CH 6.7

The Duke of Montefeltra had shattered all their expectations.

Lucas moved as casually as if he weren’t looking, but they were all watching, and then he saw Lila moving nervously and stiffly beside him.

The makeup she’d applied seemed to have worked better than he had expected. Although he didn’t have much impression about his face, he didn’t let her know about it for her it was her who put on his makeup.

It wasn’t a bad feeling.

But his curiosity about her grew. Sometimes she doesn’t seem to be so reserved, and other times she seems to be handling it with a lot of determination…

Whether she was timid or bold, she was a mystery.

And she was also kind to Michael, concerned about him, putting on makeup for him, and defending him when others degraded him.

His curiosity about this new Lila, different from his childhood, was piqued.

“You don’t seem so weird today.”

“Oh, that jewelry, isn’t it shaped like a hydrangea?”

“It is… The Duke must have given the prospective Duchess a hydrangea-shaped trinket.”

“Isn’t that because they’re going to be officially married? Otherwise, he wouldn’t give her a hydrangea-shaped trinket that only royalty can use.”

He could hear the chatter all around him. Lucas scanned the hall with a sullen look on his face.

“Oh no, I made eye contact.”

A young lady made eye contact with him, her face flushed red.

“When I heard it as a rumor, I thought it was a good match…

“I know… Do you think this ugly young lady is worthy of such a gorgeous man?”

“I don’t think so.”

“Perhaps the Duke is a kind-hearted man, and since he was only in the north, he might not have known about the ugly lady.”

“Well, if that’s the case, wouldn’t that be a real shame?”

While they were busy talking, Charlotte approached them with Heinrich and Alfonso.

Heinrich greeted Lucas first.

“It’s been a long time, Lucas.”

“It’s been a long time.”

Heinrich bowed to Lucas, who was royalty, even if he was also a duke. Alfonso returned the gesture, bowing slightly and then raising his head.

“It is a pleasure to meet you, Duke. I’m Alfonso Lou Benière.”

“Pleased to meet you. Montefeltra.”

Alfonso’s expression hardened for a moment at Lucas’s insistence on giving him only his last name, but it was only a moment.

If he didn’t give him his first name, it meant he had no intention of getting close.

“Charlotte Pinatelli, my Duke.”

Charlotte flashed the most beautiful smile she could muster and bowed gracefully.

It was an intense, mesmerizing gesture that made her forget about their uncomfortable first meeting.

But Lucas’s expression was cold. He said nothing, and Heinrich and Alfonso looked at him curiously.

Lila stood by and greeted Heinrich, Alfonso, and Charlotte.

“Duke Frederick, Marquis Benière, Countess Pinatelli, a pleasure to meet you.”

She hated the socialite customs of having to say hello, even if she didn’t feel like it. Lila lowered her eyes, avoiding eye contact as much as possible.

Lucas was offended by the look.

“My lady, we may not be formally married, but we are lovers, soon to be husband and wife, so the only people you need to respect are the royal family.”

At first glance, he sounded very affectionate. Or did she hear it right?

Lila raised her lowered eyes and looked up at Lucas. Her surprise was palpable.

“I hope you understand.”

Lucas said gently, then tugged on Lila’s hand.

Charlotte was shocked that Lucas hadn’t said a word to her. It was rude not to greet her in such a public place, even if she had done something unpleasant.

Heinrich and Alfonso were no different. The strangely unpleasant appearance and his demure demeanor made them question.

“His Royal Highness, Crown Prince Theobald Vassium Ivrenia, the Little Sun of the Vassium Empire, and Lady Monaca Ro Arias.”

The courtiers bowed in unison. They exchanged glances.

As to why Theobald was entering with Monaca.

Theobald walked into the ballroom, escorting Monaca, and frowned at the sight of a mauve head.

“Everyone, raise your heads.”

With his permission, the nobles looked up in unison.

Theobald’s eyes widened in surprise at the sight of Lucas standing among the nobles, frankly surprised at how different he looked from what he remembered.

After looking at Lucas with a puzzled expression, Theobald turned his attention to Lila, who stood beside him.

It wasn’t a gaze he had intended, but his eyes fell on her without realizing it.

He caught a whiff of what he assumed to be her scent. A scent so sweet it made his mouth water.

For a long moment, Theobald watched them stand together in silence, puzzled as to why he was offended.

But he couldn’t look away. His eyes were strangely drawn to the still ugly Lila more than to the disfigured Lucas.

In his bewilderment and irritation, Theobald had forgotten about Monaca. Strangely, the still ugly Lila stands out more than Lucas, who has changed beyond recognition.

Then the courtier’s shout came again.

“Their Majesties, the great Emperor and the noble Empress of the Empire of Vassium, are dining. All of you, please set your manners!”

It was the beginning of the coming of age ceremony.

The hall, once noisy with the arrival of new faces, quickly fell silent. The nobles bowed to the Emperor and Empress as they entered the ballroom.

Seated in the golden chair at the head of the table, the Emperor spoke in a stern voice.

“Everyone, raise your heads.”

At the Emperor’s command, everyone raised their heads in unison.

“Today will be the occasion of the coming-of-age ceremony for those who will be coming of age this year, and I hope you will make this once-in-a-lifetime occasion a memorable one.”

As the Emperor spoke the familiar words, the young lords and ladies who would be coming of age today formed up once more in a short line.

Among them were Lucas and Heinrich. They had the same title of duke and were the same age.

They were the two most prominent figures in today’s ceremony. The Emperor made a gesture to his chamberlain, and the first part of the ceremony began.

“Lucas Hugh Montefeltra, son of the Duke of Montefeltra, please come forward.”

Even if he was a duke, he was below the Emperor, so of course he had to follow the tradition. At the servant’s call, Lucas lightly kissed the back of Lila’s hand and released it.

People squealed softly at his romantic gesture. Lila looked up at Lucas with a puzzled expression as he suddenly did something he had never done before, but he had already turned his back and was walking toward the Emperor.

The Emperor looked at the handsome, well-dressed Lucas with a momentary look of disapproval, but it was quickly covered by a stern expression.

“Long overdue greetings to Your Majesty the Emperor, the Sun of the Empire of Vassium, Your Majesty the Empress, the Moon of the Empire, and Your Highness the Crown Prince, the Little Sun of the Empire.”

Many of the lords blushed as they watched him bend and straighten his back in the proper manner.

“Lucas Hugh Montefeltra, congratulations on your coming of age. I hope you will be loyal to the Empire in the future.”

The oddly different tone of the benediction made Lyla suspicious, but Lucas simply bowed and answered with his usual expression.

“I honor you, Your Majesty. I will serve the Empire of Vassium.”

Lucas was followed by Heinrich, and they began to address him one after the other in a ceremonial fashion.

Returning to Lila’s side, Lucas casually took her hand again.

Lila could only stare at him as he wrapped his large hand around hers. She loved the gesture of holding hands.

She glanced cautiously at the original lords. Alfonso, standing next to Charlotte, hadn’t given her the slightest glance, and Heinrich was no different.

With one last, final check, Lila secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

One last time, she sneaked a glance toward the Crown Prince, the original true male lead, and their eyes met.

Surprised, Lila sucked in a deep breath, wondering if he’d been looking at Lucas, and then cautiously shifted her gaze back to Theobald.

Her mouth went dry at the unmistakable stare this time. She looked down quickly, hiding the panic in her eyes.

Without realizing it, her grip on Lucas’s hand tightened. Lucas’s gaze snapped to Lila.

He looked at her, surprised and sweating.

“Can I get you something to drink?”

“It’s… if you don’t mind?”

“Of course.”

At his kind words, Lila was able to calm her pounding heart. She was glad she wasn’t alone.

Letting go of her hand for a moment, Lucas turned to find his courtier, but without waiting, he headed for the table with the drinks.

Lila folded her hands together and waited.