CH 146

Even the Viscount, who didn’t treat people who weren’t nobles as humans, couldn’t budge against the title of the Grand Duke.

There were nobles whose hands trembled just because they touched a table that hadn’t been wiped, but the Grand Duke of Lagrange was especially famous for his unusual mysophobia. 

‘They said that even on the battlefield, after cutting down a person, he would wipe his sword clean right away.’

Dietrich Lagrange, who appeared in The Men’s War of Roses, didn’t seem to have that kind of setting, but it was strange. 

‘Is this really inside a book?’

I began to wonder if the world where I came to possess this body was not in a novel that I had read.

‘There’s also no Anissa.’

Although she wasn’t a protagonist, Anissa Euclid was one of the main characters but she wasn’t anywhere in this world. Great nobles like Euclid and Lagrange were bound to steer rumors.

Veronica and Yuric decorated cheap tabloids with promiscuous scandals, but one could not find anyone who knew the name Anissa let alone plaster a gossip about her. 

‘It’s also suspicious that people didn’t hate Lagrange.’

The majority of the people did fear them, but many people also admired Dietrich Lagrange for his progressive way of managing the territory. 

Moreover, the endless War of Roses had already ended a few decades ago. 

‘This world is too peaceful to be the backdrop of a war fantasy novel.’

Well, it’s a good thing for me to possess an extra with no powers. If a war breaks out a commoner like me would die first. 

“Annie! The head maid is looking for you.”

“Why…..?”

“I don’t know. Just go to the second floor.” 

At the words of a young maid who poked her head into the study, I stood up from my seat. 

As I set out into the hallway with a dry rag in my hand, the head maid grabbed me and pushed me into a room. 

“You, I should dress you up today.”

“Excuse me?” 

Not only did maids rarely dress up, but I also didn’t have time for that. When I asked back at her with wide eyes, the head maid raised her glasses and knitted her eyebrows. 

“Didn’t I already tell you not to talk back?”

‘Scary….’

“It’s not that, I just didn’t know the reason.”

“Didn’t you hear that the His Grace, the Grand Duke of Lagrange would be visiting the mansion?” 

As I stood blankly, the maid alternated some dresses under my chin that smelled like new clothes as if she had brought them in a hurry. 

“Veronica, the master of the Lagrange establishment who will come with them, likes beautiful women. It’s said that if there’s no beautiful woman beside her, she wouldn’t even eat.”

It wasn’t a piece of surprising news that a noble with high status was a pervert. But, what did that have to do with me?

The head maid took off my maid clothes as if she didn’t care whether I was flustered or not.

“Why are you doing this?!” 

Perhaps, were they thinking of selling me to a pervert named Veronica? 

“The Viscount intends to open a deal with the Lagrange estate this time. You will serve tea by her side.” 

".........."

“Wouldn’t this be easier than polishing the mansion? Here. Go wash up and change your clothes.”

Fortunately, they didn’t seem to have any intention to sell me to a pervert so I was relieved. I nodded my head and turned toward the bathroom. 

“When you’re done dressing up, go to the garden and pick some flowers to decorate your hair!” 

The head maid screamed loudly outside the door. I mumbled my complaints as I poured cheap perfume oil into the hot water. 

‘I’m sure it would be inconvenient to walk around in a dress like that.’

“By myself?”

“Ha? Do you think you’ve become some noble young lady just because you wear some pretty clothes? Of course, you take it yourself! I’m very busy today!” 

“I understand.”

Fine, since I was told then I should.

After all, the Viscount was below the Grand Duke, and under the Viscount was the head maid, lastly, below the head maid was a maid. 

────── 〔✿〕──────

‘Since the dress is light pink, would a red rose be good?’

Or would a blue hydrangea that matched the color of my eyes suit me? 

I checked my glimmering face as it wavered above the pond. A woman with clear blue eyes like the sky blinked slowly. 

It was a face that suited perfectly the sentence that described Anissa’s beauty – as delicate as a spring rose. 

‘If my eyes were red then I might have been mistaken for Anissa.’ 

It wasn’t a very luxurious dress, but just taking off the dull maid’s clothes and putting on bright clothes made me feel like I was sparkling. 

Satisfied with my appearance, I giggled happily and clapped my hands deciding that wild white flowers would be good. 

“Was the flower bed over there?”

I heard that the Grand Duke has already arrived and was touring the territory with the Viscount.

So I only had to be prepared by evening when they would return to the mansion, but the head maid was a very impatient person. 

When I imagined her angry, impatient scolding, I hurriedly moved my feet.

‘Ah, I can’t wear these shoes because it’s so uncomfortable.’

I tried stretching my legs to the stepping stone in the pond, but unlike the shoes worn by the maids, I was wearing high heels and because of that it felt like I would fall if I made a mistake. 

‘If I fall into the pond, how much scolding will I get for making an expensive dress no longer usable?’

I stuck my tongue out and took off the heels then held them with one hand. 

In order to go to where the wildflowers were blooming, I had to climb over a low wall that surrounded the mansion, but an unfamiliar shadow caught my gaze. 

‘Who is that?’

The warm spring sun stretched his shadow.

It was a person I didn’t know. 

I was sure I’d never seen such a tall and handsome man before. After all, there was no way I would forget him when he’s that handsome if I had seen him. 

Still, he felt quite familiar that I tilted my head to the side. 

‘Why do I feel like my heart suddenly hurts?’ 

It felt like I had an upset stomach when I haven’t even eaten anything. 

I approached him, who was staring at me, as I pressed my hand on my strangely throbbing chest. 

“How did you get in here?” 

The man didn’t answer. 

‘He looks neat, but he’s wearing plain clothes with no decorations. He also doesn’t have a servant by his side so he’s probably not a noble.’

And if he’s a servant in the mansion, there would be no way I wouldn’t know him. 

No, he was so handsome that he stands out so it would be strange if the people in this territory didn’t know him.

‘He’s a bit scary since he doesn’t have any expression on his face.’ 

“Did you come here with the Grand Duke of Lagrange? You must have gone the wrong way. This is the back door of the mansion.” 

“Ah.”

The man nodded slowly at my explanation. I gulped down my saliva at his suspicious behavior.

Come to think of it, didn’t the Grand Duke say he’d visit the territory first?

‘Is he not from the Grand Duke’s group? An intruder?’

I wondered what was there to take from this insignificant estate, but the man even had a sword on his waist. 

‘Seeing that there’s no crest on it, then he must not be a knight.’ 

I took a step back thinking that I may have spoken to a complete stranger hastily. 

“Ah!” 

If one was unlucky, even if you fall backward, you’d still end up breaking your nose, and so there seemed to be a sharp piece of stone where I stepped on. 

Surprised by the unexpected pain, my body stiffened and the man rushed toward me.

‘Wh-why is he coming!’ 

Just as I was about to open my mouth to tell him not to come closer, the man with his outstretched arms, raised me as if I was a rag doll. 

“Kyaa!” 

He began to take large strides, ignoring the little screams I made.

Lindsay’s warning passed by briefly over the incident which made me stiffen in surprise.

‘Countryside beauties are the perfect prey to take and sell, Annie.’ 

“Pl-please wait a minute! Wait!”  

“.......”

Hic! I’m being kidnapped! Human trafficking! Why did you choose a profession that would do such a terrible thing with that handsome face!

I trembled and slapped the man on the back who put me on his shoulder as if I were a child. 

“You can’t sell me! I owe a debt to the Viscount so I won’t sell!” 

The man didn’t listen to me even with just the back of his ear as I mumbled my situation to him. Soon, he placed me down on the low wall. 

‘Huh?’

He lifted my bare feet and carefully pulled out the shard that was embedded in the soles of my feet. A soft sunset fell over his black curly hair.

‘Was he trying to help me?’ 

Looking at the man’s gruff crown, I tightly closed my eyes. 

‘How embarrassing! You should have said something!’

“......I’m sorry for misunderstanding you.” 

The man laughed low when I mumbled my apologies. It was a pretty sight to see the indention on his right cheek. 

“You asked me why I came here.” 

He continued, rubbing his lips which were still smiling. 

“Pardon?”

“Earlier.”

“Ah….yes.” 

Was he talking about me asking him how he got into the garden?

I nodded in a daze and he answered leisurely.

“I came to find the one I love.”