Henry, who had figured out his superior’s intentions, fixed his gaze on Hermia’s back, who had already moved far away.
“I don’t know if it was like that before, but would you have continued to harass your daughter who was about to become a duchess?”
“I guess it might have been possible in the past.”
“I guess so. That’s right. When I saw you briefly last time, you seemed like you had a serious personality.”
“What’s not a joke?”
“Eww!”
Henry jumped at the voice that suddenly interrupted.
“King, no! Sir Gerard! I almost shot you!”
He frowned arrogantly, even holding the revolver on his waist, but Walter nodded without wavering, as if it was something he was used to.
“You’re late.”
“Ah. Our Duke, you’re being boring again.”
Only when Gerard took off his toy glasses and pouted did Walter smile a little.
“Gerard.”
“Yeah, Inma.”
The two men walked into Sophia’s shop. This time, the soldiers waiting outside blocked the front of the shop and closed the door tightly.
Inside the store, all the employees had left their offices, and instead, Walter and Gerard were walking side by side.
Madame Sophia, who was very nervous about the appearance of the royal family, followed them like a servant.
“Sometimes it’s not a bad idea to come out yourself.”
She was taking out all the trinkets that Gerard was interested in and was eagerly looking at them. Seeing him humming a tune, Sophia couldn’t hide her excitement and quickly intervened.
“If you had just asked, I would have come to see you in person at any time. How could I come to your majesty in person… …!”
“That’s difficult because there is a separate upper class that has an exclusive contract with the royal family.”
Gerard cut her off briefly and smiled gently.
“I would like to have a quiet talk with the Duke.”
“Of course! Of course! I’ll be up there, so please take your time… …!”
Sophia, clutching the hem of her dress tightly, disappeared upstairs in a hurry.
Walter’s men were all defeated, and now only Gerard and Walter were left on the second floor. Only after the silence in the room thickened did Walter open his mouth softly.
“Why do you insist on meeting outside? Instead of coming home.”
“What’s the big deal? Read a popular book and buy a present for your lover.”
Walter’s expression distorted as he looked at his old friend. He confessed with a relaxed expression that only appears when there are no eyes looking at him.
“If you have time, go and ask His Majesty a favor. Every time I apply for a change in position, it gets rejected.”
“If a man without a successor stands in the front lines and dies, who should be held responsible? That is not just the destruction of a family, but a national loss.”
“So you’re getting married.”
“Yes! I was forced to because of the will.”
“… … .”
As expected, there is no way to beat Gerard with words. As Walter sighed softly, Gerard continued speaking in a sly tone.
“So you’re saying that if I marry my sister, I can go to the battlefield that I like so much? Elizabeth even takes medicine these days to help her son sleep better.”
“I hope the princess gives birth to a son safely. Of course, it will be someone else’s son, not mine.”
“How harsh. She’s only been looking at you since she was eight.”
“Do you not know that I am planning to marry my younger sister off and turn my grandfather’s inheritance into the royal family’s fortune?”
“The principle is that spoils of war are originally owned by the country. Your grandfather stole some of it!”
“I must be precise. There is a document in which His Majesty the King stipulated that the Duke’s family would receive 20% of the spoils.”
“… … .”
This time it was Walter’s victory. Gerard groaned, then asked meaningfully.
“Now that I think about it, there was another girl besides Elizabeth who was loudly claiming to marry you.”
“… … .”
“Melissa, have you given up on finding her?”
Walter immediately touched his chin with a heavy face.
The Count and his wife died at the scene when the carriage carrying the Bansen family overturned on a rainy road, and their only daughter went missing.
At that time, Walter was young and could do nothing. All he could do was rely on the words of his grandfather, the Duke of Leonard John Rockford, who was doing his best to search for him.
Walter’s father and Jack Bahnsen said that they forged a bond of camaraderie as they fought on the battlefield, each with their own backs.
They were said to be so close that they even took vacations together, so it was only natural that Melissa Bahnsen would come to visit the duke’s castle.
Walter met Melissa for the first time at that time and they became close friends right away. They had been in contact for several years, so they were close like real siblings. The three of them hung out together many times, with Gerard often visiting.
Then one day, news of my father’s death came. The one who returned from the scene where bullets were flying around, carrying his body, was none other than Jack Bahnsen.
Walter guessed that his grandfather’s will to marry the young lady of the Bansen family was probably written around that time.
He entered the military academy as soon as he was old enough, graduated early with excellent grades, and received the news of his grandfather’s death while serving in the border area. It was the Eastern Front, the very same place where his father had passed away.
And in the blink of an eye, he was transferred to a non-combat administrative position. If the entire Rockford family, whose reputation was so great that it was even known to enemy countries, were to be killed, it would be a serious matter for the kingdom.
The appointment of Walter as colonel, a high-ranking position that was inappropriate for his age, was also a royal tactic to break his stubbornness.
Colonel Walter Rockford was now on an extended leave of absence to marry as per his will, and he immediately set out to find Melissa Bahnsen.
“I searched all the orphanages and convents in the area. I looked for people with names like Melissa or similar names, or even just similar appearances… … .”
As Walter continued his speech with a slightly gloomy expression, Gerard nodded his head.
“You couldn’t find it, right? Otherwise, you wouldn’t have married Hermia Bahnsen instead of Melissa Bahnsen. Right?”
“That’s a different matter from finding Melissa. Miss Hermia is also a registered woman of the Bansen family, and I have decided to marry her.”
‘I, I, I’m like a young master who is completely blocked up.’
Gerard, who suddenly became curious, started asking questions in a sneaky manner this time.
“What if you find Melissa? Would you still marry Miss Hermia? Her father was just a half-sister who was lucky enough to take the throne when the previous earl died suddenly. And Miss Hermia is that man’s illegitimate daughter. Strictly speaking, she’s quite distant from the legitimate line.”
“I already promised to be faithful to her. What are you trying to say?”
Walter immediately showed his displeasure.
There was no one who did not know that Hermia Bahnsen had lived as a commoner for 14 years. However, she would never stand by and let anyone use that as a weakness.
Gerard, who was quick-witted, could not have not noticed this. He smiled somewhat bitterly when he saw his friend’s stiff face.
“I don’t mean to disparage your origins. The original position of Duchess was supposed to be Melissa’s, but I just feel… bad for her?”
“Of course I would be happy if you could find Melissa, but she is more like a little sister to me.”
“Hmm. Hermia Bahnsen is a woman, you know.”
“What have you been talking about? Have you found any clues about Melissa?”
Walter, feeling unfamiliar, tried to change the subject, but Gerard simply shrugged his shoulder.
“Well, I don’t know if I should say I found this or not. I’m also curious to see how the woman will react when she finds it.”
The ‘woman’ Gerard speaks of must be Hermia Bahnsen. Have you ever seen her in person?
Walter cut off the conversation, feeling an awkward discomfort rising.
“You should stop wandering and settle down. It’s rude to give gifts to women without any feelings.”
“So you bought a present for Miss Hermia, who you have a crush on?”
It seemed that he had failed to attract the attention of the experienced Gerard. Walter, who knew full well his stubborn nature, quickly gave up.
“Is there anything wrong with buying a gift for your fiancée?”
It was Gerard who was rather surprised by the unexpected answer.
“Wow. This is definitely something that will make it to the front page of a gossip magazine. When? How could you possibly say something so pathetic as love at first sight… .”
“… … .”
“… No way. Really? Walter Rockford, you?”
His eyes grew as wide as lanterns. His mouth, as wide as his eyes, had long since forgotten even the dignity of royalty.
“This is really unexpected! Since it has come to this, I absolutely must find out who the author is. How could I miss such an interesting spectacle!”
“A writer?”
Walter raised his eyebrows at the excited Gerard. It was then that two thin books emerged from inside Gerard’s shirt.
“The person who wrote this. I think he found our Melissa.”
* * *
“The Duke bought this for you?”
The Countess asked, holding the crude-looking brooch in her hand.
“Yes. The Duke personally selected it for me because I said it was a birthday present for my mother.”
Hermia nodded with a shameless face.
‘That’s not true. I chose it. It’s the worst one.’
It can be so refreshing!
I also built up my emergency fund and gave my new mother a tacky brooch. That alone made the day worth it.
The moment the countess shows off at her birthday party, people will go crazy. The duke’s family gave a silver brooch worth only 700,000 perso to the eldest of the family she is marrying.
It was obvious to everyone that the count’s family was being ignored because it was an unsuitable marriage, and they would gossip behind his back.
Anyway, I’ll be getting divorced and leaving in a year, so it doesn’t matter to me whether Bansenga is ignored or not. On the contrary, I kept having to hold back my laughter, to the point where my face started to twitch.
“Oh my goodness, what a vision! Even though I grew up in a house full of men, how could I be so pathetic… … .”
The Countess muttered with a look of genuine shock on her face.
“You! What the hell were you doing while the Duke was picking out things like this?”
‘Oh. I didn’t expect this.’
Hermia froze in place as a spark suddenly flew in.
Just then, Andy, who had come out of his room after hiding the book, caught the Countess’s eye. She shouted in a hurry.
“Hey, you! Come here!”
“Yes, yes? Me?”
Hermia clenched her teeth and shook her head at the sight of Andy looking terribly embarrassed. The moment that kid opens his mouth, hell will begin.
“Are you sure the Duke chose this? He didn’t choose it?”
The gatekeeper of hell was barking at Andy fiercely. He started beating his head as if his heart was going to burst.
“Tell me the truth!”