My Boss is the Villainous Grand Duke - Chapter 10

She didn’t want to see things she shouldn’t out of unnecessary curiosity.

Grand Duke Rudfelix addressed Elena.

“Do you want to talk about yesterday’s incident?”

“…Yes.”

“Shall we do it here?”

Rudfelix seemed indifferent to the location.

“Senior Quiet, is there a place where we can talk privately?”

“There’s no need to go anywhere. No one comes here, and I was about to leave anyway.”

As Quiet tactfully tried to give them space, Elena thanked him with her eyes.

He was incomparably kinder and more considerate than Rudfelix.

After he said goodbye and left, saying he would return later, Elena faced Rudfelix, forcibly suppressing her look of extreme dislike.

‘The words I said yesterday keep coming back to haunt me.’

Having been teased by the Grand Duke since morning, now she had to explain why she had said those things.

‘I won’t do it again.’

Elena thought about what to say while clasping her hands together. She had apologized as soon as they met this morning, so she wanted to hear from him that he wouldn’t do it again either.

While she was pondering how to bring it up, Rudfelix spoke first.

“What did you think after saying those words?”

“It became an opportunity to realize that a person can die of embarrassment.”

‘I will absolutely never say things like seductive or moan again.’

Elena vowed that she would never say such things again, even if an angel appeared and blinded her.

“Right. It was a bit harsh, considering we didn’t meet at a ball or anything.”

As Rudfelix said this while rubbing his head, Elena hid her trembling fists behind her back.

‘I want to hit him.’

She felt a bit wronged as he seemed to imply that it wasn’t his fault for being overly sexy in a place that wasn’t a ball.

“But Your Grace also acted improperly regardless of my intentions.”

“For words in response to the fact that I treated the aide like a child, they were too faithful to instinct.”

“It wasn’t to that extent.”

“It seems stranger to say it was rational?”

“Then I’ll say it was faithful to instinct.”

Rudfelix felt like laughing because of Elena, who changed her words easily but still showed her sulky expression clearly on her face.

The conversation was enjoyable due to her bouncy personality.

As Elena raised her head, Rudfelix covered his mouth with his hand. She thought she saw the corners of his mouth lift for a moment, but she considered it an illusion.

“Twice is troublesome. You understand, right?”

“I will faithfully perform my duties as an aide.”

She resolved not to dare comment on the appearance of her superior, the Grand Duke.

“If such words come out one more time…”

“I’ll jump into cold water of my own accord.”

Elena showed an attitude of willingness to do anything to express that she absolutely wouldn’t do it again.

“Jump into cold water?”

“Yes.”

It’s not like she wanted to bet her life. She didn’t want to receive a punishment equivalent to that either.

“Did you inherit that brazen personality from the Count?”

“Yes.”

Probably?

Elena acted so confidently that Rudfelix couldn’t say anything. In the end, he unfolded his arms first as a sign of giving up.

“Do you know all the current members of the Imperial Guard?”

“Yes.”

“Follow me.”

When he stood up, Elena followed suit.

As she followed him, it seemed they were getting closer to the training grounds as shouts could be heard.

“Can you guess where we’re going?”

“The Imperial Guard’s morning training.”

“That’s right. I’ll give you time to see and confirm them directly.”

“Understood.”

Rudfelix stepped aside and the training grounds came into full view.

When the commander noticed them and gave an eye greeting, Rudfelix gestured towards the knights with his chin. At the signal not to look at him, the commander quietly continued the knights’ training.

Rudfelix looked at Elena with expectant eyes. While curious about how she would feel, he was certain she would be amazed.

As he had anticipated, Elena couldn’t close her mouth at the sight of the knights’ training.

The series of movements as they wielded their swords felt like one, and their shouts made the ground tremble.

Elena naturally felt awe at their sweat, which must have been coordinated through long years of training.

“How is it?”

At Rudfelix’s question, Elena answered as if entranced, unable to take her eyes off the knights’ training.

“They move as one body.”

Pleased with Elena’s admiration, Rudfelix turned his eyes towards the knights with a satisfied look.

“They are probably the most skilled Imperial Guard in history.”

The Grand Duke had put that much effort into it. Elena quietly turned her head to look at him, impressed by his pride.

There was an undisguisable satisfaction on Rudfelix’s lips.

He probably thought she was simply admiring, but in reality, her feelings were complicated.

‘The one who raised the Imperial Guard turned his sword towards the palace…’

Those who were protecting him suddenly became enemies in an instant.

As the Crown Prince, Grand Duke Rudfelix must have been a formidable enemy to face.

‘But now, looking at them, I understand.’

Protecting the imperial family was also their loyalty towards the master they had engraved in their hearts.

“If you stare like that…”

Rudfelix’s smile, which had been watching the Imperial Guard, seemed to disappear as he turned his head.

“I’m worried about what you might be thinking again.”

Didn’t we agree not to mention that anymore?

Elena suppressed her urge to flare up and spoke through gritted teeth.

“It’s not like that. I was just looking to express my admiration for that training.”

“What about it?”

“I could feel the long hours of coordinated practice. Their burning gazes were visible even from afar, and their hot breaths…”

“You felt it?”

“Please stop.”

Ah, he’s really persistent.

At Elena’s shout, the Imperial Guard’s training ended.

the commander approached when the Imperial Guard’s training ended. Rudfelix frowned, realizing that with Quiet absent, he was the only one who could introduce Elena.

Since he had never done such a thing before, he was considering just leaving it be when the commander turned to Elena on his own.

He thought the commander might greet her first, having heard about her from Quiet yesterday.

“I thought you’d eventually enter the palace, but I didn’t expect to see you like this.”

“It’s been a while, uncle.”

A greeting as if they knew each other.

Ignoring Rudfelix’s puzzled look, Elena fiddled with the buttons on her uniform.

Commander Benata looked Elena up and down, taking in her outfit, before turning to Rudfelix.

“She’s a friend of my daughter.”

It was the simplest explanation of how he knew Elena.

“I met her a few times when Joshua brought her home, saying she was a smart friend. She was a noticeable child, so I thought she’d enter the palace.”

Though he didn’t expect her to become an aide. Benata, who had been unsure when he first saw Elena earlier, now nodded.

“Why didn’t you say so earlier?”

Rudfelix became very uncomfortable just knowing there was something he didn’t know.

However, Commander Benata only rolled his eyes, unable to smooth over the situation like Elena.

‘How many people would chatter about their daughter’s friend to their superior?’

Elena called out to Grand Duke Rudfelix on behalf of the commander, who seemed at a loss.

“Your Grace, since the commander knows me well, would you introduce me to others?”

She could see the Imperial Guard cooling down after their training on one side.

As Rudfelix showed no sign of moving, Elena subtly took a step forward.

“Rather than many people coming here, it might be better if I go…”

She wanted to directly confirm the members of the Imperial Guard she had only seen on paper. If possible, she also wanted to be away from the Grand Duke’s seemingly uncomfortable mood for a while.

So Elena tried to quickly go behind the commander, but she was caught by the nape of her neck in the Grand Duke’s grasp.

When she coughed lightly as her throat was constricted, he quickly let go.

Rudfelix frowned at Elena, who had been easily pulled back despite his light grip. He glared at his own hand before turning that same gaze on Elena.

‘Why is he angry that he pulled me back so easily?’

Elena was more bewildered by his gaze, which seemed like the guilty party getting angry.

“Is your body made of glass?”

“Compared to Your Grace’s strength, my body is probably just a piece of paper.”

He could have just called out, why did he have to grab her clothes?

“Please don’t put your hands on my body from now on.”

At a glance, it sounded like a noble lady speaking to a man who had approached her with interest.

“Even if Your Grace’s fist just grazes me, I’ll faint.”

She could fly away just from the wind of his punch without even being hit.

Elena deliberately coughed louder, then reduced her coughing when his staring gaze became burdensome.

Are you done?

“Who said you could go on your own?”

“Aren’t you going to show me the Imperial Guard?”

When she asked with her eyes if that wasn’t why he had told her to follow him here, Rudfelix turned around without answering. Elena sighed silently at his arbitrary behavior and forcibly followed.

‘So this is the life of an aide.’

A life where you can only go where your superior goes, and your tasks change moment by moment depending on their decisions.