One should lie skillfully.

“……Jürgen?”

“Duke Klaus can’t possibly miss that event. I thought he might even bring a partner this time.”

“You still can’t forget about that?”

Albert, who hesitated to continue, spoke as if trying to dissuade him.

“Leo, that was a long time ago.”

“Does something become nonexistent just because it happened long ago?”

“Strictly speaking, the current Duke Klaus has nothing to do with that incident. He was young then too……”

“You’re misunderstanding something, Albert. I don’t have even a speck of ill will toward Jürgen. I mean it literally. I just want to get closer to him, that’s all. What use would I have for revenge?”

He smiled as he put down his teacup. Of course, Albert didn’t seem to believe him, but it didn’t matter what his brother thought.

Leopold just wanted to see. What kind of end Jürgen would meet.

“I truly don’t want Duke Klaus to hang himself or anything like that.”

“I’ve heard enough, so stop saying such horrible things.”

“I won’t cause you any trouble. I can promise you that for certain.”

“……Anyway, behave yourself and don’t bring shame to the family. Father has aged a lot. We shouldn’t cause him any worry in his later years.”

“Of course.”

He stirred milk into his tea. The clear tea immediately turned cloudy.

As always, mixing in impurities made it taste much better.

The maids became busy. Now that they had heard the news that Jürgen would bring Diez as his partner, their role was clear.

Though called a festival, the Victory Day celebration was like the most splendid social gathering. Being invited as the partner of Duke Klaus, Diez needed to maintain appropriate dignity.

For nobles, dignity begins with attire.

However, since no specific orders had been given to purchase new dresses, the maids did their best to make Diez’s existing dresses look new and displayed them in the dressing room.

No matter how old the clothes might be, they were dresses once worn by the young lady of Lehart, who had once been the most radiant noble daughter. Though slightly out of fashion, they were still beautiful and splendid enough to be flawless.

“We will help you choose a dress for the first day.”

They gathered around Diez as if rehearsing, dressing her with utmost care. Diez, wearing one of the dresses they had selected, sat in front of the mirror and silently watched her gradually transforming appearance.

This was once my daily life.

Now it felt incredibly awkward, like a maid playing dress-up as a lady.

“Do you like it, Miss?”

The shabby woman who had lived quietly in a small bedroom was no longer there. Seeing her past self in the mirror, Diez moved her lips as if at a loss for words, then nodded slightly.

“This seems good enough.”

“Then let’s choose a dress for the evening party.”

“……Do I need to change my outfit again?”

“You will be entering as the Duke’s partner. This means you must be more beautiful than anyone at the social gathering. It’s directly connected to the prestige of the ducal family, so we must do our best.”

This meant that not only was wearing the same dress from day to evening unacceptable, but everything from accessories to makeup needed to be changed as well.

The rehearsal that began in the morning finally ended late in the afternoon.

Just when she thought she was finally free, Diez had one more item on her schedule.

“Miss Schleicher, I’ll escort you to the dining hall.”

Right. Just eat dinner. Then I can rest.

With that thought, Diez followed the maid but encountered an unexpected person on the way to the dining hall.

It was Jürgen.

The maid immediately lowered her posture before him, who appeared to have just returned from outside business. Diez also lifted the hem of her skirt and bent her knees in courtesy.

“Your Grace.”

“I was escorting Miss to the dining hall.”

The emotional turmoil he had shown in the garden earlier had vanished without a trace. Jürgen, who had returned to his usual proper self as a duke, simply nodded.

“Enjoy your meal.”

“Thank you.”

As Diez resumed walking in her original direction, she was stopped after a few steps by a hand on her shoulder. Startled, she looked back.

It was Jürgen who had stopped her.

“Your walk seems unsteady.”

“I, I’m fine.”

“I’m saying this because you don’t look fine. Did something happen?”

Only then did Diez recall trying on several pairs of high-heeled shoes.

“I think my heel got a little chafed while trying on shoes. I’m really fine……”

“Let me see.”

After hesitating, she slightly lifted the hem of her skirt. It’s just a chafe, she thought, looking down at her heel, but gasped in surprise.

What she thought was just a chafe was actually bleeding. She could see her stocking soaked red with blood that had spread from the wound.

The maid who witnessed the same scene turned pale and froze completely. Finally coming to her senses, the maid bowed deeply to Jürgen.

“I apologize, Your Grace. I didn’t notice.”

“……I’ll hear the details later.”

He looked at the equally frozen Diez with concern, then suddenly lifted her into his arms.

“Your Grace!”

“I have no intention of letting you walk further in this condition.”

As if there was nothing more to say, he carried Diez and strode across the corridor.

Clinging to his shoulders as he carried her to her room, Diez remained completely still.

Her heart pounded.

The faces of the maids who had gathered after hearing the news were rigid with fear. For the Duke to be the first to discover that the lady they served had a serious injury was beyond alarming.

Under Jürgen’s watchful eye, the maids hurriedly began cleaning Diez’s wound with disinfectant. Diez sat on a plush sofa with her skirt raised above her calves, her bare feet exposed.

“This might sting a little.”

When the cotton soaked in disinfectant carefully touched the wounded area, a moan escaped through Diez’s lips as she furrowed her brow.

“Ah……”

“I apologize, Miss. It will be over soon if you bear with it a little longer.”

Meanwhile, Jürgen silently watched from a few steps away. Although he had given instructions without saying much else, the maids couldn’t relax their tension.

Sometimes it’s better to be scolded loudly than to endure silence.

Contrary to the maids’ prepared concerns, Jürgen’s mind wasn’t focused on their mistakes at all.

He stood there, gazing down at Diez. Watching her clutch the hem of her dress with both hands, furrowing her brow and occasionally moaning, Jürgen was overcome with belated regret.

He felt like he had fallen into a pit he had dug himself.

Why did I decide to watch this scene? I could have just left it to the maids and departed.

It wasn’t easy to ignore the white calves and ankles exposed right before his eyes. Every time the cotton touched her wound, her fists clenched the hem of her dress tighter, and he could see her small toes curl.

His efforts to clear his mind soon failed.

Diez’s skin was beautifully pale. He wondered why he hadn’t noticed before. Suddenly, the skirt hem raised only to below her knees began to bother him.

What if he dismissed the maids and lifted her dress with his own hands? Would her skin inside be equally white and soft? How satisfying would it feel to hold that soft flesh in his hands?

The moment his eyes caught the blood-stained cotton, Jürgen grimaced and turned away. From that moment on, the maids’ movements became even quicker, believing the Duke was unspeakably angry.

Soon, after applying medicine and attaching bandages, the maids carefully withdrew from Diez.

“Is there anywhere else that’s uncomfortable?”

“Everywhere else is fine.”

“It was our fault for not noticing sooner. Please forgive us, Miss.”

“I didn’t know I was bleeding either.”

Now the maids began watching Jürgen’s reactions. Though he remained silent, his mood seemed much worse than before, making everyone too afraid to speak.

He didn’t immediately give instructions. It wasn’t because he was contemplating how to deal with the thoughtless maids. What held him back was a conflict uniquely his own, something no one in this room could imagine.

Jürgen’s plan was to dismiss the maids and sit face to face with her to hear exactly what had happened. But now that his obscene desire had raised its head, he wanted to avoid being alone with Diez at all costs.

Of course, he would never act on the momentary fantasy that had crossed his mind.

But he also wasn’t confident he wouldn’t become tongue-tied in front of her. What could he possibly say to Diez? He wasn’t the kind of man with a strong enough stomach to pretend nothing had happened after just imagining squeezing the flesh of her thighs.

“……Have you finished treating her?”

“Yes, Your Grace.”

Even his momentary displeasure with the maids had completely withered away.

The gazes of the maids and Diez, waiting for him to speak, seemed to push him to the edge of a cliff. Perhaps because even enduring this space had become unbearable? Soon, Jürgen, having lost all will to fight, gave instructions in a subdued voice.

“Take Miss Schleicher to her bedroom. Make sure she can have her meal there as well.”

“Understood.”

As soon as he heard the maids’ response, Jürgen left and headed straight for his bedroom. The moment he locked the door, he was overwhelmed by a tidal wave of self-loathing.

He had failed to control himself. Even after having that conversation with Diez just days ago, he had indulged in lewd fantasies simply from watching her wounds being treated.