Chapter 25. Rumors

People would flinch in surprise or freeze in place when they saw Theo.

Still, Yuelina tried not to mind.

Yuelina couldn’t be certain where people’s fear came from.

But this country had a class system, and Yuelina had once heard mocking words from some nobles.

They didn’t treat Yuelina as an equal. That’s why they could say such things.

She could only guess that perhaps Theo might appear the same way to these people.

Because his rank was high and he was the master of this country, they might think he was someone to be feared.

The Theo that Yuelina observed was different from the nobles at the hunting ground.

He used polite language with her when they first met.

He was considerate of her comfort.

Surely, he must have been the same with the principality’s people.

Theo wasn’t someone they should fear, but someone who should earn their recognition.

So she wanted to show them.

She wanted to show and let them know that Theo also walks the streets, eats delicious food, and isn’t different from ordinary people.

If that happened, people might come to think it natural for the Grand Duke to walk around the square.

Yuelina took a big bite of the strawberry she was holding.

The sweet caramel and tangy strawberry flavors harmonized.

“Would you like to try?”

Theo looked at the strawberry Yuelina was offering.

He was holding an orange in one hand and Yuelina’s hand in the other.

To eat the strawberry…

He would obviously have to let go of the orange.

But Yuelina hadn’t tried the orange yet.

Theo shook his head.

“I’m fine.”

Theo held out the orange to Yuelina.

“Would you like to eat the orange?”

Yuelina nodded.

Ah.

It seemed Yuelina wouldn’t let go of the strawberry.

What if Yuelina let go of his hand to eat the orange?

Well.

If Yuelina tasted the orange, he’d have to throw away both the orange and strawberry.

And then he should hold Yuelina’s hand again.

“Alright.”

But Yuelina didn’t let go of his hand or the strawberry, and just leaned her head closer.

Yuelina tasted the orange Theo was holding just as it was.

Yuelina munching on the orange he was holding was quite adorable.

And how, how clever she was.

If they fed each other, there was no need to let go of anything.

“It’s delicious. It’s a different taste from the strawberry.”

“I’d like to taste the strawberry too.”

“Would you?”

Yuelina held out the strawberry again. There were three strawberries skewered on the stick.

And even though Yuelina had taken a bite, there were still three.

What exactly did she eat?

Theo looked closely at the strawberry.

He could faintly see the mark of Yuelina’s bite at the tip of the strawberry.

Even her teeth were unbelievably small.

But how much of the strawberry should he eat? Theo was wrapped in serious contemplation.

No matter how small he opened his mouth, it seemed he would eat all of Yuelina’s strawberry.

“Eat one. Just one.”

Yuelina, seeming to have noticed Theo’s dilemma, instructed him on how many to eat.

Theo nodded and ate one strawberry.

Sweet.

Yuelina’s hand is so, so sweet.

“Is it delicious?”

“We should have bought more.”

Yuelina laughed brightly at Theo’s words.

* * *

Theo took out a bottle of wine from the cabinet. It was a wine from the southern region, aged for over fifty years.

The wines from the southern region were especially known for their excellent aroma.

Because they were made using natural methods rather than magic stones, they had a uniquely balanced fragrance that was exquisite.

Today was a monumental day that deserved at least a glass of such wine.

But even after uncorking and pouring the wine into a glass, the aroma wasn’t satisfying.

Theo thought it couldn’t be helped.

He had walked around the square with Yuelina all day. He had constantly inhaled her sweet floral scent from beside her.

No matter how rare the wine, it couldn’t compare to his wife.

Theo looked at his hand swirling the wine glass. It was a calloused and blunt hand.

With this hand, he held Yuelina’s hand.

He still felt as if he was holding Yuelina’s hand.

When her fingers intertwined with his, Theo’s heart crumbled like sand.

Being beside Yuelina made all his resolves and decisions so futile.

No matter how much he steeled his heart and made decisions, they just crumbled at Yuelina’s smallest action.

As if there had never been any thought to begin with.

Today too, Theo had overturned his decisions not just a few times, but dozens of times.

His resolve to eliminate the square, his thought to not let Yuelina out of the Black Mansion, all became insignificant.

He held hands with Yuelina and walked around the square, marveling together at the trivial things she pointed out.

When Yuelina said they should eat at a restaurant where people were lining up next time, he nodded in agreement.

So Theo promised to walk the square streets with Yuelina again.

He also agreed to go on a picnic far from the Black Mansion.

As Yuelina kept trying to get farther from home, the corners of his mouth kept curving upwards.

“Your Highness, it’s Ulysse.”

Just then, Ulysse entered Theo’s bedroom with a polite knock.

Ulysse glanced at Theo sitting arrogantly in front of the table.

Then, checking the wine label, his eyes widened.

“You’re drinking wine?”

“Yes.”

“Isn’t this the wine you didn’t open even when we won the western war?”

“Mm.”

If it’s wine to be opened on any ordinary day…

What harm would there be in drinking it with the knights who suffered for days in the enemy’s traps?

Ulysse pushed aside his twisted feelings and handed Theo a document.

“As you said, we bought all the remaining goods from the market today.”

“Good.”

“People were pleased. They said it was because His Highness the Grand Duke did so.”

Theo had ordered to buy all unsold items from the market.

It was to ease Yuelina’s worry, as she had been so concerned about the market merchants.

Theo had done it for Yuelina, but the merchants were deeply grateful to Theo.

Particularly, the sight of the Grand Duchess and Grand Duke walking affectionately through the streets was quite shocking to people.

The fact that Yuelina had briefly watched a shop for a young girl was also on everyone’s lips.

Now, outside the domain, rumors were rife that the Grand Duchess, concerned for the people’s welfare, had come out with the Grand Duke to see for herself.

Of course, Ulysse didn’t correct these rumors.

False rumors that are beneficial should spread widely.

Theo nodded in agreement as he listened to the rumors Ulysse relayed.

In his opinion, they weren’t false rumors.

If it weren’t for the Grand Duchess, there would have been no reason to go out to the square.

If it weren’t for Yuelina, he wouldn’t have been standing alone in front of an unknown girl’s shop.

If Yuna hadn’t held his hand, he wouldn’t have bought anything today.

Conversely, if his wife had been gloomy or said she didn’t want to go to the square, the square might have disappeared.

So whether it was praise from the principality’s people or whatever, it was all thanks to Yuelina’s insight.

Theo raised the corners of his mouth as he mulled over the report related to Yuelina.

“And, there’s also a report from Marquis Delkan.”

His smile instantly dropped.

Ulysse handed Theo another prepared document.

“He made contact with a priest who came to volunteer at the northern wall.”

“A priest?”

“Yes. The Shadow overheard him speaking secretly about the saintess.”

“Wasn’t the investigation about the saintess already finished?”

Theo asked back with a sensitive expression. Ulysse adjusted his glasses.

“Among the priests who came to volunteer at the wall, there was an elder priest who had been at the main Daphne temple. An elder priest from the main temple isn’t someone you can meet easily.”

“…If it’s an elder priest from the main temple,”

“It’s the ‘Eye of the Storm’.”

Ulysse watched as Theo’s hand gripping the wine glass tensed up.