CH 42

Keira was worried.

‘Should I have pretended to think about it?’

It was noble to take time to consider all offers, even the least desired ones.

She felt ashamed because she felt like she had been anticipating it. To make matters worse, she was now holding tightly onto Joseph’s hands as if they were her lifelines.

When she realized that fact, she took a quick step back.

Keira: “Oops.”

She coughed and controlled her facial expression.

Keira: “I was worried because something happened to the person who was supposed to be my partner. It’s good timing, huh?”

Joseph: “Is that so?”

The one who was supposed to be her partner must be the blond snake.

Joseph wondered if she knew if the snake was going to the party or not?

The operation would be more efficient if it was discovered that he had lied.

Keira: “But was that all you needed?”

Joseph: “Yes.”

There was a deep silence. It’s what was expected when someone with 0 sociability skills and +1 sociability skills were together.

Joseph: “Well, I’ll excuse myself then. Is that navy dress over there for the ball?”

Keira: “Yes.”

Joseph: “Then, I’ll prepare accordingly.”

Keira: “I’d appreciate it.”

Keira tried not to show how happy she was, and saw him off to the hallway.

As soon as the door closed completely, she clenched her fists and cheered. She was relieved that she could avoid becoming the wallflower at the ball.

The next moment she immediately shut her mouth.

‘D-did he hear me?’

Knights dealing with mana were more sensitive than other people. No matter good the soundproofing of the house was, knights like Sir Joseph would not have a hard time hearing through a door.

‘Maybe he thought I was being frivolous…’

She didn’t know if it would be the same if Rose saw her, but she’s embarrassed at the thought that Joseph knew she was jumping in excitement.

‘If we get closer, then definitely…’

She hoped they could go out with Arthur or Reina.

She nodded, holding on to the hopeful imagination.

Contrary to her worries, Joseph didn’t hear a thing.

He was distracted.

Keira: “You mean it, don’t you?”

She held his hand and smiled happily.

He stretched his hand and clenched it again. It felt weird.

Recently, the lady seemed to have changed.

She smiled with ‘that’ look.

In the past, he thought it would have been more possible for the sun to rise from the west.

‘…As Sir Raul said, is it the power of love?’

If the reason the lady changed was because of the snake…

He was enveloped in an unknown emotion. He didn’t know if the feeling was pleasant or not.

At that time, a maid came close.

Rose: “Is your business with milady over?”

He turned his head and saw the woman. Did they say her name was Rose?

He remembered that she was a maid who always followed the lady.

Joseph: “What’s that matter?”

Rose: “If you’re done with your business, I’d like you to move…”

Joseph: “Ah.”

Only then did Joseph realize that he was still standing in front of the door.

Joseph: “Sorry.”

Rose: “Don’t mention it.”

Joseph heard the door closing behind his back. He looked back to see the closed door and turned back.

Certainly, recently, the lady seemed to be turning into a different person every day.

The surprise he felt was similar to the time during the Knighthood tests with the new recruits.

“…”

Joseph remembered when Keira grasped his hands.

The lady has changed.

When a person who was once so cold was now laughing brightly was not a bad change.

Without realizing it, he had a faint smile on his face.

But it was then he heard a familiar voice.

Ludwig: “For some reason, you don’t even notice that I’m coming to this way.”

Joseph raised his head.

Joseph: “Oh, sir. When did you come?”

Five steps ahead, the Grand Duke was approaching.

If he wasn’t distracted, he would have surely noticed his arrival.

Ludwig: “Just now. What else were you thinking? You seem to be in a good mood.”

Joseph, a faithful knight, answered the lord’s questions honestly.

Joseph: “The lady seemed to be changing in a good way.”

It seemed that he was not the only one who felt that Keira was changing.

Ludwig: “Changing in a good way, huh…”

And in the eyes of others, it was a good change.

Ludwig laughed bitterly.

Yes, he couldn’t deny the fact that it was a good thing, a change which he had always hoped for.

It was better this way than being asked for affection he couldn’t give.

From his point of view, there would be no feelings of guilt, and from Keira’s point of view, she would be able to save her efforts.

Joseph: “But what brings you here?”

Ludwig: “I came to see the lady.”

Joseph: “I’ll let her know.”

Joseph knocked on his behalf and announced the visit of the Grand Duke.

Soon after, the surprised maid opens the door.

Looking at the maid seen through the door, Ludwig thought.

‘If it had been a while ago, she would have run out herself.’

She really seemed to have changed.

It was Ludwig’s first time coming into his daughter’s room. He looked around the foreign room and found his daughter sitting at a table by the window.

As expected, she looked quite surprised.

She thought it was impossible for Ludwig to ever come to her bedroom in person.

Keira: “Your Grace…?”

When he saw her looking as if she wanted to ask why he was here, he answered back with an excuse.

Ludwig: “I received a bill from the traffic administration. I came here to ask about that.”

Keira: “You’ve arrived sooner than I thought. Oh, please sit this way.”

The maid pulled up the chair and offered the Grand Duke a seat. In a nervous voice, she asked.

Lira: “W-would you like some tea?”

Ludwig: “This won’t take long so it’s fine.”

Lira: “Well, then what–ack!”

Ludwig’s cold gaze turned to Lira, who wasn’t able to finish what she was saying.

Her face turned white.

Looking at them, Keira thought.

‘No way… I didn’t act like that to the maids before, did I?’

Were they really that cold?

She guessed it was true, seeing as Lira, the current recipient of the Duke’s icy stare, looked ready to faint.

‘Let’s reflect.’

She was the one who thought she should be a dignified nobleman like her father.

There was no guarantee that she didn’t behave like that.

Now, she understood why the chatting maids once ran away.

Kiera: “Lira, stay out for a while.”

Lira: “Y-yes!”

Lira and Miranda rushed to close the door.

There was a moment of silence when only Ludwig and Keira were left in the room.

‘…Should I have asked for tea?’

She was a little nervous because it was her first time to be in such a situation.

She couldn’t believe she’s having a private meeting with her father in her bedroom.

Keira: “Is the cost high? I thought it wouldn’t be too expensive if it was just a one-day rental…”

Ludwig did once say that integrity and frugality were nobless oblige.

‘So he might get mad at me for spending money on useless things.’

A folded paper was placed in front of Keira.

Keira: “This is?”

Ludwig: “It’s the bill.”

When she unfolded it, a neat handwriting wrote about the bill.

‘Oh, it didn’t cost that much?’

If other people heard what Keira was thinking, they would probably wonder if she was joking.

Keira: “It’s wrong for me to spend money on personal matters and charge it to the family. I’ll pay from my private funds.”

Ludwig: “The money isn’t the issue. Since I’m paying for it, I need to know the reason why the airship was rented.”

So he came all the way here to ask why?

Keira: “You could have called me to the office for that matter. I thought you came down here to scold me.”

Ludwig: “Do you think you’ve responded quickly to my call these days?”

Keira: “Um…”

She had no excuse to make because she had many excuses, or she had really forgotten and was late.

Keira: “I’m sorry.”

Ludwig: “I’m not trying to argue about that. Apparently, there’s a man you’re dating, and I’m here to ask if it’s related to that.”

“…”

She had no idea how it reached the Grand Duke’s ears, but there was something else that surprised Keira.

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