Fortunately, the calmness came quickly.
“Are you really okay?”
“Yes. I’m really okay.”
Dante’s cold hand helped me regain my composure.
Whether he noticed my state or not, Dante crossed his arms and held my hand without letting go.
I had no intention of letting go either.
I needed a backup plan for my mind, which could waver at any moment.
“If you want to go back, just say so anytime.”
“Yes. I will. Thank you for your concern.”
Dante only worried about me without prying.
…Flora must be lucky.
To be in love with a man like this.
“Hmm?”
What was I just thinking? I quickly blinked and organized my thoughts.
It seemed my insides were too noisy right now.
Should I really just go home quickly?
The nobles weren’t showing the reactions I wanted, and I was seeing the faces of the Count family that I didn’t want to see.
I had just been lectured by the Emperor about heirs, and now I was having these unnecessary thoughts.
…The ballroom must have a bad vibe.
Just as I was leaning towards leaving early, a voice filled with sarcasm blocked our path.
“Congratulations on winning the hunting competition, Duke.”
“I see His Highness the Prince.”
“I see His Highness the Prince.”
It was the first prince, Isaac, who was equally annoying and unremarkable.
He confidently blocked our way and slowly scanned Dante’s and my faces.
To scan someone’s face right in front of them.
Ah. Did he self-study noble etiquette?
I desperately wanted to ask that, but I held it in.
Dante’s face was similarly expressionless, but it had turned cold.
“You’ve ignored the Emperor’s interest for a while and haven’t shown any active participation in the hunting competition. I wonder what wind blew you to catch a bear this time. Ah, has your mindset changed since getting married?”
The prince, who had been picking a fight with Dante, now turned his gaze toward me.
“You must be having a hard time.”
“A hard time?”
At my question, he made a dramatically sympathetic expression.
“Right. Living with a man you don’t get along with isn’t easy. Especially with someone everyone avoids, it must be quite a torment.”
His voice was loud.
It was as if he was throwing words not to me, but to the people around us.
Oh, look at this guy.
He was definitely the worst in terms of annoyance.
In that case, I couldn’t hold back either.
I furrowed my brows as if I agreed with his words and slowly nodded.
“That’s true. Living with someone you don’t like would indeed be very unhappy.”
“Right. You think so too?”
“Of course. In that sense, I can’t express how lucky I am.”
At my added words with a bright smile, the prince’s face became quite amusing.
The face that had been smiling leisurely turned blank like a fool.
“What do you mean…?”
“I’m living with someone I love right now. In our marriage, I love my husband more.”
I leaned my head against Dante’s arm, subtly extending the hand he was holding.
Only then did the prince notice our clasped hands and furrow his brows.
“...Huh. I never dreamed that the Duchess would have such deep feelings for the Duke. You looked so miserable at the wedding, I thought you must be having an unhappy marriage.”
“You might think that. I thought my marriage would be unhappy too. When I was getting married, people called my husband a monster, so I thought I was marrying a monster. But once I got married, I realized there’s no better husband than him. He’s handsome, kind, and in many ways… he’s good at his job too.”
I pretended to be shy, trailing off my words before drooping my brows again.
“Once I got to know my husband’s true nature, I thought people were really too much. They left all the monster handling to him, yet treated him like a monster because he was too strong. If my husband is so scary and terrifying, they could just handle the monsters themselves.”
I threw out my words sulkily, and I could see the prince’s face turning red and blue.
As he clenched his fists, he opened his mouth, unable to contain his anger, the next moment.
“Huh. Are you saying that for me to hear…!”
But he couldn’t finish his sentence.
“Your Highness. There are many eyes watching.”
A veiled woman suddenly appeared and pulled his hand.
Who is that woman?
What could make her calm the prince down so quickly?
It seemed they were quite close.
Wait. If she’s close to the first prince…
I glanced at Dante’s face. The gaze that had been directed at the prince had suddenly shifted to the woman who had appeared.
So intensely that it seemed it could pierce through.
At this point, I could guess the woman’s identity.
Yulia.
She was the traitor who had driven Dante’s brother to his death.
I instinctively tried to narrow my eyes.
“Oh dear. It seems His Highness has misunderstood something. I was merely talking about those petty people who don’t acknowledge my husband’s achievements and just point fingers… Surely, the esteemed His Highness isn’t so narrow-minded and vile, right?”
“...Right. That’s true. I too am always grateful for the Duke’s efforts.”
Hmm. That doesn’t seem right.
“Thank you on behalf of my husband. I sincerely hope that Your Highness will also find a woman you truly love and live happily ever after. I hope you get to feel how happy a marriage filled with love can be.”
Oh my.
Her wide-open eyes were so fierce that it seemed her veins would burst at any moment.
However, the prince could only force a smile and couldn’t say anything more.
Well, what could he say when she was wishing him happiness?
If he got angry here, it would only dig his own grave.
“Oh my. The Duchess is truly kind!”
As I anticipated my victory with a smirk, someone suddenly squeezed in.
Ah. I’m already tired.
“...Your Highness.”
“Good to see you again, Lady Richter.”
The princess smiled brightly and waved at me.
I lightly returned the greeting.
Naturally squeezing between Isaac and me, she covered her mouth with a fan and giggled.
“I couldn’t pass by when I heard such delightful voices.”
“Oh. Yes.”
“Oh my. It seems you two know each other. Have a chat. I’ll take my leave now.”
Just then, the princess widened her eyes as if asking what the prince was saying while trying to pull away.
“One of the delightful voices was my brother. Oh my. Doesn’t my brother find me delightful?”
“...No. I do find you delightful.”
“Right? I feel the same way. By the way, I was surprised. I didn’t expect the Duchess to be so attentive and kind.”
At the unexpected compliment, both the prince and I fell silent.
“She’s sincerely wishing for my brother’s happiness. A marriage filled with love.”
I could hear the prince’s thin voice from here.
It seemed their relationship wasn’t that good.
Ah. Family disputes should be settled elsewhere.
“Oh. And congratulations on being the runner-up in the hunting competition, brother. Although it wasn’t officially counted as a runner-up, anyone could see you were the runner-up. Being a runner-up is really impressive, brother.”
Wow.
She has a natural talent for mocking while smiling.
It seemed the prince’s patience was reaching its limit, as his face was turning increasingly red.
Oh dear. What if he explodes?
In the end, it was Isaac who raised the white flag first against the one-two punch from me and the princess.
“Let’s go. The Emperor is looking for you.”
The role of removing the prince fell to the woman presumed to be Yulia.
With a suitable excuse, she pulled the prince away, bowing her head lightly before walking away.
I couldn’t help but scoff at the backs of the couple I couldn’t like.
“Oh my. They really are an eyesore, aren’t they?”
The princess, covering her mouth with a fan, added more heatedly instead of scoffing.
“Don’t you think we get along surprisingly well?”
“No. Not at all.”
“Oh dear. What a pity. Still, I liked the Duchess even more. I’m glad to have become friends with the Duchess.”
It seems this family has a bit of a strong obsession.
The Emperor is obsessed with heirs.
The princess and the second prince are obsessed with friends.
Is this some kind of family trait?
“So how about you cut ties with Joshua and just be friends with me?”
“...What?”
“I think I could be a better friend to the Duchess than Joshua. Sharing a close friend with my brother seems a bit odd, so let’s just be friends.”