“Huh?”

Ignoring the people’s puzzled looks, the Duke seriously repeated the motion of scooping up soup, bringing it to his lips, and then letting it dribble down again, as if he were an actor performing in a play about eating soup.

Naturally, not a single drop of soup passed down his throat.

“Hmm, what a waste of food, what is he doing?”

Of course, I could generously overlook the male protagonist’s eccentric behavior.

“Duke! What is this rudeness?”

Drrrk, Duke Forshee rose from his seat, pushing his chair back. He seemed very angry at first glance.

“Our family has prepared this meal with great care!”

Had he tried to eat with a spoon beneath his mask, it might have been understandable, but letting the soup spill like that was almost tantamount to suspecting the food was poisoned.

“Lady Forshee. The Duke is simply having difficulty eating because of the mask.”

“If you don’t want to eat, put the spoon down. How dare you mock us like this…!”

Everyone’s faces hardened, and the atmosphere seemed poised for a fight to break out at any moment.

In this tense moment, everyone’s nerves on edge.

“Ahaha!”

A cheerful laugh cut through the tension.

“Annette?”

“Now you too, what are you doing!”

“Sorry. I couldn’t help but laugh.”

Pff. I covered my mouth and laughed as if the Duke had just made a really funny joke.

Duke Forshee, furious, seemed ready to grab the Duke by the collar, and the Duchess, the hostess, blushed.

Only I was smiling comfortably, like a carefree child.

“It’s amusing to see His Grace the Duke, a grown man, seeming to be picky about his food.”

Although Duke Forshee criticized the Duke’s rudeness, I too was seated as the host.

My dismissing the Duke’s rudeness as a mere ‘joke’ made it awkward for Duke Forshee to bring it up again.

The atmosphere changed.

“Hmph!”

Duke Forshee looked at me displeasedly and sat down again. Regardless, I smiled kindly at the Duke.

‘I’ve just taken your side, you saw? Remember that well.’

“Could it be because they are to be married? They seem to understand each other so well already.”

“Indeed. There seems to be something between them that we can’t understand.”

My stepmother and sister Caitlin laced their words with thorns to criticize me.

Everyone at our house was stiffened by the Duke’s behavior, thinking it was funny. ‘You’re certainly not one of our family,’ was the implication.

‘I’d be thankful if you said I get along well with the male lead.’

If it lets me live even a day longer, I could match not just humor but anything.

“I’m so happy to hear that the Duke and I get along well.”

A special service.

I winked at the Duke.

Regrettably, the Duke completely ignored my cute gesture.

Seems he’s more shy than he looks.

“Lady Annette, showing such an open attitude towards the Duke from the start, on behalf of the Duke and the North, we thank you. I may be unworthy, but I am Daniel, a knight guarding the Duke’s side.”

Instead of the aloof Duke, his knight courteously greeted me.

“Pleased to meet you, Sir Daniel.”

I smiled at Sir Daniel, but impressing him wasn’t my goal.

I turned to the Duke and spoke.

“You said you’re wearing a mask because of an injury to your face, but your neck isn’t injured, is it?”

“Annette.”

Duke Forshee cautioned me to stay quiet and not make a fuss.

Huh? Just a moment ago, they were about to clash, and now he’s minding his manners? How unfitting.
“I want to hear the Duke’s voice. No need for much talk. Just one word is enough. Whether the food is delicious, how you find our house, things like that.”

“Lady, as I mentioned earlier, the Duke is currently wearing a mask, which makes it difficult for him to speak. If there’s anything you need, I can speak on his behalf…….”

“Thank you for the hospitality of the Forshee family.”

From beneath the silver mask, a grating, unpleasant voice emerged. It was the first time I heard the male lead’s voice.

Grrr.

At that chilling voice, Caitlin inadvertently dropped the utensil she was holding, making a clattering noise.

Startled, Caitlin’s face, unable to hide her expression, showed her thoughts about the voice clearly, as if saying, ‘What kind of face is hiding behind that mask?’

“It’s impolite to make such noise during a meal, Caitlin. You should behave properly, especially in front of guests.”

I lightly scolded Caitlin. Yet, the atmosphere remained tense.

The face of Sir Daniel, who knew about the Forshee family’s rudeness, darkened as if he expected this.

“I kept my mouth shut during the meal so as not to disturb the pleasant atmosphere with such a voice.”

Only the Duke remained calm. Good, then I must live up to the expectations at this chilly dining table.

“Thank you for fulfilling my request, Your Grace. I’m overjoyed that our family’s banquet pleases you.”

“That’s unexpected. Lady, are you not bothered by this voice? I thought you would be terrified to marry a man with such a voice.”

Even behind the mask, it was clear. He was teasing me.

Is this a sign of affection?

I smiled confidently at the Duke.

When scheming men desperately battle for her favor in the male harem

This one’s also on my reread list! The rivalry, scheming between the men in the imperial harem are just as intense and thrilling as in classic palace drama novels, where concubines fight to the death. Give it a read, girls! I promise you won’t be disappointed.

Synopsis:

“I am not worthy of her… but I still want to be by her side, even if only as a loyal dog…”

Those were the painful whispers of Yue Guanyi – the proud Crown Prince of the Great Qi, who was torn between deep love and a guilty conscience. Despite holding the supreme power of the Imperial Guard, he still could not forget the dark past when he was sold into a brothel.

Fate played a cruel twist when Qiu Shuzhi – a young female official who had just passed the imperial examinations with top honors – stepped into his life. She did not know that she was the one who had saved him from a tragic fate many years ago. And now, her heart was the target of pursuit for both Yue Guanyi and the powerful Empress Dowager Qin Qing.

While Yue Guanyi only dared to silently care for and protect the one he loved from afar, the  Empress Dowager Qin Qing openly expressed his feelings and did not hesitate to take advantage of his power to approach Qiu Shuzhi. The covert struggle between the two most powerful forces in the imperial court began…

Trigger warning: All men in this novel are yandere style.

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