Chapter 47

It was a monotonous stretch of days.

The Duke of Dragania had ambitions that were absurdly small compared to his capabilities, and he didn’t know how to maintain the things he had already achieved.

He was a person indifferent to everything.

Duke Dragania was such a person.

At some point, his fortune grew even without doing anything, and his power strengthened on its own.

The only goal the Duke held was to live quietly without causing any major commotion, but his allies were fervently expanding his territory.

He detested tiresome tasks.

Because of that, he had no intention of attending this party.

The Duke had merely built the villa for relaxation, but the busy noble strategists might misinterpret his decision to seclude himself in the snowy outskirts as a hidden desire to covet central territory.

However, something unexpected happened.

“Someone wishes to bring a human woman?”

“Yes…”

Leopard had come with an odd request.

A woman who already had a child.

The Duke wondered why Leopard, who was obsessive about the purity of virgins, was showing interest in a defiled body.

The Duke had a fleeting desire to see what gem Leopard was hiding from him and what kind of light it would emit.

It was only that slight intention.

“It’s an honor, Your Excellency. I can’t even imagine how thrilled I am to lay eyes on someone I’ve only heard of in legends.”

“Your villa is truly stunning, Your Excellency. However, it seems that the current number of staff may be insufficient to manage it. Would you allow me to introduce someone with excellent managerial skills?”

“Your Excellency. I am deeply grateful for your invitation to such a gathering…”

But the cunning foxes of protocol were far more tiresome than he anticipated.

The moment the Duke saw the dazzling lights and the packed banquet hall, he felt dizzy.

Whatever hidden gem Leopard held, this was unbearable.

He just wanted to hastily tidy up and flee.

Right as he was about to turn around with that thought in mind, something caught his attention.

A flower.

At first glance, she appeared modest and pretty. But to the Duke, she stood out more than any lavish ornament or gown.

She seemed like a half-blossomed flower standing awkwardly in the corner, yet also like a broken blossom that had wilted and been trampled.

He felt a familiar sense of deja vu from somewhere.

The Duke quickly realized who the woman Leopard cherished so dearly was.

And why Leopard valued her so highly.

Despite living a long life, the hero’s taste had become somewhat dark and stimulating, but it was merely for entertainment.

What the hero truly loved and valued most was chastity.

And the chastity a woman possessed after losing her purity and even giving birth could never be matched by any ordinary standard.

The Duke felt as if he understood the hero a little better.

“Excuse me, miss. May I inquire about your name?”

“Excuse me?”

“?! ……”

Upon regaining his senses, he realized he had already parted through the crowd to reach the corner of the banquet hall, ignoring the numerous outstretched hands and the puzzled gazes.

It was as if the banquet hall contained only the hero’s gem and himself, ignoring everything else.

‘What is this fool doing now?’

On the other hand, Julia was startled by the sudden attention she received, causing her to freeze in place.

No matter how hard she tried to forget with her mind, her body remembered the events of ‘that day’, overwhelming her.

Her field of vision narrowed, focus dissipated, and her hands began to sweat. Her stomach suddenly ached too.

The miraculous ruler who defended the vast frozen territories from countless invasions and accepted tens of thousands of migrants without letting a single one starve was now causing Julia to fall into a state of panic.

Julia turned her stiff neck as much as she could to look at the butler, her eyes pleading for help.

With a disinterested face, the butler simply nodded, as if saying, ‘Deal with it yourself.’

She would lose her job and any prospects if she failed here.

Julia gritted her teeth and lightly held the hem of her skirt.

“Ah, hello. I am Julia, attending the banquet after being introduced. I consider it an honor to meet you, Your Excellency.”

“…”

She bowed politely, lifting her skirt, giving a straightforward response while carefully avoiding mentioning the introducer.

Despite her cautious manner, a hint of boldness was visible beneath.

Her urge for self-destruction, suppressed in front of the crowd, and her unstable impulses, briefly showed themselves.

The Duke found it sufficiently satisfying to notice this, so he slightly lifted his right arm, indicating that he had chosen her as his partner for tonight and for her to link arms with him.

Staring at his hand, Julia hesitated and eventually reached out with her right hand to shake it.

‘Ah, idiot.’

It wasn’t until she saw the nobles’ eyes widen and their faces contort with shock that Julia realized her mistake.

This wasn’t a modern setting, and she wasn’t a man.

The etiquette lessons drilled into her by Anna flashed back.

“Handshake?!”

“What is this…?!”

Unsurprisingly, sighs of astonishment erupted from all sides.

The butler watching from afar tutted and turned away.

Just as Julia froze in embarrassment over her blunder, a faint smile spread across the Duke’s lips.

‘So she does know how to demonstrate courage.’

Moments ago, she had flatly rejected his invitation to be his partner.

Julia, a mere commoner introduced as a maid, stubbornly signaled that no woman of her standing should stand beside His Excellency.

The Duke had no other way to interpret it.

“Julia. What a beautiful name. It’s a pleasure to meet you. Enjoy your time. I’ll give instructions to the butler, so you can start work tomorrow.”

“…”

After shaking Julia’s hand firmly, the Duke left without a second thought.

Julia remained frozen, her arm still raised, confused by the events unfolding.

“Starting tomorrow,” sounded like a positive sign.

Despite her numerous breaches of etiquette, she had been hired.

Julia couldn’t make sense of the situation, and her already tangled mind began to ache fiercely.

“Butler.”

“Did you call me?”

“I’ll be staying in the capital for a while. Assign her as my attendant during this period.”

“Which maid do you mean?”

“None of the maids. I’m speaking about the woman Leopard brought. Provide minimal training. It might be fun to see her make some clumsy mistakes.”

“It shall be done.”

As the butler bowed and saw off the Duke, his bewildered expression was still visible.

He had never seen the Duke’s face like that.

It was filled with youthful enthusiasm and excitement, resembling a wild beast driven by curiosity, passion, and a desire to conquer.

He looked entirely different from the wise man nearing his end that he had once been.

What had stirred such excitement in him?

It certainly wasn’t lust.

Throughout his life, he had encountered countless women but had never shown any interest in romance.

Still unmarried, having never meddled with any maids, rumors of his coldness persisted, which was somewhat fitting.

It appeared there was no need to worry about any scandalous affairs, so the butler let out a sigh of relief.

“Hmm…?”

As the Duke returned to his seat to greet the nobles, his brows furrowed.

Most of the people who had gathered around Julia had dispersed to join his side, but some were still talking to her.

Just as his brows furrowed with displeasure, Julia suddenly bowed and hurried towards the main gate.

That was the last he saw of her.

Ignoring his final gesture of goodwill, Julia had decided to leave.

The Duke couldn’t help but burst out laughing.

“Hahaha!”

“Is there something pleasing, Your Excellency?”

“I’ll be excused for a moment. I won’t be away long.”

The Duke quickly exited the banquet hall through the back door used by the staff.

In the corridor, the lighting was dim, creating an eerie darkness.

After scanning his surroundings, he detected the quiet sound of a single pair of shoes.

It was Julia.

Julia, who was hiccuping as if trying to suppress her sobs.

The Duke followed her, his footsteps silent and determined, his mind blank but driven by sheer impulse.

“Julia.”

“A, hic…Yes, Your Excellency. I apologize for my earlier behavior…”

“…”

Julia wiped her eyes and looked squarely into the Duke’s gaze with strong determination.

Seeing her smudged makeup and tear-streaked face, the Duke’s throat tightened.

His mouth, previously dry, filled with saliva, and he could feel a sudden rush of blood heading elsewhere.

He began to suspect himself of being something of a pervert, as an unstoppable, intense urge overtook him.

Lust.

For the second time in his life, he was feeling this primal desire.

“There’s one way I know to apologize.”

“What is it…?”

‘What indeed…?’

The Duke was drawn into Julia’s innocent gaze, questioning her, and he lost himself in it.

His feeling of guilt dissipated, merely fueling his sense of betrayal.

Before he realized it, the Duke had grabbed Julia’s shoulders and pinned her against the wall.

Blocking her path to escape, he slowly brought his face to Julia’s collarbone and sniffed.

A subtle powder scent lingered beneath, but her natural body aroma teased him faintly.

It felt familiar, but the overwhelming smell of cosmetics dominated his nostrils, preventing him from fully recognizing it.

He wanted to strip away her makeup.

The Duke swallowed hard, overtaken by the urge.

“Wait, just a moment, Your Excellency? What is this…? Uh…! Uh…”

Realizing her situation, Julia began to resist.

Her futile struggles against an inhuman strength only served to heighten the Duke’s excitement.

Her defiant eyes, filled with rage, did little to help Julia, instead further igniting the Duke’s lust.

With no chance of her cries reaching the loud music of the banquet, the Duke shoved his fingers into her mouth, covering it with his palm.

“Uh! Unh! Uh! Hmm…”

In the dark corridor, only the rustling of clothes and muffled cries of despair echoed.

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