“……You’re still as rude now as you were then. I came to give Your Grace an opportunity.”

“Rude…… I believe I taught you what rudeness is back then, but you seem to be slow-witted. And whatever this opportunity is, I don’t recall ever wanting it.”

“Do you really not care if we turn our backs on you?”

“Well, not particularly?”

“Y-Your Grace!”

Belita pulled on the arm of the man who was nonchalantly shrugging, trying to stop him while fidgeting nervously. As Lovia’s expression grew increasingly vicious, Belita desperately wished for the other Rian to appear.

“Then I understand. I’ll convey your intentions well to my father.”

“Do as you please.”

“Y-Your Grace!”

“Why do you keep calling me, wife? If you’re that eager, please be patient a little longer. When we return, tonight I’ll passionately embrace you,”

“Your Grace!!!”

He seems to have completely lost his mind. Otherwise, he wouldn’t act like this in front of so many people. Rian smiled at Belita, who was glaring at him with a pale face.

Lovia twisted her face coldly and snorted in disbelief before turning away. As she was about to leave, emitting a chill colder than the winter rainy season’s wind, Rian called her back.

“Lady Ventum.”

“……Hmph, have you changed your mind now?”

As if she had expected this, Lovia turned around with a victorious smile and looked at Rian, beaming brighter than the morning sun. Anxious about what trouble he might cause by calling her back, Belita tightly gripped Rian’s arm.

“Are you just leaving?”

Huh…?

The nuance of the voice had changed. This was clearly Grand Duke Rian. While relieved that the two personalities weren’t conversing, Belita looked at Rian with anxiety about any potential situation.

“Then shall we go to my carriage and talk again? There’s still an opportunity.”

“I don’t think we need to talk anymore. Instead, I’ll give you an opportunity.”

“What…?”

“Properly greet my wife before you leave. I’m concerned that people might point fingers saying a lady from a prestigious family doesn’t know proper etiquette toward her superiors.”

“……What did you say?”

“Y-Your Grace…!”

Belita, who had cried out softly, pulled at his collar, wondering why this man was acting this way. It was clearly Grand Duke Rian in tone and atmosphere, but it was surprising and confusing that even he was showing such a provocative attitude.

“Ha! It seems you’re determined to humiliate me. How could you do this to me?”

“What are you talking about? You should know that the Grand Duchess is the highest woman in the Empire after the Empress. How is that humiliating?”

“Y-Your Grace, why are you doing this?”

As all eyes turned to them, Belita pulled at Rian’s collar, trying to stop him. It was nice that he was taking her side, but she was worried about his unstable state. She deeply regretted coming out and desperately wanted to return to the residence.

At that moment, seeing Belita’s flustered appearance, Lovia snickered and sneered.

“The noble person who is supposedly second only to the Empress doesn’t seem ready to receive greetings from her inferiors. Well, it’s difficult to become noble just because one’s position has been elevated when one’s origins are different. She doesn’t even have the capacity to receive my greeting, so I’ll just pay my respects to Your Grace and leave.”

“!”

At the sight of Lovia snickering and jeering, Belita’s fidgeting body froze in place. And the feeling of her heart freezing over at Rian’s bright yellow eyes looking at her. Suddenly, she remembered what Rian had said before.

‘Why didn’t you talk like this earlier? If you can speak so well, why couldn’t you say a word to those people earlier, acting like an idiot?’

‘Don’t mind everything. I’ve told you repeatedly that’s how you end up like me. You need to be more bold.’

She couldn’t tell whose bright yellow eyes were looking at her with that expressionless face. Just then, feeling the warm touch of the man firmly holding her hand, Belita took a deep breath and exhaled with a “Hoo……” Then she turned and looked straight at Lovia.

“Do you have something to say to me…?”

In response to Lovia’s continued sneering and jeering, one corner of Belita’s stiff lips curled up. She had tried to smile warmly, but her facial muscles wouldn’t move as intended, making her look mischievous. Nevertheless, Belita spoke calmly while trying her best to smile.

“May I hear about the opportunity you mentioned, Lady Ventum?”

“……What did you say?”

“I was taught that when a superior asks a question, one should answer without questioning back. It seems the Countess wasn’t taught the etiquette that even those from a viscount’s family learn.”

“!?”

“It doesn’t seem to be the right day, so I’ll send an invitation in a few days. I hope you won’t refuse my invitation.”

“……Ha!”

“I won’t accept your greeting. I tend to be selective about whose greetings I receive.”

“……”

“Well then, take care on your way back.”

At Belita’s relaxed smile, Lovia bit her lip tightly. After glaring at Rian, who stood beside Belita like a knight and smiled gently at her, she turned around with a cold wind blowing and returned to her carriage. As Belita watched the carriage disappear leaving only dust behind, her body suddenly staggered.

“Wife.”

“Ha…… What have I just done……”

Rian tightly embraced her as she muttered in a daze. He kissed her ear and whispered in a playful voice.

“What have you done? The woman I like came out and turned me on.”

“?”

“Indeed, I like this woman more. Well done, Belita.”

“……Ha! We’re finished.”

“There’s nothing to be finished. Wife, just trust me.”

Hearing the man’s alternating voices, Belita pinched Rian’s stomach lightly and growled.

“Lower your voice and speak as one person! Unless you want rumors about being crazy.”

“I like both sides of my wife.”

“Sigh……”

Belita could only sigh at the chattering of the two personalities that left her speechless. Just then, hearing someone calling, she came to her senses, pushed him away, and looked into the distance.

“Excuse me…… Your Grace? When will the embankment……”

Rian gently took her hand, smiled slightly, and said.

“Just continue building the embankment yourselves. My wife doesn’t seem to be feeling well, so we need to return to the residence for now.”

“Ri-, I mean, Your Grace?”

Belita felt a chill as Rian suddenly turned toward the carriage, firmly holding her hand. She wanted to believe that what she was thinking wasn’t true, but his breathing was already becoming rough. Forcibly placed in the carriage, Belita glanced at the villagers who were staring blankly at the carriage, then looked at Rian.

“Where are we going?”

“Where else? We need to go build something else. You’re so beautiful today that I’m going crazy wanting to reward you.”

“Rian? Mmph!”

Belita’s eyes widened as Rian suddenly grabbed the back of her head and pressed his lips against hers. After a moment of shock, Belita desperately reached out to fumble for the carriage window. What absurd behavior was this when people’s gazes were directed at them? Just as she managed to grab a piece of cloth to cover the window, a thick hand seized hers and pulled her body completely toward him.

“Ah!”

“What are you trying to do?”

Suddenly finding herself sitting on the man’s lap, Belita covered her mouth to hide the scream that had escaped. As she glanced outside, not knowing what to do, Rian kissed her neck, chuckling and growling.

“This is a problem. I don’t think my child, who will lead the Grand Duchy in the future, should take after your brain.”

“What does that…!”

“I told you. That you can’t see inside from outside.”

“This isn’t that carriage!”

As she cried out softly with glaring eyes, Rian caressed her cheek and said nonchalantly.

“Why, did you think I only had one? Do I seem that careless to you?”

“What…… are you saying?”

“Did you think I only made one for what you and I would ride in? I made them all.”

“……Ha! Are you saying you spent all that expensive money just to block one little window?”

“I didn’t spend money on just a little window; I spent generously to satisfy my wife’s s*xual desires.”

How could someone be this shameless?

Belita glared at Rian, who was smiling nonchalantly.

“You’re doing this on purpose, aren’t you?”

“Doing what!”

“You keep acting like this because I said I fell for this side of you. Trying to turn me on.”

“That mouth! Sigh…… I can’t communicate with you. Tell His Grace to come out quickly.”

“Are you looking for another man in front of me again?”

“Not another man, I’m looking for His Grace. You, Rian!”

“We’re clearly different, I’m telling you—wife, speak. I’m listening.”

“……”

It was truly a scene she couldn’t get used to, no matter how many times she witnessed it. Well, since things had come to this, it seemed better to return home now. She couldn’t show this spectacle in front of those people.

“Let’s go back for now. We can talk when we get home.”

“I’d rather have a physical conversation first.”

“Whether physical or verbal, let’s talk when we get home!”

“Did you just say ‘whether physical’?”

Since when did he need permission? The way he smiled with just one corner of his mouth lifted was incredibly annoying. The carriage began to move at Rian’s signal. Belita, about to sit down, blinked as she stared blankly at the man who held her body tightly.

“What?”

“It’s dangerous. I want to sit down.”