Chapter 2 (Part 8)

After Sydney and the maids closed the door and left, only Anthus and Yuliana remained in the reception room.

“I’m sorry for asking to meet so suddenly, Duke.”

“Please call me Anthus. And even if you ask to meet every day, I would be happy.”

Anthus looked at Yuliana, who had become even more beautiful since the last time he saw her. He wondered how someone could become so much more beautiful in such a short time. Yuliana seemed to have a lot to say, and her usually sharp eyes looked even sharper.

“If you have something to say, please go ahead, Yuli.”

Yuliana, who usually looked like a cute, confused puppy, now looked like a fierce cat that needed comforting.

“Do you know what the current rumors in the social circles are, Duke Anthus?”

“Rumors in the social circles? There are so many that I’m not sure.”

Anthus looked at Yuliana innocently, pretending to know nothing.

“You know exactly what I’m talking about.”

“I would like you to tell me directly what the rumors are, Yuli.”

“People are gossiping that you and I are in a relationship.”

Anthus had to strain his facial muscles to maintain his expression. Otherwise, he might laugh out loud from joy.

“The rumors are not settling down… Everyone I meet asks if I’m dating you. I keep denying it, but no one believes me. What should I do?”

Anthus bit his lip to stop himself from laughing, but his lips inevitably curved upward.

“Are you laughing right now? This is really serious.”

“Since such rumors have spread, my prospects for marriage are ruined. You must take responsibility, Yuli.”

Anthus lifted his chin arrogantly as he spoke to Yuliana.

“Since the rumors have spread, let’s make them true by actually dating.”

Anthus smiled as he looked at Yuliana’s flustered golden eyes.

“Aren’t you hungry, Yuli?”

Determined not to be swayed by Anthus’s attempt to change the subject, Yuliana spoke firmly.

“I’ve already eaten. Duke, the reason I visited your residence is to settle the rumors.”

“Do you think I, a man who confessed his love to you, would want to settle those rumors?”

“But… The rumors are really bad.”

“What do you mean by bad rumors?”

Anthus couldn’t understand.

“The rumors say that I was two-timing with you before breaking off my engagement with Young Lord Beonar. That you couldn’t tolerate it and broke off my engagement… Those terrifying, nonsensical rumors are spreading.”

Yuliana’s shoulders slumped.

“I realized how scary rumors can be.”

“I’ve never heard such rumors. I heard the rumor that we went on a date because we watched the opera together, but I didn’t know about the two-timing rumor.”

Anthus was pleased with the dating rumor but was furious about the two-timing rumor involving Yuliana, Beonar, and himself. He regretted hastily using the rumors to spread the falsehood that Yuliana was his lover. The price for moving rashly was harsh. He should have taken his time, approached her slowly, confessed, and become her lover…

“Yuli… I apologize. If I hadn’t suggested watching the opera that day… Such rumors wouldn’t have spread…”

“No, I also wanted to see Lainus Ellermin’s performance.”

Anthus was worried and felt very sorry for Yuliana, who must have been hurt by the rumors.

“I will settle the rumors.”

“But I’m worried if the rumors can be settled.”

“I want the truth to spread instead of the rumors. I will make sure the truth spreads.”

“The truth?”

“The truth that I have loved you for a long time, Yuli. I will spread my sincere feelings and the truth to people. Then the rumors will die down.”

“But…”

“If people know that I have been in unrequited love with you for a long time and approached you as soon as they heard about your breakup with Young Lord Beonar, they won’t accuse you of two-timing.”

Anthus’s long unrequited love for Yuliana could quash the two-timing rumors. If anyone still talked about two-timing, the name of Rockbellion would shut them up.

“My promise to protect you is not an empty one.”

Anthus gently took Yuliana’s golden hair and kissed it. Yuliana’s cheeks and ears turned red.

Her heart pounded and raced at his smile. She felt anxious, her chest burning, and her heart tightening.

“I invited him today to coincide with your visit.”

“Who?”

Anthus suppressed his excitement as he looked at Yuliana’s reddened face.

“Today, Lainus Ellermin is coming to the my residence.”

“Lainus is coming?”

Strength returned to Yuliana’s slumped shoulders.

“I wanted to keep my promise to introduce you to him…”

Yuliana swallowed nervously.

“I am sponsoring a tenor and a soprano, and they will visit with Lainus. If you say you want to hear their songs today, I plan to hold a small performance centered around Lainus at my residence. Will you accept the invitation?”

Yuliana was forced to make a cruel choice between reason and her fandom.

“He has composed a new song. It hasn’t been released yet.”

Anthus whispered kindly as he approached Yuliana.

“Lainus Ellermin will sing only for you and me.”

“Since you put it that way…”

Yuliana looked at Anthus.

“I have no choice but to accept your invitation, Duke Anthus Rockbellion.”

Yuliana accepted Anthus’s invitation, feeling like a sailboat overwhelmed by a huge wave. Fandom would always win over reason. Fandom was irresistible.

“Since we have some time, would you like to take a walk? I’d like to show you the greenhouse.”

Anthus extended his hand to escort Yuliana.

“It’s filled with beautiful flowers my parents brought back from the cold northern territory, and I want to show them to you.”

“Flowers from the cold northern territory? Could it be the ice flowers?”

“Yes. They are the pure white ice flowers.”

Yuliana had seen ice flowers in books and paintings but never in person.

“You will like them when you see them in person.”

* * *

A few days before Yuliana’s visit to the Rockbellion residence.

Ferrell, the competent butler of the Rockbellion family, invited the three gardeners from the Imperial Palace, known for their loose lips, to prepare for today. Specifically, they came to decorate the greenhouse.

<The master and Lady Loengrin will have a cozy date in the greenhouse, so please finish quickly. You will be compensated generously.>

<It seems the rumors are true.>

One of the gardeners said while listening.

<What rumors are you talking about?>

The gardeners from the Imperial Palace hear the rumors spreading among the people passing through the palace gardens faster than anyone in the social circles.

<The rumor that Duke Rockbellion and Lady Yuliana Loengrin are dating.>

<Oh, that rumor? I’ve heard it too.>

Ferrell smiled satisfactorily at the gardeners’ words.

<Butler, are they really dating?>

<What a silly question! Of course, they are dating, hence their date at the mansion!>

<Please take good care of the garden.>

The gardeners were instructed by Ferrell to plant and decorate the greenhouse with ice flowers that only bloom in the cold northern territory.

After finishing all the planting work in a few days, the gardeners wished Anthus and Yuliana a successful date. It was evident that the gardeners were itching to return to the Imperial Palace and share the story of ‘Anthus and Yuliana’s date at the Duke’s mansion’ with others.

After sending off the gardeners, Ferrell placed a plush crimson sofa in the middle of the greenhouse with the servants. The sofa was so soft that it sank deeply when sat upon, and it even had a magic stone inside it to generate heat.

<If the two of them stay here together… Marriage!>

<Isn’t it too early to talk about marriage for a couple who just started dating, Butler Ferrell?>

<It seems what I was thinking slipped out. Ahem. Head maid Sydney, are the preparations complete?>

<Of course. I have prepared everything to ensure Lady Yuliana wants nothing more than to live at the Rockbellion residence.>

<Huhu.>

<Hoho.>

With a united heart, the servants prayed for Anthus to successfully woo Yuliana in the greenhouse.

With the servants’ prayers behind him, Anthus leisurely strolled with Yuliana, feeling as if he were in a dream, walking with the woman he liked at the Rockbellion mansion.

He quickly gathered his thoughts. He couldn’t afford to make any mistakes. He knew how hard the servants had worked for today!

As the master, he must do his best to fulfill the servants’ wishes.