The Duke's Flower is Precarious - Chapter 67
“I……”
As Aidel opened her mouth slowly, with a look full of deliberation, Rainien held his breath.
He was eagerly waiting for her to accept his proposal to go to the Lisandro Empire together.
“Who do you think you are.”
A voice as sharp as frost cut through the words of the two people.
Startled, Aidel turned her head towards the entrance of the dining room. The face she had been waiting for all along was there.
“Your Highness…!”
Seeing him, Aidel stood up abruptly, delighted.
The Grand Duke walked in through the now-open doors of the dining room. The coat he hadn’t taken off and the cane in his hand suggested that he had come straight to the dining room as soon as he arrived.
“Who do you think you are to take the Grand Duchess to the Lisandro Empire.”
Caeron, who had approached the table, asked Rainien while staring at him with a cold gaze. Undisguisable displeasure showed through his elegantly furrowed brow.
Rainien also met Caeron’s gaze directly with a hardened expression.
“Your Highness, there seems to be a small misunderstanding.”
Sensing the uncomfortable atmosphere between Caeron and Rainien, Aidel put aside the joy of reunion and stepped in to mediate.
It seemed that Caeron, who had just arrived, had not heard the previous conversation and only caught Rainien’s last words.
She did not want the relationship between Caeron and Rainien to become awkward like at the last imperial banquet.
“Lord Rainien made the invitation to the Lisandro Empire because of a request I made.”
“Request…?”
“…Yes. I’ll explain, so please sit here first.”
She offered the empty seat next to her, trying to calm Caeron’s sharp mood. At her suggestion, Caeron reluctantly sat down.
Caeron had just returned to the Grand Duchy after finishing the trial for this recent kidnapping case.
Although he had been receiving daily reports on Aidel’s condition, he hurried his steps to personally confirm her recovery.
Especially after hearing from the attendant who greeted him at the train station that Rainien had suddenly visited the Grand Duchy, he drove the carriage at full speed.
He wanted to drive out the unwelcome guest immediately, but letting Rainien into the Grand Duchy was the maximum consideration he could show.
It wasn’t because Rainien was a prince of a neighboring empire.
“Actually, there’s an expert in a field I’m interested in in the Lisandro Empire. Lord Rainien just extended the invitation out of goodwill towards a friend.”
Friend. It was because of that relationship she defined.
− I’ve clearly defined my relationship with Lord Rainien. He and I are just friends now and will be in the future.
− I… hope you would trust me.
It was because of Aidel, who had earnestly asked him to trust her.
The unpleasant sensation knotted like a ball of thread in his stomach was still there, but Caeron tried to control his sharp mood, recalling his past conversation with her.
“…Lady Aidel is correct. That field is more advanced in Lisandro than in Yupiter. If you come to Lisandro, it will surely be of great help to you, Lady Aidel.”
“What field are you talking about?”
“The field Lady Aidel is interested in is women’s rights.”
“Women’s rights…?”
“That’s right. Actually, seeing the girls who were victimized in this incident, I became interested in the field of women’s rights. I want to explore that field a bit more.”
“…I see.”
To be thinking about women’s rights as soon as she recovered her strength… Should I say it’s just like her? Caeron exhaled a slow breath with a small sigh.
Although the trauma from the kidnapping incident wasn’t severe, he had been secretly worried if there might still be some emotional scars left. Seeing her burning with such enthusiasm, that worry disappeared, but…
“I want to actively help Lady Aidel get relevant advice in the Lisandro Empire. Because it’s what Lady Aidel wants.”
Rainien’s intention in emphasizing that Aidel wanted it was clear. Caeron’s gaze sharpened again under this obvious pressure.
“Perhaps due to our conservative culture, no noble woman from Yupiter has ever made an official visit to Lisandro before… But I believe the Grand Duke will surely want Lady Aidel to broaden her horizons.”
Indeed, that seemingly naive prince was different from his appearance. He must have deliberately mentioned Yupiter’s conservative culture.
If he opposed the Grand Duchess’s visit to Lisandro here, it would be no different from adhering to Yupiter’s conservative culture.
This was completely opposite to the pursuit of women’s rights that Aidel desired. She too would be disappointed in him because of it.
‘Indeed, he’s not an opponent to be taken lightly.’
Caeron’s lips twisted crookedly. Unlike his smiling mouth, there was not a trace of laughter in his gaze towards Rainien.
“Of course. I will actively support whatever the Grand Duchess wants.”
“…That’s good.”
Rainien seemed inwardly surprised at Caeron’s unexpectedly forthright answer. Aidel’s reaction was the same.
“Can I really visit the Lisandro Empire?”
Aidel asked Caeron’s opinion once again in a careful voice mixed with expectation.
Rainien didn’t know, but she was currently under contract. She had an obligation to prioritize the Grand Duchess’s duties, including the administration of the Grand Duchy.
Wanting to go to the Lisandro Empire was a personal matter, not an official one, so Aidel couldn’t readily accept Rainien’s proposal.
Of course, she also wanted to meet the women’s rights expert Rainien offered to introduce and get advice, and attend related conferences.
Seeing Aidel’s appearance with such hidden aspirations, Caeron smiled slightly and nodded.
“Of course. I’ve never disallowed anything you wanted.”
“Your Highness……”
“I even allowed your outing for the last assignment, eventually.”
“That was……”
Aidel’s expression became slightly flustered at Caeron’s mention of the past incident. She recalled how she had struggled to get permission for the assignment with Rainien.
She had worked hard to persuade Caeron, who wasn’t pleased with Rainien’s company… Caeron seemed to be readily accepting this trip to the Lisandro Empire, which felt somewhat strange to her.
As if to resolve her puzzlement, Caeron’s words continued.
“However, I learned one lesson then.”
“A lesson…?”
“Yes. Never to send the Grand Duchess on an outing with someone who can’t be trusted.”
“…!”
As Caeron’s sharp gaze fell on him at the end of his words, Rainien’s body flinched. Rainien’s lake-colored eyes wavered as if strong ripples had occurred.
Caeron’s intention in those words was clear.
‘You are not someone who can be trusted.’
The Grand Duke’s eyes said so, accurately penetrating the part Rainien had been blaming himself for.
‘…I have nothing to say.’
The Grand Duchess who accompanied him for the assignment was kidnapped. The responsibility for not being able to keep her safe was absolutely unavoidable.
Rainien frowned with a face full of self-deprecating light. Regret and a sense of defeat seemed to spread bitterly in his mouth.
It was then that Caeron declared he would accompany them.
“So, I’ll go with you.”
“Your Highness… together?”
Surprised, Aidel asked again as if she couldn’t believe his words.
“Yes. I just can’t put my mind at ease.”
Caeron pulled Aidel’s hand next to him and interlocked their fingers. Rainien’s pupils shook greatly at the sight of Caeron firmly grasping her hand as if to show off.
“I don’t want to leave you out of my sight, out of my space, even for a moment.”
Caeron’s voice was full of firm resolve to protect Aidel by his side. At the same time, a man’s possessive desire for his woman was also revealed.
Being a man himself, Rainien could feel Caeron’s expression of emotion more clearly, and he clenched and unclenched his fist subtly.
On the other hand, hearing Caeron say he would accompany her to the Lisandro Empire for her sake, joy overflowed in Aidel’s eyes. A faint blush rose on her white cheeks.
However, as if some thought had occurred to her, Aidel’s face, which had been bright, immediately hardened. She opened her mouth with a worried expression.
“But, Your Highness must be busy with official duties……”
The Grand Duke was always busy without a moment’s rest. He was in charge of not only the Grand Duke’s external activities but also the management of all the Grand Duke’s businesses, as well as administration as the Chief Justice.
Moreover, there was the ‘lonely battle’ that Pierre had mentioned…
‘I shouldn’t be a burden to him.’
He must already be exhausted from his given tasks. She didn’t want to give him another burden due to her own selfish desires. Aidel smiled forcefully and continued speaking.
“I don’t want to hinder Your Highness’s official duties because of my personal purposes. I’m already happy that Your Highness has shown such consideration.”
Hearing those words, Caeron looked intently at Aidel. Having perceived her true feelings, he gently stroked the back of her hand he was holding with his thumb and replied.
“You don’t have to worry about that reason.”
“But……”
“My going to Lisandro is also for official business.”
“For official business…?”
“Yes. It’s time to send a delegation to the Lisandro Empire.”
“Ah…!”
Was it an intention to comfort her heavy heart? When Caeron mentioned the reason of sending a delegation, Aidel let out a sigh of relief.
“We’ll have the Grand Duchess join this delegation visit. That way, I’ll be accompanying you on your visit to the Lisandro Empire.”
“Yes, that’s good. I’m glad.”
“…I’m glad. I’m happy that you’ll be visiting the Lisandro Empire.”
Rainien was also happy to see Aidel smiling with a lightened face, but… he couldn’t hide his bitterness at the feeling of having lost the initiative to the Grand Duke.
Thus, the trip to the Lisandro Empire was decided, and the dinner ended with a peculiar atmosphere flowing between the three people.
As they were leaving the dining room, Caeron stopped Rainien.
“Prince Rainien. Do you have a moment now?”
“I do, but… what is it about?”
“I have something I want to discuss with you alone.”
“…!”
At the Grand Duke’s request for a private meeting, Rainien’s eyes widened as if surprised.
Male lead is a Divorced Husband
She said to him: “Tell me, what makes you like me? I’ll change it!”
Liu Changning transmigrated into a female cannon fodder character in a female-dominant novel.
After reading the first half of the novel’s plot, the first thing she did upon transmigration was to divorce the Pan Jinlian-style male protagonist she had just married.
She indulged herself, pretending to be ugly and poor.
But as time passed, the way that man looked at her became more and more unusual…
Liu Changning was dumbfounded: Tell me, what makes you like me? I’ll change!
――
This lifetime, Pei Yuanshao was rejected by the same woman twice!
The first time, she drove him away. Forced by the situation, he endured the waves of anger in his heart, yielding and humbling himself.
That person lay slanted on a rocking chair, her sallow face emotionless: “If you don’t want a divorce, go cook!”
Pei Yuanshao’s face was dark and gloomy: “You!”
The second time, after the crisis in Jinling City was resolved, the new emperor sent someone to pick him up. He turned around, stammering: “I… I have to go. If you keep me…”
That person lay on the kang bed, her back to him, as if she had long anticipated this day, crisp and clear: “Goodbye!”
Pei Yuanshao was so angry his fingers trembled: “You… you!”
The mission of family and country made him restrain himself, averting his eyes and turning to leave this broken household.
Two years later, they met again. Seeing her ethereal face, his body shook like a sieve.
“She was originally a ‘she’!”
At the Qionglin Banquet, the top scholar of the imperial examination, a talented person with exceptional speech and conduct, all the unmarried young gentlemen from aristocratic families looked at her with shy and timid eyes.
The peerless imperial official Pei Yuanshao felt the anger in his heart erupt. He pointed at the woman surrounded by the crowd at the Qionglin Banquet, his thin lips slightly curled: “Little sister, I wants that person to be the wife-master of my Mingde Prince Manor.”
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