Chapter 2 – Scheh’s Boutique (Part 6)

That left her with two choices: either accept the returning Inferno or go to the North as she had initially promised the Grand Duke.

Reubellina’s fingers drummed steadily on the table.

The soft tapping sound echoed in the quiet garden, and the servants held their breath, observing her. They knew this habit indicated that she was making an important decision, so they did not want to disturb her thoughts.

The servants already knew through quiet whispers that their precious miss had faced an unpleasant incident at the imperial palace banquet. When the news spread that the Second Prince, a penniless imperial, had dared to humiliate their miss and engage in an affair with a Baron’s daughter, the servants’ eyes flashed with anger.

The servants watching from a distance as she was lost in thought tried to quietly discuss among themselves, not wanting to disturb her.

“Has the Second Prince gone mad?”

“I know, right? What is our miss lacking compared to that Baron’s daughter?”

“Nothing. She’s too perfect.”

“Exactly.”

Amidst the servants nodding in agreement, Sandy voiced her opinion.

“Surely that foxy girl must have seduced him!”

“You can’t say that to a noblewoman.”

“Oh, come on, after seeing our miss’s face?”

Pointing to the gaunt Reubellina, Sandy continued relentlessly.

“And what about the Second Prince? How could he say such things to our lady?”

“What did he say?”

Sandy looked around, checking if anyone was nearby. As a friend of the imperial maids, she was the information hub and confidant of Duke Asillious’s household. If even she was being cautious, it must have been something important. The other servants also began looking around.

“He suggested breaking off the engagement with our lady.”

“What? Break off the engagement?”

“He must have gone mad.”

“Ahem! Blasphemous words about the imperial family…”

“Give me a break, butler! Blasphemous? What blasphemy? Is that the kind of talk we should be having now?”

All the servants empathized with Sandy’s words. The butler agreed but was a little surprised. The Duke Asillious’s household was a renowned noble family in the Empire, yet the penniless Second Prince was daring to discuss breaking off the engagement.

It was an unprecedented situation where an agreed-upon marriage, even approved by the emperor, was being overturned. The steward’s eyes gleamed with sharpness.

The other servants felt the same. They had been restless, unable to do even a little more for Reubellina. After hearing those words, their eyes were filled with rage.

“This is a blatant disregard for the Duke Asillious” 

The head maid declared firmly. The other servants nodded in agreement, their resolute gazes determined not to let the prince set foot in their lady’s household, no matter who he was.

“Butler.”

“Yes, My Lady!”

The small summons had the butler rushing to Reubellina’s side.

“From today, the Duke Asillious’s household will not receive any guests.”

“Pardon?”

“I’ll inform father, so be prepared accordingly.”

“Understood.”

“With the exception of the Grand Duke of Speraum.”

“Very well.”

The butler couldn’t know what had been discussed in the reception room, but with the Duke now in a private talk with the Grand Duke, he could surmise that something new was unfolding.

As he swiftly left the garden, Reubellina, feeling more at ease, called Sandy, who then placed a prepared lemon tart on the table.

“Will you have some?”

“Of course.”

The light words held a firm resolve. Smiling gently, Sandy stood behind Reubellina. Just as Reubellina took a sip of the warm Earl Grey tea and began slicing the lemon tart, someone sat down in front of her.

“I’ll have a cup as well.”

“Ah, Your Grace. Did the conversation with my father go well?”

“Lina, ‘Your Grace’ is too impersonal between us, don’t you think?”

“Between us…?”

“I told you I fell for you at first sight. Won’t you call me by my nickname, as I asked?”

“Fell for me at first sight…”

“Didn’t I ask you to call me Ren?”

Ren was the nickname Tartenon’s mother had given him, as Tartenon was too difficult to pronounce.

When Tartenon signaled to Sandy, she quickly approached with a tray and brought out a new teacup. Reubellina blinked at his suddenly changed attitude and realized that if she didn’t participate in this play now, she wouldn’t be able to escape from the pitiful state of the social circle.

Her eyes softened. As a beautiful smile graced her face, Tartenon’s eyes narrowed. Raising her teacup without a clink, Reubellina took a sip.  As the warm tea passed through her, the tumultuous and bewildering emotions seemed to disappear along with it.

Savoring the warmth, she spoke softly.

“To call you by a nickname in front of others…”

“But this is only your household’s servants.”

“Ren.”

His nickname, spoken quietly, coiled nicely on the tip of her tongue. Hearing her call him that, Tartenon smirked and reached out. Running his fingers over her face, he opened his mouth.

“Why do you look so thin and pale?”

“Ah, that’s because…”

“I told you, you just need to trust me.”

‘What is he saying? Has he gone mad?’

Although inwardly taken aback, Reubellina did not let her emotions show on her face.

The affectionate resonance made her fingertips tingle. It was an affection she had never received from Inferno before. Even if this affection was fake, it brought her comfort at that moment.

“I’m just happy that you’ve accepted my heart, so I don’t want you to worry about anything.”

“Oh my!”

The startled exclamation from Sandy behind them was heard. Her flushed face showed that she was dying to get back to the other servants and tell them the truth. Reubellina gestured to Sandy.

“I have something to discuss with His Grace, so don’t approach until I call you.”

“Yes, miss! I won’t come near at all!”

Watching Sandy hurry away as soon as she finished speaking, Reubellina couldn’t help but smile wryly. Turning her gaze to the hand touching her cheek, she found Tartenon watching her intently.

“Don’t play games. She’s a naive child.”

“I’ve heard that the Duke Asillious’s servants are inherited.”

“And?”

“With that level of loyalty, I should naturally win them over to my side, don’t you think?”

“You’re quite clever.”

Reubellina admired his insight. He was not the Grand Duke of the North for nothing; he was the head of a household that had defended the North against the imperial family’s many attempts to undermine it. He had the bearing of a true leader.

Looking directly into Reubellina’s eyes, filled with warmth, Tartenon spoke.

“I think it would be best to publicly announce our marriage, now that I have the Duke’s permission.”

“My father has given you permission?”

“Yes.”

‘He’s so capable.’

Reubellina knew her father’s personality well and had thought he would not easily give his consent. Even when she had pleaded to marry Inferno, her father had been reluctant, so she assumed it would be no different, even if the Grand Duke Tartenon himself had requested the marriage.

‘Does Father already know?.’

Her expression darkened.

She did not want her father to find out. How could she tell him that the man she had chosen had abandoned her for another woman? She couldn’t bring herself to utter the words. That was also the reason she had been unable to tell the Duke the details when he had asked. But judging by the conversation with Tartenon, it seemed her father already knew about her broken engagement.

‘There might have been other reasons as well.’

Inferno, being timid, wouldn’t have told the Duke about the broken engagement, so the only other person left was the Emperor. She wondered what could the Emperor have said to her father to make him accept Tartenon’s proposal so easily.

Lost in thought, Reubellina fell silent. Tartenon didn’t press her further and waited patiently. Even though enough time had passed for all the tea in the cups to go cold, Reubellina’s worried expression did not change.

Eventually, Tartenon called out to her.

“Lina.”

“Yes?”

Startled by the sweet-toned voice, she looked up.

“Your answer?”

Reubellina finally came to her senses at Tartenon’s question. She realized she had kept him waiting for too long.

“Our agreement won’t be disclosed to anyone, right?”

“There’s nothing to gain from revealing it.”

“Alright then. We should inform the social circles about this.”

“I’ll arrange to rent the imperial palace’s ballroom for the occasion under my name as the Grand Duke.”