Chapter 21

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***

“Are you a little more relaxed now?”

“Yes.”

Ines nodded her head and quickly expressed her thanks.

“Thank you so much for today.”

The support of the Duke of Sussex itself was a great strength to Ines.

If Enoch hadn’t drawn a perfect line with Ryan…

‘There must have been a lot of gossip.’

Now her mind has calmed down a bit.

Ines, who was leaning on the sofa, looked up at Enoch quietly.

“But, are you all right, Duke?”

As if to ask what do you mean, Enoch looked at Ines.

Ines continued speaking cautiously.

“You kicked out Ryan. I think conservative nobles might be offended by the fact that a noble was expelled. Furthermore…… ”

Ines, who was blurring her words, clenched her teeth.

“… After all, Ryan is still my legal husband.”

“Countess Brierton.”

“I think it is because of the belief of the kingdom…..”

Ines could not finish her words and lowered her eyes.

At least, the belief of Lancaster’s aristocratic society was not favorable for someone who wants to take a path different from others.

Conservative and rigid, it kept men’s and women’s work completely separate.

A woman who had a family dreamed of advancing into society as an artist….it was considered peculiar enough.

Ryan’s deviation was clearly wrong. It was acceptable for men to go out and play.

But Ines was different.

It was unprecedented for her to submit a painting under her own name.

Rather, it was to the extent that Enoch, who willingly accepted her proposal, was a bit strange.

‘Because of me, the Duke would be looked down upon by the aristocratic society….’

When Ines was biting her lip and in agony.

“It’s the Count who was wrong.”

A calm answer came.

Surprised, Ines raised her head.

Unlike her, who was very surprised, Enoch had a calm expression on his face. 

“Why, shouldn’t the one who made the mistake leave the room?”

“… But.”

Ines bit her lips.

In principle, yes.

But hasn’t society always been that way?

Ines herself could not ask for a divorce just because her husband was not faithful to the family.

Enoch did all of this to lay the groundwork for the divorce…

“It is not fair for the victim to have to leave. At least I think so.”

But Enoch in front of her was talking about ‘the right thing’.

Also, he thought Ines was ‘right’, so he was helping Ines even though he rebelled against the society’s belief. Ines felt respect rising from the depths of her heart.

‘I’ve never seen anyone like that before.’ 

He was firm in his opinion without wavering.

‘I want to be like you.’

At the same time, Enoch spoke, as if evoking the atmosphere.

“I know the belief of aristocratic society. But.”

That playful smile was as refreshing as a little boy.

“I have my identity to use at times like this.”

“The Duke?”

“Even if I’m a little arrogant, who can say anything to me?”

In a way, it was an arrogant statement, but it was also a fact without fault.

Because Enoch was the only younger brother of the current king and one of the heirs to the throne of the kingdom.

Ines even heard that he had a very good relationship with his older brother, the King. 

“Rather than doing something wrong to look good to the nobles, it is better to do the right thing by wielding the authority of a royal family. That’s my belief.”

Having said that, Enoch had a slightly embarrassed face and wiped the corners of his mouth.

“Um, does it sound a little arrogant?”

“No.”

Ines shook her head in an instant.

“On the contrary, I think the Duke is cool.”

“Am I cool…?”

“Yes. Your Excellency is not bound by the gaze of those around you, and you just do what you think is right.”

For a moment, Enoch stopped.

“Because I can’t, no, I’ve never even had that courage before.” (Ines)

Ines looked up at Enoch with twinkling eyes full of respect.

“I respect Your Excellency.”

“…”

In response to that answer, Enoch looked at Ines quietly with a curious gaze.

Didn’t he think the same thing about Ines?

“I’m glad.”

Feeling itchy for some reason, Enoch coughed a couple of times and turned his head away.

“Still, the Countess must prepare her heart. This is probably going to cause a lot of controversy.”

“Yes, I am prepared.”

“For the time being, you better stay away from the Count.”

“I think so too. Thank you for your concern.”

Ines, who had regained her energy, nodded her head vigorously. Enoch kept looking at her like that.

Unknowingly, Enoch asked a question that he did not need to ask.

“Can I visit you sometime?”

“Yes?”

Ines opened her eyes wide.

Enoch, who was awkward, hurriedly added.

“To check on your safety. It would be a big deal if Count Brierton came to visit.”

“Aha, that’s what you meant.”

At that moment, Ines, who was convinced, smiled broadly.

“…… It’s nothing.”

At the end of those words, Enoch could not overcome his embarrassment and turned his gaze away.

Ines glanced down at her hands.

Her hands no longer trembled.

Watching it, Ines’ smile grew a little deeper.

‘Okay, let’s do my best.’

Ines clenched her fists strongly.

***

The exhibition was booming every day.

This exhibition was such a big issue that it became a new trend in the social world to visit the exhibition and look at the paintings of the Countess and the Count.

People gathered around three or five and chatted about the confrontation between the Countess and the Count involved in the exhibition and paintings. The news was so hot that it even reached the king’s ears.

As proof of that, the king was reading the Elton with a curious face.

Numerous headlines filled his eyes.

Elton magazine said that this issue was organized as a special feature and continued to be published continuously. And the owner of Elton was … 

“You’ve done something pretty interesting, haven’t you?”

The king, Edward, put down the newspaper he was reading and looked at Enoch.

Across from Edward sat Enoch, the owner of Elton and Edward’s only brother.

Enoch asked with a slightly uncomfortable face.

“Did you call me here just to say that?”

“Just? What do you mean just?!”

Edward banged on the armrest of the armchair with a joyful expression on his face.

“This is the first time in my life I have seen you so deeply involved with a woman.”

“Older brother.”

“Even if I asked you to go see Lady, you wouldn’t even listen with your ears!

Edward narrowed his eyes and continued.

“By the way, you’ve been very popular with ladies for a long time, haven’t you? But you never like anyone, so.”

“Oh, are you really doing this all the time?”

Enoch hated the prolonged nagging.

Edward waved his hand and gave a giggled laugh as if he was going to die of fun.

“Okay, okay. It’s amazing.”

“You have a lot of amazing things.”

Regardless of the annoyed reaction of his indifferent brother, Edward couldn’t stop laughing for a long time. After that, after laughing as much as he liked, he barely stopped laughing and brought up the topic. 

“Even if it’s a work relationship, how can you be so close with a woman like that? Has the sun been rising in the west for the past few months?”

It was about Ines again.

Enoch glared at Edward with dissatisfied eyes. Edward shrugged his shoulders as he met his gaze.

It was kind of an expression, ‘What are you dissatisfied about?’

“Ha.”

Edward smiled and stared at his brother, who sighed as the ground shut down. A dazzling appearance that seemed to have been crafted by God himself. As the king’s only younger brother, he has a noble status with even the right to heir to the throne. The wealth and honor he had built up as an instigator of Elton, the best news agency in the kingdom.

He had an outstanding eye for discovering and supporting numerous artists. It was not that Edward treated him well because he was his younger brother, but Enoch was the groom that anyone in the kingdom of Lancaster would want.

The most unusual thing about Enoch was his relationship with women. As a royal, Enoch was careful about his conduct, and his private life was very clean.

The only problem was that he has not been married yet because of his cleanliness.