The Villainess Captured The Grand Duke - Chapter 40

Chapter 40

Betty, Mrs. Annabelle, and even Sollé were all aware of the situation, but they pretended to be surprised with all their might.

After seeing the cake, Raygrain looked at the three standing in front of him and asked,

“Did you prepare this?”

“Yes! It’s our first official day of marriage, so we wanted to celebrate,” 

Scheuer replied, holding a bouquet in one hand.

“Shall we? Duke Litten has already obtained permission from Her Majesty for the cake,”

She continued, pulling him by the sleeve.

“Litten Duke? That’s an interesting story.”

“He gladly agreed during tea time.”

“They are famous in the center. They say they have a good relationship.”

“We can do it too! Cheers!” 

Scheuer confidently responded, but he seemed uninterested.

People gathered around Raygrain and Scheuer, keeping a certain distance. Scheuer lit a candle on a beautifully placed candlestick in the middle.

“Congratulations, Your Grace!” 

Scheuer applauded, looking up at him.

Raygrain’s eyebrows formed a steep curve. It was expected, with so many people focusing on them.

He remained silent, and even Duke Litten, who was next to Mrs. Annabelle, joined in.

“Your Excellency, Her Majesty has high expectations for you,” he said.

Jess, with a face that seemed ready to leave at any moment, stared at the cake.

Raygrain, staring at it silently, asked, 

“Are you telling me to light the cake candles now?”

“Yes!” 

Scheuer replied immediately.

When Raygrain hesitated for a moment, he pointed to the candles again. The melting wax seemed restless.

“Aren’t you celebrating today too?”

“Oh, right. Then, I’ll do it.”

Scheuer blew out the candles before anyone could make a sound.

Raygrain’s breath, a mix of surprise and awkwardness, escaped.

Then she took out a peony from the bouquet Raygrain had given her. The peony, still in bloom, looked like it had just been soaked in water.

As she gazed sadly at the bright petals as if they had just been watered, Scheuer muttered to herself, “It’s the flowers you gave me, Your Grace… It’s a shame, but it’s a day of celebration, so I have no choice. Scheuer, brace yourself.”

Clutching the flower in one hand, she swung her arm wide.

The peony, now a burst of petals, scattered over the heads of the people as if fireworks had gone off.

There were too many petals to consider it just one flower.

“I thought it would be useful when decorating the garden in the north,” 

Scheuer murmured to herself, gazing at Raygrain amidst the fluttering petals, enchanted.

Some noble ladies even placed the falling flower petals on their palms and exclaimed,

“Oh, how beautiful!”

“Unbelievable. Is this magic?” 

remarked others, even those who were usually practical.

“Weren’t they supposed to bloom flowers with a sword in Netriga? I’m sure I saw flower buds blooming from her hands,” someone wondered.

The murmurs of those with mixed feelings subsided as they observed Erina and Duke Netriga with somewhat rigid expressions.

Despite the curious glances of many, Scheuer only had eyes for Raygrain, covered in vibrant petals.

She thought he would look quite handsome on a snowy day.

Indeed, one should experience all four seasons.

Scheuer spoke with a somewhat serious tone, 

“Your Grace, it would be nice to see it under the cherry blossoms in spring.”

“Whether you like it or not, summer will come after that.”

“On rainy days in summer. Oh, be careful not to catch a cold, so watch it indoors. Use the window as a background.”

“It doesn’t rain much in the summer in the North.”

“That’s a shame.”

In the noisy hall, flower petals continued to fall endlessly. Raygrain resignedly raised a bread knife and brought it to the cake.

“Shall I cut it?”

“Oh, yes. Just this much. Not the heart. Because it represents my love. Here, cut only where there’s nothing.”

When Raygrain tried to cut where his name was, Scheuer grabbed his arm.

“Not the name.”

“Even cutting seems troublesome.”

He cut the cake as Scheuer indicated, then casually put down the bread knife. Perhaps it wouldn’t feel bad to have his name on the cake. It didn’t matter, but there was no need to feel uncomfortable for no reason.

The flower petals that had been fluttering in the air for a few minutes stopped falling as soon as he put down the bread knife, covering the floor.

The somewhat eased atmosphere became tense again.

Even Betty, who had been smiling, closed her mouth.

Then, applause echoed loudly.

“Congratulations on your marriage, Your Grace.”

Silcaro approached with a friendly smile so warm that his eyes seemed to close. Unlike yesterday, he was wearing a crossover tie.

The color and neatly tied ribbon reminded Raygrain of something.

“It’s the same as the ribbon on the bouquet I received during tea time.”

He greeted Raygrain and soon extended his hand to Scheuer.

In principle, he should have received a kiss on the back of his hand, but he didn’t want that.

From testing her the day before to the unexpected bouquet ribbon today, nothing was uncomfortable.

The fact that it wasn’t to his taste was an added bonus.

“I don’t have hands.”

With a blatant excuse to reject the Crown Prince, the conversation, even if small, with the chairman, who continued despite a quiet sinking, came to an end.

Scheuer extended her hand to Raygrain, saying,

“Congratulations, Your Grace.”

“I haven’t received it from His Grace yet. Shouldn’t you be the first since it’s our first meeting?”

“Isn’t that an unusual greeting?”

“I tend to be quite fixated on firsts.”

“So, that’s why you almost strangled yourself during the handshake.”

Raygrain absentmindedly clasped her hand. Then, as he lightly pressed his lips to the back of her hand, his blue watery eyes met Scheuer’s for a moment.

“It seems it’s not the first time now,” 

he murmured with a dry voice, releasing her hand casually.

Raygrain’s cool gaze soon turned to Silcaro. Scheuer stared at her own hand in silence.

Was this a dream or reality? No, the sensation that had touched her hand was quickly trying to be erased from her memory.

Before it faded away completely, she had to hold onto this feeling.

Looking at her own hand, Scheuer said, her gaze pleading, 

“Your Grace… just one glove.”

“If you’re going to collect another one, I’ll give you something else.”

“No.”

Scheuer’s eyes flashed resolutely. 

“I won’t wash my hands from now on.”

Scheuer struggled to control her strength, fearing that she might crush the bouquet in her hand. If you love something too much, you have to let it go. Of course, it would be even better if you could throw the person in front of you.

“In places with many people, expressions of affection are truly remarkable, Your Grace,” 

Erina, who approached Silcaro, said with a surprised look in her eyes.

She looked at Scheuer with a cautious gaze and continued, 

“Still, Your Excellency, Prince Silcaro tried to show respect to the Duchess. It’s quite impolite.”

“Oh, I apologize for that, Your Highness.”

Scheuer offered a simple apology. 

“I wanted to give flowers as a gesture of apology, but since these were given by His Grace, I’ll find other flowers in the room to give you.”

It was a way of returning what she received today.

“Smile Love”