CH 11.2

A guest had come at the Duke’s house. Lila, who was looking at a catalog of dresses and suits in her room, changed her clothes at Jessie’s words.

“Perhaps, are you uncomfortable? I heard that Luca was getting married, so I came here with great joy, but I didn’t know that the young lady might be uncomfortable.”

Hilda was cute as she spoke with a slight tilt of her head. With her fine hair and beautiful eyes, she had a cute appearance that really suited her.

Lila hastened to respond to her words.

“No, of course not. I’m just so happy to have someone so close to the Duke here.”

Lila was sincere. She hadn’t heard much about Lucas’s childhood, but she knew that having a childhood friend like Hilda would have helped him a lot.

“That’s great, then, because you have no idea how much I struggled with Luca when he didn’t speak when he was little.”

“I see.”

Lila thought back to Lucas, and her mind wandered for a moment.

‘He didn’t talk? I don’t think so…’

“I’ve been telling him not to do that since he was a kid, because if you’re ugly, you have to have a good personality.”

Lila’s mind wandered for a moment, and then she was interrupted by an intrusive voice in her ear.

“What?”

“I’m glad you have a good personality, my lady, but I’m worried about Luca and his marriage. My mother was very worried about that, too.”

“…”

“My family is a branch of Montefeltra, and my father is an elder, so my family is always interested in the Duke. If the duke does well, the elders won’t worry.”

The more Lila listened, the more she scrutinized Hilda’s expression at her strange words, wondering if she might be some kind of spinster.

But her expression showed no such hostility. No matter how well she hid it, Lila has a good eye.

“My mother is so worried. About the lady’s appearance and the Duke’s, though I know you two are in love. I like the lady, though I worry about the obligations that come with being a noble.”

Lila couldn’t help but laugh along with Hilda, even as she watched her smirk.

She couldn’t laugh with her, because it was a disparaging way of talking about her and Lucas, and for all she knew, she was meeting Hilda for the first time, and she spoke as if she had seen them.

If she hadn’t seen it, she had been told about it.

Lila thought of Anna. Could she have told her, and that’s why she knew?

In her confusion, Lila didn’t quite hear what she was saying.

“My lady?”

“…yes?”

“Are you okay? You looked a little uncomfortable, so I asked…”

“No, I’m fine.”

Lila replied, shaking her head. Hilda looked genuinely concerned, which confused Lila even more.

“I’m so excited that we’re going to eat together, but do you have any questions for me, like, for example, about Luca’s childhood?”

“…No, it’s okay.”

“Really? He’s going to be your husband, and you don’t want to know about his childhood? I’ve been so prepared for this, it’s upsetting, my lady.”

Lila sighed inwardly. She had such pretty words, but something was off.

“I’d like to hear it from him.”

Lila drew a line in the sand. Maybe it was the excitement of being an unexpected guest.

She felt like she finally understood. About this young lady named Hilda.

‘I meet someone like that sometimes. A person who approaches with compassion and sympathy, and puts in a dagger with a smile.’

Lila didn’t bat an eyelid at all, because she it was her decision to wear an ugly makeup.

If she were really an ugly young lady, she would have been hurt, sure.

But knowing her true face, Lila had other ideas when faced with such mean-spirited ladies.

Sometimes, however, she would meet someone unusual and strange.

Like Hilda right now.

At first, her kind words filled Lila with hope. That maybe she’d finally make a friend.

But the more she talked to her, the more she thought they were weird.

They were good people who felt sorry for her because she was ugly. Compassionate and supportive of the weak, they were the true nobility. Well, so be it.

That’s what she called it, the kind of selfishness that was so full of itself that it never occurred to them that their words would hurt Lila.

Gentle selfishness, she called it.

But Hilda seemed to be a step above such people.

That look in her eyes, the look of a child who doesn’t have enough? Yes, that’s the look. That benevolent smile.

The tightness in her stomach eased. Lila could finally smile genuinely.

When she smiled, Hilda flashed an awkward smile back. She had sensed the change in Lila’s mood.

“I’ve been working on something, and I think I’ll have to leave for a while… Is that okay?”

“What? I’m a guest, and I don’t think it’s proper etiquette for you to leave like that, young lady. You’re about to become a duchess, and it might start some bad rumors.”

Look at this, look at this.

‘Do you even realize that’s a threat?’

Lila shook her head and smiled.

“You said earlier that you felt at home here, so I figured you wouldn’t mind being alone.”

“Oh, I’m sorry if that offended you. I used to come over a lot when I was younger and felt so comfortable that I must have unintentionally offended you.”

Hilda looked genuinely sorry. Lila inwardly admired her.

‘She seems so sincere, she must be a natural at this… Is she really close to the Duke?’

That was it, and Lila didn’t want to accept Hilda. To be honest, she didn’t even like her calling him Luca from the start.

“Yes. I think you’re getting a little too comfortable. If you were a guest, it would be polite to send a letter and make an appointment beforehand.”

Lila’s words left Hilda speechless. When Hilda blinked in surprise, Lila said.

“I’m afraid I can’t keep spending time with you, my lady, as I have work to do. Besides, I don’t know when the Duke will return home.”

“I see…”

Lila arched an eyebrow at Hilda, who replied as if the grass were dead.

“You’ll understand, I’m sure. Since you’ve come so unexpectedly, you must have expected this.”

“Well, I guess I can take a walk in the garden…. Yes, I’m sure the hydrangeas have already lost, right?”

She didn’t know if she knew that or not, but Lila replied cheerfully.

“If you go now, you’ll see nothing but green leaves, but the view is lovely, so if you don’t mind, you can go. I’ll pass the word to Vincent.”

Then she got up from the couch. Lila didn’t greet her the way she had when she came in. With only a quick glance, she stepped out of the parlor with a brisk step.

“Jessie.”

“Yes, my lady.”

“Call for Vincent.”

“I understand, my lady.”

Jessie had taken care of Lila and learned her tendencies. Deciding that this was the right time to go get Vincent, she quickly walked away.

After watching Jessie disappear, Lila returned to her room.

It wasn’t that she had anything to do with what Hilda had said, it was just unpleasant.

It was a common occurrence in the capital, but up north, it felt even worse.

And then there was the most unpleasant thing of all.

“Luca? Luca?”

Calling him by his nickname was the most offensive of all. Lila’s eyes lit up as she recalled his nickname.

Really, an unbearable jealousy flared up.

“What’s wrong with me? Was I always this way?”

Lila was actually surprised at her own behavior. Her stomach felt as tight as a sweet potato1a feeling of frustration or impatience about a situation or a person.

“Heh, having childhood friends is nice. I don’t even have any friends.”

She was aware that she was taking out her anger on Lucas, but she was just annoyed.

“Why do I really feel like this?”

A searing heat burned up her esophagus. With a sudden pinging sensation, Lila went into the bedroom.

She took off her dress and lay down on the bed, and suddenly felt a little better.

75—Part 3

Lucas was walking into the mansion with Owen. Vincent greeted them.

“You have come, Duke.”

“Yes. What is the lady doing?”

Lately, the first question he asked when he returned home was about Lila.

Vincent answered familiarly.

“She’s resting in her room. She said she wasn’t feeling well all of a sudden, so she went to…”

Before Vincent could finish, he spoke up.

“Not feeling well? Did you call the doctor?”

Lucas, who had been shuffling his feet, asked Vincent as he stood there.

“I suggested it, but she refused. She said she’d be fine after a little rest…”

“You should have called them, though.”

“I apologize.”

Vincent bowed deeply at his rebuke.

“I can’t. Owen, let’s call it a day.”

“I understand.”

Owen replied, pushing his glasses up. He nodded slightly, and Lucas started for the stairs.

“Owen! Luca!”

Hilda, who had just come through the garden gate, called out to them.

Owen looked at Hilda, a little surprised, and Lucas shot her a look of displeasure.

“You’ve come just now? I’ve been waiting for you.”

Hilda threw her arms around Owen and cooed.

“You worked hard, brother.”

“Why are you here?”

Lucas asked in a low voice. Hilda smiled pleasantly at him.

“Why didn’t you tell me, do you know how sad I was when about her from my mother?”

Lucas asked coldly, his face hardening even more at her words.

“You came here without notice?”

Seeing his cold expression, Hilda looked rather pitiful and turned to Owen.

“No, brother, I’ve been alone all this time. Lady Este said she was busy.”

After that, Hilda grunted at Lucas.

“I’m already scolded by the young lady. So, Luca, don’t say anything.”

Owen, who was silently watching her as she turned her head while making a noise, took her arm out first.

And he urged in a stern voice.

“…I understand.”

His dejection made her apologize to Lucas..

“I’m sorry.”

“First of all.”

Lucas spoke up, looking as if a north wind was about to blow.

“Call her Duchess, not Lady Este.”

“But you haven’t had a wedding yet… and my father said the elders haven’t decided yet…”

Turning to Hilda, who pouted her lips in displeasure, Lucas continued.

“And don’t you dare come to the duchy. And let me remind you that you don’t need the Senate’s decision, the Emperor has already granted his permission.”

Lucas didn’t like the fact that he had to use the Emperor he hated so much as an excuse.

“But my father said you must accept the opinion of the Senate! Luca, you can’t just decide to get married, and besides, why would you want to…”

“Shut up.”

Lucas glared at Hilda. Then he turned to Owen and ordered.

“Owen, get her out of here and call the elders for a meeting tomorrow.”

“Yes, I understand.”

Lucas turned and walked away. She was a very tiresome woman. Worse than the gossipers.

“Thee lady asked me to have dinner with her, but…”

“Hilda.”

At Owen’s words, Hilda stamped her foot and burst into tears.

“I wanted to get to know her, and she didn’t even give me a chance to talk, and I need to help her, and she needs my help!”

Owen sighed, and Lucas turned away with a sour expression.

He felt angry to the tips of his toes, like he needed to lash out at something. She always managed to get on his nerves.

“Stop…”

“It’s okay, Lu.”

Just then, Lila’s voice came from the top of the stairs. Lucas turned his head upward in confusion.

Lila put on a different make-up than before. It wasn’t completely ugly makeup, it was ugly makeup with only freckles.

It was impressive to see her sharp eyes by giving strength to the eye line. Among the dresses Lucas gave her, Lila pulled out the bustle type of the most intense color and twisted her hair up neatly.

Her lips, painted in a dry, rose-colored red lipstick, lifted lazily.

Hilda blinked in surprise at how different she looked, and so did Owen and Vincent.

Owen, in particular, was struck by the aura she gave off, and wondered.

Was the rumor of this ugly young lady really true?

Lucas hurried upstairs to escort her out.

“Wife?”

Lucas called out in a husky voice, surprised at her unfamiliarity. Lila smiled softly at him.

“Yes, Lu.”

Lu? Lucas paused for a moment at the unfamiliar call, but he took it in stride.

“Lala, I heard you weren’t feeling well… Do you mind if you come down here?”

He made up her nickname in a flash and called her by it. Lila arched one eyebrow in a look of approval. It was a look Lucas usually reserved for her.

“Lady?”

Hilda had a strange feeling. Surely she had looked ugly earlier, but now she didn’t look that way at all. If anything, she seemed more beautiful than she was, and she couldn’t help but wonder.

When they reached the bottom of the stairs, Lila turned to Hilda and spoke in a friendly tone.

Having overheard their conversation at the top of the stairs, she wanted to say this first.

She said, “Lady Ezrada, such childlike behavior in the presence of the Duke is not polite. Could you please be careful? And it’s not polite to call me young lady when the Duke has just ordered you to call me Duchess. Do you understand?”

Her full lips thinned gently. Lila smiled benevolently.

“Vincent, is the meal ready?”

Lila, who had already spoken to him earlier, asked, and Vincent answered.

“It’s ready, but are you okay?”

He couldn’t help but ask, remembering her lying on the bed, struggling.

Lila smiled a genuine smile and replied.

“Thank you. But if you don’t mind, please escort the guests to the dining room.”

Lucas had his doubts, but he wanted to do what Lila wanted. Lucas nodded, and Vincent turned to Hilda.

“I will show you around, my dear Ezrada.”

“…Thank you, Vincent.”

Hilda felt odd, but she was polite. Then she took Owen’s arm.

“Can’t my brother join us?”

“…I…”

Owen wanted to turn away, but Lila was quicker.

“I wanted to serve you a meal because you always worked hard, but it turned out well. I think Lady Ezrada will be able to eat comfortably.”

Lila, who had been speaking to Owen, glanced at Lucas and asked.

“Is that okay, Lu?”

Lila was at full fighting strength now. Up until now, she’d been hiding and avoiding because she wanted to live, but not today.

She hated Hilda for looking down on Lucas, but more than that…

‘I don’t like it, I really don’t.’

The word ‘Luca’ that kept replaying in her head was the one she didn’t like the most.

Everyone who saw Lila smiling out of the corner of her eye flushed.

Hilda was no different.

‘Why is my heart beating so fast?’

She felt strange. Lila’s freckled face was the ugly feature she knew. Nobles were supposed to have skin the color of porcelain.

The kind of white, smooth skin that looked noble without a single blemish.

Porcelain skin was a symbol of wealth and should be the pride of a family that had steadfastly maintained their wealth.

Hilda pulled herself together and finally spoke.

“Thank you for the invitation to dine, my lord. I would love to call you madam, but I feel it would be impolite to call you duchess when you have not yet been formally married, so please do not take offense.”

Hilda spoke with an innocent expression, certainly different from the young ladies she was used to seeing in the capital’s social circles.

Lila squinted for a moment, the corners of her mouth twitching upward.

Then she slowly parted her lips and spoke in a languid tone.

“You say it’s against etiquette, but you don’t seem to know much about etiquette.”

Lila arched an eyebrow in embarrassment and covered the corner of her mouth with one hand.

Having been told that meat is eaten by those who have eaten it*, and having been bullied in social circles, Lila recalled the gestures and hand signals of the young men who had bullied her.

*it means when doing something, the person who’s experienced at that field is better than non-experienced person

She paused for a moment, then spoke softly, as if teaching a child.

“You do realize that the Emperor has created a ‘pre-wedding cohabitation’ law, and during the ceremonial honeymoon period, we are legally married, just like a real couple. If I were close to the lady, we could overlook that point, but we just met today, and I don’t think we’re close enough to overlook that point…”

Lila trailed off and tilted her head.

“If you were Lu’s parents or Michael’s, that would be fine, but you’re Lu’s maternal cousin, and even though you’re related, you’re not an immediate family member. Even Lu, who’s closest to me, calls me wife… Hmm, well.”

Hilda’s expression hardened as she listened to Lila’s words. Lila was definitely right, and it was something she would normally say to others first.

So there was no reason to feel bad. She would only be teaching her what he didn’t know.

But her hands were trembling and her stomach was churning. This was the first time in her life she’d ever been treated like this, and by someone so ugly.

Without taking her eyes off Hilda, who was unconsciously biting her lip, Lila continued.

“Anyway, to make a long story short… I would like to tell you that the act of the lady pointing out something that the duke also gave permission to is very disrespectful. And that too while talking about wrong etiquette in front of the duke inside the duchy. Oh, and I don’t mean to take anything away from you, of course, but it’s a mistake you can make if you don’t know better.”

Lila attempted a benevolent smile as she finished. The corners of her mouth twitched at the thought of doing something she wasn’t supposed to, but it didn’t matter.