Chapter 19

‘Please! Let’s just act normal! People are watching!’

Adelina pinched Lexion’s arm tightly with her fingers.  

‘Put me down right now. Or I’ll bruise your arm!’  

Lexion, seemingly unaffected by Adelina’s attack, carried her, her face red as if it might explode, out to the terrace.  

“Your ankle is red.”  

Lexion sat Adelina on the bench on the terrace and loosened the straps around her ankle.  

The high-heeled sandals she wore to make her long dress look prettier had left several red marks on her ankles and the top of her feet.  

“It’s fine. It doesn’t hurt at all.”  

Adelina pushed Lexion’s shoulder as he massaged her ankle.  

‘What’s the big deal about this? Making such a fuss…’  

In her past life, there were countless times when her wrists and ankles bruised from doing chores her aunt assigned. Compared to that, this was nothing a splash of cold water couldn’t fix.

Adelina rubbed the ankle where Lexion’s hand had been. Wherever he touched left a lingering tickle, so she had to rub it once in a while.  

“Let’s rest here for a bit.”  

Lexion stood up smoothly and sat beside her on the bench, wrapping an arm around her shoulder.  

Adelina pinched the back of his hand on her shoulder with her thumb and index finger, but Lexion only pulled her closer.  

The night air, filled with the scent of spring flowers from the garden, gently blew past, scattering their hair.  

“It’s refreshing.”  

“Yes, the night air is quite refreshing.”  

Adelina decided to give up on her shoulder and leaned her upper body against Lexion. Since the air was rather chilly, feeling his warm body heat wasn’t so bad.  

“This should be enough.”  

Lexion glanced inside through the terrace window, then turned Adelina to face him by holding her shoulders.  

“What is?”  

Adelina looked around. The terrace curtains weren’t closed, so she met the eyes of people who were watching them.  

“A kiss between loving partners.”  

“People are watching.”  

As Adelina turned her head to avoid the kiss, Lexion gently held her chin, making her look straight at him.  

“They’re supposed to watch. If they don’t, should I make them?”

‘What! What are you saying!’  

Lexion’s face drew closer.  

Adelina widened her eyes and pursed her lips inward tightly.  

“Ahem, Duke.”  

Just as Lexion’s lips were about to brush Adelina’s, an imperial attendant called him from behind.  

Lexion scrunched his face and pulled Adelina’s face into his chest.  

“What is it?”  

The imperial attendant hesitated at Lexion’s sharp voice.  

It was fortunate he didn’t meet his eyes. Judging by his voice, those red eyes must have been filled with murderous intent by now…  

“His Majesty the Emperor requests the presence of Lady Adelina, the Marquis’s daughter.”  

“Me?”  

Adelina peeked her head up and looked at Lexion’s face.  

‘Hey! That scary Emperor is calling for me! What are you going to do! At this rate, I’ll be the one who dies, not you!’  

Lexion gently kissed Adelina’s furrowed forehead in annoyance.  

“Let him wait. I’ll go with the lady.”

After seeing Adelina’s brow wrinkle mercilessly, he slowly helped her put on her sandals.  

No one noticed Lexion’s lips curve upward as he bowed his head to hide his face.  

+++

“Duke, Her Majesty the Empress requests your presence.”  

As soon as Lexion and Adelina, arms linked, came out of the terrace, the Empress’s maid approached and bowed.  

‘The Emperor calls for Adelina, and the Empress for me. They’re quite eager, aren’t they?’  

Lexion looked over the maid’s head with a smirk and stared at the platform where the Emperor and Empress sat side by side.  

A massive golden dragon was carved behind them, as if it would protect the Imperial Family forever.  

“Duke, I guess we’ll have to dance later.”  

Adelina slightly frowned, seemingly disappointed.  

“Sure. Don’t be too sad. I’ll dance with you all night long.”  

“I wasn’t sad.”  

Adelina released her arm from his and followed the imperial attendant with a prim voice.  

“Really? I was a bit disappointed.”

Lexion quickly caught up to Adelina and linked arms again. The soft feel against his once-empty arm was quite pleasant.  

+++

Approaching Emperor Grain, Adelina gave a bitter smile as she saw Marquis Stephan, who had arrived earlier.  

It seemed Stephan hadn’t followed her to the terrace because he was tied up by Emperor Grain. He looked even more exhausted than the day they bought the dress.  

“It seems my nephew, Leophris, has fallen for you at first sight. Let the young ones have a dance.”  

At the Emperor’s sudden command, Adelina looked at Stephan’s face.  

Seeing Stephan nod slightly with a stiff expression, it seemed he had been pressured by the Emperor to pair her with the Empress’s nephew, Leophris.  

“Yes, Your Majesty.”  

Having no choice, Adelina took Leophris’s hand and went to the center of the stage.  

“Thank you for thinking well of me.”  

Adelina, showing only formal courtesy, began to dance with Leophris. Whether it was Emperor Grain’s scheme, the orchestra played a smooth and gentle waltz.  

“Lady, will you take a walk in the Imperial Garden with me tomorrow?”  

“I have plans tomorrow, with Sir Jaeyon.”

Even after the first dance ended, Leophris didn’t let go of Adelina’s hand.  

As the music continued and Emperor Grain watched them, Adelina sighed inwardly and began a second dance with Leophris.  

“Then, what about the day after?”  

“I have a date that day too, with my father.”

“Then, the weekend?”  

‘Ah… how bothersome.’  

Adelina found dancing two consecutive dances with this man boring and tiresome.  

“I’m busy on the weekend. I have to prepare for my wedding.”  

“What?”  

Adelina gave a sly smile at Leophris’s dumbfounded voice.  

Now, he wouldn’t be able to force her to dance any longer.  

+++

Lexion was dancing with Isabelle near Adelina.  

– “I’m busy on the weekend. I have to prepare for my wedding.”-

Lexion heard Adelina reject Leophris’s invitation for a date outright and smiled softly.  

‘That’s right. On the weekend, we need to prepare for our wedding. Get the wedding dress fitted, and choose comfortable shoes.’  

Leophris was a young man popular among noble ladies, known even to Lexion, who had little interest in social circles. He was also the Empress’s nephew and charmed women with his distinctively gentle appearance and smile.  

‘Seeing her reject Leophris so decisively, she has a good eye for men.’  

Well, since she was seeing him, no other men would catch her eye.  

Lexion’s lips curled further upward.  

“Lexion, marry me. Then I’ll elevate Ernst to a Grand Duchy. You know I have the power to do that, don’t you?”

Isabelle’s arrogant and haughty voice wiped the smile off Lexion’s face.  

‘Oh dear. I was thinking of something else while dancing with the perceptive Princess Isabelle.’  

Lexion immediately met Isabelle’s gaze and tilted his head slightly to the side.  

“Well, Princess. That offer doesn’t seem very tempting.”  

As soon as the music ended, Lexion bowed politely.  

However, Isabelle stood firmly in place, showing no intention of ending the dance.  

“I am the wisest choice you can make. The Duchy of Ernst. You know I can save each and every one of its people.”  

Isabelle watched until Lexion straightened and looked down at her, then pressed her fan gently against his chest.  

‘If you care for Ernst more than your life, you can’t ignore my offer. That commoner girl can only give you her body.’

The people of Ernst, who couldn’t forget the glory of the old dynasty. Lexion, who couldn’t betray the expectations of his kingdom’s people. Their mutual care would now become shackles binding Lexion to her side.  

Her emerald eyes, entirely different from Emperor Grain’s blue ones, stared at Lexion with the same arrogance as Grain.  

Lexion pushed away the fan pressing against his chest and stepped closer.  

He tucked a stray lock of hair behind Isabelle’s left ear, bringing his lips close to her ear.  

“Princess.”  

Lexion’s breath flowed down Isabelle’s ear and neck.  

Perhaps unused to being so close to a man, Isabelle’s body momentarily stiffened.  

“Princess, I will marry the woman I love.”

Lexion straightened up and stepped back, locking eyes with Isabelle, who glared at him as if she could kill him.  

“Adelina Florin!”  

He called out loudly enough for everyone in the banquet hall to hear.  

Startled by Lexion’s voice, the orchestra stopped playing the intermission music.  

“Duke…”  

Adelina, who had just finished dancing, looked at his back with a bewildered expression.  

Lexion turned around, grasped Adelina’s right hand tightly, and knelt on one knee. To anyone watching, it was a declaration of love.  

‘Where are you trying to run off to, looking around like that?’  

‘Hey! You crazy fool! Get up! Get up now!’  

The two exchanged intense looks with each other.  

“Lady Adelina Florin, I fell in love with you at first sight. Will you marry me?”

At Lexion’s courteous voice, Adelina’s lips trembled slightly. She pretended to be shy and covered her mouth with her left hand.  

“Duke.”  

“I do not permit it!”  

Just as Adelina was about to accept, Emperor Grain’s authoritative voice echoed through the banquet hall from the platform.  

+++

‘Lexion! How dare you!’  

The fan in Isabelle’s hand trembled violently. It was only when a close maid approached and gently held her hand that she realized she had been gritting her teeth.  

‘You refuse me? Lexion, as long as you bear the name of Ernst, you cannot escape me.’  

Her mind cleared. The momentary anger that had flared in Isabelle’s eyes had settled into a cold calm.  

-“I do not permit it!”-  

Isabelle watched Lexion’s back stiffen at Emperor Grain’s shout and opened her fan to cover her mouth.  

‘You say you love Adelina? Then, go ahead and love each other. What I need is not your love but Ernst itself!’  

She would have Lexion. She would use him thoroughly and then discard him mercilessly, along with the Ernst he cherished so dearly.  

+++

“Your Majesty…”  

Marquis Stephan, who remained near Emperor Grain, bowed his head before the Emperor.  

The marriage of high-ranking nobles above the rank of Earl required the Emperor’s approval. However, until now, Emperor Grain had never denied approval for a marriage.  

“My daughter may be lacking to become a Duchess, but she is a quick learner. I will teach her well.”  

Stephan lowered his body so much that his waist was nearly bent in half before Emperor Grain.  

Bowing like this meant nothing. After ten years of effort was about to bear fruit, he couldn’t let Lexion be shackled by Princess Isabelle.  

“Oh dear. Marquis Stephan Florin. It seems you misunderstood my words.”  

Unlike before, Emperor Grain spoke softly. People around him breathed small sighs of relief at the change.  

“A formal proposal has come for Lady Adelina Florin. From the Empress’s nephew, Leophris, and from Prince Isya’s son, Jaeyon.”