Chapter 64: The One to Hold the Duke’s Crest

“I heard. You made a bet with that man.”

“News travels fast.”

“Why didn’t you tell me beforehand? Of all people, you should have told me.”

Leonard placed both hands on the desk and leaned close to the Duke’s face.

“We share secrets, don’t we?”

Shall we go through this one by one? At Leonard’s coldly gleaming eyes, the Duke tapped his armrest before suddenly bursting into laughter. His laughter, accompanied by strikes on the armrest, made Leonard pull back with a long sigh. His dampened mood was dismissed like a child’s tantrum, draining his energy. Leonard slumped into a chair.

“Tell me. What don’t I know?”

“The winner of the knight tournament gets the dagger.”

“I heard that. But is it possible? That Caelan was the previous champion.”

Though he clearly had more to say, Leonard just let out a short breath and kept his mouth shut.

“An old, powerless man like me couldn’t possibly match Caelan.”

Leonard whipped his head around to look at Duke Blast. It was definitely the Duke’s voice, but…

“Isn’t that what you’re thinking?”

Duke Blast’s smirk felt like a warning directed at him. To the Duke, who could do anything he wanted in the empire, Leonard was just a mere viscount. A disposable viscount who could be dismissed at any time.

Leonard suppressed his desire to glare at the Duke and forced a smile. Though his lips trembled, it didn’t matter to the Duke. He just needed to smile and prove he was beneath the Duke.

“Victory and defeat aren’t determined by swords alone. There are ways for you to win, Your Grace.”

“That seems to be why you came… speak plainly without beating around the bush.”

“I don’t believe there’s a condition that says Your Grace must personally participate in the bet.”

The Duke’s eyes narrowed at Leonard’s meaningful words. Though his drooping eyelids covered most of his pupils, the cunning in his smile couldn’t be hidden.

“You’re right. The agreement was to face those I send. I’ve been thinking about whom to send. The captain of my household seems insufficient, but sending a group would be beneath my dignity.”

The Duke turned his chair sideways and tapped the desk in a steady rhythm.

“Is there anything to think about? Have you forgotten? The day you first took interest in me.”

“Though it was just last year, it feels like ages ago.”

The Duke leaned his head back against the chair and traced the ceiling patterns with his eyes.

“Ah yes, I remember now. You were quite skilled with a sword.”

Leonard rose from his seat and slowly walked toward the Duke.

“I can hold my own against any of your knights. Though my birth has prevented me from becoming a knight until now, I’m confident I can match Caelan in skill.”

“Is that so? Well…”

“Let me participate.”

“You?”

“If I win, Your Grace gets the dagger as desired, and even if I lose, since I’m not your knight, it won’t damage your reputation.”

Leonard spoke calmly, as if there was no exaggeration in his assessment of his abilities.

“You wouldn’t say this without wanting something in return. What do you want to say?”

“The reason I’ve been holding Your Grace’s hand all this time, please expedite that matter.”

Leonard spoke with an expressionless face.

“That’s all I want.”

He didn’t ask for help in advancing his family or for a position in the imperial palace. It had always been like this. Since meeting the Duke until now, Viscount Leonard Jimilta had consistently made only one request.

“I’ll think about it.”

At these words that were as good as permission, Leonard bowed respectfully to the Duke and withdrew. Just before leaving the office, Leonard half-turned to look at the Duke.

“The child we planted in the marquis’s household will likely become unusable now. Consider their duty fulfilled by revealing the dagger’s location in the marquis’s house.”

Left alone after Leonard’s departure, the Duke continued tapping the desk.

“The one wish he’s always had. Just that one thing… the woman he’s always wanted.”

The Duke, lost in thought, only moved again when his wife and daughter entered.

***

Having spent her time drawing rather than embroidering, Bliss stopped walking to look at the setting sun. Though it didn’t feel like much time had passed, evening was already approaching.

“What do you think about when you see the setting sun, my lady?”

Bliss looked at Latte, who had somehow come to stand beside her, also gazing at the sun. As the surroundings were dyed red, Latte’s platinum blonde hair took on a subtle orange glow.

“I prefer the setting sun to the rising sun.”

Latte smiled as she tucked wind-blown hair behind her ear.

“The rising sun marks the start of a day, so it carries hope somewhere in it. But the setting sun feels lonely, as if wondering when it ever held hope. I want to comfort that sun.”

At Latte’s shy smile, Bliss found herself unable to look away from her beautiful face.

“You really are pretty, you know.”

“Hm? Bliss. Why such sudden praise? You’re making me blush.”

Latte, who had been maintaining formality by calling her ‘my lady,’ blushed at Bliss’s words. The unexpected direct compliment stirred her heart.

“I’m just saying what I see.”

“Bliss.”

Bliss turned at Latte’s call.

“I used to hate you. I thought you stole the person I was going to marry. Honestly, you did nothing wrong… it was just your destiny to be with him, but I felt wronged for no reason.”

From the moment Latte began revealing her hidden feelings, Bliss listened silently. She knew about Latte’s crumbling heart. However, she wasn’t the right person to offer comfort. After all, she was the one who had taken Latte’s man.

Though they had avoided mentioning this sensitive issue, making their relationship awkward, today it seemed that barrier might crumble a little.

“Latte, shall we continue this conversation somewhere else?”

Belatedly realizing they were standing in an open area in front of the imperial palace, Bliss looked for a suitable location. Though there were only passersby, anyone paying attention could hear their conversation.

“I’m fine here, are you uncomfortable? Is there something you can’t say here? Where should we go then?”

As Latte grew more anxious and looked around, the gentle conversation they’d been having started to feel strange.

“That place looks empty…”

Just as she seemed to find a suitable spot and pointed somewhere, Latte’s words trailed off. Whatever she saw made her eyes widen, and even that expression was too cute.

‘How is everything about her so pretty? Everyone must stare at Latte, she’s so lovely and cute.’

Her innocent expression drew even more attention. As Bliss found herself newly appreciating Latte’s pretty face, she slowly turned her head. It seemed natural that everyone would only look at Latte when with her.

“Then let’s go that…”

Before she could finish suggesting they go, someone blocked their path. Not only blocking their way but coming so close they nearly touched with just one step.

“Aren’t you a bit too close?”

Even without seeing the face, she had a feeling she knew who it was. Bliss looked up and met Caelan’s eyes.

“I just walked until you noticed me. Since you only noticed now that I’m standing here, I’m starting to regret not just hugging you.”

Caelan crossed his arms as if to express dissatisfaction with Bliss, and gradually came closer, reducing the distance even further.

“Were you heading home?”

“I have somewhere to stop by first. I waited since I didn’t know when you’d finish.”

“What if we had missed each other? If you had taken a carriage and left, wouldn’t that have been a waste of time waiting?”

“Instead of worrying about that, why not just be happy to see me?”

What in the world was he talking about? When Bliss looked into Caelan’s eyes, she saw mischief in them.

“I sent away the carriage you were supposed to take. I knew you’d look for me once you realized there was no carriage.”

While Bliss was too dumbfounded to find words to respond, Caelan pulled her close by the shoulder. It seemed he might actually follow through on his earlier regret about not hugging her. As she turned her head in surprise, Bliss suddenly remembered she had been with Latte and her mouth fell slightly open.

“Oh… sorry. Let’s continue our conversation another time.”

“Huh? Oh, okay.”

Latte nodded with a face as blank as Bliss’s while glancing at Caelan. Just as Bliss wondered if she should wait, seeing Latte’s eyes that seemed to have something to say, Caelan moved.

“Shall we talk while we walk?”

“Where are we going?”

“Have I ever told you in advance?”

“Why do you never tell me beforehand? You know that’s a really strange habit, right?”

While Bliss expressed her dissatisfaction with his usual behavior, Caelan just smiled as if amused.

“This is punishment for not noticing how intently I was watching you.”

“That’s not fair.”

Despite Bliss’s indignant response, Caelan just kept smiling.

Watching the two figures grow distant, Latte’s face was filled with regret and sorrow.

“Caelan…”

She still hadn’t forgotten him. From the moment she spotted Caelan, she had hoped to meet his eyes just once. The fact that Caelan’s gaze had been fixed solely on Bliss scratched painfully at Latte’s heart.