Proofreader: somnium

Kahel was rereading Lena’s letter that Sid had secretly delivered to him yesterday, over and over again, and then forced himself to eat a meal he wasn’t willing to.

– …… To get better, you need to eat well, get plenty of sunlight, and move around. You must sleep well. If your body hurts, my heart will hurt so much.

Her letter, written with affection and concern, one word at a time, became a ray of light in his depressed and frustrated heart. He couldn’t tell what the taste of the piece of meat he put in his mouth was, but he chewed it and swallowed it out of duty because Lena would be sad if he got thin. He started training with the knights again, and tried to sleep a little at night.

Only for Lena. In order not to cause her to worry.

He thought about it several times, but he couldn’t help but be greedy for Lena, who was the standard for everything in his life.

‘I can’t let you go no matter what.’

He couldn’t help it even if he was cursed for being greedy. He doesn’t know if he would die while blocking the hordes of monsters, but in the end, he survived, so this life couldn’t be continued without Lena, so he couldn’t let Lena go while he was alive.

On the one hand, he was resentful. He had never been greedy for anything in his life. He has only lived for his family, for the Queen, and for his country. Even though his constitution did not even allow him to have a single person by his side, he did his duty. Then when he was greedy for only one thing, he was not allowed that. It was so unfair and heartbreaking.

– I love you. With all my life

That bitter heart was healed in this one sentence. The tender and warm affection that pours out towards him.

He had heard of love confessions that endangered his life because of the devilish curse, but none that touched his heart as much as this.

Lena would be nervous, too. Not even a single person in the Palace has ever known her. Still, she said to overcome it first. He regretted that he couldn’t have considered and cared for her first.

Then he suddenly remembered a day in the past. It was at that time when he was terrified that if this rare handmaiden was known to the world, someone would take her away. At that time, he had made up his mind to Gerard’s words.

‘It’s okay if I don’t lose her.’

Kahel gently touched his hand on the line of ‘I love you,’ and his eyes lit up. No one should dare to take away Kahel Luave’s. He needed to make it clear this time.

He rang the bell calling for Arder after a long time.

“Did you call, Your Excellency?”

To Arder, who seemed to have rushed, Kahel gave an order with a dry voice.

“Call the clothing and shoe makers. Call the jeweler. I don’t have time, so hurry up.”

* * *

The curtain of the grand banquet has risen. Since it was the first grand banquet to be held since the new Queen’s accession, everyone’s attention was drawn to the extent that the entire capital was excited. Above all, there was a rumor that ‘it was to choose the Grand Duke’, so unlike ordinary banquets, unmarried men put a lot of effort into dressing up.

Usually vanity was a luxury for women. It was funny to see men who were arrogant decorating themselves like peacocks, but for the nobles, even that was entertainment.

It wasn’t just the men who were excited at the grand banquet. Because of the devilish curse, they had not been able to approach Kahel Luave all this time and he appeared. The curse was lifted, and Damien opposed the union between him and the Queen.

“Is that Liliana of County Eden? I used to think she was pretty, but today she is amazingly beautiful.”

“Oh my God, look at that! How much did Lady Mendel put on her dress?”

“Oh, did you see Lord Ethelred? I think he should tuck his stomach in rather than clothes. Ho ho ho!”

“It seems that Viscount Dimatore is also aiming for the position of Grand Duke, right? Damien came out with a lot of effort?”

Thanks to the attendance of the young men and women honing themselves to the best of their ability, the elderly nobles enjoyed the banquet with words of appreciation behind their fans.

At that time, the entrance was cluttered, and admiration burst out from the people’s mouths.

“Duke Kahel Luave enters.”

Even the servant’s voice, who announced his arrival, seemed somewhat hazy. Then, through the eyes of the people, Kahel, so beautiful as to be dazzling, entered the banquet hall.

The shiny black hair, sharp red eyes, and smooth skin seemed to have been taken care of more than usual, but the outfit that seemed completely different from his usual was the most surprising. As he started helping Luahalla’s business, his clothes became better than before, but today he felt like he was determined.

The tight, straight-fitting outfit seemed to be shouting that the most gorgeous color in the world is black. A soft silver-gray brooch and a dark silver-gray vest fixed with glossy silk cravat was not flashy, but supported Kahel’s dazzling appearance. Sleek cowhide shoes were a style that was never seen before, but from now on they will become popular.

“Is it true that his devilish curse has disappeared? Then why is my heart beating like this?”

“Wow…… This is really, wow…….”

The disappearance of the devilish curse didn’t have much of an effect on people falling for Kahel. He was, as always, the Devilish Duke, and the most beautiful man in Logos.

In terms of the splendor of his clothes and accessories, other men have it too, but it was a feeling that they, who had looked more glamorous than before, suddenly became humble. Kahel’s absolute beauty did not even arouse jealousy.

“I’m finally seeing my precious son’s face today.”

Damien said to his son who had been decorated so beautifully that he had never even seen it before.

“No matter what Father is thinking, I will not lose my lover to anyone else.”

“No matter what you say, you are disloyal. How dare you call Her Majesty a ‘lover’.”

“When you’re trying to win something really important, shouldn’t you put off complicated thoughts? If you hesitate, you will miss it.”

Damien grinned as he watched Kahel reciting the advice he had given him. The child who showed no interest or greed for anything since he was a child seems to be sincere this time.

“Yes, let’s see.”

Kahel’s brow furrowed slightly at the tone of his smirk, as if ‘It won’t go your way.’ But before he could say anything, there was a roar of fanfare announcing the arrival of the Queen.

“Her Majesty enters!”

Everyone stood up and bent down, and Lena walked slowly between them, moving forward. The only sound in the silent hall was the rustling of the dress Lena was wearing. Even the sound of his heart to Kahel, who was bending his back, he felt like it would burst. Because he hadn’t seen his lover in over a month.

“Everyone, raise your head.”

It wasn’t very loud or serious, but it was a voice that somehow touched their heart. The slender woman who caught everyone’s attention was looking down at the banquet hall with clear amethyst eyes. She was slender for her young age, not yet twenty, but she was not at all crushed by the weight of the crown she was wearing.

Her gaze momentarily turned to Kahel, but soon Damien stepped in front of him and blocked between the two of them. Lena let out a small sigh and ordered the start of the banquet.

When the royal band performed bright and light dance tunes, the noble couple danced in pairs instead of Lena, who does not yet have a partner, and the hall became bustling as the banquet dance was over. At first, everyone was busy watching, but when the brave young men started to greet Lena, girls flocked to Kahel’s side as well.

“Isn’t this your first banquet after the curse is lifted? You have to show your sincerity to those who haven’t been able to say hello.”

Damien advised Kahel, who glanced at Lena as he turned his gaze towards her. Although Kahel still had the dukeship, it was the words of his father who suffered because he was under the curse, so he had to obey. He could not neglect his duty as the head of the Black Faction nobles.

‘Let’s trust Lena.’

Lena, his cute little rabbit, will never abandon him.

Kahel squeezed his churning heart and began to give and receive unwilling greetings.

‘I really wanted to see you, are you feeling well, what family am I from, would you like to come to our next party…….’

All the words that passed through his ears were meaningless.

And it was the same with Lena. In fact, she only conveyed her feelings to Kahel in the letter, but she was nervous and anxious this morning because it was difficult to get a reply from him. So no matter whom she met, she couldn’t concentrate.

“I saw you once at a concert, but I don’t know if you remember me. I am Vincent Hyatt.”

The slender-faced man lightly kissed the back of Lena’s hand. She doesn’t know how many times a man has already kissed the back of her hand, but her only impression was, ‘I want to wash my hands immediately.’

Next to him, the chief handmaid recites a brief introduction to this young man.

“The second son of Count Hyatt, he excelled in the family’s iron ore business…….”

It’s something she can’t even get into her head anyway, so she thought the chief handmaid was doing too much. And as if recognizing Lena’s lost thoughts, the man again grabbed Lena’s hand and pulled her a little tighter.

“It sounds like you haven’t danced yet, but it would be an honor if you could dance a song with me.”

The men who were waiting behind him blinked their eyes at once hearing his words. They didn’t dare say it, but everyone was hoping to become the Queen’s first dance partner.

But Lena shook her head slightly with still indifferent eyes.

“Sir Robin, I…….”

“Your Majesty. This is Sir Vincent Hyatt. Sir Robin is someone you met earlier.”

“Oh, excuse me. So, Sir Vincenton. I’m sorry I turned down your favor, but after dancing with you, I’ll have to dance with others too, and I won’t have any stamina left. So today, I’ll just say hello.”

Even though Lena still had his name wrong while he was in front of her, Vincent smiled. But as he can’t succeed the family, the only way for him to succeed was to become the Grand Duke in the eyes of the Queen. And he knew Lena was glancing at Kahel.

He took a half step closer to Lena and whispered.

“Duke Luave is talking so sweetly with the other Ladies, aren’t you angry? It seems that he promised to dance with a certain Lady earlier. If this happens, the other Ladies will take Duke Luave’s attention. But if you dance with me for the first time, Duke Luave will be nervous, too. I am only offering suggestions to help Your Majesty.”

Unsurprisingly, Lena’s bright purple eyes fluttered sharply. Then, Lena took a step closer to Vincent’s side.

“Did, did you see it clearly?”

“Yes? What are you talking about?”

“That…… Duke, Duke Luave…… promised a dance with another Lady…….”

Vincent was pounding, hoping that the Queen would hold his hand in just a little bit more.

“Why would I lie? That’s exactly what I heard.”