The Villainess Captured The Grand Duke - Chapter 30

Chapter 30

Feeling the stifling atmosphere closing in, Scheuer touched her forehead with her hand, lowering her head slightly.

“If love is announced, it’s like a visitor. Erina, you still have a long way to go.”

After all, ‘love’ is like an uninvited guest that suddenly comes and when you wake up, you find it sitting there. That’s what Raygrain told Scheuer. 

Despite being sincere advice, Erina seemed to think she was being ignored, judging by her expression. Perhaps she heard something about her own situation.

Raygrain, who had been conversing from a distance, turned his head to glance at them briefly. Seizing the moment, Scheuer leaned in and planted a kiss on the back of her hand, throwing a look at him as if saying,

“I’ve been waiting.”

Erina, with a shocked expression, whispered, 

“What are you doing right now? There are so many people around.”

“You see, I’m having a conversation with the Duke.”

“Basic etiquette should be maintained. Everyone in the Central Region knows that Nettri is your origin.”

“Why? You don’t do this with Prince Silcaro.”

Erina’s question caused her face to pale progressively. Not likely. The two were not at that stage yet. The two who entered the reception side by side today seemed to have a good relationship in the eyes of others.

As a polite and mannered person, Raygrain did his best publicly for his fiancée, Nettri. To others, their engagement seemed to be formed out of love.

Erina seemed to find Scheuer’s question strange. With a small, concerned voice, she said, 

“Please don’t talk like that. While my sister can return to the North, I have to establish myself here.”

After taking a deep breath, she once again put on the lovely mask of Nettri. Erina spoke in a gentle voice, 

“It’s disappointing in many ways. If it weren’t for Prince Silcaro…”

She seemed to want to say something else, but she bit her lip, choosing to end her words there. With that, she seemed to have finished her business and walked towards where her knight colleagues were waiting.

After parting ways with her, Scheurr noticed the wide hall. The atmosphere around her was not particularly favorable, especially considering that they were in the Central Region.

“Well, it’s the Central Region.”

Nevertheless, despite having a face, Betty, who had been observing from a distance while Scheuer was with Erina, approached belatedly.

“You’ve arrived. It didn’t seem like a pleasant atmosphere with Lady Erina….”

She turned her head to check the surroundings before speaking.

“I didn’t mean to eavesdrop, but I overheard the two of you talking.”

With a pitiful expression, she firmly grabbed Scheuer’s hand.

“It must have caused quite a stir. It’s a bit much to someone who has nothing to do with the North. Even though it’s not now, you’ll be the Duke’s wife soon, so please speak more carefully, as you did when the Duke was present.”

Betty expressed her disappointment with an incredulous face.

“When the Duke was present, he would have had proper manners. This is clearly an act of disrespect!”

Although her own behavior wasn’t dignified either, it seemed like that to others.

Well, they weren’t on the best of terms anyway.

Scheuer smiled slightly and tried to calm her down.

“Betty, that’s enough. We won’t see each other anymore anyway.”

“Right now, you even doubt Prince Silcaro’s love. Even if you’re like this, you can’t even congratulate the marriage with empty words. Despite the good rumors about you, your personality is too terrible!”

Although Viscount Hener was more familiar with the Central Region than Blenga, as he had more frequent interactions due to his rank, occasional entries and exits to the Central Region were infrequent.

Perhaps that’s why Betty seemed to be ignorant of Scheuer’s misdeeds.

With two ladies following her, she approached Scheuer, and the two ladies were unable to say or do anything, just glancing at Scheuer.

Perhaps that’s why Betty seemed to be ignorant of Scheuer’s misdeeds.

With two ladies following her, she approached Schuerr, and the two ladies were unable to say or do anything, just glancing at Scheuer.

Scheuer smiled gently and tried to calm Betty.

“Betty, please stop. There’s nothing to see now.”

“Oh, Scheuer, it’s you, isn’t it?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

“Oh, how nice to see you. I’m Annabelle Litton. I’ve been curious about you after hearing about you from my father.”

The Litton family was one of the noble families in the Central Region. If they were Central nobles, they wouldn’t have spoken well of Schuerr from the Netri family.

Despite searching through memories of the North, there was no person with the Litton surname who held a castle

Annabelle seemed to realize something and corrected herself.

“The surname before marriage was Seisen. Do you know about Lord Ather?”

“Oh! Marquis Ather!”

“Yes, that’s our father. A bright and cute young man, as Betty would say tirelessly.”

She introduced the lady beside her as well.

“I’m Solle Matheo, the daughter of Count Matheo.”

Annabelle whispered to Scheuer.

“I heard that Miss Erina is planning to host a gathering of socialites. Were you aware?”

Already?

Scheuer was surprised but didn’t show it. It seemed that Erina had started moving, perhaps as part of the promise with Scheuer after their engagement.

One aspect of that promise was the gathering of Central nobles. The Central nobility could be divided into four categories: those supporting Nettri, those who had gained independence and had come as far as the North, those supporting Crown Prince Silcaro, and those who hadn’t aligned with any faction yet.

Erina wanted to absorb those who had studied swordsmanship in Blanga and later sided with Silcaro. It was part of her promise with him, but it was also advantageous for Nettri. The Nettri family’s position had weakened as the North gained independence 500 years ago, but Blanga’s influence had grown steadily during the one year that Raygrain had directly stopped the Northern suppression.

Families that were uncomfortable with the continuing strength of independent Northern houses actively supported this movement. The upcoming gathering, hosted by Erina, aimed to bring such individuals together.

Scheuer contemplated the repercussions of this gathering. As more families turned away from supporting Raygrain, even the knights hesitated to stay in the challenging North. The situation weakened the Nettri family’s position further.

Reflecting on this, Scehuer felt the weight of the word “alone.” The consequences of being “alone” were profound.

“No. Now the Duke isn’t alone! I’m here!”

Scheuer took a deep breath. Temporarily, Raygrain’s emotions had returned, and the North was still holding strong.

In the midst of all this, being in the Central region would surely stir up the nobles who had regarded the North unfavorably.

“Now that we no longer need Central’s help, is the timing being expedited?”

Raygrain’s recovery of strength was recent, and it was hard to determine if his emotions had completely returned. He was only able to endure the irritation and irritability he had triggered. With Blanga already being considered a thorn in the side, the appearance of Scehuer and Erina now added fuel to the fire, making it clear that the nobles in Nettrigar were not pleased.

“With Netrigar as a Duke, perhaps they would have preferred Blanga instead.”

Even though they were both noble families, Blanga, handling much riskier tasks, had naturally risen to a higher position. This made Netrigar, despite being of the same class, harbor dissatisfaction with Blanga.

“I’ve been saving it diligently every day. Who does he think he is to involve the Duke so casually?”

As Scheuer blinked, Annabelle, startled, quickly spoke.

“Oh, I declined as well, including Betty. You don’t have to worry about anything, Scheuer.”

Annabelle covered her mouth with a fan so that others couldn’t see her expression and spoke confidently, mixing laughter into her voice.

“Smile Love”