very suspicious.

He looked like someone who does something really bad?

Rieta sips her juice, and she continues to observe Noel’s actions.

Immediately, her eyes met Noel, who was turning his head back and forth.

What are you doing?

Rieta mouthed the question.

Even in the mansion, she often asked questions this way, so there was no way he could not recognize the shape of her mouth.

Still, Noel shook his head.

The teacher said that that was rudeness you should never display at a party!

Why are you doing that?

Could it be he didn’t like Rieta’s choice of a modest gift?

He might have thought that sturdy leather boots were too unsightly to be handed over by a member of the splendid Duchy family.

. . . I don’t know if I’ll hear another word when I go back.

Rieta took a deep breath.

* * *

Meanwhile, Noel was having a very tense time.

When he followed his father to the banquet hall, he looked around with his eyes shining like a hawk.

Of course, the person he was looking for was the Lord of County McClain.

He was Noel’s best friend, but at the same time, his biggest rival.

In all fields, from academics, swordsmanship, and art, Noel excelled.

But there was only one thing he couldn’t win at.

That was popularity.

The McLean Lord was strangely popular amongst the girls of the Capital. No, it wasn’t just the girls.

Even the elderly wives used to be especially fond of Lord McLean, telling the story that he was cute and smart.

So was that why?

Noel wasn’t very happy with Hugh McClean’s interest in Rieta.

Anyway, he focused his eyes and looked around.

He succeeded in finding Count McLean and his wife once.

But the Lord didn’t seem to be around those two.

He’s not here?

Noel was vigilant and looked around a little more.

I don’t think he really came.

If he looks until this far, he still couldn’t find him.

Soon it would be time for Rieta to take her gift and step out in front of the Princess.

Noel nodded his head to Rieta, who met his gaze for a moment.

There is no dangerous McLean, so feel free to go out.

Of course, even if Hugh McLean was there, he wouldn’t have been able to stop Rieta.

He crossed his arms and looked at Rieta, who skillfully greeted the Princess.

That’s pretty good.

Afraid of giving compliments in his heart, he heard the bewildered Rieta presenting the flattened Kingdom pronunciation.

That fool.

“The Princess must have been embarrassed.”

Then, someone spoke in a friendly voice.

Noel let out a small sigh.

“That’s why. What’s the point of practicing ‘sincerely’ more than a hundred times? It’s wrong even in practice.”

“Has she practiced more than a hundred times? You must be upset that she’s wrong.”

“What can I do? The flat pronunciation of the Kingdom is not easily correctable . . . ”

Noel stopped talking for a moment and looked back in surprise.

The handsome boy. Hugh McLean was smiling bashfully with his white face shining.

“Yes, why are you here!”

He screamed, but the boy bowed slightly, as if familiar with it, and offered a smooth greeting to the Duke and Noel.

It was the perfect look of a gentleman.

“When I saw the Lord come, I immediately ran to you. Because I like the Lord.”

Noel looked at the other person with cold eyes.

If you can get the best popularity in the Capital, you won’t mind saying such tickling words.

Noel didn’t want that kind of popularity.

First off, wasn’t it creepy?

“Today, I was very happy to hear that the Lord was going to attend with the Princess.”

“Did you miss me that much?”

“Yes. But most of all . . .”

Hugh turned his head to look at Rieta, who was talking with the Princess, and smiled.

“I was curious about the Princess. I was surprised that she was cuter than I had imagined.”

“Why are you imagining the Princess’s face?! Why!”

“That’s because there’s been rumors abound and we’ve never seen each other before.”

Noel felt really bad.

He doesn’t know why he was in a bad mood, he felt terribly bad anyway.

“Well, can I stay with the Lord?”

At that time, he earnestly asked by putting his hands together.

“Why?”

“This, it’s been so long since I haven’t seen the Lord, so many stories have been pushed back.”

As the boy grunted, Noel let out a little bit of displeasure and smiled.

Anyway, this guy’s popularity!

If Hugh McClean was the most popular boy in the Capital, then Noel was the most popular with said boy.

So, the most popular boy in the Capital is me.