Duke, Please Let Go of My Ankle! - Chapter 33

“Mmm?”

Audrey, regaining consciousness in the middle of the night, looked around in confusion.

“Isn’t this my room?”

She clearly lost consciousness in the Duke’s secret storage, but when she opened her eyes, she was in a familiar space.

The magic that should have been full was now empty as if it had been stolen.

Audrey quickly realized that all of this happened because of her magic and immediately became terrified.

‘What should I do?’

Duke Frith had discovered that she was a magic holder.

Hans was an old friend, so he kept her secret despite the risk, but Duke Frith had no reason to do so.

Wasn’t he just a blackmailer who wanted to tear her apart anyway?

‘He must have reported me!’

By tomorrow morning, the Imperial Knights would storm the Duke’s mansion.

And she would be carried away in a wooden cart made by Duke Frith.

“No…….”

Imagining her father’s and brother’s faces, tears began to flow.

Claude Oppa would be shocked too, and Hans would be trembling in fear of being caught as well.

Audrey spent the night wide awake like this.

The next morning.

Audrey was puzzled as she was once again delivered by cart directly to the 4th floor office.

“It’s not such a bad condition.”

“…….”

She was bewildered by the contract suddenly thrust before her.

‘Chief Magician Contract?’

Instead of reporting her to the Imperial family, Duke Frith offered her the position of Chief Magician of the Duke’s mansion. It was unexpected.

“But the mansion already has a Chief Magician-“

“As of yesterday, he went missing.”

“……!”

Could there be such an incredible coincidence?

She finally understood why he offered the Chief Magician position to a blackmailer.

Duke Frith must have been concerned about leaving the magician position vacant. While it was unfortunate for that person, it was a golden opportunity for Audrey.

“I-I’ve signed!”

Since a Chief Magician has some use, they can’t easily kill a blackmailer.

Moreover, being in the same boat, he can’t report her to the Imperial family either.

‘What a stroke of luck?’

In a way, Audrey had secured her right to survive.

Working with him as Chief Magician was uncomfortable, but life is better than death, no matter how you look at it.

Plus, she could see Claude from time to time, so isn’t it the optimal environment!

“I’ll tell others you’re an apprentice assistant. So be careful not to mention even the ‘M’ of magic.”

“Yes!”

Of course!

Audrey had nothing more to be wary of.

A hunting dog is only scary when it’s trying to attack you, but once you know it has a leash, it’s just a ‘fierce-looking dog’.

Duke Frith was exactly like that.

‘He seems so, pleased.’

Naturally, Derek’s heart was soaring.

Seeing Dodori looking the most excited since they met, his ears grew hot.

He felt as if he had become someone great. Just for making Dodori smile brightly.

Derek’s lips began to curl up, following Dodori’s.

Somehow, his heart seemed to be growing softer day by day, just like her cheeks.

***

After work, Audrey met Charlotte after a long time. It was to catch up on overdue love counseling.

“Charlotte!”

“Oh, oh, Audrey!”

“Have you been well?”

“Yeah, I’m… But are you okay?”

“Of course!”

Charlotte awkwardly examined Audrey from head to toe.

There were no visible wounds, and she didn’t seem to have difficulty moving. Her face was as bright as ever.

‘Phew, thank goodness.’

She had regretted so much for completely selling out her friend that day.

Indeed, one cannot live after committing a sin.

“I’ll pay today.”

“Huh? But-“

“Just! I want to pay!”

Charlotte insisted unnecessarily out of guilt. How could she have the nerve to let Audrey treat her?

Moreover, just paying wasn’t enough.

‘Mr. Claude Emilton, I’m sorry, but you’re finished. I’ll do whatever it takes to set Audrey up with you.’

Charlotte, the love expert, was planning to atone in her own way using her talents.

“Don’t tell me it just ended like that?”

“No……. How could I forget Oppa?”

“Right. It’s too early to give up.”

However, the situation was more serious than expected.

Mr. Claude Emilton, who should quietly become Audrey’s man, has someone he likes?

‘Hmph, no one knows what happens between a man and a woman until they enter the wedding hall.’

Charlotte quickly regained her composure.

Even couples who can’t live without each other break up, so a one-sided crush could end at any time without being strange.

“It was really painful, you know? Like, like my heart was being torn apart…….”

Unless that person is as desperately in love as Audrey.

“Audrey. The important thing is, that person has started to see you as an adult woman.”

“……Yeah.”

“But it shouldn’t end there. You need to make him see you as a ‘romantic interest’.”

“How?”

“Do you know when sparks fly between a man and a woman?”

Charlotte smiled mischievously.

“When there’s tension.”

“……!”

“And somehow, when a familiar person suddenly seems unfamiliar.”

The fingertip slowly circling the rim of the wine glass looked mature.

Audrey, equally engrossed, clenched her fist.

“Then sh-shall we drink?”

“…….”

Do you want to end up in a doghouse instead of a newlywed home?

Even her voice, overly excited and off-key, was utterly clumsy. Well, that aspect was cute though.

Charlotte firmly grasped Audrey’s hand.

“You, go on some blind dates.”

“With whom? With Claude Oppa?”

“No. With hot guys.”

“……?”

Hot guys? Blind dates?

Is that something one can do just by their own will?

But the next day.

Charlotte’s advice to pay attention to her surroundings in case a good opportunity arises proved to be spot on.

“Oh my, it’s a problem that we’re short on people for our first blind date in a long time.”

“……!”

She heard unexpected news about a blind date while visiting the finance department to organize some documents.

“You’ve been singing about having a blind date for days. What happened?”

“The female organizer suddenly dropped out. It’s completely ruined.”

“Why, because one female spot is empty?”

“Yes. If only I could drop out, the numbers would match, but I want to participate too…….”

“Then just find one more woman. Isn’t it fine as long as the numbers match?”

“That’s not easy, you know.”

Audrey fidgeted noticeably in front of the troubled Robert.

‘Me! There’s one woman right here!’

Finally, his gaze turned to Audrey.

“Oh, Audrey, when did you get here? Ah, right! By any chance, this weekend-“

“I’ll do it!”

“Pardon?”

“I’ll join the blind date!”

Robert and Audrey’s concerns were resolved at once.

“Audrey, I’m sure you’ll like them! They’re my academy classmates, from the southern kingdom, and they’re really to die for!”

Friends to die for……!

They must be the ‘hot guys’ Charlotte was talking about. Audrey’s heart swelled with anticipation.

But as she was about to do something good just for herself, she started to think about her brother who would be waiting for her all day.

‘Oppa must be bored too…….’

In fact, wasn’t it Arnold who really needed a blind date, not her?

He wouldn’t even have a chance to meet women because he’d be returning to the magic tower next Thursday.

After pondering for a while, Audrey cautiously broached the subject.

“Um, Mr. Robert. Perhaps.”

“Yes?”

“Could my brother join us too? If a woman is missing, my friend-“

“Ah, ah, Arnold? Oh my, sure! Absolutely! My little sister is a huge fan of Arnold!”

Robert assured Audrey not to worry about the numbers, saying his sister would insist on coming out anyway.

Thus, news of the young people’s blind date quickly spread, centered around the finance department.

Claude, who had been out on fieldwork, also heard the news belatedly and came to find Audrey.

“Audrey, there’s a strange rumor going around.”

“Ah, the blind date? I should meet a nice person and start dating too! I’m an ‘adult’ after all. Hehe.”

Audrey blurted out without any intention of giving up on him. This was all part of Charlotte’s plan.

“……I see.”

Claude smiled out of habit.

But somehow, it was a bit different from usual.

Should I say it looked forced? It felt like he was trying hard not to let his raised corners of his mouth droop.

“Do you really have to go?”

“Pardon?”

“No, since we don’t know what kind of people they are. It could be dangerous.”

“……!”

He clearly seemed to want to stop her.

“Spread the news about the blind date everywhere.”

“What? What if Claude Oppa misunderstands!”

“This is what we call the ‘jealousy strategy’. Someone who used to follow you around suddenly going on a blind date? It’s human nature to feel reluctant to let go of something. It feels precious.”

Audrey was once again impressed by Charlotte’s accuracy. Somehow, it felt good.

But there was one fact Audrey overlooked: rumors have a way of reaching unexpected ears.

For instance, those of the mansion’s owner, Derek Frith, also known as Duke Frith.

***

‘Dodori can’t do this to me. She just can’t.’

Derek felt as if his world was crumbling.

He knows what a blind date is too.

Isn’t it a gathering where people with impure intentions lure innocent people like Dodori?

‘How could she go to such a dangerous place…….’

It was obvious what would happen.

There would be an abundance of vulgar and personal questions like what’s your favorite food, what’s your favorite color.

They would surely play indecent games of rock-paper-scissors in pairs.

Just imagining it made his blood boil unbearably.

“Y-Your Grace?”

“…….”

An enraged Derek immediately stormed into the finance department.

Then, he glared at Robert for a long time with eyes as if looking at a notorious playboy.

‘I will never forget your face for the rest of my life.’

Returning to his office, he gazed at Dodori with desperate eyes.

His eyes, glowing particularly red today, were dripping with pleas not to go to such a place.

But the cruel Dodori didn’t even raise her head.

She seemed absorbed in creating a list of magical tools to repair.

“Your Grace. If I may be so bold, there’s no time for-“

“I know.”

“There are documents that need to be processed today-“

“Go away.”

Derek unconsciously sighed.

Love, romance, and Dodori were all too difficult for him.

He felt like a lion at a loss in front of a small chick.

Even after Dodori left work on time, Duke Frith’s sighs continued.

Then suddenly, he had a good idea.

“Is Robert from the finance department still here?”

“I just saw him in the hallway, so he should be.”

“I need to go to the finance department.”

If he can’t let Dodori go alone, Derek could just go with her.