Chapter 45

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It was not long before the horses stopped at the vacant lot in front of the main gate of the Alberton mansion.

And a man sitting on the saddle of the horse standing at the front, Arthur, wearing a navy blue uniform and a black mask that half-covered his face, lightly stroked the horse’s head and came down from it.

[T/N: Grace’s imagination came true! o(〃＾▽＾〃)o]

He then turned his eyes and looked around as if he were looking for someone among those who came to meet him.

“My wife!”

And Arthur, who found Grace at once, called her with a voice full of affection.

Grace ran to her husband, who was calling her in the same outfit as she vaguely imagined just a moment ago, and was gladly putting his arms wide open for her.

Arthur warmly hugged Grace who flew into his arms like a butterfly and landed tenderly, and said.

“I missed you.”

“Me too.”

Arthur passionately looked down at Grace in his arms as if there were no other people who came to meet him and kissed her briefly on her exposed forehead.

When Grace slightly blushed at the action, Arthur looked at her affectionately as if she was lovely.

[T/N: Awwwww…. o(*////▽////*)q]

“Thank you for visiting Alberton Castle, Duke Felix.”

However, such a sweet atmosphere was broken by the words of Duke Alberton, who approached the two.

[T/N: This……… Evil creature! (╬▔皿▔)╯]

Arthur and Grace quickly noticed that there was a strange look behind Duke Alberton’s pretentious smile as he greeted Arthur with a polite smile.

So, when Grace tried to sneak away from Arthur’s arms, Arthur replied, wrapping his arms around Grace’s waist as if he was proud of it.

“Thank you so much for allowing me to visit and for coming to meet me. Duke Alberton.”

“Haha, of course. Duke Felix is here, of course I should come out.”

After that, a few words of courtesy were exchanged between Arthur and Duke Alberton.

Grace quietly stuck close to Arthur, thinking that Duke Alberton’s gaze at her but Arthur was still reluctant.

At that moment Arthur, who was more sensitive than anyone else when it comes to her feelings, put on a ceremonial smile and spoke to Duke Alberton.

“Looks like I’ve caused you a lot of trouble.”

“Haha, what do you mean, there’s no trouble. It’s your first visit. How can I not come and meet you?”

At Arthur’s words, Duke Alberton deliberately smiled nicely and soon approached Arthur’s side and patted him on the shoulder.

“Okay, okay. Don’t stand here uncomfortably, and let’s go inside the party hall and talk more. The mansion’s servants are making the finest specialties of Alberton Castle for Duke Felix.”

However, Arthur, who had been quietly listening to Duke Alberton’s invitation to go inside, slightly raised one corner of his mouth. Then he immediately shook his head resolutely and spoke to Duke Alberton.

“I’m sorry, but I think you should share that dish with others here.”

“…….what?”

“I came here with the intention of quietly bringing my wife back to Felix Castle in the first place. As Duke Alberton knows all too well, Felix Castle, unlike the central ones, is a border area where difficulties may arise if the lord is away?”

“……Haha, anyway, don’t you have time to share a meal?”

“I’m sorry. Duke Alberton. Defending Felix’s castle with my life, because that’s the imperial order given to Duke Felix.”

Arthur smiled brazenly as he looked at Duke Alberton, who had an explicitly unpleasant look at being rejected for the meal offer.

Grace looked up at Arthur’s face and slightly covered her mouth. It’s because she didn’t want to show others that she burst into laughter.

‘I looked uncomfortable, so you took care of me.’

Grace was so delighted inwardly at the sight of Arthur as if piercing her own heart.

As he said, he wanted to return to Felix Castle as soon as possible. Anyway, it became difficult to get more clues about the curse other than bringing one of Duke Alberton’s notebook. And she needed to find out about the things written in the notebook as soon as possible, but there was no reason to waste time in this uncomfortable place.

“Duchess Felix, no, Grace, is that what you think, too?”

Duke Alberton, who failed to persuade Arthur, has spoken to Grace this time. Grace replied to his words, not knowing what the hell he was trying to do to catch her.

“Yes. I already belong to the Felix family.”

‘So, let us go without trying to convince us anymore’, with that thought Grace blinked at Duke Alberton.

It meant that he was no longer in the position that he could force her to act against her will by pressing her down. It was at the time when a blue flame lit up in the eyes of Duke Alberton.

“Don’t do that and accept the favor of Duke Alberton.”

As if blocking the scuffle between the two, someone snapped into their conversation.

What Arthur and Duke Alberton, who followed the voice, saw was Crown Prince Owen walking slowly toward them.

As Owen walked with a big smile, aristocratic women who had been watching Arthur and Duke Alberton scuffle with interesting eyes made their way.

Owen walked in front of Arthur and Duke Alberton and greeted them while winking at those who paved the way for him.

He then glanced strangely at Grace, who was half hugged in Arthur’s arm.

Grace was startled by the gaze, but avoided it as if she didn’t know. Why did the Crown Prince intervene at this moment? Grace secretly trembled, recalling yesterday’s vivid incident as if it had just happened.

Prince Owen’s strange gaze fell on Grace like that, but it was so instant that no one noticed.

She just focused on the fact that the Crown Prince, who was supposed to be drinking luxury tea from the Eastern Continent at the very top of the drawing-room by now, had come all the way here.

“It’s been a while, Your Highness. May you enjoy peace.”

“……….Good morning. Your Highness.”

“Your Highness, how did you come all the way here? Did you not like the tea that the servants prepared?”

Arthur, Grace, and Duke Alberton, respectively, greeted Owen with courtesy.

Owen smiled lightly at the greeting and nodded, and then glanced at Grace once again. Then, as if when he had done that, Owen turned to Arthur and spoke.

“Long time no see, Duke Felix. Is this the first time I’ve seen you at an Imperial Banquet hall?”

“That’s right.”

“It’s still a greeting with no attachment. It really is the same.”

At first glance, it sounds blunt and intractable, but if she feels that the greeting mixed with laughter is strangely edgy, would it not be a mistake?

Grace looked at Owen, who was looking down at Arthur with cold eyes, though Arthur’s expressionless face and the corners of his mouth were smiling.

Meanwhile, Grace and Owen’s eyes met in the mid-air.

At that moment, Grace opened her eyes wide involuntarily, avoiding his gaze again, and Owen squinted at the appearance.

The bizarre expression was filled with persistent and clingy feelings of when he impulsively confessed his love to Grace last night. But Owen skillfully hid it and soon turned to Duke Alberton as if he didn’t even do that.

“Oh. And Duke Alberton, I loved the tea you prepared for me, so I won’t ask you to punish your servants for no reason. I was just getting tired of drinking tea alone with no one to talk to, and I just came out to the sound of the outside.”

“Oh, my. Did you? Your Highness. If you had told me that earlier, I would have left Marianne behind.”

“No. If I had, my future bride might have known my humble humor skills and would have come out to break the engagement. I don’t have a knack for entertaining ladies.”

The aristocrats gathered at Owen’s smirk, like a playboy in the opera, burst into laughter.

Following those formal and pretentious laughter, Duke Alberton awkwardly raised the corners of his mouth. The Crown Prince’s words had been spoken softly a while ago, but the meaning was clear. It was that his daughter, Marianne, was not at all attractive to have a conversation just between the two alone.

Duke Alberton quietly chewed on the tender flesh in his mouth, capturing the rising anger. The position now, that position, is maintained because of whom. He can’t believe that the young prince is running wild without knowing heaven and earth.

He was angry and resentful, but Duke Alberton had to endure it. It’s not the right time yet. Because the plan was only coming together now little by little. So Duke Alberton tried hard to laugh at the insult.

“No way. My daughter, Marianne, enjoys conversations with Your Majesty’s sincere heart more than minstrels or clown jokes.”

As soon as Duchess Alberton, who noticed her husband’s displeasure, hurriedly intervened in the conversation between the two.

Owen slightly raised the corners of his mouth on his to-be father-in-law, who was lined up with a desperate expression as if he were hanging on to him. And then politely lowered his lips briefly to her gloved, stout hands and replied.

“I am glad that you said so, Duchess Alberton, and as a beautiful woman, she speaks beautiful words of praise.”

“Oh my goodness.”

“I think it is truly an honor to have a beautiful wife as my mother-in-law.”

Owen’s sweet smile, saying so, fell on Grace, neither Duchess Alberton nor Marianne.

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