Chapter 1.4

Deciding to give it a shot was all well and good, but the real problem lay elsewhere.

‘To try anything, I need to meet him first.’

But the Grand Duke hadn’t shown himself for days.

No matter how large the mansion was, surely they should have crossed paths at least once by now.

Even if he was deliberately avoiding her, it was hard to believe it would be to such an extreme extent.

In the end, after another fruitless day of searching for the Grand Duke, she missed lunch entirely and made her way to the dining room much later than usual.

It was just as she was stepping into the dining room.

She froze mid-step.

At the same time, the clinking sound of the Grand Duke’s fork also came to a halt in midair.

Their eyes met.

The Grand Duke, who had been about to place a perfectly cut piece of steak into his mouth, stopped and looked at her with a startled expression.

‘What? I thought he was still eating in his room, but he just pushed back the time instead?’

‘Was he so against the idea of eating with me that he changed his routine?’

The Grand Duke glanced at her briefly before resuming his actions, as if nothing had happened.

He placed the piece of steak in his mouth, chewed it thoroughly, swallowed, and then elegantly took a sip of wine before finally speaking in a detached tone.

“You’re here. Why don’t you sit?”

‘Is he embarrassed because I caught him eating alone?’

For once, he actually offered her a seat.

She had been worried that he might abruptly stand up and leave mid-meal, but thankfully, he didn’t.

As soon as she sat down, the tableware was set, and food was served before her.

It seemed the attendants had been quite anxious due to her sudden arrival.

They kept glancing nervously between her and the Grand Duke, but as soon as he gave his approval, they moved swiftly with relieved expressions.

“You’re having a very late lunch.”

“…So are you, Lady Bellacita.”

“I was looking for you, Your Grace, and before I knew it, time had flown by…”

She tried to appear pitiful, lowering her head slightly and sneaking a glance at him, hoping to gain some sympathy. But he was so focused on his steak that he didn’t even look her way.

‘Am I really worth less than that piece of meat?’

She cleared her throat and, with a slightly louder voice, spoke up.

“Have you been very busy lately? Do you have a lot of work?”

“……”

“Work is good, but they say it’s important to get some sunlight every now and then for your health. The weather today was perfect for a walk.”

“……”

Still no response. It was clear he was deliberately ignoring her.

“I missed you so much.”

The Grand Duke, who had maintained a stoic expression the entire time, suddenly frowned.

‘Heh. So much for ignoring me!’

For a brief moment, she felt triumphant, though it wasn’t exactly something to celebrate, so she quickly suppressed her grin.

Goodness, what had I become? 

After being rejected so many times, even the slightest reaction made her happy.

Still, there was no need to feel defeated just yet.

Having finally managed to meet the Grand Duke, this was the perfect opportunity to put into practice what she’d read in the book.

“The steak is especially well-cooked today.” 

She said with a faint smile, elegantly slicing into her perfectly cooked steak.

The first chapter: The Rule of Smiles.

While cutting the steak, while sprinkling spices, even while drinking water.

Even when she nervously spilled some water, she just kept smiling.

Every time their eyes met, she smiled, to the point that her face started to twitch from the effort.

“Is there something on my face?” 

“No, not at all, Your Grace. You always look impeccable.”

“Then why do you keep staring at me and grinning? It’s unsettling.”

U-Unsettling…?

She had put all her effort into that smile. 

Was it too desperate?

Ah, right. The Second Rule. The book had said that using it together with the first would double the effect.

Though she felt slightly stung by his reaction, she quickly remembered the book’s advice and tilted her head slightly to expose her neckline.

She had, after all, chosen a dress with a low neckline just in case she ran into the Grand Duke.

[

2. The Rule of the Carotid Artery.  

Expose your neck to the person you’re interested in.  

Revealing a vulnerable part of your body signifies deep trust, affection, and attraction.  

This is a principle proven in psychology, akin to how animals show their bellies to their owners as a sign of submission and trust.  

Key Point: My heart is always open to you! Open mind!

]

Come on, look at me. Look at me already!

She continued to tilt her head to one side, and though her neck started to ache as if it might snap, she endured it.

“Your Grace? Have you tried this salad? It’s wonderfully tangy and delicious.”

Smiling brightly, she gently slid the salad bowl toward the Grand Duke.

‘That’s it.’

The Grand Duke’s gaze, which had been fixed on his plate, finally turned toward her.

The corners of his mouth lifted slightly.

‘It worked!’

They say a smile is always returned with a smile. At last, things were proceeding as the book had described.

Seeing this, she extended her neck even further and lightly touched her neckline with her hand.

What would the Grand Duke do next? 

Had he noticed my feelings?

She endured the pain that felt as though her neck might snap, waiting with bated breath.

“Did you sleep awkwardly, Lady Bellacita? It seems like you have a stiff neck.”  

No, that’s not it!

Why? Why on earth?

What had gone wrong? Had I tilted my head too much?

But the book hadn’t specified the exact angle!

By the time she realized it, the Grand Duke had finished his meal and was calmly pressing a napkin to his lips.

“Well then, I’ll take my leave.”

He wouldn’t wait for her.

“Yes, then I’ll see you this evening.”

“Are you planning to come again?”

Of course, wasn’t that obvious?

She was already thinking about arriving an hour later than usual for dinner when the Grand Duke, his expression serious, interrupted her thoughts.

“I’m planning to come tomorrow, the day after, and the day after that, and the day after that as well. I want to spend as much time with you as possible, Your Grace.”

His golden eyes, which seemed capable of seeing through everything, stared at her intently.

For a moment, she held her breath, feeling as though she might be drawn into them if she let her guard down.

“Do you really want to become the Grand Duchess that badly?”

Eyes cold as ice.

A voice filled with frost.

What did that question mean?

She wasn’t foolish enough to miss the implication behind it.

“I don’t want to become the Grand Duchess.”

It wasn’t the title of the Grand Duchess she desired; it was to be his wife.

The “Grand Duchess” he spoke of just now clearly referred to power.

“Ha, then why are you here?”

“……”

“If you’ve been forced to come, let me make one thing clear. I have no intention of involving myself in politics in the future. It would be better to relay that to the Marquis as well.”

The fact that he thought this way was shocking.

It left her feeling bitter, realizing he didn’t trust her at all.

She needed to make her intentions clear here.

“The reason I came here… is because I like you, Your Grace. I want to stay by your side because I like you.”

“Don’t tell me you actually expect me to believe that.”

“Whether you believes me or not is up to you, Your Grace, but what I’ve said is the truth.”  

She spoke as if nothing was wrong, but her hands, hidden beneath the table, trembled uncontrollably.  

The courage she had mustered to confess her love for the first time sadly failed to reach his heart.  

“Like me…? How amusing. What do you even know about me?”  

“You don’t have to know everything about someone to like them. Liking someone makes you want to know more about them.”

“Your words are quite polished.”  

“I want to know more about you, Your Grace. Are you not curious about me at all?”  

“I’m not.”  

That answer came far too quickly.  

It stung a little, even for her.  

“Well, I suppose… That’s how it is for now. I’ll make sure you get to know me little by little. In that case, could you tell me more about yourself?”  

“Why should I?”  

“…Because I’m a candidate to be the Grand Duchess?”  

“Tsk.”  

Did he just click his tongue?  

His expression was full of disapproval.  

“You must have realized I’ve been avoiding you. Do you have no pride at all?”  

So he had been deliberately avoiding her. That explained why they hadn’t crossed paths.  

“Could it be…”  

Suddenly, the Grand Duke’s eyes narrowed.  

“…that you like my appearance?”  

What was I supposed to say in a moment like this?  

I should probably just tell the truth.  

“Yes, I fell for you at first sight. But that’s not all…”  

At her answer, the Grand Duke let out a small laugh. His smiling face was so beautiful that she trailed off mid-sentence, staring at him in a daze.  

Of course, the words that followed were anything but beautiful.  

“How unfortunate. I, too, am fond of beautiful people.”  

It was an unexpected blow that left her speechless.