I Don’t Need the Grand Duke’s Regret - Chapter 20

Chapter 20
Translator: effe

It is different from just simple awkwardness. It was a more fundamental rejection. A sense of rejection, as if she was at a funeral of a living person.

But the Princess is dead. Her body was even found. Goosebumps soon ran up to her back, and Armilla clenched her chin in an awkward feeling.

‘Why do I feel this way?’

Armilla rolled her eyes here and there. At that time, the long white coffin that she hadn’t seen because she was looking at Ricardo filled her sight. The coffin was adorned with white lilies that the Princess had cherished during her lifetime.

The Princess had cherished.

The dead Princess…….

The dead Princess.

“Uugh…… !”

Armilla covered her mouth. Her stomach twisted and her head throbbed. Armilla bent over and gasped.

She was confused. What makes the Princess’s funeral feel like this? She had never met the Princess or even exchanged words once.

Her white fingers twitched and scratched the long prayer chair.

‘Be patient. Don’t make a fuss.’

This is the Princess’s funeral. In addition to Ricardo, several nobles of extremely high status were present. She should never make a fuss here

But.

“Heuk, haa…… !”

Without realizing it, tears started to flow. Her whole body started to convulse and tremble. Armilla tried with all her might to suppress the rising nausea.

Looking at Ricardo, who entered her blurred vision, Armilla wept silently.

When the Princess’ funeral was over. As her coffin was taken out of the temple, the guests gathered to greet Ricardo.

Someone who had his turn to greet Ricardo, asked a cryptic question.

“By the way, what is that?”

“That?”

Ricardo, who was about to reply to his greeting, raised his eyebrows and asked annoyedly. He was sick and tired of dealing with those whose greed was evident on their face. He was about to leave after just finishing it roughly, but it was very annoying that he kept getting caught.

Count Durante, the person in question, frowned back at Ricardo’s question. Soon, however, conscious of the gazes around him, he put on a benevolent face.

His insides were actually boiling.

Durante didn’t like the Grand Duke’s attitude. He has been ignoring the Count, and he only gave the Count an eye after asking a question that deliberately attracted his attention. The Count was reluctant at how Ricardo treated himself as no different from others.

Considering the relationship that has been passed down from the previous generations, and especially considering that he is the Grand Duke’s godfather, such poor treatment is absurd.

With Durante’s personality, it would have been enough to cut off the grain supplied to Renato at once.

But his opponent is Ricardo Vittore.

He is in charge of the security of the border, and related to the most powerful person in the capital.

And the one who will make Durante’s ambition come true.

Durante had to get the Grand Duke’s attention somehow in order to achieve the purpose that made him come to this damn cold Renato.

Even if it hurt his pride.

Durante tried to hide his dirty feelings and smiled.

“There, that one.”

Ricardo, who indifferently moved his gaze along the splendid lace sleeves, wrinkled his forehead. It was a very rare change in Ricardo’s expression. Durante looked curiously at the red-haired woman he pointed to.

“What is that woman doing there…… Your Grace?”

Before Durante could finish speaking, Ricardo left. He saw the woman slumping in the chair, and strode towards her.

And he held the woman himself without asking anyone. With a careful hand that doesn’t seem to have held a sword.

“Your Grace?”

Durante doubted his eyes. So did the others. However, compared to the guests, the employees were calm.

Durante felt a sense of duality in Ricardo’s attitude difference. No matter how detached the people of Renato were, no one was surprised when the Grand Duke picked up a woman.

If so, wouldn’t it mean that he often had that woman on a regular basis that the employees got used to it? Durante stood up with a flash in his eyes and sharpened his blade.

“Who is this woman?”

“Paolo!”

“Yes, Master.”

Ricardo ignored Durante’s voice as if he couldn’t hear it and called the butler. The butler reappeared and his face hardened as he saw the woman who had lost her mind in Ricardo’s arms.

“Call the doctor.”

“Yes.”

“Wait, wait a minute. Your Grace!”

Durante hurriedly grabbed Ricardo, who was trying to move his long legs along with the butler, who had gone away busily. Durante was sweating profusely from his forehead, perhaps because of the fur he was wearing so that he could withstand the cold waves of the north.

“I have a word to share with Your Grace…….”

“Later.”

Ricardo sternly cuts off Durante and disappears into the mansion. There was no time to explain.

“I’m sorry to surprise you. That woman is the benefactor who saved His Grace from a beast. She is being taken care of by Renato as she is not well.”

Nasir appeared and addressed the agitated guests. He added with a soft smile.

“The Master of Renato never forgets and repays kindness.”

At the end of his explanation, people looked like they had finally understood.

Grand Duke Ricardo is stingy with expressions, but not stingy with giving. Whether it be recompense or revenge.

There is no one in the Empire who does not know this.

‘But, does he have to value it that much? Just a woman?’

Turning into a dog chasing a chicken, Durante twisted his face. Even if she’s a benefactor, for that mysophobic to reach out to a woman first.

From what he had seen since Ricardo was born, he’s not like that. He hates seeing a woman approaching and rejects their sweet whispers? He didn’t even show a hint of joy when the marriage ceremony with the rumoredly beautiful Princess was arranged.

It was obvious that the woman had bewitched the Grand Duke. Completely ignored by Ricardo, Durante muttered, clenching his fists.

“Where did that woman hail from?”

“Are you curious?”

As Durante was grinding his teeth, he heard someone’s whisper. When he turned his eyes, a gray-haired maid was looking at him. Durante squinted his eyes and opened his mouth.

—

*) A dog chasing a chicken means to chase something unattainable. Irl, if a dog were to chase a chicken, the chicken would just fly away and the dog could only look.

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