CH 22.1

Lila woke up anxious because it was the day that Michael would arrive home.

When he told her that he was leaving after a vacation in the capital, she did the math and asked him when he would arrive.

And he knew well because they had kept in touch through video communication devices from time to time.

Jessie followed her as she bustled about the mansion.

“Madam, you’re never supposed to go outside the mansion, you know, because the last time you did, you took one step and fell right down in the mud.”

“……I got it, Jessie.”

The main protagonist’s trial, or whatever it was, still bothered Lila, but there was a glimmer of hope.

“Nothing has happened in the mansion lately.

Sometimes accidents would happen in the mansion, but lately it’s been quiet. She couldn’t predict the course of the story, but she hoped it would change for the better.

Bringing in the flowers from the greenhouse, Lila placed them in a vase and set it on the table. Pink roses, the exact color of Michael’s eyes, bloomed.

“Madam, the carriage is coming in!”

Jessie called out to Lila from the mansion’s entrance as she scanned the front door. Lila blushed and hurried out of the mansion.

The carriage that drove through the gardens was Michael’s. Lila’s heart skipped a beat at the sight of him.

“Huh?”

As she waited for the carriage to arrive, Lila looked up in surprise as it passed through the front gate.

Another carriage, this one stamped with the duke’s sigil, was pulling in behind Michael’s.

“Has Lucas been out?”

“Did you call?”

She was talking to herself when suddenly she heard a voice behind her. Startled, Lila scolded Lucas.

“Oh, you scared me!”

“Why are you surprised? I sensed your presence…”

She looked up at him as he casually slipped his arm around her waist, but her head snapped up at the sound of the carriage coming to a stop.

Hurriedly, the carriage door opened before she could reach it.

“Auntie!”

Michael called to Lila as he jumped down. Her mouth dropped open at the sight of him, more mature than before they parted.

Her chocolate-colored hair glistened in the winter sun. Lila opened her arms wide to embrace him.

“Welcome home.”

Michael was enveloped in a sweet scent. Enjoying the fragrance that was similar to Chloe’s, Michael faced her. It was the first time someone had welcomed him like this when he returned home. He was so happy that a smile bloomed on his face automatically.

“Hey.”

Lucas asked from his place at Lila’s side. Michael replied, pushing Lucas’ hand away from Lila’s waist.

“Uh.”

There was a hint of resignation in his voice. Lucas suddenly wondered if he’d ever done anything wrong to his nephew.

However, he was unaware of the fact that Chloe, who had contacted him through the communication magic tool last night, had once again discovered a male protagonist who seemed like the Duke.

“I’m back.”

Henry said with a crisp bow to Lucas and Lila. He nodded to Vincent and stood.

Then, as if to break their reunion, a horse whinnied. An unrecognizable carriage with the Duke’s emblem stood before them.

Lucas’s brow furrowed slightly at the sight of the carriage. It could only be one of two things.

It could be his father or his mother.

Lila rounded her eyes and stared at the carriage door. Vincent approached and opened the door.

Her cobalt eyes widened as she watched the man slowly step out of the carriage.

A gravelly-featured man stood upright in front of the carriage, looking at the three of them.

Lucas and Michael, as surprised as she was, opened their mouths at the same time.

“Father.”

“Grandfather?”

Raphael Hugh Montefeltra, his chocolate-colored hair neatly swept back, similar to Lucas’ and Michael’s, turned to the three of them.

“Long time no see.”

Lila’s mouth dropped open at his appearance. She couldn’t look away, from the freckles to the uncanny resemblance.

Then she met his deep eyes. She couldn’t help but be mesmerized by the deep green of his eyes.

‘Lucas from twenty years later…’

She covered her mouth with her hand, unable to say hello, and Lucas introduced himself.

“Wife, this is my father.”

“……Ah, I’m sorry. I’m late in introducing myself. I’m Lila El Este, former duke.”

Raphael watched as Lila gracefully bowed, holding the hem of her skirt lightly.

“Raphael Hugh Montefeltra, a pleasure to meet you.”

Raphael felt strange. Every time the woman in front of him moved, a scent he’d never smelled before wafted out.

He hadn’t investigated her. He knew his son was preparing to marry, but it didn’t matter to him.

Arranged marriages didn’t mean anything to him anyway.

So he wasn’t even going to come to the wedding…….

‘I can see why the crown prince is so interested in this woman.’

After a moment’s reflection on Theobald, who had dared to call him out of retirement, Raphael turned to Lucas.

“We need to talk for a moment.”

Lucas realized why his father had come. He glared at Raphael, his eyes filled with displeasure.

“Of course.”

Lila, who had been listening to them, interrupted, smiling brightly.

“Do you want me to get you ready? I have a dessert I’ve been meaning to make for Michael since he’s coming back. Oh, Michael. Why don’t you join us?”

Raphael, who was just about to leave, was about to decline her offer.

But the sight of her narrowed cobalt eyes and the scent of her still-sweet perfume shut him up for a moment.

Every time he opened his mouth to refuse, Lila’s pleading gaze forced him to close it, and he nodded.

“Of course.”

“Thank you! Lucas, please wait in the parlor for a moment, and Michael, you too.”

Lila looked at Lucas and Michael in turn, then quickly turned around to find Jessie.

“Jessie!”

“Yes, madam.”

Jessie, who was standing next to Vincent, followed her. Lila hurried toward the kitchen.

Once she was out of sight, Lucas asked in a tone of displeasure.

“What brings you here?”

“I guess you expected it.”

“Ha! It’s obvious, isn’t it, that he has a mind of his own, it’s always predictable.”

“That’s not a very polite way to put it.”

Lucas growled, and Michael raised his eyebrows pointedly.

“I would object to that, Grandfather.”

Raphael couldn’t help but chuckle at the sight of his grandson, who hadn’t even been around his waist before they left the mansion, now towering over him, staring at him with pink fiery eyes.

“Hmm, come on, give me a good rebuttal.”

“Isn’t it obvious? You’re trying to stop my aunt’s marriage for all sorts of reasons. The reasons don’t matter. What’s most important is that my aunt doesn’t like him. Moreover, the person who ordered grandfather to do it doesn’t have the power to change my aunt’s mind as she is not under his influence.”

Looking at little Michael, who was growling just as much as Lucas, Raphael realized that this was very different from what he had been told.

Besides…….

‘It’s just an arranged marriage…….’

To him, an arrangedmarriage was simply an extension of business, a means to solidify the family’s position.

Raphael looked at his son and grandson with fiery eyes, and Vincent suggested to him,

“Let’s go to the reception room first.”

“It’s been a while.”

“Yes, Mr. Raphael.”

Tapping Vincent lightly on the shoulder, Raphael hesitated as he entered the mansion.

The interior was so different from the mansion he knew, he had to stop and look around.

His wife hated the Duchy of Montefeltra and resented her parents for sending her here.

The interior of the duchy he ruled was dreary. The attitudes of his employees were no different.

But now it was different, and very different. Raphael looked around slowly at the nervous and orderly servants.

Then Lila appeared. She spotted him standing there and smiled brightly.

“May I show you to the parlor?”

Lila wanted to be nice to Raphael, partly because he was her husband’s father, but mostly because she just liked him.

He had the same face as Lucas and Michael, and she was glad to see their family.

At her suggestion, Lila put her arm around Raphael, who was still dazed. More accurately, she rested her hand on his arm, supporting his elbow, but the sight of it sparked a fire in Lucas’s eyes.

“…….Then, please lead the way.”

Raphael replied, unable to hide his nervousness. Lila responded with an amused smile.

“Well, shall we go?”

Slowly following her, Raphael took in his surroundings. Everything was different, from the curtains to the paintings in the hallways.

Lila led them into the largest parlor, which Jessie hurriedly set up.

A set of china from the Duchy of Charlestown filled the table. Lucas and Michael, who had followed them in, plopped down on the couch with a gesture of displeasure.

Raphael sat across from them. Lila tried to sit next to him. With two people across from each other, she figured it would be a good idea…….

“Why is my wife sitting there?”

“Auntie, come here.”

Lucas and Michael’s voices rang out at the same time. Seeing her cobalt eyes round with surprise, Lucas spoke again.

“Sit down next to me.”

Turning to Michael, he gestured with his eyes. Go away and sit down.

Raphael watched his son and grandson in wonder, and out of the corner of his eye, he glanced at Lila.

He wondered what that sweet scent was from earlier. For some reason, the scent made his heart flutter.

I couldn’t refuse her offer. I even deluded myself into thinking that I could do anything she asked.

Raphael, who found his unintended reaction strange, purposely reminded himself of the purpose of his visit here.

Still, inwardly wishing that Lila was sitting next to him, he opened his mouth.

“I’ll tell you why I’m here first.”

“Father!”

“Grandfather!”

Startled by the shouting, Lila turned to Raphael, wondering if she had offended him.

Raphael considered the crown prince for a moment, then spoke.

“I have come to break off your marriage.”

But his next words froze Lila in place.

Raphael ignored her feelings and continued.

“I don’t think you need to go through with this sham marriage.”

He glanced at Lila.

“I’ll make sure you don’t feel uncomfortable, and I hope you’ll consider your position.”

She took a hint from Raphael’s words.

“Did His Highness the Crown Prince order you to do this?”

At the direct question, Raphael admitted easily.

“Yes.”

Lila’s complexion darkened at his answer, and Lucas’s eyes rolled at the sight.

“No.”

“Lucas.”

“You cannot come here unannounced. I am the head of the House of Montefeltra. You may be my father, but you don’t get to decide who sits on the position of Duchess.”

Raphael stared at him as he spoke coldly, hard to understand with his mindset. It was only an arranged marriage, and he didn’t think it was something that should be pushed through over the imperial family’s objections.

It was then that Lucas spoke up, unable to hide his displeasure.

“I am not like my father. Don’t project your own thoughts onto me. I’m warning you, if you think about taking Lila away from me, you’d better be prepared to hit me with all your might.”

Lila’s face tingled at the scent that wafted with his mood. So did the scents of Michael and Raphael, but Lucas was the most overpowering of them all.

So Lila released her own scent. After a while, she got the hang of it and naturally enveloped Lucas in her scent.

It was a mystical thing, a blessing, to be able to communicate with each other in an unspoken form without words.

Lucas was quickly soothed by the scent of his imprinted mate. His scent, once so fierce, responded to his mate’s words not with his mind, but with his instincts.

Raphael and Michael noticed his scent, which had faded in an instant.

Michael closed his eyes and savored Lila’s scent, while Raphael looked at her in confusion.

“Former Duke.”

He stared, and then their eyes met. Cobalt eyes met Raphael’s with a gentle smile.

Red lips parted after a moment’s hesitation.

“With all due respect, I can’t be with anyone but Lucas, and while the good Duke says it’s an arranged marriage, it’s not an arranged marriage for me. I’m in love with Lucas.”

She closed her eyes once, slowly, and then opened them. Raphael stared into the dark blue eyes that had long since disappeared.

Looking lovingly at Lucas, Lila asked in a low voice.

“Isn’t that right, Lu?”

Lucas smiled as if he had the world at his fingertips. His scent filled the room, rich and different in texture than it had been moments before.

“Of course, Lala.”

They stared at each other as if they could see nothing but each other, Michael with envy and Raphael with a gaze still filled with confusion.

Here were two people who had different ideas about marriage than he did, and he couldn’t help but be deeply troubled.