Duke, please let go of my ankle!

＊ ＊ ＊ ＊
Stunned gazes followed her footsteps across the palace corridors.

‘Oh my. Looks like the rumors were true!’

‘Oh my god…….’

‘Elena, come here quickly, you can’t go there!’

The crowd parted as soon as Duke Frit’s footsteps touched down, and he made sure to fasten his collar tightly, lest the breeze from his collar annoy the Duke.

The gazes that fell upon his mauve conquest were complex.
From the handsome young men to the middle-aged men of induction. He had seen at least a hundred similar outfits on his way to and from the palace. But…… what the heck is going on with those clothes?

Separately, both the clothes and the people were perfect, but together, they couldn’t figure out what was wrong.

‘Pfft, pfft, His Royal Highness the Duke of Fritz is here!’

‘Hear him.’

But the solitary Duke took no notice of the attention. He simply walked to the Emperor with his usual dignified gait.

‘Greetings, Sun of Creant.’

‘Alas, spare me such formalities, for it is not as if I have known the Duke for more than a year or two.’

‘As you wish.’

The Duke did not look the least bit cowed, even in his lowly kneeling position, even in his ridiculous attire.

‘What business have you called on me?’

‘Oh, nothing else. We have not dined together in a long time.’

‘…….’

‘Uh-huh, let’s get the impression out of the way.’

Derek’s frown showed no sign of returning to the Emperor’s words.

‘You’re a very disciplined dog.

What kind of person would send a busy man to come here for such a trivial reason?

But even though he knew he was being fooled every time, he couldn’t refuse the Emperor’s excuse of ‘urgent business’. After all, Duke Fritz is a vassal of the Emperor.

The Emperor, who was in a good mood today, smiled and rubbed his hands together.

‘I have someone to introduce you to, so let’s get going.’
‘……Yes.’

On the ride to the banqueting hall, the emperor told me one funny story after another. He never tired of repeating the same uninterested responses, ‘Yes,’ ‘I see,’ and ‘I see.

‘I’m tired.

I felt like an idiot for listening to this nonsense for so long.
The non-nutritious chatter continued until we reached the banqueting hall.

‘Let’s sit down, your meal will be ready soon.’

‘Yes.’

It wasn’t long before a familiar face appeared. It was Empress Dian, the emperor’s first daughter.

‘Greetings, Empress Dian.’

‘Duke Frit, it’s been a long time, but how are you…… dressed?’

Smiling, the Empress approached, but as soon as she saw Derek’s attire, her face stiffened. Something didn’t sit right with him.

The emperor gave her a blunt rebuke.

‘Sister-in-law, why don’t you read the newspaper? You’re always backstabbing like this……. 

If you make fun of the empress, how will the duke be able to save face?’

‘Mocking,’ said the Duke,

‘that is very good, yes, but I don’t know what is the matter with you, that you always wear black.’

She took the seat beside him as naturally as she breathed. At the same time, the hem of her rich black dress slipped over her mauve robes.

‘…….’

Derek slid his chair to the side. For some reason, I felt as if the mere touch would stain my clothes with black water.

I don’t expect imperial fabrics to be that cheap, but it never hurts to be careful.

‘They say that mauve is the best color for a lover. So we can’t dye it black.
Catching the sequence of movements, the princess stiffened.

 She was about to say something playful when Prince Patrick appeared, accompanied by a strange woman.

‘Duke Frit!’

‘I present to you the Crown Prince of the Empire, this is…….’

‘It is a pleasure to see you, and this is the famous Duke of Frit, and this is the woman who is to be my wife.’

‘De, I’m Katarina of the Kingdom of DeMarco.’

‘It is an honor to meet you.’

The Emperor laughed heartily at his son and daughter-in-law.

‘Haha! I thought I’d introduce you before making the official announcement. Wouldn’t it be nice to get to know the people who will be leading the Empire together in the future?’

‘…….’

But Derek didn’t understand.

The meal was supposed to be a family affair, so why invite a stranger to salt the earth?

‘Are they trying to get married or something?’ he thought.

This was not the time for him to leisurely wish the couple well. He’s already burning up because he hasn’t heard from his Dodo.

 ……. 

The emperor’s judgment was distorted by the sight of the couple standing together.

The clueless emperor seemed eager to show off his son and daughter.

‘Aren’t they just like a pair of pokegirls? The princess is already so beautiful, that the future of the empire is bright. She will surely make a good empress.’

‘It is my honor, Your Majesty.’

‘Yes. If you ever have any problems, feel free to confide in Jim.’

‘Yes, ah……!’

The emperor chuckled and patted the princess on the shoulder. The newly-adult princess fidgeted. The warmth of his hand on her bare shoulder was uncomfortable. She looked longingly at her husband-to-be, but the crown prince was busy slicing her steak for her.

All the while, the emperor, in the guise of a loving father-in-law, stroked the bare shoulders of his prospective daughter-in-law.

Alone and neglected, she grumbled to Derek, who had no interest in anyone else.

‘After all, the Kingdom of DeMarco is a weak state, with no gold mines and no one to back it up. I don’t see how she’s going to make it to Empress.

‘…….’

‘Even if she does win the crown prince with her beauty, it will only be for a time.’

Duke Frit was already looking tired. He wanted to go back and read the loving letter five more times, and then go to sleep in peace.

But just then the Emperor’s eyes fell on him. He looked impatient as if he wanted to make a point.

‘Oh, by the way, the Duke is old enough to marry, isn’t he?’

‘……Yes.’

The Dowager Empress Dian’s hands slowed down as she furiously sliced the steak.

‘Since he’s so uninterested in his affairs, I’m sure he doesn’t have a lady in mind, right?’

‘I don’t know.’

He replied with his usual vagueness. He wasn’t about to let this conversation drag on.

‘If you don’t have a mistress, I know a good one-’

‘Your Majesty, the Duke is not three years old, how can he manage?’

‘How can he manage? Isn’t that Empress a virgin of twenty-seven years of age?’

‘…….’

‘I get a headache just thinking about her.’

‘……I’d go for a good one, too.’

‘Ugh. The empress is rotting your insides.’

The emperor gulped down his wine in frustration at his casual response. Empress Dian glared at him. Her eager gaze seemed to beseech him.

But the emperor’s attention turned back to his 18-year-old daughter-in-law.
‘So, has the princess ever met a man before?’

‘……up, yes?’

‘Father!’

Patrick exclaimed furiously. Startled, she tugged on his forearm, but the Crown Prince, further provoked, put his arm around her shoulders as if to reassure her.

‘The princess has just come of age.’

‘Tsk. You mean you can’t ask me such things as a father-in-law?’

‘Yes. You were rude. Don’t ever embarrass the woman who will be my wife again.’

‘I’m not going to …… broken pretense.’

Empress Dian sneered sarcastically. Her stomach twisted at the thought of a pea-sized man acting like a dutiful husband.

‘I heard that there are many promiscuous people in the Kingdom of DeMarco. What do you think, Princess?’

‘My sister!’

‘What, can’t we have a family discussion?’

‘Princess, let’s get out of here, there’s no reason for you to put up with this rudeness.’

‘Oh, there…….’

I’m not a child. Not a three-year-old child.’

Prince Patrick finally pushed himself to his feet. He then led the hesitant princess out of the banqueting hall without saying goodbye.

The emperor’s wrath naturally fell on Princess Dian and Derek.

‘This is why it’s useless to have children,’ said the emperor, ‘one daughter is an old virgin, and one son is an infidel.’

‘Still, it’s better to be a virgin than a son who’s blinded by love and can’t shit himself.’

‘Shut up! I don’t like that!’

‘…….’

Late lunch was marred by a pointless family argument. Derek, caught in the middle, concentrated on his meal with an expressionless face.

‘They look like an imperial family.

He didn’t care if they fought or ate each other, as long as they were breathing, his job was to defend the Empire.

＊ ＊ ＊ ＊

＊ ＊ ＊ ＊

The familiar sound of hooves on the road was soothing after so long. Audrey stared out of the carriage at the scenery passing by and steeled herself.

‘Just today.

Tomorrow was already the weekend. That meant she wouldn’t have to be cooped up with Duke Frit for two days.

Besides, the end of the contract was approaching.

‘Maybe we shouldn’t extend the contract, right?

With no guarantee that the Duke would grant an extension, Audrey decided that I would be the first to leave. She loved the people at the Treasury, but the Duke of Fritz, with his gruff face and nasty ways, was the reason she was leaving.

‘Good evening, everyone-’

‘You’re the last one in, and you’ve got a terrible attitude.’

‘……!’

Waiting for Audrey was a ferocious-looking Derek. Dressed in an outfit that would make anyone take a step backward, his stern face and sarcastic remarks struck fear into her heart.

‘You’ve got a lot of nerve,’ he said, ‘when everyone else is already at work.’

She glanced at the time: it was still only 8:30. The people who were supposed to be engaged in morning chatter were uncharacteristically hard at work with their heads down.

‘What the hell, am I the only one who didn’t get the memo?

If I’d known this would happen, I would have come in early and shown up for work!

‘Sin, I’m sorry, I’ll start right away.’

‘What a slug.’

‘…….’

‘I’ll be watching.’

Audrey, still intimidated, endured the piercing stares and got to work.

Then, out of nowhere, a warm voice broke through the frosty atmosphere.

‘Good morning, Audrey.’

‘Oh, .’

It was Claude, back from a brief visit to the archives. Audrey glanced at him, fearing she had unnecessarily incurred the Duke of Fritt’s wrath.

‘The carriage is empty today. I wish we could still ride together.’

‘It’s not …… long now, anyway.’

‘Still. Here, eat this.’

‘Oh, yeah.’

‘If you don’t understand something, feel free to ask.’

‘I will.’

Audrey admired his guts anew.

Claude doesn’t seem to be afraid of the Duke.

Duke Frittz didn’t seem to notice, for his ill-will was like thunder that strangely fell only on Audrey.

＊ ＊ ＊ ＊

＊ ＊ ＊ ＊

The familiar sound of hooves on the road was soothing after so long. Audrey stared out of the carriage at the scenery passing by and steeled herself.

‘Just today.

Tomorrow was already the weekend. That meant she wouldn’t have to be cooped up with Duke Frit for two days.

Besides, the end of the contract was approaching.

‘Maybe we shouldn’t extend the contract, right?

With no guarantee that the Duke would grant an extension, Audrey decided that I would be the first to leave. She loved the people at the Treasury, but the Duke of Fritz, with his gruff face and nasty ways, was the reason she was leaving.

‘Good evening, everyone-’

‘You’re the last one in, and you’ve got a terrible attitude.’

‘……!’

Waiting for Audrey was a ferocious-looking Derek. Dressed in an outfit that would make anyone take a step backward, his stern face and sarcastic remarks struck fear into her heart.

‘You’ve got a lot of nerve,’ he said, ‘when everyone else is already at work.’

She glanced at the time: it was still only 8:30. The people who were supposed to be engaged in morning chatter were uncharacteristically hard at work with their heads down.

‘What the hell, am I the only one who didn’t get the memo?

If I’d known this would happen, I would have come in early and shown up for work!

‘Sin, I’m sorry, I’ll start right away.’

‘What a slug.’

‘…….’

‘I’ll be watching.’

Audrey, still intimidated, endured the piercing stares and got to work.

Then, out of nowhere, a warm voice broke through the frosty atmosphere.

‘Good morning, Audrey.’

‘Oh, .’

It was Claude, back from a brief visit to the archives. Audrey glanced at him, fearing she had unnecessarily incurred the Duke of Fritt’s wrath.

‘The carriage is empty today. I wish we could still ride together.’

‘It’s not …… long now, anyway.’

‘Still. Here, eat this.’

‘Oh, yeah.’

‘If you don’t understand something, feel free to ask.’

‘I will.’

Audrey admired his guts anew.

Claude doesn’t seem to be afraid of the Duke.

Duke Frittz didn’t seem to notice, for his ill-will was like thunder that strangely fell only on Audrey.

＊ ＊ ＊ ＊