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"That despicable man...!"
He was the one who used force to drag me away, but he shamelessly tried to put the blame on Idris, which was absurd.
However, Idris remained calm even with the threat.
"If you want to, go ahead."
"Are you sure you want to add more infamy to your already countless scandals?"
"As you said, what's there to lose by adding one more to the countless scandals?"
"..."
"It would be more interesting and better if the Duke himself spread rumors about the scandal."
I could see Feydan grinding his teeth at Idris's sarcasm.
As he said, if Feydan spoke negatively about Idris to the reporters, it would only confirm today's scandal.
We returned to the hotel room, leaving Feydan speechless.
Erin, who had returned with Idris, followed us.
I asked Idris,
"Weren't you going back to the mansion?"
"On my way out, I saw the Farnese Duke's carriage waiting near the hotel."
"Ah."
"So, I came back, and I happened to see your maid leaving the hotel. By the way..."
Just as I was about to nod, understanding the situation, a large hand carefully wrapped around my wrist.
"Are you okay?"
"...Yes? Ah."
His golden eyes, examining my face and wrist, were filled with concern.
At the same time as I read that emotion, I began to feel a slight pain in my wrist.
'I don't want to show weakness.'
I don't want to rely on someone again and be betrayed.
I reflexively pulled my hand away from his grasp and gave an awkward smile.
"It's nothing."
Idris looked at me for a moment, but didn't pay any more attention to my wrist.
However, he made an unexpected suggestion...
"How about staying at my house for a while?"
"...Excuse me?"
"The Duke trespassed without permission, didn't he? You won't be able to keep the Duke out, no matter which hotel in the capital you go to."
Idris was right.
But I hesitated to accept the offer readily.
I want to divorce Feydan as soon as possible, so the more scandalous it gets, the better.
'But it wouldn't benefit Idris at all.'
Well, in the first place, being in a relationship with the Duke's wife, who hasn't even divorced, is a big blow...
"That... I think it would be too much trouble for Your Highness."
"I don't mind."
Idris had an intriguing smile on his lips as he said that.
"Since we're going to cause a scandal, it's more fun to make it explosive, right?"
Ah.
Only then did I remember something I had momentarily forgotten.
My partner is more formidable than I imagined.
And so, here I am.
I am currently in the Grand Duke's mansion.
To be precise, I am alone in the huge bathroom of the annex.
Our Grand Duke generously gave me the entire annex.
Thanks to that, I was able to relax and rest comfortably.
I curled up in the warm water and pondered my decision again.
'As Idris said, there's no guarantee that the same thing won't happen in any hotel, so I followed him, but...'
Leaving aside the fact that the scandal is growing externally, I came to a house where a man lives alone, is it really okay?
Of course, Idris has something to gain by using me, so he won't easily do anything reckless.
And he, whom I've met in person for the past few days, is an inscrutable person, but he doesn't seem like a bad person.
'But even after meeting someone for over a year, even family members who have been together for a lifetime can't know what's in a person's heart.'
Ugh...
I was racking my brain with worries that I couldn't find an answer to, when...
A faint chime sounded from the center of the mansion.
It was the chime announcing ten o'clock.
"...What's the point of thinking more? I'm already here."
Shaking my head to shake off my thoughts, I finished my bath and returned to my room.
"Ah! You're already back, Miss. Was there anything uncomfortable?"
Erin, who had almost finished unpacking, greeted me.
"Yeah, thanks to you, I had some time to sort out my thoughts. By the way, you can do the packing tomorrow, you know."
"I feel better when I finish everything before I sleep."
Erin smiled awkwardly, put the last of the luggage in place, and approached me.
Swish, swish.
A drowsy time as Erin brushed my hair.
The peaceful daily life made me forget the worries that had been tormenting me until just now.
However, Erin's question that followed shattered the peace.
"By the way, Miss, how did you start dating the Grand Duke?"
I, who was touching the hair that Erin had brushed, was taken aback.
"You two didn't have any contact before, did you?"
"Ah, that's..."
"You wouldn't have suddenly met him a few days ago and said, 'Let's date!' and started dating, would you?"
Taken aback 2.
'That's right.'
Come to think of it, I thought it would be okay to be honest with Erin now.
I opened my mouth with that in mind, but...
"I'm happy because it seems like you've finally met the right match."
Seeing Erin happy about my affairs as if they were her own, I closed my mouth.
At the same time, I belatedly felt sorry.
'While I was clinging to Feydan and couldn't let go, this child must have had a hard time too.'
Seeing her so happy about my love life, I couldn't bring myself to speak.
"I'm happy that you're happy."
Seeing Erin's sparkling eyes, I was wondering what kind of love story I should make up, when...
Knock knock.
Suddenly, the sound of knocking saved me.
The owner of the knock was...
"Leticia. Can I come in for a moment?"
'Idris?'
Erin's eyes widened at his sudden appearance, and soon her face turned red.
I could see exactly what she was thinking.
"Well, then, I'll go wash up!"
"No, Erin...!"
But Erin ran out of the room before I could even grab her.
Idris entered through the open door.
"It's a room that hasn't been used, so there isn't much equipped, but is there anything uncomfortable?"
He was also wearing a gown as if he had just taken a shower, and his muscular body was glimpsed through the loose gown.
'No, why is he wearing those clothes at this hour—'
...Ah, this is his house.
I cooled my burning cheeks and tried to answer as if nothing was wrong.
"No, thanks to your consideration, I didn't feel anything particularly uncomfortable. By the way, what's going on?"
"It's nothing special, I just have something to give you."
Something to give?
I looked at him with a puzzled look, and Idris, who had approached me, held out his hand.
What he handed me was a small, round tin case.
"What is this?"
"It's ointment. It's good for bruises."
Only then did I remember that my wrist had been bruised by Feydan.
"You came all this way to give me this?"
At my question, Idris's eyes deepened, and he took another half step closer and asked in a subtle voice.
"Then, what were you expecting?"
The words were a question, but his eyes seemed to have already read my mind.
'...He's teasing me again, isn't he?'
The embarrassment of having my mind read.
The feeling of defeat that I am always caught up in this man's pace.
Instead of answering, I glared at him in complex emotions, but Idris laughed and applied the ointment to my wrist.
A warmer body temperature than mine left a subtle warmth on the inside of my wrist.
Surprised, I flinched and looked up, and Idris casually replied.
"I thought you wouldn't apply it if I didn't do this."
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