***
“I don’t know the circumstances, but after meeting the Princess, the power of the curse began to weaken.”
Snow narrowed his eyes as he told his master that the curse had been lifted before sunrise.
The tower lord, Chaiman was even arrogant to the king of a country, but he was respectful towards the Grand Duke.
“He looks the same on the outside, but I don’t know on the inside. He went to see the Princess now.”
“I don’t know. Will it be different this time?”
Among the women who rushed to get engaged, there were not only women who wanted to win the Grand Duke’s love.
From a spy trying to steal the secrets of the empire to a con artist, their purpose varied, and the Grand Duke’s sword, which cut the pirates’ necks, fell equally on the women.
The heart of the man who dominated the warm southern coast was as cold as the northern iceberg.
Yes, he was that kind of guy.
But now, there was something strange with his lord.
“I would be happy if there was a priest who could lift the Grand Duke’s curse as the high priest prophesied, but….”
“Because he is quite clever. In any case, I am afraid that the cause will be disturbed by Princess Isabelle.”
“What?”
“It’s not the clock requested by the Grand Duke last time, is it?”
Snow remembered the day he first met Princess Isabelle.
He took a boat to the kingdom of Desar to get the ‘clock’, but it was fake and he disappointed the Grand Duke.
“It was you, master, who said it would be real at that time.”
“Why is the master coming here!”
The tower lord had a bad relationship with Empress Gwendoline.
The Empress prohibited entry into the Empire of the tower lord, but only Grand Duke Bashke could sneak in and out.
bubbly~
The mirror glass fluttered like a wave and soon returned to a normal mirror.
“Heh, the Grand Duke wouldn’t like it, would he?”
Snow looked at the mirror in vain and murmured.
****
At the same time.
Grand Duke Karl Bashke, who visited the downtown area, stood crookedly in a narrow alley. It was only five or six steps away from the main road, but the alley was as dark as a different world, and the cold eyes of the Grand Duke matched the darkness very well.
“Is it there?”
Madame Fairy’s boutique where Princess Isabelle visited. Through the large show window there, the coy figure of the Princess could be seen.
The posture with her back straight and the tip of her chin raised was elegant enough to be considered an imperial member, not a princess of a small country.
‘What the hell is it?’
A woman who played with a hideous beast every night.
It was clear that she was not a normal person, so it was his turn to find out the true purpose of her approach.
“My lord.”
A man in a black mask appeared behind him. It was the shadow knight of Grand Duke Bashke, Shadow.
“Say.”
“Certainly, the princess wasn’t on the Empress’s side. But I’ve noticed something absurd.”
Shadow continued the report, glancing through the window that the Grand Duke was watching.
“The Princess seemed to have a special secret, but no one knew it.”
“A secret?”
“There was only one person who survived knowing the secret, but someone recently killed him.” (*Flute killed a man last time who knew Isabelle’s secret)
“You mean, you’re one step late.”
“I’m sorry.”
Shadow shook his head.
And asked one more question.
“Should I kill the Princess tonight?”
To use his hands quickly so that there was no generosity. That was the way his lord liked to use it. Shadow glanced up at the Grand Duke. Still no reply came back.
After standing for a while, the Grand Duke silently waved his hand.
It meant to watch the Princess for now.
After bowing to the Grand Duke, Shadow disappeared into the darkness of the back alley.
Alone again, the Grand Duke was still observing Isabelle. At that time, an aristocratic wife inside the store held out a gossip paper bearing the princess’s infamy, and an argument broke out.
Isabelle took it and read it with an insignificant expression, and tore it to shreds.
‘She’s definitely not a nice woman. ‘
Still, seeing the Princess smiling crookedly made him laugh helplessly.
****
“Tell me again.”
Isabelle smiled as she threw the torn pieces of the gossip paper in the air. Countess Stinger, who had been arguing with her, was stunned to see the pieces of paper fluttering.
“The reason why there are so many fires of unknown cause right now is because of the poor conduct of the Grand Duchess!”
“Is it logical that if I do something wrong, another house will be set on fire, Countess Stinger?”
It was such a funny idea, Isabelle burst out laughing.
Isabelle’s sharply raised eyebrows drew a pretty arc.
Countess Stinger, unable to speak for a moment, touched the tip of the fan she was holding.
“God knows everything.”
“Well, thanks to the Countess spreading false rumors here and there, a god far away must have heard it.”
“But, it is not just a rumor that the illegitimate child of Queen Desar’s affair is Princess Isabelle. Is it!”
‘Did she spread rumors I didn’t even know existed?’
Isabelle opened her eyes wide.
‘Besides, this is information that I did not know in my previous life.’
Isabelle blinked slowly and tilted her head.
“So what do you want, Countess?”
“What, what?”
“Do I have to bring in a blood test to prove that I’m an illegitimate child or an orthodox bloodline?”
“How vicious!”
Countess Stinger, her face flushed red, widened her eyes and glared at Isabelle.
‘What is she saying now? I can’t attack her back?’ (Isabelle)
At this moment, the person who fit the name ‘villain’ would be Countess Stinger. Isabelle smiled and nodded her head.
“Yes, I’m a bit savage. Madame Fairy, come here.”
Isabelle called the owner of the boutique who was watching the scene nearby.
“What’s going on, Princess Isabelle?”
She approached with an awkward gait and looked at Isabelle and the Countess’s complexion.
“Madame, send all of the new products here to the Grand Duke’s residence.”
“Everything…?”
“Yes. I’m trying to make some outrageous consumption.”
Also, at times like this, money was the best.
With her eyebrows lowered, Isabelle gracefully covered her mouth and looked at Countess Stinger.
“What do you do, Countess Stinger? I don’t think there’s anything for you to shop in this boutique today.”
“… Princess Isabelle!”
Countess Stinger shrieked as she gritted her teeth.
Isabelle was high in the title, but since the kingdom of Desar was a small country, the nobles from the empire tended to see her below them.
In addition, there was even a group of women following Countess Stinger.
“You want to see the young Princess look desperate, right?’
But the luck of the group was bad.
“Why!” (Isabelle)
The small respectful words were buried in the loud ‘why’ and could not be heard. The group of noble ladies quietly shut their mouths at that time at the behavior of the Princess from the small country.
‘Pick a fight over nothing.’
They couldn’t see anything in front of them because they were so desperate.
“If you’re done talking, I’ll go first.”
Isabelle patted the ladies who tried to insult her and left the boutique. Verdel, who was guarding Isabelle’s back, also enjoyed the victory of her master and kept her head high.
“You are terrific, Princess.”
“Is that so?”
‘Hm. I spent a lot of money today, but I’ll be able to solve it with the pocket money I’ve saved so far.’
Isabelle, who left the store with a light heart, unfolded the lace parasol that Verdel gave her. The warm afternoon sun shone brightly on the lively street.
And on the other side of the alley where the light did not reach, there was an unwelcome human.
‘Grand Duke Bashke?’
The corners of Isabelle’s lips, which had been lifted happily, drooped downward.
‘What is that man doing here at this time?’
It must be a coincidence. Isabelle turned and walked quickly in the other direction, pretending not to see him.
Thump thump.
The sound of large, steady military boots could be heard behind her back.
It was an instant, the Grand Duke caught up with Isabelle.
“Aren’t you done shopping?”
The Grand Duke, who had already taken the position next to Isabelle, was walking with her at the same speed.
“Don’t even think about nagging me. The money I spent today is enough to be covered with the pocket money I have saved up.”
“I don’t intend to do that.”
“Are you going to ask why I fought with the ladies?”
Isabelle stopped walking and looked up at him. She was trying to talk back at him horribly. Eyes that have been tightened with strength slowly released. Suddenly, she felt as if the surrounding scenery had come to a standstill.
‘What, why does he look better outside?’
Among the passers-by, the Grand Duke was one head taller. A navy uniform with a large, solid body tightened like a sword. Eyes sparkling as cold as amethyst and lips closed tight. The gentle southern wind ran down Isabelle’s cheek and tapped her heart.
This man was as cool as the north wind in winter.
“I’m asking if you’re done shopping.”
“Oh. Yes, Yes. I’m on my way back to the mansion.”
Isabelle took her eyes off the Grand Duke and looked around.
Passers-by stopped walking and everyone was busy glancing at the Grand Duke. Despite the rumors that he was cursed, his beautiful appearance caught the eyes of men and women of all ages.
“Are you okay to walk that long?”
“You seem to underestimate me because I have been lazy.”
“It’s not… I will guide you to the carriage.”
The Grand Duke perfectly escorted Isabelle while she brushed her hair with a confused expression.
‘This man is more caring than usual.’
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It was a little awkward, but it was good.
Isabelle was puzzled by his excessive kindness, but accepted it comfortably for now.