CH 21.7

The bright light enhanced Lila’s appearance. Slowly, she raised her teacup and sipped leisurely.

Then, looking directly at Hilda, she said.

“If you’re curious about my rumours, you can find out for yourself. For your information, this is my face now. The face you saw was a lie, a story.”

The corners of Lila’s mouth twitched, but her eyes didn’t move. Her piercing blue eyes were fixed on Hilda, unmoving.

And she spoke quietly, telling everyone to listen.

“I’m going to be married next month, so I’m very busy, and you’ll only see me at the wedding, so you won’t be able to call me lady again.”

She didn’t name names, but Lila’s gaze spoke for her. Maria, seated next to Hilda, had a pensive look on her face and could barely breathe.

She had only belatedly realised that what she had thought was a rope, which she had caught after much effort, was in fact a snake.

“Another thing, don’t ever come to the manor unannounced again. As I have often told you, be well behaved.”

As she spoke, Lila gestured to Jessie.

“Ah, did the Duke ever told you to make yourself at home as if it this was your own house?”

Lila asked, but of course Hilda couldn’t answer. Her eyes were wide and she was biting her lip, so Lila continued.

“If the favour continues, there are many people who think it is their right. What do you think about that?”

She asked Hilda again, but she still only bit her lips. She glared at Lila with eyes full of tears.

Does she know what she looks like right now?

Then Catherine spoke up.

“Knowing the Lady Eslada that I do, she would certainly be called unconventional. Her behavior goes against the norms of etiquette and is not in accordance with common sense, right?”

At this point, Maria would have stepped in and said something to Catherine. But when it came to Lila, she couldn’t bring herself to say anything.

Hilda looked at her with pitying eyes for a moment, then began to tear up.

“…I just wanted to tell you about the traditions of the North, that’s all. Why are you so angry with me?”

Lila felt her stomach clench at Hilda’s question. She sighed heavily, remembering the sweet potato she had burned a few days ago.

“That’s not what you’re talking about! You should have called ahead! Shouldn’t you at least apologise for leaving us in the lurch? How can you be so selfish?”

Even more frustrated than Lila, Catherine couldn’t help but speak up. I didn’t think she was that stupid.

Feeling like she was making a fool of herself for being so jealous, she let out a long sigh.

“Jessie, give them the presents.”

Without another word, Lila ordered Jessie and rose from her seat.

Jessie set five wrapped boxes down in front of each of the five young women.

“It is my smallest gesture. It was nice to learn about the traditions of the North, thanks to you.”

Lila bowed to Catherine, Luna, and Amy only.

“Well, may you have a peaceful night.”

Turning to leave, Lila turned back to Amy with an ‘ah’ sound.

Fanning herself, Lila whispered in a low voice that only Amy could hear.

“Would you like to come visit me later?”

“Yeah?”

Straightening her back, Lila smiled softly at Amy. Amy nodded absentmindedly.

A quick nod of acknowledgement, and before Lila could take another step, the gate that separated the mansion from the garden swung open.

Lucas, dressed in a red shirt and black jacket, strode out into the garden. His expression was grim.

“Lucas?”

“Luca?”

With tears streaming down her face, Hilda thought she finally had an ally. He’d always looked out for her, even when she whined.

Lila’s expression hardened at Hilda’s call. Hearing her nickname Luca again made her feel low.

Catherine, Luna, and Amy blushed as they watched Lucas walk quickly toward Lila.

This was not the Lucas they knew.

“Uh…”

Maria’s eyes widened in confusion. Hilda’s mouth dropped open in surprise.

She was so surprised that she had to stop herself from crying. This wasn’t the Lucas she knew. The Lucas she knew was never that handsome. He certainly wasn’t…

“Lu, Luca?”

Despite Hilda’s call, his eyes fixed solely on Lila. Lila was so jealous she almost hated Lucas.

She felt bad, even though she knew he had no feelings for Hilda, in fact, it was more like dislike.

Lila turned her gaze to Lucas, her hatred directed at him, and at that small gesture, his eyes turned.

“Wife.”

His voice was low, a little rougher than usual. Puzzled, she turned her head, her eyes widening slightly.

And then she noticed something was wrong with his face.

It was unusually red. She wondered if it was because he had been out and about, but his wafting scent gave away his condition.

“Lu?”

Lucas lifted Lila up at the same time she called.

“Kyaaa!”

He turned his back on her, knowing he’d gotten what he wanted. Hilda felt a pang of embarrassment when she saw him not even give her a glance.

“Luca!”

Lucas must have heard Hilda’s dampened voice, but he continued on into the mansion.

Catherine muttered in disbelief at what had happened so quickly.

“What happened just now? The Duke of Montefeltra?”

“…”

“…”

“…No way.”

Even Maria muttered, covering her mouth in surprise. Hilda turned her head completely around and stared at the door through which the two had disappeared.

“This can’t be happening!”

Insulted in more ways than one, Hilda jumped to her feet, ready to protest.

“I’ll tell my father! I’ll make a formal complaint.”

Hilda shuddered and cried out sullenly, but no one spoke to her. Maria was annoyed at her mistake, and Amy was clutching her present tightly.

Catherine and Luna whispered to each other, then began to unwrap their presents.

Amidst the chaos, Owen came out into the garden. Hilda ran up to him, her joy evident.

“Owen!” she exclaimed.

“Hilda.”

He turned to see Lucas and Lila who had disappeared, and looked down at Hilda with an expressionless face.

“Hik, big brother!”

Hilda tried to hug him. She wanted Owen to say “You have done nothing wrong. You didn’t know what you were doing,” just as her mother had told her.

But Hilda was not in his arms. In a voice colder than the north wind, Owen scolded her.

“I told you not to come unannounced, and you came unannounced again. Once is a mistake, but the second time is inexcusable.”

Owen’s words were too long for a man of few words.

“I also told you not to call the Duke by his first name, but you don’t honour any of your promises.”

“Owen?”

Hilda froze at Owen’s demeanour. She couldn’t think of anything else.

“Vincent!”

“Yes.”

Vincent, who was nearby, approached. Owen slowly checked Hilda and the other youngsters and said.

“See them off.”

“Yes, I understand.”

At that moment, Catherine’s cheers were heard.

“Oh my god, this is a beauty cream, and this is definitely a colour cosmetic, how did they make this?”

After checking out the beauty cream and tonal palette that Lila had given her as a gift, Catherine turned to Luna with a look of excitement on her face.

“Look at this. This is it, right?”

Imperial cosmetics were no match for modern cosmetics. Even if there were tonal cosmetics, they weren’t the solid type that Lila had given her.

Vincent said politely in a conflicting mood.

“Then, I will see you off, and I will see you next time at the Duchess’s wedding.”

* * *

Lucas stumbled into his bedroom, barely able to fight through his confusion.

“Lucas?”

Lila, who had come up to him, was worried by his uncharacteristic state. His face was flushed from the memory.

She wrapped her hands around his face. She was surprised to feel his body temperature, much hotter than it looked.

“What’s wrong?”

“Haa…”

With a long sigh, Lucas gripped her shoulders, his scent thickening with each exhale and inhale.

“Wife…”

“Yes, Lucas.”

“I, hummm…”

He was breathing raggedly, like he was holding something back with each word, and Lila tried to get him to lie down.

“Why don’t you lie down first, what’s wrong, huh?”

Tightening his grip on the slender hand that was trying to get him to lie down somehow, Lucas forced his eyes open.

If he didn’t do this, he was going to lose it.

“There was something I gambled on, trusting only you, hngg.”

“Stop talking, what the hell is wrong with you?”

Lila’s body was hot. She looked into his tear-stained mint eyes, and her heart began to race.

“What, what did you gamble on?”

The word “gambling” made her squirm. No way, the duke is going broke, is this what this is about?

“It’s okay, I’ll make money. I’ll sell cosmetics and build the duchy back up, so don’t cry. Ah, and Michael?”

Like his scent, uncontrolled and wobbly, Lila’s words spilled out in a panic.

“You don’t think it’s affecting Michael, do you? Tell me honestly, how much did you blow, huh?”

At her increasingly rapid pace, Lucas closed his heated eyes and forced a laugh.

“Haha… now, what the hell are you talking about…”

“It’s okay, it’s okay, it’s going to be okay!”

Lila hugged Lucas tightly. She felt sorry for him, which made her body grow hot.

“It’s okay, ha ha… it’s okay, why…”

“I don’t think it’s okay…”

Lucas, who had been so patient earlier, could feel himself losing his cool at the scent of Lila in his arms.

When she finally responded to his scent, she began to gasp, and he was pleased, so he began to release more of his own.

As he did, he grabbed her slender waist. Holding her tight, he lowered his head.

“I’ve left all my potions in the hands of an alchemist, trusting only you… so I need you to take charge of me.”