About a month ago from now, when Balter returned to the capital with the news of victory.
Among those who envied, Lise Marsen held her nose high all by herself.
The reason was simple.
‘Balter Ertman? Simple.’
Whether a duke of iron blood or a bloodstained murderer, she was confident that she could make him kneel at the hem of her skirt if she wanted to.
Lise Marsen hadn’t lost the reputation as the flower of social circles for years since her debutante.
Beautiful appearance, a glamorous background as a princess, and tremendous support coming from her maternal family, the Duke of Rodel.
It would have been strange if she didn’t rule the social circles.
Thanks to that, when the spring social season ended, everyone gathered and talked about Lise Marsen.
“She’s really beautiful!”
“How can she be so elegant!”
Men vied to get Lise Marsen’s dance card, and newcomers considered it an honor of a lifetime to speak a word to her.
So, she thought the Duke of Ertman would be nothing if she set her mind to it.
‘Judging by the absence of rumors in social circles, he must surely be a brute who doesn’t know a single woman.’
The Duke of Ertman, who had been busy traveling from battlefield to battlefield since he became an adult by the Emperor’s command, and was famous for not setting foot in social circles.
He was even famous for rarely speaking to anyone.
Of course, the envious rumor that he was an extraordinary handsome man was widespread.
“What’s the point? He might be tipsy.”
Lise Marsen scoffed at such envy. Of course, she was Lise Marsen Rodel Celestine!
A person whose temperament would not be satisfied until everyone, regardless of gender, complied with her, she was still unable to abandon that attitude and sneered at Balter until she met him.
“Mother, has Duke Ertman ever held a woman’s hand? I don’t know if he’ll lose his mind and fall over if I shake my skirt a little. Chivalrous knights are no fun.”
“Stop the nonsense, Lise Marsen. It’s an occasion I have painstakingly created. Make sure to win Duke Ertman’s favor!”
“Why bother, who cares about Ertman now? Do we really need to do this?”
“Don’t talk nonsense! Ertman’s influence won’t disappear overnight just because he has risked his body. Moreover, he has returned as a war hero, so his momentum will surely increase.”
Queen Katarina sternly scolded her naive daughter.
“Balter Ertman, many see him siding with the Crown Prince since they share swordsmanship, and if we can bring him to our side, it will be easier to capture other nobles.”
Lise Marsen finally adjusted her attitude and went to meet Balter under Katarina’s firm words.
‘Well, it’s not a bad thing for me.’
After all, Balter is currently the main focus of the capital’s social circles.
‘And I quite liked the Duke of Ertman.’
If she could take the seat next to him, she would surely receive the eyes of envy.
“To be in a relationship with Duke Ertman, truly Your Highness Lise Marsen!”
“You have to be of high rank to be with the Duke, right?”
She was confident she could make this plan a reality.
Today.
“Your Highness! Duke Ertman has admitted to having a secret meeting with the 4th Princess!”
That was until she heard this ridiculous news.
[This is a time separator.]Rumors surrounding Balter, Lise Marsen, and Odette spread quickly from morning, as if becoming fog.
Lise Marsen couldn’t have failed to hear the murmuring.
But she had been desperately denying the rumors, scoffing.
There must have been a misunderstanding.
That girl Odette hardly ever leaves her palace, suddenly a secret meeting with Duke Ertman?
Nonsense! It must surely be a false rumor.
But it was Balter who kindly shattered the mask of denial that Lise Marsen had been trying to wear.
It wasn’t a bad thing for her.
“…Walter Ertman and Odette had a secret affair?”
Sitting across from Lizaina, her older brother, 2nd Prince Blake, who was playing chess alone, opened his mouth with a scoffing tone.
Unlike Lizaina, who resembled the Emperor, Blake was the spitting image of Queen Katarina.
Wavy deep blue hair and eyes that resembled sapphire. At first glance, he looked like a beautiful prince, but whenever his lips twisted, his expression would become cold enough to make even his sister Lizaina feel creepy.
Just like now.
“What on earth are you talking about, Lizi? Did I hear you wrong?”
“…What?”
“You were so confident about seducing Duke Ertman, weren’t you? You said he was almost falling for you. Was it all a bluff?”
“What are you talking about? What would I gain from lying like that? You saw it too! Duke Ertman was clearly affectionate towards me!”
“Anyone can fake that kind of affection. It’s your role to determine whether it’s real or fake.”
“But you know as well, brother. Duke Ertman kept coming to see me. Why would he do that if he didn’t have feelings for me?”
Lizaina felt wronged.
It was not a lie that Walter treated her specially.
Turns Out He’s Been Secretly in Love with Me
One-line summary: He acts like he doesn’t like her but is actually playing hard to get.
Synopsis:
Xu Muzhou like her. He has liked her for a very long time, and through repeated schemes, he finally closed the distance with her.
But this is still far from enough.
He wants to be the one who stands out among her many suitors, to fight for her attention, and to make her take the initiative to pursue him.
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