# 81
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Hazel Chernin's mansion was designed so that one could access his business, a café, through the basement. Although such special construction would have cost an astronomical amount of money, it was entirely feasible for the Hazel of today.
Just as they were nearly at the cafe through the underground passage, loud shouts pierced through the ground. Gail took off his glasses, handed them to the person following him, and quickly climbed the stairs.
“You bitch!! What did you say, huh?! I said say it again!!!”
The faces of those around turned pale at the cracked voice characteristic of a boy whose voice had not yet fully recovered from puberty.
“Ugh, I’m sorry, Your Highness. I am sorry.”
The woman, lying flat on the floor, begged while sobbing in fear, but Jake Decan's expression only became more cruel.
“It seems like those lowly things have lowly heads, too. They don’t understand a single thing I’m saying.”
Jake shook his head sneerly, then suddenly grabbed the woman's chin tightly. Madness was overflowing in his brown eyes.
“What? Is my hair color really pretty?”
Your Highness, the color of your hair is as intense and beautiful as the setting sun. It is reddish, and truly lovely.
The woman, who never dreamed that a light compliment would lead to such a result, simply hoped that this moment would pass safely.
It is said that lowly things only learn when beaten.
Jake looked around while holding her chin, then picked up a bottle of liquor nearby.
“Ah, oh my, Your Majesty, Your Majesty! No. No...!”
Just as the attendant attending him was startled, Count Chernin's butler, Gale, arrived.
“Your Highness the Crown Prince.”
Gale, who arrived quickly in front of Jake, bowed respectfully.
I heard that you had an unpleasant experience. I am truly sorry.
match!!
Jake slapped Gail's cheek with the hand that had just released the woman's chin. As Gail straightened up, the hand flew at him again.
match!!
After slapping the same cheek over and over again for quite some time, Jake, breathing heavily, kicked Gail in the knee. Gail, having fallen to the floor, instead of getting up, leaned forward and bowed his head before Jake.
“The fact that you came means you want to stop here—doesn't that mean? Right?”
“Forgive me, Your Majesty.”
“You can’t manage your subordinates any better than this, and you’re accepting me as a guest?!”
“Such an unsavory incident will never happen again. Please forgive me, Your Majesty.”
“How dare you even mention my hair color!!!”
The screaming boy was about to stomp on Gail's hand when he paused. Still, considering he was Count Chernin's butler, it would be a bit troublesome if his finger broke.
Eventually, Jake tilted the bottle he was holding over his head. The golden liquid flowing from the neck of the bottle soaked the back of Gail's head and dripped down, making the floor wet.
“I hope you manage your subordinates well. Understand?”
Eventually, when the bottle was empty, Jake threw it aside and turned around, and Jack Sachsen, who had been watching the whole scene from behind, also stood up.
Jake, who was leaving through the VIP passageway, stopped in front of a mirror decorated with intricate mosaics. There stood a boy with the red hair characteristic of the Count of Saxony and baseless brown eyes.
"majesty……."
“Why? Are you afraid I might break the mirror? Are you afraid I might bleed?”
Jake, who had been sneering bitterly, tilted his head toward his cousin, who had been quiet all day.
“I think I should be more worried about my dear cousin waking up than myself.”
“…….”
“What news did you hear earlier that made you suddenly go this quiet?”
Jack laughed sharply at the sarcasm of his very young cousin.
“It was nothing, Your Majesty.”
“If it’s interesting news, I’d like to know too.”
There was someone looking for it, and I heard that they found it.
Jake looked at Jack with curious eyes, but Jack only gave a sly smile and did not answer.
A moment later, as Jake boarded the carriage, the servant let out a sigh of relief, as if finally at ease. At the same time, the forced smile that had been on Jack's face vanished.
As he boarded Saxon’s carriage and headed toward the first quarter, flames shot up from within him. The news, received while he was enjoying himself at the café, was enough to turn him upside down.
“The person Grace fell for is the Duke of Richmond...?”
I was already in a state of confusion and anger just from the marriage proposal I had made to Rosette Taylor. I had been looking forward solely to the day I would win over Grace and her man, so what on earth is going on?
His tightly clenched fist turned white.
* * *
The first snow, which had been falling heavily over the Duke of Richmond Castle, subsided at midnight, and the lights remained on all night in the castle, where fine snow had piled up thickly. This was because there was a mountain of urgent work to be done as the families that had held Richmond in their hands for over a decade, including the Marquis of Rinko, were renounced.
The bureaucrats, who were processing mountains of documents while overcoming their fatigue, habitually craned their necks to look at the huge table.
“…….”
That's a shame. It's a pity.
For the past few days, whenever I craned my neck to look at the table, there was always a young woman sitting upright, engrossed in processing documents. Her green eyes, sparkling with intellect, were calm yet somehow affectionate, and whenever I approached her in need of help, she would listen to my concerns without ever frowning. It was only natural that I would leave with a meaningful answer.
But… … ,
“!!”
The official, having made eye contact with Ares, was startled and quickly retracted his head. His heart was beating so fast that the slight drowsiness he had been feeling vanished completely.
Currently, a pitch-black tiger sat at the table where Grace had been. Compared to Grace, who seemed like the epitome of proper posture, the Duke's posture was the epitome of laxity, indulgence, and ill manners. To begin with, he sat at a precise right angle to the table, using it as a makeshift armrest, and leaned leisurely back in his chair with his long legs crossed.
Despite his extremely half-hearted demeanor, he grasped the documents quickly and accurately. He then gazed intently at the officials standing awkwardly, unable to dare ask any questions.
Are you asking because you don't know this, you incompetent idiot?
With exactly those eyes.
Then, these words just naturally came out.
I will give it a try.
I have to do it, what else can I do?
Overwhelmed by uncontrollable grief, the officials grumbled, "Why didn't you call Miss Grace?" However, they soon fell into even greater sorrow when they realized that Grace was actually a stranger with no authority in Richmond.
Meanwhile, Ares was simply dumbfounded by the behavior of the officials who kept craning their necks to stare at him from all directions. It was obvious exactly what they were thinking.
“You must have kept asking her when Grace was around.”
"Oh, come on. I wouldn't believe it if I went around telling people to stop asking and handle it themselves."
As Mrs. Rexton, who was pouring tea into an empty cup, replied with a smile, Ares's gaze toward the officials grew even fiercer. But that was only for a moment, as he turned his attention to the work he had to do.
Joseph's message that he had seized the Iron Canyon had been delivered via the Sparrowhawk. Just as I was confirming that the relevant documents were properly completed and stamping them, Crimson appeared. As soon as he showed up, a strong stench of blood rushed in. This was because he had not yet been able to remove his armor.
I have confirmed that there are none. Knights have been stationed in the office and the Chandelier Room.
Crimson, having reported that there were no invisible things, added in a very low voice.
Andrew is in front of the young lady's room.
“…….”
"Shall we assign one more person?"
When Ares nodded in agreement, Crimson bowed respectfully and left the room. After he left, Ares lowered his eyes to his work. However, this time, he could not seem to concentrate on the documents.
Just as waves endlessly surge toward the land, Grace surged in again.
Marry me.
In the corridor where snow was pouring down like a lie, he worried that the sound of his heartbeat might reach her ears. Grace remained silent, her eyes wide with surprise, and Ares realized for the first time in his life that someone's silence could be choking.
I absolutely couldn't bear to look at that white, innocent face, so I stared at the snowman for no reason and added some words that sounded like an excuse.
It won't get in your way of getting Taylor back. It's a marriage that's going to be nullified anyway.
The person Grace is to marry is Walter Richmond, so as soon as his true identity is revealed to be Ares Decan instead of Walter, their marriage will be nullified.
The words I spat out pierced somewhere in my heart like a thorn, but I heard calm words of agreement.
I see.
When he suddenly looked up, Grace was looking up at the sky pouring down snow. Then she turned her head toward him, who hadn't even realized he was holding his breath, and pressed down on him like snow that falls lightly but ultimately overwhelms everything.
When day breaks, let's go ask the Grand Madam for permission.
Ares was convinced of the monotonous and plain decision, devoid of even a shred of warmth.
To her, the way he kissed my lips so casually must have been just this level of simplicity, and she must have already forgotten it.
Ares ended up covering his eyes and laughing.