Duke, Please Fail! - Chapter 37

Episode 37

Mr. Carlson went back to the field and conveyed my words to others. The field was gradually getting lower as I had requested. Since they are precious cultivators, they should receive special treatment, right? This time, I should buy a lot of meat and distribute it. Of course, with Leonel’s money!

“Hehehe.”

“Seeing you laugh like that makes me feel relieved-“

“Ah, you scared me!”

“-I guess.”

Leonel finished speaking and held onto my arm, which was about to fall.

I placed my hand on my startled heart and took a deep breath.

“Are you okay?”

“What do you mean?”

Leonel furrowed his brow slightly and tilted his head.

“You always move around without making any noise.”

“Hmm.”

That sigh meant it wasn’t a satisfying sound.

Anyway, he didn’t seem to understand the humor. I glanced at the field and thought to myself for a moment. Wait, is it okay if Leonel finds out about this? It looks a bit different from the other fields, doesn’t it? I swallowed my dry saliva and gave Leonel a sidelong glance. Then our eyes met.

“Nelly Pepper.”

“Uh, yes?”

Did he find out? He’ll probably ask why I did this, and then what excuse should I give? While I was pondering, he spoke again.

“These days, the ranch keeper often wanders around you.”

“Yes?”

This is an unexpected topic.

I tried to recall how often I had recently encountered Roman. Well… let me correct that. It was difficult to describe it as encountering him because he usually observed me unilaterally from a distance.

“That’s right.”

“Do you meet him often?”

“With Roman?”

“Yes.”

“No.”

“Hmm…”

“Are you suspicious? Do you think I’m conspiring or involved in espionage with Roman?”

“No way. If I were, I wouldn’t have entrusted you with the rice.”

What? What did I just hear? Does that mean he trusts me? Did he entrust this empty or full duty to me because he trusts me?

My eyes widened involuntarily as I stared at Leonel. He furrowed his brow.

“It doesn’t mean I completely trust you.”

…Well, that’s a relief. It’s better that way. If he suddenly started trusting me now, it would have weakened my resolve for no reason.

Let’s not forget, Nelly Pepper. 

You must not forget the days when you begged for a vacation. You must never forget how painful death was.

As I internally recalled the horrifying past, Leonel turned toward me.

“Why is your expression like that?”

Now he’s interested in my expression? Quite an honor.

I stubbornly stared straight ahead. 

“What’s wrong with my expression?”

“You look disappointed.”

Disappointed? It’s not a disappointment; it’s a burning desire for revenge!

“You must have misread it.”

I replied, my voice sounding somewhat disappointed, perhaps due to Leonel’s words.

He shouldn’t have said anything unnecessary.

I shot Leonel a challenging look, but he turned his head to look at the field.

Unfortunate, truly unfortunate.

Leonel must have felt my gaze because he turned to look at me.

Strangely, being with him was uncomfortable. No, it wasn’t strange. We had been distant for a long time.

“I think I should go to the management office, but what about you, Your Grace?”

“I’ll head back too.”

Leonel turned his body.

A horse was tied to a tree in the distance. He untied the reins and mounted the horse. Our eyes met.

I wanted to make an excuse and avoid this situation, but I lowered my head and greeted him instead.

Only then did Leonel leave the cultivation area.

“Mr. Carlson!”

When I called out loudly, Mr. Carlson straightened up and looked at me.

“I’m going to the management office for a bit!”

“Sure, go ahead!”

I waved to Mr. Carlson and then noticed that Leonel had completely disappeared. Then, I cupped my hands around my mouth and shouted.

“Please sow the seeds densely!”

“Aren’t they already dense enough?”

“More! I want them to be one, two, or even three times denser than the other crops!”

“Then the plants will die!”

Just as I had read in a book. And that’s exactly what I wanted—plants dying because they didn’t have enough space for their roots! There might be issues with the irrigation, so it’s better to have a backup plan.

“It’s okay, please do it that way!”

“Alright, I understand.”

Good. I’ll just have to come up with some excuses if Leonel asks why I did this later.

“Hehehe. I’m going now! Take your time resting in the tent, everyone!”

I waved to the people and bid them farewell. They all had enthusiastic expressions.

“You need to rest!”

I emphasized it again, but it seemed like they weren’t paying attention. I wished I could let the seeds rot in their husks if possible.

With a sigh of disappointment, I turned around and returned to the office, locking the door behind me. I took out a map and spread it out on my desk, marking the location of the field.

‘How should I dig the irrigation canal?’

As I was contemplating the shape of the map, I heard a knock on the door. Startled, I hastily put the map away and shouted.

“Just a moment!”

I crumpled the map carelessly and stuffed it onto a shelf. Then, I rushed to the door and opened it.

I had expected one of the supervisors or maybe Lizzy, but to my surprise, it was Roman.

“Hehe. Hello.”

I awkwardly greeted him, and Roman nodded his head with a blank expression.

“I have something to tell you briefly.”

Is it okay? Well, there shouldn’t be anything wrong with it. Besides sending off the pigeons, he hadn’t done anything suspicious. Moreover, there were three former knights outside. If I screamed, they would come running to help. I nodded my head and stepped aside.

“Please come in.”

Roman entered the room.

“Would you like some tea?”

“Please.”

I placed a cup of tea in front of Roman and took one for myself as I sat down.

As soon as I did, Roman stared at me directly. His expression was different from usual, not as vacant.

“I’ll ask you directly.”

What on earth is he trying to say? I started to feel uneasy and glanced at the door for a moment before nodding my head.

“Please, go ahead.”

“How much do you know about me?”

What? This is a rather contextless question, isn’t it? Is he trying to make a joke to get closer? I thought, but judging by his expression, it was far too serious.

I didn’t like this serious atmosphere, especially with someone I felt uncomfortable around. Being in such a serious situation with an awkward person was suffocating. I tried to lighten the mood by forcing a smile.

“Do you admire the Duke?”

That attempt failed. I was going to say “love,” but Roman’s expression turned menacing, so I quickly changed my words.

What’s going on? Why did he suddenly come here and act like this? I was just absentmindedly fiddling with the teacup when I heard a sigh in front of me.

“If that’s how you want to come out, fine.”

Roman’s face was stern.

Did I act too playfully, and that’s why he’s angry? I glanced at him. Next to the teacup, there was a large, sturdy-looking fist.

‘If Roman decides to act, there won’t even be time to scream, will there?’

Tom, Sophie, or Gerald will be knocked out by that fist before they can come running.

“Um… You can be more straightforward if you’d like.”

“What do you want?”

That question seemed misplaced. Don’t people usually ask what someone wants when they visit?

I blinked my eyes and Roman added to his previous statement.

“There must be a reason you’re at the Altwood Estate, isn’t there?”

I wanted to ask what he meant by that, but my eyes met with Roman’s fist. If there had been a spark in his fist, he would have been glaring at me. He looked extremely intimidating. It was frightening.

“Uh, well, I needed a job that provides meals. Fortunately, Altwood Estate was hiring people regardless of gender and experience. The pay is good too.”

“Would you consider moving to a place that offers better pay and accommodations?”

“Why would I?”

“There’s a good position available.”

If there’s a better position, why is Roman suggesting it to me instead of taking it himself? Could it be a position only available to managers? If that’s the case, I can understand it. Still, there’s no reason for him to suggest it to me now.

But there was one reason.

‘As I thought, my hunch was right.’

Roman has feelings for Leonel. If news were to spread that a mere ranch keeper had a crush on the Duke, it would cause a scandal. So, he’s trying to push me away since I know about his feelings for Leonel!

Strong denial is often a sign of affirmation. I should have realized it when he repeatedly corrected himself, saying it was admiration instead of love. Maybe that’s why he secretly watched me all this time. Perhaps he was jealous because Leonel and I seemed close.

‘Yeah, that’s it! That’s right!’

I recalled that Roman started watching me from the moment Leonel and I rode horses together in the village. Of course, he wasn’t physically there, but rumors must have spread. For someone who had been hiding his feelings, he was surprisingly straightforward.

However…

“I have no intention of leaving Altwood Estate. Not now.”

“Does that mean you might leave in the future?”

After getting my revenge, I might leave. I nodded my head, and Roman pursed his lips. Then he took a sip of tea.

“When do you plan to leave?”

“I don’t know. There are things I need to do here.”

“Do you have someone you’re taking care of separately?”

Taking care of someone? Is he asking if I have a family to support? It seems like the place he wants to introduce me to offers benefits if you have a family to support.

“No.”

Mr. Roman nodded silently.