The Villainess Captured The Grand Duke - Chapter 42

Chapter 42

“It’s wonderful because it’s touched by the Duke. Flowers are nice, but…”

Scheuer lifted the back of the hand that he had kissed and said, 

“So now, I’m happy with myself too.”

She embraced her own body with both arms and smiled broadly.

***

The maid quickly brought the bouquet, faster than expected. As if to confirm that it was not a mistake, the ribbon on the bouquet was identical to Silcaro’s tie. Raygrain seemed to have noticed it too, muttering quietly, 

“I mentioned it during tea time.”

“Your Grace, I apologize for my rudeness and will come back to explain,” 

she said, preventing him from asking further. Scheuer rushed toward Silcaro, who was conversing amicably with Erina while holding the bouquet.

As Scheuer crossed the hall, all eyes followed her. Even Erina, who was smiling and chatting, froze abruptly. Scheuer politely excused herself to the people chatting with Nettri Duke and joined Silcaro.

“Apologies for interrupting your conversation,” 

she said, flashing a smile at Silcaro while handing him the bouquet. 

“This bouquet is for you, as an apology. It suits you even better than me, Your Excellency Silcaro.”

At first, it sounded like a compliment, but the presence of the ribbon on the bouquet contradicted that. Using such high-quality lace, commonly found in luxurious clothing, on a bouquet was not a common practice. Not only did Scheuer think so, but Annabelle also expressed a similar opinion.

Moreover, sending the bouquet without a name or any accompanying message was somewhat discomforting. It felt more like a test of intentions rather than a simple gift. In the Walker Empire, sharing the same ribbon symbolized a romantic relationship. Even Annabelle boasted about secretly tying ribbons with Duke Litton when they were discreetly dating at the academy.

Without any intention, the ribbon carried too clear a meaning. The people in the hall were likely well aware of this connection. Even in the Central region, using high-quality lace ribbons on bouquets was unheard of.

The ribbon tied to the bouquet given by Raygrain, who rescued her from Central, made the connection unmistakable. Those in the hall would likely understand this correlation. Erina’s face froze first, and her rigid tone was evident. 

“You obtained the same…ribbon so quickly.”

Nettri Duke’s expression also turned grim, mirroring Erina’s abrupt change in demeanor.

Scheuer was the only one here wearing a bright expression. 

“Erina, did you see it that way? I simply returned what I received… From my perspective, it wasn’t much different than Excellency Silcaro coming out with the same ribbon.”

Silcaro somewhat hurriedly interrupted Scheuer’s words, 

“I sent it. Knowing Nettri’s people, I thought you’d appreciate the flowers.”

Unexpectedly, he confessed without denying it at least once.

 “She’s from Blenga.”

Behind Scheuer, heavy footsteps approached steadily. Even without looking, the owner was evident. 

“You seem to have misunderstood. Scheuer merely received a bouquet; I was not involved.”

Lady Annabelle, who had been observing their confrontation from a distance, could not conceal the shock on her face.

Scheuer, who had cherished the previous bouquet until Raygrain directly gave her one, was well aware of the irony in her feelings. Was this another test from him? The reason for his sudden plea for help from someone who had shown no interest in her remained unclear.

Silcaro, unable to hide his confusion, gazed at the ribbon on the bouquet. 

“While it’s true that I sent the bouquet, there was no discussion about the ribbon. I know it may sound suspicious, but… it’s truly difficult to explain.”

He didn’t fully trust him, but there was no evidence to press further. Scheuer thought, 

‘I hoped Prince Silcaro would become a link between Central and the North, but it seems I need to find someone else.’

Regardless of the individual, the fact that they were not favorably inclined toward the North was clear. For noble families who remained neutral, openly confronting the Crown Prince would be burdensome. Luckily, this was not a common occurrence for her, adorned with the crest of Nettri. ‘If Silcaro breaks up with Erina over this, I’m the one who loses!’

Scheuer handed the bouquet directly to Silcaro, saying, 

“I don’t accept flowers unless they are from the Duke. I delivered them properly. I’m delighted that it feels like I visited my master.”

Silcaro, staring at the bouquet, responded with a charming smile, 

“No matter how I explain, there will still be doubts. But understand that I’m not shortsighted enough to betray an old friend. This misunderstanding arose because I hurriedly sent it as soon as Her Majesty approved. It’s my fault again. Will you accept my apology?”

He earnestly sought forgiveness, placing his hand on his chest. While Scheuer didn’t entirely believe him, there was no evidence to question him. ‘Silcaro’s coming out like this doesn’t make it any better. The social circles love scandals, and bad rumors spread quickly. If it gets mixed up with me, who once caused various controversies, it will be worse.’

Therefore, Scheuer gracefully accepted the apology. 

“No, Your Excellency, thank you for your words.”

Scheuer looked directly at Ragrain and smiled. 

“Come to think of it, the Duke always directly handed over the flowers without using anyone else as a messenger. It must be exciting.”

Contrary to Scheuer’s smile, the hall still buzzed with meaningful tension. Those who had conversed with the maids, including Erina, turned their gazes between the bouquet and Silcaro, whispering.

“Wasn’t there a similar incident before? Erina’s fiancé was rumored to have cheated.”

“I don’t think the atmosphere was like this quite a while ago, but looking at today’s events, I wonder if I’m wrong. It feels like I’ve gotten a bit forgetful in my old age.”

“If he didn’t return it, no one would have known. Seems like His Grace is sincere.”

“That’s right. Seeing him clearly draw a line… “

Leaving behind the murmuring crowd, Scheuer smiled confidently. The banquet concluded with that.

The maid in the imperial palace carefully combed Scheuer’s hair as she changed into her nightclothes. Scheuer’s personal maid, who attended to her during her stay in the palace, was quite anxious about the recent incident with the bouquet, which another maid had brought in. Although she had been given the order, she had never received direct instructions from Scheuer herself. As a dedicated maid, it was against the basic rules to give away items without explicit permission, and doing so could lead to severe consequences. If Scheuer denied giving any orders, all responsibility would fall on the maid.

Scheuer casually spoke to the maid reflected in the mirror, 

“I thought it was the flowers from the Grand Duke, so I mistakenly accepted them. From now on, I’ll be more careful when receiving gifts, alright?”

“Yes, of course…”

“In the palace, is it not customary to inquire about the sender of a bouquet?”

“If you don’t wish to disclose it, there’s nothing we can do.”

Considering the possibility that someone else might suffer from this situation, Scheuer did not blame the maid who had delivered the flowers in front of others. Turning the blame in that direction would have been a disaster. Even if Scheuer chose to deflect blame in that direction, it would have been a loss.

If Scheuer chose to believe what Silcaro said, the ribbon was likely the act of someone else. Though she didn’t entirely trust him, Silcaro, despite anticipating the spread of unnecessary rumors, did not deny the bouquet itself. Scheuer felt the necessity to keep open the possibility that he might be telling the truth.

“Who could do such a thing?”

Erina? Count Nettri? Opposition from the Northern faction? Or perhaps someone from Scheuer’s past who held a grudge?

“Smile Love”