CH 79

Noel, who was led to the parlor, called out Camilla as if threatening her as soon as he sat down. “Lady Eragost.”

Camilla looked at Noel quietly and greeted him with a polite smile. “Long time no see, Lord Noel. But, Lord, I don’t remember giving you an invitation.”

“…”

“But I’m so glad that you came here. Unfortunately, the banquet has already ended.”

Camilla, who finished speaking, picked up the champagne from the table and handed it over. “But it’s alright to be in a good mood, right? First of all, quench your thirst.”

But Noel asked, not even looking at the champagne she handed him. “What happened?”

“What do you mean?”

A sharp gaze headed to Camilla’s face as if to dig into the opponent’s heart.

“I heard she came here.”

Camilla, who was smiling with a consistent expression, answered, tilting her head at an angle. “Are you looking for someone? Please tell me who exactly you’re looking for so that I can help you, Lord.”

“The branch owner of Fragrant Garden.”

“Aah? The woman?”

Noel’s brows naturally frowned at Camilla’s appearance as if she was holding back her laughter.

“She came here. Where is she now?”

“Huhu. Grand Duke Sestein took her away.”

“…Who took her?”

Camilla raised the corners of her mouth slightly, grabbed Noel by the wrist, and held the champagne to his hand. At that distance, she whispered in his ear. “The owner of Grand Duchy Sestein.”

“…!”

“The relationship between the two looked very special. Especially the way the grand duke looked at that woman, it was unusual… Did Lord Noel know that?”

The trembling champagne glass soon shattered. The golden liquid trickled down his hand. Noel asked Camilla, looking straight at her, about whether she knew. “When did he take her?”

“Are you curious?”

“Do you intend to test my patience?”

“No way. I don’t want to be hated by you, Lord.”

Camilla once again gently pressed her lips to his ear. “They left right before Lord arrived.”

“If you follow them now, you might be able to meet her. Huhu.”

Noel, who made an ugly glare, left the parlor. Camilla’s face hardened at the sight of him disappearing in an instant. It’s been a while since I’ve seen that expression, Noel.

He was afraid she would be taken away and lose her. It was very unfamiliar yet familiar to see him running regardless of the gazes around him.

Camilla frowned. “It was me who had been humiliated. So why…”

Is he worried about that little bug?

At that time, she smiled kindly at the knight. Her lips twisted bizarrely. “That’s why I can’t leave it alone, Noel.”

How can she ignore it when an insignificant, vulgar woman ruins the dignity of the nobility?

Camilla, who inhaled slowly, muttered softly. “Sir.”

“Yes, Lady.”

“I need to know a little bit more about that vulgar woman.”

“…”

“She had a familiar face for some reason. Her eyes are too arrogant to be a commoner.”

Hal replied, with his head down. “I’ll start an investigation right away.”

“Then, please take care of it.”

Camilla let out a soft laugh and raised the glass of champagne. Her red face was stained with excitement as if she were expecting something.

* * *

“Lusi!”

Noel grabbed Elusiana’s wrist without hesitation. No, he tried to grab it. But a bigger hand grabbed his arm.

“Let go of her hand.”

“Why? Are you going to break her wrist?”

“…!”

Noel looked down at his outstretched hand and frowned. He was so angry that he overlooked that he almost broke Elusiana’s wrist as the grand duke said.

“I understand… let me go.”

Aster twisted his lips as if he was laughing at the ridiculous words he spat out. “Shameless, disrespectful, and lacking common sense.”

“I think you went too far.”

At that moment, flames flew from the eyes of the two men looking at each other.

“Am I going too far?”

“Isn’t that right?”

Aster replied, shaking off Noel’s arm as if she was shaking off dirt. “I didn’t expect that you didn’t even have a conscience.”

“W-what’s wrong with you?”

Elusiana shouted, intervening between the two, who seemed like they would punch each other. “My arm is fine, so both of you, calm down. Calm down, Your Excellency.”

You’ll be in real trouble, Your Excellency!

When Elusiana fired a fierce glare at the grand duke, Noel, who thought she was on his side, smiled wryly and clung to her side. In an instant, Aster’s whole body was filled with the intent to kill him. But before that, Elusiana pushed Noel’s shoulder away.

“Noel, you too, calm down. Just now, I was really surprised.”

“Ahem, ahem, sorry.”

“Shouldn’t you apologize to His Excellency too?”

“…W-why?”

“Are you really asking because you don’t know? You’ve been rude to His Excellency. Without a proper greeting, you started getting angry without any reason. I will let it slide, but you’ve made a really big mistake, Noel.”

“T-that.”

Noel had no excuse for choosing only the right words from one to the other. But when he saw the grand duke’s grinning face behind her, his anger flared up again.

Unaware of Noel’s feelings, Elusiana pushed Noel’s back to the front of the grand duke. “Hurry up. Apologize first.”

Noel couldn’t help but lift his heavy lips at her whispering, then talk low enough to be barely audible. “I… apologize.”

“I can’t hear you very well.”

Noel gritted his teeth at the sight of Aster pretending not to hear even though he had heard everything. He took a deep breath and spoke again. “I’m so sorry, Your Excellency. Please forgive my rudeness.”

“I will.” Aster, who answered briefly, swung his head as if he had nothing to look at anymore. Then, he approached Elusiana, who was standing awkwardly, and spoke in a kind tone. “Shall we hurry? It’s been a long time. You should clean up all of this and get some rest too.”

“Yes, Your Excellency. I’ll take you this way.”

Holding the basket together, the two of them started walking side by side. Looking at the back of the two, Noel felt a sense of unfairness.

* * *

After many twists and turns, the three arrived at the Fragrant Garden and entered the store, side by side.

W-we’ve finally arrived! Elusiana sat down in her chair, looking tired as she had been tormented by the nobles at Eragost County.

The two men, who wanted to quietly follow along, bared their teeth at each other as if they were going to rush at each other. Not only once or twice did she soothe them with nice words, but her strong mentality couldn’t stand it as the same thing was repeated over and over again.

Ah, I want to go home quickly. She wanted to touch Soda’s fluffy fur and missed her father’s warm embrace. However, her pleasant thoughts were shattered by the two men’s quarrel that started again.

“This is my seat.”

“Did you put your name on this chair?”

“Even if I don’t put my name on it, there’s no way Your Excellency would recognize it. Just like how Your Excellency’s forehead belongs to Your Excellency.”

“That chair belongs to Lusi.”

“Then we can ask Lusi. Who is the owner of this chair?”

“Who do you think I am?”

Elusiana now had a throbbing headache on both sides. It seemed like she had a migraine just when she left Eragost County, but now everyone was poking her.

Stop it nowwww… Please stop it nowwwww!

Elusiana screamed inwardly and looked at the two men with her tired eyes. Noel snorted to the grand duke who brought up the title, whether he knew it or not.

“I’m just asking, are you intimidating me because there is only one chair?”

“…It seems that my warning last time wasn’t enough.”

“How narrow-minded, Your Excellency. Why don’t you just press me down with force instead?”

“Shall I show you what real narrow-mindedness is?”

A bleak aura inflated in size and gave off a strong and bloody intent to kill. The power that came out sharply stabbed and scratched Noel’s whole body before he knew it. Noel couldn’t even move for a moment at that huge and powerful power.

It’s overwhelming. That was the only word that came to his mind. Even now, it seemed that if the grand duke wanted to, he could crush his body like a mere fly. Still, Noel didn’t want to give in. He hated his arrogance for suddenly appearing and claiming Elusiana as his, especially his gaze that looked down on him as if he was really annoying.

Noel gritted his teeth and shouted. “I wouldn’t have started if I had the mind to be broken by mere force.”

“…That means I’ll deal with you properly—”

“Ah! Stop! Please stop!” Elusiana, who couldn’t stand it, screamed at them. She squeezed her throbbing forehead and glared at the two.