I Became the Ghost Duke’s Daughter

“…….”

I clasped my fingers tightly together under the table and sneaked a glance at the Duke.

Perhaps sensing my gaze, he looked up and observed me.

“I’m eating! I’m eating.”

Before he could pick up the paper and pen beside him, I quickly spoke and grabbed my fork.

Only then did the Duke resume moving his spoon.

‘Seriously, what’s with this place…?’

On the very first day of being officially recognized, there I was, eating in my room without washing up – well, I had hurriedly washed my face and wiped my eyes when I heard the Duke was coming.

Did these people know I was deliberately acting spoiled?

‘No way.’

I shook my head vigorously, dismissing the ominous thoughts.

It was still morning, right? I’d eat, gather my energy, and aim for the afternoon. There was plenty of time.

With my mind settled, I speared a piece of fish that had been cut into bite-sized pieces with my fork and popped it into my mouth, chewing it slowly. The mild yet savory flavor spread throughout my mouth.

‘It’s been a while since I’ve had fish.’

I gazed at the food laid out on the table with a renewed sense of appreciation.

At the Oblene estate, I had always lived off leftovers from the Viscount’s family or snacks from Lawrence, so it had been ages since I’d sat at a proper table.

The spread on the table was rather modest for a noble house. In fact, it was so simple that it seemed almost humble.

Yet, precisely because of its simplicity, the care and time put into each dish were evident. Despite the lack of resources, the skillfully prepared food whetted my appetite.

‘Pepper!’

The thing I was most delighted about was the pepper. I eagerly grabbed the pepper shaker and shook it over my soup bowl.

“……?”

The Duke watched me with a curious expression as I vigorously shook the pepper until the surface of my cream soup was covered in black specks.

‘Hmm?’

Did he want some too?

After a moment’s hesitation, I half-rose from my chair and shook some pepper into his soup bowl as well.

Since I’d be kicked out soon anyway, I figured I’d perform one good deed for the first and last time.

I shook out the last peppercorn and sat back down.

The Duke looked at me with an expression that seemed to hold many words, then proceeded to scoop up the pepper-laden soup.

People who like pepper can’t be bad. He must be a good person.

Watching him eat the soup, I suddenly spoke up.

“By the way, Your Grace.”

The Duke set down his empty spoon and tilted his head in curiosity.

I asked him something that had intrigued me since the first time I saw him.

“Do you wear glasses because your eyesight is poor?”

The Duke’s eyes, visible through the lenses, didn’t seem smaller than they appeared from the side. People often said glasses made one’s eyes look smaller, after all.

“Ah.”

The Duke let out a soft sigh in response to my question and raised his gloved hand. He then grasped his glasses with his thumb and forefinger and removed them.

“Wow.”

In the next moment, I couldn’t help but exclaim in awe. I was so surprised that I had to quickly cover my mouth.

‘Can someone really look like that?’

But how could anyone not be impressed by that face!

Even before removing his glasses, the Duke was an extraordinary beauty, and without them, he was nothing short of a flower in full bloom.

His eyes were indifferent and cool, but his overall impression was as delicate as if he might shed tears at any moment.

Those two impossible things coexisting made him appear almost inhumanly beautiful.

Wow. I marveled inwardly, subtly giving a thumbs-up under the table.

Meanwhile, the Duke took off his glasses and placed them on the table, picking up a pen and paper instead.

“As you might know, Terry, my appearance isn’t visible to most people. So, when talking to me, many people get flustered because they can’t tell what I’m looking at or where my eyes are. That’s why I wear them; it’s not because of poor eyesight. The gloves are for a similar reason.”

Hearing this, I opened my mouth slightly, not even realizing it.

‘Wait a minute…’

Wasn’t he supposed to be a war ghost?

How could someone known as a war ghost be so beautiful, innocent, and considerate?

‘Wow.’

I realized it—rumors couldn’t be trusted. All those strange rumors about the Duke of Everdeen, I decided to erase them from my mind.

I shook my head internally, trying to clear all the ominous rumors stored there.

It didn’t even take a day before I reconsidered those rumors.

* * *

After finishing his meal, the Duke disappeared, mentioning it was time for the knights’ training.

Once the meal with the Duke was over, Mina came in pushing a trolley to clear the empty dishes, and I asked her.

“Mina, what should I do now?”

Study? Etiquette lessons?

Or maybe some cultural lessons?

Whatever it was, I intended to do my best to mess it up!

I vowed firmly, my eyes gleaming with determination. But the words that followed quickly shattered that resolve.

“You don’t have to do anything.”

“……What?”

What did she mean?

I couldn’t grasp what Mina said and reflexively let out a dumbfounded sound. She tilted her head and smiled.

“You were originally scheduled to learn the basics about the Everdeen estate in the morning and have simple etiquette lessons in the afternoon, but….”

Yes, that! That’s what I meant!

“The Duke sent all the teachers away so you could focus solely on adjusting to the house for the time being.”

What on earth did that mean!

I looked up at Mina with eyes that felt like a child who’d had their candy taken away.

“I’m totally fine, though? I slept well, and I’ve completely adjusted!”

“Oh my, that’s impressive. But it’s okay to rest a bit for now. Oh, if you’re bored, why not go watch the knights’ morning training? You could take a walk, too!”

No! I wanted to cause trouble! Let me cause trouble!

Whether she knew my feelings or not, Mina just clapped her hands together and laughed innocently.

In the end, I grabbed Rick and fled the house as if escaping. Perhaps because I’d met an unexpected adversary, my mind felt blank.

As I wandered aimlessly, Rick asked.

<There’s something I’ve wanted to ask for a while. Can I?>

“No. Don’t ask.”

This guy. I said don’t ask.

I stopped walking and glared at Rick with narrowed eyes. As usual, he didn’t budge.

It was frustrating to already be getting used to that reaction.

I grumbled in a mockingly fierce tone.

“You’re so perceptive for no good reason.”

“If you knew, you’d get hurt. Anyway, it’s already midday, so tell me about that evil spirit from yesterday.”