Note- After re-looking the translation of the previous chapter, I’ve found the legendary senior is a female. I apologize to the inconvenience, other than that please enjoy the chapter!!
***
As she left the carriage, an old lady dressed in a suit walked up to Irene.
She didn’t seem to be the Duchess, so this person was most likely the ‘Legendary Senior’ Beth had referred to.
“I’ve been waiting for you, Irene Webber. My name is Pamela, the head of the servants who belong to the duchy.”
Irene glanced back at Beth. Both her eyes were shining in the shape of hearts.
She seems to really like her. She wasn’t even like this when the knight candidates threw off their jackets, showing off their broad chests.
Seeing Beth happy made Irene feel delighted.
‘It’s a good thing I was brave enough to come to the duke’s residence.’
Today must be a really lucky day.
I had the chance to witness a lot of handsome brothers and meet the person Beth respected.
I’ll have a lot to tell brother Benjamin when I return to the residence.
“I would like to apologize and seek understanding from the lady, who arrived after a tiring carriage ride.”
Pamela tightened her body. Irene nodded immediately, though she didn’t grasp what Pamela had to apologize for.
I’m in a good mood today, so I’ll be a generous Irene.
“The Duke and his wife have left for urgent matters.”
Oh, they’re not here.
That’s all right. I just need to hand over the letter and gift and head back. I’ll be able to leave and quickly buy candy.
“On their behalf, the successor will greet you.”
Successor?
Are you talking about Roger Blake? I’m gonna be greeted by a boy who’s got a big mouth?
I’d be lucky if there wasn’t a war or something.
“I didn’t come here to be served. I’ll just accept the apology.”
So Irene quickly rejected Pamela’s proposal.
I would rather be friends with the Crown Prince than sit in the drawing room and drink tea with Roger Blake.
“No. The Duke and the Duchess will be very sorry to hear that they have sent back the guests who came all the way here. Of course, Countess Webber would also be disappointed.”
“But…”
“We can’t allow our young guest to stay at the door. Come, please enter. I will guide you to the drawing room.”
Ugh, I really don’t like this.
However, Pamela was so enthusiastic that I wasn’t able to resist.
I came here to send a letter to decline attending the tea party, so I couldn’t refuse the short teatime.
Irene followed Pamela into the duke’s mansion with a nervousness. No, the word castle would suit this place more than a mansion.
Wherever I looked, everything was big, wide, and fancy.
In addition, the eyes of the former Duke’s in the frames placed around the hall were very intense.
I understood a bit why Roger Blake was showing off that the Duke was great.
That’s how anyone would think if they lived in such a great place.
As Irene sat on the sofa in the drawing room, Pamela immediately prepared warm milk for Irene.
Her behavior was polite, and the place seemed beautiful.
It was perfect hospitality.
Except for one thing.
“There.”
Irene pointed to the empty seat.
The place where the owner should be seated by now.
Pamela, who noticed Irene’s gaze, immediately apologized. She asked for her understanding and left the drawing room.
‘I don’t like it anyway.’
Irene observed the drawing room, drinking the pleasantly warmed milk, and waited for Roger Blake to make an appearance.
“Oh, come on! No!”
A moment later, I heard a very uneducated voice from outside. Roger Blake.
“Pamela, please, okay? Oh, I’m serious! It’s not that I don’t like her, I can’t meet her, okay?”
What do you mean you can’t? Why are you yelling so loudly without dignity?
The sound drew nearer.
“H, how dare you drag me! How dare you drag me, the duke’s successor! You think you’re gonna be okay, Pamela?”
“We’re here. Let’s enter, young master.”
“Shut up! I’m not meeting her! Do you want to kill me?”
“Human beings don’t die that easily.”
He didn’t seem to want to meet Irene. He seemed frightened, as if he was attempting to avoid her.
But was there a reason why he should? I think something is wrong.
First, Roger Blake did not know Irene. He has only seen her face once in the library.
Even if she was identified later separately, it was Irene who had been bullied.
Irene should have been the one to act like this.
“I’ll open the door, young master.”
“Oh, no! Pamela, please!”
After screaming in anger, he changed his demeanor and began to beg.
Nevertheless, Pamela opened the door.
Irene stood up from her seat to curtsey and complete her greetings.
There stood Roger Blake with a distorted face.
I seemed a little younger today compared to the last time since I acted differently.
“It’s been a while.”
Irene greeted him naturally and smiled as if she had made her previous actions up.
It was a cute smile that she was always praised for.
“…Hyuk.”
Roger Blake’s face turned blue from fear.
He looked as if he had run into the boss of a company that had fired him due to bad events from the past.
“I, I, Irene Webber.”
A scene instinctively struck into Roger’s mind as he stuttered and called her name.
When he met the Crown Prince.
Elvin spoke, a bored expression playing on his face.
「You’ll have to be very careful from now on.」
His intense glare remained in Roger’s mind.
「About Irene Webber.」
He flinched.
Recalling the fear of that time, he instinctively reached out his arm and grabbed the doorknob.
He didn’t care about manners or courtesy anymore.
Gwang! He closed the door and caused an abrupt noise.
There were about five question marks over Irene’s head.
“Huh, why…?”
「Roger Blake.」
Elvin pronounced his name slowly. As if every letter contained a meaning.
「You don’t know how much I’ve been looking forward to meeting you.」
「O, of course I’ve been looking forward to meeting your highness.」
…As you probably know, Your Highness.
「When I first met you, I had something I wished to let you know.」
「I wished to teach you.」
「…teaching?」
Elvin smiled while nodding.
「I wanted to. Teaching for our new deep friendship.」
Elvin, who said so, added a few words as if something had come to mind.
「Of course, if you want to teach me anything, you can. We will have a deep friendship from today onwards. 」
“H, how dare I…”
「Then I’ll go first.」
Then, Elvin brought up the story about the silver-haired girl Roger was attempting to bully.
Including her identity, of course.
「I don’t want to see my friend, Benjamin Webber, worried. I think you would have understood what this means by now.」
He understood perfectly. A simple schematic sentence illustrated the meaning.
If you get near Irene, you die.
It doesn’t mean you’ll actually die, but you will have to struggle with the pain that follows.
“What a shameful act, young master.”
Pamela, standing behind him, scolded him.
I know, I’m ashamed of myself. However, the eyes of the Prince engraved in his memory were so scary.
Looking at the little girl, I couldn’t even stand properly because of his gaze and words that came to mind.
“If the Duke finds out, he will be very disappointed.”
I know! I know, damn it!
I’m sure he’ll slap me for being a disgrace to his name.
It was an obvious development.
Creak.
At that time, the door, which had been tightly closed, opened slightly.
Irene carefully poked her face out through the gap in the door she created.
“You don’t have to overdo it if you’re sick. “
She observed me sadly.
“The young master is in perfect health.”
“Oh, no!”
Roger shook his head. I was strong, but not healthy. I don’t know what this condition is called.
“Then I’ll bring the doctor.”
“I, I don’t want shots.”
“Then treat my lady right. A guest came to the Duchy, and you are the only owner of the mansion at this moment.”
Roger looked back at Irene, tears filling his eyes.
‘This can’t be helped.’
I can’t help it. I’ve been avoiding showing up at the library because of Irene.
‘It’s inevitable, so the Crown Prince can’t be angry either.’
“Oh, okay. I’ll serve her. All I have to do is greet her, right?”
“Yes, young master.”
Pamela, who answered so, sighed.
Irene sat face to face with Roger Blake.
However, his gaze went to the window. He never looked directly at Irene.
What’s wrong with him?
Confused, Irene placed her glass of milk down and stared at Roger Blake.
Let’s figure this out.
“Wh, what do you want.”
Roger adjusted his posture, his gaze uncomfortable. He wanted to avoid speaking with Irene. However, there was no avoiding it.
**