Duke, Please Fail! - Chapter 62

Episode 62

Remembering the experiences we went through together all by myself feels strange. 

It’s like sipping on cold tea that has gone lukewarm. It tastes odd, with both distance and familiarity coexisting, giving me a strange feeling.

“Just because I’m not used to it!” 

I replied, intentionally speaking more brightly as I looked in the mirror once more.

Mary resumed applying makeup. To endure the ticklish feeling, I tightly closed my eyes, and she paused.

“If you close your eyes so tightly, the makeup can smudge.”

“Okay.”

I made an effort to keep my face still, suppressing the urge to touch it, and the makeup was soon finished. My reflection in the mirror looked a bit different from usual.

I tried to touch my face out of awkwardness, but Mary stopped my hand and gently placed it back on my lap. She then adorned my hair with hairpins and inserted pearl earrings into my earlobes. She fetched a box from the table.

“I’ll do the necklace as well.”

When she opened the box, the first thing I noticed was a large, emerald-green gem. It was a teardrop-shaped pendant with a centerpiece adorned with three rows of pearls.

“What is this? A peridot?”

“It’s a green diamond.”

“…What?”

“It’s a green diamond.”

What? Green diamonds existed? Just thinking about it, this must be an incredibly rare and expensive item. It was even called a diamond! 

It must be worth enough to buy a mansion like Altwood…

‘How much is this?’

It must be worth at least a whole castle. 

I sat there, mouth agape, and Mary approached with the box. Panicking, I covered my throat with both hands and twisted my body urgently.

“Just a moment!”

Mary came to a sudden halt. She asked with her eyes why I was acting this way.

“Are you going to put that around my neck?”

“Yes.”

“Wouldn’t it be worth at least a whole castle?”

“You could probably buy a small castle.”

Mary casually responded while carefully retrieving the necklace. I couldn’t bear it. I couldn’t imagine wearing something like that around my neck. 

It felt too overwhelming!

I wanted to refuse, but I couldn’t muster the courage. Instead, I gently moved Mary’s hand, which was holding the necklace, back into the box.

And before Mary could retrieve the necklace again, I quickly, yet carefully, grabbed the box from her with my trembling hands.

“I’ll go ask the Duke for a moment!”

“What?”

I heard a surprised tone in Mary’s voice from behind, but I quickly walked to the door. The footsteps followed. I hastened my steps in case she tried to stop me.

The room was spacious, and even though it was the adjacent room, there was quite a distance. 

I approached the door cautiously, thinking about how dangerous it would be if I dropped the box. I knocked lightly on the door. Soon, the butler came out.

“Who is it?”

“I am…”

“Come in.”

Before I could even introduce myself, I heard Leonel’s voice from inside. 

As I cautiously entered, he turned his head, looking rigid.

He gestured to his servants, and the attendants, who had been tidying his clothes, respectfully nodded and hurriedly left the room. 

Even the servant from the castle retreated, deciding not to fasten the cufflinks for me. Standing beside him was Mary.

Leonel turned towards me without dismissing them.

“This.”

I held out the box, and he eyed it for a moment.

“Why are you giving this to me?”

“They say it’s worth the price of a whole castle. I might break my neck if I wear something like this.”

“I’d rather give you a castle for that.”

I glanced at the box and then back at him.

“Why would you give this to me?”

“I’m just lending it to you, so don’t worry about it too much.”

“That’s exactly why it’s bothering me. What if I scratch it or something while wearing it?”

I had been trying my best to cause him financial damage during all this time. However, those attempts had been within legal boundaries, and in other words, they had provided loopholes to avoid any financial responsibility. 

I was adamant about not having to compensate him for any monetary losses.

I moved back instinctively as I wanted to distance myself from the necklace and its obligations. My posture left my hand extended towards Leonel.

He glanced at the box and said lightly.

“Then you’ll have to work to pay it off.”

“You want to keep me as an unpaid servant for the rest of your life?”

“You catch on quickly.”

Then, he extended his hand towards me. 

Why was he suddenly offering his hand?

“Oh!” 

I exclaimed softly as I put the box down, then I took one of the cufflinks and murmured while fastening it.

“A lifetime of unpaid labor? Don’t even joke about that.”

Even though I knew it was just a joke, the idea of my neck being tied down to a lifetime of unpaid labor sent shivers down my spine. I brushed my fingers against my arm, which was tingling with goosebumps, and then picked up another cufflink.

Leonel, slightly delayed, also reached out with his hand for the other cufflink. As we worked to secure the cufflinks, I could feel his persistent gaze on the top of my head.

“I won’t wear the necklace even if you do this.”

I declared after securing the cufflink. I sensed a hint of annoyance in his voice as he responded.

“I was expecting to receive the box, but you’re fastening your cufflinks instead. It seems you’re quite experienced in this.”

His voice sounded somewhat resentful. 

Why was he resentful? What did I do to make him resentful? I stared at him incredulously and, exhaling sharply through my nose, I removed my hand.

“I’m asked to do this every time there’s a big event.”

“Asked by whom?”

I almost said, “Who else but you?” but stopped myself. 

I stepped back. The mixture of distance and familiarity was peculiar. 

I clenched my lips tightly. This situation, in which we were casually conversing as if we were close, felt strange to me.

Was it because of the psychological distance between us? I involuntarily took a step back. I struggled to keep my composure and answered nonchalantly.

“Yes, someone like that.”

“Hmm…”

He made a peculiar sound and gazed at the necklace box. I expected him to comment or react, but he remained silent. I wondered if he was still suspicious. Suppressing any concerns, I turned my body.

‘Since you’ve given me the necklace, I should get going!’

As I gathered my thoughts, I looked at Mary. She seemed to be about to follow me. 

However, out of the blue, Leonel’s arm reached around my shoulders, startling me. I took a step back in surprise, feeling his cold touch on the back of my neck. 

When I tilted my head, I met his intense crimson eyes.

“What…?” 

I started to ask, but I held back my words, stunned by the cold sensation on my neck. I lowered my head and saw a transparent green gem extending between the collarbones, nestled in a delicate setting.

“It doesn’t matter if it gets scratched. After all, it was just lying in the warehouse.”

I could hear a faint clicking sound from behind my neck as his large, scarred hand moved away. The warmth that I had felt from him a moment ago also receded.

I continued to awkwardly touch my neck, and he raised my chin to secure the clasp of the necklace behind my neck. 

He then covered his face with the mask, fastened the straps behind his head, and tied the ribbon behind his hair.

Mary, who had been standing quietly, finally approached me.

“My lady, allow me to help you with the mask.”

Leonel chuckled softly at her words, and Mary blinked several times before offering me the mask. The mask only revealed my lips, and it was a stark white color.

Mary tied the ribbons behind my head and muttered.

“It looks promising. I should join in too.”

“Join in where?”

“It’s part of Mr. Faust’s plan.”

Mr. Faust? That name had never crossed my mind. I sent her a questioning look, but she simply smiled mysteriously.

Then, Mary alternated her gaze between Leonel and me, wearing a mischievous and somewhat satisfied expression on her face.

* * *

It seemed like nobody announced the entrance at the masquerade ball. 

I was somewhat relieved. If Leonel had entered, people would have swarmed around him, right? Then, I would have had to guard the necklace and would have been sweating profusely!

…I thought this way, and to my surprise, several glances turned towards Leonel.

What’s this? We’re wearing a mask, how can they recognize him? The point of attending the masquerade is to enjoy oneself while concealing one’s identity, even famous people can’t do that.

I should escape before getting caught up in the crowd. I pulled Leonel aside and whispered to him.

“I’ll go on my own.”

Ignoring Leonel’s gaze, I took two steps back and created some distance. Then I greeted him in a voice loud enough to be heard.

“Well then, Duke Altwood! Please enjoy your evening.”

“Nell…”

He tried to grab me, but he was stopped by a nobleman who wanted to speak to him.

Soon, people swarmed around him like ants drawn to sugar. Although he was wearing a mask and couldn’t be seen, he must have felt uncomfortable.

He dislikes being in a crowd, doesn’t he? I thought it was a bit amusing.

“Hehehe.”

I chuckled and turned around. I decided to stick to a corner, enjoy some tasty food, and slip away quietly later.

As I looked around, I spotted a wide table piled high with various desserts and pastries at waist height. 

I approached and picked up a Mont Blanc. As I savored it, a man wearing a blue mask that barely covered his eyes approached and asked.

“Is that necklace made of green diamonds?”

I quickly chewed and swallowed before turning my head.

“Yes.”

“It’s an item that isn’t easily obtained. You must be remarkable. Which family do you belong to?”

Asking about someone’s status at a masquerade ball is a severe breach of etiquette. I just revealed Leonel’s identity to the world a moment ago, so I didn’t intend to do that!

I smiled slyly at the man whose eyes sparkled with greed.

“I don’t belong to any family, and I borrowed the necklace.”

“What?”

“To repay the borrowing fee, one must work without pay for a lifetime.”

The man scrutinized me as if assessing the truth, then his expression soured as he turned abruptly.

As I watched the man’s back from top to bottom,

“Hahaha!”

Suddenly, I heard a loud laugh. The man, with a pure white mask completely concealing his face, hunched over and laughed heartily, paying no attention to the onlookers.

He seemed a bit out of his mind, so I subtly turned away.

I’ll enjoy the delicious food later. I turned around to head toward the wall, but the man followed me and spoke.

“Yellow certainly suits you well.”

His tone implied that he knew I would be wearing a yellow dress.

I briefly wondered if it was Archduke Landers who had given me the dress as a gift, but I shook my head. 

I had heard that Archduke Landers was in his late 40s, and this man looked too young.