Disguised as a Male Servant in the Duke's House (Completed Main Story) - Chapter 16
Rozelia, feeling inexplicably embarrassed, averted her eyes from Clojet’s sparkling gaze right before her and quickly changed the subject.
“Isn’t this enough now?”
“Enough? I feel like calling an artist right this instant to immortalize this in a painting!”
It couldn’t possibly be that impressive…
Unlike Clojet, who always received meticulous grooming, Rozelia hadn’t paid much attention to her appearance ever since she’d started cross-dressing. Thus, Clojet’s effusive praise felt exaggerated and burdensome.
“This mask suits Antonio’s black hair so well… I almost want to try putting a wig on you right now.”
Sensing danger in Clojet’s increasingly dreamy expression, Rozelia turned her head aside with a forced cough.
“I think this is fine as it is.”
Just as Rozelia moved to take off the mask, Clojet, looking utterly disappointed, drew out her words.
“Just a little longer, okay? Mellda said beautiful things are best appreciated the longer you look at them.”
“How much longer are you going to…”
Rozelia abruptly swallowed the rest of her words mid-sentence.
Klaus had just entered the mansion and happened to lock eyes with her as he passed by the drawing room.
“Your Grace, you’re back. You must be hungry—I’ll have dinner served right away.”
Mellda sprang to her feet and bowed respectfully. Klaus gave a slight nod before turning his gaze toward Rozelia and Clojet.
The moment Rozelia met his navy-blue eyes, memories of what had happened in the tavern’s private room that night flooded back, making her cheeks burn hot.
So flustered was she that she’d completely forgotten she was still wearing the mask—and only belatedly snapped back to her senses upon hearing Klaus’s words.
“You wear that mask well, Antonio.”
Only then did Rozelia realize she still had the mask on. With a startled gasp, she yanked it off.
It felt like being caught sneaking around in a dress far too extravagant for her station.
While Rozelia’s face flushed crimson, Klaus maintained his usual cold expression.
As she stood there, humiliated and eyes downcast, his gaze drifted to her green eyes.
“Don’t you have something to say to me?”
A sudden chill ran down her spine.
It was unmistakably about their encounter at the tavern.
Rozelia forced a sullen, puzzled expression as she asked,
“I don’t… Is there something you need me to do?”
She feigned innocence so naturally that Klaus stared at her intently for a long moment.
He opened his mouth as if to speak, then seemed to change his mind and closed it again, his expression flat.
“Never mind. Go attend to your duties.”
With that, Klaus gave her a cool, piercing look—as if seeing right through her—and disappeared from the room.
Watching him go, Clojet rubbed her arms as though chilled to the bone.
“Ugh, did you see that look in his eyes? Like he’s about to strip you down to the bone. Who owes him money? Don’t worry, Antonio! Once I come of age, I’ll have land and a townhouse of my own—I’ll lend it to you at a nice, low interest!”
“You’re suggesting I borrow money from you, Princess, to pay off His Grace’s debts…?”
“Isn’t borrowing from me better than owing Klaus?”
She reminded Rozelia of that brother’s infamous little sister.
Rozelia stared at her in exasperation, so Clojet theatrically cleared her throat and changed the subject.
“Anyway, Antonio—do you have a tailcoat for my debutante ball?”
As if something like that would exist…
“Can’t I just wear what I normally do?”
“What are you talking about? You’re not a servant—you’re attending the ball as my partner! Absolutely not. Mellda!”
At Clojet’s call, Mellda, who seemed to have anticipated this, sighed deeply and approached Rozelia with a measuring tape in hand.
Rozelia, caught completely off guard, gave Clojet a helpless look.
But Clojet remained perfectly still, clearly relishing the situation.
Glancing at her, Mellda asked worriedly,
“Lady Clojet… um… shouldn’t we also prepare a tailcoat for His Grace?”
Clojet’s expression instantly hardened.
Normally, when a family member held a debutante ball, the relatives would coordinate and wear matching formal attire.
But Clojet and Klaus were anything but a typical sibling pair.
“Why would I ask that man about tailcoats?”
Her reaction was the complete opposite of how she’d eagerly insisted on having Rozelia’s outfit made immediately.
Anyone watching might believe Rozelia was the actual sibling, given the stark contrast in how she was treated.
“But still… it’s your debutante ball—a once-in-a-lifetime event—and also your birthday celebration. Perhaps if you spoke nicely to His Grace…”
“I said it’s fine!”
Mellda had only spoken up out of concern for Clojet, but her words only made Clojet feel worse.
Clojet hung her head, her face twisted in distress, and clenched her fists tightly.
“He probably won’t even show up anyway—he’s always too busy. What’s the point?”
Her expression was filled not just with resignation but with bitterness, as if this weren’t the first time.
It was clear enough—His Grace had likely been skipping her birthdays all along, making up for his absence with money or gifts.
Yet this birthday was her debutante ball—surely he wouldn’t miss this day of all days.
Seeing Clojet’s gloom, Rozelia tried to lighten the mood.
“But since it’s your debutante ball, wouldn’t His Grace make time somehow, even if it’s difficult?”
At Rozelia’s words, Clojet made a face as if she’d just heard something utterly foolish.
“Are you seriously saying that after everything you’ve seen of Klaus?”
She sighed so deeply she seemed less like a debutante girl and more like a weary middle-aged woman who’d seen it all.
“You clearly still have a lot to learn, Antonio. If you still don’t understand Klaus… that man doesn’t show up not just for my birthday, but even on our parents’ death anniversaries.”
Clojet’s face contorted, revealing years of bottled-up emotion.
“That heartless man doesn’t care about family at all. He’s completely obsessed with work and money.”
Though her words brimmed with anger, her expression betrayed far deeper sorrow and disappointment.
Rozelia’s chest tightened strangely as she watched.
It didn’t make sense.
In the original story, Klaus had regarded the Crown Princess—the female lead—as a sister, and after her marriage, his feelings had twisted into something akin to resentment and obsession.
He’d been so thoughtful and attentive toward the Crown Princess, a virtual stranger, yet so indifferent to his own blood sister?
The memory of the Duke coldly dismissing her in front of the Crown Princess suddenly resurfaced, and irritation surged within her.
And that misplaced frustration ultimately spilled from her lips in the form of reckless words.
“I’ll speak to him myself.”
“What?”
Rozelia was just as shocked as Clojet.
Are you insane? What did you just blurt out?
You should be avoiding the Duke, not volunteering to confront him!
“Forget it… don’t bother…”
Despite her inner panic, the sight of Clojet’s gloomy face drew a sigh from Rozelia before she could stop it.
Damn it—if only Clojet weren’t so darn cute…
“I’ll just say a word to him. He might already be preparing to attend your debutante ball anyway.”
“…”
Rozelia pressed the point so firmly that Clojet no longer objected.
Perhaps, deep down, she’d been hoping for it all along.
Though Clojet pretended otherwise, her drooping expression was unmistakable—and Rozelia immediately steeled herself and took a step forward.
[This is the timeline separator]The moment Rozelia knocked on the study door, she regretted it instantly.
This must be what they meant by walking straight into the tiger’s den.
Though filled with regret, a voice already came from inside the room.
“Who is it?”
Rozelia swallowed hard and replied in a nervous voice,
“It’s Antonio.”
“…”
A brief silence followed.
That short pause stretched unbearably long for Rozelia.
Then Klaus’s cold voice came again.
“Come in.”
Rozelia opened the door and stepped cautiously into the study, warily observing him.
Klaus was so absorbed in reviewing and signing stacks of documents on his desk that he didn’t even look up as she entered.
Seeing him so preoccupied and unwilling to spare her a glance, Rozelia hesitated—until Klaus finally set down his papers and looked at her quizzically.
“Do you have something to say?”
His question caught her completely off guard.
She’d mentally prepared for him to bring up their tavern meeting—whether he suspected her identity or thought she’d abducted his sister, she’d been ready with excuses.
But his detached, almost indifferent reaction deflated her entirely.
“Are you just going to keep standing there?”
Startled by Klaus’s irritated tone, Rozelia stiffened and reflexively continued,
“Do you… happen to know that Princess Clojet’s debutante ball is in a week?”
Klaus lowered his eyes back to his documents as if her question were irrelevant and replied,
“It’s the single biggest expense in the ducal household budget this year. Do you really think I wouldn’t know?”
His calm tone gave Rozelia a bit more courage to press on.
“You also know that day is the Princess’s birthday, right?”
The Duke’s eyes, previously scanning documents, lifted slowly to meet hers.
“What exactly are you trying to say?”
Rozelia swallowed nervously and chose her words carefully.
“It’s your only sister’s birthday—and her debutante ball… You’ll be attending, of course?”
Klaus set down the papers he was holding and fixed her with a cold stare.
“Do those stacks of documents on my desk not exist in your eyes?”
“Yes… I know you’re incredibly busy, but… it’s still your only sister’s birthday…”
Despite treading carefully, she still said everything she meant to—and Klaus ran an impatient hand through his hair.
“Every year, I’ve brought Clojet the most expensive gifts in the empire for her birthday. Do you even consider where that money comes from?”
“That’s… the Princess values something more than just gifts…”
“Antonio.”
At Klaus’s low, growl-like voice, Rozelia snapped her mouth shut.
He stared at her with those piercing navy-blue eyes, icy and sharp.
“I told you before—don’t meddle in things that don’t concern you, not even for your own sake.”
“…”
His domineering tone, so clearly reinforcing their master-servant hierarchy, twisted something inside her.
“If you showed even half the attention to Lady Clojet that you show to Her Highness the Crown Princess, the two of you wouldn’t be in such a state.”
Male lead reborn without memories — but he still falls for her.
The person he finds displeasing in this life turns out to be his cherished wife-master in previous life…
Xie Zhi and Fang Xianxing who had known each other for less than three days through a blind date sat in the same car in front of the civil affairs bureau. They had a disagreement and failed to get married.
Xie Zhi immediately took out his phone, slid through his contacts, and randomly selected the next marriage candidate.
The woman snatched his phone and hung up. Looking at his phone wallpaper, she awkwardly changed the subject: “An ancient painting, eh? It looks pretty good, it’s just that the person in the painting looks a bit like me.”
When he heard this, he sarcastically mocked her for being so delusional, completely unaware that, the person in front of him was the reincarnation of Wen Ru, the famous prime minister of Yuan Shun whom he most admired…
The female CEO who doesn’t want to get married with a divorce agreement in hand × The male archaeological researcher who will only get married if he’s sure he can get divorced
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