CH 41

Benelucia Afron’s face hardened as he stared down Senelia. 

“…Sally.”

Yes, it would be easy to give in to Benelucia’s need to maintain his pride. It should be easy for me to follow along as he wishes. 

Though the path she walked would turn much smoother if she followed his desires, Senelia had no intention of submitting. She would never hinder the steps needed in her plan that would make the Grand Duke willingly confine her to his side in the future. 

To perfectly obtain her objective, Senelia would do anything. Even if that meant going to the banquet held by Marquis Elihan alone. 

Anyway, it’s not like my reputation in the social circle could be ruined any further. 

Hmpf, what more could I lose? 

“If not, then give it back to her.”

If any other person had stood before him, Benelucia would have assumed that he was being tested, but to Benelucia, Senelia was not one of those people. 

What if I use this to make her stay at my side?

She was different. While he could control the masses with his power, his fame, his money, or even his dashing good looks. He came to the understanding that none of them could attract Senelia. 

Doing things at leisure only happens when you have the means to. Unfortunately, I do not have the means to do as I please, so if you order this from me, Your Highness, I’ll follow it. 

She waited. 

…What if this is the only way to capture Senelia and keep her with me?

The Grand Duke bit the soft flesh of his lips and pondered over the success of this new thought. 

The fishy taste that blossomed in his mouth distracted him from the remorse he felt towards his prior behavior. 

He felt his mouth tingle as he came to his senses. 

Nevertheless, the thought resurfaced in his mind once more. 

If that’s the only way to keep her with me, then it’s unavoidable. 

He chuckled, he had come to a decision. 

“…I thought I couldn’t do it.”

I feel weird. 

How low have I fallen?

Senelia had once said that she would keep to her duty. She’d put a line between herself, the daughter of a Viscount, and himself, the Grand Duke of their Empire. 

He never liked this claim, but he had never given her any orders that challenged this bottom line. 

But in the end, it was a mere hypocrisy that changed with the flip of a hand, as if according to his needs. 

Benelucia’s face felt exposed, his desires laid bare. 

If he commanded her, he’d be taking away her free will to choose. 

However…

“Alright, this is an order, Sally.”

However, Benelucia did not want to let Senelia go. 

He could stoop low, discard his charming image, he would do whatever it took to keep her by his side. 

“Become my partner, Sally, and attend the Elihand banquet with me.”

Thus began the first command given by the Grand Duke to Senelia… Exactly as Senelia planned. 

Cross all of the lines you’ve drawn between us, Grand Duke. May you lose your way, as you come closer.

Stay with me, choose me. Don’t go to Lucalina. 

Senelia sent up a silent prayer. 

Only then will I be able to live, and not just scavenge to survive. 

***

Senelia was unable to return to her townhouse immediately. 

Benelucia insisted that a dress was needed, specifically tailored to her needs. 

His reasoning, the Grand Duke’s partner could not appear at an event with any random outfit. 

“…Did you dispose of all the dresses left in the Grand Duchy?”

Benelucia’s thoughts might have made perfect sense to his own ears, but to Senelia, it did not. 

The Afron Mansion was decked with a variety of gowns and clothing, prepared and ready to wear in advance, for any guest who graced its hallways. 

Senelia thought that one of those was enough.

To be frank, everything had played out according to her plans so far, but she didn’t know what future Benelucia and she would have. 

Besides, right now, we have nothing to do together as a couple. 

I can’t lessen his guilt by allowing him to spend money on his partner. 

However, it would be too much for her to not accept the expensive dress he’d given to her. 

“Is the Grand Duke’s partner planning to wear a gown that is already out of fashion?”

Benelucia visibly withheld a frown as he questioned the stubborn woman. 

Sometimes, I truly do not understand what goes on in Senelia’s head. To request such a thing…

He understood her thoughts. They were not in an official relationship now, and Senelia was unwilling to accept any offerings from Benelucia. 

Senelia Daphnen always tried to keep to her ‘duty’, which Benelucia hated so much. 

“Or should I open the Grand Duke’s treasury?”

Benelucia asked as if opening the treasury for someone other than the Grand Duke or Duchess was not a big deal. 

In the treasury of the Grand Duchy, a considerable amount of dresses that were regarded as treasures in the Imperial Family were transferred to and preserved by the Grand Duke.

As with any family, these were family dresses that would be handed down from generation to generation in the Afron family line.

Of course, it wasn’t given to just anyone.

The moment she put it on, Senelia would at least be treated as a reserve Grand Duchess.

Even knowing that fact, he brought up such a suggestion.

“…Then, I’ll wear my family’s gown.”

The Grand Duke’s sly cornering was not rewarded with success, but rather, his prey had taken a large step back. 

No one would bother to criticize the gown handed down from the family’s previous generations unless it would insult the family name.

It would be enough if it complimented the time’s fashion, or lightly resembled it. 

If she wore the dress of the Viscount Daphnen family, there would be no reason to buy a new one, nor would there be any reason to wear the gowns meant for the future Grand Duchess.

So it was only natural that Benelucia’s expression soured.

To him, it was general knowledge for the male partner to present a gown to their female companion for an upcoming event. So for Senelia to refuse him, Benelucia was left to assume she wanted to draw a line between them once again. 

It wasn’t Senelia’s intention. 

Living through the past eight years, walking on eggshells, being Benelucia’s woman, without an official title, caused her to become a natural at avoiding being labeled as a gold digger. 

To not act in any manner that would seem as if she was aiming for the position of Grand Duchess. 

It was a habit that had been engraved deep into her bones.

“You will go to this extent to not get involved with me?”

Unfortunately, there was no way for Benelucia to guess the meaning behind Senelia’s actions.

On the contrary, the fact that she behaved like that throughout her time with him rather stimulated him even more.

Senelia had never, not even for a moment, tried to reveal that she and Benelucai were lovers to outsiders.

Usually, when you have a lover, don’t you want everyone to know about it?

To lay claims on each other.

It was a privilege that only lovers could have.

It annoyed him that Senelia had always willingly given up this privilege.

“I didn’t mean that.”

Even Senelia felt sorry for herself.

It was a reaction made unconsciously, and she had never expected Benelcuia to react so sensitively. 

Many people want something from him.

When she becomes one of many, she will be abandoned.

I’ve always been careful not to be like that.

But now, Benelucia loved Senelia anyway, and her attitude to his offer was somewhat misleading to the man who loved her.

“…I apologize.”

Senelia lowered her eyes and apologized quietly.

She wanted to make her partner feel as if she was being difficult, not hated. 

Sadly, Senelia could not get used to the fact that Benelucia loved her, even though she thought she frequently made plans to tie him to herself.

For eight years, she had been trying very hard not to make the mistake of thinking that he loved her, even for a moment.

It’s just that Senelia was more comfortable with Benelucia keeping her by his side due to a whim, rather than love. 

“…It’s alright, I will leave your gown to Madame Rampadour.”

Benelucia muttered as he turned his head. 

He hated seeing Senelia behaving submissively.

She never showed pride in front of her lover like others, rather, she endured and accepted all of Benelucia’s attitudes and behavior.

Each time she reacted as such, they seemed more and more distant from normal lovers, and the distance between them  continued to grow without a chance to reconcile. 

Between the Grand Duke and the Viscount’s daughter, it seemed that the gap could not be bridged. Benelucia felt choked. 

So it was.

He dared to bring up the name of Rampadour to provoke Senelia.

“Your Highness! That is— That is nonsense.”

Senelia raised her voice involuntarily, then lowered it urgently.

As he expected, her eyes were trembling violently.

Madame Rampadour.

Madame Rampadour was a designer famous for only making clothes for the Imperial Family.

In other words, Senelia’s refusal to wear the dress from the treasury of the Grand Duchess would be meaningless.

No, rather, it was like meeting something worse while trying to avoid it!

Even after Benelucia became independent as a Grand Duke, Cliff recognized his younger brother as a member of the Royal Family.

However, no matter how close she was to becoming the fiancee of the Grand Duke, if she was a bride-to-be before marriage, she could not be recognized as a member of the Royal Family.

But imagine… What if I wore a dress that would be worn by royalty?

It wouldn’t be excused with words like preliminary.

Wearing clothes made by Madame Rampadour meant that she was already the Grand Duchess. 

Senelia’s complexion drained to white.

There was no way Cliff de Helios would allow her to marry Benelucia without his permission.

Their marriage had to take place under the careful planning of the emperor.

It was clear that if she wore Madame Rampadour’s clothes, she would displease Cliff.

“Do you hate it that much?!”

Someone of Benelucia’s caliber and standing should know the significance of Madame Rampadour’s clothing. 

He didn’t intend to place added pressure on Senelia by ordering a dress from Madame Rampadour.

I was just trying to provoke her a little, to make her accept at least a dress from a famous designer other than Madame Rampadour. Can she not accept the bare minimum, it’s the male partner’s honor. 

However, thinking of how her complexion had deteriorated all of a sudden, he was unknowingly injured.

Senelia, who had unknowingly froze under Benelucia’s heartbroken gaze, replied a step later.

“It’s just… I think that these custom made gowns are too much for me.”

…Too much.

Benelucia was moved again by those words.

He suddenly remembered the gifts he had given her when they were lovers.