Time passed, and the day of the Princess’s birth celebration arrived.

“Well then, have a good time and come back.”

Nellan bowed his head towards Rose and the Duke as he bid them farewell. Always courteous.

Since the day he made the comment about the “parasite,” he hadn’t particularly behaved rudely.

Instead of pressing him about why he said such words, Rose silently observed Nellan.

In the world, there are people who like you for no reason. However, there are also those of the opposite type.

To Rose, Nellan felt like exactly that type of person.

“Is it inconvenient to have more people to take care of?”

Since Nellan was also from a noble family, albeit from another country, Rose thought that she might need to treat him with respect, considering his fallen noble status.

“…Enough. Let’s stop thinking about it.”

The more she contemplated, the worse Rose’s mood became.

“You look good together.”

Duke Artem spoke to Rose, reaching out his hand.

On the day of Doana’s wedding, it was one of the twenty dresses the Duke had given Rose.

He faintly smiled, seemingly satisfied that Rose wore the dress he gave her.

“Oh, this is awkward.”

Avoiding the Duke’s gaze, Rose let out an awkward smile.

Since the peculiar atmosphere with the Duke on that day, it was the first time in several days that she faced him properly.

It was awkward to look at the Duke’s face.

Therefore, she deliberately avoided the Duke.

She sent him to her room, saying that she didn’t feel well after the meal.

Nellan came intermittently, pretending to bring medicine with a fake smile, but she sent him away and spent her time alone.

“Thank you.”

After a formal greeting, Rose gently placed her hand on the Duke’s hand.

Duke Artem gently wrapped his hand around hers.

“Is your body a bit better? Your face still looks difficult to see.”

Duke Artem looked at Rose with a half-smile.

“Now I’m fine.”

Rose felt burdened by the Duke’s direct gaze. The fact that their hands were touching was also uncomfortable.

“In case Fin didn’t come in…”

She might have kissed the Duke.

In Rose’s life, there was only one man who could be considered a man.

Since she had quite a proper relationship with Ido-hyun, this ambiguous atmosphere was her first.

“To kiss without even dating…!”

Thinking back, it was dizzying. Looking at the Duke’s expression, he seemed to think nothing of that day, as he acted as usual.

The Duke skillfully approached her.

Considering the setting that the Duke, like the high-level decadent novels, had a fair amount of experience with women, wasn’t it?
Duke Artem was rumored to pursue new women each time and flawlessly dispose of them.

“Well… since all the rumors about the Duke so far have been exaggerated, this might be false too.”

Although he stood at the center of cruel rumors, somehow, she felt that those rumors might be false.

However, her belief that he had a lot of experience with women remained unchanged.

While it was well-known that Duke Artem had no experience in love, it didn’t mean he never embraced a woman.

There was no one who only embraced the woman they loved. Because even if you don’t love, you can spend the night together.

Rose no longer trusted men.

Love, like the love of the century where only each other is loved, was just a fairy tale.

Real love was endlessly messy, involving deceiving and being deceived.

Wrong thoughts tormented her mind.

A deep shadow had cast over Rose’s face.

The Duke looked at Rose’s face and silently caressed her hand. Rose, startled by the gentle touch of the Duke’s soft hand, looked at him.

The Duke’s eyes looking at her felt unusually kind.

“…What do you want from me?”

Was he just trying to comfort his loneliness? Rose looked at the Duke with a complicated expression.

In contrast, the Duke’s heart was still pink.

“Did I surprise you by approaching suddenly?”

He knew that Rose avoided him because of his rash actions.

The problem was that he advanced too soon, judging only by Rose’s gaze.

“I must be crazy. Trying to kiss her…”

It was clear that the problem was the impulsive approach.

Until now, Rose had always come to him first. She didn’t hide her feelings toward him. Of course, it was his misconception.

This time, it was his turn to take the initiative.

“It’s better for me to confess first.”

Thinking about the sweet future with Rose, Duke Artem swallowed the drink.

“Wow… the palace is really different.”

The palace was impressive enough to clear up a complicated mind.

Arriving at the palace, Rose wandered around the banquet hall in admiration.

The protagonist of today, the Princess, came into her view.

She was sitting on a splendidly decorated chair high above.

The only illegitimate daughter of the current Emperor.

She had platinum hair, a tradition of the imperial family, and sapphire-blue eyes as deep as the Emperor’s blood.

“She looks like Duke Artem.”

The two, who were distant relatives, had such a similar appearance that they could be considered twins.

Beside her were the Emperor and Empress of the Empire.